All business service providers benefit from the growth of their business clients. If your clients were in the business selling lemonade, and you sold lemons, it would be imperative that you never sell your clients poisoned lemons. Not only is that not the right thing to do, you would destroy your client business. They would no longer purchase lemons from you and you too would eventually be out of business.
In general, we agree there is a moral and financial responsibility to help your business clients grow. The more sustainable they become, the more of your services they will need and the longer they will stay in business. Now that's simple logic.
In most instances, helping a new client doesn't begin until after they’ve signed a contract and has submitted payment for services. Which is okay. That's fair.
In a formula, it would look like this:
(Prospect Client pays) service provider = help.
However, there is an alternative side to that equation often times neglected, it looks like this:
(Service provider helps) prospect clients = pay
Helping prospects before they buy services is not new. You can gain access to various freeware, for me it's Pandora music. It's completely free, if I want more functionality I would buy it from Pandora, not go to their competitors because of several reasons.
I'm use to the service.
I like the service
I already know what to expect from the service.
I already have my music collection stored
Relating this to the work we do, we realize that all business services are different, even if they are in the same industry. So giving away free services may not make a lot of sense to everyone, on the surface.
However, there is one thing that all business service providers share in a common; an intake process. Currently intake processes have been left behind by innovation and care. So the same time it took business service providers to manage consultation calls in the 1980's takes the same time today. Not to mention, service providers are still creating and reviewing personally crafted assessments, if any at all, because there is no standard. This then, is one of the most important components in determining if a client meets your service criteria and if you match your clients needs. Very often, though, service providers still find out later in the process whether this client is truly a perfect match or not instead of knowing from the start and knowing exactly where and how to help this incoming client.
Most importantly, It is in the intake process that ideal clients are found. The genius is in turning your intake process into a valuable service which you then give your prospective clients to improve their business. This service, though, needs to go beyond the 20+ minute complimentary session, which is often also designed to sell and listen for specific, subjective key terms in the potential client’s story.
So, here you are wanting to provide service. When doing that with a keen eye on caring, don't leave yourself out, either. Just because you give something away doesn't mean you shouldn't receive value in return.
So now that we've solved the how to the equation. Help prospect clients = pay, here is how to simultaneously capture value even before they pay. Provide real, honest help from the moment you get acquainted with them.
Consider the logic of converting your intake process into a tool for your client to use, in which provides you with all of the necessary details and data to determine if the prospective client is a great fit, exactly what services they need, and if they can afford your services. Simultaneously the tool would help them grow their business. Preferably this should be an incentive that your clients will find value in.
As business service providers we spend tons of money on marketing gimmicks to give away useless items to potential clients hoping to grab their attention.
Giving away a tool that helps potential clients achieve sustainability without purchasing a service will not only generate more potential clients, but with your customized assessment, whatever you use, you can obtain the most valuable information about your clients business, which is, whether or not they are your ideal client.
"There is a way to do that, an approach that shows clients you care. In many instances this is normal and yet, at iDue Systems this method is called "iCare.". iCare is when you give your clients access to something of value that helps their business before your need to be paid.
We can all agree that, when you help a potential client prior to them buying services, it shows you care about their business and not just the money. That fact us crucial and it is also why we keep returning to stores and professionals that have shown they care in our daily lives.
Thus, the logic of iCare comes from basic human to human interactions and understanding added to the business world: Helping your potential clients/clients shouldn’t begin when they buy your services. Help your clients and potential clients grow and they will reward you with their business.
Karlton Hoskins © 2019