All roads
seem to lead to the notion that the well-managed expert business can win over
the clients…
People like to buy from an expert and not from a
follower…
One accountant is better than another in the mind
of a client only because the client thinks that he is…
Marketing is not a battle for the product but for
the mind of the customer…
One-minute
rant
Most service firms, PSFs (Professional Service
Firms) and firms in general think that the key to business success is their
technical skill-set; however, they don’t understand:
- What people really buy
- What people really need from them
- What people really want from them
- The importance of a good bedside manner
- The importance of demonstrating benefits/proofs/testimonials
- The business development process!
Most ‘professionals’ were trained to be technically
excellent, but no-one told them how to run a business.
Tip of the
day
You should become an expert – become an expert in
the world that you work in.
Become an
expert
People hate buying from a ‘follower’ or an
‘also-ran’ but love buying from an expert… whether you are an accountant, a
homeopath or a plumber, you can do it…
And because everyone will know and see you as the
expert… they will ask you to do the work and they will pay a premium price!
So what
does an expert do?
- An expert focuses
- An expert writes
- An expert possesses
- An expert knows
- An expert speaks
As well as the five attributes above there are two
additional, yet underpinning, concepts:
- An
expert has an ‘ology’
- An
expert uses testimonials and endorsements.
The interesting thing about these various aspects
of being the expert is that they all interlock and inter-weave. More of this
later in Part Two.
Once you clarify your specialisation then you can
walk and talk and write about it (using the same case studies or examples) to
confirm your expert status. Each element of The Expert! model supports
the others.
Experts present themselves in the position of
authority or knowledge; they tend to be seen as what some might call
‘positioners’. They present themselves as ‘positioners’ (where they set out to
adopt a specific position in the eyes of the customer) rather than
‘prospectors’ (where ‘prospectors’ are chasing work and clients).
The purpose of most expert activity is to command
respect rather than to hustle for business. Often, experts take on what can
described as an ‘education-based’ marketing approach to attracting new clients;
and this education includes giving away valuable information and advice rather
than giving a sales pitch.
The mindset of the successful expert is that:
- Their activity gets them the prospects that they want
- They maintain their dignity and professionalism because they are not using heavy-handed sales techniques… they let interested parties come to them – a client pull/attraction approach
- They are educating and showing people how their expertise can help
- They establish credibility and this recognition is a key driver in personal satisfaction
- They have a systematic process for communicating and for delivering work, which means that they are not constantly re-inventing the wheel.
So, what’s
holding you back?
Most people are happy to run with the pack.
However, in this age of mediocrity you only have to be five per cent better
than the competition to stand out… and if you stand out then people remember
who you are… so go for it!
Why do we
need The Expert! model?
Put simply, most professional service firms make
life very difficult for themselves.
The really small ones have no idea how to run a
business; they spend most of their time struggling to find clients; the larger
ones may be more successful but also struggle to keep clients in an
ever-changing world where the clients, competitors and staff seem to be
constantly changing their behaviour.
Question
When most firms in your industry look pretty similar (actually almost
identical) then why should people bother to buy from you when they can buy from
the competition?
Summary
All roads
seem to lead to the notion that the well-managed expert business can win over
the clients…
An Excerpt from Grow Your Service Firm
