To attract prospects, it is not enough to simply define your target market and know everything there is to know about it.
You must use your knowledge to distinguish yourself from the competition.
This will help you provide potential clients with a compelling reason to choose you instead of the competition.
What Prospects Look For In Service Professionals
As a result of our training and experience, as providers of professional services, we add significant value to our clients’ lives.
However, if asked, clients seldom say that they chose individual service providers because of identifiable features of the professional service.
Clients are more likely to say that they made their choice on the basis of individuals’ specific personal characteristics.
Here are 10 traits that prospects seek in choosing service professionals like you.
The more of these characteristics that you possess and demonstrate, the easier it will be to attract prospects.
1. Diligence
This category includes
- attention to details
- concentration on client’s goals
- endurance
- enthusiasm
- hard work
2. Expertise
This is the accumulated know-how from experience, training and continuing education that makes you good at what you do.
3. Flexibility
More often than not, clients’ circumstances and market conditions continue to change and evolve.
Clients want service professionals who can respond effectively to newly changed circumstances, not remain focused on the way things used to be.
4. Good listener
A good listener understands and accepts what clients say.
The most successful service professionals consistently report this as a critical element of effectively serving clients and succeeding in their businesses.
5. Hard-working
The most successful service professionals work very hard–and smart–at satisfying their clients.
6. Helpful
The major challenge of being helpful is to assist clients as much as possible without becoming pushy or intrusive.
7. Networked
Your clients will value you and your service more when you can refer them to others who provide services that complement or supplement yours.
A good network [link] of referral partners [link] can help you attract prospects.
8. Patient
Being patient means allowing sufficient time for appropriate actions and the best decisions possible.
10. Current industry knowledge
To develop this knowledge it’s necessary to continue to research [link] and monitor [ link] what’s happening in your field.
July 29, 2012 at 1:37 am
Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and
wanted to say that I’ve really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. After all I will be subscribing to your rss feed and I hope you write again very soon!
July 30, 2012 at 3:58 pm
Hi Shauna,
Thanks for your comment. I’m glad you enjoyed my blog post.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, I try to post every weekday. Please let me know if there are any specific topics that you would like me to write about.
September 2, 2012 at 10:55 pm
Great post — what role do you think good content — in a web site or through a newsletter plays in attracting prospects?
September 4, 2012 at 4:08 pm
Thanks for your comment and question. Not only is good content the best way to attract clients, it’s the only way.
When potential clients go online looking for help with a business or personal issues, they are looking for one thing and one thing only: information that might help them resolve their issues. The best way for service professionals to connect with the potential clients is to provide helpful information, or in other words, great content.
The best content demonstrates the individual writer’s personal likeability and professional competence. These two factors will encourage readers to contact the writer to learn more about how he or she can assist.
April 16, 2013 at 1:53 pm
Larry, thanks for putting these 10 characteristics in perspective. I strongly believe that clients decide to engage a professional service provider based on perception and the individual’s character rather than the business. Your thoughts helps us all as business professionals to focus on these characteristics equally when seeking to attact clients. Thanks for the remarkable insight.
May 2, 2013 at 8:32 pm
Precisely whatever i was looking for, thanks
for putting up.
May 3, 2013 at 6:40 am
Glad you found it helpful.
September 11, 2013 at 8:25 am
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