The Client Letter
February 19, 2013
Way North of Lake Wobegon
Windy Like Chicago 0 Degrees
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There’s a huge problem you run into if you insist on closing deals with clients via email.
From my perspective, it’s a really bad decision.
You end up making less, lowering the way you’re perceived and possibly even driving yourself crazy in the process.
In this day and age (and from all available evidence, in every day and age) doing things most people aren’t doing is a smart way to go.
The average Joe is asleep, likes to be asleep and wants to stay asleep. So don’t watch him, unless you want what he’s got, which isn’t much.
The big problem with email is that you cut off your ability to “follow the trail of breadcrumbs” to the gold with your client.
And by gold, I mean money.
That’s what you get when you become valuable to your client. The more valuable you become, the more money is on the table.
And to be valuable, you need information. But it’s not very often that your client just gives it to you. He doesn’t even know what the information you need to help him is.
That’s your job. That’s what you do. You get the information required to figure out how to solve his problems. And then you get paid for that.
But when you’re chatting via email, all of that opportunity is wasted. Conversations degrade to, “Here’s what we need done… are you available?… how much?”
Not much of a conversation in there.
You don’t want to be on the other side of a “conversation” like that. You’ll “lose” every time. And worse than that, your client’s problems will remain uncovered and go unsolved.
Who knows, you might even end up getting blamed for those problems down the road when they finally come to his attention.
Oh that sounds like fun doesn’t it?
Become a master on the phone. If you’re scared of talking on the phone, take that as an important clue. Not to stay away but to head off straight in the direction of your fears.
There’s power in a move like that. That’s where freedom is hiding.
Develop the skills you need to get the gold on the phone. Here’s how.