How I Choose the Right Clients for my Consulting Business

In my work as a business development consultant for independent pharmacies, the hardest part of my job is choosing the right clients. Especially if you’re first starting out, it might feel like you have to work with anyone who is willing to pay you.

Last year, I had to let go of 2 clients who I realized were not the right fit for my business. As my business grew, I was able to better understand what type of clients I wanted to take on and market my services to.

Here are the questions I ask myself when deciding to work with a potential client:

Do I like them as a person?

A simple question, but hard to answer honestly when that person is willing to pay you. But if you don’t like someone, don’t work with them! You have to spend a lot of time with and work very closely with your clients. If you don’t like them, it can make your job miserable!

In the case of one of the clients I let go, this was a main factor. I did not like the way they spoke to their employees, their customers, or me! I realized that the clients I chose are reflections of myself and my business and I only want to work with those I like and will enjoy working with.

Do I respect them as a professional?

After determining that I like the person, the next step is to decide if I respect them as a professional. Are they ethically and legally responsible? Are they willing to admit what they don’t know? If they are a pharmacist themselves, are they good at practicing pharmacy?

In the case of another client I had to end my relationship with, this was an issue. They were simply not up-to-date with their clinical knowledge and did not prioritize patient safety.

It’s important to know if your clients are good at what they do, so that you have a good foundation with which to help them build upon and grow. If they are still struggling with the basics, they may not be ready to take the next steps to grow their business.

Are they committed?

After considering the above, this is the next question to ask. You may like and respect the person, but if they are not willing to make the growth of their business a priority, it won’t work. If they are not willing to overcome their fears and take action, you won’t see results. You’ll find yourself missing deadlines and wasting time on following up.

Like the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make them drink!

Do they believe in me?

In my opinion, this is the biggest question to consider. Do they believe that your systems and solutions work? While they may be willing to take action, are they willing to take the action you recommended?

It’s important to work with clients who value you and your work and are willing to follow your plan. If they don’t wholeheartedly believe that you are the right person to help them, it’s better to refer them to someone or something else who can better serve them.

Clearly identifying the type of clients I want to work with has greatly improved my business and allowed me to be more focused and intentional on building my brand.