I have to admit that when I first began using GoDaddy, the upselling was a little confusing. Now, however, I “get” the routine and even have come to expect it.

In fact, I have even made purchases based on their recommendations, very happy they had made the suggestion.

Not only does GoDaddy earn more money (if I make this additional purchase) than they otherwise would have had they not made the offer, it’s also an amazingly helpful way to offer me more value. This is because the suggestions are based on a very real potential need.

(Additionally, in all the cases I have noted, making the purchase right then would cost less than coming back to make the purchase later.)

I think of when I waited tables, and I frequently upsold my guests on simple things, like appetizers, salads, and desserts. If I was really on my game, I would have been “reading” and engaging my guests before and throughout their dining experience to determine the more relevant items to suggest.

For example, if they had just been out with the family on their boat, sailing on a hot, summer day, they might enjoy a tall, refreshing glass of our fresh squeezed lemonade or ice tea.

Or, maybe they are visiting from Alabama and might like to experience a taste of home: Our Signature Flaky Crust, hot-out-of-the-oven peach cobbler a la mode, made with organic handmade ice cream from a local ice creamery.

If you were my guest and none of the suggestions tickled your fancy, my guess is you wouldn’t be upset that I offered them to you.

But how good would you feel if it was exactly what you wanted?

What a great feeling that someone was paying attention to you, noticing your needs and wants, and offering you relevant solutions!

Our clients come to use for solutions to their challenges. When they complete whatever it is they purchased from us, they usually will not spontaneously ask what else they can buy from us.

This may happen, but it’s not a reliable sales strategy.

Instead, clients are looking to us to have their best interests at heart and to be thinking about ways we can further serve them. They already know and like us, and we’ve already earned their trust. What an inconvenience for them to have to go down the road, do research, ask their friends and colleagues, etc., in order to find what it is they need!

We may have a product or service offering that is just what they need. Or, we may know someone who can support them.

Either way, upselling is serving. It really is a good thing, because rather than withholding something you know can help them, you honor them by giving the suggestion.

Then they can decide whether to say Yay or Nay.

And, the more we appreciate that frame of reference when someone is upselling us, the more our own clients will be inclined to appreciate what it is we are upselling to them.

Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do?

The truth is that everyone loves feeling appreciated, whether it’s expressed verbally or in writing.  That it’s unusual to receive a thank you in the mail (particularly in the E-mail Age) makes a handwritten note especially memorable.

It means someone was thinking of you, and that feels great.  Wouldn’t you agree?

Isn’t that what we want from our clients, that they remember us?  If we’re top of mind because we went the extra mile to express appreciation, the greater the likelihood for either repeat business or new business generated by positive word-of-mouth, or both.

So, how about you?  Are you consistently expressing gratitude and saying (writing!) your thank yous?  It’s clear that thanking our clients and our potential clients makes good business sense.

That’s why I was intrigued by the article headline The Art of Saying “Thank You,” written by the managing editor of PowerHomeBiz.com, Isabel Isidro.

I have to say that I didn’t expect to learn much from the article.  Like I mentioned, I’ve been saying thank you and writing thank you notes for years.

But, that’s what I get for getting uppity.   (Whenever I catch my mind saying “I know that already,” that’s precisely when I need to pay all the MORE attention!)

Isabel explains how great thank you notes are — whether mailed the old fashioned way or sent electronically — and she infers that if you aren’t sending them to your customers, you need to start sending them.

But maybe you are already sending thank you notes on a regular and consistent basis.  Even so, you may be still missing an opportunity to create more sales.

Every interaction with a client or potential client should have built into it a specific plan to develop or further the relationship.

You probably have heard the marketing wisdom that people do business with people they know, like and trust.  Expressing appreciation is one way to deliberately begin building trust, but after you’ve done that, “Now what?”

In other words, what plan do you have in place to further the relationship beyond simply engendering that warm, fuzzy feeling?

