Do you have a list of your TOP 100 “Dream Customers”?

Do you have a list- mental or otherwise- of 100 “Dream” customers or clients? If you don’t, then you should. What makes a dream customer can vary- it kind of goes back to “what makes a good customer.” It could be transaction size, transaction frequency, well-known or upstanding members of the community, or good people that you would like to do business with daily. Imagine how nice your days could be if you worked with 100 of your “dream” customers or clients.

So how do you go about obtaining these dream clients?

The first step in the recruiting process is to make a list of the specific companies that you want as customers. It’s not “rocket science” but this step gets overlooked often.

If you don’t have a list of prospects, take the time to segment your list of past customers that you haven’t done business with, in a while. Even if you’ve worked with them in the not-so-distant past, if they were “good” customers, go ahead and add them to your top 100 “Dream” list.

Once you have this list, you must create a specific plan to contact these prospects. Decide which “tools” you will use (phone, fax, email, personal visit, referrals) that will be the most effective when trying to recruit a “TOP 100” client. It’s important to note that a recruiting tactic or strategy that works on one individual or company may be totally ineffective on another potential client.

HOT TIP: Post the name and phone number of your TOP 100 list on a “BIG SHEET” of paper and put it in a highly visible location where staff and visitors can’t miss it. In many cases, just making it easy to identify who should or could be recruited as a new or welcomed “Dream” client will result in personal contact. If you are really daring, publish the list in your newsletter (printed and email) and “accidentally” send it out to not only your current client base but everyone on the TOP 100 “Dream Member” list.

Note- Be sure to set up some type of criteria for your TOP 100 list that may include things like community influence, industry excellence, referral base, etc. This list really should be a specific TOP 100 list and not just a general list of people you haven’t worked with before.

SideBar: What Makes a Grade “A” Client?

Last month, we talked about choosing the right bait to get good clients. If you haven’t made your “best” or “worst” client list, do it.

What makes a good client?

-Pays the set price
-No hassle/No haggle.

-On-time payment
-Easy to deal with

-Fun to work with

-Transaction size

-Repeat business.

Only you can determine what makes a client “one of your best”. This list is helpful in many fields, especially in your marketing. Taking the time to look at your Grade “A” clients will help you to DO BUSINESS ON YOUR OWN TERMS. If you can fill your day working with and for your best customers, chances are, prosperity will trickle down into every aspect of your business.

Be sure to differentiate between a “bad” customer and a “pain-in-the-butt” customer. Just because a client requires extra attention or additional service steps, does not make them a “bad” customer if the price or fee is right.