Keeping a consistent flow of new projects and sales is a common issue for many small businesses. What frequently stops this happening is a feast and famine flow (see further down for more detail) so this article will look at how looking after your internal client will stop (or at least reduce) the feast and famine and help to keep a consistent flow happening.
Who is your internal client?
Put very simply, your internal client is you. You have to treat yourself in the same way as you do your clients. If you don’t, you won’t be able to look after your external clients because your internal one ceases to exist.
How your internal and external clients differ
There are a number of differences:
- Your external clients give you money in exchange for the products and services you provide. Your internal client spends or gives away (salaries, taxes etc.) that money.
- External clients have time scheduled for them so you can do what they are paying you for.
- Most people make their external clients the No.1 priority, usually dictated by invoice size.
- You will rarely move time scheduled for external clients, except maybe for a bigger one!
Why No.4?
Whilst the saying “the customer comes first” is valid in multiple ways, if the internal client is struggling, it is going to be difficult to put them first. Most of the time, if an external client or prospective client asks for a meeting at a time you already have something scheduled, you will say the time isn’t available. You’ll negotiate another time that works for both parties.
It’s rare that someone will say “this time or none at all”, so why not leave your internal client meetings in place, saying simply that the time is already booked? The advent of calendar tools like Calendly make it really easy for people to book a meeting with you. The booker simply sees what times are available and picks one that works for them. They have no idea whether unavailable times are being used internally or externally. The only way anyone finds out is if you tell them.
Feast and famine
Too many small businesses fall into this trap.
- They do some marketing
- This generates leads and they close some of them
- Whilst delivering on these sales, time is given only to delivery so that the opportunity to invoice arrives sooner.
- Once the work is done, the invoice can be sent, but there are no new opportunities and therefore no more work.
- Because there is no work, time is given to marketing, and we return to No. 1.
Schedule marketing time
5-10% of your working week should be dedicated to your marketing, in much the same way as your marketing budget should be 5-10% of your revenue. That means 2-4 hours a week per full-time equivalent (FTE).
If this is scheduled in, it quickly becomes part of your routine. Anyone booking a meeting with you via Calendly et al will book a clashing meeting because it isn’t available. On the odd occasion when it really is necessary for you to change your marketing time, move it to another slot in the week – DO NOT give it away.
So, by looking after your internal client, committing time to your marketing, you:
- Resolve a big problem that impacts lots of small businesses
- Keep a consistent flow of new leads and sales coming into the business
- Ensure the company stays around to look after your external clients
Sounds like a win-win to me!
