I started out working for free when I was about 16. My services to any client I got was more of a test to see if I can make it in the industry. And then on my 18th birthday, I already started closing clients who were way “ahead” of me in every way.
Although, because I was a self-proclaimed entrepreneur with minimal guidance, there were a lot of hit or miss moments. I was still testing the waters because that was the first time, I decided to charge for my services even if it was 120 bucks an hour.
The point was, I just didn’t have the knowledge that I have now when I was starting out. With that said, after all the years of trial and error, here are five game-changing methods that I’ve learned the hard way so you wouldn’t have to spend time trying other things out yourself. These strategies have closed many of my biggest clients to date. But before I start…
DISCLAIMER—These five methods were built with specific conditions in place so, if you’re still starting out and you don’t have any tangible results and a proven track record to show the clients you are trying to close, this won’t work for you.
It’s not about the mindset anymore. It’s the connection.
To start, it’s essential to get this out of the way—having the right mindset or knowing your foundations in business isn’t at play here anymore. You should already be there at this point in your career. Instead, it’s focusing more on connecting with your client on a deeper level.
Keep this in mind; You already have the results of your services – what it can do for your client and how it benefits them to choose you over your competition. That’s the easy part done there. But no matter how good your service is, if they don’t know you or don’t feel comfortable working with you, they won’t choose your company.
Being able to communicate is an essential part of closing clients who are ahead of you one way or another. They pick the people they work with, and they know what they’re after. It’s your job to find out what that is and how you can manoeuvre your company to serve their needs, and that brings me to number two…
Know your client in and out before you even talk about the deal.
Knowing yourself is great, but knowing your client is what closes the offers. Whether you’re dealing with a 100k offer or a multiple 7 figure project for a massive client, if you know what they want and how you can deliver that to them, the amount doesn’t matter—you WILL get the deal.
Having knowledge about the clients beforehand is already leverage. You know what they lack in advance so you can prepare for that when it comes up in your meeting or negotiations. This is crucial, mainly because there’s not one company that’s the same. Everybody has a different approach, and that’s the goal you want to set—to know their business inside and out to see what you can offer to close the deal.
Learn to research the people you want to do business with. Proper due diligence isn’t just looking at their social media pages and following them on their online platforms—it’s learning who they are as a company. It’s about knowing what can make their company better with your business in mind. The goal is to reach out to that person’s entire being, and you need to be very deliberate with your intentions when you are with them.
It’s all about building these relationships and connections first, and all this can lead to more prominent clients and better deals in the long run.
Be straightforward without sounding like it’s just about the money.
At this point in your business when you are closing 100k+ deals, fluff pieces and content with gimmicks don’t work. The people you’re dealing with appreciate honesty and a straightforward approach to business. For starting companies, it might work with some, but we’re not trying to hype clients into spending 100k+ with you.
When negotiating with your key clients, make sure you don’t sugar coat your offer. Give it to them seriously with no strings attached or any hidden agendas behind the proposal.
It might sound intimidating, especially if you haven’t tried that approach yet, however, laying the deal flat with no loopholes or tricks shows the client that you are confident with your offer. You know what your service is all about and you have the integrity to show them that you mean business.
Make sure that you plot out how it can benefit their company and the outcome that you can project if they proceed with the deal.
Cultivate your business sense.
Sometimes, there are instances when you know something is happening. Whether it’s a good thing or bad, you know that there’s something that’s not being said or not being seen.
Knowing and cultivating this skill is essential because whenever you’re negotiating with your clients, there are going to be times when they won’t tell you the whole truth. You’ll need to be able to read between the lines to understand what’s happening and how you can shift what’s not being said into an advantageous position for you.
Of course, learning all about your client still plays a significant role here especially because when people don’t tell you something, it’s most likely because it’s something they feel weak about or ashamed. Your goal isn’t to capitalize on this but to assure them that with you on the helm, they won’t need to worry about the challenges that they’ll be facing.
Forget about the sales script.
If you think that a sales template or script will help you close these deals, you’re already a step behind. Forget about that and focus more on the connection you’re building on a personal level.
Yes—you’ll still need a strategic and systematic approach when it comes to dealing with your clients, however, like I mentioned earlier, building a connection with your clients will never come from scripts that are pre-made or overused conversation templates that you sent via email to a thousand different clients in the past.
I love comparing this to dating—when you’re still dating, you always find the time and effort to “research” the person you’re courting. Then when you both move in together; you start finding out every little thing your partner is all about. And there’s no “templates” or cookie-cutter strategy to wooing your partner. It’s all about building the connection.
Blessings,
Tabita and the PioneerU Team
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