post # 110 — Sunday, June 18, 2006 — a Client Relations post

Romance: Why Bother?

Steve Loepfe writes:

Why should you put your money on romance in a one night stand world? I read you loud and clear when you say in your article Do You Really Want Relationships? that one can tap into the riches by caring and sharing and by nurturing long term relationships

But most of the projects I do (I do communication consulting in the context of strategic change initiatives) are of a milestone character. I get to do work for a client maybe just once in a lifetime. A private company only goes public once. Corporations don't discontinue a unit every day. My clients don't make a living just by acquiring and merging entities a hundred times a year (unless they're GE).

Consultants like me live in a disruptive project world characterized by constant discontinuity. Context, scope, people - the times they are'a changing.

Could you share some good reasons why one should believe in romance?

Reason 1: The first thing any new prospect is going to do when he or she has a new need is to ask the people he or she knows who they have use and whether they would recommend them. That's when you win or lose your next client. Word of mouth reputation wins the gold, silver and bronze for the best marketing techniques to get new clients.

Reason 2. Ninety-nine times out of one hundred, if someone does recommend you it will be because of the experience you provided in working with them, rather than the results you obtained for them. (No-one says "He was a great electrician, look at the quality of the wiring!")

Reason 3: Even if they don't have another job for you immediately, your current clients might need you again some day.

Reason 4: Even if reasons 1 through 3 don't apply, romance the client anyway. We can all use the practice in interpersonal relations so that we are good at it when we do need it!