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As we’ve been updating our home, one thing has proven to be true: there are three distinct moments when I’m beyond excited about a product or a company.
Take the pendant lights in the master bedroom. I’m pretty sure I scrolled through at least 4,000 options on-line, so when I finally found “the one”, I was ecstatic. Moment #1.
Opening up the package was thrilling since I’d only seen this on a screen and here in my hands was our idea of perfection—plus it arrived early! Moment #2.
A couple weeks later our electrician was finally able to install them and They. Looked. Fabulous. Moment #3.
The thing is, it’s not so different when you’re running an authority business. Your clients and buyers are most excited when they find you, when they hire you and when the project is completed (or they’ve finished your course, book, etc.).
Which means those are the three perfect times to not only ensure you’re providing the best experiences, but to also leverage the good will that is at its highest point.
Finding you. Most times consulting clients have to talk about something that isn’t working—they are in a vulnerable spot and it may not feel good or easy to ask for help.
So our job is to offer a quick response—a brief assurance that you’ve heard them and will help (or refer) them. It could be as simple as sending them a link to your calendar to set up a call.
Know that delays don’t just feel like lost time to a prospect in this space—every day you wait to respond reduces the emotional connection they were feeling when they first reached out to you.
Hiring you/buying your stuff. This is when your people are on a high. They’ve finally found the solution to a problem they’ve been grappling with and they can’t wait to get moving.
Here you want to manage every touch point between the space where they say yes (or hit the BUY button) and delivery begins.
Maybe you set up your kick-off call or send over a (manageable) list of the project interviews to be scheduled. You’re reinforcing your initial promise to them about how you’ll be working together and what that feels like.
Think of it as building connective tissue now that will help later when the inevitable conflicts come up.
And if it’s a product you’re selling, speed is your friend. If it’s a course that doesn’t start immediately, get them into a group of other buyers or show them a video so they aren’t sitting around wondering what’s next.
Finishing up. When you’ve finished your work or your product has been fully “consumed”, your client or buyer is excited for what’s next (if they’re not, you still have the opportunity to either satisfy them or learn for the next time).
It’s the best time to ask for a testimonial and/or a referral. Since the entire experience is still fresh, you’ll get the best feedback.
It’s typically also the perfect time to direct your clients or buyers to the next step in their experience with you—maybe you help them implement the strategy you built, coach their leaders or move to an advisory retainer.
Acting on these inflection points isn’t just good business—it’s a valuable form of leverage that costs nothing and can exponentially multiply your results…