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The Strategic Shift: Serving First, Selling Second to Unlock Business Flow and Ease
Did you start your business seeking freedom, only to find yourself buried under endless tasks and constant emergencies? This is the reality for many 7-figure business owners. The pressure to sell creates constant friction, draining your energy and stopping your business from achieving Flow.
This article dives into a simple idea: serve first, sell second. Find out how changing your focus from "what can I get?" to "how can I truly help?" builds strong trust, creates simple systems, and helps you reclaim your time, stop fighting friction, and finally feel the freedom you wanted.
When you master true service, you are working smarter, not harder. You move from just getting by to truly thriving.
What Does it Really Mean to "Serve" Your Customer?
We often hear the simple phrase: "Focus on the customer." But what does "serve" actually mean? It’s not just polite talk.
The most powerful way to define service is to ask what you put into the relationship rather than what you are getting out of it. When I was going through pre-marital counseling required by the church we got married in 30 years ago, it was this very idea that stuck with me. The pastor advised us to look at what we put into the marriage and our partners rather than what we were getting out of it. To me, this is what it means to serve as a business owner, and this is true love. My mission as a Christian is to love others, and I can best do this through a business where I serve others.
This mindset is the best way to fight the trust-killer called Self-Orientation—the factor that makes you look greedy. When you focus on giving, you immediately stop looking like you’re only out for yourself.
Serving in Practice: The Simple Mind Shift
When someone asks you a question, your first thought shouldn't be, "How do I make this person buy?" Instead, it should be, "How can I help them right now?"
This shift builds trust. The quickest way to lose trust is to seem self-seeking. When you act like a salesperson who only wants money, customers put up walls.
The Atlassian Example: Atlassian made massive revenue without a sales team. Their employees gave support, explaining the product and solving problems. By focusing only on support, they focused on fixing the customer's problem first—serving, not selling—which created trust and led to natural sales.
The novel ‘Go-Givers’ also demonstrates the immense success a businessman can achieve by putting others first. In my personal training in conducting a sales call, I learned that the goal was not for me to ramble on about my product, but to go deep into listening to the other person. They should be talking more than me, and I need to learn more about their problems so I can identify how to best help them.
6 Simple Systems to Serve First and Find Business Flow
Here are easy, practical ways to prioritize serving your customers, which helps you, the overwhelmed business owner, reduce friction and achieve Flow.
1. Do It as if They Are Paying You a Million Dollars (Mindset to Flow)
This mindset elevates every interaction and encourages you to go above and beyond, which fuels business consistency.
This is not just motivation; it's a strategic system. Mel Robbins recently popularized the Terry Crews interview in which he talks about sweeping floors as if he was being paid a million dollars. If we consider serving each customer and potential customer as if they were paying us a million dollars, we would probably serve them extremely well! This mindset creates a Flow state because you're focused on the inherent value of service over the money.
Responding to Inquiries: Instead of a fast, standard reply, offer a thoughtful, personal answer. Give a quick tip or point them to a free guide you made, instead of immediately pushing your service.
Onboarding: Give new clients detailed, simple instructions and a warm, personal welcome.
Systems that support this:
CRM (Customer Tracking): Use software like Notion or HubSpot to track client notes and history. This lets you personalize your talks, which reduces the friction caused by generic outreach.
SOPs (How-To Guides) for Interactions: Write clear, simple guides for your team on how to handle calls and resolve issues. This keeps service consistent, even when you're busy but not productive.
2. Provide Value, Not Discounts (The Trust Strategy)
This system shifts the focus from price-cutting to value-adding, which builds trust and protects your margins.
Don't cut prices to get customers. Instead, ask what extra value you can offer. Value builds trust better than any discount.
Bundle Services: Instead of a small discount, give a valuable bonus like a short training video or a custom template. This uses your existing knowledge to increase what they get without cutting your price.
Educational Content as a Bonus: Include access to a private resource page or a mini-course. This shows your commitment to their long-term success.
Systems that support this:
Automated Bonus Delivery: Use an email system to automatically send welcome emails that give clients their bonuses. This ensures low-friction, high-value delivery every time.
Clear Service Packages: Package your knowledge into simple, defined services. This helps clients easily understand the value they are getting and makes your pricing clear.
