BE what you sell!
STOP telling everyone
how great you are,
and just BE great.
BE what you sell!
Forget about giving away too much. If you have a service to sell, stop talking about it, and start providing it!
The fastest road to a consulting assignment is the one where you simply start BEING a consultant.
Assume the role. Ask good questions and make diplomatic suggestions. Demonstrate your expertise. No need for overkill. Just give your prospect a taste of what you’re all about.
There are many dozens of produce markets in my State.
The one that gets the lion’s share of business is the one that greets you with fresh cut slices of the latest fruit shipment, or a cracker with some of that homemade jam they sell.
Or you get home and find a free onion or green pepper in the bag of string beans or potatoes you just bought.
Savvy retail price clubs and supermarket chains do the same “try it/taste it!” deal with packaged foods. Must be something to it, huh? When did you last turn down a free sample? When did you last offer one?
Did you think people don’t notice the freebies you give them? Do they rush to buy what you treat them to? Not always, but they’ll think better of you, and eventually, they’ll buy!
Sure, there are always freeloader types who hit and run whatever they can get away with, but the vast majority of us like to get a sample slice at the deli counter, a flavor sample scoopful at the ice cream store, free website redesign recommendations from the Internet consultant, free bookkeeping ideas from the accounting firm, and new revenue stream ideas from the marketing consultant.
When a prospective ad agency client asks for some creative ideas, and they get a well thought-out action plan supported by some targeted primary and secondary research as cornerstones to support the creative recommendations, the ad agency is going the extra mile to provide a sample of its range and thoroughness.
Oh, and yes, dear lawyers, it’s bad enough you charge clients for every fraction of a breath you take: Bite the bullet when it comes to your “get-acquainted” prospective client interviews.
Charging people to size you up is not the way to start a relationship, and it matters a lot to most who might consider your services.
Doctors: When you’re seeking patients, grant them time to interview you without an office visit fee.
Showing prospective customers, clients, and patients a little bit of what you know is only part of making the sale. Showing them how you are as a person, how you relate to them and the needs they have, how you communicate with them is even more important.
Remember –especially with service and consulting businesses– to “chunk up” your recommendations.
Resist the temptation to come off like a know-it-all or to charge in with ten (or even more than one or two) pages of recommendations. Simply pace yourself and act yourself. Avoid pandering or patronizing.
If you do all this and don’t get the business you seek, it’s not business you want.
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www.TheWriterWorks.com or 302.933.0116 or Hal@BusinessWorks.US
Thank you. What a great site and informative posts, I will add a backlink and bookmark this site for future visits. Regards,
Mary Ellen
You made some good points there. I did a search on the topic and found most people will agree with
your blog.
Thank you, Mary Ellen. I appreciate your visit and your comments. Please DO return again soon. Regards – Hal
Richard, I can’t tell you how happy I am that you agree and have determined that 51% of all people agree with me! Wow! Thanks. Come again when you can make some reasonably accurate comments! Regards – Hal