Managing Customer Expectations

As we engage a client and get busy on working with them, many-a-times we lose sight of the real reason the client hired us or bought our product. Everyone is guilty of this at some point in their career.

Here is a quick tip to help you keep your customers needs (expectations) always in front of you. When you are successful in converting your prospect into a client, then start by writing a quick thank you note in which you not only thank them for their business but also outline their expectations.

This small action can be the difference between a one-time client or a long-term client relationship. Regardless whether you are selling a product or a service, writing this letter allows you to register the customer's expectation from dealing with you. This also instills confidence in your customer and shows that you have understood their needs.

However, the most important benefit of this action is that should there be a difference in what you heard and what the customer wanted (expectation) then you have managed to capture this at a very early stage in the relationship and averted ill-feelings and dissatisfaction down the road.

Till next time

Sal

Remain True To Your Core

Many entrepreneurs and small business owners tend to do everything themselves. Though this strategy may save some money upfront, more times than often this route ends up costing more in the long run.

As business owners you must devote all your efforts to your core activities in which you are an expert. Don't try to do everything yourself. For example if you are in the insurance industry and sell car insurance, go sell car insurance. Leave the bookkeeping to an accountant; the website to a web developer, etc.

Now-a-days there are many inexpensive sources to find all the needs for your business at very reasonable costs. As you begin to let go of activities that take you away from your core expertise you will notice that you are more focused on activities that help you grow you business. You will have more time. Also, for the items that you outsource to vendors you will receive quality work. This will also have a positive impact on your business.

So, learn to let go and look at the long term benefits rather than the short-term costs.

Till next time

Sal
www.salmankkhan.com

How to get to the beginning?

In order for one to be successful one must begin. From a child to an adult every person knows what they would like. However, adults (like children) , do not know how to take that first step in order to get what they want. In other words they don't know where to begin.

Many intelligent and gifted people have failed to make it big, because they could not begin. It was not that they did not know what to do; rather they failed to take the first step. They failed to start simply because they could not determine the place to begin. Instead they kept planning and planning, till time left them behind.

One of my favorite quotes is by Mark Twain who stated:

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.”

This is very true. Here I will show you a simple exercise to breaking down your goal in to smaller, manageable, and actionable tasks. If you practice this and do this exercise when planning your goals, you will have a greater chance of success in finding out the right place to begin in order to reach your goal.

Start by taking a piece of blank sheet of paper. Write your goal on the top center.

Next ask yourself how you would get to your goal, i.e. what "task" would you need to do get to that goal. Now write it down underneath the goal.

Next Ask your self the same question for the task you just listed and write down the second tasks under the first task.

Continue to repeat the process i.e. ask the question for each task you list till you cannot go any further. You can stop when you reach the task that is obvious or logical, i.e. you do not need to write it down in order to execute it, e.g. "wake up in the morning!"

That last task that you wrote is your beginning point. Start there and then move up the chain till you reach your goal!

Remember that if you don't start you will never finish!

Good Luck.

Till next time.

Sal
http://www.salmankkhan.com/

After Sales Service

Many of the clients that I come across fail to service their clients after they have made the sale. As a result they lose touch with their clients or even worse only approach them when they need to make another sale.

The number one way to increase revenue is NOT through new markets or clients, it is by cross selling to your existing clients. Therefore, it is imperative to keep in touch with your clients. It does not matter if you have additional products to sell to the client or not. At the very least by keeping in touch with your clients you will gain their trust and confidence and they may become your best sales tool, i.e. your "revenue catalyst"!

So how do you keep in touch with your clients without adding a lot more work on you and at the same time not smothering your clients. First, relax. You have already made the sale. So back off a little. Start by sending out a thank you card. If you get a chance, note their birthdays and send flowers or cards. Call them once in a while, just to say hello. -And where possible help them with their business needs and wants.

Simple steps like the ones mentioned above can make a huge difference in the eyes of your customer.

A little work now, will go a long way in the future.

Good Luck.

Till next time!

Sal
www.salmankkhan.com

Get out of your comfort zone to reach new hieghts!

