Early in my career, I accepted every client who had a pulse and a checkbook. I worked with restaurants that expected 500% ROI in week one. I worked with startups that called me at 11 PM on Saturdays.

It nearly burned me out.

Today, I have a strict vetting process. I view a client relationship as a partnership, not a transaction. If the partnership isn’t right, no amount of money is worth the headache.

Here are the 4 things I look for.

1. Product-Market Fit

Marketing cannot fix a bad product. If you are trying to sell “Winter Jackets” in “Birgunj in June,” no amount of Facebook Ads will save you.

Before I say yes, I audit the product.

  • Are people already buying it?
  • Are the reviews good?
  • Is the pricing competitive?

If the product is bad, I tell them honestly: “Fix your product first. Then call me.”

2. Realistic Expectations

I ask every prospect: “What does success look like to you in 3 months?”

  • Red Flag Answer: “I want to be viral like TikTok.” / “I want to destroy my competitor next week.”
  • Green Flag Answer: “I want to lower my cost per lead by 20% and build a predictable sales pipeline.”

If their expectations are mathematically impossible, I walk away. I am a marketer, not a magician.

3. A Marketing Budget (Not Just a Fee)

Many Nepali business owners have a “Service Fee” budget but no “Ad Spend” budget. They will pay me NPR 50,000 to manage their ads, but only give me NPR 5,000 to actually run the ads on Google.

This is like buying a Ferrari and putting NPR 100 of petrol in it. I only work with clients who understand that Media Buying is an investment, and they need capital to feed the algorithm.

4. Respect for Expertise

This is the most important one. Does the client want a Partner or a Button Pusher?

  • Button Pusher Client: “Make the logo bigger.” “Change this blue to red because my wife likes red.” “Why didn’t you post today?”
  • Partner Client: “Here is our business goal. What strategy do you recommend to get us there?”

I look for clients who trust me to do what I do best. In return, I treat their business like my own.

The Power of “No”

Saying “No” to a toxicity client is the most profitable decision you can make. It frees up your energy to find the “Yes” clients—the ones who pay on time, respect your boundaries, and actually grow with you.