My clients are THE best

My clients are the absolute best people that I could dream of working with. A while back, I remembered some advice that I was given when we first started the studio — only work with people that you WANT to work with, even to the point of repelling other potential clients. Yes, I’ve broken the rule a few times. But my experiences with that only re-enforced my belief in The Rule. I’ve come up with a few characteristics that all of my current and ideal clients embody, and it has clarified my decision-making on so many occasions that I recommend it to any business owner, service-oriented or not.

My clients are passionate

My clients are not interested in get-rich-quick schemes. They are passionate about what they do and are highly motivated to work hard to achieve their dreams.

My clients are trust-worthy

Even if others in their field are manipulating and clawing their way up, my clients know that the cream always rises to the top. They are honest and have integrity in every situation.

My clients are good communicators

They are direct when they need to be, but they approach complex situations with a solution-focused attitude.

My clients are team-oriented

They realize that the designer-client relationship is a team effort. Their input and commitment to the project combined with their designer’s vision and experience will determine the successful attainment of their goals.

My clients need a designer

Yep, it sounds silly. But some people don’t need a designer. They THINK they need a designer, but what they really need is a coder. They want someone who will do exactly as they say, when they say it. They trust their own judgment more than their designer’s before the project even gets started. My clients need expert advice and creativity, and they get it.

Yesterday’s rant got me thinking about this exact thing, and it made me so thankful that we received this advice from the very beginning. It is easy to be demoralized in this profession if you are not picky about the types clients you choose to serve.

So I’m sure you’re wondering…what happened to those few “not ideal” clients that we took on? Well, I’ll tell you. We recommended them to someone else in our field who we thought would be a better fit. Seriously. Because they weren’t bad clients. They just weren’t ideal for us. And now we make it a point to work with the ones who are.