When you think of perfect clients, who comes to mind?
People who can pay you? People who have problems you can solve?
Those are great places to start, but there are other elements to include ESPECIALLY if you’re a coach or consultant.
Why? Because our work gets to the heart of people. We see their good, bad, and ugly. Our questions to spark growth can irritate some, enthrall others… in other words, there’s a lot of emotion attached to the work we do and we need to consider this when identifying who we want to work with.
Here’s what I do: I picture myself giving a big dinner party. The guests are my Ideal Clients. And as I look around the table, I see people who I absolutely LOVE to be around. People who love the food, appreciate the ambiance, and enjoy the entire experience. They are positive, proactive, action based, and doing good for the world.
You are sooooo not invited to my coaching group!
You know who I don’t see when I picture this dinner party? I don’t see bullies, haters, drama queens, excuse makers, thieves, plagiarists, backstabbers, gossipers, or crybabies.
You, as a business owner, have every right to choose who is and who is NOT your ideal client. Even if the person comes to you loaded with money, ready to throw cash at your feet, if it’s not a fit you have the power to say NO.
I know, it can be scary. You probably need the money, need the sale, tell yourself you’ll just hunker down and tolerate this person until your coaching agreement is over.
Ummmmm, hello? You’re a coach right? When I trained as a coach, the big word of the day was TOLERATIONS. We helped people identify what they were TOLERATING, then coached them to release that. How can you work in integrity if you’re tolerating less than ideal clients?
When you clear yourself of non-ideal clients, you open the doors to more than your share of perfectly matched clients!
And please… don’t start with too much logic when you identify your Ideal Client. Start with your heart. Your head will understand. Here’s the recipe I’ve used for the last decade to fill my business with clients so cool, they’ll amaze and delight you and pay you!
1. List all the qualities and attributes of your perfect client. This is the person who you’re excited to work with and who brings total joy to your work.
Here are some examples:
My perfect client
- is enthusiastic
- sees my fee as a great value and pays on time
- gets incredible results from our work
- is open minded and willing to trust
- refers reliable, wonderful people
- makes time to implement our work
- appreciates the new directions I take with my business and grows with me.
2. What is a common passion that I share with my ideal clients?
Consider these examples:
- Committed to making a difference in the world
- Uses organic products
- Appreciates creativity, diversity, and connecting with the community
- Loves kids and pets
- Into technology
- Enjoys the outdoors
3. What is this person’s temperament?
Are they:
- assertive
- outgoing
- introverted
- pensive
- quiet
- dreamy
- childlike
- strong
- charismatic
- daring
- etc?
If you could wake up each day and know that your business was filled with perfect clients, how would you approach your work? What would your energy level be like? How would you present yourself to the rest of the world? What would your income be?
Yes, finding clients involves market research, such as studying demographics and trends. But it also involves setting the boundaries that will allow the right people to connect with you. By sharpening your focus on what it is that you want, you’ll be much clearer on what you don’t want.
Fill your business with perfect clients and enjoy the gift of loving what you do while making an outstanding living. Bon appetit!
