Magic happens in your career when you stop trying to call or drop in on anyone who's breathing and might have a few dollars to spend and instead begin taking extraordinarily good care of your existing clients.
Bryant is a financial advisor in New York with whom I've been working. He was "just getting by" for nearly five years. When we started working together, he asked me for some better cold-calling scripts. But I suggested that there was a better way for him to get clients.
We talked about how he could better use the time he had been spending on cold calling. I suggested he begin:
- Serving his existing clients better
- Surprising and delighting them
- Earning referrals from them
As part of his coaching, Bryant submits a weekly report to me. Here's what he wrote last week:
Hey, Sandy, Quick update…I surprised and delighted two of my best clients. I got the first one a slow cooker that matches her new appliances. Her neighbor happened to have been there when I brought it in…and I got an appointment with her. I'm waiting for the gift I thought of for the other one to be delivered to me so I can bring it to her. She likes gummy bears, so I bought her a five-pound gummy bear!! Haha! Also, she invited me to come to this baby shower she is hosting, so I bought the baby some gifts. I'll keep you up to date on that! Thanks for the motivation!