Attention Sales Community... How Are You Bridging The Relational Gaps With Your Clients?

“Love is that condition in the human spirit so profound that it empowers us to develop courage; to trust that courage and build bridges with it; to trust those bridges and cross over them so we can attempt to reach each other.”

Maya Angelou

Let's stop and think about this quote for a moment...

• Are you bringing love to your client relationships?
• Are you courageous enough to deepen your client relationships?
• Are your client relationships trustworthy?

Your clients are undeniably your most precious assets. Without them would you exist in sales? The more you understand that meaningful and credible relationships with your client's matter, the more successful you will become, end of story.

Your clients smell what you're cooking and not cooking fast.

Relationships are a part of human nature. We long for and value relationships. It's hard-wired in our DNA.

The more you give, ultimately the more you receive.

Here is my concern for many in sales...

The relationships that many in sales believe they have with their customers is not nearly what the customers believe it to be.

Could a gap possibly exist between what salespeople believe is the truth and what their clients believe is the truth when it comes to their relationship?

If it looks like a relationship, acts like a relationship, smells like a relationship… it isn’t always a relationship.

Why do I say this? Because a healthy relationship is when two people develop a connection based on:

• Mutual respect
• Trust
• Honesty
• Support
• Fairness
• Love
• Good communication

Relationships are a necessary part of healthy living, but there is no such thing as a perfect relationship. Relationships take time, effort, patience, respect, giving and caring.

Client relationships are a necessary part of a healthy business.

You must have healthy relationships, to have healthy business.

In these relationships you...

• Can express yourselves to one another without fear of consequences
• Trust each other
• Are honest with each other
• Maintain and respect each other
• Feel secure and comfortable

I'm deeply concerned that the concept of a client business relationship has become lost inside the sales world.

There's no significant depth and genuine meaning. The walk doesn't match the talk.

I wholeheartedly believe that before anyone in sales, management or leadership throws the term, "We have great client relationships" or "We love our clients" on the business table and out into the community, they should give some serious thought as to what it really means to them and how they will execute on it.

"Your problem is to bridge the gap which exists between where you are now and the goal you intend to reach."

Earl Nightingale

Think about the gap... Are you building emotional connections or disconnections with your clients?

PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND MARRIAGE

There is a direct tie in between personal relationships, marriage and how this all blends together to bridge the relational gaps.

How often do you communicate with your significant other?

I want everyone in sales, management and leadership to pay close attention to the following:

What would happen if you went 90 days without speaking to, looking at or even hugging your significant other?

All of you already know the answer. So, then why on earth do you go 90 days (most instances even longer) without communicating and showing how much you care about your clients?

Let's get real for a moment. Without clients you have no business. Without a real, loving, caring and meaningful relationship you have no marriage.

It's time to wake up and stop taking advantage of your most precious asset, your clients!

How are bridging the relational and emotional gaps that exist with your clients?

I'm massively concerned with the weak relational skill set that many have in sales.

In personal relationships and marriage, it is fair to say that love, caring and a sense of belonging are placed at the forefront. What prevents this from happening with your client relationships?

The monumental relational and emotional gaps that exist for many in sales reminds me of quicksand, slow and seemingly unstoppable.

It is time to wake up! I believe many of you are babysitting (at best) your clients until someone else comes along who truly values what it means to be in a business relationship.

Truth is in the eye of the beholder

Relationships are a part of human nature. It's wired in our DNA.

The more you give, ultimately the more you receive.

CLOSE THE GAP... A HEALTHY BUSINESS MARRIAGE, A HEALTHY BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP

As with a marriage, businesses that are built around partnerships tend to have a better chance of success than those that aren’t. When it comes to the world we live in today, I believe that business is personal.

Care and compassion are how we connect

• Connectivity (knowing we're in this together)
• Support (knowing we're helping each other)
• Validation (knowing we feel the same way)

Compassion helps forge strong bonds. Letting your clients know that you will be with them every step of the way, no matter what, can go a long way in the success of any business partnership.

Being compassionate requires trying to understand things from the other person’s point of view before reacting.

According to the American Psychological Association, about 40 to 50 percent of married couples in the United States divorce.

What are you doing right now to ensure your client relationships don't end in a divorce?

What will you commit to doing to bridge the relationship gap?

Think of the following relationship equation with every one of your clients.

(Engage + Excite) x Conversation x Caring = Closes the Relational Gap

I understand, I get where you all are coming from. Every day, I walk in your shoes. I am fully committed to helping your sales team integrate social aspects and heartfelt strategies into your current sales process to grow new business. I want you to get results. This is why I am passionate about doing this the right way, the genuine way, the authentic way! It's about understanding value before visibility.

Selling From the Heart is making a difference! I poured my heart into every page of this book and I think you're going to love it. You can find it on Amazon in paperback, kindle and in audio. You can click on the book image below and this will take you to Amazon.In a world full of empty suits, I'm passionate about helping sales reps succeed by getting valuable before they get visible. I help sales teams understand the true value they bring to the market. 

In a world full of empty suits, I'm passionate about helping sales reps succeed by getting valuable before they get visible. I help sales teams understand the true value they bring to the market. 

With great pride I transform, challenge, coach and inspire sales teams to grow new business by helping them share their story and how they communicate it out by integrating the use of social and Selling from the heart inside the sales process. You can follow me on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and on my podcast by clicking on Selling from the Heart.