Landing a new client is like courting a potential spouse. The first date is usually a make or break situation and if the door is still open, the work has just begun. Like dating, you'd better give your prospect a pretty good reason to meet with you again, because there is usually more than one suitor.
Getting the Next Date
The key to getting that next date or meeting with a prospect is to deliver enough value to make a subsequent get-together attractive. At our company, our first meeting consists of a thorough questionnaire. Some of the questions we cover are:
What is the nature of the problem as you understand it?
What are the most urgent aspects of the problem?
What impact does this have on your organization?
Are you willing to make investments in technology when there is a clear ROI?
Who will be involved with making these decisions?
What other areas of your organization are you considering technology solutions?
What qualities do you look for in a vendor?
What will be the key factors driving your decision on this project?
We follow-up with a letter and summarize the client's problems, the cost of the problems and the solutions we can bring to solve them. This gives the client a clearly articulated assessment of their situation based on the information they've disclosed to us. It's often a more accurate and precise appraisal then before they met with us.
We try to complement their understanding of the problem with our understanding of the technology solutions. The prospect appreciates this new tool they have to move forward with solving the problems and we've gotten permission in almost every case to continue the conversation.
Making Your "Proposal"
The next step is a proposal, and we focus on educating the client throughout this process. We go beyond quoting a price; we send links to relevant articles, case studies and other content that expands the prospects understanding of their problems.
Many of these are included in the proposal as an appendix and we strive to deliver a document that is highly educational and includes diagrams and drawings to make the project more easily understood. Our strategy is that our prospect will use this as a tool to educate the internal decision making team, putting our companies name in front of them.
Once we get a preliminary approval on a contract, it's like getting engaged. The intent is to create a permanent relationship, but any number of circumstances could send the deal south. We go the extra mile in everything we do. And like marriage, the real effort begins when the contract is signed and the honeymoon is over.
We also pay attention to how we're being treated to ensure we're making the right choice for a partner as well; do they meet their commitments for returned phone calls, decisions, meeting times. We try and get a sense of the culture; do people like working there, are the people friendly, is there a sense of mission.
A Happy Marriage
Great relationships generally have a number of common elements:
Mutual respect and trust
Congruency, integrity and accountability
Common interests and goals
Common cultural backgrounds
Financial stability
Renew Your Vows
We're always focused on a long-term relationship, because it takes significantly less effort and cost to keep a client, then to gain a new one. Below is a list of things we strive to achieve in order to create a positive relationship with a client:
Deliver more value than we're paid for and do things right the first time.
Become a respected and valuable member of the internal team.
Do the little extras without expecting extra compensation.
Meet or exceed every commitment we've made in the contract, including delivering on schedule.
Adapt to the nuances of the client, rather than making them conform to ours.
Be accessible and create an exceptional communication channel with the client.
Be likable and anticipate the client's needs.
When we've done all this we're in a prime position to renew the vows for the next project. We've developed a quality relationship and the client has no reason to look elsewhere.
The Bottom Line
Whether you're getting married or acquiring a new customer, use common sense; find somebody that's compatible and attractive to you, consistently give more than you get and be a positive force in their lives.
About The Author
Bryan Brandenburg has published 5 books as well as a number of articles both in print and on the internet. He has published almost 30 software programs both for consumers and business. More information can be found at www.vmmmg.net
Customer service is everything to a business. Just look at... Read More
What a lot of money we have been wasting on... Read More
The defintion of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) that I favor... Read More
First of all let's look at what customer service is... Read More
You probably think I am going to say something like,... Read More
'A 5 percent increase in customer retention increases profits by... Read More
A few months ago, I wrote about ingenious styles of... Read More
Abstract: People buy for their reasons, not yours. This article... Read More
The purpose of business is to create and retain a... Read More
Running a business is about providing goods and services to... Read More
1) Being placed on hold endlessly. Don't you just love... Read More
I'd like to start this article with a test ?What... Read More
We all want great service, whether we are buying our... Read More
As an entrepreneur, I'm always intrigued by small businesses, home-based... Read More
The buzz is all about customer service and call center... Read More
A client recently said to me: "Most days things seem... Read More
Q: In a recent column you made the point that... Read More
Call center solutions solve a range of age-old problems. As... Read More
Customer Loyalty, we all want it. Don't we?Some people say... Read More
According to a Forum Corporation survey of commercial customers lost... Read More
The President of a 200+ store division of a major... Read More
Walmart was the first business to require all its employees... Read More
It's The Little Things That Make or Break a Small... Read More
Every time my firm conducts communication skills training, we know... Read More
Sales is tough to get right, and depends on retaining... Read More
When you own a business, you may find yourself in... Read More
Want to know the secret for keeping your clients forever?... Read More
Is your restaurant, bar or hotel clean? I mean really... Read More
One of the basics of acting taught to me in... Read More
Customers put you in business, keep you in business, and... Read More
First let us specifically define customer service. It is the... Read More
As someone who has been heavily involved facilitating strategic planning... Read More
Unless you are brand new to business, or have been... Read More
As I waited for an answer to my VCR inquiry... Read More
A growing number of individuals are finding themselves called to... Read More
In order to maintain a successful business, the business must... Read More
I'll always feel warmly about Conrad's restaurant, in Glendale, California.On... Read More
We, as small business people, naturally dislike complaints from our... Read More
When you make a mistake with a customer, should you... Read More
Given the choice of dealing with a positive, upbeat employee... Read More
Do you remember the last time you went into a... Read More
Looking For Ways to Improve Sales and Customer Relationships?Find Out... Read More
How often has your schedule been thrown out of whack... Read More
As an entrepreneur, I'm always intrigued by small businesses, home-based... Read More
It never fails to amaze me how many companies have... Read More
As Alan Weiss (guru to the savvy consultant) says: "It... Read More
With customers being smarter, more cost conscious, more product knowledgeable... Read More
I returned a rental car at an airport yesterday. As... Read More
When you own a business, you may find yourself in... Read More
There is a widely accepted principle of human behavior that... Read More
1. Stay in contact with customers on a regular basis.... Read More
Listening to complaints, whether they're reasonable or not, is a... Read More
The purpose of business is to create and retain a... Read More
Every customer you have is a word-of-mouth advertiser for you.... Read More
Sure, all clients are different. They have different kinds of... Read More
Is customer service a lost art? Before you answer that... Read More
Do many of us realize that we are working an... Read More
Customer retention is vital to a business. If you cannot... Read More
When was the last time you received a handwritten note... Read More
Q: I'm so sick of you so-called business experts always... Read More
Recognize metaphors from every angle and round up more insight... Read More
Background The company was experiencing an increase in the number... Read More
Wherever you turn these days you'll find articles covering every... Read More
CRM was supposed to bring companies closer to their clients.... Read More
Corporations in every sector are spending more than ever before... Read More
Nowadays, we complain nearly all of the time about how... Read More
Customer Service |