Why Your Clients Aren’t Interested In Your Problems
Posted by aonenetworks On October 1, 2014
When approaching new clients or expanding your work for established customers you need to understand one thing clearly. No matter how much they might like you personally they cannot afford to concentrate on what you have to offer in general or how skilled you are. As hard as it may be to believe or accept, they are not interested in your struggles or how you overcame them. A savvy client really has only one thing they want and need from you.
Clients Need A Solution To Their Problem
The reasons clients are willing to pay you to work with them are pretty straightforward. They have identified a set of tasks that need to be done or issues that must be resolved in order for them to be more successful in their chosen business. These tasks or issues are not ones they have chosen to tackle themselves.
A decision has been made by the client to outsource the solution or solutions to these problems. What the client wants to know is if you can solve their problem and resolve their issues. Depending on the situation it may not be particularly interesting or important to the client how or why you are interested in taking on the challenge. The crucial concern is whether you can you complete the job of solving their problems successfully.
Frame The Client’s Problem
Rather than talking about what you have done in the past, listen carefully to your client. Determine the client’s objective and then construct a proposal that specifies what your actions will do to achieve that goal for your customer. Demonstrate your understanding of your client’s challenge and your role in overcoming that challenge.
Devise A Plan To Correct The Client’s Problem
Your proposal and your effort must explain and demonstrate how your work will clear out your client’s tasks and clear up your client’s problems. Details must focus on how you will provide a solution, your methods and why they will result in the desired relief for the client. Show how your efforts will provide the answers needed for this client, not how you have helped other in the past. Point out how your professional intervention will open up new opportunities, ease day to day tasks or increase revenue. Be specific and expect to be able to show the results when your work for the client is done.
Solve The Client’s Problem
Critical to obtaining your client’s trust and future business is then moving forward to resolve the identified issues as promised. Concentrate your efforts upon removing the obstacles or providing the services. Whatever you pledged to deliver must arrive in a professional and timely manner. Show the client your expertise rather than merely talking about your experience and former successes.
Celebrate The Benefit Of Your Work For Them
After the work is done ask for and accept honest feedback from the client. Identify areas of improvement in the customer’s business because of your collaboration and how your concentration on identifying the client’s needs and devising a customer oriented solution has put them on the path to increased business success.
As long as you keep the spotlight on the client your reward will be their loyalty and trust. You can then translate that personal connection into a long term business relationship, solving your own problems without ever needing to share them with the client.
