CLIENTS ARE NOT STUPID!

For the past few weeks, I have been responding to our readers’ overwhelming interest in taking customer relationships to the next level through moving beyond CNA’s (customer needs analysis) and getting to the heart of the matter with Customer Wants Analysis.
            In considering this series of relationship-building tips, it must be said that, “clients are not stupid”.
            Promising to “partner” in delivering a dream or vision is a very emotional territory. That’s the good news. Selling to these emotions and wants creates passion, commitment, loyalty and excitement.
            But here’s the bad news…..anger is an emotion as well. Nothing will arouse the anger of a client faster and more permanently than betraying a deep and personal confidence they placed in you.
There are three keys to maintaining that confidence…..
1.) Sincerity,
2.) Competence and
3.) Confidentiality.

 
Sincerity. There is a chemistry or aura which surrounds account executives who sincerely and genuinely put their client’s needs first….and your clients can detect this invisible aura.
     Everything from your body language to the recommendations you make will contribute to the confidence your clients place in you.
 
DREAM-WEAVING RULE NUMBER ONE:  Clients are not stupid. If you don’t care more about your client’s success than you do your own, your intentions will read all over you like ugly on ape.
    
Competence.  Media fragmentation, new technologies, increased competition, changing economies and consumer trends make marketing one of the fastest changing and most exciting fields in business today.
      If you are to become a trusted advisor and dream facilitator it is absolutely imperative that you can offer cutting-edge marketing ideas.
      Read every day. Keep up with trade journals and business books.
     Keep on the lookout for seminars and courses which will make you the clients’ C.K.O., Chief Knowledge Officer.
      And continue to do post-campaign analysis to learn how to make each campaign better than the last.
 
DREAM-WEAVING RULE NUMBER TWO:  Clients still are not stupid. If you have not kept pace with what works in today’s competitive marketing environment through reading, training and experience, clients will recognize the folly in your proposals.