BY Rachel Cagle
You’d rather buy just about anything from a friend rather than a stranger, right? Have you ever thought about why that is? It’s probably the trust you have in them. You know they would give you the best product for the best price. They’ll know exactly how to talk to you and what your needs are. And if they don’t, you feel comfortable enough to talk with them about what could be going better. Here are a few of SellingPower writer Amy Dordek’s tips for how to achieve this kind of business relationship with your clients.
Pay Attention to Emotions
Almost all of the perks of doing business with a friend listed above have to do with how you feel. So, try to give your clients that same sense of comfort. When you set up a meeting with them, make sure everything either of you will need is accounted for. Make an agenda you’ll stick to. Take notes about the topics you’ll need to discuss together. Make sure that you always follow-up on what you say you’ll do. If you let your client know exactly what’s going on and stick to it, they’ll know they can count on you to continue to do so. That familiarity leads to comfort, which results in trust.
Make it About Them
You can’t go into a pitch thinking about the money you’re going to make. If you do, your approach will come off as one-sided, and not in your client’s favor. Dordek recommends thinking of your meeting as a time when you’ll be giving your clients something instead of receiving something from them. Your pitch should be centered around what the combined powers of yourself and your product/service can do for the client. That means that you’re pitching whichever product would be best for them, regardless of price. And, you’re also offering up your time to be available to them should they need your help after the sale closes. If you make the meeting about them, you’ll be differentiating yourself from your potentially money-centered competition.