Okay, so to the left you’ll see my Mom’s parents: Bobbi and Bruce Pugh. I never met Bobbie (Barbara Ann) but was named after her… and hear she was a fun-loving woman who was full of spunk, loved to read, and loved a good time. Imperfect in a million ways, but great in a million, too. I did — however — get to meet “Grandaddy Bruce.” He even stayed with us for brief periods of time when my brother and I were small. (The stories of WHY his stays were so brief are hilarious… but best reserved for another time!)
Bruce also loved to read, loved to make up silly songs and rhymes, and loved — unfortunately — to drink. =) More on him later.
When I was very small, we lived in a neighborhood that was frequented by the “Ice Cream Man.” You know the drill. You hear the music from the ice cream truck. You and your brother stop in your tracks and share a knowing glance of the opportunity quickly driving your way. Without hesitation, you run full speed into your house to scrounge up some cash for an ice cream. No cash, no ice cream. Too slow getting cash, no ice cream.
Back to Grandaddy Bruce. When he was over back then, he’d sleep on our couch. And Scotty and I noticed: he slept without emptying his pockets of change. So, all of his coins ended up in the cushions of the couch. Knowing this, the den couch was the first place we’d look for ice cream money. (We were rarely disappointed.) We’d gotten money there before, so we went back when we wanted more. Makes sense, right?
Well, the same concept should be put to work in your business.
My clients come to me when they are ready — and committed — to making more money than they’d made in the past. In fact, I don’t take on private clients who don’t want to AT LEAST double their income. So, that’s what I do. And, one of the first things my clients and I do together? We look at where their money has come from in the past. (Same as in my ice cream man story.) We make a list of their top clients or customers. We find the similarities, and we create ways to leverage these.
You see, money always leaves a trail.
Where or how or with who has your business ALREADY been most successful? Make a list. This list is YOUR couch full of mad money. So, take the time. Make a list of your top or most recent clients or customers. Write it down. (Doing it mentally will cause you to move way too fast to get any real value out of this exercise.)
Then, beside EACH of your top twenty, write down everything you know about them.. their family… where they live… what they do… their religion… their alma mater…. their favorite store… whatever you know, write it down. Regardless of how irrelevant it seems. After you’ve done this for all of your top twenty, start highlighting the similarities. Voila, you’ve just found your sweet spot in business.
Wanna take it a step further? And REALLY increase your income? Talk to them. Not about what you’re selling or offering. But, ask them what aggravates them about your industry…. and theirs. Ask them for their wish list. Ask them what you could do to serve them better.
And then, make changes to what you offer to accommodate your TOP CLIENTS wish list.
