From BizLaunch: Want more Business? Three Things You Must Do

BusinessTrendsFrom Karen Gregory, HRSS Consulting Group, LLC  

As small business owners, we get excited about sharing stories and information about what we do, our product or service because it is  our passion.  Yet, the biggest questions from clients is always, “What is your value added?” meaning, why should I spend money on acquiring your services?  This is a great question that many, particularly small business owners, do not stop to put much thought into.

We get fixated on how we can help our prospects solve all of their problems.  We start rambling on about what we provide.  Of course!  We are confident that we can solve all their issues if they would just trust in us and buy our services, right?

Unfortunately, it just doesn’t work that way.  Although it would be nice if every prospect, after listening to us for 15 minutes, said, “But of course, that’s exactly what we need.” Snap, snap.  Wake up to the real world.  That’s just not going to happen so let me share with you a few strategies for how you can turn your clients on and get more business.

Specifically, here are three steps to convincing your prospects you’re worth their money.

First, just stop and listen. Seriously. Active listening is key. Don’t let your mind wonder off. Don’t start thinking about what you’re going to say that is absolutely brilliant. Don’t cut your prospect off to inject your brilliant thoughts either. Instead, be in the moment. And just listen to what your prospects are saying. Of course, you can ask clarifying questions, but your job is primarily to listen and gather info. Why?

Because, secondly, you want to identify what matters most to your prospects. What are their needs? What are their pain points? What are they currently experiencing? What are they looking to change? What do they aim to accomplish…now? Take a minute and ask yourself if you’re truly listening for those cues — their needs…not yours.

Thirdly, you need to be ready to show your added value. Once you’ve listened in and identified some possible areas in which you can assist your prospects, then you must be able to show them you bring value. How do you do that? Do you cut costs, do you decrease turnover, do you increase performance…what do you do for your clients that is going to make them feel like they can not live without your services? Or what services do you provide that is going to make everything better for them?

WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) is alive and well. And if small business owners want to grow their business, they must be able to identify and communicate successfully the WIIFM for their prospects and clients. The way to do this: listen, identify their needs, and show your return on their investment (added value).

How well are you listening for client cues on how to provide added value?

Karen Gregory is the President & Owner of HRSS Consulting Group, LLC. HRSS Consulting Group is a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and economically disadvantaged woman-owned and veteran-owned small business. For the past 5 years, they have been providing organization and leadership development training, business and executive coaching, and strategic human resource management.