Profiling Your Long Term Opportunities
November 16th, 2006 | Michael Pink
“…and the fruit tree yielding fruit after its kind, whose seed is in itself.” As you grow your business or territory, make sure you identify, cultivate and maintain the “fruit tree” clients who can supply most of your revenue objectives from a small number of seeds. Remember, one kernel of corn can produce a corn stalk with 2 or 3 ears of corn and even though the number of kernels produced may be hundreds of times return on the original kernel, it is still only enough for a meal. That corn stalk will also produce only one harvest. But drop one apple seed in the ground and nurture it over the long term and you will get many, many meals from it and it will continue producing for many years, not just a single season.
To take advantage of this distinction, begin by identifying the profile of what a “fruit tree” client looks like that can provide significant fruit over the long term. Make sure the profile you are after matches your capability to serve them well. You might begin by pursuing an apple tree client and leave the towering Brazil nut trees for when you have mastered the smaller fruit tree opportunities. Secondly, identify how you should service fruit tree clients differently than vegetable clients. Lastly, what product or services can you offer “fruit tree” clients? They have bigger budgets, and quite often more sophisticated needs. Hone your product or service, offering to match their needs, not yours.
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November 21st, 2006 at 12:14 pm
I like the fruit tree story.
November 22nd, 2006 at 10:32 am
Good word. As we excell at taking care of the small trees, opportunities for larger trees will often come our way without even trying.
Plus, there are a lot more small trees then large ones.
In my industry, a realtor would be a fruit tree. He or she has the ability to refer clients who need mortgages. While it would be great to work with a top producer who could send 3 or 4 deals a month, I would rather work with 10 realtors who are building their careers and have the ability to send me a deal or two every few months.
There is more stability in having multiple trees then in one large one.
I know too many people, including myself in the past, who see the “big” deal that will take care of all of their problems and change their lives forever. What we often fail to understand is that the competition is often much more qualified then we are. If it is God opening the door it’s one thing. If not, we could be setting ourselves up for dissapointment or failure.
November 28th, 2006 at 4:28 am
Another way of looking at this is from a bearing fruit stand-point. Sometimes the tree (opportunity) looks good but, may not bear fruit because it hasn’t been pruned and taken care of. Some potential clients may be like that, they look good on the outside but may be a mess inside and can drag you down with them.