BRX Pro Tip: Don’t Sign Your Next Client if They Can’t Answer This Question
Stone Payton: And we are back with Business RadioX Pro Tips. Stone Payton and Lee Kantor here with you. Lee, I know you’re a real proponent of asking good questions of prospective clients, but do you have one or two go-to questions? You’re going to make sure that you get the question in and you get the kind of answer that you’re looking for before you go much further.
Lee Kantor: Yeah, especially this is for people who are in professional services, and it’s so important to ask this question to rule out a problem before it becomes a problem. And you should never be in a mode where you’re just going to take anybody as a client. You should be selective. You’re choosing them as much as they’re choosing you. So, never forget that.
Lee Kantor: But a question that I think is so important when you’re having a conversation with a prospective client is to figure out and ask them specifically, are they ready to make a change? Because if they’re not ready to make a change, then the odds of them being successful with your solution are very slim. And you’re going to run into a situation where they’re not going to be happy, they’re going to be a pain, and it’s not going to be worth your time.
Lee Kantor: So, you got to really assess the client’s current situation and their openness to a new idea or new strategy. This is going to indicate if they’re really mentally at a stage where they can benefit most from your coaching or your service, or whatever it is you’re offering them. And it helps you assess whether they’re a good fit for your service and their needs. You know, just because they have a need doesn’t mean they’re ready to make a change.
Lee Kantor: So, be clear that they are ready to try this new thing. Because if this isn’t a new thing or this is something they’ve done with somebody else and they didn’t like how it ended previously, you’re setting yourself up for a difficult client. So, it’s better to be clear about, you know, your next client if they are really ready to make a change and they really are buying into whatever it is you’re selling. Because if they’re not, it might not be worth your time.