Anticipating Client Needs for Future Growth

It’s vital that companies anticipate what their clients need currently and what they will need in the future. That’s shouldn’t be an earth shattering revelation to anyone in sales, but many organizations let complacency rule rather than positioning themselves for the future. Client needs drive your business, so make it a priority to anticipate those needs and be positioned to offer a solution.

Ntiva’s merger with IN Communications is a great example of a business recognizing a gap, in their case business telephony, and taking action to correct that gap. As the article states, the merger positions Ntiva to act as a single source for core technology services rather than only serving part of their clients’ needs. Mark Wasser, Owner of IN Communications, specifically sites that the goal for the merger is to help their clients grow and thrive.

All too often, sellers are replaceable. If you fall into this category, it’s most likely because you view your clients as replaceable as well. While occasionally some clients aren’t worth the hassle, maintaining relationships is more likely to gain you sales, because on average, keeping an existing client is five times less expensive than acquiring a new one.

With that in mind, it’s important that you maintain your relationships with clients so that you can anticipate their future needs.

And what’s the best way to do that? They obviously hired you for a reason and look to you in helping their business grow, so be invaluable and become part of their team. Study their business inside and out until you know you can provide value outside of your traditional responsibilities. By demonstrating that you are willing to go to work for them, your clients will be more likely to view you as a true partner – invested in accomplishing their business’ goals.

Once you’ve established yourself as a partner rather than a vendor, you begin to get insights into future problems and anticipate how you can help resolve them.