Why I flew out to save a client
I’m spending three days in D.C. to save a client relationship.
At the end of 2024 I acquired another commercial production group, and within that book of business was a nonprofit client that spends $5,000/month.
Great money, right?
And it’s a client that does a lot of outdoor/environmental work, which I really enjoy working on personally.
But there was a problem…
Right when I acquired this business, their social media and YouTube content wasn’t looking good.
And that content was being produced by the company I bought…
Thus, I was bringing them on in a less than happy state and it became my priority to turn things around.
Time To Save the Account
Although I enjoy traveling, I try to limit when I travel and the length because I have a wife and kids that I don’t want to miss out on.
But there are times in business ownership that you have to own the situation, take the time, and put in the work with a client.
With the client’s national conference in D.C. just a week away, I knew I had to attend and help them produce some quality content.
So I told my wife the situation… I told her I needed be in person and prove our value.
If I didn’t take ownership… we’d likely be out of the $5,000/month retainer.
So I booked my flight and now I’m in D.C. (a cold and snowy D.C.).
I’m here to mend the relationship. I’m here to prove our value. I’m here to grind for the client and help them as much as I can.
Going the Extra Mile Isn’t Always Fun
It takes sacrifice. Flying to D.C. and working for 3.5 days (most of the week) is a sacrifice.
But there are strategic moments that come along in this journey that you have to decide: do I suck it up and hustle or do I let this go and see what happens.
And when I feel my gut pushing me to hustle, I just suck it up and get the work done.
But I can already tell the client is feeling good. They’re feeling confident. They’ve already complemented us on our quality and efficiency.
They notice that we’re going the extra mile and they feel it.
That’s the most important thing: make a client ‘feel’ how much you care.
Short Term Pain, Long Term Gain
In the short term, no, I don’t enjoy being gone this long for a project that seems insignificant.
But I know the short term pain of being gone for a few days will pay off a lot more for the months to come.
Again, if I didn’t show up to this event I am confident this relationship would die within a matter of one or two months.
But being here is saving the relationship, which will provide $60,000 for my business this year.
I know by December I will look back on this moment and say “I sure am glad I went to D.C. this year and got that client back on board.”
So when I look into the future and feel confident about this decision, I know it’s the right decision to make in the present.
Don’t avoid something just because it’s painful in the short term.
Have the intuition and maturity to know that a bit of short term pain can yield a lot of gain in the future.
Retainer Clients Want to See Dedication
I believe retainer clients are some of the hardest to get and keep because there’s so much more on the line.
You have to continue to prove your value month after month.
It requires an immense amount of communication and dedication.
But that’s the unlock right there…
Show them your dedication and you will win them over.
Seriously.
This relationship was tanking.
No one said “Trent, we need you in D.C.”
I took the initiative and said “I’m coming to D.C. to help ya’ll create content.”
That’s dedication. And that’s what retainer clients want to see.
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I’m a firm believer in getting good clients on retainer. It’s the best way to build a strong base of business. So my encouragement to you is to get out there, build relationships, prove your dedication, and get clients to buy into your retainer model.
Don’t have a retainer model yet? Take a look at my retainer clients course if you’re looking to level up.
Cheers,
-Trent
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