“Clients are only worried about two things. Can you fulfill my needs? Can we do it with the least amount of contact?”
With the extreme changes to the business landscape that has happened due to the pandemic, it’s unlikely things will go back to what they used to be. Mainly because the efficiencies that have been proven over the last few months will be permanently adopted by many people and businesses going forward.
No longer do you arrange ten meetings in Melbourne, book a flight and hotel and set out to meet everyone over a couple of days. Now you pick up the phone, send a meeting invite and you are ready to have a discussion face to face over zoom. And the one defining difference since twelve months ago is that your team, peers and especially clients are now 100% ok with this form of communication. They have no choice and have adapted.
So what do I mean about not being the little guy anymore. Well due to the facts I have outlined, everyone has been reduced to a level playing field when it comes to introducing new business to their company.
If you are in an industry with the “big guys” who dominate all of the big jobs in town, and you rarely get a look in, well here is your chance.
No longer can companies wine and dine their clients or show off their boardroom with sweeping views over the city, they are now reduced to introducing themselves EXACTLY the same way as you introduce yourself, on the phone and most likely via a video call thereafter.
See, with everything going on, reputation still means a lot, but showboating means little. Clients just don’t care now how big your office is, or how many people you can bring to a meeting to accompany you. Clients are only worried about two things.
1. Can you fulfill my needs?
2. Can we do it with the least amount of contact?
That’s it! In fact companies that now command vast amounts of office real estate in the high rises across cities, are wondering what they are going to do going forward. People don’t want to sit in an office so their bottom line is being hit with office rent and on costs.
So how can I make my company compete with others in this landscape?
Your output:
Your face to face relationships are now more digital than ever, so there are a few things you can do. Are you relaying your professional self online well? Does your website, LinkedIn profile and other platforms reflect how you want people to see you.
This is important as the first thing people will start doing if not already, is check your website then your LinkedIn. What your photo is like, what’s your background and how have you gotten to this point where you are pitching for a client.
Confidence:
This is more important than anything else, if you can do a project or job as well as your competitors. Show the value and give a price that reflects the job at hand, you must back it up with confidence when speaking to potential clients on the phone or zoom. It takes practice but it’s the best tool to have in business as it shows confidence from the client's side also that you are competent in what you do.
So in this new digital business landscape there is no room for any fluff. You can’t mask a ridiculous price with prestige or swoon a client with a show that reflects opulence and money.
It’s raw, it’s unapologetically direct, and those that adapt quickly to capture the market based on the above points will be in the box seat going forward.
This change is not going away, so take your chance now and don’t think like a little guy anymore.
NS.