Many of your clients are probably feeling more than a little anxious right now. That’s kind of understandable when you’re facing the type of headwinds that rattle business confidence. But, as a professional, one of the best ways to allay your clients’ fears is simply to show you’re there with them.

My experience is that one of the best ways to do this is to share your insights with them. Let them know what’s happening out there and, in doing so explain what challenges others are facing and how they’re dealing with them.

In the process, you’ll be showing your own worth as someone who has their finger on the pulse and entrenching your position as a trusted adviser.

A BIRD’S EYE VIEW

As both an expert and an outside but interested observer, you’ll see a lot of things happening in the business landscape that others can’t see or aren’t capable of seeing. This might include anything from innovative ways organisations are coping with work-place and work-space changes, and the tax, technology or legal requirements that are causing the most headaches. And because you’re the one seeing these things, and also making sense of them, you’re also uniquely placed to let your clients know what the lay of the land looks like.

LET ME GET ONE THING STRAIGHT…

Okay, so I’m not suggesting for a moment here that you begin splashing around confidential information or betraying your clients’ trust in any way.

But what I am suggesting is that you are almost uniquely placed to see trends that are happening across your clients’ industries and beyond. You can use your power to synthesise this and share it with the people who matter most. And now is the exact time to get your clients, experts and referral contacts together, share what you’re seeing and what insights you have into their current plight.

It’s time to get them together and share what you know.

THE RIGHT FORMAT FOR IMPACT

It doesn’t have to be a group of 200. Just six people on a Teams call will give you the chance to have a digital round table where you share your insights and give your contacts the chance to tell their stories too.

An intimate group like this, even a virtual one, lets you speak candidly, connect and get to know each other. What’s more, you’ll be the one who gets to set the agenda and brings people together - giving you a strategic role in the minds of your most important clients in the process.

START NOW

Best of all, you can probably get started on your virtual roundtable today.

Write down the names of half a dozen contacts you value and figure out what binds them together. Is it their industry sector? Their sentiment? The way they do business? As professional services guru, David Maister (2005) says: “Make it more personal and real by inviting people you really like and admire to come and discuss important issues of mutual interest. Be sure to invite interesting people, not just those from your biggest and most profitable accounts.”

Next, think of what it is you want to talk to them about - an engaging angle rather than a detailed agenda. You can even adapt my SLAY Guide for Meetings as your outline.

Now set a time before the holiday break.

All that’s left to do is to email or call each of the people you’re inviting to see if they’re interested. I’d make it as personal as possible. Let them know they’re part of the inner circle.

Then get cracking on gathering your thoughts. It really is that simple. Bringing people together for a quiet yarn in a small group, is probably the single most effective marketing you can do in ‘shouty’ times.

Want More?

Get in touch if you’d like to know more about Business Development practices for your practice or for your Leadership Development Programs.

Individuals who want to brainstorm Business Development ideas can book a private 45-minute zoom meeting with Sue-Ella at BD45

FURTHER READING

Maister D (2005) Marketing is a Conversation
How to Prepare for a Client Meeting: Sue-Ella’s SLAY Meeting Tool

Sue-Ella is the Principal of Prodonovich Advisory, a business dedicated to helping professional services practices sharpen their business development practices.

She works with professional services firms that focus on positive client relationships, and with individuals who want personal, intelligent support.

©Prodonovich Advisory. This article was written by a human. Please respect our copyright and the effort taken to produce the original material in this article. This article, and any portion of it, may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author.