Tell me what you want, what you really really want!
When I was a toddler, I can clearly remember my mum asking me to tell her precisely what I wanted simply and clearly. Obviously as a child telling people what you wanted was easy but as an adult, I am often mystified why we seem unable to communicate effectively and state our needs succinctly and without a fuss!
When you are running your own business, it’s important to be able to vocalise your needs, both for yourself and your clients, as well as for possible business partners and referrers. Having clients is like having a really good strong and healthy relationship. And for it to be successful, you need to follow three simple steps:
- Firstly, you need to remember that the other person is not psychic or a mind reader so does not magically know what you do, need or want. So you need to know what your business needs are.
- If you’re not sure what your business needs are, then please take the time to think carefully about them before you start telling people the wrong things or worse still nothing at all.
- Thirdly, you need to state your needs, don’t ask what works for the other person. You clearly say… “This is what I need. How can we make this work?”
Below is a list of things that you should know the answer to before you head out there and try to sell yourself and what you do:
- What areas of business you will specialise in and what types you won’t
- What types of work you will do and what types your won’t
- What types of client you will work with and what types you won’t
- What your fees/prices are and what areas will you be able to add value
- What your responsibilities are and what are those of your clients
- What timescales you work to and what you expect your clients to work to
- What your client can expect of your business relationship
- What expectations you have of your client
- What you will do and what the results will mean for your client
- Explain how you work and what you are hoping to achieve
- What you will do if things go wrong
- What you want your business to be known for
- Where you want to be in 1, 5 and even 10 years’ time
So in the words of that legendary girl power group The Spice Girls, next time you are touting for business you need to “tell me what you want, what you really really want.” Because by stating your needs, you are 75% more likely to attract the kind of business that you want than the kind of business that you don’t want.
For help in making sure that you know, understand and can confidently communicate your business needs, contact Vicky at Fuel on 07766 566690 or email vicky@fuelmarketing.co.uk