Dan MallI help design business owners make more money and get their flowers.

Why You Should Reject 50% of Paying Clients

13 Aug 2026 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

1:00

In this segment of Dan Mall’s YouTube video, the conversation focuses on a rigorous client screening process designed to ensure that new projects are both inspiring and directionally clear. The speakers explain that before a discovery call, prospective clients must submit three to four examples of work they admire. This material is evaluated to gauge whether the client has a clear vision and understands the desired outcome. If the examples indicate a lack of direction or inspiration, the team disqualifies the prospect. The hosts note that they have recently turned down roughly half of inbound inquiries using this method, emphasizing the importance of selective client intake to maintain project quality and alignment.

Here's a free one for everybody. I didn't have this figured out. We've started to really scan clients for not only if they're a fit, but do you have inspiration and do you know where you want this to go? Before we get on a call, you have to send us 3 or 4 things that you like. And then it comes to me and I say, does this feel interesting? Does it feel like they know what they're doing? And if they say yes, then they have to send us a more detailed version of that.
Have you ever not taken on a client because those initial samples they sent to you, you're like, I don't think that they know what they're doing? Or where they're trying to go. Have you ever disqualified a client for that, or would, would you ever disqualify a client for that?
Uh, we do it regularly now. We, we've turned down half of our inbound recently because of it.
Listen to that, everybody. Qualification isn't just, do they have enough money to pay us? Qualification is, do we have what we need from the client in order to be successful for them, you know, on their behalf? If we don't get that upfront, that's a good reason to not work with them, or at least not work with them right now.