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How to handle the 'Getting to know you and your services' conversation
If you’re in private practice as a coach, therapist, or consultant, for example, or if you're an executive having to negotiate with clients and colleagues, then you’re building your own business by meeting with your potential clients and customers. And that means, like it or not, you’re…selling.
And, if you’re like most professionals, you hate the idea of selling. (It has all sorts of connotations like pressure, disrespect, cold calling, etc.)
Imagine if you finish talking with a prospective client and you hear something akin to: “I can’t wait to work with you.” Or, “ I hope you have room in your practice for me.” Wouldn’t that be grand?
How do you make building your business so pressure free? Easy. First you change your mindset from selling to relationship building. That way you don’t have to sell anything at all. You just have to listen and look for the match between your services and the person’s needs.
Here’s what I teach my clients about ‘not-selling’ in that first conversation, or ever again.
Create safety: Invite your prospective client to talk with you about what they want without driving to ‘close’ the deal before you have all the facts. Indicate that you’re not even sure you would work with the person because you don’t know if there’s a good match between you.
Listen carefully: Be sure to repeat back what the person is saying so that you grasp their issues (both their pain and their dreams) so you can assess if you’re the right match and you can demonstrate you understand what they seek.
Share your perspective: After listening carefully to your prospective client, ask questions and posit your own perspective on what needs to happen, so that it becomes obvious that you’re an independent thinker and not simply trying to make the sale.
Release the pressure: Instead of pushing the person into making a decision about hiring you, invite them to think about what you’ve discussed and set a second appointment to talk about moving forward. If you have done your job well, the person will want to close the deal for you and likely on the spot. They’ll be hungry to start with YOU because they have come to see that YOU are the RIGHT person to work with.
Don’t create pressure:Now that you’re done with your mutual interviewing and you’ve created an environment of safety and communication, wait for the person to decide what they want to do. You could push them into a decision but if you do, you risk the no-show or buyer’s remorse problem created by moving too quickly.
For more information on constructing specific language to increase trust and weeding out those who are a bad match for you, and for guidance on handling the specific scenarios visit Confidence Connections. You’ll find workbooks, tele-seminars, and private coaching opportunities.
