Tag: client relationships

Balance and Boundaries Equal Freedom When Running a Business

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Here’s something that no one tells you when you go into business for yourself and that no one who DOESN’T go into business for themselves can even comprehend:

Balance and boundaries are not luxuries; they’re necessities.

Entrepreneurs can build businesses that either serve or enslave them. If you’ve started your own business and have been run ragged by all the things you felt you had to do to accommodate clients, you’re not alone. When just starting out, most people are willing to do just about anything to get the proverbial ball rolling.

Spoiler alert: This is not sustainable. No one can keep up such a rigorous pace forever. You need time to rest and cultivate clarity and balance.

What’s more, as your business grows and the details of your life bloom, it becomes absolutely impossible. Do you remember being in your 20s and actually having extra time when you had nothing to do? Blank space on your calendar?

If you own your own business, chances are those days are gone. When you grow as a person, so does your capacity. What doesn’t change is the number of hours on any given day.

So how can you find blank space on your calendar now? The secret is balance and boundaries, and here’s how you can get started being less busy and enjoying some much-needed free time.

Tips for Finding Balance and Setting Boundaries

Chances are, if you’re a business owner—especially a new one—you’re thinking there’s absolutely no way you can set boundaries with people. After all, you’re trying to get business. You need to be everything to everyone, right?

This statement isn’t only false, but will land you in hot water when you experience burnout after a few months or years of doing this. Get started setting those boundaries by taking the following steps:

1. Identify tasks you can delegate to others.

These may be customer service and sales-related tasks, among others, so you can focus on big-picture business development. Pro tip: you can even automate tasks!

2. Audit the relationships in your life.

If anyone—a client, a team member, a sibling, a neighbor—is eating up all of your energy or time, they have to go. It sounds harsh and we’re certainly not suggesting a Tony-Soprano-style “gotta go”, but if you want to change what you attract and accept in your life, you need business boundaries and life balance.

3. Remember that you are not obligated to help everyone.

Of course you’re trying to start a business, get clients, and be successful. But doing all of these things doesn’t mean bending over backwards for people. It means choosing your clients carefully and referring out the ones that aren’t a good fit for you.

So where do you lack boundaries? Where do you feel off-balance? We all struggle to maintain the right balance in our business and personal lives sometimes.

If this philosophy resonates with you, you’re not alone. So many others have come to realize that balance and boundaries are necessary to have freedom when running a business.

That’s why we started the Facebook group Get More Clients (You Love). We keep it real. We believe in real connections without people sucking energy from other people, and no BS. If all of that works for you, then we’ll see you in the group!

Tags business ownership, business success, client relationships, small business

Business Blogging

4 Ways to Prioritize Your Client Experience and Customer Journey

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The 1960s were some of the most unique and intense times in American history: civil unrest, war protests, and drug use were prominent.

Television was a more pervasive and influential medium; the boundaries of fashion and the social contract were being pushed to the brink.

People were paying closer attention.

Television gave them more access to information on all fronts. Access to that information altered the course of history and how future generations would make their decisions and exercise their choices.

Sound familiar?

Swap out television for the internet, and much of what is described above can be said today. How people experienced the world changed with the introduction of a new, more efficient way to communicate information.

It’s All About the Customer Journey

The customer journey has changed drastically over the past decade. The accessibility of information has made us impatient for it. The client expectation threshold has increased drastically.

Customers want instant responses to their messages and seamless experiences across digital platforms. Despite these changes, many businesses have not risen to the challenge and have falling profits because of it.

So, what’s a small business owner to do? How can you prioritize your client’s experience and customer journey? Here, we’ll show you how to do that in four simple steps.

4 Ways to Give Your Clients a World-Class Experience Without the Price Tag

The ubiquitous nature of the almighty smartphone and social media replacing the morning paper means that people are using the authentic experiences of other customers to inform their purchase decisions. They also lean into instant gratification and ease of use: Amazon, anyone?

