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Perhaps your goal is more sales or more clients, which in turn generates a goal of expanding your network so you'll get more referrals. Instead, go beyond to establish Centers of Influence (COI).
COIs are people who know people, and who are willing to send you referrals. Set a goal to establish at least 10 COIs. This means more than exchanging business cards.
Steps to take:
- Identify people you know who would make good COIs.
- Contact each one to schedule a first meeting, perhaps lunch. Be up front about what you're doing and what you want.
- Expect to have 1-5 meetings with a COI before you start getting referrals. Remember you're developing relationships. So look for like-minded people with whom you are "in sync" and stay with it.
- Follow up on every meeting with a note or phone call.
- Follow up on every referral you receive from COIs and let your referring COI know the results.
Remove self-imposed limitations and blocks which hinder sales.
What you may need is not more clients, but a different type of client. For example, a stockbroker who is uncomfortable about approaching prospects of high net worth automatically limits himself.
Steps to take:
- First acknowledge and identity the problem. If necessary, get past denial. This is one place a coach comes in handy as an objective third party. In this example, the block is a discomfort in dealing with people perceived as having a high net worth.
- The second step is to identify relevant behaviors which could be transferred – in this case, successful conversations with prospects.
- Practice using these same types of conversations in the new situations until you become comfortable. If necessary, go so far as to script what you want to say prior to contacting your prospect.
- Construct a formal plan for contacting the new kind of clients, i.e., five new contacts a day for a week. Be diligent and disciplined.
- Develop and use your COIs for new prospects.
Get organized to maximize productivity and better handle an increase in business.
Swamped in paperwork and administrivia?
Take these steps:
- Get help. Surround yourself with skilled support staff. If necessary, share a secretary or assistant with someone else.
- Automate as much as possible. This means more than just using a computer; design stock letters to use in different situations.
- Pack rats, get ruthless about letting go of unnecessary stuff. Ask yourself, "Will this piece of paper contribute significantly to building my business?" If the answer is no, let it go.
- Use the same criteria for everything: meetings, association memberships, errands, etc.
- Phone driving you crazy? As much as possible, use voice mail and schedule a time to return calls, then be diligent about doing it. Train clients and staff to know when you'll be available via the phone.
Maintain a focus on actions to take and minimize distractions.
Covering too many bases? Juggling too many projects with things falling through the cracks? Feeling overwhelmed with everything facing you and unsure about prioritizing?
When trying to decide which actions to take use the following criteria:
- Ask yourself, "What do I want?"
- Then ask yourself, "What do I really want?"
- Third question: "Is this what I love to do?"
- Fourth: "Am I good at this?"
- Fifth: "Will this help get me where I want to be?"
If the answer is no to any at the above, drop it. Clients sense when you truly love what you do. That genuine enjoyment shines through and tells your client or prospect that you're there by choice, not just to sell them something. This in turn helps establish rapport and trust. People prefer doing business with those they trust.
Add new skills and language needed in the changing marketplace.
This may require making some internal shifts. For example, go for quality clients over quantity; there's a limit to how many you can service well.
Rate your current clients as A, B, C and D, so you can:
- Shift your focus to your best current clients, the As and Bs, and to attracting more like them. Sure it's hard to walk away from clients, but if you can get a better return on your investment of time and energy, that's where you need to focus.
- Go beyond sales techniques to providing service and value. Shift from the sale to being there for the client. This means you must "get out" of yourself and "into" the client – who he is, what she needs, how can you help him or her. Look for extras you can offer, added value that makes you more attractive than your competition.
- Under-promise and over-deliver, consistently. You'll better manage clients' expectations and might even look like a hero.
Results
Increased return on your time and energy provides:
- Increased enjoyment of work and clients.
- More balance – working smarter instead of harder nets you more time and energy for you. You get to have a life that's not based solely upon your work.
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