More Clients More Profits

I was giving a presentation about small business marketing last week, and it was very interactive. The audience members asked questions and gave opinions, which is the way I like it. At one point, when we were discussing customer service, one person talked about how she gives each of her customers the same excellent service — how she treats the person who spends $50 the same as the person who spends $5,000. This is very common among proud business owners and, on the surface, is very commendable. However, I think there may be another way to look at this — a way that can get you more referrals to the right clients.

I believe that, to initiate the greatest word-of-mouth marketing, we need to give clients and customers a greater experience than they expect. It is these experiences that they tell others about.

Let’s say a client purchases a $50 product or service from you, and the service just blows them out of the water. Now let’s say someone comes in and spends $5,000 and you give them the same service. Although they may be pleased, it is not going to have the same effect on the second client because someone spending $5,000 has greater expectations than someone spending $50. So the result is you have someone who spends significantly less being more pleased than someone spending a great deal more.

Another point many business owners are proud of is that they treat their clients and customers the way they (the business owners) would like to be treated — the Golden Rule. Is this the best thing to do? I don’t think so. I believe that, for greatest results, we should treat others how THEY want to be treated.

We could dig real deep into this philosophy, but I don’t think we have to do that to make the point. Take, for example, the different buying habits of men and women. The majority of men often want to “get in and get out,” while the majority of women are more apt to “shop.” To treat both of these groups the way you would want to be treated would be to lessen your effectiveness by at least 50%.

Some people are more pensive in their purchases, opting for less interaction, while others crave the interaction, asking questions and seeking advice, options, and opinions. Again, to treat these people the same or to assume that either wants to be treated the way you would like to be treated is not recommended.

The one caveat here is when treating others as you want to be treated refers to respect and courtesy. Every prospect, every client should be consistently treated with the utmost respect.

By the way, if you want to know how your clients want to be treated, simply ask them. You may, in fact, see a similarity in the responses of your most profitable clients. If so, address this, and you will be amazed how much business it garners for you.

This morning I was heading out of town for the day and wanted to have some extra cash in my pocket. So, when I left my office, I grabbed a check that a business associate had made out directly to me as a reimbursement. Since I was driving by the bank he uses, I figured I would stop in and cash it. And that’s when I learned something I didn’t know.

I was the first person in the bank this morning, and there were four smiling tellers, all saying they could help me. I approached one of them and handed her the check and my license. She then asked, “Do you have an account with us?”

“No,” I answered.

“Do you have a credit card with us?” she inquired.

“No,” again.

“Do you do business with us in any way?” the young lady wanted to know.

“Nothing at all,” I replied.

“Then we are going to have to charge you $6.00,” she informed me.

So there you have it. For the privilege of cashing the check, I had to pay $6.00 — a check drawn on that bank … a check made out directly to me. She politely told me that it is customary to do so.

Customary it may be,but I never knew. I would normally deposit the check in my bank and simply withdraw cash. But today I learned something, and I think it’s kind of absurd. Charge my business associate, if you want. But why penalize me?

So why am I writing this little rant? It’s because, as a marketing coach, I want you to think about the perception people have when they come into contact with your company, your employees, your web site, your marketing collateral, your policies — anything to do with your business. Do they reinforce the image and brand that you are trying to promote? Do they undermine you? You need to know the answers.

To get the answers, ask your clients. Be specific, and they’ll tell you. If the answers are not specific enough, follow up with more questions. You can also hire a mystery shopper to interact with the various aspects of your company. You’ll get a complete report. Be sure to read it.

To be most profitable, you need to not only be efficient, but you also need to be effective. If you are causing people to scratch their heads in wonderment, or even worse have them leave with a bad impression, then you are going to lose clients and prospects. Let’s face it; there’s no reason to fill up the bucket with new clients if others drip out the hole in the bottom.

Oh yes, one more thing. As I was counting the money at the teller’s window, she said, “Well, now that you have been here, maybe you’ll think about opening an account.”

Not going to happen!

The simple answer is that you can’t. The more complex answer is you can, but it takes thought and effort.

The title of this article comes from a popular World War I song that wondered how parents would keep their farm boys on the farm after they boys had seen the likes of Paris. And as much as the parents might not have been able to keep their boys at home after they returned from the war, you can’t keep your clients from wanting and looking for better service or a more exciting experience.

It used to be that clients would settle for average service. They believed that average was good enough — that by definition, that was the kind of service most people offered. But like the doughboys of World War I, those days are long gone. Too many people have seen above average, and they want it.

As a marketing coach, the thing that I want you to understand is every one of your prospects and clients has either been to places like Disney World or heard about their uncommon service. They have been to restaurants (even neighborhood restaurants) that wow their clientele. They have taken their cars to repair shops that make them feel like they own the most expensive car in the neighborhood when in fact it is nine years old and well past its prime. Consequently, this what they are expecting when deciding to pay for services.

Are you offering your clients above average service? Are you providing the wow experience? How are you going to get them and keep them now that they’ve seen Paris … uh, Disney World?

Okay, hear me out. It’s not your customer service that sucks; but as a business advisor and marketing coach, I believe it’s the concept of customer service that sucks. And it’s because of this fact that those who market themselves by proclaiming they provide excellent customer service are shooting themselves in the foot.

Providing excellent or even good customer service was once acceptable. But back then, competition wasn’t as fierce. People hadn’t been exposed to superb customer experiences. The world wasn’t as small a place as it is now.

Now, people want experiences. It doesn’t matter if they are in a restaurant, working with a CPA, or having their houses painted; they want good experiences, if not amazing ones.

Look at the Apple stores. There is a reason that they are the leading retail stores when it comes to revenue per square foot. When you purchase a product, there’s no standing in line to check out. An employee comes to you with a handheld machine and conveniently processes your transaction. They even instantly send a copy of the receipt directly to your e-mail, if you like.

Then there are those who make it difficult to buy or get information. Those who make prospects and clients jump through hoops. Those who set up their systems based on themselves, as opposed to their clients wishes and desires. And it’s not restricted to personal interactions. Unfortunately, many companies provide less-than-satisfactory experiences on the phone and on the web.

Are you still trying to provide good customer service, or are you ready to provide excellent customer experiences? To get ideas on accomplishing the latter, take notice of your experiences. Which are amazing and which are poor? Which make you want to tell others about them — good and bad? Take lessons from the good ones, alter them to fit your circumstances, and implement them with great zeal. Your clients will take notice, do business with you more often, and become your raving cheerleaders.

2010 … has a great ring to it, doesn’t it? It’s a new year … a new decade … a fresh start!

Many of us, although we want this year to be different from last 2009, are going to do little — if anything — different. That’s so unfortunate. As Albert Einstein said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Some of things you can change include:
- your services
- your products
- the way to deliver either of the above
- your marketing
- how and where you network
- developing referral partners- your pricing (higher, I hope)
- number of employees
- how many hours you work (fewer, I hope)
The list goes on.

Perhaps the most important thing — more important than determining exactly what to change — is knowing deep down that things have to change. Many of us know his on an intellectual level, but few of us truly internalize it. We think about it, acknowledge it, and then wait until the moment passes. Please, don’t be one of these business owners. Take the necessary actions to your business the one you envision.

So what are you going to do to make this year — this decade — different? Need some help? Give me a call (401-742-1231) or send an e-mail. I’m always happy to discuss your opportunities!

Here’s to your success!
Peter George
Creator of the More Clients More Profits System

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