If you remember a few weeks ago we talked about New Years Resolutions, you will remember this one:
RESOLUTION #3: I WILL RID MY BUSINESS OF PSYCHIC VAMPIRES.
A reminder of what a Psychic Vampire is? Well, it’s those customers who suck up time and project negativity. The same individuals who pay late or expect EXTRAS to keep them happy.
We all have them, we all say we won’t work with them, and yet here we are weeks later, months, even years later and they are still a thorn in your side. Well, below I have outlined some signs to watch for and ways to avoid them. Remember this is your business and you can do whatever you want including, work with whoever you want.
POOR COMMUNICATION
Poor communication is either too little or too much communication. If your clients don’t answer all your questions in your first meeting, they probably won’t answer your following questions.
People that will fill your inbox with emails without waiting for your answer are also very exhausting. They usually are very demanding and have unrealistic expectations. Clients choose you because you have a good portfolio or good testimonials so they should trust that the work you do for them is just as good.
DOESN’T PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR EMAILS OR DOCUMENTS
After most client onboarding processes, there will be questions, but a good onboarding process will outline details, contact information, policies etc. If they continue to ask questions they probably just didn’t read it or pay attention to it.
Pay attention if they follow directions or not. If you ask them to send you specific details and they don’t then notice they already are starting on the wrong foot. The way they answer your questions will tell you a lot of things about the way a project will go.
WANTS YOU TO WORK WITHOUT A CONTRACT
Contracts protect you and your clients. There are still many people that don’t understand the importance of having a contract. As a business owner, it is your responsibility to explain why you should have a contract and make revisions as they come. It’s a big red flag if they refuse to sign your contract.
ASKS YOU TO DO IMPOSSIBLE THINGS
Sometimes clients ask you to do something that is outside of your specialty. This is not always bad and there are times when you will improve your skills by taking on a project that is outside of your comfort zone.
An important aspect of your job is to educate your clients. Potential clients might not be familiar with what you do and they might ask impossible things. It’s better to explain why that isn’t possible than to create unrealistic expectation.
DISAPPEARING CLIENT
The dreaded, I am so excited to work with you and now I am nowhere to be found! They stop responding to emails or the emails are few and far between. This is a warning sign that the rest of the project will go on like this. It also means they may still be “shopping around”.
A lot of these people do want to work with you, but because of lack of time or other important activities, they don’t make your project a priority. If you do want to work with them, you should add deadlines to your contract.
THEY GIVE OFF BAD VIBES
You should always enjoy your clients or mesh well together. Maybe not from the emails but Skyping or phone calls are always a great way to feel each other out. There are rare times where some clients that you don’t think would be good will turn into dream clients.
As an entrepreneur, it is easy to find good and bad clients, so just be aware of the signs of a bad client or customer.
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