;)
Guide to Building and Maintaining Customer Relationships
Saturday, June 7, 2008 at 01:19PM 
I have recently begun an intensive training course with Eben Pagan. The first thing I will be doing is writing an eBook about working with customers and potential team members, building long-term relationships with them. I see this as a win-win opportunity for you and for me.
I will be following the recommendations I am receiving from Eben, who is a 20 million dollar information businessman. As I implement his teachings, I will be sharing what I've learned with you. The first step is to be sure that I'm giving the kind of information that other business owners like you are looking for.
Here's my idea. I am now in the process of outlining the book. My goal is to provide information and advice to help create profitable, long lasting relationships with your prospects. This is aimed at those of you who are beginning to get prospects coming to you through attraction marketing and going to Step Two: How to Work with the Customers You've Attracted!
To be sure I'm on target with this information, I need to know what part of the customer relationship is your greatest challenge. Let's say you've put out your articles, and are starting to build a list of contacts. What goes through your mind as you contemplate what steps to take with these names? Do you know what to say when you contact them? Do you call them on the telephone? Are you comfortable with that? What kind of emotions do you feel when you reach for the phone? What are you afraid will happen? What do you hope will happen? What are you doing now and has it been effective? Do you know when and how to make your sales pitch? Again, how does it make you feel? Anxious, excited, ill? Do you give away products or information or do you go straight to the sale? These are the kinds of things I want to know. Anything that has to do with your interaction with new or existing customers and what you most want help with.
If you respond to these questions by Monday, June 16 -- that's 10 days from now, I will give you a free copy of the eBook, Romancing the Sale, when it is finished. You can respond by leaving a comment here on this blog, or through the contact page if you would rather leave me a telephone number and have me call you. I will in no way abuse this favor. Of course, I will not use your information as a way to spam you - all of my email campaigns are opt-in only, so you are always in control of what if any info you wish to receive from me. As a matter of fact, a copy of this article will be sent to those on my list, so that gives you an idea of what you can expect if you would like to receive my newsletters.
I will not publish any personal info about you or your company. You do, however, give me permission to use your story in the book by sending it to me! But it would be done as an example, without names.
Using the information you send, I will develop the book. I am shooting for a three-week time frame beginning June 16. Part of this will depend on my illustrator - I'll keep his identity a surprise for now!
When the book is finished, I will make it available to all of you who responded to this request. I hope you will then give me your honest feedback as to how valuable you found the information to be, if it addressed your most important problem, and if I can improve it in some way. After that, I will revise it and it will then be available for $39. You will be entitled to the revised edition for free as well.
I'll report back here to let you know what kind of a response I received from this article as well as all future techniques I use to write, market and sell the book. Thanks in advance for your help!
Barbara Silva
I am so excited by the response I am getting! Just a note; speaking to you over the phone will give me your "natural language." If you are willing to do a phone interview, leave your number and best time to call and your time zone on the contact me page. I promise I will not use this information for anything other than to get your feedback for the purposes of this book!
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Reader Comments (17)
Wow Barbara, what a great offer and tremendous move for you in developing your business. I can't wait to read the ebook. I will work on my questions & concerns and forward to you ASAP.
Thanks for all you do and your example of how to do it.
Your Friend,
Craig
Hi Barbara. I'm following along with what you're doing; always look forward to your contributions. I'm still at the laying-the-foundation stage, but will be happy to offer feedback.
All the best,
Theresa
Barbara, thanks so much for the offer. I am anxious to read it. Congratulations on taking that step and putting out your own e-book. You are a great teacher and I can't wait to learn from your expertise!
Jill C.
Wow Barbara! What a great offer and what a brilliant idea! I would love to read an e-book that takes me through the follow up process.
Your running mate,
Irene
Barbara,
Addressing the difficulties that we encounter while building relationships whether through email or on the phone sounds like a great idea. Learning to relax and not push makes people more comfortable and trusting. Looking forward to your finished book.
All the best, Jeff M
Hi Barbara, congratulations on your progress. You will benefit greatly from Eben Pagan, he is also an outstanding trainer in the marketing field. Your consistent progress is encouraging and of great value to me.
Many thanks
I wish you great success
Christine.B
I just read this article for a 2nd time with more energy now. I think this is a very good idea to add valuable content to your Ebook. It is exactly how it should be done because people want their information more from a 3rd party autonomous person so they do not feel they are being just sold something. I will think about submitting something in the near future.
Good Luck!
Matt Fusinato
Most of us know that the real key to success is not giving up when things are at their worst. The most valuable information we can share is what the most common struggles are, so we can all learn how to overcome them.
I will definitely contribute by sharing my current struggles with you. I hope it will help to create a truly valuable resource.
Lane Reiss
PS - There is a certain submission above that is strangely generic, and smells a little like SPAM. Can you find it?
Hi Barbra - I think this is a great idea as well. The basis of attraction marketing is giving value before you seek to "receive" and, by asking others for their greatest challnges, you are seeking not to just add value but to answer their specific needs.
Well Done. Happy to email you through my feedback.
Zoe
Hi Barbara way to go,
I have no problems with the phone. My main goal is to sell myself first by showing genuine interest in the person I am talking to.
My delema Is I cant see that person, I can't see their eyes,I cant see their body language so I really don't know when to make the pitch.
Maybe your book will help me
Thanks Grant
Barbara,
I'm pleased to help in any way, and I'm so excited for the opportunity you have! Please call to see what I can add for you.
Thanks,
Becky Joubert
Hi Barbara!
I would love to get involved! I just bought Tiffany Dow's eBook on eBooks :) I'm really so impressed at the level of planning you're doing. Blessings! I'll be in tough or you can call me! www.TerriStallcop.com
Hi Barbara. Just browsing your site. Looks good to me! I can see why you have pre-orders for your book! I didn't get your email address in LA this past weekend, so I'm posting here...let's figure out how to get our Group together soon!!
Take care,
Jeff
Way To Go Barbara, Congratulations. Do keep me posted. I would love to know about your success..
Wishing You All the Very Best
Rashmi
Barbara, you are doing a great job. I appreciate your integrity. Bless you. ~ eddie
Rashmi,
Thank you and likewise -- there is so much to learn and other networkers are the best school around! Keep me posted on your activities as well!
Barbara
Eddie,
Thank you so much. "Integrity" was one of the first "big girl" words I learned from my dad. His entire business was built on his reputation for being a man of his word. It's very important to me that people know I will put their needs first, and my wallet a distant second, if not third, fourth or fifth!
The next word my dad taught me was "opaque." Guess I had a habit of standing in front of the tv set! LOL
Barbara