All Clients Return

One thing I learned from working at TargetCom, a boutique direct response agency in Chicago (with the most cleverly creative people I've ever met), is to be patient with prospects and clients. TargetCom as a whole felt certain every prospect would work with them eventually and all clients who leave will return.

And, for the most part, they have been right.

Their service was so thorough and their creative work so right on, clients returned. And, so did prospects. Nora Ligurotis, TargetCom's CEO, used to tell me to expect clients to leave and be prepared to welcome them upon their return.

I thought of Nora this week when corresponding with a partner in an engineering firm. He said he was not in the market for training right now but wondered if he could ask me a few questions about it. Sales experts would likely tell me not to waste much time with him until he is ready to buy. I choose a different approach, and suspect Nora and her TargetCom folks would do the same. I eagerly continued the correspondence and encouraged the partner to be in touch.

You see, he may not be ready to write a check today, but when he is, he will feel good about it. He will have had time to get to know me and feel happy to trust me with his people. He will become an ideal client because he is doing so on his terms. While it may take some time upfront, the investment is worth it. Plus, the partner and his firm are interesting and my interest in them is genuine.

When clients are welcomed on their terms, they will return. Be patient.