If you think that what you say to your clients doesn’t really matter – think again – using the right words can increase your cash flow!
What you say, and how you say it, can have an enormous impact on your customers, the way they feel about you, and when they pay you.
‘Careless words … make people love you a little less.’
~ Arundhati Roy
You want clients to ‘love you a little more’. That way they’ll like you, trust you, pay your invoices on time and reorder.
Why Do Customers Need to Like You?
You want your customers to pay on time, so you have good cash flow, but you can’t force them to pay – that’s just not possible.
What worked for me was to get clients to like me, so they wanted to pay me…
…because we all pay people we like first.
There are lots of reasons to have conversations with your clients. Each time you do, if you make them feel that they’ve had good service and they’ve been well looked after, they will return the favour. It’s called ‘The law of reciprocation’.
They will most likely pay your invoice before your competitors invoice. That will increase your cash flow. Think WIN/WIN!
I learned to choose my words carefully so that I built a positive relationship with every client.
What to Say, and What Not to Say to Increase Cash Flow
When I was shopping recently, I walked into two businesses and received two different greetings. I felt completely different when I left each busiess.
Business #1
In the first store, the shop assistant looked uninterested. She stayed on the other side of the store and shouted the common Aussie greeting:
‘Are you right?’
I said that I was ‘right’ but that I’d like to buy something.
She grudgingly put down the labels she had in her hand and walked over. She didn’t smile, wasn’t helpful, and I soon left the shop without buying anything.
I wasn’t surprised at the lack of service (it’s SO rare). But if I walked out without buying (I won’t be going back), others are walking out without buying too.
Customers that don’t buy won’t increase that businesses sales or cash flow. It doesn’t make the future of the business look very promising.
Business #2:
The next business was the bank. The teller greeted me with a wide smile (I was surprised!) and:
‘Hello, how can I help you today?’
It made me smile too. Already we were off to a good start.
The teller was very helpful and friendly. He answered all my questions in an upbeat, positive manner. Being a bank, I wasn’t expecting such a positive experience. I felt quite uplifted when I left. I’d be very happy to go back.
Good Customer Service is Rare
The words we choose when we talk with customers can make a massive difference to how they feel about us, when they pay us and if they reorder.
Great service is rare, so an easy way to stand out from the crowd is to sound like a customer service hero.
Positive language puts both you, and your customer, into a positive frame of mind.
Customer Service Hero = Good Relationships = Increased Cash Flow
Make a point of using the right words when talking to your client. End each conversation with words that leave them in a positive frame of mind. They will feel happy and valued. They will like you.
When people like you, they’ll want to pay you. We all pay people we like first.
Isn’t it great to hear that something as simple as choosing the right words when talking to clients can increase your cash flow – proven!
To your business success!