3. Make Working With You Effortless (The Frictionless Flow)
This system focuses on auditing your internal processes from the customer's perspective to guarantee reliability.
You waste time and energy when your systems have friction. If you want your customers to feel free, make their experience easy and effortless.
Clear Guidance: Use simple language. Make sure everything on your website can be found in two clicks.
The Customer Journey Audit: Your Tool Against Friction: You cannot reduce friction until you know exactly where the friction lives. Go through your process step-by-step and ask: Where does the customer have to wait? Where do they get confused? These are your friction points. High-trust companies design easy processes first.
Automated Communication: Send automatic confirmations, reminders, and follow-ups.
Systemizing Reliability and Ease
Reliability is the foundation of achieving Flow because inconsistent delivery is the number one source of internal and external friction.
Develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Every step of your service delivery must be documented in a clear SOP. This is your "how-to" guide that your entire team follows. The SOP guarantees a consistent, low-friction customer experience.
The Critical Role of Automation: Wherever human error can creep in, automation must take over. Using automations eliminates the possibility of humans missing a step. When your customer gets what they expect, exactly when they expect it, their trust deepens instantly.
Systems that support ease of doing business (continued):
Online Scheduling Tools: Simple automatic schedulers on your website eliminate the common friction of booking.
Automated Onboarding: Use systems like HoneyBook or High Level to guide new clients through a seamless process. This reduces manual effort and ensures Flow.
Clear Pricing Pages: Show your prices, packages, and costs upfront. This helps potential clients quickly decide if you are a good fit, saving everyone time and removing a major point of sales friction.
4. Provide Free Content (Building Trust and Authority)
This system builds immediate trust and positions you as an authority without costing you sales time.
Have free articles, videos, or guides so that customers can get help and value from you before they buy. Let them see how helpful you are by solving some of their smaller problems. This builds immediate trust without looking self-seeking.
Educational Content: Publish helpful posts on your blog that address common struggles.
Freebies: Offer simple guides or checklists in exchange for an email address.
Systems that support free content:
Email Marketing System: Use a system to automatically send your free guides, build trust with ongoing content, and track what your audience is interested in.
Video Hosting Platforms: YouTube or Vimeo can host your video tutorials, making them easily shareable and accessible.
5. Offer a Money-Back Guarantee (Accountability for Flow)
This system holds you accountable to the customer and minimizes their perceived risk.
Offering a money-back guarantee shows confidence in your service and holds you accountable to the highest standard of service. This minimizes the risk for your clients and builds trust.
Clear Guarantee: State your guarantee clearly on your sales page and in contracts (e.g., "If you're not satisfied within 30 days, we'll refund your money, no questions asked").
Systems that support a guarantee:
Clear Policy Documentation: Have a dedicated refund policy page on your website and include it in your contracts. This makes the process transparent.
Internal Reviews: Regularly review client results to ensure your services are delivering the promised value. This helps you fix problems before a client asks for a refund.
6. Ask Your Customers! (Staying Aligned for Growth)
This system focuses on proactive, systematic communication to understand customer needs.
Make sure you regularly ask your customers what they want. This ensures you focus on solving their problems instead of just guessing what will make you money. This keeps your services relevant for your business growth strategy.
Short Surveys: Send out quick surveys after a project to ask for feedback.
Discovery Calls: Ask open-ended questions during initial calls, not just about the problem, but also about their bigger dreams and challenges.
Social Media Polls: Engage your audience on platforms like Instagram or Facebook by asking direct questions about their struggles and what kind of solutions they're seeking.
Systems that support asking and listening:
Survey Tools: Use tools to create and distribute quick surveys.
CRM for Tracking Feedback: Log client feedback, suggestions, and feature requests within your CRM to identify trends and inform your service development.
Conclusion: From Adrenaline to Flow
When you increase trust, you decrease friction, which directly increases flow and ease in your business. This is the key to escaping the feeling of being powerless that leads to CEO burnout.
When you truly put the customer first in everything—thinking through the customer experience from start to finish—you create a Flow Operating System that scales with ease and makes your work more rewarding.
Ready to put service first and create a system that runs with Flow?
Book your Clarity Call today. We'll dive into your systems and give you clear next steps to achieve the impact and freedom you started your business for.
