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Are You Folding Your Client’s Underwear?

Written by: Laura Posey

Article Overview: I was having dinner the other night with my friend, Erin, who was complaining that she had to leave early so she could get home and finish doing the laundry. There was a pile of underwear sitting in a basket and it needed to be folded and put away. Erin really wanted to get it done before the next day when her husband and son would be using it. I asked Erin what her family would think if she didn’t fold their underwear and she said laughingly they wouldn’t even notice; they’d be just as happy living out of a laundry basket.

Are You Folding Your Client’s Underwear?

I was having dinner the other night with my friend, Erin, who was complaining that she had to leave early so she could get home and finish doing the laundry. There was a pile of underwear sitting in a basket and it needed to be folded and put away. Erin really wanted to get it done before the next day when her husband and son would be using it.

I asked Erin what her family would think if she didn’t fold their underwear and she said laughingly they wouldn’t even notice; they’d be just as happy living out of a laundry basket.

That got me thinking about sales… (yeah, my brain is weird like that)

Talking more to Erin, it became clear that she was folding the underwear not because her family wanted her to but because it made her feel like a good wife and mother to do so.

Suddenly, she realized it was her choice to fold the laundry. No one was asking her to do it and they didn’t value her extra work.

How many things do you do for your clients that they don’t notice or appreciate? What would happen if you stopped doing some of them? Or replaced them with something more important to them?

Make a list of all the things you do for your clients – calls, reminders, free services, notifications, products, etc.

Now call some of your clients and ask them what they would think if you discontinued doing/selling those things. You might be surprised to find that in some cases you’re folding their underwear.

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Article Tags: marketing, motivation, sales, sales tips, small business



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