An Actionable Sales Tip
One of my former clients, let’s call her Cynthia, complained about a slow business period. I asked her if she’d lost any clients recently and she said, “Not really.”
Her wishy-washy answer told me to probe a little more. I asked when she last spoke with her clients… either over the phone or by email. She admitted that she rarely contacted her clients unless they called with a task or a project request. I asked her why she didn’t regularly speak with her clients.
Cynthia thought momentarily and finally admitted that she was afraid they would complain.
This is a common fear among business owners. Why do we do this to ourselves?
What Do Your Favorite Clients Say?
I asked Cynthia to tell me about her favorite client. Why was this person at the top of her list? She said that she loves her services and the results they’ve achieved. She pays her invoices immediately and never questions a bill. She has increased her requests for additional services and is a dream to work with.
I then asked Cynthia what the lifetime value of this client might be. She quickly responded, easily six figures.
When I asked her if she would have a problem calling this client, Cynthia said no, I talk with her so much, it’s no big deal to call her again.
If You Talk to Clients Regularly, It Becomes the Culture of Your Business
I asked Cynthia if she had a few other clients she classified as favorites and if she thought she could call them to check in.
Cynthia did as I suggested. One of her clients said she’d been on his mind for weeks, but he hadn’t gotten in touch. He went on to say that he needed more of her services.
$ails Up!
If Cynthia hadn’t made the first move, who knows how long it would have taken him to contact her?
That follow-up brought in an upswing of 10% increased sales over the next six months. Enough that Cynthia could finally hire a VA (Virtual Assistant) to help with some of her admin. The lifetime value of her client skyrocketed!
Cynthia continued to work through her current client list. Some calls generated new $ails and some left with a “thanks for calling. I look forward to talking to you again soon.”
Every call was a positive experience. So much so that Cynthia is now working through her past client list, no longer afraid she is going to only hear complaints. She now has goals for how many calls she will make a week and when she gets through the list she will start over again. Meanwhile, sales are up from her client list and new referrals.
It’s Your Turn
How often do you check in with your clients? Now is the time. People need to know you care about them. And they might even have more work for you!
• Action Step 1: Follow up with your top 10 clients just to see how they’re doing—even the clients you’re working with now.
• Action Step 2: Create a contact list of your top 100 dream clients. Refer to this list throughout the year.
Inactive Clients
Hi [Name]! I was [driving down the road, at the dog park, something relative to them] and I thought of you. I wanted to check in and see how you’re doing.
Let the conversation casually flow. No sales, no requests. Just be yourself and follow their lead.
If nothing comes up naturally, depending on your business or product, finish the conversation with a single statement: “It’s been nice talking to you! If there is ever anything I can help you with, don’t hesitate to call.”
Active Clients
Hi [Name]! I was [reviewing your file, reading emails, at the dog park, or something relative to them] and I thought of you. I wanted to check in and see how everything is going.
Let the conversation casually flow. You can talk about their account or just life in general. No sales, no requests. Just be yourself and follow their lead.
If nothing comes up naturally, depending on your business or product, finish the conversation with a single statement: “It’s been nice talking to you! If there is ever anything I can help you with, don’t hesitate to call.”
I cannot count the number of times I’ve done this and my former client said, “I have been thinking about calling you.” Give it a try – if you’re nervous about calling your top ten clients, call your favorite client and practice on them. If they also happen to be a friend, tell them what you are doing and ask for their feedback.
The important thing is to do as Nike would say, Just Do It!