The Client Letter
October 15, 2012
Sedona, Arizona
Sunny 50 Degrees
A little while ago, I talked about how it’s smart to play OFFENSE when you’re in business.
Playing defense means your actions are dictated by someone who is playing offense. They act according to their will. You respond to the action they take in pursuit of their goals. It’s a bass ackwards way to get anywhere.
When you’re working with a client, are you playing offense against THEM?
No. This isn’t a battle, it’s a business. And your client isn’t your enemy. (Neither should they be your friend. They are a client, which is a very different relationship.)
You’re playing offense in an effort to help your client reach their goal.
That means you show up and PLAY with a focus on the goal. And when you perceive that the client (deliberately or accidentally) is an obstacle in the way of the goal, you deal with it.
In other words, your primary purpose isn’t to please your client, it is to reach the goal. Leave the people pleasing for somebody else. It’s too expensive and you can’t afford it.
Unfortunately, if you have mind trash clogging up your brain, it can be hard to show up as your BIG self to help LEAD your client to the goal. If you believe the chatter you tell yourself about yourself, you’ll probably show up as a weak version of yourself. And eventually you’ll resent the very person who’s paying you for help. And the best part is, it’ll ALL be your fault!
What a great business this is.
You must retain your power in the relationship or you will get led along a path that you would never choose to walk.
From the beginning of every prospect and client relationship, you come to the table from a position of power. If you don’t, you will be in trouble.
Despite what you see in the movies, power has nothing to do with money, prestige or success by the way. It simply has to do with NOT giving away your power to someone else. It is a mindset, a decision and then actions that are consistent with those.
And it makes all the difference.
If your mindset needs a “tune-up” before your next phone call with a prospect or client, you can use this. The “treatment” is painless and it takes about 23 minutes.