Have you ever thought of extending an offer that gives the client the opportunity to purchase from you again?  The client is already feeling awesome because you expressed genuine gratitude to them, and a carefully crafted offer that would further enhance their life would be a welcomed addition to the thank you note.

Isabel offers by way of illustration how Art.com expertly encouraged her to make a second purchase (which she did) when, in their thank you note to her (addressed to their “Valued Customer,” although if they had also used her name, it would’ve been even more effective), they offered her free shipping.

There wording was right on target:  “Now with our Free Shipping welcome offer, get your next purchase delivered on us!”

What satisfied customer could resist that offer?

When you feel appreciated by someone, aren’t you moved to return the gratitude and appreciation in some way?

Now, if you’re a real estate agent reading this, you might be thinking something like “If  I  just sold a house to someone, it would be a bit ridiculous to try to sell another house to the client in your thank you note to them!”

(And, I’d have to agree with you!…..Besides, the “free shipping” offer wouldn’t have the same effect, I’m afraid.)

The point is that we want to be strategic with our interactions with clients and proactively plan ways to leverage those interactions so that we are perpetually furthering the relationship.  This means thinking about ways to add value to the client, while also adding value to your pocketbook.

So, what would add value to a new homeowner?

Do they need lawncare or landscaping?  What about quality childcare?  Is health and fitness important to them?

Can you see where I’m going with this?  I’m sure you can come up with even better ideas.  These are just off the top of my head.

In these cases, you might decide to build solid relationships with various high-quality service providers who give you discount certificates to give your clients.  For example, a lawn care person might charge $200 a month (I’m just throwing a number out there, since I have no idea how much lawn care costs!), but because of your relationship with him, you can offer a thank you gift to your client of perhaps 25% off.  This alone would be a great way to raise your esteem in the eyes of the client and foster repeat business.

(Of course, you might also create a source of recurring income for yourself as well if, by agreement, the lawn care person paid you a percentage of the sale each month for the life of the client you brought him that he otherwise would have had to get on his own.)

Do you see the enormous power of the thank you?

What other ways might you add value to your clients that enhances and leverages your thank yous?

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Flickr Image by drcw under a Creative Commons license

As I think of him now, I am reminded with a warm feeling in my heart of what a darling child he is.  He’s very loving — and a little tenderhearted — and whenever I see him, he’s eager to show me all the things of his world.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him.

I remember one day when I was visiting, he showed me this little rocket-like toy that you pump up — I think he counted 10 or 12 pumps each time — and then you twisted something or stepped on something or something (my memory fails me) and then the rocket was suddenly launched into the atmosphere.  (Well, not exactly the atmosphere, but pretty high nonetheless.)

Heads up! because if you weren’t paying attention, it very well may be landing right on your head.

Fun.  Joy. Innocence.   Those words describe the little boy’s world.

Yet, as many parents the world over can attest, having a child with special needs can be trying at times, even at the best of times.

My client, however, is both creative and analytical at the same time.  She confided in me that life with her stepson can be challenging.

But, she said, “We just focus on his strengths.”

Wow.

That hit me smack in the face.  How inspiring is that?

If we can appreciate the value of focusing on the strengths of those with disabilities, why aren’t we fully embracing that concept with our spouses, partners, loved ones, friends?

…ourselves?

(Actually, I love most anything Google, but that’s probably beside the point.)

Google offers a cool little YouTube video tour of Google Maps that illustrates its many personal and business uses, as well as a getting-started, Google Maps User Guide that describes the basics of the online tool.

What I’m wondering is to what extent real estate agents are using Google Maps in their work.  Do you use Google Maps?  Have they made life easier for you and your clients?

I was just reading Joel Burslem’s article, written just slightly over a year ago, at the Future of Real Estate Marketing blog, and he’s as excited about Google Maps as I am — more so even, as he points out the real-world application of the technology, whereas I’ve just been using it primarily for personal use.

