Alienate and Embrace Customers

The most successful creative entrepreneurs deliberately alienate those customers who don't matter in order to more strongly embrace those who really do matter.

This is my version of something I read the other day in the free report 'The Lateral Action Guide to Becoming a Creative Entrepreneur' by Brian Clark. 

Not all customers are good customers and marketing is about choosing the right customers; it's not about trying to please everyone. Of course this means you have to choose which customers not to deal with. It's scary to deliberately turn your back on potential customers - but not if you end up facing the right ones and then have the time, energy and resources to serve them wholeheartedly.

Alienating bad customers isn't a matter of being rude or unprofessional. Put your prices up and unprofitable customers will walk away; ask for a percentage of the fee upfront and the non-payers won't sign the contract.

Shout loudly about your values and the people who don't share them won't knock on your door (but those who do, will ). Tell people about your personality (and your team's) to deter people who aren't going to like you and at the same time attract customers who will love you.

Your marketing strategy involves deciding which types of customers to alienate so you can really embrace the right ones.

Read more about how to market creative businesses in the free eBook version of 'T-Shirts and Suits: A Guide to the Business of Creativity'.

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