We’re approached on a regular basis and asked, “how to I find/get the perfect client?”.
The answer to this question is one that EVERY Business Owner and Marketing Manager are hungry for.
But, I ask you to stop…
BEFORE you ask the question; “HOW do you get the perfect client”, I must ask you…
How do you know when they are the perfect client?
What do they do or say to you?
How do you qualify them?
What is their tipping point?
On the flip side…
How easy is it to work with you?
The onboarding process enables us (and you) to take each client on in a consistent way which also ties into our Sales Process. This not only gives your business a process to stick to but also helps your team members learn HOW you work and HOW you do business.
As part of our onboarding process, Koogar offers a 30-minute Consultation which gives us a chance to talk through your requirements, questions and/or concerns when it comes to taking on the right marketing person to work with and, how we work and how we are going to help you get the results you are looking for.
During this session there are 4 questions I will ask throughout the session and depending on the answers to those questions, it will help me understand if the person/company fits within Koogar’s standards or requirements for our clients.
Standards and Requirements, I hear you say… #WTH?
Well, for us to know that you are the right person, we have created the perfect answers to our questions, so we know the type of person/company we are dealing with, how the they would benefit most by working with us and how we can help them achieve their marketing and business goals.
What I mean by “Standard” is…
A “standard” is a level of quality or attainment.
Running a business is a two-way street.
Not only are they (your clients) choosing you, but you should look to choose them too!
Do they fit within your boundary’s as the “perfect client”?
Have you defined who your perfect client is?
Who is the perfect client?
The perfect client isn’t just a set of demographics (age, location or the type of car they drive) or boxes that you slot people into.
It is much more than that!
The perfect client is a person who has feelings, likes and dislikes, values and ethics, morals and a way about them… Understanding who they are takes years of research, watching, listening and interpretation.
It’s not just a form they can fill in to tell you if they are right for you or not…
But there is a process of how to identify YOUR perfect client, which I’ll share in another blog.
What is an Onboarding Process?
Onboarding is “the action or process of integrating a new employee into an organisation or familiarising a new customer or client with one’s products or services”
This allows you to show your customer how you work, set expectations (for them and for you), what is expected from them as a client, which products/services are best for their requirements and the promise you will make to them as the brand they will be working with.
In short, this is a step by step process taking your client(s) from being interested into buying something from you, through to delivery of your product or service and onto the after sales. This is a huge part of your customer journey and without it people wouldn’t get to where you want them to be.
How do you go about creating an onboarding process?
1: Understanding your client
…and knowing HOW they will react to certain questions.
You know when you’ve had a client that has gone rouge and working with them hasn’t worked out for you or them… THAT!
So, how do you know when a client isn’t a client?
You must be specific here, they will say something or act in a particular way towards something you say, do, give or show them…
Now focus on that and write down else they would say…
This helps you to work backwards, so you know WHICH questions you need to ask them in the first place!
2: Understanding their requirements
This is about wants vs needs and how to ensure that you and your company is the right fit for your client.
What do you do, what don’t you do, what will you never do and what might you do (if… XYZ happened)
3: Which product or service is the perfect fit?
Which product or service you deliver is the perfect fit for this particular client or do they need something created especially for them?
4: Then onto your Sales Process
Now they are interested how do you move your client from being interested to buying from you?
What do they need to see, read, listen to, watch or touch to help them make the next decision, getting them one step closer to where you want them to be?
The Sales Process is something that generally stays in the head of a Business Owner and never makes it out.
When you have documented the sales process, others within your team or around you are able to replicate the perfect way to get a new client for your business.
Writing it down and getting it out of your head is the first step.
Going through it with a fine-tooth comb to see the cracks and then fix them is the difficult part.
What if you keep getting clients that don’t fit your Standards?
This is good news, not bad!
This will show you HOW you carry out business and what actions (marketing) you are taking to find the people that don’t fit and how they are finding you.
In time you will be able to identify the tiny incidents, moments, gestures, comments, tones that people do or say which eventually stops you from getting those clients that turn into a nightmare. Having them not only drains your energy, wastes your time but also stops you from working with the ones you want.
The beauty of running your own business is that you get to choose who you want to work with.
Granted, when you start out in business and even years down the line you don’t want to say no for several reasons;
- Wanting to test out new ways of working, products or services
- Think that saying “yes” is what you should do all the time
- OR because you need the cash in the bank
If the latter is the case, then we need to reassess who your perfect client is and learn to understand two things;
- that saying “No” is OK…
- the perfect customer will come (as long as you understand who they are)
However, if you keep getting the wrong client it might be that your message isn’t right, the type of marketing isn’t in the right place or dare I say it the product and service you offer isn’t right for the people you want to attract.
There can be several different factors.
Listen, this process doesn’t happen or come into fruition overnight. You do need to be running a business for a while to know WHO you don’t want to work with and who you do.
You will get the clients that turn into bad news, but they help you understand what you don’t want…
But the onboarding process is one that every business needs to ensure the people you are working with not only understands you and how you help them but also “gets” you, loves you (turning into raving fans) and then refers you on…
If you need help or would like to discuss the onboarding process and how it would work for you and your business, the perfect place to start is by booking your free 30-minute Consultation with Amanda.
List the questions that you have so that Amanda can answer them for you.
