Several months ago I fired a client.
It was a tough decision. One that I didn’t take lightly.
Before I did so, I consulted with my team. They honestly wondered why it took so long. They wanted this client gone almost from the very beginning. This client wanted to micromanage everything. Then blamed us when we didn’t follow the mandated “plain english” directions.
This was a project that was supposed to take no more than 6 weeks stretched to 4 months because they couldn’t supply us with the proper pictures. Then one of their team members insulted my partner in the project and that was it…he let them have it.
Oh, but the client didn’t see anything wrong with her people engaging the way they did, as long as we kept our mouths shut. From that point on my crew didn’t want anything to do with the client. Yet, I thought maybe I could salvage something of the client relationship and for the next month the situation between me and my team and this client went further downhill. Well, they got fired.
And, I was out a lot of money.
Over the last several months we have gotten bigger clients, more pleasurable to work for clients and I’ve recouped back almost all the money I lost with that problem client.
Then I received an email (almost 4 months later).
It was from that problem client. The email was long and filled with all kinds of demands. None that I nor my team will comply with.
Okay why do I share this story with you?
I share it to give you an insight into what happens when you allow yourself to say YES to the wrong type of clients. You see this particular client did not fit into my ideal customer avatar. (That rendering of what a perfect customer should act like, be like and live like.)
But, because I had known the client for almost 7 years on social media and I had helped the client before on small projects I thought I didn’t need to qualify the client.
Boy was I wrong.
And that mistake cost me a great deal of money, headache and heartaches with my team and flushed a 7 year social media friendship down the drain.
So the lesson here…even if you’ve worked with a client before, you need to re-qualify them every time you do new work for them. Just because they might qualify for a smaller project, doesn’t mean they will fit that qualification on a bigger project.
Rob is affectionately known as “Mr. Sarcasm” to his friends - to everyone else he’s a Certified Digital Marketing Strategist, a Foremost Expert On Specialized SEO, a Best Selling Author, Podcaster, Speaker and Authority Broadcaster who can help amplify YOU to your audience.
Rob has authored, coauthored or produced over 55 books covering social media, search engine optimization, podcasting, copywriting, personal injury law, weight loss, military law, life lessons, scams, sarcasm, customer service and more. His book clients include lawyers, speakers, doctors, real estate professionals and more.
Rob is also host of The E-Heroes Interview Series available on Apple, Amazon, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify & many other podcast channels. Rob works inside corporations across the globe, helping companies generate new revenue and capture online business.
Rob is also available to share talks and give interviews. To learn more and to get started visit www.AnspachMedia.com or call Anspach Media at (412)267-7224 today.
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