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Chasenomics and Why It Doesn’t Work
Friends Don’t Let Friends
Work With Bad Clients
April 30, 2012
Sedona, Arizona
Sunny in the 80s
You know what’s worse than chasing a client in order to “close the sale?”
What’s worse is what happens in your life after you actually “catch” them.
Definitely Not For Everyone…
You can learn a lot from seeing what other independent professionals are doing to attract clients, keep clients and charge high fees. The problem is, they’re not always willing to talk. You could pay them a consulting fee to “steal their secrets,” but that would get pricey.
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If you spend time chasing clients and “following-up” like a mad man or woman, I think you’re setting yourself up for problems.
One characteristic of a great client is that they actually want to work with you. In fact, they want to work with you enough that they’re often willing to jump through hoops and conform a bit to the way you want to work.
But if you chase them, and get them, things can take a turn for the worse.
Let’s look at the animal kingdom for some clues.
When you trap a skunk, how do you think the skunk feels?
Since I’m not a skunk mind reader, I’ll have to take an educated guess. My gut feeling tells me I won’t be too far off though.
I bet the skunk might be a little pissed. If skunks are capable of resenting anything, I bet there might be some of that.
Goodness knows that if the skunk was ever asked to actually work along side his captor, there might be a little tension no?
Now don’t worry, I’m not comparing your clients to skunks. My friend recently caught one so apparently they’re on my mind.
Anywho… Here’s a question:
How exactly do you justify getting paid a higher than average fee by someone you had to convince to work with you?
I think that’d be a challenge don’t you?
And how exactly do you make sure you’re perceived as a “partner” (and not a vendor) when you’ve basically begged your way into the project?
I think that’d be difficult too.
Here’s my take on it:
Spend your time doing things that generate interest and respect for you and your work.
Then sift and sort.
Don’t spend your time trying to “close” every potential project that comes your way.
Most of them probably don’t deserve your time.
Plus, if you do try to close every sale that comes your way, you’ll really just blend in with everyone else who’s doing the same thing.
And I’m sure that “blending in” doesn’t appear in anyone’s rules for success.
See you next time,
Jason Leister
Editor, The Client Letter
Creating Success for Independent Professionals
ClientsSuck.net
P.S. If you like the Client Letter and want to submit an anonymous testimonial, just pick up the phone, dial 1-800-609-9006 x2452 and follow the simple instructions. International callers call 678-255-2174 x2452.
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