Everybody has had that moment of pause when contacted by a potential new client. There’s something about this person that doesn’t seem quite right, something just a little off, and you can’t help but feel that they might not be best for your company. However, times are tough, new clients are scarce, and it’s usually a bad idea to turn down a potential source of income based on nothing more than a gut feeling.
When you get a client that you are unsure of, try asking them some fairly simple questions which will help you better understand who they are and what they’re looking for.
1. How did you find me? This first question is by far the most important. If they’ve been recommended by somebody else in the field, then you have somebody else you can ask about this person. If they’re responding to your advertising, at least you know they are consumers of the kind of media that you advertise in. Knowing how they came across you goes a long way in establishing their bone fides that they are legitimate clients.
2. Have you ever worked with somebody in this industry before? Again, this is a good way to find a potential reference for this client. If they haven’t worked with anybody in the field before, find out why they’re suddenly coming to you. If they have, find out why they’ve decided to seek you out instead of continuing with their current professional.
3. Was your previous experience helpful? If it wasn’t, this should be a major red flag. Why would your services be any better than the person before you? If they were good and helpful, why find a new person? Knowing if they were actually able to take advantage of the skills of somebody in your field will go a long way toward actually helping them and give you an idea if the reason they’re changing professionals is because of them.
4. What did and didn’t work about your last experience? This last is important, since it’s not just about what happened that caused the breakdown of the previous working relationship. It’s about how you can, if this person turns out to be a legitimate client, improve on their previous experience.
And that seems to be part of the purpose of these questions. Not only will they give you a basic idea of who you’re working with and a lot of information that can help you make a decision if this is the kind of client you’re looking to work with, they can also give you an idea of how to succeed where others have failed.
You should always trust yourself when it comes to screening new clients. It won’t always be easy to do, but it’s better than taking a risk that may have an adverse affect on your business. Asking a few simple questions could go a long way toward putting your mind at ease or confirming your suspicions. Either way, it’ll be better for your company to take the time to be careful.
