Researchers at RainToday.com recently published “How Clients Buy,” a benchmark report on professional services marketing and selling from the client perspective. One of the most widely reported complaints clients have about their professional service providers, according to the study, is that they don’t listen.
Often, consultants are so enamored with their own solutions that they miss the client’s subtle cues on what they’re really looking for. The result: the consultant doesn’t understand what the client needs and can’t craft a compelling solution.
Clients recognize when consultants are waiting to talk, instead of listening. That difference shows up in the quality of the consultant’s questions and observations. Before your next client meeting, remind yourself to really listen. And remember, many clients already suspect that you won’t.
Comments