We’ve talked about it before and we’ll talk about it again. What am I referring to?

Getting rid of unprofitable clients, of course.

Getting rid of them? Yes. That’s what I said. You don’t have to renew contracts with clients who are more work than they’re worth and you don’t have to sell to prospects who are looking to bleed you dry.

You don’t have to do it.

Ever. Even if you’re struggling to meet your sales quota for the month.

The truth is that – again – you need to have faith in your product and your price. Clients and prospects may nag you for a lower price, or for more services than you’re offering, and you should take that as a sign. What kind of sign? A sign that these clients are going to cost you more money than you’re going to earn from working with them.

In business, it is completely acceptable to draw this conclusion. Clients who have no respect for your product or price have no respect for you. They’ll call you regularly, expect top-notch service for the low price you’ve agreed to, and they’ll eventually eat at your motivation to succeed until it’s gone.

Completely gone.

Your short-term goals will become destroyed because you’re too busy servicing someone you compromised with. You’ll no longer have time to focus on making new sales or upselling current clients. Your long-term goals will shortly follow.

Destroyed.

Do you want that to happen to you?

If not, take action. Don’t beg your prospects to take your business. If they demand a price that is too low, walk away. Don’t let your current customers walk all over you. If they do, raise their prices upon renewal and let them walk if they don’t like the price.  Let someone else deal with the headaches.

Seems harsh? You’re in business for a reason. You have goals for a reason. In the end, you do have to provide the best customer service possible – but not if it means sacrificing your success – your motivation – your time to do so.

Be successful!

Sean

Sean McPheat

Marketing Consultant – Motivational Speaker – Sales Expert

What do you do when the weather is bad in the area around your office?

Do get distracted? Stare out the windows? Generally go on auto-pilot until 5pm comes and you can go home?

What about during the winter months when snow storms cripple parts of the country (or parts of other countries where you may have business)? Do you write off your clients until the weather gets better or do you take advantage of the opportunity Mother Nature is giving you to reach out?

Inclement weather should become not a deterrent but an encouragement. Pick up the phone, call your clients, and ask them how they’re doing. Find out if they need anything from you (and don’t try to push a new sale, either). They may need one of your services or they may be sitting in the office catching up on paperwork, taking advantage of the quiet that usually comes with a storm.

They may actually have time for you.

They’ll not only have time for you but they’ll appreciate the fact that you were thinking of them. You’re building relationships, one step at a time. The stronger your relationship the better your odds of keeping that client when contract renewal time rolls around!

Is it snowing where you are? You’d better pick up the phones!

Sean

Sean McPheat

Marketing Consultant – Motivational Speaker – Sales Expert

As you progress in your sales career you will find that there are two types of clientele – the kind you want to keep and the kind you want to get rid of. Often times, it’s more difficult to keep the good clients than it is to get rid of the bad.

So what can you to do improve the relationships you have with your current clients – to ensure they become and remain loyal to you? here are a few things to consider.

1. Be consistent in your communications. Don’t harass your clients when it’s time for contract renewal and then forget about them for the rest of the year. Make a conscious effort to honestly and respectfully make contact throughout the year. Offer your services and make sure they’re happy with what you’ve been offering.
2. Build personal relationships with your customers. Ask about their families, children, and hobbies. Connect with them on a personal level. They’ll appreciate your interest and you might even end up with a new friend.
3. Ask your clients for their opinions. Let them know you care about what they think and make sure you respond to their questions and concerns. If they know you care they’ll be more likely to a) stay with you and b) refer you to others.
4. Design a client loyalty program. Give your long-term clients thank-you gifts for staying with you after they’ve hit certain milestones. And, please, make sure you mail every client a thank-you of some sort after signing an initial contract or making a renewal deal.
5. Share valuable information with your clients. Have you read a book or seen a special that someone you know might benefit from? Lend the book or recommend the show. Your clients will appreciate knowing you were thinking of them.

Remember – it costs a lot less to retain a current customer than it does to sell a product to a new one. Retain the customers you have now and you’ll always be one step ahead of the game!

Sean

Sales Expert - Marketing Consultant – Motivational Speaker

One of the most productive things you can do with your book of business, especially in today’s rocky sales climate, is to maintain and foster your relationships with your current clients.

In order to do so you’ll need to make contact with them regularly but, contrary to popular belief, you should touch base in between regular sales calls. No one likes to hear from their company representative only to hear a sales pitch. You’ve probably spent a decent amount of time talking to your contacts. Drop them a line occasionally to ask them about their kids, jobs, and lives. They’ll appreciate the personal touch your “working friendship” brings.

You’ll also want to keep track of the anniversary dates of your clients – aka the dates you first made contact. If you’ve had a client for a few years you might want to acknowledge them by sending a quick note of thanks. If you’ve reached a major milestone, like a 10th or 20th anniversary, you may want to do something a little nicer – like sending a gift basket to the office for the staff to share.

Adding a personal touch to your relationships will go a long way in yoru customer retention process. You don’t have to shower your clients with expensive gifts or fancy dinners but you should acknowledge that they exist. If they’re ever faced with another option they’ll remember how well you’ve treated them.

Sean

Sales Expert - Marketing Consultant – Motivational Speaker