More of the Right Clients

More of the Right Clients

A Practical Detailed Guide for Small Service Businesses

From 3-Time Amazon Best Selling Author, Ed McDonough It's a fact... You don't need more 'marketing' activity. You need more of your customers to stay, come back, pay on time, and tell others about you. That's what this is about. High-growth service businesses don't win because they shout louder. They grow because they are deliberate about who they serve, how they serve them, and what they do differently for their best clients. Here's how you can do the same, in clear, practical steps.

Step 1: Define "the right client" in plain terms

If you want more of the right clients, you first need to be painfully clear about who they are. Forget fancy labels. Answer these three questions using your actual clients: 1 - Who brings in the most money over a year? Look at your top 10-20 clients by total spending in the last 12 months. 2 - Who is the easiest to work with? They show up on time, follow your process, treat your staff well. 3 - Who are you genuinely glad to see on your schedule or calendar? You don't dread them. In fact, you'd be happy to have more just like them. Write down 3-5 real clients who score high on all three. Those are your "right clients." Now list what they have in common. For example: • Type of work they hire you for • Location or neighborhood • Size (family, company, project) • How they found you (friend, search, online reviews, local event, etc.) • What they care about most (speed, quality, convenience, results, comfort) This isn't theory. It's a simple profile built from your best real people. Why this matters for growth and profit Research consistently shows that clients who stay longer and come back spend much more over time and are far more likely to buy again than brand-new clients. Existing clients are 3-4 times more likely to buy than new ones, and repeat clients often spend significantly more in later years of the relationship. If you aim your effort at people who are likely to become "great long-term clients," your revenue, margins, and stability improve with less strain.

Step 2: Protect and grow the "right clients" you already have

High-growth service businesses don't treat their best clients as an afterthought while chasing new ones. They do the opposite: 1 - Identify your top 20-50 clients. • Highest yearly spending • Highest number of visits/appointments • Strongest fit with your "right client" list 2 - Make a simple promise to yourself: "These people hear from us first, get our best attention, and never wonder if we value them." 3 - Do three simple things every month: • Check in with a short message or call that isn't about "selling" anything. Just: "How are things going? Anything not working quite right that we should fix?" • Fix small annoyances quickly. Research shows service quality and trust are major drivers of whether people stay or drift away. • Thank them on purpose. A handwritten note, a small surprise, priority scheduling, or a simple "we're grateful for you." Why this Matters Even modest improvements in how many clients stay with you can dramatically boost profit. Several studies have found that increasing the share of clients who stick around by as little as 5% can raise profits by 25-75%, because you keep earning without paying again to win them back or replace them. Bottom line: Before chasing new people, plug the leaks. It is much cheaper to keep a great client than to replace them with a brand-new one

Step 3: Make it easier for the right clients to choose you

Once you are clear on who you want more of, ask a simple question: "If someone like my best client was looking for help today, what would they see from us?" Walk through their likely path: ✓ They search on their phone. ✓ They check reviews. ✓ They look at your website or listing. ✓ They call, send a message, or walk in. At each step, check three things: 1 - Is it clear who you are best for? Instead of trying to appeal to everyone, call out the people you serve best in plain language, for example: "Best for busy families who want fast, reliable help." "Ideal for small offices that need steady care, not one-time fixes." "Great fit for people who want long-term results, not quick fixes." 2 - Is it clear what problems you are really good at solving? Don't list 25 services. Pick the few that tie closest to high-value, repeat work: "Ongoing maintenance" "Monthly check-ups" "Year-round care" The more your message matches the real needs of your best clients, the more people like them will choose you. 3 - Is it clear what happens next? Replace vague phrases like "Contact us today" with simple, specific steps: "Call to check if we're a fit in 10 minutes or less." "Send a picture of your issue; we'll tell you your options." "Book a first visit; if it's not a fit, you don't continue." Keep in mind, NONE of this is about 'sounding' clever. It's about making it easy for the right people to think, "This is for me."

