Tag: messaging

4 Tips for How to Sell Without Selling Your Soul

Posted on by Maria Ross

Sales with with a soul

If you’re like most entrepreneurs, you love being creative, dynamic, bold, innovative.

But there is one thing that you probably hate with the white-hot passion of a thousand suns:

SELLING

Which is unfortunate, seeing as how that generates revenue. Women business owners especially struggle with what they perceive to be “annoying”, “slimy” or “sleazy.”  We see those kinds of pitches every day.

And so we think, “I hate sales. I hate talking about myself.”

Well, good. Because it’s not about you. It’s about them.

See, the best sales pitches are conversations.  Listen and engage so you can show them how your offerings solve their problems or help them achieve their goals.

I’ve been in business for over nine years. I’ve never once had to “pitch” a client. I’ve lost out on proposals, sure, but I’ve never had to do a “sales” presentation.

Always, they are conversations. (Tweet this!)

Pushy salespeople are the ones who are all about their own agenda: Take my business card! Buy my product! Here’s why I’m so great.”

Here are four tips to sell without “selling:”

  • Be consultative: Stop pitching and just discuss their goals. Be generous with guidance, resources or connections. Don’t work for free, but offer simple “teaser” advice. Believe me, if they see value, they will pay you for it.
  • Ask questions: Like a good date, don’t just brag about yourself the whole time. Find out about them. What are they struggling with? What do they value? You can then organically sprinkle your value and experience into the conversation.
  • Show empathy: Put yourself in the customer’s shoes, addressing their pains and offering solutions. A past Harvard research study found that “empathy” was the #1 trait for a successful salesperson.
  • Network: I can see you rolling your eyes from here! Get out there and network with people, either in-person or online. Let others see you and get to know your value without ever making a sales pitch. Make connections. You never know who knows who. Warm introductions are always the best (and easiest) sales opportunities.

Here’s the cold, hard truth: You have to clearly confidently talk about the value you provide at some point. Why?

If you are not your own biggest fan…if you don’t believe in the value of your goods and services, why should you expect your prospective clients to care or get excited either?

 

Image credit via Flickr

How to Form a Deeper Connection with your Audience

Posted on by Maria Ross

How to Form a Deeper Connection with your Audience

We all want those customers who adore us, right? Like superstar singers or best-selling authors, we want groupies who can’t wait for our next album to drop or our next book to hit the shelves.

We see people like Beyonce or Elizabeth Gilbert and we think, “Wow! They have millions of people who can’t wait to learn from them and buy from them! I want that!”

But we forget about the audience we already have in our midst. The quiet, studious ones in the front row who’ve been with us since the beginning, supporting our work and telling people about it.

It’s not always about “getting more.” It’s about loving the ones you’ve got. (TWEET THIS!) 

Wherever you are, whatever your follower numbers or subscribe rates: START WHERE YOU ARE. Focus on making those loyal people happy. Delight them, Connect with them.

How? Show empathy.

Imagine if all your best friend talked about was finding new friends to hang out with. You’d be pretty annoyed and little hurt, wouldn’t you? Yet when businesses are constantly about their “list size” or low Instagram follower number , they’re not focused on providing quality to their existing fan base. Those people should feel like VIPs.

Instead of a constant focus on attracting new people, listen to the ones you’ve already got. Here are 4 ways you can show them the empathy and love they deserve:

  1. Listen to them. REALLY listen: Ask them what they want and need. Stop guessing!  And don’t put words in their mouths to suit your own needs. Mirror their exact words and emotions back to them. If you sense that what they really want is actually hidden underneath that “ask,” probe further. If you spend time and money shaping your offerings to truly solve your current tribe’s pain this will be much better than constantly chasing new fans.
  2. Be clear and offer the right solution to the right people: As I always say, marketing is not about lying to people. It’s about amplifying the truth so the right people who need what you’ve got can find you. Don’t push circles on people who really need squares!  If you sell a high-priced mastermind program that’s roughly the cost of a tiny house, don’t try to convince the dreamer who’s eating ramen every night and already in massive debt to bury themselves deeper. That’s not cool. Don’t be afraid to clarify your message so it reaches the right people …or simply change your target market altogether.
  3. Woo them: No one wants to be “sold to.” People want to be seen, heard and respected. And they want time to get to know you. Put yourself in their shoes: Do YOU like in-your-face sales pitches and hype-filled promises? Prove your value with insightful content. Be generous with resources and connections. Be consistent and keep your word. Surprise them on occasion with playlists, free trainings or a special thank you! Go for the lasting marriage not the lustful affair.
  4. See the person, not the number: Especially when things go wrong. Treat your existing customers and fans like you would a friend.  Robotic responses and canned apologies are not the way you’d comfort a pal, right?

