Who is Your Ideal Prospect?

An ideal prospect for your products or services has multiple characteristics. Once you've identified a potential client that "checks all the boxes" you absolutely must get in relationship with them and stay committed to working with them until. (More on this in a future post.)

Here are the 8 boxes your ideal prospects must check:

1. You like them. If you don't like them, walk away. They won't help you do your best work. When you see them pop up on your caller ID, you won't be happy. It's not worth it, trust me on this.
2. They like you. If they don't like you, they will hammer you on your fees, not take your advice, and generally be more difficult to work with and there's no sense in that!
3. You absolutely know you can help them (get out of some pain they are in, or avoid future pain). You must be clear about what you offer and be clear that your sweet spot offerings are exactly what they need. 

Coach's Note: Make sure the first three are a go before you continue.

1. They need what you have to offer.
2. They want what you have to offer. Need and want are two different things. If they don't "want" it (even if they need it), it's a dead deal.
3. They have pain (to avoid or get out of) or pleasure you can help them obtain. If you're in conversation with a prospect about your services, chances are you can assist them. As a coach, if someone is perfect with their time management, they have an abundance of positive cash flow, a team of amazing employees, no challenges and they're sleeping like a baby, I can't really help them, now can I? But I can help them achieve goals they want to achieve, and become better!
4. They have the authority to hire you. It's good to be talking to the person who either signs the check or has major influence over the person who does. Talking to someone who is too junior to have influence isn't your best plan.
5. They have the money to pay you. A potential client can literally check all of the above boxes, but if the check won't clear, then you're a charity not a business. Be sure you pre-qualify their financial abilities before you proceed.

Obviously, that's a pretty long list. It's important that you are clear your prospects check all of these boxes before you commit money, time, energy, effort and thought on getting them to yes. If they don't meet all of the criteria, at some point during the process, they will stall, avoid or commit and recant.

You simply don't have your resources to waste, do you? Take the time to ensure that where you're directing your efforts can pay off. You may only have ten amazing prospects, but ten that are qualified are fantastic!