Step 4: Build a simple path from first visit to long-term client

High-growth businesses don't just chase first visits. They design a path from first contact to long-term relationship. You don't need a complex system. Start with four stages: 1 - First contact (call, message, walk-in) 2 - First visit or service offered 3 - Second visit or service offered 4 - First year as a client For each stage, answer: "What often goes wrong here?" "What could we do differently for our best-fit clients?" Then choose one small action per stage. Examples: 1 - First contact Make sure whoever answers the phone or messages can quickly say: Who you're a good fit for Who you're not a good fit for What happens next, in one short sentence 2 - First visit or service offered Give a simple "what we noticed and what we recommend next" summary in plain language: What you fixed today What will need attention soon What they can expect if they continue with you 3 - Second visit or service offered Reach out with a reminder that explains the benefit, not just the date: This visit keeps your system from breaking down when you need it most. This check keeps small issues from becoming big, expensive problems. 4 - First year as a client Plan two or three helpful touchpoints that are not about specials or discounts, but about protecting their results: A check-in after a season or major milestone A short guide or checklist that helps them live a better life from what you've already done A yearly review: "Here's what we've done for you this year and what it saved or improved." Why this Matters Research suggests that healthy small businesses often grow 10-15% a year, and fast-growing businesses may reach 15-25%. You reach those numbers much more reliably when you turn first-time visitors into steady clients instead of constantly searching for new ones and starting from zero.

Step 5: Ask happy clients for introductions in a natural way

One major difference with high-growth service businesses: they don't just "hope" for good word-of-mouth. They guide it. You don't need scripts. You need a moment and a question. 1 - Choose the right moment ✓ Right after a strong result ✓ After they say thank you ✓ At the end of a good first year 2 - Use a straightforward question like: "Do you know one or two people who struggle with the same issue you had before you came to us?" "If anyone you know runs into this problem, feel free to send them our way. We'll look after them the same way we do for you." 3 - Make it easy to act • A small card with your direct line • A short follow-up message they can forward • A note on their final summary: "If you know someone who needs this kind of help, you can copy this message and send it to them." People who already trust you are often willing to introduce you to others in their circle, especially if it's easy and feels low pressure. And because they tend to know people like themselves, those new clients are more likely to be "right clients" too.

Step 6: Track three numbers and adjust monthly

You don't need a dashboard full of data. To get more of the right clients, track these three numbers once a month: 1 - How many new clients came from your best clients? ✓ Friends ✓ Family ✓ Co-workers If this number rises, your long-term revenue becomes more stable and less expensive to maintain. 2 - How many of last month's new clients returned within 90 days? This shows whether your "path" from first visit to second visit is working. 3 - How many of your top 20-50 clients did you contact personally this month? If that number is low, fix it before you start chasing strangers. When you see these numbers start to move in the right direction, you'll notice something else: your schedule feels less random. There are fewer one-time jobs and more steady, predictable work from people you actually enjoy serving.

Your Next Step: Let's Talk.

If you’re a growth-minded small business owner who is truly Ready to Stop Hoping and Start Seeing Real, Reliable Growth, there is a clear path forward. Let's Talk: Schedule a 45-Minute Revenue Growth Strategy Call ($197). You'll gain: ✓ A clearer view of how your current efforts are affecting revenue ✓ Confidence in what to prioritize across marketing, sales, and operations ✓ Practical direction you can act on immediately ✓ Reduced uncertainty around upcoming decisions This session is designed to help you think clearly, decide deliberately, and move forward without second-guessing. Book Your 45-Minute Revenue Growth Strategy Call Here Get focused now on revenue clarity, risk reduction, and predictable growth that will keep you moving forward. You Get: ✓ One 45 Minute strategy focused zoom call ✓ Clarity and strategy to keep you moving forward. ✓ The option to have me preview a document/funnel/webpage in advance of the call. ✓ Instant Access to Schedule Your Session Schedule Now ⟶ Pay > Schedule > Meet