But you’re not Amazon, you don’t sell every product under the sun, and you can’t solicit 40,000 reviews to your site every day.

Don’t worry. We’ve got you with four simple steps to give your clients the experience they’re craving without breaking the bank (or, you know, being Amazon).

1. Listen Well, Empathize, and Validate

So simple and yet so undervalued. As business owners, we’re used to our clients having similar issues. When we sell that solution, it makes sense that we are ready with the answer. Sometimes, just letting your client share their concern fully will make them feel better. They already believe you have a possible solution or they wouldn’t be talking to you. Letting them feel as though their concerns are valid can make the difference between them hiring you or hiring someone else.

2. Automate Where Possible

There’s no shortage of automation solutions available regardless if you’re a solopreneur or an enterprise-level company. Sending follow-up emails or thank-you emails automatically work well to maintain those extra touchpoints when you’re not available. You can also choose to run active social media accounts where you interact with customers and interested prospects, answer their queries, run promotions, and so on. This is a good way to improve customer interaction.

3. Always Follow Up

Good news or bad news is always better than no news. If you don’t have an answer for a client or won’t have an answer right away, tell them. While there will always be pressure to have an answer right away, when you don’t, talk to them anyway and give them a progress report. People feel most comfortable when they know what to expect, even if it isn’t pleasant.

4. Be Consistent Across All Communication Channels

Two of the most common customer service tips are having multi-channel communication and being consistent in all channels. Even if you’re a sole proprietor, you likely have a few ways to communicate with your clients. Keep your brand messaging consistent across all channels. One of the areas where this best practice is overlooked is on your company website. An outdated site or a site that is hard to navigate points to what an experience with you might be like. Build your site and social media in a simple, user-friendly fashion and you’ll delight your clients with a great experience.

In 1967, Jimi Hendrix released his first album, Are You Experienced. It is still regarded as one of the most innovative and groundbreaking albums of the last century. The album literally changed how people experienced the electric guitar and psychedelic music. It wasn’t the album cover or Jimi’s face. It was the experience they had when listening to his music. Their experience is what sold millions of copies.

How Well Are You Prioritizing Your Client Experience?

It’s not easy to put your clients first, but by doing so, you can reap the benefits. Want to know more about how we can help you simplify this process? Contact us at GoBeyond SEO today!

Tags client communication, client experience, client relationships, customer journey

Marketing Small Business Marketing

Provide a First-Class Client Experience — Even on a Budget

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Are you familiar with Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If—”? This poem hits on a concept here; one so often lost in our post-pandemic digital world. What does it mean to walk with kings? What does it mean to lose the common touch, or in this case, not lose the common touch?

At its core, Kipling is talking about effective communication. Kings are faced with issues that are different from the issues faced by the common folk. Does it make sense to speak to the masses the same way you’d speak to a king? In most cases, it depends on the topic, right?

There’s a lesson to be taken from this concept when it comes to digital marketing: treat all your clients like kings, but from different kingdoms.

The concept of “the client is always right” has been lauded for decades, but to be clear, that’s NOT what we’re talking about here. We’re talking about giving your clients a first class client experience whenever they’re dealing with you and your company.

So how can you possibly give your clients first-class treatment? It’s unrealistic to make yourself available to every medium out there, and your time is limited. Here’s how you can impress your clients even on a budget!

Make Yourself Accessible to Your Clients

In keeping with the theme of kings versus the common folk, the key difference is access. The kings have access to you right away, or at least it feels that way. The common folk are those who are kept waiting on hold.

Just because we’ve all become more comfortable making purchases or buying services online doesn’t mean that your clients aren’t looking for human connections. Here are a few tools to give all of your clients, and potential prospects, the king’s treatment without costing you a king’s ransom.

Website Chat. Many have seen the website chat feature on websites, but it does seem to fall short when the chat bot is really just a robot with an auto generated message. There are several tools available to give you the ease of automated chat and give your clients/prospects the personal touch they deserve.

