I Appreciate You

Dear John,

Thank you!

I'm glad we are connected and I'm grateful for your support. 

Anytime someone invests their time in buying one of my books, or watching one of my YouTube Videos or listening to one of the episodes of my daily podcast, I'm grateful. 

But I don't say "thank you" often enough. 

And my expression of gratitude to you is also a revenue growth lesson (part three in our week-long series). 

The best place to look for additional revenue is with existing clients. These people know you, like you and trust you. There are fewer hurdles to overcome in working with them. The challenge comes in finding new ways to help them, in return for financial compensation.

Here is my checklist for attracting new work from existing (or past) clients:

Step One: Write a "Thank You" note. Send a hand-written note to your current and past clients. Thank them and tell them how much you appreciate your relationship with them.

Step Two: One week later, call the client and ask how he/she is doing. During the conversation ask about his/her goals for the year and challenges they are currently facing reaching those goals.

Step Three: When they share a goal or a challenge say: "Would you like some help with that?"

Step Four: Selflessly help them by introducing them to someone who can assist or assist yourself.

Step Five: When they thank you, say "It is my pleasure. I know you'd do the same for me." They will say "Of course. Just let me know how I can help you." When they do, ask them for an introduction to someone who can do business with you. Explain why you want to meet that person.  

At some point in this process, you may have an opportunity to offer them one of your products or services. That's great. If not, graciously take the referral they deliver at the end of the process.

The key: Writing the initial thank you note and making the phone call to check up on your client.  Gratitude is a fantastic way to take a relationship to the next level or jump start a stalled relationship.

The funny thing about relationships in business or in life, they are either growing or they are decaying. There's no middle ground. If you don't show your appreciation and communicate frequently, your relationship will simply whither away and die.

Not convinced?  Think about the most important relationship in your life: Your spouse/partner, your best friend, your sibling. What would happen if you did not communicate for a year? Would your relationship get stronger or would it get weaker?

Reach out to your clients, first with a note then with a phone call, during the next few weeks. Watch what happens to your revenue but more importantly, watch what happens to your attitude about the value you are providing. Your clients will feel better about your relationship with them and you will feel better about yourself for demonstrating your apprecaition.

Oh, and your revenue will grow almost as a side-effect.

Thanks for coming with me on this journey to increase your revenue through relationship-based business development.

See you tomorrow.

Warm regards,

Dave