Archive for the ‘Marketing’ Category
The third function in your client development process is . . . CULTIVATING.
People Have The Attention Span of a Gnat
You know it’s true. We are being deluged with 3,000 – 5,000 messages bombarding us on a daily basis. It’s daunting! And, it’s so easy to simply tune out anything and anyone who does not present us with an immediate need for a response or an opportunity for possible gain.
Even Your Ideal Prospect Probably Isn’t Ready To Buy . . . Today
Regardless of how you come into contact with someone who satisfies the ‘Ideal Client’ profile for your services, there’s a very good chance that they will not have an ‘immediate need’ for your services.
You buy groceries weekly, you get a dental cleaning every 6 months, and you look at buying or leasing a new car every 3 – 5 years. 
In between those periodic ‘high need’ moments, you’re still a qualified prospect but you’re not a ‘HOT’ prospect, are you?
And THAT . . . is why you want to Keep-In-Touch to Stay-In-Mind with people who, sooner or later, WILL be buying what you’re selling.
Cultivation Makes You More Competitive
Maintaining contact with your prospects — especially when they’re in the early or middle stage of their buying-cycle — builds awareness of you and preference for your brand . . . so when they are ready to do business or refer someone who is, you’ll have a competitive edge!
KEY POINT:
If you’re not cultivating relationships with people who can buy and/or refer you to others who can . . . you’re missing out. Big time!
The second function in your client development process is . . . QUALIFYING.
Having The Right People Is a Good Thing
As you know, the real difference between your potential and your profits are the people you serve.
In terms of people, there are two key factors you’ll want to use to help you decide who is ‘qualified’ to take your time, money and energy for your business or practice.
1. Can someone BUY the products and services you offer?
2. Can Someone REFER or INTRODUCE you to people who can?
That’s it. Don’t make this complicated, my friend!
“Can You Buy From Me?”
This is an obvious criterion. If you’re not connecting regularly with people who will, sooner or later, want the kind of products and services you offer, you’ll never generate any revenues. And that’s unacceptable. So knowing whether someone can buy what you offer is a key to your success.
“Can You Refer People To Me Who Can Buy My Products or Services?”
Next to finding you have a viable prospect for your products and services, learning that someone is willing and able to refer people to you (or, introduce you) to people who can best understand, desire and afford the services you offer, is the next best thing.
People who are referring others to you are demonstrating their TRUST and RESPECT in you. That’s not to be taken lightly. Nor is it earned easily!
Ideally, you want to find people who will both BUY and REFER. But at least one of these two criteria is required to have someone ‘qualify’ to get into your Client Development System.
So Again . . . WHY Are You Qualifying People?
Building your business or practice requires clients –– and the revenues they suggest. Clients come from people who’ve come to know, like and trust you. Some of these people may need your services themselves. Others, for any number of reasons, may not need the products and services you offer. But they may still be able to refer people to you who will.
Regardless of what someone may be able to do for your ‘bottom line’ . . . if you can’t see how they can help you by buying and/or referring you to others who can . . . you don’t let them ‘in’ your Client Development System. Period.
KEY POINT:
Building relationships is the basis for building revenues. However, if you’re working with people who cannot (or, will not) buy from you and/or refer to you . . . you’re burdening your social relationships with a business expectation that’s simply not going to happen. Don’t do it!
The first function in your client development process is . . . FUELING.
Your Business or Practice is a Vehicle
You may find it helpful to think of your business or practice as a vehicle.
Vehicles are means of transportation. As a vehicle for you, your business can take you from where you are today to where you want to be in the future.
When you think of your business as a vehicle, it’s easy to see it taking you to a well-deserved retirement, dropping the kids off at a nice college or university along the way and maybe even trailering a nice big boat behind you to enjoy whenever you feel like stopping.
Your Vehicle Needs Fuel
Every vehicle requires fuel of some kind to operate effectively. To your business or practice, that fuel means people . . . who can help you grow your business . . . directly or indirectly.
You Need The ‘Right Kind’ of Fuel
As you know, you must be ‘choosey’ about the fuel you’ll put into your vehicle. Putting gasoline into a diesel engine or diesel fuel into a gas engine will cause you a lot of problems — and it won’t help your vehicle operate as you expect to take you where you want to go.
It’s no different with your business or practice. You want to begin your client development process with the most suitable people you can — assuming you want your business to operate effectively, efficiently and profitably.
You Need ‘Enough’ Fuel, Too
Your journey through life . . . from where you are today to when you send the kids to college and when you seek to retire . . . is a long ride! Getting from ‘here’ to ‘there’ will take some doing. And, of course, you’re expecting your business or practice will help you make the journey.
But if you lack sufficient ‘fuel’ — people who can buy or refer people to you — you may not be reaching your ‘destinations’ as you intend. In fact, you may have no choice but to settle for less . . . a less desirable lifestyle before you retire, a less desirable college for your kids, a less desirable quality of life in retirement for yourself and your spouse. Not a pretty picture, is it?
KEY POINT:
If you don’t have BOTH the quantity and quality of the people you need to operate your business or practice as you want, you may be working longer than you like, harder than you want and for far less than you deserve.
