Can we avoid PITA clients?

🙌 A big thank you to all those who responded to our B2B conversation topics and challenges. You all add depth and value to our newsletter.

One question that caught my attention came from one of my respected peer, Peter.

He posed an intriguing question that many of us often grapple with - how to figure out who’s going to be a dream client and, well, a not-so-dreamy one (let's just say a PITA, and I don't mean the bread. Also not Pacific Islands Telecommunications Association, I love those guys!).

This is certainly a common predicament, and it is not straightforward to tackle. It's a nuanced situation that all of us, at some point, have had to face in our journey.

To better understand this, let's break it down into two categories: enterprise/corporate business and solopreneur, each having it's unique dynamics.

On the bright side, when working for a company, you have the advantage of a team. It's like having a safety net, where team dynamics can help manage the client relationship better.

A solopreneur, on the other hand has a different set of challenges, and dealing with a PITA client can be particularly gruelling. It's like walking a tightrope without a safety net.

However, there are strategies you can deploy to identify potential problem clients early and establish clear boundaries to safeguard your time and energy.

Be aware and intentional, then rigorously qualify.

The first thing is to be aware of the signs that a client will be difficult.

If you are looking for it, you will be aware of the signs; you will recognise it. I will start with culture, values and ways of working together.

Consider cultural fit, shared values, and ways of working together. For instance, if you're all about innovation and speed, but your client prefers a slower, methodical approach, you might notice a clash of values.

That’s an apparent conflict of values.

🎬Take Action: Document your non-negotiables. What are the red flags that signal a prospective client may not be the best fit for you?

Define the Scope of Work and consider the unknowns together.

During the qualifying and validation stage of the sales process there needs to be trust and collaboration.

You and your potential client should be sincere and ready to collaborate on the scope of work and find common ground together.

🎬Take action: Do not move to a proposal stage without clear agreements on the ORD:

• Opportunity

• Resources

• Decision-making

(Next week, I'll deep dive into ORD.)

During my tenure at Alcatel-Lucent, we always had a buffer for unexpected changes in our contracts. Yes, we might have been a tad more expensive than our competitors, but my clients and I mutually understood there were potential project risks and that I needed the flexibility to pivot quickly and make necessary concessions.

That said, it's important to clearly outline that if the project has limited resources, there's no wiggle room for change unless additional costs are levied.

While navigating B2B sales is complex, with careful planning, a solid strategy and effective sales process, we can anticipate difficult clients and make better decisions.

Thank you for reading!

I appreciate you,💜

Ren