Do you have a New Year’s resolution for your business?
I will let you in on one of my best found secrets of 2012 that helped me realize the full potential of this resolution: to become an invaluable resource for clients by providing more than just my preferred vendor list. I let my new and existing customers know that I am their personal resource for all things events!
Sure everyone has that “go to” company(s) that they recommend based on past performance when clients need referrals, maybe even a few favorites in each category. Here is the difference; I encourage them to call me if they need referrals, even if they don’t rent my equipment! Believe it or not, I have developed more business relationships and closed more sales from being known as the best resource in my community and work place. Often I work with elementary PTA parents or high school after prom volunteers that change faster than the seasons. Has this ever happened to you? Do you know a company where the turnover is so high you can’t keep track of who knows your business as well as the last guy? When my company’s brochures don’t make it to the next round of committee members, I will ensure that at the very least they know to call me for all things event related when I reach out to them. This allows clients the freedom to get the assistance they need to accomplish their events without having to feel bothered.
My prices are not always the lowest, but the higher level of service I can provide seems to drive future business my direction and aid in justifying that cost. Whether my Mitzvah clients are referring me to their neighbors or a hotel passes my card off to their client directly, I see it as opportunity to remind this new person that I’m here to help, no matter what they rent or don’t rent from me. Give it a try and feel free to share your experiences with me at dovie@funproductions.com. I would be happy to blog about it here in the future!
