As a Graphics and Web designer one of my biggest frustrations is when potential clients tell me that they will have their down payment or final payment on a certain date… and they don’t.
The above can leave me looking crazy to others that I have told that I will have certain monies available for them on a certain date. My date was based at least partially on their date. If I get 4 to 5 clients that are in that mode then I can potentially have a financial disaster waiting to happen.
I now compound the problem by taking on even more of the SAME TYPE of potential clients hoping some of them will pay, perhaps if I add discounts, just to make ends meet. Now I have too many clients under my product value to handle properly. Most of which I really don’t want to handle at all because of what I have had to go through to get them to do right by me in the first place with the payment.
I repeat the above just long enough for it to become habitual and I eventually go out of business. Not because my product or service was in any way inferior, but my business acumen was lacking!
So what can I, AND POSSIBLY YOU, do to remedy this problem?
1. Screen potential clients. Use others that have sold them services. Google them if we can and find out as much about them as we can. The main thing you need to know is can they and will they pay.
2. Set a standard of business interaction. Let them know that they were recommended based on their ability to come through on their payments and that you heard they are a pleasure to work with. This signals to them that the standard of business interaction has already been set at a high level.
3. Have portfolio or samples ready for display. This keeps us from having to do any custom sample work for them.
4. No pay, no work! If they do not have the down payment in FULL on the date discussed, no work should begin AND you should move on until they prove they can follow through. If you have a predetermined work week schedule, DO NOT ADD THEM TO IT out of hopes that they might have it when they say. Once they do pay, then you can add them to the following weeks work schedule.
5. Constantly stay on the hunt for GREAT POTENTIAL CLIENTS. Don’t look for people that need your services, that’s nearly everyone starting or advancing a business. Instead be on the lookout for people that are known to pay properly and push your services toward them.
This article was about POTENTIAL clients, because they ARE NOT a CLIENT until THEY PAY.
Posted By: Anthony Stewart
Sunday, April 21st 2013 at 9:33AM
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