Have you visited your clients in their natural habitat? Or are you one of those who thinks that site visits are dumb, unnecessary, or a waste of billable hours?
This week, in our quest to do more of the work we LOVE for clients we LOVE, let’s show our clients the LOVE by engaging in Site Visits.
WHY:
One of my contacts was recently complaining that his old professional advisor had retired, and the new guy didn’t seem to care about them:
“He never calls us. He’s never even been out for a site visit! Honestly…I have no loyalty to him.”
If having a competitive advantage is not enough of a reason to do a site visit, then read on!
5 more reasons to do a site visit to your customer’s location:
1. Your customer will feel valued *and in charge*. They get to brag about the empire they have built instead of about the problems they have.
2. You will learn something about your client’s overall industry. Not all businesses are prime for a site visit, but one that has a storefront, factory, shop, warehouse, or yard full of equipment sure is!
3. You meet their people! Putting faces to names builds loyalty with the whole team and helps remove the fear of calling/engaging professionals. Maybe you can even answer a quick question or two while you are there.
4. You can really understand your client’s unique selling features. They can *show you* their trade secrets – maybe it’s how they design their teams, the one-of-a-kind equipment they just acquired, or an innovative process they are testing out.
5. You will get inspired! You might be surprised by the ideas you can bring back to your own office – a monthly “challenge board”; how their social space is designed; how they treat visitors.
HOW:
Call your client for the sole purpose of setting up a site visit. Make it about them, not about some other catastrophe you are dealing with right now. Tell them you are interested in really understanding their business. I can’t promise you that they will say yes, but I have never had a client say no to a site visit.
Then when you are there, be a good guest.
– Consider bringing a small “host gift”. (Shop your firm’s swag cupboard; or bring snacks for their team or treats for the shop dog!)
– Ask questions, but don’t dominate. Let them be in charge.
– Say thank you.
WHEN:
You don’t need to do it *right now*, but book it right now. Schedule the visit with lots of time on either side for travel. Don’t cancel or reschedule because you are “too busy” that day.
Bonus content:
I hope I don’t need to say this, but don’t charge your client for this time. This is business development; your investment in a valuable relationship. If there is a line item on their next bill for this, it will have been all for naught.
