You’re building your business, so you gotta take any client you can get right? Wrong.

Good clients elevate your business. (Take note of your best clients, what makes them great? What kind of marketing can you do to attract more clients like this?)

Bad clients will actually end up costing you more money than they’re worth. They waste your time, suck your energy, and weigh you down.

It’s time to hold clients to the same standards you hold your business to. Here are 3 major signs it’s time to break up with your client:

#1 THEY ARE COSTING YOU MONEY

No matter how apologetic these clients are, no matter how long they’ve been coming to you, it’s time to say goodbye. They may appear harmless, but what they’re really doing is taking advantage of how understanding you’ve been — they do not respect your time and they are bad for business.

  • Time is money baby!
  • Are they chronically late?
  • Do they miss appointments?
  • Do their credit cards decline?
  • Cut them loose! You’re losing money.

#2 THEY ARE RUDE

Rude clients come in many forms and they can seriously throw off your day. They can affect your focus, how you interact with other clients and your overall performance. Don’t ruin your image and reputation with other clients because you have one client with a bad attitude.

  • Do they have unreasonable demands?
  • Are they never satisfied?
  • Do they complain about your prices or always ask for discounts?
  • This is an unhealthy relationship and it’s time to cut them off.

#3 THEY CROSS BOUNDARIES

Some clients have no respect for boundaries. They see you as a service provider and not a human being with a life and a business to run.

  • Do they constantly call you after hours?
  • Do they refuse to book you online?
  • Do they ask you to stay late and squeeze them in last minute?

It’s your responsibility to set boundaries with clients. Let them know if and when you are available by phone and when your business hours are. If your clients choose to ignore your boundaries, you know what to do next ; )

Every 3 months, take a step back and ask yourself, “Am I creating my ideal client list?” Are there still some clients on your list you need to get rid of? Give yourself a time limit, and do it.

Business management tools like StyleSeat allow you to block certain clients from booking with you. To check out more of StyleSeat’s tools, click here.

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