Creating 'Ideal Expectations' For Your New and Existing Clients

We hear a lot of talk about 'attracting ideal clients', but I'd like to add another stance on this: what are your ideal 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 for the people you work with? This applies to both existing and new clients. The stories you create about how you expect people to engage with you really do make a difference.

Think about it... when you describe clients to other people, or consider their behaviour in your head, what comes up?

You might have stories about how they are:

⚡ with money

⚡ with organisation

⚡ with how they value you

⚡ with what they need and don't need

You Get What You Expect

Spoiler alert: a lot of these will be self-fulfilling prophecies! Not always, but often what we expect is what we get (or what we will put up with). Whenever I hear someone say 'my clients are so xxx' or 'people always/only xxx' it sounds so limiting and can often create real blocks in a business.

Perhaps these stories are true, and perhaps you are stuck with them. But maybe not.

What if, for example, you become unavailable to work with people who pay invoices late. Set those expectations and let clients know that's how you work. Very quickly you'll align yourself with people who understand and respect that concept, rather than those who think it doesn't matter.

As well as mapping out who your ideal clients are, map out what you expect from them.

How do you want your conversations to feel?

What do you like best about them?

How does your nervous system feel when you see their name in your inbox?

Do they recommend you to others?

Then, perhaps make a list of the things you currently find challenging with your clients. If there's something that comes up a lot, it might be that you have an opportunity to change it on your end.

Our frustrations can often be traced back to how we've expressed ourselves in our marketing and communications, so a recurring issue could be a cue for reflection. There might be a practical element that needs spelling out, or a boundary which needs stating. It could also be something more energetic, which you may be able to spot for yourself, or invest in a brand audit to get an outside perspective.

Can I Spot Your Sticking Point?

My 'First Impressions' Brand Audit gives you a unique window into a new customer or client's perspective.

I'll point out what flows naturally and what feels contradictory or confusing. I can ask the silly questions that you assume all potential clients know, but they might be too shy to ask. By testing out your user experience journey, I can tell you if there's anywhere obvious that people are dropping off or getting lost... often there are really simple solutions.

I wear my professional marketing hat to notice details in the copy (writing) and visuals that could use some fine-tuning, and these insights all go into a bespoke traffic light system 'to-do' list for you. ​​

All you have to do is email me to book an audit. Drop me your website and social links if you like, or just trust that I'll find them from your email address signature.

If there's something specific that you'd like me to look at - like a need continually not being met - then give me some more detail in your email, and it may be that I suggest a coaching session so that we can deep dive into it. By noticing what's going on and acknowledging our role in it, we can empower ourselves to make a change rather than continuing to put the power in the hands of someone else.

Remember that YOU get to choose who you work with, and that's one of the major benefits to being self-employed. Therefore, the expectations you set (both in your mind and in your marketing) have huge impact and it's important that you get them right.