3 key strategies for attracting high-end clients

Clients are the life-blood of any business and attracting a regular flow of them can be one of the most challenging aspects of any business.

It’s tempting to fall into the trap of thinking that you need to work with everyone in order to maintain that ever-important cash flow for your business. However, if you’ve been in business for a while it could be time to take a look at the type of client you are attracting – are they average or high-end clients? Think Holiday Inn versus Ritz-Carlton – who would you prefer to be working with? Mastering the art of attracting high-end clients has the potential to transform your business by giving you more time, more income and a lot more fun knowing that the work you do is making a difference with clients who truly appreciate you.

It’s rare to find a business that doesn’t want to attract more clients. But I think it’s far more important to focus on high-end clients so you can transform both your business and your lifestyle. My own criteria for defining high-end clients are that they are:

• Ideal clients with whom you love to work;
• Long-term clients that will work with you for 6 months or more;
• High-paying clients who really understand and appreciate the value of the services you provide and are willing to invest in themselves.

So working with your ideal high-end clients is a win-win for both you and your client. You’ll better understand their needs when you work longer term with them and you get to adapt your services accordingly. And because they are typically much more committed, they’ll get better results and you’ll get consistent income and great testimonials.

Follow these top 3 strategies for attracting more high-end clients:

1. Adopt a high-end client mindset. I see many clients struggling with this first step because they think “I’m not ready to attract high-end clients” or “I’m not the kind of person who can charge a lot of money” or “focusing on money will make me shallow, dishonest or a bad person”. Focus on packaging your expertise and services to communicate that you offer higher-end services. With that in mind, you may realize that you’re undercharging for your services. Again, think Ritz-Carlton here and every impression you make should be communicating high quality, attention to detail and professionalism.
2. Focus on the results you can help your clients achieve, not the process. High-end clients aren’t investing in the time they spend with you nor the techniques or methods you’re using. Instead you need to focus on the bigger and longer-term value that your services provide to clients when they work with you and the knock-on effects that will result across multiple areas of their lives. What clients want to see are tangible results that are measurable and achievable within a reasonable timeframe.
3. Have a simple, repeatable system for enrolling high-end clients into your programs and business. Enrolling new clients requires a step-by-step process that includes asking the right questions to really understand their current situation, their goals and vision for the future, and their challenges. When you have all this information in hand you can then present your services and make your offer to work with them. And of course, don’t forget to have several different immediate options for receiving payment! That includes credit cards, checks, bank transfers or cash.

There is often a natural slowing down for business over the summer as people enjoy vacations and some down time. As a business owner, this is a valuable opportunity to take stock of your achievements half-way through the year and, if necessary, adapt your offerings. If you need help attracting more high-end clients, then contact us for help.