Are You Doing Business with Customers or Clients?

How do you refer to the people you represent? Are they clients or customers? Perhaps you struggle with what you call them, and bounce back and forth from one term to the other, depending on what comes to mind first.

"From my perspective a client is a person whose business you have a vested interest in, and for whom you perform as a partner within their business," says sales trainer Kendra Lee. "Not everything you provide is billable. And not every opportunity you are awarded was shopped with the competition for the best price."

"You are a respected part of your client's business. Every time you meet with your client, you bring a new idea. They value your expertise and recommendations, even seeking them out. While you want to be successful yourself, your primary objective is to make their business successful because you know your success stems from their success."

"In contrast, customers are people who you help meet a need," continues Lee. "They have a problem. You address the problem. You may invest long hours in determining the right solution. They may invest a great deal in purchasing the solution, but they don't recognize the value of your recommendations. You don't take time to present new ideas, perform quarterly review meetings, or call them spontaneously."

"While you like customers as people, neither of you are investing in a long-term relationship. Customers may deal with a specific seller so long that a friendly relationship is established, but there is rarely a vested interest to the extent that a business partnership is established."

So, which would you rather have: clients or customers?

"Personally, I'd like every customer to be a client, because it means they respect the full value of what I can bring to them as a consultative seller, and what our organization can provide to their business," says Lee. "I have fun working with clients, and they enjoy working with me. We make each other successful."

The big question is: how do we turn customers into clients?

First, we change how we refer to them. They are clients.

Next, we examine why we aren't doing those things for our customers that we do for our clients, like bringing a new idea to every meeting, helping them identify unique ways to address their strategic business objectives, or holding a project review meeting with their staff.

Finally, we change. We treat our customers like clients. If they don't see the value after all our efforts, they may select different vendors. But then, they really weren't our clients in the first place, were they?

Kendra Lee is author of "Selling Against the Goal" and president of KLA Group, helping companies rapidly penetrate new markets, break into new accounts and shorten time to revenue with new products in the Small & Midmarket Business (SMB) segment. For more information, visit www.klagroup.com

What Buyers Really Want from Salespeople

One of our sales experts, Chris Lytle, asked more than 40,000 customers what they want from the salespeople who work with them. Here are the top 7 things customers want you to do:

1. Learn about my business
2. Quit bad-mouthing the competition
3. Make appointments
4. Listen better
5. Follow up after the sale
6. Treat me like I'll be in business next month
7. Treat me like a client and not a category of business

Learn what you can do to make your customers happy -- read the entire article here.

The "Goody Two Shoes" Approach to Networking

Many people mistakenly look at networking as collecting as many business cards as possible, or having a lot of contacts on LinkedIn. While it's great to have all those contacts, what happens when you call them? Hard to believe they're going to remember and want to help a person they barely talked to at a conference.

Networking and motivation expert Josh Hinds has seen this situation many times, and offers advice to help you build a network built on value and trust.

"One of the hardest things for people who are beginning to embrace professional networking to grasp is that it's not simply about sharing their product or service, but rather about first building some basic rapport with the person they've just met," says Hinds. "It's about creating value for others first."

"This 'goody two shoes' approach to networking ensures that you will not only be thought of in a favorable light - you will remain there for as long as you're willing to commit to keeping that connection going. The more value you create for the people you connect with - the greater the likelihood that they will not only end up a customer of yours, they'll even seek you out as a trusted advisor when they have a need that they feel you might be able to help them with."

Here are some of Hinds' tips for building value with those you meet:

• Upon the initial meeting, take a sincere interest in the other person first. Then let them know that you're always meeting new people and would be willing to keep an eye out for potential sources of business for them - you can even ask what their ideal prospect would look like. Be careful - you can't just give this idea lip service - you have to be sure to actually send referrals their way as you run across them.

• Be on the lookout for things of interest to the folks in your network - and pass them along to them. It's a terrific way to stay in touch, while being valuable to others.

• Every so often drop a quick e-mail, greeting card, or note to someone you may not have touched base with in a while. Something as simple as 'It's been a while so I just wanted to let you know I was thinking about you' can do wonders to position yourself in a favorable light.

