I ran across the term relationship marketing back in the early days of running my business and it really spoke to how I wanted to operate my business. Being a technician at heart, I was not overly comfortable with the concept of sales and selling. For that reason I spend the first few years of self employment running around pretending I owned a successful business. I would spend time in coffee shops, I would attend various networking meetings with other start up business owners and I was even part of a goal setting group. While all of these did provide some value, including the time spent at coffee shops planning various aspects of my approach, it was not until I met a sales trainer by the name of Jay Lundy who introduced me to this great way of selling without really selling. Don't get me wrong, you still need to be able to pitch and close the deal, but Relationship marketing seemed to make this whole process seem less.... dirty??? to me.
So what is Relationship marketing, you ask. Simply put, Relationship Marketing is a very effective all encompassing way of operating your business in such a way as to effectively lock out the competition. It has been about 20 years since I last attended one of Jay's classes, so until I find the course material, I will have to paraphrase and combine what Jay taught with what I have learned, since starting my business in 1997.
The Initial Meeting
Rule number one, do not start with the pitch. While this may seem counter-intuitive, within the scope of a sales call, starting with a high pressure sales pitch will not win you a life long client. We are talking about building a relationship, after all. Start with listening to the client. I mean really listen, not just about what you are selling, but also in the scope of their own personal interests. Some of this may require visual observation while other parts may require strategic conversation and questions; all of which is a skill you will inevitably hone, as time goes on.
Rule number two, do not assume. There is an old saying about the word “assume” which involves splitting the word into three parts and the only ass in a sales call built around assumptions will be the one trying to do the selling. Approach the sales process as if you would approach making love. Pay attention to the little details and what you learned by observing and listening to your potential client. Do not assume you know what they want, ask for confirmation. In addition to ensuring you provide your client with exactly what they need, you are also increasing the level of confidence they have in your ability to provide exactly what they need. When doing this, however, you need to be cognizant of their time as well as their patience. Asking for too many confirmations and asking in the wrong way may make it appear as if you have not been listening to them. It really comes down to sincerity, something which cannot be faked... Unless you are a sociopath. No, I am not saying you should model yourself after a sociopath.
Rule number three. This is more of a guideline, than a firm set rule. While it is important to get to know your potential client, you do not want to spend so much time that you lose focus on your reason for being there. After all, you are in business and you have bills to pay. For this reason, you cannot forget you need to close the deal.
After the sale
Regardless of what product or service you are selling, it is important to realize the sales process does not end with the signing of the contract or paying of the invoice. As a business professional you need to realize every client knows others who may need what you are providing. Some companies spend a great deal of money obtaining referrals but few realize referrals need not cost anything. While a thank you token does not hurt, if a client provides you with a steady stream of referrals, it is important to note most people are happy to send referrals to their friends and those who they trust. For that reason, it is important to maintain a relationship with your clients, even after the sale. You want to be sure your client thinks of you the moment a friend of theirs has a need you can help them with. Real Estate agents have made an art of this by sending out personalized calendars
This is in no way saying you need to break the bank on buying branded promotional items, this kind of outreach can be accomplished by simply becoming part of your clients “inner circle.” Look back at what you learned throughout the process and use this information to continue to demonstrate how you truly listened to your client. After all, nothing makes someone feel more valued than to know someone cared enough to listen to what they said. This can be as simple as a birthday wish or as deep reaching as contacting them if you happen to see or hear something about a topic they are deeply interested in.
When it comes to treating your clients as friends, there are those who will say this is a slippery slope and could run into problems. While this may have some level of truth, I have not run into a situation where a sincere interest in the ongoing needs of my clients has ever backfired. In fact, many of my clients contact me if they are looking for someone to help them out with a need. When it comes to these referrals, I am very careful with whom I trust to send to my clients. I NEVER make a referral based on obtaining a financial kickback. I try to follow up to ensure my clients are treated well. While I may not make any money from the referral, there is real value in the trust it builds. As an added bonus, the person being referred often keeps me in mind if they run into someone who has a need for my products or services. While this is not why I referred them, it is a nice little bonus. At the end of the day, this whole exercise is about building a relationship with your clients and, in doing so, locking out the competition. I will ad more to this article, as soon as I dig through my stuff to find the course material. My gratitude goes out to the late Jay Lundy for all his inspiration.