How Long Does it Take to Grow Great Clients?

Growing client is like growing cherries. It requires time, patience, passion, and perseverance.

But in a culture where everything is supposed to happen fast, it’s easy to give up growing something new before it really gets started.

The 8-year-old cherry tree in my backyard perfectly illustrates this point. When I moved into my house 4 years ago, the tree hadn’t yet flowered or grown cherries.I thought something was wrong with it, but after doing some research I learned that sweet cherry trees typically bear fruit after their 6th or 7th year.

Sure enough, two years ago, when the tree was about 6, it finally flowered. There were white petals everywhere!

As spring progressed, the petals dropped to the ground and I could see the cherries start to emerge. I was certain the tree would yield hundreds of cherries.

Unfortunately, the weather dipped to near freezing, and the tiny cherries withered to nothing and fell off the tree.

Whether or not the cold was the reason for the cherries’ demise, I don’t know, but we only got one cherry that year.

Then last spring I watched with anticipation to see what would happen. Once again, flowers filled each twig, creating a visual feast. But just like the year before, each tiny fruit withered and dropped unceremoniously to the ground.

The squirrels found three cherries and ate them. I never got one. Deeply disappointed, I resigned myself for another year of waiting to see what would happen.

The same year, though, in a seemingly unrelated event, we pruned the imposing Yucca tree that stood on the eastern side of our property. The same week our neighbors pruned their Dawn Redwood which towered over the western side of our yard. For the first time in years our backyard had sunlight from dawn ’til dusk.

So this spring when our cherry tree bloomed again I was curious to see what would happen. The tree had more sunlight and it was at least 8 years old. I had high hopes as I watched, powerless, while the cherry buds took shape and grew.

We had mild days, a good amount of rain and more sun than ever.

And guess what? Lots of fruit!

The tree is currently covered in cherries. I had a whole bowl full and they are delicious. Most of the cherries are out of my reach, but I can see the little red orbs dotting the underside of each branch.

It took 8 years of growing, the pruning of trees, the right amount of water, mild weather, and voila, we had an abundance of sweet cherries.

Attracting clients requires the same type of experimentation: you need the right amount of passion, patience, commitment, and conditions to grow a solid practice.

Unfortunately, most people give up too soon. They may initially attract a few clients, but then suddenly have only one or two, or maybe even none. Even though this is common, when it happens many people lose hope. They think they’ve failed and then they give up.

But like the cherry tree, these people are really just getting started.

If or when this happens to you, instead of looking at your experience as a failure, use it as an opportunity to let go of what is holding you back and embrace what works.

Having a smaller clientele gives you the freedom to readjust yourself and find the “just right” amount of everything you need to make your business grow deep roots and tall branches so you can eventually have a practice overflowing with clients.

So, the next time you want to grow something new, or the next time there is a lull in your work, think of the cherry tree and the 8 years it took it to bear fruit.

But especially remember this: the tree didn’t fail the first 7 years and succeed the 8th. It just took 7 years to get started.

Here’s to 8 years of growing somewhere great!