Being Good is a Stupid Idea

It starts with a PING!

Your customer’s cell phone lights up. Perhaps their smart watch vibrates on their wrist.

Knock, Knock, Knock.

Then a mysterious stranger appears in the lobby asking to speak with them. Another PING! A connection request on LinkedIn.

Knock, Knock, Knock.

Suddenly, their direct line starts ringing from an unknown number. Next comes an envelope stealthily slid under their office door, containing a handwritten note.

Knock, Knock, Knock.

Initially, your customer does a superb job of tuning out the noise—until your latest invoice arrives, riddled with errors.

Knock, Knock, Knock. Even louder now.

Your normal speedy responses begin to falter and they wait longer to hear back from you.

Knock, Knock, Knock. Louder still.

You miss a scheduled check-in meeting. Knock, Knock, Knock.

You begin to underdeliver on what was originally promised. Knock, Knock, Knock.

Their business is changing and evolving but you are not. Knock, Knock, Knock.

When you do try to connect your customer stops emailing you back or answering your calls. They decline your invite to an upcoming QBR. Questions around what you charge and “Do you offer this?” or “Do you offer that?” abound.

THUNK!

The chopping block claims another — this time, it's you. You have been replaced.

The cautionary tale listed above happens all too often simply because salespeople get complacent and settle for good. And who is doing all that Knock, Knock, Knocking? The answer: Your competition. What’s their message? “We can do more, better, faster than your current vendor.”

Every day, salespeople fall trap to the “Good” mindsight. This idea that good is good enough. At Butler Street, we believe that being good is a stupid idea. The only thing that matters is whether or you are getting better at a more rapid rate than your principal competitors.

So, what's your next move? First, operate in a steady state of uneasiness. You are replaceable. Your actions, week in and week out, will help you avoid being replaced.

Follow these tips and best practices and those knocks will never reach your customer’s ears.

Live in Their Operating Reality Constantly seek to understand your client's world: what pressures they face, what goals they are working toward, and what problems they haven’t told you about yet.
Conduct Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) Without Fail Missed QBRs = missed opportunities. Regularly show the value you’ve delivered, align to their goals, and bring ideas that demonstrate innovation.
Apply the 3x3 Rule Ensure you have at least three relationships at three different levels within the client organization to reduce risk and increase your web of influence.
Inspect Proactively, Not Reactively Don’t wait for problems to arise. Regularly audit your performance, service delivery, and client satisfaction using tools like the Client Risk Worksheet.
Bring Something New Every Meeting Whether it’s a trend, a best practice, or a new feature—always bring something to the table that adds fresh value and demonstrates proactive thinking.
Personalize the Experience From handwritten notes to customized reporting dashboards, tailor interactions to show you see them as more than just an account.
Expand Through Whitespace Mapping Identify services your client isn’t using that they should be. Cross-selling isn’t just sales - it’s protecting your turf by solving more problems.
Ask SIGN Questions Use the SIGN process (Situation, Insight, Gap, Need-Solution to uncover evolving needs your client may not even realize they have.
Operate in a Steady State of Uneasiness Complacency kills. Assume you're replaceable and behave like you’ve got to win the business again every single week.

Winning a new customer is the hardest thing to do in sales and holidng on to that customer is the second hardest. 100% of current revenue comes from existing customers. Butler Street's Account Management Program was created to strengthen relationships, reduce risk, and grow accounts. It provides proven processes, critical skills, plus how to leverage generative AI for efficiency and maximum impact. Don't settle for good or else those knocks will get louder and louder, contact us to get started.