• Be on the lookout for opportunities that will be of benefit to those in your network. Doing so is as easy as keeping your eyes open for news you might read, or listening to what others have to say.

Josh Hinds is a speaker, trainer, and author on topics such as networking and personal branding. Check out his popular newsletter at www.GetMotivation.com.

Don't take no for an answer

How do you react when a prospect tells you no? Do you immediately think, "Oh, there goes another one?" Do you counter "No" with more features, benefits, and explanations? Here's a much more effective strategy from Ron Karr, one of the leading Business Development and Turn-Around Specialists in America.

"Too many salespeople instantly respond to a no answer by either withdrawing from meaningful discussions with the prospect or turning up the heat by discoursing endlessly about features, functions and benefits," says Karr. "Yet all we need to do when we encounter a no answer is to find out what the customer perceives is missing."

Try this response to "No" and watch as the discussion continues to the sale.

Ron Karr is the Founder of Karr Associates Inc. and creator of the ground-breaking Titan Principle.

Build your story, build customer relationships

You want to build relationships your competitors can't steal. If you're in business to business sales, you know that organizations don't buy from other organizations; people in organizations buy from people in other organizations.

"In order to build relationships, you need to let the other person know something about you," says sales expert Chris Lytle. "Self-disclosure is the act of revealing yourself to the other person. And while you don't want to reveal everything, you do want your prospect to understand something about your expertise, background, and motivation."

"Start with why you are doing this besides the money," suggests Lytle. "Another thing to disclose is why you chose this particular industry. Was it because of, or in spite of, your college degree? Have you had a lifelong interest in this or did you recently discover it? What customers have you helped? What problems have you solved? Of all the companies you could have chosen to work for, why did you choose this particular company? What is it about the company or the product that keeps you excited?"

That's probably more than enough to get you started on your story. The challenge, says Lytle, is keeping it brief and compelling. But the reward is great. "When the people on the other side of the desk understand more about your experience and your motivation for doing the job, they feel more comfortable discussing their real concerns," says Lytle. "After all, there's a real person across the desk from them. Not just another salesperson."

Tell us your story. How are you using it to build relationships with customers?

Chris Lytle, CSP, time releases immediately applicable sales advice via the MAX-ATM Automatic Training Machine website. Check it out at www.max-atm.com

Magic Sales Word #3

Sales trainer Renee Walkup has three favorite sales words: oh, tell, and today's word: when.

Walkup says that "when" is the perfect antidote to a serious disease afflicting most sales professionals, the "two-week" disease. You'll know you've got it if you find yourself saying things like, "So, Frank, I guess you now know what we have to offer. How about I call you in two weeks to follow up?"

First of all, Walkup explains, you have now set the criteria for following up. Why should that be YOUR decision? What if Frank is ready to buy? Think you'll get the sale? What if Frank can't get the approval until April, what good will two weeks do for you?

What's so magic about two weeks? It's a waste of time to impose this arbitrary timeframe on your customer when it really makes no sense whatsoever.

Walkup's cure to this selling disease is to "just ask when." It goes like this...

"So, Frank, I guess you now know what we have to offer. When is the best time to follow up with you?"

Now, Frank will tell you, and you're on his time frame--not yours. If he says "tomorrow," you'll close sooner than expected. If he says "April", at least you won't be wasting valuable time calling him every two weeks UNTIL April!

Put this advice to work for you today and watch your sales unfold like magic!

Renee Walkup is president of SalesPEAK Inc. and author of "Selling to Anyone Over the Phone".

People Are Talking

Today we're looking at the second element in W. Edwards Deming's formula for profit in business: getting your customers to boast about you.

Sales and marketing coach Dr. Rachna D. Jain has some tips for easily and effectively garnering testimonials:

Let your customers know right up front. Start every new customer relationship with a brief explanation of how you appreciate testimonials and how they help you serve your customers better. Ask all new customers/clients if they would be willing to provide you a testimonial if they are satisfied with your service.

Ask for them. Very often, sales reps will take step one, but never take step two. The client has agreed to provide a testimonial, but the business owner never follows up and asks for the testimonial. It's most effective to ask when your client or customer is especially pleased or satisfied with your service.

