As business owners, we can’t be all things to all people and nor should we put that amount of pressure on ourselves. Despite beautifully tailored onboarding processes, discovery calls and efforts to serve our clients in the best way possible, we won’t always be aligned with everyone. And that’s okay. 

Clients sometimes reach out to me for support when they’ve come to realise that they need to cut a client loose. This is a reality for every small business owner and, although it might feel awkward and stressful, there is a way to let go of clients in a clear, professional way which doesn’t leave your business exposed and which won’t leave a client unduly impacted or at a disadvantage. 

In this episode, I’m sharing my recommendations for how to approach this situation and some clear and concise steps you can take if you need to let a client go. It’s really important to be crystal clear on what you want to achieve and have absolute clarity around how you're going to do it. Then, just rip the bandaid off!

I talk about the importance of developing a clear exit strategy so that the transition is as smooth as possible. Your service agreement will include a termination clause that you can refer back to, which is one of the reasons why tailored legal documents are so important. Make sure you look at your service agreement and understand the conditions that you’ve entered into with your client. 

The next important thing to do is look at key dates, depending on what your business is and how you are serving your clients. Once you've got clarity around those dates and you can make sure that you are not leaving your client exposed, you then need to think about how you're going to execute the termination and if a handover is necessary. 

I talk about how to plan for the notice that you’re going to give to your client; thinking about the reason you’re going to state, how to frame it and being crystal clear on your end date. Once you’re clear on all these things, both parties can move forward with confidence knowing that you won't be working together anymore and knowing what needs to happen up until the date of termination. 

Remember, we won’t always be aligned with everyone and that’s okay. Cutting a client loose in this way will be a win-win. It allows space in your business for more aligned clients and will enable the unaligned client to find a service provider who is able to serve them in the way they need. 

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