“How do you take what a potential buyer says they want and transform it into what they really need?” That was a question I heard from several participants at my Unlock the Secrets to Corporate Consultancy Masterclass last month. It’s a really insightful question. Haven’t you found that what potential clients “think” they want and what you “know” they need aren’t always the same thing? Learning how to transform wants into meeting real needs, is key if you want to work with premium clients, have longer projects, and charge higher fees.
Many clients initially call you to request a specific service and you might be tempted to agree to offer that service. But don’t forget your reputation is at stake…
Can you really ensure that the results of this service are really going to meet and/or exceed your client’s expectations? Often, the service they’ve requested is too short a window to affect change and to measure the results of the investment.
Let’s look at a couple of examples. It could be a company calling to request a one hour workshop or a private client asking for three sessions to help them with a particular challenge. So they are telling you what they want, but you and I know that a one-hour workshop or three quick sessions won’t solve much of anything. Think about it. A workshop is only skill-transfer – it doesn’t guarantee that the participants will apply what they’ve learned. Similarly, three sessions with a private client, won’t get her immersed into practicing the changes that will help her overcome her challenge.
At my Masterclass, we discussed strategies to position yourself as a strategic partner who ensures your clients get results. Today I want to share three ways to do that during your very first phone call (or Discovery Call) with a potential client:
1). Ask Powerful Questions to Dig Deeper
Always ask powerful questions to help you see whether a longer-term program would be better, for both you and the client, than a short endeavor that leads to zero results. Using our earlier examples, if you’re talking to the company decision-maker ask questions like, “Why do you want a one-hour workshop? What objectives are you trying to achieve by holding this training?” For the private client, ask, “What are you looking to achieve and why is that so important to you?”
When you start digging deeper, beyond the services they are requesting, the buyer starts to see that they were looking at the solution all wrong. Your questions help them see that they need greater help to really achieve the bottom-line results they want.
2). Provide Options to Measure Success
I love the quote, “You can’t improve what you cannot measure.” It’s so true. When you provide longer programs it allows you to set up success metrics with your clients and measure improvement over a longer duration of time. For private clients, this means creating signature programs. For corporate clients, it’s providing a variety of alternative solutions to ensure that you achieve their entire objectives and have a way of measuring progress.
During your conversation, giving your buyer options allows them to decide between different investment fees, timeframes, and methodologies to determine the best return on investment. When you showcase options, it switches your buyer from thinking; “Will I work with (name)?” to “Which program should I choose?”
3). Push Back With Results-Driven Language
Your reputation is at stake when you indicate that people will get stellar results when you know good and well, they won’t have the time to practice and change behaviors. This is where powerful language comes in again to push back on your potential buyer.
Let’s use our earlier example of a corporate client who “just” wants a one-hour workshop to see how you can use results-driven language. “Bill, I know that you want a one hour workshop but that’s not going to get you the kinds of results you are looking for. Participants need time to practice applying the learning skills from the workshop after the course. If not, they’re going to bump against themselves, become frustrated and quit because there is no one there to support, guide them, answer questions and hold them accountable for the goals they set in the session. That’s why I’m suggesting that you consider a follow-up group coaching program so your team has greater access to me and we can better measure the progress of this workshop. Don’t you agree that’s a better approach to ensure a higher ROI for your organization?”
In the case of the private client who “just” wants three sessions, when you know she would be better served by one of your premium signature programs, be candid and honest with her. Tell her that to overcome her challenges and achieve results, it will take more than three sessions. But then assure her that you’ll hold her accountable and the two of you can measure progress as you go along.
Everyone today is looking for the magic pill to achieve results, however, you and I know that to make long-lasting changes it takes time to ensure sustainable success. The three strategies I shared here will help you persuasively turn what the buyer wants into what you know they need. However, in order to be a strategic partner who ensures your clients get results, this is just the beginning. In my next article, I’ll share tips to incorporate unique value into your services that will address needs your clients didn’t even know they had!
Sarah’s Predictable Results Insights
- Do you have questions you’ve prepared ahead of time that will help you dig deeper into the needs of your clients or do you tend to wing each call?
- Do you have long-term signature programs that will help your client make sustainable progress or are you still offering one-and-done services that lack results?
- Are you comfortable pushing back when you know a potential client is asking for the wrong service or do you acquiesce in order to make the sale?
What’s the one thing you need to work on to improve your results? I’d love to hear from you. If you want accelerated results it may be time to consider one-on-one coaching, please contact me at 1-800-267-3245 for a complimentary strategy session to see how we may be of service to you.