How to Dramatically Increase Sales by Helping Clients Succeed

It's often difficult to know whether our client is really interested in the solution we've mutually explored. To give us a better sense of the impact of the solution from the client's perspective, we can take away the solution. Another important rule is to start anywhere and go everywhere, meaning the framework of getting to all the issues, developing evidence and impact, and exploring context and constraints is simply a checklist. We won't always go through this framework sequentially, but we should be addressing these vital elements in qualifying an opportunity.

One person's solution can often present a problem for someone else. When exploring an opportunity, sales people must explore context and constraints to better understand who or what else is affected. This also allows you to create more potential for added value and make sure that a solution can be supported and sustained. Looking for the two types of context and for good and bad constraints will help you better understand your client and make better decisions.

Having gathered evidence around a client's problem to be solved or result to be gained, sales people must then gather how this impacts the business of the organization. Without a quantifiable impact, the client may find it hard to see the real potential of a solution. There are two kinds of measures that will help you and the client discover the benefits and the size of the pay-off of a solution. "Peeling the onion" will help you dig deep to turn a soft measure into a hard one.

We need to uncover hard evidence of problems to be solved, the impact of the problems on the business, and the client's desired results to more fully understand clients and determine if we should continue talking to pursue a solution.

To understand clients and the opportunity, we need to structure a conversation to get a quick and complete list of the client's key issues; find out what matters most to them; dive deeper for evidence, impact, context, and constraints; summarize the findings; and prioritize each issue in order of importance.

Beginning with the Opportunity, the first step is to Move Off the Solution so you can fully explore the client's problems and desired results.

Yellow lights are signals to slow down not speed up. If you sense you're running into a problem with your client, find a way to say it-tactfully.

If your intent is to help your clients succeed, you have the right and the obligation to not guess about the key elements that will determine success for your client. This involves the ability to ask questions, even very hard questions, in a way that elicits open dialogue and truthful exchange.

You must focus on your client's agenda and what matters most to them rather than focusing on your agenda to make a sale. This requires you to be clear on your intent and check your ego at the door, so you will be free to do what is in the best interest of the client. As you do this, you will succeed by winning your client's trust and confidence.

To create genuine communication and understanding between people it is important to have clear, common definitions of terms. Its also important to balance communications skills (EQ) with critical thinking (IQ) skills to help us and clients succeed.

Helping Clients Succeed teaches you how to become totally client-focused and create profitable business. This program provides the people-to-people, relationship-building and business-thinking skills critical to creating genuine, high-trust relationships and dramatic business results.