|
Quickstart - Attract With Clarity, Connection and Specialism
Please add
bev@onestepfurther.co.uk
to your address book so you continue to receive Quickstart
MAKE SOMEONE'S DAY! - The Quickstart community grows through word of mouth and word of mouse and for that I thank you. Why not pass this copy on to other consultants you know or suggest they go to www.OneStepFurther.co.uk
Quickstart
Grow a Profitable Consultancy and Still Have Time for a Life
In this issue
Note from Beverley - And so to Dorset
One Step Further - Clarity, Connection and Specialism
Personal Reflections - Good Service, Bad Service and Plan B
Note from Beverley
Well One Step Further finally, moved to Dorset on 16 March a week later than planned and I am already enjoying the beautiful countryside and quieter environment that moving has given me. New opportunities await as I look forward to developing new business relationships through new networks as well as continuing relationships made over the past few years.
It's not all gone smoothly however, and I have tales of customer service, good and unbelievably dreadful, in this week's Personal Reflections, which will also explain why Quickstart has been on hold for a few weeks.
Please note the new One Step Further landline telephone number below.
Have a good week.
Beverley
bev@onestepfurther.co.uk
www.onestepfurther.co.uk
+44 (0)1258 817647
One Step Further
Do you waffle your way OUT of business?
* Do you drone on about how great you are and how great your services are?
* Do you concentrate so much on trying to get your message across that you don't listen?
* Do you focus on you, you and you?
If you even think this might be you on occasion -– read on!
Your clients and your potential clients are bombarded with information.
Your clients and potential clients are surrounded by products, services, knowledge and people all trying to persuade them to part with their time, money and soul!
So how can you be different and what will enable you to get the business on your clients' terms?
Well you can start by considering these 3 attraction factors.
Clarity, Connection and Specialism
Clarity
"...the most persuasive evidence of people's expertise is the clarity with which they communicate" Harry Beckwith
When you are speaking with a client/prospect, be clear about what you are about. Be clear about what differentiates you and be very clear about the results and value you can deliver in terms and language that connects with them, in their business in their situation.
* Speak in language that is jargon free, cliche free and is clear and to the point.
* Speak in stories, pictures or metaphors as you describe successes you have had which are relevant to the person you are talking to.
* Speak in linear terms as you describe a process you will carry out.
* Speak so that you clearly articulate the end goal and how it adds value to the person you are speaking with.
* Speak in terms of the emotional needs that you can address.
* Speak in a way that connects with whom you are speaking.
In whatever manner or medium you communicate, be clear.
To do this effectively all the time, you need to be clear about your purpose, message and outcome from the meeting/phone call/marketing collateral.
If you don't have clarity it's certain your prospects and clients won't.
Connection
Create a connection with your clients. If you woo them then ignore them, you may have short term business but not a long term relationship. Simple things that enable you to stay in touch are not expensive or time consuming but they are effective and help your clients feel valued.
A short "how's it going" phone call
A quick "thought you may find this article interesting" email
An invitation, introduction or complementary gift goes a long way to keeping you in touch with your clients, maintaining the relationships and if and when new opportunities come up whom do you think they will most likely talk to?
Be there for your clients, prospective clients and network, when you don't have anything to sell and when a buying need or readiness to act occurs, you will be well placed to be in the right place at the right time with the right service - more often than not.
Specialism
As more and more consultants enter the market the greater the competition gets. For independent or small consultancies the ability to win great business consistently, means getting known.
How do you get known? By being a specialist.
By being great at one or two things. By being THE consultancy that does X. Specialism is the way forward. If you try and be all things to all people a number of things happen
1. Prospects get confused about what you do
2. Prospects are not sure what you are REALLY good at
3. Prospects find it harder to choose you
4. Prospects have too many messages to cope with
5. You get less business
If you try and offer too many services or say you can do too many things, there is a danger that you do nothing well and spread yourself and your resources thinly, as you try to cope with every demand as you become desperate for business. Desperation shows.
Whilst it may be hard to turn down business, especially as a fledgling consultancy, it shows you know what you are about and your prospects will recognise that. To complement your specialism consider collaborating with other specialists that can support what you do or take business that you are not a specialist in. Forming strategic alliances is a good way to manage this.
"Consultants must first recognize that they are selling a relationship rather than competence and advice. You must win the person to win the business, and you must keep winning the person to keep the business." Harry Beckwith
So focus on how you can win new relationships through clarity, connection and specialism.
Personal Reflections
The morning of Friday 16 March dawned and I was up and about early. The sun was shining and it was a glorious day - moving day. After waiting for a very long time to move "to the country" I was finally going. Moving day went to plan and I was ensconced in my new home by 2pm that afternoon. The friendliness, service and efficiency of the lads from Whites removals was great and it could not have gone smoother. A big tick for good customer service, from the initial "can you please give me a quote" to the final "just give us a ring when you have fully unpacked and we will come and collect the boxes" - perfect.
However, the other side of the coin is BT. I have been a BT customer forever and I have had my broadband with them for nearly 4 years. On the 16 February (a whole 4 weeks before I was due to move) I telephoned their home moves department to inform them that I was moving out of my flat on 16 Mar and could they disconnect all services at that phone number and on the same day connect my new home in Dorset with broadband as well as transfer that telephone number over to me. "Of course". A few moments later all was apparently done and "in the system" to be activated on 16 Mar.
So on 17 Mar I tried to connect to the Internet and funny old thing - nothing! So I rang BT and explained what I had done, what I had been told and what my problem was. To cut a very long story short, their reply, via 4 different technical and customer service agents was
1. Yes we can see on the system that you asked us to do this on 16 Feb.
2. Yes you should have had Broadband connected at your new home on 16 Mar
3. We can also see that hasn't happened.
4. We needed to place a new order!!!
5. We haven't done that
6. It will take another 7 days
7. No we can't do anything to shortcut the system
8. How else can we help you today!!!!!!
Another 7 days passed and still no broadband "oh the order hasn't been placed it will be another 7 days". Needless to say my frustration level was at triple brandy level and I was really incensed by the complete lack of accountability by anyone at BT - no one would own the problem.
I knew the world was about to end, in service terms, when a sales person, with whom I had been connected (not quite sure why!), said to me "I'm in sales I'm not here to sort out customer problems" Clearly he missed the point by a mile and BT should move him out of any front line position for the rest of his life.
The number of mistakes, lack of action and failure of process continued until I was finally reconnected on 3 April. I am now drafting a carefully worded letter about lack of service, accountability and hope I can get at the very least an apology and hopefully some compensation for the lack of service and my frustration over the past 3 weeks.
Needless to say I am not happy having taken the time to give plenty of notice, someone hadn't done their job, the system had not worked, the process was ineffective and I was left without Broadband. I had hundreds of emails to deal with when I did finally connect, who knows whether I have lost business or irritated customers and Quickstart readers who quite rightly should expect more from me than they have got over the past few weeks.
How frustrating when you apparently, do everything right and the outcome doesn't happen in the way you anticipate. So what you may say.
Well the so what is, should I really rely so heavily on my computer?
Should I really rely so heavily on Internet access?
Could I have foreseen the problem and planned better?
The answer could be yes or no but it has made me think that just because my planning appeared to be spot on, I hadn't really allowed for mishaps and delays and as an ex Air Traffic Controller I should know that you always need Plan B.
Best Regards
Bev
bev@onestepfurther.co.uk
www.onestepfurther.co.uk
+44 (0)1258 817647 |
|