Point Quibblers and Other Icky Clients

Last week at a meeting, I proudly shared my latest classroom triumph -- I had already "made" a student cry because she got a B+ on her first speech, and yet everyone knows she is an "A student." Such is the life of a mean and evil public speaking professor. My colleague said, "Oh, she must be one of those annoying 'point quibblers.'"

Now isn't that a fantastic term, a "point quibbler"?

Reminds me of certain clients I no longer deal with. For your handy reference, here's a list of clients you're probably better off without....no matter what shape the economy is in. Life is simply too short.

Run, don't walk, away from....

- Clients who endlessly negotiate every single item, even after you've already reached an agreement.

- Clients who don't show up for the call or appointment, and always have excuses for why they didn't show up. (If you don't make excuses, why should you deal with clients who do?)

- Clients who don't do their homework, or answer preliminary questions that help you serve them better.

- Clients who seem to have already decided that your product or service won't work for them. (Really, why bother?)

College professors don't get to fire their students. Entrepreneurs and managers have more leeway in deciding with whom to do business.

Dan Kennedy put it like this: You may think you'll do business with anyone who has breath. But a lot of people have really bad breath.

Decide in advance who your ideal clients are. That's where your real success lies.

How to Say "No" to a Client

Dear Mixonian,

I'm at my wit's end. My clients tell me to jump, and I ask them how high, and so they keep demanding more and more from me. My boss tells me it's not his problem, but mine.

Here's an example. One client wants me to visit their office (again) across the country. I was just there a couple of weeks ago and now they want me to return this week. What I can tell them? It's my job to keep the clients happy.

Desperate,
Ms. On The Ball


Dear Ms. On The Ball,

Mixonian is pleased with your desire to give your client such personal service. That is truly commendable and it's no wonder they want more from you.

You may recall that your mother once told you in certain situations the best strategy is to play hard to get. The same is true for customer relations. You take care of them, but you take care of yourself as well.

Putting off your visit by a week probably won't cause the company to go bankrupt.

Each morning and evening, right after brushing your teeth, do this exercise. With careful enunciation, say "no." Repeat at least five times.

Then, when Ms. Demanding Client demands your presence, you can say, "No, I can't be there tomorrow, but I could be there in 10 days." The client will respect you even more in the morning.

Sincerely,
Mixonian