Ideal Clients - Who are They and Where Do You Find Them?

Ideal clients are the ones who are perfect for you. They are the clients who understand your offering, are happy with your services, are willing to refer you to their friends, return for repeat appointments themselves (where appropriate), who pay their bills on time, who show up on time for their appointments, who give you 24 hours notice when they need to cancel their appointment.

We all have our own criteria to define the perfect client. What are yours? If you are not clear about this aspect of your business you will spend an extraordinary amount of time chasing the wrong people and, if you do enroll them as clients, the relationship will always struggle.

The not-ideal client will not show up for appointments, they will be late payers, they will not refer business to you. In short, they will be difficult to deal with.

In their book "Attracting Perfect Customers" Hall and Brogniez use the metaphor of a lighthouse. The lighthouse does not chase ships up and down the shore line in an attempt to serve them. It stands firm and is clear about its purpose. The ships know where the lighthouse is and come to rely on it being there.

Once you are clear about who your ideal clients are, focus everything around these clients and stand still, let them find you. Stand firm around your boundaries and your offer. As soon as you begin to try to accommodate client needs which are not aligned with your own standards and values you are on a slippery slope.

Think about it. If you call one of your own professional advisers for an appointment you expect to be given a choice of a couple of times and dates from which to choose. Is that not so? Why then, when clients call you would you be tempted to see them out of hours, change your rate or jump through any other kind of hoop they care to throw at you? Clients will not respect you more for accommodating them.

So an exercise to work on is around who would be your ideal client?

Describe their attributes and characteristics, think about their needs and also make a declaration about your own requirements. Write all of this down and review it after a couple of days, refine it if necessary. This is one of the foundation stones of building a successful practice. You may think you have done this already and maybe you have, but indulge me, do it again. Be clear about your offer, who would want to benefit from that offer, who you will work with, what you do not do and who you do not work with. If you do not have this clarity how are you going to be able to discern your ideal clients from the not-ideal?

Donnie Harrison is a Coach and Business Mentor working primarily with clients who are setting up or building a Professional Practice in the healthcare sector - be it traditional, complementary or alternative. Further information from http://donnieharrison.com

---

Eliminating Objections to Increase Sales

You want to increase the flow of sales revenue, but... Read More

Sales and the City

It's all about relationships!Here is how a popular TV show... Read More

10 Power-Packed Ways To Spark Your Sales

1. Spend money on targeted advertising instead of mass media... Read More

Successful Selling in 21 Steps

1. Dependability was chosen as the most important.2. Integrity was... Read More

22 Closes For Real Estate Agents To Make The Sale

All closes are not created equal. Top producers realize every... Read More

The ?Shocking? Sales Strategy of Saying THANKS!

I would like you to begin thinking of mailboxes in... Read More

Is the Sales Funnel Dead?

Think about it. If only it was as easy as... Read More

Successful Sales Strategies: Winning the Close Ones

The "Three Cs" in building customer relationships are a key... Read More

10 Ways To Improve Your Sales

1. Determine your current situation. How are you currently positioned... Read More

Do You Have to Be Aggressive to Make Sales?

A few weeks ago I was onsite at a company... Read More

How to Sell a Feeling

To be totally in tune with the needs of your... Read More

7 Sales Skills to Improve On

The following 7 sales skills are what I have found... Read More

The Quickest Way To Increase Your Sales

The quickest way to increase sales is to make things... Read More

How to Reduce Sales Resistance

Sales resistance is a fact of life for most sales... Read More

Sales Tips from Sales Masters

Dogs are great teachers of how to sell easier and... Read More

Whats Your Sales Training Goal - Exposure or Behavioral Change?

When your company invests in sales training, what is the... Read More

Do You Want To Sell More? Then Stop Trying To Be Everything To Everybody!

I know you've heard this a thousand times, but from... Read More

Hello! I Cant Sell!

What's that you say? You can't sell?Oh, you must be... Read More

Is It Time To Rethink Your Sales Training Program or Is Your Sales Training Delivering Results?

Sales is still a must for any company who wishes... Read More

How To Write Sales Letters That Deliver

Tired of sending out sales letters that generate anemic response?... Read More

Customers For Life

Who's talking to your customers? Is it your competition? Why... Read More

You Dont Love Your Kids if You Dont . . .

"You don't love your kids if you don't buy my... Read More

Unlocking the Myth of Hypnotic Communication

Unquestionably when the word hypnosis pops-up in a conversation or... Read More

Bite Your Tongue

Most people don't realize how powerful a negotiating tool silence... Read More

Failed Salespeople Share Similar Traits

We are each responsible for our own success - or... Read More

How Do You Use Your Sales Commissions?

What do you do when you have a big sales... Read More

Top 10 Secrets to Fully Embrace Sales and Exceed Your Goals Forever!

1.- REMAIN VERY CLIENT FOCUSED! Not Company focused. Your clients... Read More

TheTop 10 Reasons Why Salespeople Get Outsold

In my business, it has been an interesting and very... Read More

How to Achieve Sales Goals by Focusing on Activities

When I broke into sales in 1986, I read several... Read More

How To Give Your Sales Job A Strategic Tune-up

In happens every year in June.Six months down and six... Read More

Increase Profits from Your Existing Customers

An area many businesses fail to recognise as a way... Read More

The 7 Deaths of a Salesman

In sales, you can work one of two ways. You... Read More

Do You Know the Emotion Behind the Objection?

Prospects have many reasons (you might think excuses) for not... Read More