BACK TO BASICS --
AND THE CLIENT WHO STARTED IT ALL !
With the so-called "down-turn" in the economy lately, I've been putting on ... as have a number of my associates ... been putting on a concentrated push for new business
opportunities. ("Clients", that is.) Not a routine, garden variety push, mind you -- but an Industrial Strength, Front Burner, High Heat, Hard Core, Extra Sauce, Seasoned Salt and
Seasoned Pepper push!
And I suppose all of that is well and good. After all, my business did turn 25 this year, and I give credit to these periodic "business B-12 shots" to thank for it.
Tis' better to get out of our own "comfort zones", ourselves, rather than have someone come along and take good bidness away. Nothing like a good "new business
push", eh?
Well, hold that wireless just a cotton' pickin' minute, Mister Forbes! What about that client who's been with us from day one, for cryin' out loud. Didn't
some famous stadium namesake say we were supposed to "two-step with 'em if they done came with us", or something like that? Well, anyway, the whole topic of "new business" or "old
business" reminds me of a United Airlines commercial which ran about 15 years ago.
Briefly, the commercial starts out with the entire sales staff of a well established business assembled in a conference room. Enter the business owner -- I've forgotten his
name ... let's say, "Jack". Enter "Jack", who says: "...today, we LOST the first client we ever had." Jack said, "Apparently Archie thought we lost interest in
him ... and we LOST Archie!. " Jack then hands out airline tickets (thank you, United!) to the staff, and instructs them to personally go see those clients who
built the business...like Archie.
"AND, WHERE ARE YOU GOING, JACK?"
"I'm going to call on Archie," Jack said, "...and I'm going to tell Archie he's as important to us now, if not more so, than he ever was."
I think about that commercial often. And when I get on these new business "B-12 shot" kicks, I also think about old "Archie", and order up a "booster shot" for him, too.
Not a bad thing to do for our friendships, as well. Oh...and to the "Archie" out there... O'Connell's comin' a' callin' this week! And, Monica. And, Judy. And...
PUT ON THE DANCIN' SHOES!
HAVE A GOOD WEEK, EVERYONE...
O'C
