Building an Extraordinary Business by Investing in your Client Relationships

Here are some ideas for things you can do to blow the roof off the value you create for your clients.

-=- Be a valuable resource -=-

Even if you learned 100 things each day, you could still never know how to do everything. Given that, it stands to reason that you won't be able to do everything clients need. Consider that there are bound to be things you don't do well, or that you can do, but simply don't enjoy and don't want to do, and you'll quickly see gaps appear in your service offering. Believe it or not, that's ok; it doesn't matter that you can't do it all, if you can get it all done. And you can get it all done, if you fill your gaps with fabulous resources.

Be innovative. Think outside the box. Come up with things clients would never have thought of. Become a collector of experiences; each one you have contributes, in some way, to what you can offer your clients. Pay attention as you move through your life -- you never know when you'll see, hear, or learn about something that will help a client tomorrow, next week, or next month.

Find others to call on who have mastered what you don't do. Then, go beyond that, finding resources for just about anything a client could ever ask for. Build a resource file that's full of terrific people, services, and products so that no matter what a client wants or needs, you'll be the person to turn to.

Be an ace problem solver and a grade-A opportunity seeker. In everything you do, ask yourself, "Who do I know who needs to meet my client, and what can I do to support my client's success?" Whenever you have the chance to be an advocate for your client's business, do it!

-=- Do far more than you need to, and far more than is expected -=-

Like all relationships, those you have with your virtual clients need to be nurtured. Do more than your share to model for the client the way you want to be treated. Add value just for the joy of it. Keep your clients in your mind at all times, and give, even when you don't have to. There's amazing power in doing the unexpected. For instance, if you see something you think your client would appreciate (i.e., a newspaper or magazine article, a URL to a helpful website), make a note, and then send it, or mention it to the client. When you have some free time, consider calling a client and saying, "I have 30 free minutes. What are the top three things you can't get to right now? I'll handle them for you immediately so you can focus on more important things."

At least weekly, ask what more you can do, how you can serve your clients better. You aren't a mind reader, and there might be things you could do that are important to them that they've simply been too busy to mention.

The kind of nurturing involved in doing more than you need to or than is expected is extraordinary -- not just in virtual relationships, but in all relationships. Make it the norm for you and watch what happens.

-=- Play BIG -=-

When you challenge yourself to be more than you think you can be, you're playing big. That growth allows you to always offer more to your clients than they expect, and keeps your business fresh. Consider what you might need to do; how you could challenge yourself to play bigger in all aspects of your life. You and your clients will win from your efforts.

-=- Include your client -=-

The lone-ranger approach doesn't work in virtual relationships because it's antithetical to collaboration, and collaboration is the heart of virtual relationships. There is no way to be a Lone Ranger and a terrific partner to your clients at the same time. So, whatever tendencies you still have left from the corporate box, lose 'em -- and fast!

One of the most important components, instead, is that of inclusion. Asking for help, asking for advice even if you really don't need it, is sometimes a wonderful way of sending the message, "I know you want me to handle this, but I really want to be sure you're ok with what I'm doing -- I wanted to include you in this." On another note -- if you have to worry that your client doesn't want to be included, ask yourself if that's a client you really want to be working with. Great clients don't ask you to take responsibility for things they should be responsible for, and should always be delighted to collaborate with you.

-=- Be available, engaged, and passionate, and put people before tasks -=-

My VA, Marie Schulz, CPS, CMVA, is always available to me when I need her. Although she has a full practice, she makes me feel as though I am the only client she has, or that of all her clients, I matter most. I'm not, and I don't; I know some of her other clients -- they all feel the same way. It's still an extraordinary feeling to know that I'll get what I need, when I need it, and I'll get it from someone who is incredibly engaged and passionate about my business. Although she's never been able to explain how she does it, over time, I've realized that, for her, people come before tasks. Remember that; it's huge.

Marie can always find the time to do things. If I call, or ICQ, it's because I need something from her. And she takes the time away from whatever she's doing to pay attention to me. It makes me feel like a million bucks and incredibly well cared for.

-=- Believe -=-

Great partnerships trust. There's a bedrock of faith in each other, and of the combined efforts. Always do the right thing, and believe that your client is doing that, too. Nothing puts a damper on what virtual partners can do together like disbelief; it's the precursor to distrust, and that will kill the relationship completely.

-=- Model great standards -=-

Your having great standards actually is an investment in the relationship with your clients. It sends a message that you take care of yourself, and leads them to think that if you can take care of yourself, you'll always take care of them.

-=- Be generous -=-

With compliments, with your attention, with your time, with small gifts (for holidays and no reason at all), with calls of encouragement, say "thank you" often, remember important days. Come from your heart to deepen the relationship.

-=- Be your client's greatest advocate -=-

Whenever you have the chance to talk about your client's business, do it. It's always easier to talk about someone else's business, and if you're working with the right clients and are passionate about the clients' work, you should have no trouble sharing that with others!

-=- Ask what M*O*R*E you can do -=-

Your clients are your customers. There's no way around that. If you've chosen wisely, and you have terrific standards in place, serving them well should be fairly easy. But ask them how you can serve them better from time to time. You aren't a mind reader, and there might be things you could do that are important to them.

If you're unsure about where to take your business next, or how to power-charge your success, consider what investing more in your relationships can do for your practice and your life. Give of yourself, and reap the rewards!!