HOW DO WE KNOW IF OUR CLIENT IS A “GOOD FIT”?
Now when we talk about a client being a “good fit” what does that actually mean?
They don’t say make it pop? They don’t make revisions? They pay you on time? etc etc
To these I would definitely say “hell yes that’s ideal”, however, I think these common design tropes have been lost in translation and are actually problems that can be easily be avoided if rather than passing the blame, we as designers, can implement better processes with our projects before pen hits paper.
Now previously I would always be a “yes man” when it came to lead enquires, signing people over DM or Email without first taking into consideration if they were actually a “good fit”. So how do we find out?
“WE NEED TO QUALIFY OUR CLIENTS!”
Now this might sound pretty straightforward for some, but qualifying is something that can save you hours of pain down the line.
To qualify my clients from either a DM, Email or Web Form Submission, I first ask a series of questions around:
• Where their business is at?
• Why they’re reaching out now specifically?
• What their timeframe is?
and so on…
These not only give me some insight into the project, but by their answers we can them tell; how their communication is, how willing they are to commit to the project, and if they “need it now” or if they’re open to getting on to our schedule.
If this first level of questions doesn’t raise any red flags, then I’m then happy to invite them on a short 3O-45 min discovery or “sales” call via zoom.
The discovery call allows us to expand on those initial questions by digging deeper into their business, learning about their goals and needs as a brand, and giving us a deeper insight into how easy they are going to be to work with.
Adding a qualifying element to your process will make a huge difference when it comes to working with the right people for you. Remember, not every client is right for every designer, so next time you wanna be a “yes man” stop, reframe and qualify BEFORE pen hits paper.
To give you guys some actionable steps, I’ve included my very own Sales Call Script in Greaseland as this months freebie, so join via the button below and go make some sales!
