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6 reasons why you should start screening clientsAugust 14, 2015 @ 5:04 pm by Mr Phil Newton in Blog Comments are off for this post.

You should really think about interviewing your potential new clients before you take them on. This simple actalone is responsible for me being able to decide who I work with.

While it isn’t one of the 6 reasons, I make it a top priority that the person I will be working with is someone that Ilike.

This is not completely essential for any business to function but if you are going to be spending a chunk of yourtime with someone you want that to be an enjoyable experience.

Having a screening call with a potential client is a definite must.

This allows you to take some control back in the relationship as you get to dictate who you work with and whatyou can do.

1 – Clients who make unreasonable demands1 – Clients who make unreasonable demands

Working with clients who make unreasonable demands can be nipped firmly in the bud right from the get go bylaying out the foundations of a business relationship as well as defining what you will and wont be doing.

Make it clear how you will be communicating with each other. I’m not overly find of 11pm calls for an impromptubrainstorming session and while I love what I do and have done this from time to time (especially with the globalnature of my own business and clientele) it is the quick path to a slow painful death (metaphorically speaking ofcourse)

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If your client doesn’t respect clearly defined boundaries then it is time to find someone who does.

2 – Wanting a free… everything!2 – Wanting a free… everything!

This particular one prompted the seed for this article and as I type I am literally off a call with a prospective clientwho has a great idea time and resources to make that a reality but then comes in with that despised phrase whenyou get to the finer points of fee’s for services rendered.

I’m prepared to give you equity…I’m prepared to give you equity…

Really! …you think this is doing me a favour!

You want me to bring my A game with no fee, no budget, and mostly likely no hope of getting to that place you justspent the last 60 minutes describing to me for the promise of a percentage stake in the currently non existentbusiness, 30% of nothing is still nothing.

How can you spot these people BEFORE you commit to working with them?How can you spot these people BEFORE you commit to working with them?

Asking questions during the interview phase of the discussions means they have to sell you on the idea of youworking with them and not you selling them on what you can do for them.

In this case, the money side, asking what budget they had in mind for their project to start up or to take the newdirection being discussed will weed out a lot of the problems. Remember to dig deep and get specific answers andask probing follow up questions.

Assuming it’s the freebee hunting business owner, I will be shutting down the conversation at this point. Usuallyrather abruptly saying something along the lines of;

We’re not going to be a good fit for each other.We’re not going to be a good fit for each other.

Finally, while funds might be available but not enough to cover your exclusive and premium pricing. Do not beafraid to refer business to someone who might be a good match.

This should leave the door open for referral and relationship building and also a future sales. In other words don’talways be a dick about saying no and leave things professionally, help the next guy out by teeing up a good shot.Good karma always returns.

3 – Clients who are slow to pay3 – Clients who are slow to pay

I’ve never had this issue myself as I had business models that always get paid in advance of work done

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During your interview process you should lay out payment schedules that make sense for the business your in.Depending on your business model you might have to deliver work then get paid (personally I don’t see why thisshould happen but what do I know!) As such keeping a slush fund (liquid assets, or cash in bank) to coveroperational costs during the scheduled work period and for a period of grace after the work has been completed.

I am 100% in favour of changing your business model to get partially or fully paid prior to work starting. If you dogood work and you always bring your A game this will never be a problem.

4 – Clients not listening to you4 – Clients not listening to you

I provide a lot of consulting, support and education on a variety of business areas. If your client decides to not takeaction on your advice thats on them.

This should be clearly laid out as to what you do, what they are to do and why they are doing it. I would also put insome form of accountability that things beed to be done by a certain time before the next thing can be worked on.

Life happens and does get in the way sometimes so try to be realistic for the unexpected but, if your client is justexpecting you to wave a magic wand and “stuff will magically happen”.

Asking about their current business practices and what they are currently doing and working on as well as detailinghow they are going about doing those things will help to highlight the type of person you are dealing with.

I recently added a questionnaire to my new client process and some of those questions are;

Are you an action taker or a procrastinator? Are you prepared to make serious investment in yourself and your business?

Having multiple choice click box answers here is giving me some surprisingly honest answers as Im seeing severalpeople say they are basically procrastinators.

My point is that the interview process for new clients will help go a long way towards weeding out the types ofpeople you do not want to be working with.

5 – Non responsive clients5 – Non responsive clients

[knock – knock][knock – knock]

Hello. Is any body there?Hello. Is any body there?

I’ve had potential new clients no show to meeting that they have requested and agreed to a set date and a set timewith online calendar booking systems sending them reminders on the day.

This is completely disrespectful to my time and themselves.

It is good that it happens at this point in the process and it is why I have this process in the first place. If you do

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not show up on time or simply can’t be bother to tell me that an unexpected emergency has come up (lifehappens right?) then I do not think that I can commit to them seriously if they do not respect my time knowledgeand resources of helping them build a better business and a better life for them theirs and their family.

6 – Lack of respect6 – Lack of respect

Not too unsurprisingly the last mini rant turned led into the respect or lack there of.

I deal with some reasonably high level business owners and executives during my working week. I try my best torespect their time by being on time, polite and generally having good manners.

It makes my day and my life just a little bit sunnier and while I understand that sometimes things do not always goto plan be courteous and let the other person know what they need to know with a please and a thank you.

Personally, I get paid if you are there or not (in advance, rocks!) if you are not on to that yet get on it. Considerstarting to bill for the time wastage.

Finally, if it is consistent, fire that client.

Overall there is a theme and a lot of these issues can be flagged up prior to ever working with anyone by simplyspending 30-60 minutes finding out more about them and asking questions about their business.

I compare this like a first date but really it is a more practical interview. I need to know more about who they areand what they do to see if I can indeed help them with my unique skill set.

Sometimes you just get a bad vibe from the person you talk to, some people do not make it that far as the 6questions I like to ask people before I talk to them.

The overriding point of all this is to get a handle on who you want to work with and not to simply work withanyone.

This shift in mindset as well as work ethic is going to make your life a whole lot easier. Other benefits are that youwill as a bye product become exclusive as you will be holding yourself and your clients to a higher standard.

That is the secret source to a healthy life mind and business as well as reclaiming your Zulu back.

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Mr Phil Newton

You are amazing at what you do but... you're working 60hrs a week to 'make it happen'

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