If you ever played with a pair of bar magnets as a kid, you know that they can be used to attract or repel depending on how you align the poles. In business the impulse is to attract any and all customers like screws, nails, and anything made of steel or iron are attracted to a magnet. Yet, not all customers are created equal and there are times when you need to decide whether to attract or repel like when two magnet bars encounter each other.
Start by having a clear identity. Get honest with who you are. Don’t hide any rough edges that might make you a bad fit for some prospects. Tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Being transparent like this will turn off some but make you more attractive to your true ideals.
In your “About Us” or “FAQ” page you can actually list reasons not to do business with you. Say, “If you are looking to do ___________ , we probably can’t help you.” You can even direct people to some other business that would be a better fit. That strategy has the dual effect of repelling bad fits and building credibility with the good fits you want to attract.
Unless you have the “one size fits all” product or service (unlikely), you should think about ways to repel the bad fits so you can focus on the profitable good fits.
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