Page 203 - Social Media Marketing

190 Walk Like a Giant, Sell Like a Madman

Identifying Your Best Clients

I keep a list of my best clients, past and present. I actually have
several lists: a top 25, top 50, and top 100. When these clients
call, I drop everything to make them happy. To qualify for a spot
on one of my top client lists, a client must have the following
qualifications:

• Places me first
• Pays a fair price without quibbling
• Challenges me to do my best
• Allows me to do my job without second-guessing my decisions
• Is a source for return business
• Provides me with leads, referrals, and other opportunities-

what I like to call"a sale that keeps on giving"

Identify your top 25 clients and then draw up a list of quali-
ties they demonstrate. Perhaps they have a certain personality that
meshes well with yours or they take the initiative to resolve issues
and call on you only after they have tried other options to resolve
certain issues on their own. Knowing the qualities you value in
clients can help you identify candidates that you really want to add
to your top-client lists.

Retaining Your Best Clients

You probably spend a great deal of time and effort attracting great
clients, so when you find one, nurture the relationship to keep
that person from wandering off. Think of the relationship as a
marriage. To keep your marriage strong, you need to continue
to date your mate; show affection through words, gifts, and acts
of kindness-three of the five love languages that Gary Chapman
describes in his popular book, The Five Love Languages (Northfield