You wouldn’t commit to marrying the first person to talk to you in a crowded bar.

Nor would you buy the first car you see in your favorite color.

Everyday, we evaluate, vet, and aim to select the best option for us in the moment.

Except in sales.

Freelancers, consultants, and entreprenuers often commit to partnering with someone at the first sign of interest.

We disregard redflags, imagine to the best possible outcome, and put the sale ahead of our own survival instincts.

Instead, we should have a method of filtering potential partners (this includes clients, customers, business partners, and teammates).

Consider:

• Do I like this person?
• Will we work well together?
• Can we agree on the subject/problem/painpoint that needs to be addressed?
• Can I realistically help them?
• Do I want to help them?
• Are they receptive to my help?
• Do they value my input, advice, and experience?
• Is this a simple transaction or a part of something bigger?

If you’re trading your time or knowledge for money, consider:

• Do they have the means to pay? If not, then what?
• Does the amount I am asking them to pay align with the value they will receive?
• Do I have the means to frame and articulate my worth?

It is easy to want to focus on closing the deal and partnering with someone because we need the money. But handcuffing yourself to a project or client for a quick dollar is more costly than you may imagine.

A poor fit will take more time than you budgeted, will consume more mental energy, and will rob you from happiness. It results in work that is unappreciated and unvalued. It will steal from other projects, thus impacting other relationships.

Be smart before saying, “I Do.”

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Photo by Florian Klauer on Unsplash