Finding great clients is more art than science. 

It requires you to not only understand your goals and skillset, but the type of work that energizes you too.

You should know by now, we aren't about maximizing just money over here, but our lives and enjoyment. And to maximize that enjoyment, we must attract and work with the right people.

But every client brings a unique set of needs, expectations, and opportunities. And sometimes those needs are out of control and lead to bad projects, too many revisions. and all around bad engagements.

What we need is clients that are the right fit for us, because when the fit is right, work feels less like work and more like a purpose-driven mission.

So how do you decide and determine if a client is a good fit for you? Here's 4 things to consider:

Consideration 1: Will they let you lead the way and act on your expertise?

Your role as a service provider isn't to deliver a product or service, but to offer expertise and guidance. That's where the real $$ and charging on value comes from anyway, your expertise — not your deliverables.

Your ideal client respects your professional opinion and will allow you to be the expert in the room. They hired you for a reason, and that reason should include trusting your inputs and suggestions.

If a prospect wants someone to simply "do the work" and constantly requires revisions — They likely are not a good fit for you because these type of clients .... kinda suck. 

1 quick tip to help you identify overly needy clients early on (before you ever sign a contract):

Assess their openness during the sales cycle: Gauge their reaction to your initial offer or proposal. Are they open and appreciative, or do they push back and have objections to every little thing?

General rule of thumb: the more objections they have up front, the more difficult they'll be as a client. It doesn't mean people shouldn't have objections during the sales cycle. Questions and concerns are natural and valid.

But pay attention to how nit-picky those objections are and what they're all about ... If they're seeking clarity on your process, that's a good sign. If they are demanding "I want this" even though, in your opinion, those are the wrong steps to take... that's a red flag.

Consideration 2: How clear are they on their goals?

A client with a clear goal provides a strong foundation for success. When a client knows what they want to achieve, it's waaaay easier to help them reach their ideal outcome.

The opposite also holds true, a lack of clarity on desired outcomes leads to project scope creep, frustration, and outright bad results.

1 quick tip to uncover & help identify their ideal outcome:

Request an overview of their goals in the discovery phase of your sales cycle: Early convos should include talks about their specific objectives and expected outcomes.

They should have an answer lined up when you ask.

Plus, once you understand their goals, you can shift into...

Consideration 3: "Can I actually help them hit their goals?"

Some solopreneurs accept any client that comes their way — But you shouldn't. 

I turn away clients all the time, for example:

Last year a woman by the name of Shari reached out to me about LinkedIn coaching. She had recently bought a communications company, completed a rebrand, and was wanting to drive leads and sales through LinkedIn.

We chatted through email and I uncovered she absolutely did not want to be the face of the company. There would be no personal branding element at all. 

This is not where I operate as a business and content coach. I specifically work best with founder-led companies and solopreneurs who love creating content and building their personal brands alongside their business.

Shari wasn't a good fit for me and my expertise. I wasn't sure if I could apply my best practices to a business account without a personal branding element... So I ended up referring her to a social media manager.

It doesn't mean she's wrong for wanting to take that route, and it doesn't mean I'm wrong for turning her away.

It means when people pay you for results, be sure you're going to be able to deliver them.

Consideration 4: Is this aligned with the future I want for my business?

One aspect solopreneurs overlook is how clients shape your business’ future.

Get a low paying client that's demanding? That's time you could have spent finding a higher paying, easy-to-work-with client.

Working with a client in an industry you hate? That's time away from working with a client in your ideal industry. 

The list goes on. How you spend your time needs to align with where you want your business to go...

If a client or project does not lead you to the ideal future of your business, consider passing. Don't accept work just for the pay day, consider the consequences.

Every "yes" is a "no" to something else — Always keep that in mind.

TL;DR for my skimmers

Deciding if a client is a good fit involves:

- knowing your zone of genius and operating within it
- knowing what you want from your own business
- knowing the client sees you as the expert
- knowing the exact results you can deliver

Don't get blinded by near term dollar signs. Accept clients that move your business toward the future you want.

The right clients bring revenue, respect, and growth. Watch out for red flags, and be the expert in the room.

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