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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?

 

[National Posture Institute] The 3 Types of Clients You Need to Forgo if You Want to Continue Being Successful

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.

 
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