You're struggling to communicate with your clients. How can you improve your assertiveness?

1 Understand your value

Before you can communicate your value to your clients, you need to understand it yourself. What are your unique skills, strengths, and expertise that make you a valuable consultant? How do you help your clients achieve their goals and solve their problems? How do you differentiate yourself from your competitors? By answering these questions, you can develop a clear and compelling value proposition that showcases your worth and credibility.

3 Use assertive language

The way you speak and write can have a significant impact on how you are perceived and how you influence your clients. To be more assertive, you need to use language that is confident, direct, and respectful. Avoid using words or phrases that are vague, weak, or apologetic, such as "maybe", "just", "I think", or "sorry". Instead, use words or phrases that are clear, strong, and positive, such as "I recommend", "I suggest", "I believe", or "thank you". You can also use statements that start with "I" to express your opinions, feelings, and needs, such as "I prefer", "I feel", or "I need".

4 Listen actively

Assertiveness is not only about expressing yourself, but also about listening to others. By listening actively to your clients, you can show that you care about their needs, concerns, and feedback, and that you respect their perspectives and opinions. Listening actively also helps you to understand your clients better, and to respond to them more effectively and empathetically. To listen actively, you need to pay attention, ask open-ended questions, reflect back what you hear, and avoid interrupting or judging.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?