The Client Letter
August 29, 2013
Denver CO
Sunny 67 Degrees
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The toughest thing about auditioning a client is to remember that that’s what’s going on when you’re speaking with a prospect.
You are auditioning them.
Why?
Because to do anything else completely gives your power away to something outside of yourself. Worse than that, if you truly do get caught up in an illusion like that, you will spend your life being led around by others… and you’ll come to forget the true power you have at your disposal.
Stop trying to get picked. It’s a beautiful burden to relieve yourself from. You can do it today!
One way to audition your client is to ask a lot of questions. This approach is extremely effective and developing this skill will pay off many many times in the future.
But sometimes, prospects say things that just aren’t so.
“We’ll get started next week… the check’s in the mail…” and on and on.
You can create a lot of emotional angst for yourself if you believe things like this. (I used to do this all the time, but I’m getting better.)
The best audition process is to simply ignore what someone says and watch what they do. So simple to understand in theory, but it’s often difficult to remember in the heat of the moment.
One tip that might help is to outline that next step when you’re dealing with a client. Think of these steps as mini-tests. You don’t have to guess how the audition is going. You simply watch and see if the prospect passes or fails the test.
“So you’ll look at the proposal and we’ll meet back here on Tuesday at 9:30AM. At that point we can discuss questions and define next steps for moving forward…”
One failed test doesn’t mean they’re a dud. Everyone is human after all. Failing a “test” is simply a clue. A clue that you should pay closer attention.
Over time, you can develop your own “audition” process for your clients. This isn’t about control, this is about making a good use of the time you’ve been given.
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