Sometimes, being "eager to please" isn't enough. Moreover, most dissatisfied clients and policyholders won't tell you when they feel you've served them poorly. They may, however, tell their friends and associates all about it — and create ticking time bombs in your marketplace.

When problems develop, or if you make a mistake, however, you can recover quickly, defuse those time bombs — and actually strengthen the client relationship — by stepping up to the problem and fixing it as best you can. In fact, many clients and policyholders will judge you by how well you respond when the going gets tough.

Not everyone you do business with will be receptive to a long-term client relationship. You'll win some; you'll lose some. But, if you develop an effective on-profile client building strategy, provide proactive service, and keep earning your on-profile clients' confidence and trust, you can bet that you'll come out a winner more often than not!

The payoff in terms of new and retained business, qualified, on-profile leads, and lower acquisition costs will make your efforts all the more profitable.