Make it easy. Make it as easy as possible for your clients to provide you with the testimonial. Consider having a pre-designed form, or a standard email. You may even want to ask certain questions to help shape the tone or format of what your client shares. For example, if you really want your clients to comment on your "outstanding customer service orientation," you might put a question or two in the form about this.

Write it yourself. Sometimes, clients will agree to provide a testimonial, but never actually do it. In these cases, it's perfectly acceptable to offer to write the testimonial yourself and have the client sign it. Ask the client if you might call him/her for 10-15 minutes for a brief interview about the high points of your business or service. Then write what you hear, and send it to the client for approval.

Get permission. It's very important to get your clients' permission to use their name, city/state, or website address in your own marketing. Most clients will understand that you are obtaining a testimonial for your marketing efforts. I have always found it wise to ask them to sign a brief statement which demonstrates that they have given permission for the information to be used.

Offer something in return. Most satisfied clients will give you a strong testimonial without expecting anything in return. For myself, I've found that offering a small "thank you" (a brief coaching session, a copy of one of my books, a discount on a class or training) goes a long way to helping clients feel valued and appreciated for their extra time and effort.

Dr. Rachna D. Jain is a sales and marketing coach. To learn more, contact Dr. Jain directly, or to sign up for her free newsletter, Sales and Marketing Secrets, please visit her website.

Expand Your Business With Each Customer

Yesterday, Dr. Tony Alessandra showed us how to use a periodic client review to gauge a client's level of satisfaction. Today, he shows you several ways to expand your business through your customers.

• Referrals within their company. Whenever you talk to clients, keep one eye open for clues that indicate needs within their company, for example, a new office or branch that may need your product or service. Ask your customers for a referral, either verbally or in writing.

• Sell more of the same. While servicing an account, suggest that they buy more if you see they have the capacity to use larger volumes of your product. Under no circumstances, though, should you try to sell them more if they do not need it.

• Sell additional products or services. If you see a need, offer new products and services to your present customers. If they like your original product, they will listen to your ideas about expanding into other products.

• Upgrade your clients. If a client uses a medium-priced product, you may be able to upgrade him to a higher-priced, higher-quality product, especially if his company is growing and its needs are changing. For example, a company using a copying machine may need one with more capabilities, such as photo-reduction and collating. If you are aware of their increased needs, suggest the upgrade - before your competitor does.

Exert the extra effort to keep your customers completely satisfied, and you will reap the rewards - with their repeat business and with their referrals.

Tony Alessandra is a contributor to Top Dog Sales Secrets. He has authored 17 books translated into 49 foreign language editions, recorded over 50 audio/video programs, and delivered over 2,000 keynote speeches since 1976.

How Sorry Are You?

Shipping sent the wrong product to your client - twice. A delivery arrived late, or you weren't able to come through with a promised upgrade. Sound familiar? Customer service foul-ups like these, and the Target customer service nightmare we told you about yesterday, can create major headaches for your customers.

"As a sales professional, you are the face of your company," says SalesDog.com Managing Editor Tina LoSasso. "So you need to say you're sorry (regardless of whether it's your fault). When your company fouls up, a mere phone call or letter often is not enough to undo the damage. An appropriate gift will go a long way toward soothing ruffled feathers."

What should you send?

"Flowers always say it best," advises LoSasso. "For female customers, send a floral arrangement in a vase. Stay away from roses, no matter the color, as they spell romance in any language. Avoid lilies, because they are often used at funerals, and can have an overpowering fragrance. An elegant mixed flower arrangement can be pricey, so if funds are tight, opt for a tasteful bouquet of just one variety of flower for maximum impact. Irises, dendrobium orchids or gerbera daisies work well."

"For the men, send a healthy-looking potted plant, preferably not a blooming one. A bonsai plant, bamboo, or money tree will hit just the right masculine note, and look great on his desk."

When problems arise, do your best to fix them and make sure the customer knows you appreciate their business and will work hard to continue it. Follow up on your apology with a thoughtful gift and your customers will remember you when it's time to buy again.

