The Answer Could Be Right In Front Of You
I got a massage on Friday. It’s actually tough for me to call it that, because this is not the kind of massage with oils and spa music that makes you fall asleep on the table. This is the kind of bodywork that sometimes hurts like hell in the moment, but makes you walk straighter the next day. This guy gets my body working properly again.
I try to see him every few weeks, but the COVID closure really made a dent in his business. Even though he’s a health care practitioner and my HSA dollars count toward his services, he wasn’t able to be open for a couple of long months.
I asked him how things were going, and if his clients were coming back, and he told me about a contest he was running for his team members. Are you ready for this?
His team of ten or so massage therapists was challenged to reach out to 5000 current or former clients over two weeks.
You read that right... 5000
It works out to about 50 calls a day, per therapist, and if they complete their list they get a bonus.
He couldn’t see my reaction when he told me because he had his elbow firmly planted in my back at the time, but I was shocked. It was almost reflexive for him. He doesn’t have a sales background, and he doesn’t have a predisposition to overthinking it. It was just simple logic.
"We need to get people back in here. We know a bunch of people who we’ve helped in the past. We should probably get a hold of them and let them know we’re still here."
The surprising part? They’re getting it done and without a lot of complaining. What's far less surprising is that they’re seeing results. They're getting clients to come back, they're filling their schedules, and despite being closed for the first part of the month, they may well match their numbers from last June.
His surprise came when I told him that most people in his position probably wouldn’t have taken the same measures. Most small business owners or even quota-carrying salespeople would default to re-investing in marketing campaigns, paying to do some advertising, or just hoping and praying for people to come back in before they had to turn the lights off.
50 calls a day is a lot for a salesperson, let alone a massage therapist who still has clients to work on. Still, when it’s important enough, and you believe in the reason to do it, you find a way to get it done.
What happens when you reach out to your customers like that in a time like this?
They get to hear your voice. Especially if they haven’t in a while, you’ll cut through the noise. If they’re someone you’ve helped in the past, the call will immediately elicit a great feeling.
You get to make them an offer. “Come back in. It’s been a while. How’s that thing we helped you with the last time you were here?”
If they don’t want to come back in, you get an opportunity to find out why. In an environment like the one we’re currently facing, you can also glean some information regarding when they might be willing to.
Some people may still not feel safe to return to your business, and perhaps won’t until a few new safety measures are taken. In a lot of cases, you’ve probably already addressed them, and you get a chance to inform your customer. At the very least, you get a chance to understand very explicitly what needs to happen in order for people to feel ready to come back.
When the chips are down and it feels like it’s going sideways, it’s important to remember what you still can do to improve your situation. Sometimes the most effective course of action is right in front of you, and you’re thinking too hard (or even panicking too much) to recognize it.
What about you? Is there something right under your nose that you're missing or have maybe taken for granted?
Jeff Bajorek
Real. Authentic. Experience.
There’s a big difference between knowing how to sell and being able to. Jeff Bajorek spent over a decade in the field as a top performer. He’s been in your shoes. He knows what it will take. He can help you succeed.
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