All businesses have a certain amount of attrition…clients move, competitors gain them, they go out of business etc. It is vital that we have a continual flow of new prospects in our sales funnel to offset the attrition and to gain market share. Every business needs strategies, tactics and actions to Gain new clients.
This is the 4th blog article in a series of blogs on how to retain, develop, regain and gain clients. Again it’s been written in bullet form for quick reading. Let’s start with the Gain Client Description.
Gain Description
- Most likely, we have not realised any business from this potential Client in the past or it has been a long time ago
- Most probably there is little or no relationship with this potential Client and we have to move the Client into the “Attraction” Stage and on into the “Exploration” Stage and possibly into the “Development” Stage of the relationship
- Because of the business potential we recognise that it is worth a significant effort to try and gain the business. Therefore the potential Client goes on to our Gain Prospect List
Gain Strategies / Tactics / Actions
- “Be seen” at events, associations and places where this potential Client frequents
- Utilize your network for introductions and referrals to key influencers within the Client Organisation
- Especially treat the AAA, AA, A category Gain Clients as if they are already AAA, AA, A category Retain Clients
- Invite them to functions at which our top Retain Clients are present
- Establish commonalities between you and the potential Client (Rapport building)
- Show long term intentions, and involve senior management with specific potential Clients
- Keep the smallest of commitments, “under promise and over deliver”
- Show your uniqueness and differentiators
- Clarify expectations and then present the benefits and advantages of doing business with you and your company
- Implement a frequency of contact plan and build a relationship with genuine assistance and helpful ideas and solutions
- Utilize happy Clients as positive references
- Identify the Key Power Players and gather proper information about each of them – strategise
One last suggestion. View your AAA, AA, A Gain Prospects as part of your client list. Work them and service them as if they are already AAA, AA, A Retain Clients. “Believe it and you will see it” not “I will believe it when I see it.”
The foundation of this blog article comes from Module 1 – Targeting The Right Clients of Bill Gibson’s 25 Module Complete Sales Action System.
“If you have found this blog article to be valuable for you, I would be grateful if you “shared” it with your Social Media Networks. Also feel free to circulate it by e-mail or other means internally within your organization or externally to your clients, suppliers and personal and business network. Thank-you!” – Bill Gibson
Bill Gibson is a Canadian who is living in South Africa. He is an international speaker and author and a developer of sales, service, marketing, collecting, employee morale building, personal development and entrepreneurial training programs and systems. His blog is www.bill-gibson.com and his website is www.kbitraining.com. He can be reached at bill@kbitraining.com or phone +27-11-784-1720 in South Africa. You can follow Bill Gibson on Twitter: @billgibson1, connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gibsonbill or Knowledge Brokers International SA Pty Ltd Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/knowledgebrokers?ref=hl