Monday, Monday, Can’t Trust That Day
For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week, I offer this Blogging Hypothetical Question.
A friend explains a situation with a potential client who works in a field that suits the friend’s skills, style, and experience to a T. The more you hear, the more you think that the client needs your friend’s help to grow his business. You know the guy’s on the level. You’ve met some of his clients. They speak highly of his work.
The client-to-be is an entrepreneur with important clients, and he’s stuck where entrepreneurs with important clients often get stuck. Your friend is an expert at helping people stretch and expand their dreams. She can show him where to go next, how to get there, and how to delegate. . . .
The problem is that he has some form of “bad date” syndrome. He says he’ll call Monday to set up a meeting — Monday, Monday — pick one the call keeps getting rescheduled. She says he calls with other questions, but doesn’t return phone calls or emails from her. Of course, he treats his clients differently.
Last week a meeting (time and place too this time) was made to set goals. Your friend wants to let the client know that now the work must begin. She knows that relationships that start shaky can turn out to be the best ones . . . but she’s starting to talk about her own disappointment not the potential client’s needs.
What advice do you have for her?
Is this client worth saving or all this time has she been “California Dreaming?”
–ME “Liz” Strauss
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Scorpia says
September 17, 2006 at 9:40 PMFirst advice: keep calm 😉 This may well be an area where the guy needs some help (maybe a lot of it).
Next, see how the meeting goes. Concentrate on the client. Don’t dwell on how long it took to get there, but do make it clear that you can’t help when appointments are broken. Then get down to what you can do for him to grow his business.
The important part is the follow-up. Even if the meeting goes well, the guy keeps on with the make-and-break stuff, it’s time to move on to someone else. There could be any number of reasons for that, but life’s too short to bother. Other clients are out there who will be much easier to work with.
ME Strauss says
September 17, 2006 at 9:54 PMHi Scorpia,
I want you on my team. It sure seems like you have a clear picture of what’s going on, and a calm approach to getting to where we might find out how to deal with it in a way that will provide some sort of happy resolution without conflict.
I like that. 🙂
Ellen Weber says
September 17, 2006 at 9:59 PMHi Liz, what is your trackback URL for this question? I couldn’t seem to find one. Thanks for the challenge! This gal reminds me of what we all face at times 🙂 and there are fun answers that can work for her to win her case. Would you agree?
ME Strauss says
September 17, 2006 at 10:03 PMHi Ellen,
On WordPress, the trackback is the same as the permalink . . . just click the title and it will go to the address bar.
Yeah, I like to make up stories that have conflict, ethos, pathos, and logics . . . My high school English teacher would be proud of me. 🙂
Ellen Weber says
September 17, 2006 at 10:12 PMYikes, Liz I trackbacked the wrong one — in error — must have been a long day! The one that is correctly tracbacked is … What to Do When a Client Relationship Sours? … but I do not see it. If the wrong one comes can you dump and thanks. Great story — you caught my curiosity! 🙂 thanks Liz
ME Strauss says
September 17, 2006 at 10:16 PMOh Ellen, what fun! I can’t wait to see what you do with it. If you need me to I can send you a link.
Liz
Ellen Weber says
September 17, 2006 at 10:34 PMLiz, sorry — what you told me is what I had thought and used as a trackback. Guess I am wondering id Easton has the trackbacks off – and that is why it is not getting through from my site to yours. Technology can be a bear.
ME Strauss says
September 17, 2006 at 10:42 PMHey, Ellen, who knows? The magic of trackbacks was completely screwy on this blog until two days ago. I’m just delighted they work at all right now. 🙂
Scorpia says
September 18, 2006 at 9:22 AMLiz, heh, it’s always easy to give advice when you’re not personally involved. But it’s true that you have to take a step back sometimes and consider the overall goal.
Few things ever go as perfectly as we would like them, and being emotional creatures, we tend to take things personally. Been there, done that 😉
It’s often hard (very hard) to get your own self out of the picture and consider situations on a rational basis. However, it can be done, most of the time.
We like to think of ourselves as rational beings, but that’s illusion. Still, if we can recognize that illusion, we can work with it.
ME Strauss says
September 18, 2006 at 9:25 AMHi Scorpia,
I’m right with you. That’s why I try to always have a sounding board around to ask question — so that I can find out what I’m really thinking . . .