Giving and receiving from your clients

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It is always better to give than it is to receive. However, receiving is a gift that you allows someone to provide for you as well.

After helping a friend in a marital crisis this past week, a significant other asked, “Do you let others help you the way you help them?” I understand it’s good to receive as well as it is to give. I guess it’s something I get from my mother – it seems easier to help or give something to someone else than receive sometimes. I blame her of course – not me. Take heart, in the end – we all blame our mothers for most things, don’t we?

In business, it’s always wise to offer your clients acknowledgement for special holidays and occasions in their lives. When times are tough, offer more value for a slightly lesser fee, and remind them, in this helpful way, of the value you provide. More often than not, when you ask for a referral or introduction to the associates and colleagues of your clients – they will be ready, willing and able to say yes. Be specific in your request. Attempt to make it easy for them to say yes by providing specific information about how you want to grow your business and what they might do to help. If it’s too open-ended, it might be overwhelming for a client thinks they need to provide you with the gift of referral to multiple organizations. Asking to be introduced to three or four ideal prospects will be perceived as being more doable in their minds.