Joel reports that Google is definitely stepping into the real estate arena, beginning to populate Google Maps with real estate listings that can be searched geographically.  Obviously consumers will be using this technology, especially as it becomes more and more sophisticated.

Joel Burslem already is.

When he finds a home he likes,

“the very first thing I do is click over to a new tab, Google the address and pull it up on Maps.

From there, I can get a clear view of the street layout (access to freeways etc.), the terrain (how close is it to a park). I love Street View which gives me a first person look at the neighborhood. I start Googling local business to see how far the closest pub, pizza joint, drycleaners, etc. is from the home. I can also pull up instant directions to see how long my commute might be.

Sure I could do some of this on the originating source’s site. But like with all my other Google searches, I love the speed and clean look and feel to Maps”

Pretty slick, eh?  I’m thinking of the potential this has to keep real estate agents up-to-date and informed about the things their prospects care about.

So, are you using Google Maps as a help in your research?

Is it making life easier and helping you add value to your clients?

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Flickr Image by Stephen Mackenzie, under a Creative Commons license

Just about 2 years ago, however, the billionaire Bill Gates predicted that “Yellow Page usage amongst people in their, say below 50, will drop to near zero over the next five years.”

The truth value of that statement is yet to be seen, but in this Age of the Internet, a compelling online presence is essential for the real estate agent (and for entrepreneurs of every stripe, for that matter).

Why?

Prospective clients expect it.  In fact, they often will pre-screen businesses on the web before (or instead of) they call.  I know this, but I still am amazed every time I speak with a client-to-be or a new prospect or referral partner when they tell me they found me on the web.  Not only that, they tell me everything about me!

Market Hardware’s Fall 2007 edition of their small business newsletter, Web Insider, offered four main reasons potential clients do this.

1. They want to know if you’re credible.  Are you established?  Will you be around for the long haul?  Do you have references or testimonials?
2. They want information.  Can you answer my questions?  Are you an expert in your field?  What do you offer in the way of relevant information that I cannot easily access on my own or obtain from someone else?
3. They want to communicate.  How do I get in touch with you?  Do you have multiple ways I can contact you?
4. They want convenience.  Can I check out your business on my own terms, when I want?

How does your web site stack up to expectations?  Are you giving your customers what they want?

Feel the weight of the world on your shoulders because you have to do everything yourself?

I think someone (or, many someones) is trying to tell me something.

Dr. Dov Baron, a leader in the personal development arena (and one of my heroes!) who has held a private practice for over 20 years, has only in the last several years begun assembling a strategic team of individuals who are aligned with his mission and purpose.  Asked what he would do differently in his business, he remarked that he would have built a team sooner.

Small business coach, Michael Port, is oft heard commenting that nothing great is accomplished alone.

My coach trainer and mentor, Terri Levine (the Guru of Coaching) has created multiple companies, systems, programs, best selling books, and more all with the support of a super-talented team committed to her (and their) success.

On the surface, real estate tycoon Donald Trump appears singularly self-reliant.  Yet, according to Michael Sexton (President of Trump University), “he could never have reached the pinnacle of success without the support of a great team.”

Gary Keller in The Millionaire Real Estate Agent says that “hiring talent is the key to gaining leverage in your business life.”  In fact, he advises that in most cases, a real estate agent should hire administrative help even before the full development of business systems and tools.

Don’t think you need a team?

Michael Sexton expertly addresses that question on The Trump Blog, which I invite you to read for yourself by clicking HERE.

Being magnetic is all about flow and ease (Does a magnetic struggle to attract?).  Isn’t that what you want for your business and your life?

I know I do.

Giving his advice just before the start of 2008, Mr. Sexton offered that there is no better time to put together a quality team (to release unnecessary stress and overwhelm) than at the beginning of a new year.

Well, I say there’s no better time than right now, no matter what time of year it is!

Don’t you?

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Flickr image by Scott Maxwell, founder of The Gold Guys.  Used under a Creative Commons license.