Maybe It's You?
A lot of the excuses we make in business (and in life) are really YOU issues we refuse to admit.
I was in a coaching session today with a sales professional and I opened by asking him what was most important to him at this time, so we could focus our attention on where it would do him the most good. His response was typical of what I hear when coaching people in this market niche, "I want more leads."
Who doesn't want more leads? More customers to sell to?
As we talked further, I asked this individual how long he has been working in his industry as a sales professional. His reply, "I've been doing this for more than 10 years."
I was shocked.
How is it that this individual can serve his customers, scrape out a decent living, and has not grown his practice to the point he is primarily working a referral-based model after 10 years of being in business?
So we talked further about his lead process and I learned he's spending quite a bit of money to continually generate new customer opportunities. He's closing a decent percentage of these leads, but continually having to reinvest back into this business to keep getting in front of new prospective customers.
As we shifted the conversation to talk about service DURING and AFTER the sale, it became obvious that this individual was NOT focused on creating an exceptional experience that exceeded the customer's expectations and making the sales professional unforgettable (in a good way). He failed to build a true relationship with the customer, identify other ways he could assist them in the future, and serve them in such a unique and memorable way it crated an experience they want to relive and share with others.
Have you ever gone to a restaurant and had such an amazing experience that you told everyone you know about the evening and what you enjoyed? The smells, sights, sounds, and tastes of the food, as well as the atmosphere, are seared into your conscious. You can't wait to go back and enjoy that experience again, and take someone with you so they can enjoy it as well.
That's the type of experience your customers are wanting to realize when they are doing business with you.
What if you were intentional about creating such an amazing, incredible experience that so stood out from your peers, you stand out in the crowd in such a way it virtually eliminates your competition?
Who doesn't want that?
When people have an exceptional experience, they tell other people about that. It's such a rare event in today's fast-paced world that when it does happen, it causes that experience to stand out as unique, different, and enjoyable. It's what keeps them coming back to buy from that person again, and bringing others with them so they too can have an exceptional experience with you.
And as a sales professionals, isn't that what you want?
This individual didn't have a lead generation problem - HE WAS THE PROBLEM!
Every customer you sell to has within their inner circle, an average of 6 to 8 people they have significant influence over. If you can create such an amazing experience that keeps your customers coming back, and they introduce their inner circle to who you are and what you uniquely do, you'll soon find yourself in a situation you're not having to pay for new prospective customers you've got to convince.
Your customers have become an unpaid sales force, pre-selling their friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers on who you are and what you uniquely do. They bridge the "know you, like you, trust you" gap between you and their inner circle as they share their exceptional experience with you and invite them to have a similar experience with you.
And as a sales professionals, isn't that what you want?
This sales professional walked away having realized he didn't have a lead problem. HE WAS THE PROBLEM, as he wasn't serving his customers in such a way they want to keep coming back, and bringing others with them. That's what creating an exceptional experience can do for you and your business.
Remember, every sales professional wants to get in front of more qualified prospects. If the customers you're already serving are the type of customers you want to do business with on a consistent and regular basis, don't forget their inner circle is comprised of people just like them. If you create an exceptional experience that keeps them coming back, they will bring their inner circle friends and family members (qualified prospects) with them.
And don't forget it costs you roughly 8 times more to generate a new prospect as compared to serving your customers well, creating an exceptional experience that keeps them coming back, and bringing their friends and family members with them so they too can enjoy a similar experience working with you.
So do you really have a lead generation problem in your business, or is it really YOU?
P.S. A lot of the excuses we make in business (and in life) are really YOU issues we refuse to admit. It all goes back to leadership, and the most difficult person to lead is ourselves.