|
The
Guerrilla Consultant –
a newsletter dedicated to applying the principles
of Guerrilla Marketing to the work and lives of
consultants.
What
One Thing?
Not long ago, I was asked to describe the one
piece of sales advice I thought was essential
for selling professional services. Naturally,
the usual things popped into my head, like building
trust, rapport, and keeping the client's interest
at the center of the sales process.
But as I thought further, of all the advice on
winning the professional services sale, mastering
the art of the client interview ended up at the
top of my list of must-have skills.
Whether
it's done by phone or a personal visit, a sales
interview with a prospective client kicks off
the sales process and sets the stage for what--if
anything--you will get the chance to do for that
client.
This
month, we'll discuss why the client interview
can make or break a sales opportunity, and how
to use the client interview to make a great first
impression and gather the information you need
to win the work.
Enjoy
the article, and let
me know what you think.
Mike
McLaughlin
Co-Author, Guerrilla Marketing for Consultants
The
Art of the Client Interview
When
a prospective client calls about a project, it's
natural for your pulse rate to rise a bit. After
all, it means your marketing worked. As you settle
into the conversation with the client, the first
and most important step you take is to learn more
about the opportunity. How you handle this essential
activity can make the difference between winning
the job or heading home empty handed.
First Impressions Are Tenacious
Whether
we like it or not, a client's early impression
of us influences the outcome of a sales opportunity,
and that impression is formed in the initial sales
interview. A client's first impression may not
last forever, but beginning the sales process
with a good impression beats having to overcome
the fallout from a poor one.
Creating
a positive, initial impression means emphasizing
substance over technique. Instead of relying on
canned sales questions, PowerPoint slides, and
body language 'techniques,' lead your client through
an insight-based discussion of the issues. You
may not win the 'Smooth Salesperson of the Month'
award that way, but you'll win in the client's
mind and that's what counts.
Of
course you'll need a few questions to get the
conversation rolling, but expect to develop most
of those questions as your understanding of the
client's issue evolves. And if you're ever tempted
to ask a client, 'what keeps you up at night,'
cover your mouth and count to ten.
When
you first step into a client's office to discuss
a project, you're likely to be viewed as a salesperson,
and that can be a tough impression to shake. But
using the power of insightful questions and discussion
during the interview, you can shed the salesperson
label and replace it with that of business adviser.
That will add immeasurable strength to your sales
process.
Discover
Differentiation
Professional
service marketers know that every project opportunity
deserves its own 'win theme.' It's rarely enough
to compete solely on a firm's expertise. Instead,
successful firms compete on the basis of both
expertise and client-specific insight.
You
can search the Internet about a company's issues
until your fingertips are numb, but that search
can't replace the insight you'll develop from
a client's answers to your relevant questions.
If you uncover just one nuance about the proposed
project, whether it's about the specific client
issue or potential barriers to completing the
project, you have the basis for crafting a differentiated--and
winning--proposal.
But
you have to dig for those subtleties. It takes
time and, more importantly, trust for a prospective
client to open up to you. After all, the client
is probably talking with other consultants and
hearing similar questions. So your ability to
conduct an interview that forges trust with the
client and encourages candor gives you an important
differentiator--client insight.
You'll
also eliminate needless guesswork about how to
frame your proposal if you've conducted thorough
interviews. And if you have a need to follow up
with the client after the interview, you'll have
substantive matters to discuss. The information
you glean from the client interview will advance
your sales effort by providing you with the raw
material to create a compelling and differentiated
offer.
People
Buy from People
If
you're in the market for a washing machine, price,
quality, and the manufacturer's reputation enter
into the buying decision. But you're not likely
to base your purchase decision on the skills of
the specific factory worker who assembled your
machine, or the driver who brought it to the retailer.
Brand, reputation, and price are most often the
key buying criteria for such products.
|
"And if you're ever tempted to ask a
client, 'what keeps you up at night,' cover
your mouth and count to ten."
|
In
a services sale, brand and the firm's reputation
are important, but not the only factors in the
buying decision. Above all else, clients engage
people. They'll put their money on the people
they believe can help them, not the promises made
in the firm's sales collateral. Sure it's helpful
to have the power of a brand supporting the sales
process, but if the client believes the person
or team isn't up to snuff, it doesn't matter how
many countries you operate in. Your firm won't
win the work.
The
sales interview is a mutual evaluation process:
the service provider is discovering what's driving
the need for the project and the client is evaluating
the service provider's suitability to do the work.
Your conduct during the interview supplies an
answer to the client's most pressing question,
'Is this person right for the job?'
The
Rest of the Story
The
business world is full of sales advice, and much
of it is very good. One thing is certain, though:
If you do a great job in the early stages of the
sales process, you're more likely to benefit from
all that great advice. Stumble out of the gate,
and you're likely to play catch up just to stay
in the race.
The
sales interview gives you a chance to put your
best foot forward as you demonstrate your skills
at analysis, diagnosis, creativity, and empathy.
And few things serve your sales process more effectively
than great interviewing skills. It's not unheard
of for a client to hire a service provider on
the spot after a great interview.
So
keep this skill in top form, and odds are you'll
be able to use the rest of that good advice about
sales--from crafting great proposals and closing,
to execution, follow through, and building long-term
client relationships.
|
