Top Tips For Identifying Bad Clients And How To Attract The Right Ones

With the ever growing changes that impact small business owners, you may find yourself struggling to tell less than ideal clients no. It's money that helps to keep the doors open and process payroll, but at what expense are you willing to take bad clients?

Consider this week's #AndrewRobyEventsTopTip one that can not only save your sanity, but one that will prevent your company from being eaten away by vultures who really don't care about you once the project is over.

Ways To Identify Red Flags In Clients

I'll be honest, it took me awhile to figure out how bad clients operate. Every client that approaches you will be friendly and "appear" to be the ideal client, but they are not. These are some of the areas I focus on when evaluating if this is my type of client.

You may have other things and that's ok. Not having any at all isn't ok.

Ask For Past Service Providers

No matter if you are an #EventPlanner like me or you are in marketing or a CPA, that person or organization has had someone like you work for them before. In the same way they ask you for references, ask them who the last service provider was so that you can speak with them.

Potential clients will always give you their side of the story. The consultant didn't do this or that. It's your job to find out why that person didn't. Perhaps the potential client is right, but how would you know unless you ask?

Ask About Management Style

This is a big one to not overlook. Does this potential client have micromanagement tendencies or not? Do they need you to send them daily updates or biweekly. Knowing micromanagement traits and how to identify them in others is a Jedi skill we all should possess.

When a person is micromanaging you it means they don't trust you enough to get the job done how they would. That also brings up the question, why then hire someone if you are going to hover and not allow them to do the very job you hired them to do.

If a service provider has not shown you they are incapable of executing, there is no reason to micromanage them.

Ask How They Handle Last Minute Changes

This question may come off that you, the service provider, is full of last minute changes, but don't worry. This questions is all about the last minute changes clients make which interrupt your process.

The last thing you want is to develop the perfect plan and then have your client go behind your back and change things numerous times. For #eventprofs this could be devastating to any event.

Things do come up and I'm not saying any process will not have changes. However, if your potential client is accustomed to making last minute changes verses planning ahead, this is not the client for you. They are a train wreck.

Outline:

1. Things that are normally done ahead of time
2. Things that are normally done during execution of your service

If your potential client is use to blending both of these processes together, you may want to think twice about sending them a contract for service. Be careful to not overlook clients who are constantly adding onto the scope of work even if they are willing to pay for it. More time with them means less time with your other clients.

Ask if they like change

This is different from last minute changes. If your client is the type who thinks why fix it if it's not broken, they might not be the best client for you.

Martin Smith says, "My best clients realize their concerns like making sure events are inclusive, engaging, and that 'boring' isn't even possible." Client who hold onto the past and refuse to adapt to what's happening right now, are the type of clients who make it absolutely difficult to love doing what you do.

No one wants to go back to what you did in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic arrived.

What to do if you already have a bad client?

I have had my fair share of clients I regret having and that's ok. We all have to learn at some point right? If you are dealingt with a less than ideal client, Heather Langton says, "Disconnecting from the clients that don’t serve us any longer is something that provides a lot of empowerment."

I totally agree as you do not have to continue on with clients who make it difficult to work with them.

• Cancel the contract and outline the conditions as to why.
• Take note of what lead up to this and use this in your onboarding process for other clients.
• Build into your contract what are the reasons for a contract to be canceled and don't overlook toxic behavior

In the end, toxic clients can impact not only you personally, but the success of your business. They are like bagworms that attack a tree and never let go unti they've had enough. You are just as important to your business as any client it. By identifying these toxic behaviors, finding the perfect client for you becomes easier and easier.

If you found this helpful, let me know in the comments.