How to get ( and keep ) great clients

You've probably encountered your share of challenging clients. They nitpick. They haggle endlessly about prices and hourly rates. They fuss and fume about every aspect of your work. When the project is over and the goods are delivered, they pay late — or not at all.

How do you screen out time-wasters and garner good clients for your business?

• Clarify what a "good client" looks like. Although each business will establish its own parameters, at a minimum you'll want to consider the range of client budgets you're willing to accept. Say, for example, you run a roofing business. You may decide that projects under a certain budget aren't worth your time and that projects above a certain size exceed your firm's level of expertise. Or, if you're in the business of website design, you might specify the minimum level of technical knowledge you'll require.

• Communicate parameters clearly. Use your business website to explain the types of customers you're looking for. If you plainly state, for example, that you only service clients in a particular geographical area, folks outside your region will tend to filter themselves out. Of course, you can always make exceptions. But the more details you can spell out, including specifics about your pricing, the more likely you'll narrow the field to the best potential clients.

• Consider a potential customer's reputation. Depending on your industry and long-term expectations, you may want to check out a prospective client before taking on a project. Make discreet inquiries of others in your industry group. You may find it helpful to know if the client has been willing to take feedback on past projects, if they respond in a timely manner, or if other businesses have complaints about them.

Good clients form the backbone of any successful business. Be diligent to find and keep the best ones.

© MC 2018