Hopefully, by now you have already started to build up a relationship with your client rather than jumping right into selling. This is the moment you have been waiting for, your first real date! Everything that happened before has been testing the two of you to determine if you are the right fit. Now it’s time to take this to the next level and make it Facebook official! This doesn’t mean you are going to take your potential client through the laundry list of services or products you offer. A steak dinner date is an entry-level commitment. You can still scare away a client by overselling at any point in your relationship with them! Now then, let’s talk about how to create the perfect setting for your steak dinner date.
Listen For Your Que
While everyone is different, even within your key target demographic, you will find some key similarities that the majority of your audience needs help with. Do you remember back in school when your teacher would say something in class and follow it up with “that would be a great test question hint, hint”? Just like our teachers, our audience is constantly telling us what they NEED and what they are willing to pay you to help them with. Too often, we get so caught up in our own stories or experiences that we forget in the service industry the person who listens more holds all the power. For those of you who don’t know there is a difference between just hearing someone talk and actually listening to what they have to say.
The Power Of Listening
As is the cast for just about every relationship you have or will have in the future communication is key! One of the biggest things I teach my clients is to know when to STOP talking! I LOVE Shark Tank. Whenever I watch an episode I can instantly tell when one of the sharks loves the product or pitch and is ready to buy. It happens so often on the show where the sharks are ready to sign up and give them more than asked for only to instantly be turned off by someone overselling or over talking. They even tell them now, you had me but you need to know when to stop talking. One of the best things you will ever do for your business and life relationships is to listen more than you talk.
Let Them Do The Talking
It should be an 80 to 20 ratio. That doesn’t mean you talk 80% of the time. You want them to talk 80% of the time. This gives you time to listen to their needs or concerns and have a counter or provide them with the education or reassurance they NEED. Everyone wants to be heard and know that people are listening to what they have to say. We all want to know that what we do, think, and feel matters to others. At a young age, we are taught the power of speech and just how effective it can be to get us what we want. Unfortunately, it’s not until we are much older that we learn the power of listening can be even more effective than speaking. Don’t believe me?
Challenge Accepted!
I am going to challenge you the same way I do my online clients. On your next potential client call, I want you to let them take the reins on the conversation. If they stray off target, you can ease them back in the right direction by mentioning something they said previously that leads down the path you want. After the call I want you to post a comment in the section below and tell me how it went. I am so sure that this will be a game-changer that if it doesn’t work for you I want you to book a call with me (see the link below) and I will give you a free lesson on just how easy it can be.
Where Does It Hurt?
By now you should have an idea of at least one of your client’s pain points. For my online health and wellness coaches, it is expanding their reach on a global level. Most if not all of my clients struggle with being seen in the saturated market also known as the internet. That is where I come in. They have told me where it hurts and my job is to find out how we can help relieve that pain. This is a low-level commitment offer. For example, one of my clients offers week-long challenges for under $40 that touches on one of her client’s pain points. The goal is to let your potential clients see what it is like to work with you. Remember it is almost always easier to resale to a continuing client than it is to sell to a potential client.
Plan The Perfect Date
You can have more than one steak dinner offer. Just like in real life you are going to want to go on more than one date before you move in together and start naming your unborn kids. I advise my clients to write down those twelve pain points that the majority of their clients suffer with. From there not only do you have talking points for every month of the year on your social media platforms, but you can also have a freebie and challenge offer to tie into each month too! It is another great way to let your clients know you are listening to their concerns and you are providing them with more ways to work with you while getting to know you a little better.
Are You Making A Difference?
If you are tired of getting off phone calls with potential clients and feeling like they went amazing, only to never hear from them again. You need to change the way you are interacting with your clients. I know first hand just how off-putting it can be to have someone try selling you something right off the bat. We get more telemarketers than I ever thought possible and I know that the moment they start pitching I am already hanging up. I have also seen just how much traffic you can get when you let people come to you and build a relationship with them. Let’s face it, the people and companies that generate the most sales are the ones people know and trust. How are you actively working to build either? Let me show you how to do just that.
Are You Ready To Be An Influencer?
There are tons of ways to increase your exposure online and on the air. Don’t believe me? Be sure to subscribe to my next article that will break down even more ways to extend your reach. If you are a health and wellness expert looking for help to become the next major influencer in your field, I would love to hear from you. I offer an online course that can help you do just that. For more information, book a one-on-one consultation call with me. If you are the best at what you do and no one knows you exist, how many people can you help?
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