My question for Tara

“Social optimization is at the heart of all my business endeavors. For this reason, any pitch I offer to a potential client is always authentic-I aim to reveal how working together will mutually accentuate their product, service and relationships with their potential customers and clients. Unlike many businesses that wait for clients to come to them, I approach clients to help them see the need for my specialized services.

What creative design ideas or tips can you suggest that will help make my pitch strategy more fun and multi-dimensional?”

Tara’s Expert Advice

Without knowing the cool tactics your genius self already came up with, these are a few of my thoughts on how you could support potential clients in seeing the value of working with you.
Talk to their ‘pain’ – aka Find their meaning.

Spend time uncovering and understanding these things about them (before you offer your service as their solution, aka sell to them):
what they feel their problem (or pain) is
what you feel their root problem (or pain) is
how you can support them healing this root pain

Why find their meaning?

If you can show a potential client that you 1. Understand their ‘pain’, and 2. have a authentic understanding of how you can relieve it, they will feel seen and you will be persuasive in instilling hope for positive change.

Personalize it – aka Appeal to their style

Everyone has their own unique style and way of doing things. And I bet every single one of the clients you approach has unique aspects about how they operate with you, and in the world. It’s their way of expressing them self in the world. Tap into that essence in your potential client.

Take notice of:

In what way do they take action?
What drives them to take action?

When you communicate with them, do so with their approach and attitude in mind. Alter your tactics so that you are speaking to them in the way they need. Pay attention to where they are at, and develop a pitch that meets them there.

Why appeal to their style?

You can build trust and understanding with greater ease when you can adapt your actions to the sensibilities of another.

Before & After – aka Show them what you can do

People always love a good story. Why not share with a potential client the evolution (visual and/or auditory) of one of your clients that had a similar ‘pain’ to them? You could also create for them a proposal ‘before & after’. A simple, tailored-to-their-pain ‘before & after’ showing them where they are and where they can be if they work with you.

Why show them what you can do?

A understanding of where they are and where they can get to will help your potential client to conceptualize the long-term benefits of your service.

Empower them – aka Show them how it’s done

Provide your potential client with information on your methods, systems and approaches, in a fun way. Perhaps by creating informative graphics. Help them to see and trust in the bigger process being employed in solving their ‘pain’.

Why show them how it’s done?

Referring to a method will provide them with a sense of security and structure when they are feeling uncertain about their project. You being transparent about your methods breeds trust.

Interested in creating a space for your clients to offer feeback about the work you provide? Check out my thoughts for Tara over at Elastic Mind on cool ways to gather endorsements.