In any conversation there are four phases we need to navigate. This post is the first in a series of posts that shows you how to navigate any conversation. First - let's talk about how to make a great first impression. In the opening phase, there are three things we want to accomplish, namely: Arouse interest Gain sympathy Set expectations and agree on goal of the meeting Let's look at each element in turn. The very first thing we want to in...
Every client relationship starts with trust. But trust can be a hard concept to define, let alone act upon. The definition that has worked best for me through the years is this: "Trust is the unwavering faith that the person you're talking to has your best interests at heart" So the next obvious question is, how do we make sure our clients have that perception of us? It all starts with curiosity. We need to be curious on who they are, what's...
Didn’t win the sale? Price probably had something to do with it. Most companies and their salesforce (whether they’re engineers, lawyers, architects or consultants) argue that whenever they lose a sale, price was the main issue. Raise your hand if you’ve ever heard one or more of the following: “The client got it cheaper with our competitor” “We were too expensive” “The client didn’t have the budget” Either of these might be...
