By focusing on your best clients, you can not only make your busienss more profitable, you’ll also be more energized and satisfied with your work.   These positive effects normally will translate in your best clients giving your more referrals — hopefully referrals who match your ideal client profile.

If and when you are considering weeding out your client roster, what are the signposts that can indicate it’s time to consider giving a particular client their walking papers? 

Here are a few:

• Your client consistently haggles over the amounts on your invoices and/or is consistently late in paying you.
• You are making little or no profit from this client, and there is no other significant residual benefit from the relationship (such as referrals,  networking, testimonials, useful case studies, etc.)
• The decision maker (or the project’s “sponsor”) is becoming increasingly hard to get a hold of or to meet with.
• The primary decision maker (or “sponsor”) of your project or service has virtually abandoned it, and has either left the project unmanaged or for others to decide on.
•  You are becoming disinterested in the projects and/or the projects for this client are not providing enough challenge or professional growth for you.