Maximizing Your Potential!

Fact: It costs 5 to 8 times more to get a new client than it does to keep an existing client.

Fact: A happy client will tell 2-3 people about you and your awesome product or service. An unhappy client will tell as many as 10 people how dissatisfied they were with you and your service.

With that in mind it is extremely important to keep your existing clients very happy. Here are 10 sure fire ways to do that!

1. Confidence is the ultimate ingredient in selling – Your client must understand that he can count on YOU, not some customer service rep within your organization. They must feel confident that you will be there for them, reassuring them that they were right to put their trust in you.

2. Take entire responsibility for your client – Once you have closed the deal, tell your client that NOW is when your job starts. Too many salespeople consider that the job is done once all the paperwork is signed and the money is collected. Bbut top salespeople consider that they’ve only just begun!

3. Communicate regularly with your clients, current and past – Regular follow-up is imperative. Whether it is faxes, phone calls, emails or a visit, you need to stay in touch with all of your clients. I recommend mailing monthly and calling quarterly. It’s truly up to you. The main thing is to be consistent!

4. Have your happy clients sell you to others – Always check with your client to ensure that you are exceeding his/her expectations. If you are, ask for referrals. If you aren’t, find out why and get back on track with them so that you can get referrals on the next visit!

5. Always confront and handle ANY upset which occurs – Never let a client stay unhappy with you and your product or service. Find out what is going on and handle it immediately!

6.Keep informed and interested in your clients – Know what’s happening in the market and share that information with them, especially if you feel it will help them grow their business.

7. Avoid ‘false sales’ which can crash your morale – If your newly acquired client suddenly has second thoughts, find out what is going on immediately and take them back to their original reasons for moving forward. Never let them go, if they were closed once, they can definitely be closed again!

8. Make your customers your ambassadors - Don’t hesitate to ask for referrals and be sure to get a testimonial right there as soon as you close the deal. You’ll be glad you did!

9. Keep your database updated – as soon as a client changes there email, mailing address or numbers, be sure you take the time to update your records. You’ll be glad you did. I have been guilty of this one and could kick myself as I lost the data and have lost touch with someone I really cared about!

10. Remember: Communication is the universal solvent – It is your greatest success tool -  this thing called communication. Use it to help you and your clients and you will never go wrong. The wrong thing to do is nothing. Whenever an upset occurs find out why immediately and talk through it until there is resolution! You and your clients will be happy you did.

Good luck!

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Of course, all of us want to bat 1000, so would any baseball player. The reality is that there are going to be times when even the best of us swings and misses one.

Here are some of ways this can occur:

1. Talk too much – Most salespeople have a tendency to talk too much. They forget that they have 2 ears and one mouth which is a 2/1 ratio. They get this reversed and talk twice as much as they listen. Develop your listening skills and see what happens.

2. Imposing your opinion on the prospect – this is one sure fire way to make your prospect wrong. Remember, everyone fights being ‘wrong.’ Listen to your prospect. Think about where he’s coming from. Let him know that you heard him and understand what he’s saying. You’d be amazed how powerful that can be and when you’ve done always those things, the chances are good that he will be willing to listen to you.

3. Denigrate the competition – When you put the competition down you are putting down the whole industry. It winds up hurting your position and may make you seem petty or weak. Just don’t go there.

4. Promise something you can’t deliver – I was reading a book by another trainer and he mentioned that when he was selling phone systems he would say that he could deliver it on time not matter how realistic the clients expectations where and he would up getting in a lot of trouble needlessly. Tell the truth. Your clients will be glad you did (and you will, too)!

5. Do not control the sales cycle – when you fail to have a plan and or have one but fail to follow it, you let yourself down and the prospect. They need clear cut guidance from you or they would do it themselves. Give them what they want. Be the professional. Take Charge!

6. Only be thinking of your commission – 90% of your communication is non-verbal. You could be saying all the right words but believe me, if ultimately, all you are really thinking about is the $ you’ll make on this sale, the prospect will hear this LOUD and CLEAR!

7. Do too much – talk too much, be overly effusive, push-push-push and you will have your prospect running the other way.

8. Wait – Just sit there hoping the client will get the idea that now is when you want them to buy is totally the wrong way to go.

9. Fail to be sincere – Let’s face it, per the above, that will be telegraphed right to the prospect, unconsciously.

10. Fail to be open and overt in your communication – I think it goes without saying, that this will NOT get you a happy, satisfied client.

Happy Closing!!!

Technorati Tags: Baseball Player, Bat, Control, Ears, Guidance, Listening Skills, Reading A Book, Sales Cycle, Salespeople, Sure Fire, Tendency, Truth