Learn the Switch, or Lose

I got switched this week. I knew exactly what was happening to me because when I was a lawyer, I did the same thing to clients all the time. But what happened to me was, in an out-of-body sense, a beautiful thing to watch.

This is what happened.

I was working with my business coach on our new course for 2025, ‘Your Strata Business Advantage’. It was our third session, and the course concept and client outcomes were well developed. My coach has helped develop hundreds of business improvement courses. By the end of this third session, I felt we had a winning product. And then it came -  

‘What I think we should do next, Michael, is book you in for a session with my colleague (insert name) who will work with you on (insert task). I will then check in with you on strategic issues once a month, and of course you can call me direct anytime. I’m not an ass about that.

Now you’ve paid (insert amount) so far. Are you happy with what we have achieved to date (wait for response). Ok, so the cost for this next stage is (insert monthly amount). So, I will get an agreement and invoice to you today. Is that ok? (wait for commitment).’

It was seamless. In one, carefully choreographed move, my coach had reduced my proximity to him. He had handed me over to one of his team and upsold me to his top-shelf product. And the best part is that I was perfectly happy with the result.

Let me tell you why.

First, his initial one-on-one service was impeccable. So, I trust him.

Second, he made me understand that his colleague would work to a plan my coach had devised. He would use tools and methods from my coach's proven success story. So, I felt relaxed.

Third, he made a very specific promise to stay in touch with me. Not some vague notion about continuing to be responsible for our relationship. So, I didn’t feel abandoned.

As business owners, we all need to learn and practise the switch. It’s fundamental to growing our businesses. The alternative is to get caught in The Founder’s Trap. Where we can’t let go of our first hard-won clients and trust our team and the business processes we have built. We end up on the treadmill trying to keep too many people happy and, in the end, let people down, including ourselves.

Learn how to do the switch, and three things will happen. Firstly, your clients will receive a better service than you can provide when you are overloaded. Secondly, your team will prosper and grow with you. Thirdly, you will get back some of your private time.

Let me know if I can help you learn the switch.

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