Finally. Here in Southeast Wisconsin it looks like we’ve got temperatures going into the 70’s next week. So, Spring, although late, has officially arrived.
And with Spring comes Spring cleaning. Yep, out with the old – in with the new. What, particularly, does that mean for us? Well, there are several things on the horizon within our household – including a remodel anticipated to start in a week or two and, of course, the landscaping. It also means that I am going to try and make a “renewed” effort to blog more often (admittedly a weak spot). But in addition to that, we’ve had to clear a little dead wood from the business.
This past week we had to fire a client. Yes, fire the client. It was a tough decision. You know the feeling you get when you purchase something that you’re really excited about only to realize that it isn’t going to work? It’s a not-so-warm-and-fuzzy feeling. This same thing goes along with gaining a new client only to realize that they’re not a fit for your firm. And rather than deliberate too long and try to make that new purchase/client fit, sometimes you cut your losses, return it, and move on.
Spring is a time of renewal. It’s a time for new grass and flowers, the touch of a wonderful breeze through your windows and the warmth of the sun on your face. It’s a time of looking forward to a fantastic Summer with its upbeat momentum. And it’s a time to clean the closets and remove things that are old, worn or just not a good fit to help usher in those positive, uplifting, productivity enhancing feelings.
Here are a few tips to keep your business closet free of clutter:
- Give your clients a grade. We use an A,B,C scale like this one:
- A – Excellent - This client is easy to work with, pays on time, gives clear direction for what they need and appropriate feedback. They return calls promptly, realize the value of your time and service offerings and are the consummate professionals. They are clients you send gifts to and offer special deals to because they don’t demand anything, are consistent and reliable, and they are a joy to work with.
- B – Good – This client is someone who is steady and mostly reliable. They have a pretty good idea of what they need but need some hand holding. They might complain occasionally but they pay their bills in an appropriate billing timeframe and periodically contract for additional services as their budget allows.
- C – Fire Them – Although this can be a tough choice sometimes. These clients will suck the life out of you. They expect everything for nothing, won’t pay on time or at all, complain about everything and need constant hand-holding and deals to keep them interested. This is the “dead wood” that needs to be cleaned out periodically. If you get an impression on a first meeting that you might be looking at a “C” client, run. Many times they are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They will drain you and try to take your self-worth with them into their quagmire of negativity.
- Go through your social networks and do a little housecleaning there. Remove stagnant Twitter followers and Facebook friends so you can make room for those that share and that you would like to pay more attention to.
- Liven up your website and blog content. OK, I know it’s a little bit of a Pot-Kettle-Black here, but hey, I’m writing this blog aren’t I? And I am seriously in the process of designing our new website.
- Refresh your logo or get one done. Brand or re-brand if you need to step things up a notch.
And now that you’ve cleaned your closets and spaces, you have room for new things. New clients, a new Spring line of apparel, new followers, new grass, new attitudes. What are you waiting for?
. I can say that I’m truly grateful that my graphic files, documents and pictures were all able to be restored. And I can most likely dig around and find something that will bring back part of my client files if Carbonite can’t get them restored. But I’ll just go with an old thought here “Buyer Beware“.
