You don’t have to work with someone just because they want to work with you, or because they are offering you money.
Yes, more money is good to have but NOT from the wrong sources/people. NO amount of money is worth getting involved with the wrong client. It’s GOT to be a win/win for your client and YOU.
When you take money from the wrong client, that’s a FAIL/FAIL. Don’t even think about it.
And if you are in the middle of working with someone right now, or you didn’t follow your own rules and have a ‘client from hell’, then don’t think that you can’t sack them. Of course it depends on what agreements you have in place, and the clients you attract, but YOU ARE THE BOSS! Act like one.
Some signs that it could be time to part ways with your client and terminate your relationship….
- Your client doesn’t accept responsibility for things that they should be accepting responsibility for or what they have agreed to do.
- Your client starts moaning to you, or worse ABOUT you. If it’s the latter, then my personal stance is to come down on that person like a ton of bricks. It’s only happened once in my 7 years in business, thankfully. I value my reputation above ALL else and if someone starts to mess with it… quite simply, God help them.
- YOU start moaning about your clients. Alarm bells! Ding Ding!!
You have the absolute final say in who you get to work with and by extension who you fill your life with.
That’s why you MUST be absolutely clear in your message and your marketing and the actual words you use on a DAILY basis about what you stand for, who you are, and who you work with. Don’t be using fancy, razzle dazzle language or marketing speak – that doesn’t get to the heart of YOU and ultimately, no matter what you are offering, it’s YOU that people pay to work with.
For example, I repeatedly say I work with action-takers, fast thinkers and fast decision makers. I haven’t got time to dither about when it comes to helping my clients so I expect them not to dither about when it comes to THEIR own lives and work.
That’s not to dismiss the times when you have genuinely given a client cause to complain and they have a ligitimate reason to. You accept responsibility in those instances and you put things right and back on track.
Being your own boss means that you get to make the rules.
Here are some of my business and client rules around what I will do and what I expect. This is just the tip of the ice-burg, but it gives you some idea of how I work and what some of my boundaries are.
I will be open with my clients.
I will share my knowledge.
I will answer questions fully and honestly.
I will not put limits on my help.
I will keep to our agreements.
I will tell them my stories.
I will be straight with them.
I will be on time with them.
I will give them my FULL attention when we are in conversation.
I will respect their honesty and privacy.
I will not share without their permission.I won’t give in to their excuses for them not taking action and getting results.
I won’t molly coddle clients. Let’s get on track and take action.
I won’t put up with them wasting my time, or being late. Repeat offenders won’t get to work with me as I will find their lack of organisation too annoying.
I won’t listen to ‘poor me’ and moany mcmoan moans who don’t accept full responsibility for themselves, their lives and their results.
My clients will fit in with my schedule which will allow generous time together.
My clients will pay for my services in advance and they will never haggle.
My clients are happy, positive, productive, creative, appreciative, independent, straight forward and action takers.
Stay tuned as I think I’ll write some more about my Business & Client Rules soon!
ABOUT Karen Strunks is a speaker and author and helps daring, rebellious, non-conforming women create a No Compromise life and business doing exactly what they love.