Virtual Receptionist. There’s an endless supply of talented people who can help you fill in the blanks. BUT, that’s not what we mean here. How cool would it be if every time you missed a call from the office, your cell phone was pinged with a message from that prospect or client? If you’re in a highly competitive field, missing out on a call could cost you.

Google Reviews. Even if no one reads your reviews, having enough reviews to prove that it’s not just your mom saying nice things about you (thanks mom) is enough to show that you’re a player in your industry. But how do you get them? Do you go crawling to your clients, hat in hand, and humbly ask for a review? Sure, that’s one way to go. But wouldn’t it be just FABULOUS to have an entire streamlined process that will not only get reviews, but manage and promote them?

When you take the time to understand your client, but also make your marketing work at its most efficient, you can easily give your clients a white-glove client experience without taking a second mortgage on your castle.

“If I had 6 hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend the first 4 hours sharpening the axe.” – Abraham Lincoln

How sharp is your axe? Find out about these tools and more by scheduling a free, no-obligation call with us at GoBeyond SEO!

Tags client communication, client experience, client relationships, client services

sales

Redefining the Sale: Serve Your Clients, Don’t Sell

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We all have moments when we get weird about money. It’s one of the biggest fears among professionals. There are literally thousands of brilliant people who work for or run a business and they are terrified of sales.

“I’ll do any job, in any department, but please not sales. Anything but sales!”

But why? Why is the act of selling such a terrifying thing?

Without compassion and purpose, selling something to someone feels like a lie, a rip-off, a scam. The sale benefits the seller, not the buyer. Everyone knows that. Right?

Not so fast. The truth is that we don’t need to fear sales or cringe at the word. But we do need to redefine sales as a service you provide for your customer. Serve, don’t sell.

Liston Witherill, host of the Serve Don’t Sell podcast, developed this phrase, philosophy, and book. And his idea goes something like this: if you’re not helping your client, you’re hurting them. Either by wasting their time, their money, or both. That’s why sales can feel gross sometimes.

But how can you serve your clients if you don’t sell them your services?

To Serve Your Clients, Begin With Understanding Them

The energy and process we bring to selling is what will make all the difference. If you want to make a big show, flash your expertise, and demonstrate your industry dominance, have at it, but that expertise won’t help you sell.

Many experts fall into the rut of industry speak. The problem? It’s all about YOU, and we’ve established that clients aren’t really about that. Your clients don’t necessarily speak that language. They need you to understand their language and their problems.

So how can you serve them?

Listen first. Even and ESPECIALLY if you’ve heard it all before. Just because your client has come to you with a problem or pain point you see often in your industry, does not mean they’ve had the chance to be heard. Having your problem heard and validated is a fast track to developing mutual trust.

Demonstrate value. When someone is new to what you offer, they’re usually most interested in the cost of the item so they can mentally check a box: Affordable or Not Affordable. We all do it. If you can demonstrate the benefit of what you do and how your service or solution will change their life for the better, then hit them with the cost. They’ll find ways to afford you because they see the value.

Remember the End Goal Isn’t About Making a Sale.

This is where the “Serve Don’t Sell” philosophy really hits home. Your goal isn’t to make a sale or reel in this client. It’s to serve them in whatever way they need most. You can determine what this is by:

Taking a wide view. Consider that their pain point or problem may only be a symptom. Taking the time to listen and ask questions that don’t EXACTLY come into play in your field may help paint a more clear picture and reveal multiple ways to offer your services and potentially recommend other services that you do not offer. Doing so positions you as a trusted advisor.

Checking yourself. Ask yourself, “Am I helping them?”. Sometimes helping them means you DON’T offer your services. They’re either not ready or not a good fit. YET. And there is a possibility that they may never be. When the dreaded SALES! fear shows up most is here. Don’t force it. Helping them could mean offering your services and moving them toward a goal. It can also look like referring them out.

