Sometimes you just don't want to work with someone.
And that is OK.
In fact, it's more than OK–it's absolutely, 100% definitely ALLOWED.
After all, your business is your business and it's entirely up to you who you work with, how they buy from you, when you work, what you charge, how you package it, where you take it; and vice versa: who you don't work with, how they can't buy from you, what you won't charge, how it won't be packaged, and where you won't take it... is also up to you.
And I know you're thinking "Well yes, of course", BUT do you do it? Do you follow your own rules, intuition, boundaries or whatever it is that sets out your ideal and non-ideal clients and stick to it? Be honest... have you had the odd person 'talk you into it' or have you talked yourself into it perhaps thinking of the income from, or the ease of, the sale?
Now, of course there are times when this is less important: an online programme where you're not personally interacting or connecting with people, for example. But when you and your energy is involved, I highly recommend you get very fussy.
Personally, I have a very simple rule when I decide if I want to work with someone or not, and that's the 'lunch rule'. I ask myself (in my head, if we're mid conversation!) "Could I have lunch with this person?". If the answer is no, then it's a no to working with them with any element of one-to-one. If it's a yes, then there is my answer. Now, of course there are other more 'practical' criteria to consider with clients–are they ready, do they have the focus/tools/ideas/commitment, etc. But for the 'personal' side of business I need to know if I can enjoy their company from time to time, hence the 'having lunch' rule. Working with people uses up lots of energy and I don't want to spend time with people where I don't feel there is a good exchange back again–like a great lunch conversation. I'm not looking to only work with people who are my 'soul mates' (but you might be!), instead my criteria is based around interesting, have something to say, people who are willing to work in partnership with me (and possibly share their chips!).
So have a think about your rules about who makes the grade to be a client in your business. It's not just down to market forces–in that who demands what you have and can pay gets to. You have a HUGE say in who you work with, but only if you invoke your 'rules'.
It's never you and it's always me (and I know exactly what I do and don't want my business to look like).
PS. This doesn't just apply to clients either, this is about every thing in your business and how it works–where you work, how you sell, where you sell, where you don't sell, the list goes on. When you're in control it sends clear signals to everyone how you do and don't work and what that looks like so you never have to compromise and get a painful mismatch. The more you know you, the better–as then you'll do your Thing so much better too.
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