#1: Describe your ideal client. You can include anything such as a specific industry, age, gender, workstyle, communication style, etc.  

My ideal client would be someone who is hard working with a great work ethic, while fostering a relaxed and positive work relationship. I would love to work with a non-profit, Christian organization that is working to improve the lives of people around the world. I would like to work with someone who is clear about their needs and expectations, who can communicate well, and who can also step back and allow me to do the work. I would like to check in and have open communication over email, with zoom calls once a week or less, and with phone calls and texts reserved for emergencies. 

 

#2: What type of work do you most want to do? For example, you could say that you want to ghostwriter content, or that you only want to write content that has your byline. You might want to do retainer work, or prefer one-off projects.  

I would prefer to do proofreading and editing work, but would be open to blog posts or content creation for a missions or humanitarian focused organization. I am not sure yet which type of work I would prefer, I am open to both retainer and one-off projects. 

#3: What type of clients do you want to avoid? For instance, if you want to work from home, you’d want to avoid clients that require you to work in their office. If you are an introvert you might want to avoid client that require a lot of face-to-face meetings and phone calls.  

I need to work from home. I would prefer to be contacted through email with zoom calls when needed. I would like to avoid phone calls as much as possible. I am open to texting when needed, but prefer email. I am not interested in a client that fosters a high stress, crisis fueled environment, or a client with expectations that cause me stress. 

#4: What types of work do you want to avoid? Include any type of work here that may be common in your industry but that either you’re not good at, or don’t enjoy. 

I want to avoid content creation for the sake of content alone. If possible, I would like to avoid adding to the noise with more mindless content. 

#5: How can you position yourself to fire a client? Remember that the main ways to do this are to have multiple streams of income (e.g. multiple clients, or things like royalties), build up a savings account, and grow a waiting list. 

I am going to start out with small projects and work my way up. I am lucky in that starting out, I will not need to provide for my family. I have the privilege of being choosy from the beginning. I will strive to be as upfront and honest as possible, and will enforce my boundaries.