Learning to say no to business that isn't a fit for your talents or your temperament could be the key to take you to a new level of business in 2000. If you feel abused by clients, it's time to take a good look at being picky or creating boundaries that clients must respect. If you are hanging on to those high-maintenance sellers who call three times a day or those buyers that are going to buy someday, it's time to let them go! The worst thing about working with the less than perfect client is that they tend to refer more people like themselves to you. Or, perhaps, you have not respected your own time and worth enough to tell your clients how to behave.

This is the time to start planning for 2000. If you haven't done a business plan before, make this the year to do it. As you plan for 2000, decide who your perfect client is. Jot down everything you can think of that would define an ideal client:

• What Price Range?
• What Geographical Location?
• What Financing Options?
• What Specific Demographic Needs? Perhaps, retirees, relocatees, vacation home-buyers
• Singles? Families? Investors?
• Personality Types-Fun Loving Happy People? Detail Oriented Critical Tyopes?

This may seem like wishful thinking, but I urge you to be as specific as possible in who you best work with. The agents that narrow their focus and are #1 in several small niches will be doing more business in 2000 than the agents who are generalists. Your ability to define the type of client that you work with best gives you an edge in targeting their business.

SET YOUR BOUNDARIES

The first step is to set clear parameters and boundaries around how you want to work and who you will work with. I've been following an interesting discussion in the ListServ, Real Talk about working with a three time sex offender. Most agents replying said they would not choose to work with this person. Yet many agents will work with the jerks. Usually you can spot these people from the very beginning, when they begin to be disrespectful of your time and how they ask for what they need.

Having regular business hours that you let clients know about when you first start working with them is a beginning of setting boundaries. Never give out your home phone. Leave a message on your voicemail that says when your business hours are and if it is after business hours, the call will be returned the next business day. Of course, you can leave instructions of how to contact you in case of an emergency, but the setting of regular hours will eliminate most of the calls.

Set boundaries around the other important issues in the same way. Business is not so scarce, you need to work with jerks. And when you start to respect yourself and your worth, you'll find it is reflected back in the way others treat you. Most people want to work with a successful person and successful people do not work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with jerks!

FIRE THE ONES THAT DON"T FIT

The next step is to let go of those clients that don't fit your profile, that abuse you, that aren't the highest and best use of your time and energy. From your profile of the perfect client, take a look at the people you are working with right now. Do you have a listing that is never going to sell? Why are you spending time and money on it? Do you have buyers that are never going to buy? Let go of the someday business so you will have room for today business. As long as your time is filled with servicing and taking care of businesses that "might" turn into something, you look busy and yet it isn't productive. I got an email recently from a coaching client I had worked with last year telling me she was proud she had turned away a sizable listing that wasn't in her perfect client profile.. she said after she turned it down, three listings came in that fit almost immediately! If your energy is being dissipated with jerks and business that isn't a fit for your skills, there is none left to attract the right business.

Making this shift takes a leap of faith, but as Frederick B. Wilcox said, "Progress always involves risks. You can't steal second base and keep your foot on first." The time and energy you will free up by letting go of the energy vampires, will allow you to have more fun. Have you ever noticed that people that are having the most fun are sought out by others?

YOUR VISION FOR 2000

Knowing who your ideal client is will form a foundation for your 2000 business plan. If you want to play a bigger game in 2000, it will take a shift in your perspective, not just more, harder faster than what you have been doing. In her book Take Yourself To The Top America's #1 Career Coach, Laura Berman Fortgang, calls it the Fish Tank Theory, when you envision the bigger game you want to play. Just as fish will only grow as large as the tank that accommodates them, humans will grow when they put themselves in a bigger "tank". She suggests designing your perfect life 5, 3 and 1 years out. By knowing where you want to be in 5 years, your plan for 2000 may require you to play a bigger game than simply a linear progression of your 1999 business.

Who will you be working with in 2000? Are your ready to have your ideal business? Fire the jerks. Refer business that doesn't fit your ideal profile. Spend your time focusing on the clients who know and love you and start attracting more of that. Sounds like next year could be fun, doesn't it?

Published: November 10, 1999

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

Editor's Note: This article reflects the opinions of Joeann Fossland only and not necessarily the views of this or any other publication, organization or Website owner.

Joeann Fossland ePRO, GRI, MCC, PMN, SRS is a dynamic speaker and business coach. Co-creator of THE REAL ESTATE GAME® and NoBloggerLeftBehind.com, she provides coaching solutions to enhance your effectiveness and life balance. You can subscribe to her free weekly tips, attend free monthly tele-seminars, and find out about classes delivered by email and personal coaching by visiting Joeann.com or email her at .