The 80/20 Rule

Originally Posted by BIG Mike If the rule says I should get 80% of my business from 20% of my customers, shouldn't I work harder on the 20%? Communicate at least 4 times a year? Special offers/vip sales? Unexpected free gifts? ?

Hi, I'm new to this forum...My name is Eydie and I am a Virtual Assistant. I have to say that if I only communicated with my clients a mere 4 times a year...I would have been out of business years ago. Weekly, if not daily, communication is imperative in my business, as it is, I'm sure, in others. Along the way, I thank my clients regularly with cards, simple thank you gifts and the best thank you of all....referrals.

Well said VA.

Did anyone read Seth Godin's blog post about treating different customers differently [What would happen if you fired (nicely) the very few customers that take your best effort but rarely appreciate it or spread the word?] or Dave Lakhani response to that post? This is better than TV.

Originally Posted by Houston Did anyone read Seth Godin's blog post about treating different customers differently [What would happen if you fired (nicely) the very few customers that take your best effort but rarely appreciate it or spread the word?] or Dave Lakhani response to that post? This is better than TV.

Well done Houston

Originally Posted by Houston What would happen if you fired (nicely) the very few customers that take your best effort but rarely appreciate it or spread the word?

I'd cut 'em loose too.

I read in this post, in other posts on this forum and by many modern sales trainers that "It's not about you, it's about the prospect".
This is not true. In my years of sales practice and with the advice from my mentor, I have come to learn... It is about ME.

It's about having a superior marketing strategy which provides you with more hot prospects than you could ever talk to. It's about qualifying these people in a short amount of time by asking the right questions. It's about getting rid of those people who are not prepared to do business with you today or at the very least giving you a firm commitment (these people are a waste of your life). It's about being the absolute professional; providing an exceptional product or service and getting paid for it. It's about going to the bank every day.

It is about YOU!

Originally Posted by bluenote I read in this post, in other posts on this forum and by many modern sales trainers that "It's not about you, it's about the prospect". This is not true. In my years of sales practice and with the advice from my mentor, I have come to learn... It is about ME. It's about having a superior marketing strategy which provides you with more hot prospects than you could ever talk to. It's about qualifying these people in a short amount of time by asking the right questions. It's about getting rid of those people who are not prepared to do business with you today or at the very least giving you a firm commitment (these people are a waste of your life). It's about being the absolute professional; providing an exceptional product or service and getting paid for it. It's about going to the bank every day. It is about YOU!

What's an example of a superior marketing strategy that you or someone else has used with great success?

Originally Posted by Houston What's an example of a superior marketing strategy that you or someone else has used with great success?

Multiple websites
Blogs
Newsletters
Public Speaking
Direct Mail
Advertising
Networking

The list goes on...

Whether you are marketing your product, your service or yourself; you need to find what works best for you. Be aggressive with your marketing and you will have them flocking to you all day - everyday.

Give them multiple ways to get in touch with you... phone, fax, email etc...

Always be "getting back to them".

Qualify them immediately (within the first two minutes of your conversation) and find out 1. If they are in the market right now for what you have and 2. If they have the money to pay for it.

If not, get rid of them.

The beauty of having 75, 100, 200+ prospects to speak with everyday is that you will never have to brown nose or treat a select few leads
"like gold" ever again.

We do what we do as a profession to get paid not to make friends. I have been using this strategy with what I do for quite a while now. It works and it pays really well!