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Home » Business And Finance Articles » Let Your Prospects Know You

Let Your Prospects KNOW You

Every experience is an energy exchange. If you are focused on only what you can get from a prospect, your fear of not signing on the prospect or being withholding about the amount of time you're spending with this person, your energy will be resonating at a very low level. This makes all the difference in the world when you are interacting with someone (actually, even more than the words you say!).

I highly recommend NOT offering a free sample session of any kind. This is what I compare to the perfume counter at Macy's. When you walk by the perfume counter, you know you'll be asked to try something for free. You feel no connection to the person offering it and the value of the sample registers are pretty low. Maybe you'll take it, maybe you'll leave it, but you, the customer, are in the driver seat.

You want to create a different energy when connecting with a prospect. You want it to be a co-creative experience. You and your prospect are coming to this meeting on equal ground. You don't need to prove anything. You just need to meet together to connect.

When you do this in a way that sets the stage for sparking the energy between you, then you are set up to move to the next level of relationship (prospect into client).

Now think about it...when you are about to buy something or are exploring working with someone, do you want him or her to rush you through it or actually have the experience they really want to get to know you and your needs?

Now also think about this...do YOU want to rush into a relationship with a new client or customer without getting a sense of if they are your ideal client or not. (Think about any not-so-great client or customer relationships you've had in the past...want tons of those? I didn't think so.)

Setting the Stage

Setting the stage is getting on the same page energetically with the person you're connecting with. You start any serving opportunity by allowing in energy of trust. Below is a list of questions/steps for you to sample as part of forming an initial trusting connection with a prospect. As you read through the questions, consider what is important for you to include in your initial prospect meeting, ask your inner guidance: "What parts of this sample feel good to me? What would I like to incorporate into my own Process?" Make note of these answers.

Questions to Ask Your Prospect

Start by gathering information about the prospect's current experience. How did they hear about you? What/Who brought them to you? Ask, "What would you like to experience from our time together today?" Be clear about what they can expect from you in this conversation.

These types of questions put you in a place to truly connect as PEOPLE and this makes all the difference in the world when preparing to move to the next level of a relationship. And yes, you CAN do this in any business. Imagine more people being more invested in your good interest...your mechanic, grocery store clerk, doctor, lawyer, accountant...feels good, right? Only good can come (for you and the people you serve) from taking the time to create this connection.

Next, be willing to share parts of you and your experience that relate to and connect with what you've heard. Tell a brief story, share a little tid-bit of a similar experience; be honest and be human. Be willing to share what it is about you and your business that connects to their situation. Let them know they aren't alone in this.

When I used to work as a high school teacher, over and over I saw the same pattern in teachers who struggled with discipline and getting high-achieving results from their students: They did not treat their students as people; they blamed the lack of success on the students; they didn't really trust (or believe) that their students could succeed.

Not quite an invitation to thrive, huh?

Now, please know I am not saying to give away oodles and oodles of your time or information for free. I am simply inviting you to embrace joyfully giving your time and energy in a thoughtful and systematic way when you connect with future clients, rather than starting a connection off by "making sure you aren't giving too much or being taken advantage of." Only abundance can come from really taking the time and energy to truly connect with those you are meant to serve (and to really make sure you are a match!) The type of energy you start a relationship with makes a HUGE difference in effecting the results you're looking for.

Call To Action: Make up your own list of "setting the stage" questions. Bring to the surface what you want in an initial meeting experience below. List everything you want in an easy, positive selling experience. (Just think about how you would like to be treated as you prepare to invest in something.)What do you want/need to make the selling experience an easy, joyful one? Set up a practice conversation with a "prospective client" using the questions and practice sharing of yourself, too.

And here is another random article you might be interested in...

Generate Word of Mouth in Six Steps

Let me ask you a simple question - do you want your customers to say positive things about your business to other people? I bet you do, because as we all know "word of mouth" is one of the most effective and low cost ways to find new customers. And the most effective way to generate "word of mouth" is to provide extraordinary customer service.

Remember - the difference between ordinary and extraordinary is just that little bit "extra." So what is that little bit extra?

I recently decided that I needed a new pair of training shoes. I was suffering from sore calves after exercising and put it down to the state of my shoes. (And before you say anything, there's no way I'm putting it down to old age).

A visit to a local sports shoe store resulted in me walking up and down the length of the store in my bare feet with my suit trousers rolled up to the knee. Two sales assistants were sitting on the floor watching my progress.

After much discussion between us they recommended two pairs of shoes that I should try. New shoes were purchased; no more sore calves and I told you it wasn't old age.

These sales assistants provided that little bit "extra." They made me feel important, they were warm and friendly, they responded to what I had to say and they listened to my complaints about my aching muscles. I've now recommended that sports shoe shop to several people.

Research tells us that customers want two basic things from a supplier: -

Firstly, they want quality core service. - In other words, they expect your product or service to work, to do what you say it'll do. (However, do this alone and you'll only provide "ordinary" service).

Secondly, they want friendly caring service. - They want to be acknowledged, to feel that someone is interested in them as an individual and that they're cared about. (This is what provides that little bit "extra").

Here are Six Steps to add that little bit extra and generate word of mouth:

1. First impressions are vital - It therefore makes good sense to consider what you look like and sound like. In a face to face situation it's important to make eye contact and smile. On the telephone, it's not what you say as an initial greeting that matters, but more important how you say it.

2. Warm and friendly - This is what most people want and it makes your life easier too.

3. Use names appropriately - A person name is one of the warmest sounds they hear. It says that you have recognised them as an individual.

4. Respond - If a customer says something, the intention was for you to hear it. And if you hear it, it's a good idea to acknowledge it.

5. Actively listen - When you think about it, most people aren't very good listeners. We'd all rather be talking. You have to work hard at listening particularly if you want to let the other person know that you care. Many people listen but don't show that they're listening. You've got to do all the nodding head stuff and look like you're interested. And remember over the phone; occasionally make some indication that you're still there.

6. Close positively - At the end of an interaction it's a good idea to make a positive statement on a business level and a personal level. Say something like - "If you have any further problems then please phone me on this number and I'm sure you'll enjoy your holiday next week".

Make no mistake about it, providing friendly caring service creates that little bit extra and generates word of mouth for your business