The 3 Types of Clients You Need to Forgo if You Want to Continue Being Successful
If
you’ve worked in the fitness or health industry long enough you’ve
probably ran into all walks of people. Some of these people touch your
heart and change you forever; some of these changes are spurred because
of positive and negative experiences. Have you ever met a client and
felt you might have problems with them? Or ran into problems while
working with a client?
Let’s talk
You
may have yet to discover your ideal client, but you know for a fact
when someone isn’t going to jive well with your system. Have you ever
had to say goodbye to a client? It’s the most unconventional subject you
might hear, because you’ve been told to keep clients, to go out and
market and get as many as you can.
That’s not the whole truth
As
the industry moves forward, more businesses are opting for quality over
quantity. You’re urged to find the right clients and stick with them;
the 20% will give you 80% of your income. However, what about the
clients that don’t seem to fit? What I’m about to tell you will seem
odd, but there are clients you need to drop if you want to continue
being a successful professional.
Here are 3 kinds of clients you need to drop if you want to keep a sound mind and a working business:
1. The client that pays you when they feel like it or doesn’t want pay at all
I
spoke to a trainer who had problems with his clients. He once had to
write off a client because they didn’t pay for classes and it was too
troublesome to pursue legal assistance. He also had a loyal client who
kept returning, but always paid him late. He explained that it felt like
he had to chase some clients to receive pay. It’s frustrating and
bothersome to feel like you need to hunt for money; asking for it can be
challenging for some because it should be understood that services
rendered means being paid. If you have a client that isn’t paying you or
isn’t paying you on time, you need to have a conversation about it or
let them go. If they use your services, you deserve to be paid for it.
2. The disruptive or disrespectful client
Have
you ever trained someone who kept disrupting your class or seemed
disrespectful? I’m referring to the kind of person that makes it
difficult for you to do your job; they make others, or yourself,
uncomfortable, or behave rudely. You may not relate to the example I
provided, but I’m sure you’ve met someone you’d fit into the category of
“disrespectful”. Ask yourself: Is this the kind of person you want
around you? Again, you need to speak to this person about their behavior
and choose your words wisely. Don’t be surprised if they fly off the
hook or make some snide remark, but don’t allow them to be in your
presence any longer if they can’t respect who you are and what you do.
3. The consistently late comer who doesn’t understand they need to communicate
Whether
this person communicates or not, being consistently late to sessions
isn’t fair to you. While there are times when we have to adjust to fit a
client’s needs, but they need to communicate this with you. Regardless,
I suggest you explain to your clients that you have a cutoff point for
sessions. If you don’t already have one, make one. After 10-20 minutes
of an appointment, if they don’t show up, don’t call, or communicate
that they’re going to be late or aren’t coming, you have the right to
leave.
You
have to set boundaries and you absolutely need to enforce them or be
prepared for trouble. Drop anyone who doesn’t respect your time and
can’t communicate with you. If you don’t, not only will it corrode your
self-esteem, it speaks volumes about you as a professional and will
overlay into other areas of your life. Remember, some people will take
whatever you allow, so let them know early what you’re open to allowing.
Let me be clear
If
you allow stress and negativity, you will carry that with you
everywhere. While I do agree that these situations can be sorted with a
simple conversation, keep in mind there may come a point where it goes
beyond that and you need to have that “talk” with them. It’s not cool to
be downplayed. You deserve your respect as a professional as much as
they do as clients. Be open to them and their concerns, but stand your
ground where necessary. You have a purpose to fulfill and you need to do
it well.
Now that we’re all set with the serious stuff, I want to introduce you to the Educational Fitness Solution’s Online Fitness Business Management program. You’ll learn how to create a successful business model,
marketing & sales, and so much more. If you’re in fitness &
health or looking to start a business in those fields, take a moment to
look into the program before you continue.
You can access the program here. |