Personal & Business Solutions

• Courtship:  Show your interest in them, shower your prospective client with accolades and show appreciation of their time. At this stage you are pursuing the potential client.  You ask them out for dates for coffee, lunch, etc.  You listen attentively about what their interests are, what they might like to share about their personal life, what challenges they are having in their business, etc.  This is a very important part of the relationship building process.  Getting to the next stage is dependent on how well we do here.  Then without being overly eager to just offer a solution, ask questions about what has or hasn’t worked for them in the past.  This is where you are finding out before you even present a possible solution, whether or not your product or service is a right fit for them.  In fact, the first meeting (date) may just be about getting acquainted and building rapport.   The second meeting could be more focused and centered on the possibility of one or the other or both using the services/products each has to offer.  Depending on the nature of the services it may take an additional meeting (date) to build trust.  In other words, respect and patience is key in this stage of the courtship.  Being mindful of the time that each person is giving to build this relationship is also important.  I would send a personalized note to acknowledge this.  What happens next is usually the ASK.  Can we do business together?  If yes, each proclaims what the other will get as a result of using ones services or product.  We promise to be there to guide them, to answer any questions, and to make sure along the way that they are getting everything they expected and need.

• Thank you:  They could do business with anyone else AND they chose to do business with YOU.YOU unique that compels someone to do business with you.  It could have been your attentiveness, knowledge, your understanding, something about you stood out among the rest.  Capitalize on it, flaunt it, and use it to your advantage.  That doesn’t mean take advantage of anyone (and I know you wouldn’t), it means DON’T EVER FORGET IT, and remember what got you the business.  That leads to the next stage. It is very important to be aware of this and acknowledge it.  There are many realtors, Insurance agents, Mortgage Lenders, Hair dressers, Massage Therapists, Psychotherapists, Coaches of all kinds, etc.  Yet, it is that which makes

• Nurture:  Don’t take your client(s) for granted now that the deal has been sealed.  If you don’t continue the courtship the relationship will die. Does this sound like a marriage?  That’s because it IS.  You invested a great deal of time courting one another and presenting the very best of yourself.  Remember it wasn’t necessarily the product or service they bought it was YOU.  Often times a marriage loses its zest and vitality because we cease the courtship, we get into a groove of comfortableness.  Share your resources with your clients.  If you see an article that might pertain to their needs, clip it, scan it and send it to them in letter or greeting card.  As in any relationship we want to know that we matter.  Let your clients know from time to time that they matter.  It is a WIN/WIN for everyone.

I use Send Out Cards to assist me in keeping my business relationships fresh and alive.  “Appreciation wins over self-promotion every time.”  Send Out Cards is a proven system that improves customer retention and increases business by 30% to 50%.  For more information go to http://www.sendoutcards.com/becauseumatter, turn up your speakers for the guided walk through and send a card or two for free, no obligation to purchase.  Contact Carol Pilkington at 661-298-1229 or e-mail carol@personalandbusinesssolutions.com