Business owners and entrepreneurs: Would you believe me if I told you that not all clients are good clients?
Yes, they’re paying for your goods and services–but what is their overall lifespan with your brand…if any?
One of the biggest and most controversial things I stand by is the importance of evaluating, accepting and rejecting clients. While this may seem counterintuitive, it can actually work in your favor to drive revenue and build brand perception.
Below, we’re exploring the end goals of audience evaluation and how you can begin implementing evaluation into your business.
Why should I be evaluating my prospective clients?
The question is valid, and I’m happy to tell you. Investing the time in creating a client questionnaire can be absolutely invaluable to your ability to earn and achieve with your business.
You’ve likely heard of the 80/20 concept: 80% of your business’ results will come from 20% of your effort. This step will be the 20% that continues to pay dividends…over and over again.
Evaluating your clients allows you to do a number of things, including:
- Identify who your core demographic is: While this may change, having a core demographic (or a few) that you’re targeting can help you market more effectively, reducing overall cost and time spent.
- Encourage brand perception and purchases in your key groups: By providing opportunities for conscious or “hidden” evaluation and qualification, you can boost your potential for enhanced brand perception, awareness and revenue earned.
- Avoid lost investment of time and resources: Dealing with people that don’t align with your core demographic (especially in the start-up phase) can be a costly mistake. Removing risks to lost investments can help you work and scale more effectively.
How do I start customer evaluation processes?
Where you start with the customer evaluation process is simple: You ask yourself a question.
Who do I want to serve, why do I want to serve them, and how do I want to do it?
We know, that’s actually three questions. However, I can promise you that all three are equally pertinent to the process.
Once you determine that, you’ll begin to create questions that appeal to your core demographics and separate those who may not be a good fit for your brand. These questions won’t be externally facing, of course. Instead, you’ll be using these as rhetorical questions to help shape your brand’s vision, feel and overall customer experience.
From there, once you’ve come up with your questions, you’ll answer them via strategic implementation. It’s at this stage that you begin defining and shaping your brand. As you do this, work to educate your prospective buyers through your marketing efforts and expose them to who you are, what you do and who you’re for.
Taking the time to do this simple strategic step can make a difference in your business.
