The perfect customer is successful. People that are winning are generally good at what they do. It’s far easier getting content and feedback and input from someone who is organised and on top of things than someone bogged down and incompetent. Successful companies pay their bills.

The perfect customer makes much more money from hiring you than they pay you. Here’s an example. Say you make a basic website for a small manufacturer and importer that has $5 million in annual sales a year. You charge $4k for their website. That website is leveraged by their brand and their business and will pay for itself 10 times over in the first year. Contrast that to making a website for a fish and chip shop. If you charge them $4k for a website they’ll be working it off for a year.

Perfect customers care about value not fees. They know they’re getting a positive return on investment, and they’re looking to maximise their return on investment by increasing the value side of the equation, not by skimping on fees. They themselves know “it’s all about the value” because they have the same philosophy with their own customers. They don’t like getting haggled, and they don’t haggle you.

Perfect customers talk lots and explain well. I am currently working on a website for a company that I worked 2 days a week for 12 months for. I have a good understanding already of what the company does and needs. I’m confident of delivering an awesome product because I know exactly what they need without them even having to tell me.

Contrast that to me going into a small manufacturer that sells complex heavy equipment parts. I’ve got no idea about their products, their sales methods or anything. To make a good solution for them, I first have to learn about all that stuff. If it’s hard to get that information from meetings with the client, I’m largely guessing what will work best.

Some customers will talk for ages and explain all the little intricacies of their business. Others are short and need coaxing to delve into the information.

The better a client can explain their business, and the more willing they are to spend time with you, the better they are to work with.

Perfect customers take on partners. They want solutions and support for the long term. They know that there’s a lot that they don’t know they don’t know, and they’re bringing you on to fill that void.

At the same time, they know they have to put in time and effort into the project as well. They don’t have an initial meeting and expect the project to materialise. They’re committed to getting it done, and committed to playing a part.

Perfect customers listen and ask questions when it comes to expertise and process, and they contribute and answer questions when it comes to content.

Perfect customers make for happy freelancers

Perfect customers make for projects that turn around quickly. Quick project turnarounds make for higher income for you and happier customers.

Life is good when projects cruise, money is good, and everyone wins.

The happiest freelancer in the world, whoever that may be, isn’t the most skilled, or the richest, or the smartest… he/she works with a bunch of perfect customers.

What are you doing to work with perfect customers?

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Let’s have a look what’s wrong there.

Wrong customer profile. As freelancers we have to have a clear understanding of who we can help. For me, I can best help small businesses that can get value out of a website. Generally manufacturers, importers, service providers etc.

For Frank, his customer profile is much different.

Lets compare websites and video dollar for dollar.

For $3k, you can get a basic and good website. For about the same amount of money, you can get a basic and good video.

The website adds value by being a source of leads and sales, increasing exposure, facilitating word of mouth, educating and informing prospects, branding, creating an impression, etc etc. There is so much value in having a website. I don’t think I’ve ever made a website that didn’t or won’t make substantially more money that it cost.

Video on the other hand enhances a website. It can educate and inform prospects, create an impression, aid branding etc.

Both have their places. But I am a small business. For me to create a video, I’d have to sped a couple percent of my annual revenue. My website converts well already. I can’t see an addition like a video to my website generating more money than it costs. My business doesn’t market to a mass audience. I can’t leverage the video because I can only show it to a few hundred people per month at best.

I am not part of his customer profile. Frank’s customer profile is companies that have larger audiences that can leverage it better.

Wait a second… I know some companies like that… my clients! Which brings me to my next point.

Wrong approach. Alan Weiss says it best: “Think of the fourth sale first”. When I meet with other freelancers, I don’t even dream of pitching to them. In fact, I’d be more inclined to give stuff away, and so would all other freelancers I know.

There is so much to be gained by just knowing other people. And let me tell you, knowing and being friends with someone else, is going to be enough to win you work when the need arises.

Pitching to people who can help you with is like preaching to the choir. It’s a waste of time for the preacher and a boring pain in the arse for the choir.

To be fair, Frank and I did also talk about making videos for my clients. And despite what I’m saying here, I very much enjoyed meeting with Frank. If the need arises, if any of my clients would benefit from a video, I will have him in mind. So I guess the lesson is, even if you completely screw it up, it’s still better to get yourself out there!

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