Are you ready to take your business to new heights?

People who are successful have become so by operating out of their comfort levels. They take calculated risks; they work longer, harder, and smarter. Successful people do not wait for things to be perfect for them in order to go out and make more money or climb that corporate ladder!

Success comes by making things happen; by actively going out and doing that what others find difficult or "too much" to do. Successful people do not whine and over analyze the circumstances; they just go out and do what it takes!

Let me give you an example. One cannot watch TV with out a fitness commercial that shows super hot, hard, and sculpted bodies. What is the difference between those people and those who are out of shape? The difference is that the people on the commercial went that extra mile, ran longer, ate right, and went beyond their personal comfort zone. I can bet you it is not contraption that they are marketing that has anything significant to do with their physical appearance.

It does not matter what activity you are doing, if you do not go that extra mile, you will never be great at it.

Look at successful people in your industry. What makes them different? Why did they have so much success and not you? If you are say that that person was at the right place at the right time, you don't have as much money as he/she did, etc. etc....then you have already failed at your business and have failed to realize that that person was a mover and shaker. That person probably woke up earlier, went long distances to satisfy his customer, and took that extra time to understand his prospect and market, made plans, and so on.

That person could have easily opted to be an average... a one of many. -But that person decided that he/she did not want to be "just like the rest" and understood that it took extra effort to stand out!

I am sure there are many things on your to-do list that you want to do; you know that by doing such things you will stand out....but each time you come to that task, you procrastinate...you make excuses...it not the right time, oh! It won't work; I will do it tomorrow...etc. STOP! Just do it. Get up and make that call you were afraid to, go out when others in your field are staying in. Make that extra effort.

Make it a habit and you will never be complacent again, as you would have tasted the sweet nectar of success and one you have tasted what success feels like you would not want to go back to tasting the bitterness of failure!

Good Luck

Till next time....

Sal
www.salmankkhan.com

Aim High and Prosper

Hello Everyone.

Yes! Sal is back blogging. For my first topic of the year I would like to talk about the power of aiming high!

As you begin the new year and write your goals for the year, I would encourage you to "think big!". The bigger your goal...the better of you will be. For example:

If you an insurance sales person, you could say I will sell 30% more policies this year OR you can say I will increase my service territory, product lines. I will not only sell more policies to new customers, but increase my cross sales to existing clients as well. I will create a network of referral agents etc.

Similarly, if you are in the food and beverage business and operate a restaurant you can plan on increasing your bookings, or you can think big by saying this year I will open more locations, maybe start a franchise, etc.

Or, you maybe a real estate agent and would like to close one sale a month in this economy. However, a better goal could be to explore complementary products that you could market; start your own investment group.

These are just some examples. Do not focus on the goals I wrote above rather focus on the concept that I am preaching, which is to THINK BIG!

Still having problems thinking big? Don't worry, you are not alone. Many people fail to adequately fail to grasp the concept. People seem to not get past constraints like finances, personal situations etc. So try this, imagine you had no constraints (yes...a perfect world scenario); where would you take your career or business?

That's it! Now you are thinking big!

If you think small you will make small progress. Conversely if you think big you will see that in the same time frame you will make huge progress. Even if you do not reach your goals, the amount of distance you cover will be greater than the smaller goal you were planning.

Mind over Matter! Yes! It does work!

Let me prove it to you by a simple example. If your health permits, stand up straight or sit down upright with your legs extended away from your body and toes pointed up. Extend your arms straight so they are parallel to the floor. Now, with your arms extending outwards and without bending your knees touch the tips of your finger to your toes and hold for 30 seconds. Do you feel a stretch? Is is easy or hard? I bet its not easy.

Now return to the starting position and imagine yourself touching an imaginary button that is located beyond the tips of your toes. Do you see it? See it! Feel its presence! -And now do the same exercise; you will notice that you reached further than the previous attempt!

This is because you looked beyond! You thought bigger! You aimed high!

It is like that in life as well as in business. So as you plan your goals for 2008! THINK BIG!

Till next time....

Sal
www.salmankkhan.com