Founder & CEO@SalesPlaybook | Build & scale B2B sales quickly, efficiently, without trial & error
A client was always "late to everything". Late to meetings, late to pay, late to X. Naturally, I told him to f*** off, ridicule him on LinkedIn, and never come back. Well, not quite. Because he was humble about it, and explained the difficult context he was in. In 2021, he ended up closing a 6-figure ARR deal with us despite low engagement. In 2023, he came back to me to collaborate again. He ended up investing 5x more with us in 2023+2024 than before. So yes, be strict on disqualifying clients that are quite frankly a**holes. But also be human about people you believe in to help them out? Because that is what you are paid to do. In this case 5x more than otherwise. Yes, it took 3 years for "Round 2". But we're playing infinite games here, right?
Florian Haag
3mo
always be human, if a friend comes late to an appointment you will ask for the reason and be eager to understand, so why not in business :) If it's too many times or without reasoning, you still can act on it..
Marek Molicki
3mo
I believe that being good pays off, even if not always financially, always when it comes to well-being. It is worth investing in good acts, as what goes around comes around.
Samuel Darwin
3mo
Manuel, absolutely agree, patience and understanding can indeed transform client relationships. It's remarkable how your approach turned a potentially negative situation into a fruitful collaboration. It's also worth noting the importance of clear communication standards early in the partnership. Sometimes setting these expectations can prevent misunderstandings and build mutual respect right from the start.
I trink a very smart man shared with me one of his sales house rules - no ego ;-)
Ritik Sharma
3mo
Humble and human interactions can lead to valuable long-term relationships. 🌟
That's the spirit Manuel! We are for sure playing the infinite game, love it when Simon Sinek discusses that for business too. Congrats to your client and yourself!
This is very insightful Manuel. Clients cannot be treated in a binary way.
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3moThanks for sharing this insightful story, Manuel. As they say, "never cast dirt into that fountain of which you have sometimes drunk". In some cases, it may be hard to understand if a client really is 'in a difficult context' or is just poorly organized and doesn't value your collaboration. It's always about balancing between the desire to stay respectful and ready to help and the desire to keep your boundaries safe and say no to those who really deserve it.