Your clients and your potential clients are;

• bombarded with information.
• surrounded by an abundance of products, services, knowledge and people.
• overwhelmed by all of the above.
• Fed up with people trying to persuade them to part with their time, money and soul!

So how can you be different? What will enable you to get the business on your clients’ terms?

Here are 3 factors to consider – Clarity, Connection and Specialism

CLARITY

“…the most persuasive evidence of people’s expertise is the clarity with which they communicate” Harry Beckwith

When you are speaking with a client/prospect, be clear about what you are about; be clear about what differentiates you and be very clear about the results you can deliver in line with the problems they need solving.

• Speak in language that is non-jargon, non-clichéd and is clear and to the point.
• Speak in stories and pictures sometimes, as you describe what’s possible for your prospective clients
• Speak in linear terms as you describe a process you will carry out.
• Speak in terms of the emotional needs that you can address

In whatever manner or medium you communicate, be clear. To do this effectively, all the time, you need to be clear yourself about purpose, message and outcome from the meeting/phone call/marketing collateral. If you don’t have clarity it’s certain your prospects and clients won’t.

Create Connection Though Attraction

CONNECTION

Create a connection with your clients. If you woo them then ignore them you may have short term business but not a long term relationship. Simple things to stay in touch are not expensive or time consuming but they are effective and help your clients feel valued.

• A short “how’s it going” phone call – when you don’t have anything to sell!
• A quick “thought you may find this article interesting” email
• An invitation, introduction or complementary gift goes a long way to keeping you in touch with your clients, maintaining the relationships and if and when new opportunities come up who do you think they will most likely talk to?

SPECIALISM

As more and more people set up in business, competition grows – unless you create a niche specialist offer or service. For entrepreneurs, the ability to win great business consistently means getting known.

How do you get known?

By being a specialist; by being great at one or two things.; by being THE person and THE business that does X. Specialism is the way forward. If you try and be all things to all people a number of things happen

• prospects get confused about what you do
• prospects are not sure what you’re REALLY good at
• prospects find it harder to choose
• prospects have too many messages to cope with you get less business

If you offer too many services or say you can do too many things, there is a danger that you do nothing well and spread yourself and your resources thinly. As you try to cope with every demand, request or “whim” from any potential client,  you can come across as desperate for business and when that happens you decrease the confidence a prospect has in you. That in turn decreases the likelihood of them giving you their business.

Whilst it may be hard to turn down business, it shows you know what you are about and your prospects will recognise that. Steve Jobs said “I am most proud of the things I said no to”

To complement your specialism you need to collaborate with other specialists that can support what you do or take business that you are not a specialist in. Forming strategic alliances is a good way to manage this.

“… first recognize that you are selling a relationship rather than competence and advice. You must win the person to win the business, and you must keep winning the person to keep the business.” Harry Beckwith

I have been working on gaining clarity about what me and my business are about and having got that, life is much simpler, more fun AND I also find it easier to determine what to say yes to and what to say no to.

Here’s what I’m about

Purpose – Create a world of accountability and contribution to elevate possibility for everyone.

Vision – Create environments where people flourish so that they can confidently make their unique contribution to the world.

Mission – To create CABINS™ that service mind, body and soul, generate sustainable profit and value and energise people to create and expand a cycle of learn, share and build.

Talents

• Inspiring people to engage
• Facilitating individual and group development for personal and professional growth
• Being a “supportive poke in the eye” to challenge the status quo
• Creating new ideas and possibilities
• Seeing clarity where others see confusion

Services

• Mentoring – entrepreneurs/small business owners and professionals to explore, discover and have the courage to live their purpose, on their terms
• Mastermind – facilitation of small groups of entrepreneurs and small business owners to create expanded personal, professional and business growth, development and opportunities
• Speaking – entrepreneurial leadership, authentic leadership, mastering time, energy and effort for greater personal leverage, efficiency and happiness

So what about you?

This week focus on how you can win new relationships through clarity, connection and specialism and why not share your purpose, vision, mission, talents and services with our community at my facebook page http://www.facebook.com/1stepfurther