Focus on delighting, engaging and celebrating the tribe you already have. By putting your focus there, the growth will follow because they won’t be able to stop talking about you!

The Lost Art of Empathy: A Customer Email Makeover

Posted on by Maria Ross

You know what’s missing in today’s customer service landscape? The secret sauce to delighting your buyers–even unhappy ones–that so many businesses, regardless of size, get wrong over and over again?

Showing authentic empathy.

Sadly, many small businesses, are their own worst enemies when it comes to sabotaging their sales. They focus solely on running the business and not on relating to their customers as people: Rude staff. Inflexible policies. Canned responses.

Recently, I made my first purchase on Blue Mercury, an online boutique of makeup, skincare and spa accessories. A perfect gift site.

I purchased an adorable scented candle for a client. When asked, I dutifully filled out her shipping information. Then I filled out my own billing information with my credit card info, as instructed.

The order processed and the confirmation screen pops up….listing my client as both the recipient AND the buyer. And since I was never given the chance to write a gift card, upon getting the gift, it was going to look like she sent it to herself!

I shipped off a “Help Me!” email to customer service.  They needed to know if their system was not working properly, as I had very carefully entered all of my info as the buyer – and yet it did not correctly transfer through. I also pressed upon them that this was kind of embarrassing for my brand, as I was sending this to a client.

This reply came one day later:

Hello Maria,

I am so sorry for the inconvenience. The order is already shipping and we are unable to change the information. I understand your frustration and I apologize. What we can do is offer you a gift card. Let us know if you have any other questions and if you would like to receive the gift card. 

Sincerely,

Emily 

Bluemercury, Inc.

Customer Support

What’s wrong with this email – and 4 make-over ideas to turn an unhappy customer into a raving fan:

  1. Completely canned apology: “I am sorry for the inconvenience.” Sounds like a robot or a form letter. She did not address the larger issues, which was that the system was not working properly.

INSTEAD: Show some humanity! The company rep could have been more conversational to show she really understood and empathized with my specific situation, based on my initial email: “Oh my goodness! We are so sorry about this glitch in sending a gift to your client! We never want that to be a customer’s first experience on our site.”

  1. Lack of Solutions: There was no attempt to correct the situation AT ALL. Simply, “Sorry, it’s already shipping, Nothing we can do.”

INSTEAD: Get creative! What if the company rep offered to send an email or hand-written note to my client to explain who the gift was from? Wow, that would have gone a long way…that’s showing your customer empathy, versus just saying you “understand.”. They could have further boosted their brand by making a note to my recipient really fun and cheeky: “Wow, we goofed! But someone named Maria Ross loves you and has sent you a fabulous gift from us. We just forgot to put their name on it. Our bad!” We would have been talking about that for days!

  1. Asking Permission to Make Things Right: Really? You’re asking me if I want a gift card from you? That made me feel so petty, like I was trying to get something for free from them.

INSTEAD: Just make it right!  Don’t ask for permission to do something nice for an unhappy customer. You never want to put a customer in a position of feeling like they are trying to scam free stuff. Just do it and delight them!

The kicker came in the next email thread. Here was the correspondence, in which I told her this was my first shopping experience on the site:

You have not addressed what went wrong in your system to make this happen. I very clearly remember typing in all my information in under the Billing Name + Address. Your system has a problem and should be checked.

That is nice of you. Yes, I would like one if I decide to shop on the site again.

