“My customer is your prospect.” These five words need to be recited at least ten times a day. Your future may depend on it.

Finding the “next” piece of business (prospecting) is always more exciting than keeping the current cash infusion (customers).  Said another way, “The hunt is always more fun than maintaining what is already yours.”  Therefore, it becomes imperative that we keep our satisfied and loyal customers … satisfied and loyal to insulate them from the “hunters.” Get it?

Credibility plays a major role in our maintaining customer relationships. It may take years to establish – similar to trust – but only seconds to destroy it. Here are five easy tips to insure your ongoing credibility quotient stays healthy.

1. Establish and maintain eye contact. Most people think they do this. Most people don’t even come close to doing it effectively. Poor eye-contact is a sign that the speaker does not fully endorse their opinion or that they lack self-confidence. Look people in the eye and hold contact.

2. Return phone calls, emails (and similar communications) promptly. Make no mistake about it. If a person is important to you, you will make the time and find the time to call them back immediately. The caller knows that. How fast you return their communication is a clear indication of how important they are to you. Call people back fast.

3. Keep multitasking to a minimum. Some people take pride in how many “balls” they can keep in the air at one time. This may bring applause for circus jugglers, but it has been proven to be the fastest way to screw up multiple tasks expeditiously when it comes to business. Focus on the job at hand.

4. Be quick to “sincerely” apologize when appropriate. Although they may not be quick to admit it, prospects and customers know that it is a complicated world and that you too are susceptible to making a mistake now and then. Ignoring the miscue is often a bad decision. Sincerity counts.

 5. Don’t guess when it comes to a client’s future comfort level. According to me, the word “think” has no place in an important discussion between you and your client. You are not being paid to “think.” You are being paid to “know.” If you do not “know,” quickly offer to research and find the answer to their inquiry and get back to promptly. NOTE: Over time your internal database of information should expand which will keep you from guessing.

By adhering to these five tips you will be performing the minimum requirements necessary to distance yourself from your competition.

The best way to deal effectively with a sad experience is to make sure the sad experience never happens in the first place. These five tips will have you moving in the proper direction.

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Email Mike for information about his Inner Circle Sales & Marketing Club.