The Client Letter
September 1, 2011
Sedona Arizona
RE: Show up or go home…
I started working in the client business way back in 2003 or 2004 when I moved to Chicago Illinois.
Once I landed in town, I started a computer consultancy (named Computer Super Guy LLC) that focused on helping small businesses use technology more effectively.
My tagline was “Making technology a people business.”
That slogan became my competitive advantage. Simply put, I was good with people. I’m a great listener and am able to quickly solve problems. Those qualities set me apart from the stereotypical tech guy.
“Jason Leister has compiled the best list of actionable advice for freelancers I have ever read, and if I had known back then what I know now, I would not have wasted countless hours trying desperately to please clients who completely devalued everything my staff and I did for them. This book provides amazing advice about how to become a service provider worthy of earning top dollar. With the advice from this book, you will know exactly how to deal with the “why can’t you do it cheaper?” question.”
To help jumpstart my business, I joined BNI International. That’s a business networking organization with chapters all over the place.
At one point, I was actually the President of the chapter if you can believe it.
Each week, the routine at the meeting was simple. Everyone stood up and gave their little elevator pitch to the room. After everyone had spoken, one member would do a more in depth presentation about their business.
The meeting happened every Thursday, I think at 7:00 AM.
Attendance was mandatory. If you missed too often you got canned.
Every now and again, attendance would drop and the leadership would crack the whip and read everyone the riot act.
“The new policy is that you can miss 2 meetings. If you exceed that, you’re out!”
Attendance would improve for a while and then it would start to slip.
That’s pretty much how it went for three years.
I learned two lessons from this.
Successful People Rarely Attend Groups
Like This. People Who Need Business Do.
I think in my group there was probably only ONE 7 figure earner.
These days, I’d be more interested in groups where that’s the ONLY type of member.
So the lesson is, not everything is what it seems on the surface. Look carefully before you make commitments of your time.
If You Do Not Show Up
You Cannot Win
You might think there are a lot of “secrets” to success. The longer I go in this business the more I realize that’s true. There are secrets that you learn from actually doing the business.
But you don’t necessarily need the secrets to be successful. You learn the secrets as you become successful.
The far more valuable thing I’ve learned is that success basically comes down to answering this question:
Are you willing to do things that most people aren’t willing to do?
SHOWING UP IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS.
Showing up at that BNI meeting was one (a small one) of those things for me.
By “showing up” I mean, are you “in the game?” Are you doing the things that successful people do? Are you doing them consistently? Are you doing them to the best of your ability?
One example of “showing up” from my life now is this very letter you’re reading. Each and everyday, I pen one of these letters to help you as an independent professional.
Every day I show up.
And from that one very simple (not easy) decision to “show up,” opportunities spring forth.
Are you showing up? It’s funny that I even ask, because you already know the answer. You know it in your gut if you’re “showing up” in your business.
If you are, good for you. Keep going.
If you aren’t, then what are you waiting for?
If you don’t show up you cannot play, and if you do not play you cannot win.
To long for the day you will win without the willingness to show up and play… THAT’S the definition of insanity in my book.
My history would prove that I’ve been quite “insane” for some time. I believe those days are now behind me.
Are you “showing up” to your business today? Did you yesterday? Will you tomorrow?
Your answers to those 3 questions will tell you more about your chances of future success than any psychic I know. And I live in the psychic capital of the world, so trust me on that one.
You don’t have to hit home runs everyday, but you must show up everyday.
See you tomorrow,
Jason Leister
Clients Suck
Creating Success for Independent Professionals
ClientsSuck.net
P.S. You still have a chance to catch the SEPTEMBER issue of the Silk Report. The real life client getting strategy revealed in that letter (with examples) is something you don’t want to miss.