5 Questions to Assess Client Fit

Your clients can make or break your company. Having their best interests taken care of should therefore be at the top of your priority list.   

At the same time, if you've been in business for long enough, you’ve probably met different kinds of clients. Some might be easy to deal with, while others could prove more difficult.  

While having many clients can be your ticket to reach higher sales and profit, you must be cautious. Some clients might turn out to be a liability instead of an asset.  

Remember: you never know where your next big sale is going to come from, but not all clients are right for you.

To help you prevent a potential transaction from the "wrong" clients, this post from Digital Resource, a top Fort Lauderdale SEO Company, will let you in on some practical steps to assess client fit.  

Are you in for it? Let's begin! 

What is Client Fit? 

Client fit occurs when a company's product or service meets a customer's needs. 

5 Questions to Assess Client Fit 

1. Product/ Project Output (Can I Supply What My Client Needs?) 

Any business aims to solve people's problems by providing them with products or services.  

When deciding whether to accept a client or not, don't do it on a whim. You have to find and establish your core competency first. This helps you assess client fit.  If, for example, you are running a cake shop, you probably can’t help people who want to purchase pizza or pasta.

If you want to keep the potential customer, try negotiating with them. You can cater to their cake request while referring them to a pizza and pasta shop. They will appreciate you for it.  

2. Timeline (Is My Client's Timeframe Reasonable?) 

Time is a highly valuable asset in businesses, which means you have to anticipate and set timelines when working with a client.  

Extensive projects requiring advanced skills might take a longer time to accomplish. While some customers offer higher pay for you to accept their request, try to weigh if it would be possible to achieve the task without sacrificing your quality of service. 

If you don't want to disappoint your clients with the services you offer, try out the following tips below: 

1. Remember to set realistic timelines. 

2. Provide a brochure of the services you offer and the estimated time needed to deliver them.  

3. Provide leeway for your estimated time. This helps if there are any unexpected problems or delays. (Example: If you can finish the task in 1 day, you may set 1-3 working days in your brochure to establish the client's expectations) 

3. Client Demand vs. Current Workload (Can I Accept This Client Without Affecting My Current Deliverables?) 

This aspect goes hand in hand with our second question in assessing client fit. If you decide to accept your clients' demands, check your schedule and see if it's still possible to squeeze in their order.

If you want to be able to accept client requests despite your already busy schedule, always make sure to: 

1. Provide a large board or calendar in your office. Position it in an easily visible area.

2. Inform your clients through ads or social media profiles that you accept requests ahead of time (best done when the holidays are fast approaching). 

3. Set a cut-off time. Ensure that this will provide enough time to deliver the tasks.  

4. Monitor every project request that comes in.  

5. Check the workload of your employees and staff.  

6. Assign a point person to oversee the progress of every client request. 

This is especially important during your peak season, when you’re simultaneously most likely to receive a request like this and least capable of fulfilling it.

4. Client Credibility (Can I Trust This Client?) 

An article from Legal Jobs in 2021 reported that internet-enabled theft, fraud, and exploitation cost the economy $2.7 billion (about $8 per person in the US) in 2018. Now that several businesses have shifted from physical stores to online, it appears that it has become easier for ill-intentioned clients to deceive business owners.  

To save yourself from fraudulent online buyers, the marketing experts of our Fort Lauderdale SEO company suggest you conduct a background check -- like checking your customers' social media profiles. Fake profiles don't use their real names. They’re also unlikely to have photos, and they leave little to no social media footprints.  

5. Morals/Values (Do I Share the Same Values with My Client?) 

Let's say you own a printing business. Your client demands you produce a poster that maligns a group of people. Although accepting the job may lead to a massive gain in your portfolio, are you willing to compromise your company's values?  

You might say that business is business. As long as you can profit from a client, it doesn't matter if it's against what you believe in.  

But a  2017 study done by Cone Communication provides an interesting perspective. It states that 87 percent of consumers would buy a product because it supports a cause they care about. In comparison, 76 percent will refuse to accept a company's products or services if it supports a cause that goes against their views. 

Business ethics play a function in your company's growth. As a leader, the decisions you make must impact others positively. You have to keep in mind that associating your business with the wrong people can damage your reputation.  

Attract the Right Clients for Your Business 

Without a doubt, bad clients can take up too much of your time and productivity. Look for the client that fits your services offered. One method in this internet marketing age is by leading them to you through social media. 

Social media marketing is unmatched in raising brand awareness and engaging with current and potential customers when used correctly.  

At Digital Resource, our Social Media Specialists are experts in creating scroll-stopping content that turns clicks into clients!  

Contact us today to collaborate with the leading Fort Lauderdale SEO company!