29 Jul Keep the Back Door Closed
One of my pet peeves as a consumer is watching a brand that I have been loyal to for years offer a better deal to new customers. This is not an article to vent frustration on a particular brand, because I see it across the board. But this goes far beyond just offering a special rate for new customers.
Have you tried to get an issue resolved online or over the phone? What ever happened to customer service? I am not saying the customer is always right, but their feelings are right and how is getting mad at the customer a good strategy?
I have been in sales as a full-time job, and even today as a CEO I am still in sales. I jump on calls with our team, and I still host sales calls myself. It keeps me up-to-date on our products and have a pulse on what is and isn’t working. All that to say, I know sales.
They are so addicted to the rush of closing new business, that they neglect their current book of business.
What makes sales addicting is closing the deal. It doesn’t matter if the deal is big or small, there is something special about working to earn the trust of a new client. And this is where a lot of well-meaning salespeople and companies get in trouble. They are so addicted to the rush of closing new business, that they neglect their current book of business. This reminds me of the old phrase “leaving the back door open.”
Leaving the back door open is a visual of a salesperson who is working hard to bring new people into the business, not noticing how many are slipping out the back. It is a lot harder to meet your sales goals if you are always having to bring in new business. The technical term is customer attrition or customer churn.
If you are in sales, you have heard this all before, but it is worth a refresher. Take time out of your schedule to spend time with your current book of business. This will look different depending on your industry, but it’s important to block off time on your calendar to follow up with your clients.
Some great ideas that I have seen modeled include sending a handwritten note, calling to check in on an order, take them out to lunch, offer to bring lunch to their team, sending them a small gift or any idea that shows you are thinking about them.
The key is to not always upsell the client or only call when you need payment. The idea is to build a long-lasting relationship. To keep the back door closed.
Scott Miller is the CEO of Centerpost Media and host of the Create, Build and Manage Radio Show and Podcast. You can find Scott on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter via “@scottmillerceo.” Centerpost Media is a marketing agency with a vision to help every business they encounter with their media needs by providing outstanding quality, service and value. Centerpost Media is the parent company to BizTV, BizTalkRadio, BizTalkPodcasts and Bizvod.