Which Clients Should You Say No To Working With?

How strongly do you feel about your values and vision for your firm?

On a daily basis we are approached by accounting firms who want us to show them how to scale their business and attract more leads and high value clients.

We have worked hundreds of businesses and surprisingly we turn more people away than we choose to work with.

There are a number of ways we work out if a client is a good fit.

Values & Vision

The first thing we have to check is that a firm’s values and vision is in alignment with our values and vision.

I never used to do this. When I started my business in 2009 I would work with anyone and any business. In fact, most of the time my clients and the lack of alignment would keep me awake at night. I would feel drained and unhappy. I started calling my clients Vampires. They sucked the life out of me.

This lasted for over 5 years until I got burnt out. Then one day I decided it was time to only surround myself with radiators (good clients that radiate positive energy and energise), and stop working with Vampires.

When I realised how important it was to pick clients to join our programme not only did our success rate increase, but so did my client’s success rate.

I am sharing this with you because if you are in full alignment with the people you choose to work with, these people – get better results, value you more, see you as vital and you enjoy the journey more.

Do You Enjoy Working With Them?

All too often I speak about the customer journey and how to get more clients by focusing on prospects. Not often enough do I speak of your journey as a firm, and how you and your team can benefit from making sure you enjoy the journey too.

If you are fully aligned to your clients vision and purpose, and they are fully aligned to yours, it makes every step you take with them fulfilling.

Growth Mindset Vs Fixed Mindset

Within 30 seconds of speaking with someone I know whether they are going to be a good fit with the rest of my clients and with my team. When I speak with a partner or firm owner I know whether they have a growth mindset or a fixed mindset.

If they have a fixed mindset I cannot and will not let them into the programme. The firm’s I work with have to be hungry. We focus on getting them to 7-figures. Often, lack of belief or inability to set huge goals can hold people back. BUT if they have a growth mindset we can eradicate this thinking where they are playing too small, and inject some inspiration and get them to smash it out of the park.

Getting Into Debt

I also have a huge belief that if someone cannot afford to work with us, then they shouldn’t. Credit card debt can ruin a life, and as most of my clients have families I will not be responsible for putting this pressure onto people.

Firms who come to me under financial pressure won’t be able to focus on lead generation, because they are too stressed and are not prepared to play the long game. Plus some marketing tactics need more investment – like a website or rebrand. This isn’t something everyone can afford.

I have to ask these questions of people on the phone, otherwise I am doing them an injustice.

The Right Personality

Personality is also really important. Marketing requires stepping out of your comfort zone, which means you have to have a personality that can show up online and be present. If you are scared to be seen (or are unwilling to grow and give it a go), then working with us just won’t work.

So how can you implement this in your accounting firm?

Well to start with you have to be clear:

• Clear on the traits of your ideal client.
• Clear on what you need them to commit to.
• Clear on who you don’t want to work with.
• And clear on the values that are non negotiable.

Initially you might be scared to say no to some potential clients. But once you implement this in your firm, staff morale increases, productivity increases, profits increase and your life becomes better.