By doing what’s best for the client, you not only create a foundation for a possible future relationship with this person or agency, but for any referrals they may send your way.

GoBeyond Is Dedicated to Serving Clients

When we named our company GoBeyond, we came to that name because of our experience in hospitality. We were trained to treat visitors to our restaurant, country club, bar, or hotel as a guest, not as a customer. We bring that energy to our company as well. We want our clients to feel that we go above and beyond their expectations. We practice what we preach!

Contact us at GoBeyond today to schedule a consultation to learn more about how we can help you take your business to the next level by redefining the sales mindset!

Tags client relationships, redefine sales, sales process, sales tips, serve don't sell

Business Blogging Lead Generation

Choosing Your Clients Carefully & Spotting Client Red Flags

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Finding the right clients to work with, in which the relationship will be mutually beneficial to both of you, isn’t easy. And often, it requires experience to know how to spot the right clients early on, rather than finding out at the wrong time later.

The good news? There’s a way to identify clients that’ll make a good fit: treat prospects with the same energy you would when hiring someone.

When you meet a prospect with the hopes of doing business together, remember that you’re evaluating them as much as they’re evaluating you. Think more in terms of opening a relationship and less like closing a sale.

Clients It’s Ok to Work With

So how can you choose your clients carefully now to avoid the headache of dealing with a bad client later on? First, let’s talk about the clients it’s ok to work with.

Clients who ask questions. Repeated questions, “dumb” questions, they all exist to clarify. If they keep asking, find new ways to explain or answer them.
Rookies. They’re not quite sure why they need you, but that’s your job to explain to them and help them see the value of hiring you!

Clients who talk about money or pricing. They are assessing your value. It can be nerve-racking, but this is always a good sign.
Stoic or serious personalities. They can be more challenging to work with, but remember, they’re not talking to you to be friends. Cordial and succinct is not an issue.

Provided none of these things impede your ability to work together, all of these clients are generally ok to work with. However, there are other clients who you might want to consider doing a hard pass on.

Client’s You’ll Want to Pass On & Client Red Flags to Look Out For

It’s true, not everyone is an obvious jerk. So how can you identify prospects with potential versus those who will be problematic?

Here are a few client red flags to watch out for when you’re courting a new prospect:

“I’ve been burned by someone like you—you guys are all alike.” This statement is usually an attempt to subvert your expertise and disrupt the power dynamic. The MOMENT you sense this, move on. Proving them wrong is time-consuming and a terrible place to start. Sharing that they’ve been frustrated with other providers is ok, but automatically lumping you in with them is a fast track to a bad relationship.

They don’t respect your time or honor commitments. We’ve all been late or missed appointments. It happens. When you’re prospecting and your prospect blows you off or shows up late, even with a valid reason, Strike 1. If they take days to respond to your emails or phone calls, Strike 2.

Again, this can happen occasionally and it may not be purposeful. If it’s done as a power grab, that’s an obvious Strike 3. If it’s done because they’re poor time managers or are drama magnets, the outcome for you is exactly the same. Pay attention to how someone values YOUR time. That’s one of the earliest indicators of a good or bad relationship.

They tell you that they know more about your business than you do. This is a very common tactic to get you to devalue your work. The subtext of “I know how much this should cost, so you better give me a fair price”. Again, this is tricky. Is this the foundation upon which you want to build your relationship with them? It’s a strange thing for someone to try to minimize your career in the name of saving money.

If your business is based on clients who you work with closely and regularly, do yourself a favor and choose them carefully. Questions and challenges will always come up. It’s a part of life. Find the clients who are willing to grow and learn with you through this journey!

Need help finding your ideal clients? Schedule a strategy session with us at GoBeyond SEO to learn more about how you can find the right clients for your business!

Tags client red flags, client relationships, ideal clients

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