How do we overcome clients and partners who think they are pros but aren’t? Who keeps insisting on their point of view, even if blatantly wrong?
Who Are LIGHTHOUSE Clients
I’ve had clients who pay us $100,000 a month and some $1,000 a month.
Here is what I’ve noticed as the key differences.
The former don’t demand as much and refer other similar clients.
The latter, however, try to negotiate our price further and add in extra stuff. They refer $500-a-month clients.
It takes the same effort to serve both, but our people’s expertise (technical and relationship) level must be higher.
The $100,000-a-month clients are a joy to work with– they feel like old friends, not supermarket transactions. They are LIGHTHOUSE relationships we solidly build our businesses around.
Working With Clients With $1000 per Month Takes More Time and Energy Than With $100,000
The difference is that the higher-paying clients have mastered delegation. So once they hire you, they have done their diligence on you and understand that you are a true expert.
They give you some guidance but mostly stay out of your way and let you do your work.
Whereas lower-paying clients think they are right even though they are not subject matter expert’s on what you are doing for them.
So they constantly want tweaks and changes and make suggestions. Which ultimately gets in the way of the work actually getting done.
So we must be involved at the relationship level, no matter how important and busy we think we are.
We are willing to invest in the LIGHTHOUSE relationships while scaling out the Content Factory. Focusing just on process/automation will make you a Walmart.
And look at the types of clients they have, plus their reputation.
Is this what you see in great versus nightmare clients, too?
Think of it this way; what percentage of your clients are those who you think, “WOW, I really love them!”
So the more people invest with you, the fewer problems they cause. Raising rates eliminates nonsense and attracts greatness.
Dennis Yu
Dennis Yu is co-author of the #1 best-selling book on Amazon in social media, The Definitive Guide to TikTok Ads. He has spent a billion dollars on Facebook ads across his agencies and agencies he advises. Mr. Yu is the "million jobs" guy-- on a mission to create one million jobs via hands-on social media training, partnering with universities and professional organizations.You can find him quoted in major publications and on television such as CNN, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, NPR, and LA Times. Clients have included Nike, Red Bull, the Golden State Warriors, Ashley Furniture, Quiznos-- down to local service businesses like real estate agents and dentists. He's spoken at over 750 conferences in 20 countries, having flown over 6 million miles in the last 30 years to train up young adults and business owners. He speaks for free as long as the organization believes in the job-creation mission and covers business class travel.You can find him hiking tall mountains, eating chicken wings, and taking Kaqun oxygen baths-- likely in a city near you.