A Professional Leaves No Doubt
Here's a riddle for you. How can you be good at what you do and still not be of service to the people who seek out your services?
The answer in a moment, but first, a story.
I recently had fairly major surgery. Everything went fine, but it definitely knocked me out of action for a while. I had to do something to speed up my recovery. I was fortunate to have a friend refer me to an acupuncturist.
I called the acupuncturist, told her what I was looking for, and asked if she could help me. She asked me a series of questions about my health, but she didn't really close the loop. She didn't work from my answers to tell me whether she could help me or not and what the next steps would be. Instead, I got nothing on the other end of the line. It was almost as if she was waiting for me to say, "So, can I pleeeeease come see you and get treatment?"
If she hadn't come so highly recommended and if I hadn't been so ready to get help, I would've hung up and thought to myself, "Well, I guess she doesn't really need the business or doesn't really care to help me." She made me work too hard!
Being a professional involves not just providing a service but being of service every step of the way in your interactions with clients and prospective clients. In this case, being of service meant telling me that she could help me, outlining briefly how she would go about helping me, and what the next step would be. The next step might be as simple as facilitating the process of making an appointment.
So, how can you be good at what you do and still not be of service to the people who seek out your services?
If you fail to lead them authoritatively through the initial contact and intake process, making them feel comfortable and confident that you know what you're doing and you have a plan to solve their problem or satisfy their need. A professional leaves no doubt that you're in good hands.
So, what does this entail?
It's critical to determine a prospect's need and then find out if you can help them with that need. So, ask the right questions. Listen carefully. And then lead. If you can help, say so boldly and with confidence. Understand your own value. Professional posture is important. Be secure in what you have to offer.
If you're not a good fit for what they need, refer them to someone who is. But don't wait for the person to beg you to work with them or otherwise assume that if it's meant to be then they'll show up at your door. Don't leave someone hanging on the phone. Draw them out. Take the lead in establishing they've come to the right person.
If you think that makes you pushy or overbearing, stop right there. People want you to guide them through the experience. They don't know exactly what they're getting into or what to expect. They don't know exactly what you do. All they know is they have certain results they want from working with you. And if you can spell out how you can help them achieve that result and then deliver on that promise, they'll love you!
One of the things we're big on is clearly articulating your methodology ... your how. How do you achieve results with people? What are the steps? It isn't complicated. Just write down what you do first ... and then next ... and next ... and next, until you've described in comprehensive linear detail how you get results with someone. Once you've delineated all the steps in your own mind, develop a few crisp bullets that you can use to articulate your how with your clients and prospective clients.
Here's a specific how for an acupuncturist:
- First, I'll ask you to answer a questionnaire regarding your health.
- Then, we'll talk more about your specific concerns.
- I'll ask questions and make a diagnosis.
- I'll check your tongue and pulses.
- Then, I'll do an actual acupuncture treatment.
- Based on how you respond, I'll formulate a specific treatment plan, so you'll know how much treatment I think you need and how often you need to come in order to get the specific results you want.
It's like being greeted by the host of a party who welcomes you and introduces you to people, shows you where the bathroom is, and makes you feel at home. Contrast that with showing up to a room full of strangers, having to introduce yourself and find things on your own. One experience is pleasant. The other is awkward. Make your client's initial interaction and intake experience with you as pleasant and comfortable as possible. That may be as important as actually being a great service provider, because if you don't reach out to them and lead them through the process, they may figure you don't really care and go elsewhere.
To be of service is to lead. So, take charge and lead the way.
Regards,
Barbara
