posted for Business Alaska on LinkedIn, June 24, 2009
When was the last time you called one of your clients just to say hi? I admit, I am not the best at this process, but recently, I have noticed more than ever just how important a "touch" is.
My clients are constantly being rang by people from all different backgrounds selling them all sorts of stuff. Media calls are the WORST, so when I am able to help someone with my stations, I gotta stay above the rest. That means picking up the phone and just saying hi.
It's important to feel important, and the most important people in our business is our customers or clients.
If you feel funny or don't know what to talk about, here is an easy acronym to remember: FORD
F- Family- Everyone likes to boast about their kids' new talent, or their hubby's new job. Make notes with names of family members so you can ask them about the new changes in their life next time. Remember to ask about their pets!
O- Opportunities- What opportunities have been presented to your clients since you last spoke? Try to stay away from hard business, though sometimes this is a good place to uncover what your competition is doing (but only if the customer brings it up.) Remember this is a "touch" call, not a sales call. You can set that up at the end of the conversation!
R- Realizations- Has your client had any "ah-ha!" moments with their business or personally recently? How exciting to share with someone your "ah-ha" moments! Try to relate with their discovery by sharing something about you, too.
D- Dreams- What do your clients dream of? A paradise vacation? A new car? A weekend without the kids? This is an opportunity for you to use your personal network to help your clients' dreams come true. Introduce them to your travel agent, or send them an article you read on the latest car models, or suggest your favorite hotel or restaurant for a night out.
Be genuine. Take notes. Listen. Your clients will appreciate your special touch.
Showing posts with label LinkedIn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LinkedIn. Show all posts
25 June 2009
14 April 2009
As part of my curiosity about social networking for business and pleasure, I have created a LinkedIn group called Business Alaska. I like to post something to the group at least once a week. You can join by typing Business Alaska in the Search Group box. I bet there's a way to connect the two; I'm gonna need to check that out. Until then, here is today's post:
A Quick Fix
Yesterday, I was discussing a current health promotion with a friend and she mentioned a new drug on the market for weight loss. Another one of our friends had been using it for a few months now and had lost 17 pounds by medicating herself to loose weight. As part of the criteria, she had to commit to:
1) exercise thirty minutes a day- seven days a week
2) decrease the intake of carbs and increase her protein diet
3) create a support group
Whatever your opinion is about medication for weight loss, I think there is a business principle to be considered here.
If your business needed to 'shed some pounds' in order to become a better oiled machine, what would be the first thing you did?
Commit to a level of fitness needed to operate?
Decrease a specific aspect of your business diet (like office gossip) and increase a productive aspect (like learning social networks)?
Create a group of people you believe have your businesses' best interests in mind?
Of course! That's because taking these steps is a lifestyle change. It is something that with a little bit of work becomes easier until it is just a part of your successful business make-up.
Are you going to take a pill or patch a band-aide for the rest of your businesses' life? Of course not.
In my experience, businesses too often look to me to create a short term pill they can pop to increase the level of business they are doing. Unfortunately, once the pill begins to work, the foundation tends to crumble because the simple things are not in place, like good customer service, a unified identity, a holistic presence.
In your business, are you relying on a synthetic solution, or are you doing the work it takes to create a solid foundation from which to grow?
A Quick Fix
Yesterday, I was discussing a current health promotion with a friend and she mentioned a new drug on the market for weight loss. Another one of our friends had been using it for a few months now and had lost 17 pounds by medicating herself to loose weight. As part of the criteria, she had to commit to:
1) exercise thirty minutes a day- seven days a week
2) decrease the intake of carbs and increase her protein diet
3) create a support group
Whatever your opinion is about medication for weight loss, I think there is a business principle to be considered here.
If your business needed to 'shed some pounds' in order to become a better oiled machine, what would be the first thing you did?
Commit to a level of fitness needed to operate?
Decrease a specific aspect of your business diet (like office gossip) and increase a productive aspect (like learning social networks)?
Create a group of people you believe have your businesses' best interests in mind?
Of course! That's because taking these steps is a lifestyle change. It is something that with a little bit of work becomes easier until it is just a part of your successful business make-up.
Are you going to take a pill or patch a band-aide for the rest of your businesses' life? Of course not.
In my experience, businesses too often look to me to create a short term pill they can pop to increase the level of business they are doing. Unfortunately, once the pill begins to work, the foundation tends to crumble because the simple things are not in place, like good customer service, a unified identity, a holistic presence.
In your business, are you relying on a synthetic solution, or are you doing the work it takes to create a solid foundation from which to grow?
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