| Why is it that the leader or leaders of a service | | | | next meeting. If there's not a fit, however, we'll |
| business are often the only ones capable of | | | | be doing each other a favor by not taking the |
| getting new clients? Is it because they are better | | | | time to talk about the services that we offer. |
| trained? Better educated? More charismatic? More | | | | OK?" |
| intelligent? | | | | How this response is delivered is as important as |
| Perhaps, but I believe that the single most | | | | what was delivered. For his part, the young |
| important factor is that they RELATE to those | | | | consultant is just as ignorant as in the first |
| who can buy their services as PEERS. Business | | | | response. Nonetheless, he may have established |
| owners are persuasive not only because of their | | | | himself as a component of complex team and |
| knowledge, education, passion and charisma, but | | | | offering. He has a much better chance of relating |
| more importantly because they can tell their | | | | to you as a peer and professional than by |
| story with powerful relatedness. | | | | shrugging his shoulders and running back to |
| Clearly the reason service oriented businesses fail | | | | mommy. |
| to grow is often because of their inability to | | | | If you think the young consultant would have |
| systematically create new and profitable | | | | been better off had he known everything about |
| relationships. The leader of just about any | | | | regulatory compliance, think again. In this situation, |
| professional consulting or services firm will tell you | | | | you probably would have been deluged with |
| that their success (or failure) is a direct result of | | | | brochures and a full blown data dump. Still no |
| their ability to effectively articulate what they do, | | | | relatedness. |
| and for whom they do it. In plain language this is | | | | So how does one learn to how to have a |
| called "selling". | | | | conversation with relatedness? In many respects, |
| Consider the following example of which you may | | | | experience is a great teacher. Unfortunately, you |
| have had a similar experience. You're thinking | | | | may run out of time and money hoping that your |
| about hiring an outsourced human resources | | | | sales consultants and consultants can gain the |
| company to help you with regulatory compliance | | | | selling experience that they need fast enough. |
| (or some such service). You remember reading | | | | That's where your mentoring, coaching and |
| about a company that provides HR services in | | | | leadership will pay off. You need to lead your |
| one of your favorite trade publications, so you | | | | sales consultants so that they can relate to other |
| given them a call. The next week a young man | | | | business owners and managers as peers. If your |
| arrives for an appointment. You ask him to | | | | sales consultants don't think of themselves as |
| provide a summary of how his company deals | | | | worthy of having a peer to peer conversation |
| with regulatory compliance. He shrugs his | | | | with the people they need to be working with, |
| shoulders and says, "I'm not really sure. I'm new | | | | then they will be handicapped from the get-go. |
| with the company and in fact this is my first job | | | | Here is what I believe is necessary to RELATE to |
| out of college. I'll look into it and get back to you". | | | | others as peers: |
| What just happened to your confidence? Unless | | | | Receptive - Do you know how to listen to your |
| this kid taps into your soft side and gets you to | | | | audience? |
| play your sympathy or mentorship card, it's | | | | Engaging - Are people comfortable talking with |
| probably going to be a pretty short conversation | | | | you? |
| and relationship. | | | | Logical - Can you deliver your message succinctly |
| Now imagine that the same kid shows up and you | | | | and orderly? |
| pose the same question. This time he says, | | | | Authentic - Are you comfortable in your own |
| "Thank you for your interest. Our company helps | | | | shoes? |
| a lot of clients deal with regulatory compliance and | | | | Tenacious - Do you persevere with confidence in |
| more. Let's come back to this in a few minutes. | | | | the face of failure, resistance and skepticism? |
| My job today is to ask some very specific | | | | Enthusiastic - Do you believe in yourself and what |
| questions to determine if my company is in a | | | | you are doing? |
| position to deal with your challenge. Because we | | | | The days of the traditional "salesperson" are dead. |
| have a variety of methods and experts to handle | | | | As the leader of your firm, you need to enable |
| unique situations, I'd like to take just a few | | | | your sales consultants to become leaders |
| minutes to know more so that we can determine | | | | themselves. You need to set the example, |
| if we can help you, or if we're just wasting each | | | | commit to mentoring and training, and know when |
| other's time. If there looks to be a fit, I may | | | | to cut them loose if they don't learn how to |
| need to invite the appropriate experts for our | | | | relate to your clients as peers. |