Meeting management: Using an efficient and effective process to make meetings more productive and collaborative.
Follow up. For example, what if you conducted a formal check-in with all clients, three or six months after concluding an engagement?
The sky is the limit in terms of the ways in which you can structure a consistent set of client interactions that convey your unique stamp.
Develop a Personal Style
Adopt a few, small habits and ways of communicating, and they will become a kind of signature for you.
Maybe your personal style is always dressing well, no matter how casual the occasion- or, always dressing casually. My late co-author Jerry Panas used stationary that was unique and he sent a lot of personal, handwritten notes to people. As soon as you saw those beautiful black envelopes in your mail, you would smile and know that Jerry had written to you.
Bring Their Ideas to Life
Innovation is a big topic, and much has been written about how to stir more innovation in large organizations. I love coming up with new ideas myself- however, many top executives will tell you that their challenge is not coming up with new ideas, it’ s taking some of the ideas they already have and doing a great job of commercializing them. You will stand out from the crowd if you can be seen as someone who has the patience, discipline, and practical know-how to show a client how to take a concept they already have- but which hasn’ t gotten off the ground- and make it a reality.
Show You Really Care
Your clients are living their businesses and their organisations 24 / 7. This is their professional lifeblood. They know you care about YOUR business- of course you do. But do you really value and care about THEIRS? Or, is it just another job for you- another day, another dollar- as the expression goes? This is something else that sets the personal physician or personal accountant apart from the person who makes the one-off visit to your house to fix your clogged sink. Clients want to work with advisors and service providers who are interested in and care about what they do and about their people.
Take an actual interest in their business- its history, how it works, the customers they serve, the products they sell, the people they hire, and so on. Be curious. Spend time“ off the clock” to understand their organization. Go talk to a few of their clients or customers. Learn about their values and beliefs as an organization.
Be seen as well-connected
When you make a new friend, or meet someone for the first time, your esteem for them can go up or down based on your perception of who they hang out with. Clients will look at you in the same light- do your business and personal connections enhance or detract from your personal brand and value? Don’ t underestimate how powerful this effect can be.
Build a Better Relationship
This had to be on my list, right? This isn’ t about just being“ liked” better than the next person. A strong relationship provides many powerful benefits- here are just two: First, it enables you to accomplish point 1 on my list- to know more about your client than your competitors. Second, it creates a personal connection that strengthens a client’ s loyalty to you. Remember, we don’ t really root for someone until we feel some kind of personal relationship with them.
You don’ t have to be a master at all nine of these strategies. Pick a couple that you’ d like to work on!
Dr. Clifford J. Ferguson is the Managing Partner of Rainmakers, and Board Member of Glad’ s House Kenya. You can commune with him on this or related matters via email at: Drcliffordjferguson @ me. com.
We Are A Creative
MARKETING
Our Services:
Agency
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING WEB DEVELOPMENT SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION CONTENT MARKETING MARKETING CONSULTING CONSUMER PROMOTION & EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING TRADE PROMOTIONS TRADE MERCHANDISING
Call to find out more
+ 254 722 888 636 + 254 768 283 165
Visit our website for more www. savvyhouse. co. ke