BONITA
SPRINGS, Fla., May 2, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- The number one rule for professionals like
financial advisors, accountants, coaches, attorneys, and marketing
consultants who want to attract new clients is, don't sound like a
salesperson.
"Enroll, don't sell" is the main message of David Goldman, lead author of Bringing
in the Business Without Sounding Like a Salesperson (2024,
Indie Books International).
"Many professionals are averse to being perceived as
salespeople, preferring to grow their businesses, expand their
clientele, and receive referrals without the stigma of 'selling,' "
says Goldman. "The good news is that acquiring high-paying clients
is less about sales and more about an enrollment
process."
This shift in perspective, from sales to enrollment, empowers
professionals to attract more business and guide potential clients
effectively through the process.
Together with co-authors Henry
DeVries and Mark LeBlanc,
Goldman found that based on hundreds of interviews with top
professionals, having conversations that focus on what a potential
client wants is more effective in getting results.
Ultimately, their work is defined by four phases of
conversations.
The Attraction Phase is when you get a potential
client's attention or interest in your
business. If you want to attract high-paying
clients, you need to clearly describe what you do and how you can
best benefit the potential client. It involves having a good answer
to the question, "What do you do?"
The Meaningful Conversation Phase is when you've
received permission to meet, following the attraction phase. Once a
prospective client is comfortable with you and confident that you
might be the right resource or trusted professional, you have an
opportunity to find out what they want and determine if you are a
fit. This phase gives you a simple format for conducting the first
meeting with a potential client.
The Decision Phase involves one of the last steps of
the enrollment process:
the conversation for action or call to action. The
goal of the decision phase is to have people agree to work with
you.
The Agreement Phase is where you discuss
fees, options, and terms. During this phase, you may decide to
offer a full scope of work or a no-brainer agreement. A
no-brainer agreement is designed to get an easy yes from the
potential client.
"Done well, the enrollment process will lead to a bonus:
referrals," says Goldman. "Coupled with a great experience
working with you, people will refer others to you. But you must
ask."
Goldman says
referrals are too valuable to leave to chance. More
than half of your
high-paying clients could come from referrals. So, don't let fear
hold you back as you seek them out.
Goldman is president of the Goldman Organization, which elevates
and accelerates results for professionals and executives. He
emphasizes the significance of these attraction phase conversations
and describes them as key to attracting perfect-fit clients.
"When you have something good to say, you will talk to more
people," says Goldman. "When you listen more effectively, more
people will want to talk to you."
LeBlanc runs a speaking business and creates retreat-type
experiences for independent professionals. He says that if you show
up, be present and listen carefully, the road to trust is
established. His benchmark is two of what he calls coffee talks per
week, with more than 90 percent of these conversations done
virtually on Zoom. His only agenda is to hear the person's
story and answer any questions they might have. LeBlanc will
schedule a second conversation if a person is interested in knowing
more about his work or hiring him.
DeVries is the author of 18 books on marketing, has written more
than 300 business development columns for Forbes.com and other
publications, hosts the Agency Rainmaker TV show, is the
editor-in-chief of the news website Agency Owner News, and is the
CEO of the publishing company Indie Books International.
Contact
Henry DeVries
377127@email4pr.com
619-540-3031
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SOURCE David Goldman