“Wow” Your Customers & Clients
Posted By Michael Roby | Friday, December 22nd, 2006Salespeople and sales organizations go to great lengths to “wow” their customers and clients. Unbelievable amounts of time and money are spent to stay trying to stay in front of clients and prospects in tremendously creative ways. However, sometimes the basics are what make the biggest impact.
Last night I received a call from a very good client. He was calling from a tailgate party at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers were getting ready to host the Vikings in a “big” game, and he was taking the time to call some of his best friends and clients, and letting them know that he was thinking of them.
People love to know that others are thinking about them; this is the stuff of which relationships are made. Make a list of your top customers and clients with their phone numbers and put it into your planner, cell phone, or PDA. Whenever you have a few minutes, make it a practice to give them a call when no selling or buying is taking place, and do it ON PURPOSE. Staying in touch keeps you on your client’s minds. Sometimes all it takes is a simple phone call.
December 29th, 2006 at 9:36 am
I used to drive 200 or 300 miles to make a 20-minute Powerpoint presentation, which was my initial sales contact with a potential buyer. I decided this year to make that presentation via GoToMeeting, saving the time and travel expense. But I knew that I had to maintain that personal touch, so I hired two retired school superintendents to visit with my main clients, school superintendents. They are on the road, putting a face to my business, and I’m in the background providing technical details via the Internet presentations. This has been a winning formula for 2006, because I have been able to double sales, and the clients are calling for repeat business. The bottom line: I can be as high-tech as I want, but I have to keep a face in front of people so they know who they’re dealing with and they can trust. Because my sales force has such high credibility with my clients, I immediately come into a project with a higher standing. I considered hiring a “super salesman” who was good a closing deals, but I’m glad I went with a peer in the network to make the contacts. Sure, I probably lose some sales because they’re not high-pressure, close-the-deal guys, but they speak the language of my clients and have a high comfort level. My bottom line will tell you that this works.
December 31st, 2006 at 9:09 pm
Great way to create “presence in your absence!”