Terms and Conditions
www.CordesLindow.com and Cordes Lindow LLC
Please read these Terms & Conditions carefully and in their entirety before using www.CordesLindow.com (from now on referred to as the “Site”). Cordes Lindow LLC owns the Site and its content.
PURPOSE: These Terms & Conditions are here to explain, outline clearly, and lay out the rules, terms, and conditions of using, viewing, and/or browsing the Site and/or purchasing or downloading any course, program, service, or product offered on or by us or the Site.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
By using the Site in any capacity, you agree to these Terms & Conditions. You agree that you have read, understood, and consented to these Terms & Conditions. If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected].
You must be at least 18 years old and able to consent to these Terms & Conditions. If you are under 18 or do not agree with these Terms & Conditions as stated herein, please STOP now and do not use this Site or its content. By using the Site, you agree to the Terms & Conditions as stated herein, regardless of whether or not you have read these Terms & Conditions.
These Terms & Conditions contain an Arbitration Clause and require you to dispute or resolve any claim with us through Arbitration. By agreeing to these Terms & Conditions, you agree to the Arbitration Clause in Paragraph No. 18 and voluntarily waive your right to a jury trial.
By proceeding on the Site, you agree to the following:
Definitions:
“Company,” “We,” “I,” “Our,” or “Us” means Cordes Lindow LLC and our website, www.CordesLindow.com.
“Content” means any written, visual, video, or audio information contained on the Site, including, but not limited to, any emails received from Cordes Lindow, Cordes Lindow LLC, or www.CordesLindow.com, and any written or downloadable material purchased, viewed, or otherwise offered by Cordes Lindow LLC or on www.CordesLindow.com, including, but not limited to, blog posts, graphics, newsletters, designs, documents, information, templates, and materials.
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“Site” means www.CordesLindow.com and any associated pages, tabs, landing pages, forms, or sub-pages.
“You” or “Your” means the Site's user, customer, or viewer.
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By using the Site, you understand that I am a Learning and Development Specialist with a Master’s in Education. I am sharing my expertise in how people learn and change behaviors. I am not a nutritionist, therapist, or licensed medical professional; therefore, you need to discuss and clear any changes to your lifestyle, food intake, exercise regimen, or medical treatment with your physician before implementing the suggested changes or habits. You must discuss any changes to your diet, exercise regimen, supplements, medications, or lifestyle with your physician or qualified medical professional before implementing any suggested or offered changes, additions, or alterations to your lifestyle. My Content is for informational and educational purposes only and is based on my personal experience.
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By using this Site or Purchasing or Downloading Courses, Services, and/or Products from our site, you implicitly and voluntarily agree to these Terms & Conditions as stated herein.
6. Changes To These Terms & Conditions:
We reserve the right to change, amend, or otherwise alter these Terms & Conditions without your notice. When changes are made, we will update the “Updated on” date at the bottom of this page. If you do not agree with these Terms & Conditions, please do NOT use our Site, read or implement its Content, or Purchase or Download anything from us.
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The Site may contain or include website URL links to third-party or external websites. Typically, we provide these URL links so that you may directly access a site that contains relevant information. Please note that we are not liable for any information on or within the third-party or external websites. We are not responsible for the way they handle your personal information, whether they have a privacy policy or any information you provide to them by visiting their website. You are responsible for reading and agreeing to, or expressing disagreement with, the external website’s privacy policy or terms & conditions.
8. Intellectual Property Ownership:
The Site and its Content are intellectual property solely owned by Cordes Lindow LLC. United States copyright and trademark laws protect the Site and its Content, as do state intellectual property laws. We will legally pursue any violations of these Terms & Conditions to the fullest extent permitted by law.
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If you view, access, or Purchase the Site, Courses, Services, or Products, you are considered our Limited Licensee (“Licensee”). As a Licensee, you agree and understand that the Site, Courses, Services, or Products have been written, created, drafted, invented, and developed by us after significantly investing time, money, education, hard work, and brainpower. The Site, Courses, Services, and Products are extremely valuable to us, both professionally and personally, and we take the protection of our Site, Courses, Services, and Products very seriously.
You may not use the Site, Courses, Services, or Products in any manner that is unauthorized, improper, against these Terms & Conditions or our Privacy Policy, or which violates U.S. intellectual property laws unless authorized by us in writing beforehand.
