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Are you scaring your prospects?
Richard Grant, Bullfrey Ltd.
"Let's get married!". How would you react if someone proposed to you on a first date? Would you say yes? Unlikely!
You're probably thinking that anyone who would ask such a thing is a little bit nuts, yet there are probably many thousands of people out there doing something just like that everyday! I'm talking about people selling high value services, to companies that they have no relationship with. Forlornly they walk away from a meeting with the company they have fallen in love with, that they know is a perfect match for them, that would love them back if only they could see…
It's insane! Who on earth is going to commit to a high value contract, for services that they won't know the quality of until they've been carried out, with a consultant that they barely know?!
Think of selling consultancy services like you would think of dating. You meet someone at a conference, and you seem like a good match. Be bold, go on – get their phone number, who knows where it might lead! Then set up your first date, ahem, sorry, meeting. Don't tell them all about your services and then ask if they have any projects you might work on. That's like meeting a woman you really like, telling her how great you are in bed and then asking if she'd like to sleep with you. It might work once in a while, but more often than not you're likely to get a slap!
So, you managed to get up the courage to get their phone number. Now you need to call them to set up the meeting. At this point you're trying to sell them on the idea of the meeting, not on having your children. If you were calling about a date would you tell them all about how great you are in bed? How about going on for ten minutes about all the reasons they should marry you? NO! Just talk about the value of the meeting!
You got lucky, the number they gave you was real, they took your call and now's the time for your meeting. A candlelit dinner for two, soft music, playing footsie under the table… No! That's just wrong! It's a business meeting, not a date, stop taking me so literally – you'll get in trouble!!!
What are you hoping to get out of first date? Is a marriage proposal reasonable? No. How about suggesting living together? Are you nuts? Sleep together? Wow, you move fast! How about getting to know each other, getting comfortable with each other's company, seeing if there's any real interest on both sides, and maybe a first little commitment, like a first kiss and asking for a second date?
What would be the equivalent in your business circumstances? What small commitment could you ask a client to make after your first meeting? Perhaps a needs assessment at their offices? Sign up to a course or seminar that you're running? Meet some of your existing clients to hear about how great you are?
When you want to take things a little further, what's your plan? Perhaps you could have a trial run at commitment – a small value project?
Once you've demonstrated how great you are, that you're fun to be around, that you listen, then you're getting somewhere in your relationship. And remember it's a two way thing – you have to love them too for the relationship to really work!
Do you need relationship counselling? Call someone else! Could you use a little helpful advice on your business development issues? That I'm better qualified for – why not get in touch?
See what Bullfrey Limited could do for you.
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