Tag Archives: initial consultation

Ep. 174 – Selling Through Storytelling, Part 4

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SIBP-Blog-NEW-2One of the most powerful aspects to using storytelling as a sales tool is how dramatically it can change prospect reaction during your initial consultations. Not only can it help you disqualify prospects more easily, but it can even help you nail down an agreement in principle about their need for your product or service. With the right kind of storytelling techniques, you can supercharge your sales results.

In part four of this ongoing series, host and business coach Tom Ryan revisits the core concepts of sales-focused storytelling, and explores the right way to gauge prospect reaction. Tom is joined by co-host and producer Jason Pyles. Continue reading →

Ep. 168 – Selling Through Storytelling Part 2

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SIBP-Blog-NEW-4Once they’re through with the pleasantries and the basic questions that make up the start of an initial sales call, most sales reps make a huge mistake. Instead of telling a story compelling story about another client in the similar position, they dive right into talking about their company’s product or service. Instead of feeling like a conversation between two people, it starts to feel like a sales pitch.

In this episode, host and business coach Tom Ryan continues his exploration of storytelling as a sales technique. As always, Tom is joined by producer and co-host Jason Pyles. Continue reading →

Ep. 167 – Selling Through Storytelling Part 1

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SIBP-Blog-NEW-2Your first conversation with a prospective client or customer can be a balancing act. During that initial discussion, you’re doing more than just gathering some basic details. You’re qualifying them, gauging how serious their interest is, and trying to determine how well their needs align with your products or services. At the same time, it’s absolutely vital to keep their attention.

There’s no better way to do that than to tell them a good story. As it turns out, you had another client in a very similar situation, and they came to you for help …

In this episode, host and business coach Tom Ryan begins his series on changing your sales results through effective storytelling techniques. As always, Tom is joined by producer and co-host Jason Pyles. Continue reading →

7 Steps For Getting Great Results From Initial Consultations

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IMG_2329Running a small company is a lot of work, particularly when you run a one-person shop as a freelancer or consultant. At that scale, every client counts. When a new prospective client crosses your path, it’s only natural to want to give them plenty of time. Meeting face-to-face, perhaps sitting down for an hour over a cup of coffee, seems like the right way to have an initial consultation. From a sales perspective, however, it’s absolutely wrong.

More accurately, it’s ineffective and inefficient. Spending an hour on your initial consultation, only to find that you’re a bad fit for each other, represents more than a sale that didn’t happen. It also represents an hour that you can’t charge for, and couldn’t spend finding new clients. When you bill by the hour, time is money. Continue reading →

Rethinking The Initial Sales Consultation

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IMG_2329One of the best things about being a business coach is that I get to meet a lot of entrepreneurs in a wide variety of fields. I’m often struck by how diverse the local business community is, and by how similar their needs are when it comes to growing those businesses. My background is in working with high-growth startups — tech, manufacturing and service companies, mainly — but recently I’ve started to work with smaller, more creatively focused businesses. To my surprise, it turns out that both types of company have a lot of things in common. No matter what industry you’re in, some challenges are universal.

Recently, I was talking with the owner of a one-woman graphic design firm, and she was telling me about her struggles with landing clients. She was spending a lot of time meeting with prospective customers, but not landing as many of those job as she wanted to. Despite her best efforts, she just wasn’t getting enough business. Continue reading →

Ep. 141 – Sale Deconstructed: Initial Consultation Approach Part 1

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SIBP-Blog-NEW-4Meeting with prospective clients can be a time-intensive process. It can also be a frustrating one, particularly when those meetings don’t result in a sale. There are few things more disheartening than spending an hour talking over coffee with a potential client, only to have them give their business to someone else.

In this episode, host and business coach Tom Ryan discusses a seven-point plan to make that initial consultation both more efficient and more likely to result in a sale. As always, Tom is joined by co-host and producer Jason Pyles. Continue reading →