If you’ve worked in the services business long enough, you’ve probably sold one (or more) projects that you wish you’d left for the competition. Given the pressure to make our numbers, mostly everyone has a few stinkers on the books. Often, you get an inkling during the sales process that something about the opportunity just isn’t right.
The trick to avoiding a lousy sale is to make a conscious and informed decision about whether or not to work with a client and to be ready, when warranted, to walk away with no regrets. Be as selective about the clients you work with as they are about choosing you.
So, how do you decide which sales opportunities are right for you? Find at least three reasons why you might choose to work with a client, and one of them cannot be, “I don’t have anything else to do, so why not?”
Here are ten possible reasons why you may decide to pursue a specific opportunity:
- Achieve a desired level of profit
- Work with this client on other assignments that are in the works
- Build a long-term relationship with a strategic client
- Obtain valuable referrals and references
- Improve your client base, enabling you to recruit and retain top talent
- Develop a new service for the market
- Increase industry visibility for your business
- Undertake challenging work that will aid in your professional development
- Add to your store of intellectual capital for use in marketing or on other initiatives
- Gain valuable expertise for growing your business in new areas.
You can probably come up with plenty of other reasons that motivate you to take on a sales opportunity. What matters is that you be willing–without hesitation–to walk away and leave the sale for someone else when your criteria for selecting a client aren’t met.
Your business–and professional well-being–is a reflection of your clients. And the perceived quality of your client list affects your ability to attract new business. Taking pains to avoid the albatrosses and choose the best clients for your practice fuels your growth and defines your future.
How do you decide whether or not a client is right for you?
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I really like your writings. Thank you.
With this piece, though, I’m missing the other side of the argument. What are the warning signs which would override the reasons for taking the job? The opportunity – on paper – could be terrific; all ten reasons above may apply. But what would make me say no? Viewing a client as high-maintenance is common enough to not serve as a deterrent. Clients who “aren’t as smart as I am” or who focus on the “wrong things” can inspire the consultant’s drive to help, instead of driving the consultant away. Consultants also often live in fear that this opportunity may be their last for a while.
In short, I would value your thoughts on when and why to run away. Thank you!
Jeremy,
Thanks for your idea. I’ll put something together on this subject and post it on the blog.
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