Know Your Green, Yellow, and Red Clients
You might be wondering: What are Green, Yellow, and Red clients—and what do they have to do with marketing? Great question. Understanding this concept was a game-changer for me when I first started my business, and it’s one I still come back to often.
Green Clients
Green clients are your ideal clients. They not only bring you consistent business, but they also trust your expertise, value your work, refer others to you, and are committed to a long-term relationship. These clients see you as a partner, not just a vendor—and that makes all the difference.
Yellow Clients
Yellow clients are in the middle ground. They show promise: they’re loyal, they trust you, and they might even send a few referrals your way. They just haven’t fully crossed over into Green territory—yet. With the right level of service, communication, and consistency, Yellow clients often have the potential to become Green ones.
Red Clients
Red clients are the most challenging. They typically aren’t loyal to any one business, tend to prioritize price above all else, and often question your expertise. They may jump from vendor to vendor, looking for the best deal, and can be time-consuming without offering long-term value. These are often the clients who want high-level service but don’t want to pay for it—and they love to negotiate.
So, what does this have to do with marketing?
Everything.
Let’s say you’ve identified your Green client—your ideal customer—and you understand what makes them tick. Maybe they’re busy business owners who need someone to take the reins on their marketing. Or maybe they’re great at what they do but need help setting priorities and direction when it comes to promotion.
Now imagine you launch a campaign that says, “We’ll match anyone’s price!”
Will that attract your ideal clients? Probably not. In fact, it may do the opposite—appealing to the Red clients who are driven purely by price, not long-term value.
A more effective approach would be to highlight how your services save clients time and money in the long run, and how working with a single, trusted partner improves quality and consistency. Speak directly to the problems your Green clients face and position yourself as the solution.
Remember…
At Concept, we’ve always been clear that we’re not in the business of price matching. We know what it takes to do excellent work, and we’re not willing to sacrifice quality just to win a sale. When we lead with value and results, we naturally attract the types of clients we want to work with—those Green and Yellow ones.
The takeaway?
Your marketing efforts will be far more successful when you’re intentional about who you’re trying to reach. Know your audience. Build your messaging around your ideal client. That’s the kind of strategy that leads to sustainable growth and lasting relationships.
Good luck finding—and growing—your Green and Yellow clients!