Do you drop everything when a prospect or client calls? Or do you have a business posture which says, "I provide real value and my time and knowledge deserves to be respected".
Years ago I experienced a strategy that filled a practice and transformed the business.
A strategy that can be applied to any professional service consultancy business.
I go over it in the video below:
Transcript
Business posture means you have a firm unshakable belief that you as the service provider provide real value and deserve to be respected by your clients.
Years ago I experienced a strategy that filled a practice and transformed the business.
A strategy that can be applied to any professional service consultancy business.
Albert was a new life insurance salesman. He had no track record and no clients so he hit the phones.
His target was doctors.
As you can imagine he made a heck of a lot of calls before a doctor said yes, he’d like to see Albert.
What happened next was critical. Albert intuitively understood the value of being respected and him business posture.
He did not want to be seen as just another life insurance salesman grovelling for an appointment.
So he did what for many is unthinkable.
With an absolutely empty diary he told the doctor the earliest he could see him was 2 weeks later.
The doctor automatically believed Albert was a busy professional and respected him for it.
Over time Albert built up a thriving clientele. And he never, ever broke that rule. Extremely busy medicos would phone almost begging for an appointment and accept whatever Albert gave them as they knew he was the best at what he did and his time was valuable.
A client of ours in financial services has taken this strategy to new heights.
The underlying premise is they only want to work with a certain type of client.
Callers are screened and politely asked what they’re calling about. If they’re after an appointment they’re told the earliest is 3 to 4 weeks away. Then they’re sent a comprehensive questionnaire which further qualifies them.
Over the intervening period more information in the form of documents and videos is sent which sets out how they can expect to work together should there be a fit.
Initial meetings are now charged for which further qualifies them.
All this builds respect for the supplier’s time and access to their knowledge. Which means they’re taken far more seriously.
As a result our client consistently attracts high value clients they love to work with.
Now obviously these results don’t come overnight.
First you have to develop a mindset of putting a stake in the ground. Decide exactly who you want to work with and why. Then have the courage to follow through even when part of you is screaming that you desperately need this next client even though they’re not a good fit.
I know it’s not easy, we’ve been there ourselves. It’s worked for us and many of our clients as well.
So go on. Have the courage to apply this to the next person you’re setting up a meeting with and see how you go. It’ll get easier for you to do this over time.
This is Rashid Kotwal see you next time.
