Five Sales Truths To Have Loyal Clients
We are all sales people.
Not according to our job titles or our job descriptions. But the reality is: we all have to be finding and bringing new clients to our businesses.
Whether you are the business owner or sales person specifically, if you play any role in developing new business, these five truths apply to you.
Truth 1 – Solve Problems
Your clients do not spend money for fun.
They expect that after working with you, their lives will have improved in some way.
Know what change they are expecting.
The only way to do this is to understand the problem that has brought them to you in the first place. You only have one solution, but each of your clients experience their problem in a different way. Take the time to ask questions of each client. When you speak to them about solutions, each conversation should be unique, even though you are always talking about your service.
Solve their problems within their context.
Truth 2 – Best Clients Only
There are best clients and there is everyone else.
Learn who your best clients are, and focus on finding more of those.
The uncomfortable truth is that the longer game will bring you the better clients. When you take the time to build relationships and trusting partnerships, you start to get the clients you want.
These are the clients who you like to work with and who like to work with you.
And none of us want clients you are time wasters or nickel-and-dimers.
Focus on the right personalities and profiles for your business. Focus on building your business through relationships.
Truth 3 – Customer Context
See the world through your clients’ eyes.
Learn how your clients describe your service, and learn how they talk about their own business.
Find out what happens before your client calls you, needing your help.
Find out what happens when your job is complete, and you have left the room.
Find out what makes them happy, what makes them satisfied, and what makes them a little bit afraid.
Always follow what matters to your client, even the parts that happen after your own involvement, and you will be successful in sales.
Truth 4 – Believe in the Product
You have to know and trust your own product or service. And you have to be able to explain that trust to others.
This is more than knowing your craft. You must also know what your service does for your client; how you are different from the competition; what your process is for delivery.
And most importantly: you have to like your service.
Truth 5 – Keep Promises
Always do what you say you will do.
And never offer to do something you can not actually do.
You are making dozens of promises to your clients.
- “Buying my service will definitely take care of that for you”
- “That’s easy”
- “I will call you on Friday morning”
- “I’ll get back to you later”
Each thing you promise is an opportunity for you to let down your client. Something may seem small to you, but if your client can’t count on you for the small things, they will not feel good about the big things.
Keep all of your promises, all of the time.
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