How to weed out prospects who are not your ideal clients

How do you decide if you should go the “extra mile” to land a client? Sometimes a prospect will ask for an extra step in order to close the sale. For example, he or she might want to meet you in person before making the commitment to work with you.

When you are starting out, you might be willing to accommodate a request like this. Initially, I met people in person, offering to meet them just a 15-minute walk from my apartment and the whole process could take nearly two hours to close. In time, I realized I could speak with two to three prospects by telephone in the same amount of time it took to meet one in person. And when you have 25 – 30 clients, your time becomes more limited and you won’t be able to do this type of thing.

Another place to draw the line is when a prospect doesn’t complete your questions prior to your consultation call. Early on, you may be tempted to go ahead and do the consultation anyway. But, what you might be doing is wasting time on a prospect who will not be your ideal client. A person who does not comply with your initial requests can turn into a time waster and drag you down.

With time you will see how non-ideal clients can suck your energy dry. While you want to help people, you also want to train them in how to best work with you. I recommend having your VA call a prospect who hasn’t sent in his or her questions to reschedule the call to give them time to complete their homework first.

There will always be people who won’t do the work and this way you can weed them out early so they don’t waste your time. It may seem harsh, but the truth is you can say this in a caring manner and even invite them back when they feel they are ready to work and follow through.

In the beginning it’s sometimes good to take on these wishy-washy clients because it will help you develop a tough skin and clearer view of people who are not your ideal clients. You’ll learn what you don’t like and discover what works better. After a while, you’ll become compassionately ruthless about who you work with and who you don’t. The last thing you want is to be resentful about taking on a client who is not ideal, which will only make your heart sink.

Your Client Attraction Assignment

This week, as you speak to prospects and conduct your consultations, notice who your ideal clients are. And also take stock of those wishy-washy people who are not your ideal clients. Be brave, be direct and let them go if it appears they are not your ideal. Give yourself permission to walk away and instead put time into seeking clients who are ready to do the work and achieve the success they desire.