It can be said that there are two schools of thought in sales about how clients would like to be treated.
1. Clients want options.
2. Clients want to be told what to do.
A savvy business person will recognize that some clients will prefer options and others will want to be told what to do. This is the basis to understanding that one size does not fit all.
There is something in common when it comes to both types of clients. The likelihood of your recommendation or recommendations being taken by a client is dependent on your authority.
It’s helpful to remind ourselves how strong authority can be over people. If you ever doubt it for a second take a look at a classroom, camp, team sport or any group of children with an adult around. The adult has automatic authority derived from their position, from their age and from the structure of the program around them. This authority is immediately understood and for the most part accepted by the children.
As adults, in a lot of ways we are just bigger kids. We too respond when we are faced with authority. If you want people to follow what you recommend then it’s incredibly important to establish authority. It is an important ingredient in your overall credibility when you’re working with someone as a consultant.
Here are there simple ways:
Get something recorded.
Whether it’s a podcast, video, tv spot, or published in a newspaper, magazine or blog, it’s incredible important to have yourself recorded. This will generate immediate and lasting authority.
Get a testimonial.
There may be nothing more powerful than another human being acknowledging your authority in your field. If you don’t’ have a testimonial, do non paid-work for someone and go get it in lieu of payment.
Get public on platforms that are focused on your subject matter.
Today there are a million ways to engage with people all over the country and the world. Find something that works for you and start to develop an extended network of people that trust and respect your opinion on your subject matter expertise.
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