Why Your Clients Aren't Thrilled To See You

Have you ever been?sure?something would make a huge difference for your client, and yet you just can’t get their attention to share it?

No matter what you do, they aren’t thrilled to see you and you can’t seem to get their attention or build a better client relationship.

What’s missing? To command the attention and openness of your clients, there are three critically important questions that you must be able to answer.

Question One

What are the top three strategic priorities for your client’s business this year?

Let’s be clear about one absolutely critical issue: often your client doesn’t have crystal clear clarity or focus on their most important strategic priorities for their business.

If they don’t, you won’t either—and the barrier to connection has just gone way up.

Facilitate clarity about their priorities and goals for their business with your clients, and you are well on the path to working together to achieve those objectives.

Question Two

What are their biggest challenges in achieving these top strategic priorities?

If the objectives are clear and well prioritized, being able to mitigate and overcome the obstacles to them becomes a stronger priority – and a higher impact level of value you can provide.

Getting them clear on the specific challenges that are in the way of their strategic priorities is one of the best ways to get them ready to do something about them.?When they have a clear perspective on what they need to deal with to be more successful, a good client is not only ready to do something about it, but more open to your assistance.

Question Three

What capabilities and resources can be leveraged to achieve these strategic priorities?

Too many times we plunge into the depths of wrestling with obstacles before identifying and leveraging strengths and capabilities that would help us succeed faster and better.

That makes no sense.

Very few professionals who take the approach of a ‘vendor’ work this angle well. However, every ‘Indispensable Partner’ professional knows to mine it consistently.

Leveraging strengths is one of the fastest ways to elevate results—and position you as the partner they want to address their challenges and obstacles.

The answers to these questions form an essential part of the DNA of any business partner who is committed to being an Indispensable Partner? to their clients – which is the opposite of the typical, pesky, time-consuming vendor.

Only when you are addressing what is most important and valuable for your clients will they have an open door for you.

It is long past time to stop ‘pitching’ services and products.

You must facilitate the discovery of and focus on the priorities that your client needs most. By being able to facilitate and clarify the answers to these three questions that drive an outstanding client relationship, impact, and results you will open the door to being welcomed and valued.

This is key to working with them to ensure you are both clear and aligned on the answers (and it is almost never where they start).