16.1. Identifying Your Best Clients
I keep a list of my best clients, past and present. I actually have several lists: a top 25, top 50, and top 100. When these clients call, I drop everything to make them happy. To qualify for a spot on one of my top client lists, a client must have the following qualifications:
Places me first
Pays a fair price without quibbling
Challenges me to do my best
Allows me to do my job without second-guessing my decisions
Is a source for return business
Provides me with leads, referrals, and other opportunities—what I like to call "a sale that keeps on giving"
Identify your top 25 clients and then draw up a list of qualities they demonstrate. Perhaps they have a certain personality that meshes well with yours or they take the initiative to resolve issues and call on you only after they have tried other options to resolve certain issues on their own. Knowing the qualities you value in clients can help you identify candidates that you really want to add to your top-client lists.
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