How to Speak to Your Client's Needs

Every entrepreneur knows that no sales means no business!  In order to generate that business, it’s absolutely imperative that you know what your clients need and how you might be able to contribute a solution to their problem.  In order to do this successfully, you need to understand that each of your clients will be slightly different and, therefore, their needs may vary slightly, as well (even if you are offering them the same product or service).  So, how do you speak to all of your clients in a manner that conveys you as the right person for the job?  It’s easier than you think.   

You CAN Gain New Clients Every Day With Ease...Check Out Our FREE Guide Called

"The Referral Machine" 

Connect With Them

The first thing you need to know in order to successfully speak to your individual client’s needs is that one size does not fit all.  No matter how hard you try to cram all of your clients into one box to make your job easier, it is literally never going to work.  Now, that doesn’t mean that you won’t have some repetitive questions or action steps to help convert your potential client into a customer.  There will certainly be some basic things you will need to know about each of your clients in order to better understand them, but scripting out your entire interaction with them will feel phony, flat and fraudulent (and that’s not going to win you any clients).  If you want to gain the trust of your client, they need to feel connected to you, not just like they are engaged in a transaction with you.  So, ditch the script and be willing to go a little deeper with each of your prospective clients to understand who they are and what their individual needs are. 

 Listen to Their Needs

Secondly, you’ll need to understand the art and value of deep listening skills.  Your clients, like all humans, want to feel seen, heard and validated and sometimes hearing what’s not being said is just as important as hearing what is.  This means going beyond that initial line of questioning to ask clarifying questions that will further your understanding of who your client is and what they need.  It means paying attention to their body language, facial expressions, intonation and inflection.  It means full, one hundred percent focus on the conversation.  Imagine, if you will, a time when you have been involved in a conversation with a salesperson and you know that you are clearly communicating what it is that you need and what problem it is that you are trying to solve.  No matter what you say, however, you can tell that the salesperson is not hearing a word.  They are clearly being driven by their own agenda and desires.  Likely, you walked away from that conversation feeling frustrated, annoyed and dissatisfied.  Don’t leave your clients feeling that way!  Commit to deep listening. 

Speak With Them at Their Level 

Lastly, speak in a language your clients can understand.  Recognize that they may not know anything about your industry, so tossing around industry jargon may only serve to make them feel uninformed and defeated, and that’s not a great way to start off your relationship.  Have you ever been in that situation where you go to get a loan or get your car engine fixed?  Rather than explain the next steps to you in laments terms, the service provider starts tossing out words you’ve never heard of and referencing mechanical parts you wouldn’t know if they landed on you?  Before you know it, your eyes have glazed over, you’ve stopped listening and you’re, in your mind, thinking of who else you can call to do the job.  Simplifying the process is going to make it feel more easeful for your client.  There are still ways to express your expertise within your field without talking over your client’s head and making them feel like an outsider.  Remember, you’re trying to build rapport and if your client feels that you don’t understand them, they are far less likely to trust you and will go find somebody who does.  That being said, obviously, if you know that your client has a background in your industry and will benefit from industry jargon, by all means, use it, but gauge your audience carefully. 

In short, your client wants to feel like more than a transaction to you.  They are giving you their hard-earned money and, in exchange, they should also feel valued, listened to and connected to you in a way that will contribute to a long-standing relationship.  The more that you get to know your client, the easier it will be to deliver what they need every single time that you interact with them. 

If you’ve found these tips helpful, don’t forget to check out the rest of my blogs and my podcast.  Entrepreneurship can be a tough road!  One day everybody wants what you’re selling and the next, nobody even knows your name.  Don’t walk the winding path of entrepreneurship alone!  Contact me to see if one-on-one coaching might be a good fit for you, or, if that doesn’t resonate, come and join our Facebook community at, “Be a Confident Entrepreneur: Gain Confidence and Grow Your Income” to surround yourself with others who are in the same boat as you.  You can also check out my self-led, six-week online course, as well, to become a more confident entrepreneur.  Whichever way you choose to work with me, I’m excited to have you and I look forward to helping you grow your business with confidence.   

Check out the Referral Machine and learn free and low-cost ways to gain new clients with ease.

Video Transcript  

Read More...