If working with premium clients is one of your goals, keep reading. People who work with premium clients are those that have raised the bar of excellence above their competitors. The best only hires the best. Premium clients consider a number of criteria for choosing their contractors. In this article, I share 10 criteria to not only attract but also retain premium clientele.

1. Professional branding:

Invest in branding your business. Get an official website in your own domain name. Create business cards, letterheads, email signatures, marketing materials and visual assets. 

2. Swift and Clear Communication:

Premium clients have many options to choose from, so swift response time can give you a competitive edge over other businesses. Moreso, it is a proof of professionalism. 

Aim to respond to enquiries within 1 hour, or at worst, 24 hours. Have a dedicated customer support staff that ensures every enquiries are promptly answered to. 

3. Complete relevant certifications and licenses:

Some industries have certifications and licenses requirements for all contractors.  It's important that you research on the  industry of the clients you're looking to land. 

Discover what it takes to be sync with their compliances and secure the licenses or certifications needed. It would make you look competent and ready. 

4. Impressive professional history:

Premium clients often buy the brand not the service. When reviewing your portfolio and they see that you've worked with top players in major industries, they become more inclined to trust your brand.  

Having a history of working with low class clients could hurt your brand when you pitch to premium clients. It's important to ensure you have a standard for the kind of clients you work with. 

5. Impeccable written grammar:

Premium brands can always tell when they're communicating with a properly educated and competent professional, or a regular hustler. 

It's important to sound professional in every tiny detail of your communication. You can rephrase your sentences with Grammarly, always proofread and ensure your emails are free from typographical errors before sending. 

6. Professionally documented portfolio:

Premium clients would always ask for your portfolio. This a document that highlights your professional background and history and determines how your brand is perceived. Ensure that you have this document properly put together and available at all times. 

7. Well experienced in required field:

Premium clients often prefer to work with businesses who already worked in similar projects as theirs. It's important to garner experience from similar projects before approaching them. 

You can take up unpaid projects just for the experience and portfolio. Consider it an investment for the big picture. 

8. Well-structured business processes

Premium clients are more confident to work with businesses that already have a structured business process. They like to be clear on what the next step and last step would be ahead, backed with lots of paperwork. Have a Standard Operating Procedure for your business and communicate this from the first contact. 

9. Strong online presence:

Premium clients often research on contractors before hiring them. The only means available to them for this research is the internet. They would review your website and social media pages to see what you've been up to. 

Ensure that you have established your brand identity with a professional website, well organized social media pages and also media publications. 

10. Stunning physical appearance:

Looking good is good business. Going for a business meeting? Show up power-dressed. Naturally, people are more inclined to favour physically attractive people, and you need to be the favourite choice to lock down premium clients. Beauty is always an advantage but even if you're not naturally attractive, you can upgrade your looks with your style and charisma.