‘Setting Boundaries for Sustainable Success and Extreme Client Care’ by Sandra Martini

Would you prefer to listen to this week’s article? If so, click here to listen.

The term “boundaries” or “setting boundaries” often comes with a negative connotation – one of exclusion or closing people out.

In reality, setting boundaries is symbolic of sustained success for your business.  Boundaries are simply systems set up to support you and ensure your business stays in integrity, with you, and with itself.

Setting boundaries is part of Extreme Client Care™.

When you have systems and boundaries, your clients know what to expect and that makes working with you a consistent and, if you’re practicing Extreme Client Care™ overall, pleasurable experience.

As a small business owner, you want to ensure that your clients receive the full benefits and results of the programs you put together.  The easiest way to do that?

Set boundaries.

Boundaries which take a stand for the spirit and integrity of your programs in order to best ensure that your clients receive the experience and results you intended when originally creating the program.

For example, if you create a program with a certain outcome and a potential client wants only pieces of your program, ask yourself “Will this compromise the integrity of the overall program?”

If the answer is “yes”, offer to work privately with her so that she focuses on what she wishes to and you still maintain the integrity of your original program.

Setting boundaries? Yes.  Extreme Client Care™?  Yes.

Setting boundaries and creating systems to support them allow you to focus on those things you do best knowing that everything else will be taken care of.

There’s no “what should I do” every time something comes up.  You know what to do and, more importantly, your team knows what to do and can do it without you so you focus on that which only you can do.

Take some time this week to notice the things about your business that you’re “tolerating”.  They’re not part of your business vision or ideal lifestyle and yet, there they are.

It’s time to address the ones you can and, usually, creating simple systems and setting boundaries are your solution.

Some quick examples and suggested solutions:

• Have a client who doesn’t pay you on time? This creates a negative energy around your work together and, depending how long it goes on, can leave you feeling resentful and unable to give your best.  Solution: Require payment (or at least a 50% deposit) in advance.
• Have a vendor who doesn’t bill you regularly? This affects your cash flow and creates a fearful energy, particularly if you don’t know how much the invoice will be. Solution: Require invoices be sent at regular intervals and stop work if you don’t receive or pay a retainer in advance and require vendor to stop work when retainer is used.
• Have a team member who doesn’t meet your timeframes? This slows down everything you’re doing and will have an overall negative impact on your business and finances.  Solution: Choose a date on the calendar, communicate and let the vendor know that you’ll no longer work with her if project isn’t done by that day.

Setting boundaries and creating systems is all part of designing your business for optimum success.

I’d love to hear some of your challenges, tolerations and solutions here.