Starting a business relationship with a new client can be one of the most exciting parts of being an entrepreneur. You have the opportunity to create something amazing that both of you will benefit from. And, knowing your values can help enhance the relationship further.
In the beginning, you want to ensure that you provide an accurate impression of the work that you are going to do. You want them to feel comfortable with the work you will produce, and you want them to know that they can rely on you to create the very best work you’ve ever done.
But, what might be the most important part of onboarding a new client is creating a very specific list of needs and expectations, otherwise known as the scope. This will allow both, you and your client be held responsible for the work you’re going to be doing together.
Knowing Your Values
A Success Unfiltered guest of ours, Angela Davies started her career as a journalist, working at CNN. She had literally dreamed about being a journalist her entire life, but sadly her career there did not last long.
They had assigned Angela to cover a story. She had written it as it had actually occurred, but before it was released her boss had taken and tweaked the story. When she approached him about it, explaining that she could not do work for them that wasn’t the complete truth, because it went against her values, they let her go.
While this situation is a bit different because Angela was an employee of a company, the fact still remains, knowing what is expected of you from the get-go is incredibly important for making both you and your client (or employer) happy.
You never want to place yourself in a situation where you’re doing work that you don’t believe in, or that goes against what you believe in. All that will happen is that you will resent the work, and you’ll eventually hate it.
Knowing your values can keep you out of those situations. I realize that walking away from a client (or employer) isn’t easy, and that it may seem like another opportunity will never come up again, but I can almost guarantee that by sticking to what you believe in, new opportunities will arise.
Determining Your Skill Set
Alright, so you’ve walked away from your dream job, or dream client and now you’re terrified, you have no idea what to do next.
Before moving into the next job or client, take some time for yourself to determine what your skill sets are, so that you can match your next career with that skill set and any education you already have.
Ask yourself:
- What do you enjoy doing?
- What are you passionate about?
- What would make you jump out of bed in the morning?
- What are you really good at?
Find out what really lights you up, and then determine how you’re going to get there.
Angela did exactly this! She took the time to determine what she loved doing and what she was good at. She took an aerial view of her life; she knew she was a great writer, because she was able to pull things together and tell a story. She was also a good speaker, and she loved group fitness classes and the health club environment. After figuring out what she was good at, she took some time to determine how that could fit into a new career for her.
(In case you’re wondering, it lead her to begin working with as for a PR firm that was working with a footwear manufacturer.)
If you’ve gotten to this point and are rethinking your current career choice, pull out a piece of paper and answer those questions above. Take a deep dive, and figure out what you really want to do!
Creating The Scope of Work
If you’ve found yourself in the career of your dreams, and you have some clients lining up to work with you, it’s time to start working with your clients and creating your scope of work. The scope is as much for your client as it is for you.
Have you ever taken the time to create a scope with a client? It may seem like a burden, or like it could be time consuming but trust me it’s 100% worth it. By having a well-written project statement, you will have clearly defined boundaries and expectations. Both you and your client should agree to all of the parts of a scope before you begin working together.
Angela shared a story of how important a scope she had created with one of her consulting clients ended up being. She had done some serious research for a well-known equipment manufacturer, they had worked together to create the scope and goals they’d work towards, but after some time the company hired someone new to assist on the project. That person brought a different viewpoint and had a direct line to the President of the company, so things began to change. These were things that did not go along with Angela’s values.
Because she had created the scope, she was able to take it to the people in charge and show them how they’d veered from their original plan and how things had changed.
Angela gave them the opportunity to go back to the original plan, but they chose not to. She was able to walk away on good terms because of this scope.
Trust me, creating that document is well worth the time and the effort!
Do It For The Satisfaction
We all need a paycheck, but why not set your life up a little different? Instead of working simply for the money, determine your true passion and then work for the satisfaction of a job well done, and allow the pay to just be a bonus.
Of course there are things in life that we have to pay for, but by making a paradigm shift and setting up our personal finances so that you can lead with your values, will help lead to future success. People gravitate towards those people that aren’t trying to make a fast buck, and that are really interested in doing an amazing job for everyone connected to a project.
In Conclusion
Set yourself up for success by determining your dream career. Knowing your values is the first step to having a successful business. Once you’ve created a business you love, then it’s time to sit down and hammer out the expectations of your projects and create a solid scope for you and your clients. It will take the stress out of your work, and make it truly enjoyable.
