Business owners go to extremes to keep clients happy
[The gist: Just like the title says... but it's NOT pretty!]
Don't get me wrong. I'm ALL FOR impressing your clients, but I have to say, if I had to give a one-line response for this article, it'd be this:
"If you'll bend over backwards for them, they'll only love you as far as you can entertain them."
What does it take to make my clients happy?
Actually, it's too early to ask that question. I want to get you thinking about something else first. Let me explain.
In this article, entrepreneurs are making major sacrifices to keep a client happy. In every case, they cite a single example of keeping a single client impressed.
If they've got more than one client, and they've got to go through ALL that with just one... they don't run a business; they've got a JOB!
Think. Why do entrepreneurs get into business?
It's different for all entrepreneurs when you get specific, but I can guarantee it isn't ever to put more stress and strain on themselves than a traditional job would - even if that's what happens to the typical entrepreneur.
But why would you ever want to be a typical entrepreneur?
Or get typical results?
To underlive or be overworked like a typical entrepreneur?
To get atypical results (i.e. great success) you've got to set goals. Doing that alone will put you well ahead of the rest, but to belong with the real elite entrepreneurial players, you've got to have VERY specific goals - in honesty, something I'm always challenging myself to do.
I enjoy EVERY victory, so rather than plan for one big one, I'm always extracting a bunch of small ones I can celebrate more frequently.
So to tie that back in with the topic we started with... You may have previously set a goal "to help out the folks you have the talent and ability to help and make a living at it" but if those people drive you to make sacrifices just to make them happy, it's NOT worth it.
Instead, the goal above needs to be expanded: "to help out the most qualified, conditioned, educated-on-how-to-work-on-your-terms folks you have the talent and ability to help and make a fantastic living at it and enjoy it!"
When you can determine who those people are and how to accomplish the expanded portions of the goal, then you can ask that question:
What does it take to make my clients happy?
Then you can make it happen while simultaneously making yourself happy.
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