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Stop talking about how great your services are. Think about what its like for your clients...

by MarkDorrill
12 replies
The small & medium sized businesses who struggle to do as well as they could not because they aren't any good but because they are overwhelmed and confused in this technocratic age about how to tell potential customers how good they are and bring them to your door..

Ever thought that your best potential customers might not know what social seo media dilogarithmic content super plus delivered over streaming video tube means? As well as being so overwhelmed that they lock away their credit card for good?

All they want is new customers... plain & simple

If you talk in their language instead of yours you might just sell more of your services..

How have you found this conundrum out in the field?
#clients #great #services #stop #talking
  • Profile picture of the author Rus Sells
    Its like a farm implement salesmen rolling up in a Dodge viper, gets out wearing a 5k custome designed suit and then proceeds to pitch the farmer on a piece of equipment.
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  • Profile picture of the author Seantrepreneur
    As much as we would like to WOW customer with our technical knowledge they don't really care. Of course they want to know that you know what you are talking about, but when it comes down to it they just want more customer. More customers equals more money and that's all they care about. So instead of telling them all about SEO or Web Design or whatever else, focus on telling them WHY those things will lead to more customers.

    It's like when you are buying a saw. You don't need a saw, you need something cut. You don't care about the saw, it might be shiny and nice, but all you need something cut. That might be an odd reference, but hopefully it makes sense to you. haha

    Solve their problem or fill their need. Do that however you want to, but insure them that their problem will be fixed or their need will be filled.

    Sounds simple, but few actually do that.

    Sean
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    • Profile picture of the author MaxwellB
      Yep, I always tell people it's not how you do the service, it's the value you add by doing it.

      Small and medium business know phrases like "allow people to find you online" "get more customers in the door" "drive more customers to call your business" "more customers equals more growth"

      Not things like backlinking, on page seo, blog article optimized content etc.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    I've shared this before: do not give away your technical expertise at the start of the conversation...because:

    a) your prospect probably doesn't know those technical terms, and you end up scaring them

    b) you're giving them a free education and they will disappear and go find what you just told them about at the lowest price

    c) your prospect doesn't care about HOW you do what you do--just the results that you get.

    SEO, SMS, reputation management, mobile sites, desktop sites, all these things and more...all they do is act as a solution for getting the result. And what is the result, the thing your prospect really cares about?

    A steady stream of qualified inbound leads.

    Run a herd of giraffes through town square, all wearing giant scarves advertising your client's business...if that produces a steady stream of qualified inbound leads, do you think your prospect or client is going to care HOW you got there?

    Just as outlandish a method as "putting something called a 'fan page' up on an 'internet site' called Facebook."
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  • Profile picture of the author Nathan Alexander
    When we listen more than talk (oh how I can think of a few embarrassing examples of doing quite the opposite) they'll actually tell you what they want.

    And what problems they have...

    The right questions (and real listening, not just waiting for your turn to talk) will lead to the sale. They will often sell themselves with the right questions from you.
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  • Profile picture of the author StephanieMojica
    Great post!

    ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS talk about the benefits to your customer rather than the processes you use to get your customer to that point. Rather than selling 4 hours of coaching, sell a program designed to get them from A to B. People are much more interested in what's in it for them than your cool technology or innovative coaching method.

    Stephanie
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  • Profile picture of the author Perestroika
    Tell about results you can deliver without the technical jargon. Explain to them what they are missing out on and how you can help.
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  • Profile picture of the author DebbieB
    In face-to-face meetings with prospects (and also existing clients) the three most important things you need to do are:

    1) ask the right questions
    2) listen to the answers and
    3) leave your assumptions at the door

    I've worked as a marketing consultant since before there was an offline-online divide and I can tell you, for instance, that not all prospects want more leads and more clients.

    I just closed a long-term deal with a new client who specifically doesn't want to grow fast. What they want is a better way to manage the expectations of their existing clients.

    Not what you might have expected going in to the meeting, but critical to know in order to build a marketing plan that will work best for them.

    Debbie
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    • Profile picture of the author Kung Fu Backlinks
      Originally Posted by DebbieB View Post

      In face-to-face meetings with prospects (and also existing clients) the three most important things you need to do are:

      1) ask the right questions
      2) listen to the answers and
      3) leave your assumptions at the door

      I've worked as a marketing consultant since before there was an offline-online divide and I can tell you, for instance, that not all prospects want more leads and more clients.

      I just closed a long-term deal with a new client who specifically doesn't want to grow fast. What they want is a better way to manage the expectations of their existing clients.

      Not what you might have expected going in to the meeting, but critical to know in order to build a marketing plan that will work best for them.

      Debbie
      This is awesome. Nothing worse that giving your pitch and having the prospect tell you, "But that's not what I want."

      I used to work in the financial services industry as a planner, and the advice about asking questions is bang on... no one was going to trust me with their money unless I get right down to what they wanted from a planner.

      As offline consultants, we're in the same position of either helping or hurting their bottom line, so we need to ask the questions that lead us to a thorough understanding of what the client wants from us.

      Great thread.
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  • Profile picture of the author racso316
    Indeed. It's always better to find out what makes your clients tick, what their pains are, and give them a solution to their problems. Always show benefits. Stop selling a commodity and sell them a sloution. Ask lost of questions.
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  • Profile picture of the author 919492
    Its all about the clients and ROI on marketing.. pure and simple.
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  • Profile picture of the author Craig McPherson
    One of my clients interupted me during my speil and said

    "Craig, just get me customers" (he threw in some choice expletives to emphasise the point)

    He then signed the cheque ($2300) and I have not heard a peep out of him since.

    That is why I set up a site, get it ranked, get email enquiries and show potential renters this info. That's all they want, feet in the door or the phone ringing.

    If it was your business, what would you want.
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