Avoid the Red Flags
One could probably write an entire book on this subject… I’m sure someone has. But one of the best money making tips I’ve learned is what I call “Avoiding the Red Flags”. We all have these intuitions that tell us when something isn’t quite right, when someone makes us uncomfortable or something makes us uncomfortable. Most of the time we ignore the feeling because it cannot always, easily be defined. Certainly, we don’t want anyone to think we’re nuts!
The thing is, listening to the ‘red flag’, that intuitive feeling that something is not as it should be, is the absolute best business tool you can master. I have a practice of saying ‘red flag’ whenever that feeling comes. I either say it to someone or out loud to myself. I want to make sure I solidify the feeling by putting it out there, giving it an existence.
Once I feel it and say it…. its out there. Then I feel totally comfortable and justified in acting on it. Now, acting on it is the most difficult thing for most of us to do. Even when we do have these feelings we tend to ignore them for a number of reasons. I’m here to say, “Don’t Do It!” It’s not worth it.
So let’s take a look at a ‘red flag’. A customer comes into your store, you get the ‘red flag’ feeling, something isn’t quite right. He wants to order a large quantity of widgets. Inside you’re saying to yourself something isn’t right. You take the order. Order comes in, guy never comes back OR complains about the order OR now he wants a better price OR… you fill in the blank.
Now, every situation is different and it would be difficult to explain in detail a ‘red flag’ moment because they are all different. Generally when something doesn’t feel right, it isn’t. Now, it may not feel right to you, but someone else standing next to you doesn’t get it, so they tell you you’re being foolish. But it’s not about them, it’s about you.
If I get a ‘red flag’ from someone, I don’t work with them in any capacity. When I do I’m always sorry. Working with ‘red flag’ individuals costs money and time. If you have ‘red flag’ customers now that are simply sucking the life force out of you, you need to find a way to end the relationship. In the end it will save you time and frustration.
Tomorrow we’ll talk about firing ‘red flag’ customers/clients. It can be easier than you think.
Best wishes for a profitable day.
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