prd-saas-dev

Right People, Not Right Problems

Purpose

Filter clients by execution capacity before proposing solutions. The goal of sales is not “close the deal” — it is “qualify out clients who cannot or will not execute.” Wrong client = stalled project + reputation damage.

When to Use

Core Principle

“A client with a problem” ≠ “a client who will solve the problem.”

Selling is filtering, not pushing. Push hard → close bad clients → projects die → reputation damaged.

Three Client Types

Type Traits Sign?
Problem-type Knows there’s a problem, wants to solve it, but no people, no time, no decisiveness ❌ Hell
Solution-type Has direction, lacks tools or expertise ⚠️ Depends on fit
Action-type Willing + capable + has team + can decide ✅ Real client

Problem-type clients are most dangerous — they bite easily (driven by anxiety) but cannot execute, then blame you.

Six Signals of a Right Client

Check before every proposal. Fewer than 4 → do not sign.

  1. Has time — willing to give 30+ minutes, proactively schedules round 2
  2. Has executors — has staff or partners; not “owner does everything alone”
  3. Staff cooperation — owner says “my team supports me,” not “I have to convince them”
  4. Decision power — can decide within a week; not “I have to consult wife/board/HQ”
  5. Investment mindset — distinguishes investment from cost; not “what’s the cheapest”
  6. Self-direction — given a direction, will think and research themselves; not “you figure it out”

Filtering Procedure: Give Direction, Not Solution

Step 1: Talk and observe (let them speak the pain)

Open-ended questions only:

Prohibited: describing their pain for them and asking them to nod (that’s leading, not qualifying).

Step 2: Drop one insight line (test resonance)

A counterintuitive observation, NOT a solution pitch.

Examples:

Observe the reaction:

Reaction Interpretation Action
Eyes light up + asks questions Right person Continue
Nods politely, no emotion Social pleasantry Stop
Frowns, skeptical Not a fit Change topic
Silent, thinking Internalizing Wait for them to speak
Starts sharing their own story High resonance Listen more, talk less

Step 3: Offer the DIY option (test action capacity)

Key phrase:

“This direction doesn’t have to involve me. You can try it yourself — for example [specific lightweight action]. If you want to try, I can give you the method.”

This phrase is the key. It sorts prospects into:

Response Real meaning Your action
“I’ll do it myself” Action-type, doesn’t need you Give method, stay in touch
“Sounds good but I have no one to do it” Real client, comes to you Begin proposal
“Let me think about it” Wrong time Don’t push, follow up in 3 months
“Can you just do it for me” Problem-type (wants to outsource but unprepared) Probe their commitment further
“Just give me the method” then disappears Freeloader Filter out, no loss

Sales Mentality: Pull, Don’t Push

Push (hard sell) = grabbing their sleeve, "come on, sign now"
Pull (passive)   = standing at the door, "direction is here, come find me"

Push outcome:

Pull outcome:

Solo operators / INFJ types especially need to pull — push burns out fast.

Hell Symptoms of Problem-Type Clients (Warning Signs)

Once signed:

  1. Infinite delay — “next month,” “after my wife’s trip”
  2. Execution gap — proposal delivered, no one implements; they ask you to also execute
  3. Permanent dissatisfaction — they had no capacity to evaluate to begin with
  4. Bottomless negotiation — every phase has a price-cut request
  5. Blame shifting — failures are yours, successes are theirs
  6. Reputation risk — they trash-talk you to peers; your next prospect runs

Rule of thumb: if you instinctively feel “this person is off,” “why is this deal taking so long to close,” “I have to keep chasing them” → 99% problem-type, walk away immediately.

Cross-References

One-Liner

Clients aren’t found — they’re filtered. Give direction, watch reaction, let them pull. The harder you push, the worse the signing.