This advice was excerpted from Top Dog Sales Secrets.

Magic Sales Words

Last week we told you about the first of sales trainer Renee Walkup's three favorite sales words: "oh."

Here's the second word that Walkup says will help you make sales: "tell."

Here's how she suggests you use it in selling situations:

Let's say you need to find out about the decision-making process from your customer says Walkup. In the past, your qualifying may have sounded like this:

Who makes the decision?

When is the decision going to be made?

How much is your team planning on investing in this?

What usually occurs when you meet to discuss the purchase?

Why don't I show up here to make a more formal presentation when your group meets?

Now, replace these five questions with one excellent "tell" question:

Frank, tell me about the decision-making process.

Then be quiet. Frank is now going to have to tell you a story of how the process will take place, who is involved, when they'll meet and the rest. You get more value for your intelligent qualifying and in the meantime, your customer sees you as a bright, experienced, and confident sales professional he can trust.

Give "tell" a sales workout this week.

Renee Walkup is president of SalesPEAK Inc. and author of "Selling to Anyone Over the Phone."

Laugh all the way to the bank!

"I've found that humor can be an effective tool for moving the sale along at almost every stage of the process," says sales speaker and BusinessWeek Online Columnist Michelle Nichols.

However, using humor doesn't mean going overboard and acting like a goofball warns Nichols. Adding appropriate levity to a situation can increase your likeableness, and help establish that critical connection with customers. As a result, customers will listen more closely, and if trouble erupts, they're more likely to cut you some slack.

Here's some of Nichols' advice for injecting some humor into your sales process:


Get personal. One of the most powerful sources of humor is stories from your own life. Personal stories are easier to remember, which makes it easier to tell them smoothly. A little self-deprecation never hurts. For example, if my prospects are parents, I might tell them about my daughter. When her junior high was having Career Day, I asked if she wanted me to speak, since not everyone's mom is a columnist and speaker. "Oh great, how exciting," she moaned. "Why can't you be a pharmacist, or something that doesn't sound so boring?"

Talk about price. I have an old Mr. Boffo cartoon subtitled "The further adventures of the Bargain Hunter," depicting a guy displaying "Ed's Tattoo Parlor" tattooed on his chest in giant letters, saying, "Guess who got a free tattoo?" My point is, what is the real value of "free?" When I quote prices, the biggest potential sticking point, I like to say, "Your total is a mere $43,837.46." That always gets a laugh, and helps prospects over the price shock - at least for a moment.

Finish strong. A la David Letterman, an original Top Ten list of funny reasons the customer should buy from you, or buy right now, is an unusual approach - and could seal a deal.

Humor will put your customers at ease and help make the sale. So have fun playing with Nichols' ideas.

A warning to the humor-challenged: these are just suggestions. If it doesn't feel right, hey - don't do it! Remember: with humor, a little goes a long way.

This advice was excerpted from Top Dog Sales Secrets. Michelle Nichols is a popular sales speaker, consultant and columnist for BusinessWeek Online. Visit her site at http://www.savvyselling.com.

"I'm just calling to check in ..."

This is surely one of the most ineffective (translate: lame) openers you could use. But does that stop most salespeople? Unfortunately, no.

"If you're like most people, you've used this opener at some point in your sales career," says Colleen Francis of Engage Selling. "What you may not realize is that this little sentence can quickly reduce your credibility with your prospect. Are you really calling just to check in or check up? If so, either you've got a lot more time on your hands than I do, or else it's time to seriously consider a career change!"

Francis gives this advice for creating a more effective opening:

First, start by removing the word 'just' - it makes you sound unimportant, and your call seem like an afterthought.

Replace it with something like: "The last time we spoke, you ..." By taking the customer back to the last time you spoke, you remind them of your relationship, and prove that you are carrying through on what you were asked or promised to do.

Nothing builds rapport better than a promise kept. Rapport leads to trust, and trust leads to loyal customers.

Give this tip a try this week and see the impact on your calls.

Sales trainer Colleen Francis is president of Engage Selling Solutions and a contributor to Top Dog Sales Secrets.