Paying in Advance for Your Dream Client

No salesperson denies the importance of relationships in creating and winning opportunities in business-to-business or major account sales. No salesperson denies the need to take the long view in their actions and behaviors. Consistently behaving as if these statements are true is a bit more problematic, though.

You pay in advance for your dream client.

You Pay in Advance For the Right to Compete

You pay in advance for your dream client’s business by proving you have the determined perseverance to pursue their business over the long haul, never giving up and never giving in.

You pay in advance for the right to compete for your dream client’s business by nurturing the relationships that open opportunities. These nurturing efforts prove that you a value-creator and not a time-waster.

The price of being given an opportunity is proving that you are different and that you are worth spending time with. It requires that you prove you have ideas that will benefit your dream client and their business results.

You pay in advance by doing all of the heavy lifting that is your personal and professional development, building the capacity to deliver results and to be a person worth following.

You Pay in Advance for the Right to be Trusted

You pay in advance for the right to be trusted by always acting with the honest and integrity that are tables stakes—and so much more—so that your reputation precedes you.

You pay in advance for the right to be trusted by creating value before claiming any. If you are short sighted or selfish, you demonstrate that you aren’t willing to pay the price and that you believe that you are entitled to your dream client’s business.

You pay in advance for the right to be trusted by making and keeping all of the commitments that you make, large or small.

You Pay in Advance for the Right to Cooperate and Collaborate

You pay for the right to cooperate and collaborate with your dream client by helping them diagnose their problems, challenges and how best to capitalize on their opportunities.

You pay in advance by helping them to work the decision-makers, decision influencers, stakeholders, and end users from the north end of their org chart to the south to create the consensus necessary to change.

You pay in advance for your dream client by helping to develop the vision of what the right solution looks like and helping them to tell that story in a meaningful way.

You bring this story to life by creating a win-win agreement in which both you and your dream client capture part of the value that is created.

If you want to win your dream clients tomorrow, you pay for them with what you do today.