Your Train To Somewhere

May 11, 2012
Sedona, Arizona
Clear 52 degrees

I used to try to work with clients.

That might sound odd since I still DO work with them, so let me explain:

I used to view each potential client as a puzzle that I had to figure out in order to “close” them.

Now I have a different approach.

It’s very much like a train travelling from San Francisco to NYC.

The train doesn’t make a detour every time it sees a potential passenger 50 yards to the left or right.

The train’s route is set. Because the train’s destination is set.

If the passengers want to get on, you welcome them with open arms. And you serve them well.

If some of them just want to just wave as you pass, wave back.

And if some of them want to stand there and throw tomatoes at the windows… well, it’s not going to slow the train down one bit. Don’t sweat it.

As a service professional, my goal is to serve my clients. But as the years pass, the criteria for becoming one of those clients is changing.

I’m not talking about having an attitude that certain prospects aren’t “good” enough for me. The idea is that my train just isn’t a good fit for some passengers.

Let’s take, for example, a client who might not really “get” what I do. Or perhaps they don’t totally believe that what I do can work. Well, that client might not be a good passenger on my train.

I don’t really know.

Over time, the answer becomes perfectly clear on its own. But I do know that they are the ones that must climb onboard and find a seat.

I’m certainly not going to pull anyone on the train. That doesn’t turn out well for either party.

For the folks who want my train to go 100 miles out of the way to pick them up… I’m less interested in doing that these days.

That’s because my train is focused on the destination, NOT on what’s right in front of it.

If you need help figuring out which passengers belong on your train, this could help in more ways than one. (Receive a $10 discount through Sunday night by using coupon code: XXXXX Subscribe so you don’t miss out next time.).

Do you know where your train is going?

Do you have enough momentum to keep your train on the track and ignore requests for constant detours?

You owe it to yourself to keep your train on the track. This “working for yourself” thing is risky enough without you putting extra obstacles in between you and the rewards.

Stay on your train and don’t let anyone stop you.

See you next time,

Jason Leister
Editor, The Client Letter
Creating Success for Independent Professionals
ClientsSuck.net