Chapter 17 | Be Their Easiest Call

Imani Rhodes

It was a simple moment, but it stuck with me. I was standing in line at my local bank on a Saturday morning, the kind of slow-moving line where you can’t help but look around. A guy a few people ahead checked his balance at the ATM, and even from where I stood, I could see his shoulders drop. Not dramatic — just that small, sinking dip people make when the number on the screen isn’t what they hoped. A quiet “not again” kind of moment. And right behind him was another customer who checked her balance too. But her reaction was the opposite. Light smile, quiet nod, the kind of relief that says, “I’m good. I’ve got room. I’m safe.” Same machine. Two completely different feelings. And as I watched them, it clicked for me in a way it never had before. This is exactly what our clients feel with us — except the balance isn’t money, it’s trust. Every update you send before they ask is a deposit. Every clear next step, every little follow-through, all the little things you do to make their life easier. Is another deposit. And the opposite is true too. A missed call. A late arrival. A confusing email. A surprise they weren’t ready for? Withdrawals. Small maybe, but they add up, and suddenly someone is standing there in the emotional equivalent of overdraft, wondering if they should move on. I remember thinking, I never want my clients to feel like that first guy — bracing for a bad number. I want them to feel like the second person — calm, confident, relieved because their trust balance with me is full. That’s the picture I want you to hold today, because once you see it, you can’t unsee it: every interaction is either adding to the balance or pulling from it. And the people who win — the people clients stay with for years — are the ones who stay far, far in the positive.

Jake Ramirez

Oh yeah, and—I mean, I see this in the field all the time. If a client’s gotta hunt me down, or if I forget to send a schedule, Ding, that’s a withdrawal. But if I send ‘em a heads up before they even ask? Feels different, right? They start thinking, “Jake’s on it. He makes my life easier.”-Those little moments—tiny fixes, small bits of clarity? Those're the deposits. Being thoughtful, clarity: all that stuff are deposits.

Imani Rhodes

Absolutely. Thoughtfulness and clarity—simple, right? But so easy to miss when you’re busy. Prospects especially, they want you to make their decision easier, not harder. If you’re slow to respond, vague, delay things, even just a day... feels like a withdrawal. And the bank account only works if you notice it before you get called out.

Jake Ramirez

So true. Nobody wants their sales rep or their account manager to be, like, high maintenance. They want easy. If you’re making them chase you, they’re shopping elsewhere next time, for sure. If your clients are talking to your competitors—it’s probably because you let the balance get low.

Imani Rhodes

And it doesn’t have to be grand gestures, right? It’s those little deposits—answering fast, catching a problem before they ever spot it. Sometimes it means just clarifying something that could get confusing three steps down the line. Each deposit makes you their safest bet, that person they never worry about calling.

Jake Ramirez

Imani, this reminds me—remember that research we talked about, where customers stick around most when the experience feels... just plain easy? Looking for and acting on opportunities to reduce effort and friction for your prospects and clients is how you make the biggest deposits.

Imani Rhodes

Agreed. Think about your favorite coffee shop—why do you keep going back? If the barista remembers your name and your order, you’re sold. Or, - say there’s an accountant who emails you the weird tax forms before tax season starts. They’re thinking ahead for you. That’s a deposit. They're making it easy.

Imani Rhodes

Actually, let’s act this out. Picture two versions of an IT support call. First: Client calls, sits on hold forever, gets handed off, has to repeat their problem three times. Frustration builds. That’s pure withdrawal. Second: The rep picks up quick, already read the ticket notes, reassures the client, and says, “I’ve got you. Let's fix this right now. —low effort. Prospects and clients, they-remember-that.

Jake Ramirez

Totally. Being a real pro is about making deposits, keeping positive trust accounts. You keep stacking up those positives, so if you do mess up once—because we all do—it doesn’t send the whole relationship into a spiral. A little withdraw doesn't break the bank.

Imani Rhodes

Exactly. Tiny missteps don’t cost you when your trust account’s already deep in the positive. But if you’re hovering around zero and then something small goes wrong? Suddenly, everybody’s stressed, they’re questioning every move. It’s not about perfection; it’s about more deposits-than-withdraws.

Imani Rhodes

Let’s make this super practical. There are universal ways to rack up deposits with prospects or existing clients. The best, go out of your way to make it easy to do business with you- like the classic,-—“Want the usual?” or, Pre-filling forms they always struggle with, or just sending the calendar invite so they don't have to mark it. See the friction. Remove the friction. Make life noticeably easier.

Jake Ramirez

Yeah, what’s that line from Daniel Coyle? “Belonging cues.” When you’re out there making deposits, they sense you care about their outcome—not just the sale. Here’s five quick ones: First—we already said it, but unprompted updates. Second, offering a simpler option before they ask.; “If it’s easier, I can send you a one-page summary instead of the full report.”. Third, telling a client about a risk before it bites ‘em. Fourth, answering questions super clearly so they don’t feel dumb. Fifth, asking what else they need before you bail from a call.

Imani Rhodes

And most clients never announce that your trust account got low—they just start CC’ing your boss, or going quiet. You’ll know you’re in the positive balance when people refer you to friends or aren't constantly asking for updates. That’s the real win.

Jake Ramirez

Yeah—and if you never hear from somebody again? Probably overdrawn. So here’s my challenge: What’s one little deposit you can make today? You got a prospect waiting on an answer? Send ‘em a quick update—even if you just say, “Still working on this, will be-in-touch as soon as I have all of the information.” You wanna be the person they never hesitate to call, because you’re just that easy.

Imani Rhodes

Exactly. Be that person—be their easiest call. That’s how you stay remarkable. And that's what we focus on in the next and final chapter.

Jake Ramirez

Let’s do it! Thanks for listening everybody. See you in the last one.