Where Will You Be in the Recovery?
by Kevin Ryan © 2009 All rights reserved
You don’t have a choice about participating in the recession
But, you do have a choice about participating in the recovery
Well, we spent a year trying to avoid using the ‘R’ word...and it got us anyhow. I was even one of those saying “I refuse to participate in a recession!” which is a bit like a passenger on the Titanic saying “I refuse to participate in this sinking!” So, the reality is, if you’re in business, participation in this global recession is not a choice. But, at least, accepting the reality of the world situation means that we can move forward.
Now, unless you’re one of those (hopefully few) people who think this is the beginning of Armageddon, there’s another reality: every recession is followed by a recovery. We don’t know when - or even how – it will occur; but we all know it will. So, the question is, where will you be when the recovery happens? You could be in one of two staff scenarios:
- Scenario Number 1: With your staff fatigued, lacking confidence and energy. They have suffered through the whole time being under-resourced, untrained and feeling unsupported. They are exhausted. They have nothing left to give – or, they’re already gone – probably to your competitor.
- Scenario Number 2: With your staff up-skilled, keen and able to maximise every opportunity in the recovery.
Where you are positioned at the recovery will be determined by the decisions you make during the recession. There are two areas where your staff will need help.
- Giving them the skills to deal with the current situation. They may lose customers. They will certainly have additional price pressure put on them as competitors struggle. How do they deal with these pressures? What will they do to replace those they do lose?
- Giving them the skills to benefit from the recovery. To grab the new business as it appears and to build lasting relationships that cement customer loyalty.
And the good news is...they are, largely, the same skills.
One of these skills is the ability to create and quickly build trust with a client. It’s obvious when you think about it. Over recent times, consumers have had their trust in the corporate world severely challenged. CEOs being carted off to jail, ‘blue chip’ companies going belly-up, financial services providers destroying their life savings – all these create a climate where the primary driver for buying decisions in this new consumer landscape will be trustworthiness.
The one who can most rapidly foster trust with a prospect is most likely to get them as a client. The one who can maintain a trusting relationship with clients is most likely to keep them.
Now, this is all about appearances – making them appear more trustworthy. It’s not about making them more trustworthy...that shouldn’t be necessary. (And if it is, you probably have the wrong staff.) So, what’s necessary to make someone appear more trustworthy – and quickly! Two techniques that work well for all levels of staff are the compliment and common ground.
The Compliment
This technique is the starting point. It doesn’t make them trust you; it just makes it easier for them to trust you. It is a brilliant rapport-builder – creating the conversations during which trust is built.
Here’s how it works; in just two steps:
- Compliment anything: what they are wearing, the way they look, the fact that they turned up! The only rule is, it must be sincere. Don’t say it if you don’t mean it. If you are focussing on something they’re wearing, the accessories provide the best opportunities: necklace, tie, earrings, ring, brooch, scarf, lapel pins. This is validating their decision to wear this accessory with that outfit. It has a double-positive effect. It not only provides immediate gratification by stroking their ego; but also it provides a common ground link. They think “If he or she has the same taste as me, then they must understand me better.”
Always ask what it means if you see a lapel pin. It will probably represent their membership in an association or support of a cause which means you get them talking about something about which they care greatly. If you’re lucky, it will be an award or honorary pin which gets them talking about one of their proudest moments.
- Say why. This keeps you honest with point one. “I love that colour. It really suits you.” “That’s a nice necklace. I love the design.” “I like your tie. Cool colours.” “You’ve obviously done well. I would have expected someone in your position to be older.” “It’s great that you could make it. I understand how difficult it must be for you to get away from the office.” This makes the compliment come across as much more sincere.
Common Ground
We are more likely to trust someone with whom we share common ground than not. It’s illogical, but true. A criminal just released from a prison is more likely to trust another ex-con from the same prison than an honest citizen.
The secret is...not keeping secrets. You probably share lots of common ground with your existing clients that you have not identified. Here’s the hint: find out about what they choose to do, not what they have to do. For example, don’t ask them about their work; ask about what they do on the weekend, what movies, comedians, style of music they like. And there is a way of doing this without sounding like prying. Like the compliment technique, two simple steps:
- Share something of yourself. “I had a fantastic weekend. We went bushwalking.
- Ask about them. “Have you ever done any of that?”
Here’s a challenge. Make a point of identifying one additional area of common ground with all of your clients. It will add just one more connection, one more level of understanding, one more factor that keeps them loyal to you in the face of enticement from the competition.
To those of you out there now saying, “Is that it? I’ve always done that.” I’d say, : Sure you do, and when was the last time you did it for one of your long term clients?” These are the ones likely to feel taken for granted when you cut back on entertainment expenses and they see you offering all sorts of sweetheart deals to attract new clients.
Your ability to quickly create trust with new clients and build it with existing clients is one of the key skills that will ensure the effects of the recession impact less on you than your competitors and that you will be best set up to benefit from the recovery.
Kevin Ryan CSP is a Director of Remacue®.
He can be contacted on +61 407 727 090.
These techniques are taken from Kevin’s TILT! Sales Program – the level playing field is extinct – tilt it your way.
www.tiltsell.com
