“You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”

-Abraham Lincoln

Now, this famed quote from our good buddy, and hallowed President, Abraham Lincoln, isn’t meant to imply that, in your biz, you’re intending to fool anyone.
But the sentiment applies none-the-less. In the sense that no one’s business, yours included, can be all things to all people. And when you try, you wind up being nothing to no one. And obviously, that’s a losing proposition.
On the other hand… The notion of NOT trying to reel in any + every prospect that swims your way likely has you fretting: “OMGEEEEEEEZE, how can I possibly turn down a potential client? I mean, I gotta eat, right???”
And yes, you’ve gotta eat. And pay your bills. And cover all the other requisite financial obligation that keep your and yours afloat.
But assuming “any client is a good client” forgets 3 critical considerations that are likely hindering your business far more than helping…
Mismatched expectations… You and a particular client may just not be on the same page. Now, said client could just be a TOTAL nightmare. And thus no one’s destined to live up to their whacky “expectations.” But it could just boil down to a difference in perspective. Meanwhile, trying meet expectations that don’t conform to your working-method is at best uncomfortable (which is ultimately crazy-making). And at worst, bound to shove you toward career burnout that much faster.
The workload doesn’t justify the compensation… This is the client who demands 80% or your time. But only accounts for 20% of your revenue. And this scenario is not only crazy-making, but a surefire path to early career burnout, not to mention financial ruin.
Trying to be something you’re not just to “fit the bill”… We’ve all considered taking on a job that wasn’t really in our realm of expertise, am I right? Maybe it was a job in the same field of practice, but not in your area of specialization? Perhaps it was a request from a valued client? Or just one of those out-of-left-field situations we’ve all bumped into at one time or another (who else has ended up dog-walking to help a harried client in a pinch — raise your hand?)? But regardless, executing work you’re (a) not comfortable with, (b) have no experience with, and (c) have no interest in doing is a recipe for DISASTER.

The Lesson Here?

The purpose of marketing isn’t to reel in every Tom, Delila, and Harriet who’ll bite on your dangling hook.
Rather, the purpose of marketing is to keep your pipeline full. Which in turn allows you to be discerning in your client selections. And even let go of clients that, for whatever reason, just aren’t working out.
When Bob Bly, famed copywriter + marketing consultant, was asked: “How do you know you’ve done enough marketing?”
He responded: “when YOU can choose who you work with (and not vice versa).”

Be Honest…

What are some of the jobs regretted taking after the fact? Drop by my Google+ page share all the gory details!