“In all my years this is the first time the publisher of a magazine has ever visited me,” said one of my advertising prospects. It was clear that my showing up sent a positive message to this client. But I was bugged that I had not done it sooner.
Like you, I run a business and I get pulled in to every detail of the operation — from finance to marketing, employees, and production. As a business owner or operator, we each wear 20 different hats. Everything has to get done and nothing can slide. But if you’re worried about which is more important, remember: Your product (content) helps your business appeal to the client or the sales effort. Stop trying to decide. One begets the other, and both are critical.
Today I spent time on the phone with a new seller for one of my businesses. She’s been on the payroll for about two months, and my call was a stark realization that she had not been well informed. It’s not her fault, it’s mine. I have to take responsibility even if someone else dropped the ball in training her, because I’ve obviously not made it as important as it should have been.
I can easily spend an entire day just answering e-mails and taking phone calls without doing anything else. I’m exhausted at the end of most days, and, like you, I work more hours than my family would like me to work. And I still cannot get everything done. How on earth am I to find time for the salespeople and clients? After all, I have people who do that, right?
Delegation is the key to our ability to touch a lot of areas and move a lot of business, yet as managers we must find time for our salespeople and our clients. No one can tell your story better than you can. No one knows the level of detail better than you. And no one can help you understand the map, the bumps in the road, and the opportunities better than your clients and salespeople.
I can’t spend more time with my salespeople, sales management, and clients. Yet I must. You must. Not only do our clients need to feel the love and know that someone at a higher level in the company is truly concerned about their needs, but you may be the only person who will clearly see or understand a new opportunity.
Often someone will tell me something that really gets my attention. My wife Laurie will say, “I’ve been telling you that for months. Why aren’t you listening to me?” Familiarity breeds contempt, right? The same is true of your salespeople. They have been trying to tell you things that you aren’t hearing, and you probably won’t pay attention until you hear it from a client.
Nothing is more important than time with clients and salespeople. I know there are demands on your time from every corner of your office, but if you and I can increase our face time with clients and salespeople, we will see increases in business — and chances are they will transform our businesses in ways we never thought possible.
Like you, I run a business and I get pulled in to every detail of the operation — from finance to marketing, employees, and production. As a business owner or operator, we each wear 20 different hats. Everything has to get done and nothing can slide. But if you’re worried about which is more important, remember: Your product (content) helps your business appeal to the client or the sales effort. Stop trying to decide. One begets the other, and both are critical.
Today I spent time on the phone with a new seller for one of my businesses. She’s been on the payroll for about two months, and my call was a stark realization that she had not been well informed. It’s not her fault, it’s mine. I have to take responsibility even if someone else dropped the ball in training her, because I’ve obviously not made it as important as it should have been.
I can easily spend an entire day just answering e-mails and taking phone calls without doing anything else. I’m exhausted at the end of most days, and, like you, I work more hours than my family would like me to work. And I still cannot get everything done. How on earth am I to find time for the salespeople and clients? After all, I have people who do that, right?
Delegation is the key to our ability to touch a lot of areas and move a lot of business, yet as managers we must find time for our salespeople and our clients. No one can tell your story better than you can. No one knows the level of detail better than you. And no one can help you understand the map, the bumps in the road, and the opportunities better than your clients and salespeople.
I can’t spend more time with my salespeople, sales management, and clients. Yet I must. You must. Not only do our clients need to feel the love and know that someone at a higher level in the company is truly concerned about their needs, but you may be the only person who will clearly see or understand a new opportunity.
Often someone will tell me something that really gets my attention. My wife Laurie will say, “I’ve been telling you that for months. Why aren’t you listening to me?” Familiarity breeds contempt, right? The same is true of your salespeople. They have been trying to tell you things that you aren’t hearing, and you probably won’t pay attention until you hear it from a client.
Nothing is more important than time with clients and salespeople. I know there are demands on your time from every corner of your office, but if you and I can increase our face time with clients and salespeople, we will see increases in business — and chances are they will transform our businesses in ways we never thought possible.
Comments