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Any current or past client testimonials, statements, or examples used by us are simply examples. They are not guarantees that you will also experience or receive the same results. Each client and their circumstances are unique, and nothing shall be interpreted as a guarantee that you will experience the same results as another client.
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17. Our Refund Policy:
We will do everything within our ability (and within reason) to ensure your satisfaction. Refunds will not be issued for coaching services already rendered or products already purchased. If you have any questions or concerns, or if there is anything we can do to make your experience more pleasant, please email Cordes Lindow at [email protected].
18. ARBITRATION CLAUSE:
If you have any complaints or should any issue arise in using the Site or Cordes Lindow LLC’s Courses, Services, and/or Products, please contact us directly first by emailing Cordes Lindow at [email protected].
If we cannot resolve your dispute amicably, you agree that you and Cordes Lindow LLC shall submit your dispute to binding arbitration with the American Arbitration Association before a mutually agreed upon arbitrator, following the American Arbitration Association’s (“AAA”) rules.
By agreeing to this term, you agree and understand that you’re waiving your right to a jury trial in court, which would otherwise be available to you if not for this Arbitration Clause. Should any arbitration hearing need to be held, it shall be held within 25 miles of Ponte Vedra, Florida.
If the arbitrator issues an award and a judgment is made, the judgment will be binding and entered in court in the State of Florida. The only award that we can issue to you is a refund of any payment made to Cordes Lindow LLC for the applicable Product or Service. You cannot seek additional damages, including consequential or punitive damages.
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You irrevocably consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of any Federal Court in the United States District Court for the District of Florida or a state court located within the State of Florida in connection with any matter arising out of these Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, Disclaimer, or as a result of your use, Download, or Purchase from the Site, Courses, Services, or Products.
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You irrevocably agree that process may be served on you in any manner authorized by the Laws of the State of Florida for such persons, and you waive any objection which you might otherwise have to service of process under the laws of the State of Florida.
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23. Limitation of Liability:
Cordes Lindow LLC is not responsible or liable in any way for any damages you receive directly or indirectly from your use, Purchase, or Download from our Site, Courses, Services, or Products. We do not assume liability for damages, injuries, harm, death, misuse of (or failure to properly use) information or documents due to your act or failure to act. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, your sole and exclusive remedy for negligence, failure to perform, or breach by us shall be a refund of the amount paid for such service or product. IN NO EVENT SHALL WE BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES.
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You shall, at all times, indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Cordes Lindow LLC, Cordes Lindow, and all of our shareholders, officers, members, affiliates, contractors, subcontractors, directors, assignees, employees, and licensees from and against all losses, damages, injuries, delays, deaths, lost profits, and expenses arising out of any proceeding (a) brought by either a third-party or by Cordes Lindow LLC and Cordes Lindow (b) arising out of your breach of your obligations, representations, warranties, or covenants under these Terms & Conditions, or the Privacy Policy; and (c) arising out of any alleged breach or negligence said to have been committed by us.
25. Termination of Your Use
At our sole discretion, we may terminate your use or access to the Site, Courses, Services, Products, and Purchases/Downloads if you abuse, violate, or breach any of these Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, Disclaimer, or any other terms to which you have agreed.
26. Entire Agreement
These Terms & Conditions, our Privacy Policy and Disclaimer, constitute the entire agreement between you and us concerning the Site, Courses, Services, or Products. They supersede all prior or contemporaneous communications and proposals, whether electronic, oral, or written, between you and us concerning the Site, Courses, Services, and Products.
27. Severability
The provisions of these Terms & Conditions are severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any provision shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any other provision herein. If any paragraph, section, subsection, sentence, or clause of these Terms & Conditions are rendered illegal, invalid, or unenforceable, such illegality, invalidity, or unenforceability shall not affect these Terms & Conditions as a whole or on any other paragraph, section, subsection, sentence, or clause herein.
28. Your Privacy & Security on the Site:
Please read our Privacy Policy for how we handle your personal information.
29. Contact
If you have any questions or concerns regarding these Terms & Conditions, you may contact us using the following information:
Website: www.CordesLindow.com
Email: [email protected]
Business Address: 96 Fortress Ave, Ponte Vedra, Florida
Updated on
May 29, 2024
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