4 Things I’d Do When Clients Break Up With Me

Never easy to say goodbye

Look.

Sh!t happens.

Clients walk away.

And we must know why. Our client(s) is why our day job or 1-person business exists. We exist to serve them.

And they have stories to tell.

We must ask.

And listen.

Ask and Reflect from Within

It is easy to get defensive.

After all, some clients leave because they are offended. Their reasons can be unfounded.

But no matter.

Listen to their grouses.

You may learn a lot about their expectations, your service, and the mismatch of product fit.

It could be that,

1. They expect proximity of customer support (reasonable but may be hard to achieve),
2. They find that the product falls short of purchase expectations,
3. They might think you are not attentive to their needs.

These are all brilliant reasons.

Of course, you might think you have done your ultimate best to satisfy their business needs and demands. I have no doubts about that.

You might feel unjust.

But I say this.

I get it.

Also, I must say this.

The world of business revolves around clients and their level of satisfaction. Fishing out the real reason they walk away is the best way to understand our business economics better.

We clench our fists, bite our tongue, and hold back our retort for the betterment of our work and 1-person business.

Yes.

It is a bitter pill to swallow.

But exit clients may come back.

You don’t want to burn bridges today.

1. Bring Them Out to Lunch

I know you are appalled by this suggestion.

Why waste time, attention, and money on an exit client?

But hey. I have my reasons for saying so. Give me a listen, will you?

You want them to tell you the truth, right? You will not get it in their office or yours. Mouths zip tight in official settings.

There will always be official reasons that cannot be openly articulated.

Maybe it has to do with office politics. Or bad blood between their bosses and yours.

To find out, take them out for lunch.

Let them relax a little.

Then, ask why.

They will tell you the story. Of course, they will not tell you the entire story. It may jeopardize their jobs.

But you can unveil the hidden mechanics running in the background.

And you’ll know what to do if you are invited back to their office.

Remember this.

What you don’t see matters a million times more than what you can see.

2. Have an Open Conversation with That Adversary

Some corporate adversaries operate behind a hidden veil.

You may notice their presence in meetings and unbelievable ability to influence other senior executives.

You might have,

• Shook their hands,
• Presented to them,
• Had cordial conversations with them,
• Understood their intent to collaborate with or without you,
• Conversed with them without identifying their hidden objections.

You think they will support you in executive purchase decisions. Nothing could be further from the truth. They might have silently opposed your work, product and services, and presence in their boardroom.

And then, the contract failed to renew. It expired. You got screwed.

You found out from other major operational sponsors what happened. You had the shock of your life.

Sure, you felt betrayed.

But stay composed.

Go to his office. Invite him to a meeting. Or coffee.

Investigate what happened.

Water is now under the bridge. Everything is a done deal. This hidden corporate adversary is now in the open.

Trust me.

This difficult conversation will open your eyes.

You will realize why you are not the problem.

Be prepared to be awestruck.

3. Create a Case Study Out of This Experience

This, to me, is key.

Everyone is obsessed with stacking clients.

We focus on,

• Pre-selling,
• Pitching,
• Closing.

And we throw thousands and thousands of dollars into courses that impart the secrets of unlocking the war chest of cash-rich clients.

But.

We have never once focused on understanding that client who has chosen to abandon us.

First question.

Why?

Next question.

Why not?

Because what we find out can be valuable to our existing and future client portfolio.

We can interview our exit clients and share our knowledge with our peers.

I do this using case studies.

• I will share the client interview details,
• I dutifully log on the events that have happened during the last 3 months,
• I dissect the reasons for the breakup (budget, office politics, competitor edge, etc.).

Trust me. This works.

Because you never know when this client will approach your colleague.

And you want your colleague(s) to understand this client when they come.

4. Ask for an Endorsement

Treat this like a final kiss goodbye.

That is, I assume, no bad blood.

Puff up your chest. Shake hands. Laugh away all work-based friction and tension accumulated over time. Solidify the invisible friendship that has been built with time.

And, of course, make a final ask.

“Can you endorse me and my work on LinkedIn?”

Keep the question simple.

Clients will do so.

Why?

Easy.

No one wants to be seen as a prick. The business world is small. We will meet again. Your direct counterpart might need your help in the future.

They will help you today.

Especially when it is an innocuous ask with no dollars involved.

The Close

Clients come.

Clients go.

That is life.

And sales professionals learned to accept this phenomenon as second nature. Like breathing. Like sleeping. Like eating dinner.

The last thing we will ever do… is burn bridges.

Don’t do that. Not even when you are annoyed.

Here’s why.

Word-of-mouth negativity spreads like wildfire.

You don’t want it happening behind your back.

Because when it does… your career in sales will be in jeopardy.

It happens.

Just don’t let it happen to you.

Enjoy my writing? Consider subscribing here.