Can you at least change the buyer account so it’s not reflected as my name being XXX or as my address being her address? My address is XXXX.

This is the first time I’ve used your site. Not a good experience at all. 

Best,

Maria Ross

The response, one day later:

Hello Maria,

I am sorry about our system. It could have just been an issue with technology. I understand how frustrating it must be. I put in your request for your gift card. Let us know if there is anything else we can do for you.

4, 5, 6: Unwillingness to Follow Up on Issue, No “Thank You” for Pointing It Out, Canned Apology and Lack of Warmth Again: This canned response hit the trifecta for me: “I understand how frustrating it must be” is not empathy…it’s what I say to my toddler when he’s overreacting to nothing.   And this still makes me feel like you are not taking my issue seriously. “It could’ve been an issue with the technology but we don’t really believe you. You probably did it wrong.” Further, “Your gift card is coming, now shut up.” was how I felt by the tone of this email.  Probably not what she meant at all, but remember, unhappy customers are seeing things through a certain lens, especially when they don’t feel like you are listening to them. You have to be very thoughtful in your response.

INSTEAD: Validate your customer’s unhappiness – and be grateful that they are pointing out an issue that could be costing you other sales. Offer to escalate the issue internally and reference the person’s specific issue: “I’m so sorry I didn’t address that issue in my email response. Yes, I will certainly contact Product Management and see if there is something wrong with our order processing. Thank you so much for pointing it out to us, and again, we’re so sorry this happened on your first shopping experience with us, especially for your client. Your gift card is on its way so we hope you will give us another chance to delight you!

When you show warmth, creativity and true empathy, you can turn unhappy customers into raving fans. (TWEET THIS!)

What brands have delighted you when things went wrong? When have you turned an unhappy client or customer into a raving fan? Please share below!

Image credit via Flickr

Balance Your Media Diet

Posted on by Maria Ross

In today’s digital world, here’s what works well for getting clicks:

  • Lists of quick-hit tips
  • Images
  • Shock value
  • Salacious gossip
  • Outlandish claims

It’s fun to click on “10 Celebs Who Have Not Aged Well” or skim shocking headlines to have something pithy to say at your next cocktail party. It feels sinfully delicious to escape reality by watching The Real Housewives of Whatever or skim sexy–but inaccurate– tabloid headlines while we get our nails done.

But all those tiny, harmless choices come at a cost. We’re losing out on a diet balanced with substance, truth and intellectual growth.  (TWEET THIS!)

Please take a moment to read Seth Godin’s recent and very important post. It’s all about the price society pays when we constantly sacrifice substance for style, in-depth analysis for a quick-read or hard word for ease.

Let’s get real: We can’t be academic, curious or “serious” all the time, I get it. Heck, I enjoy my crime dramas, game shows and renovation “reality” shows as much as the next gal.

But we do need to be clear that our choices have consequences on the culture as a whole. On our own mindset. On how we see “the truth” and on how our next generation learns how to fully contemplate, assess and explore.

Our tiny individual actions may not change things overnight…or ever. But every time you turn on that reality show where people are just awful to each other, or buy that clearly false tabloid, or even sign up for that expensive program that promises you a get-rich-quick success scheme, you vote with your time, energy, money and attention. You vote and support that behavior. This is why I absolutely refuse to watch any of the Real Housewives franchise or shows about toddler beauty pageants or whatever. They may be hilarious and entertaining to some people, to be sure, and those people may think I should lighten up, but I just don’t want to support the impact to our culture. That’s my own personal choice.

Am I reading War and Peace every night or diving into scientific journals? Hell no.  I’m not some sage or martyr about this issue. It’s simply a reminder to always be conscious of feeding our intellectual curiosity. A push to keep seeking out truthful stories, accurate claims–and to question all sources. How incredibly healthy your hearts and minds would be if we simply balanced the candied-apple guilty pleasure articles and wickedly clever Tweets with documentaries, nature programs, well-researched articles that are longer than 500 words and by listening to true leaders and great minds.

PS, for a nice mix of both cleverly entertaining and extremely factual reporting, follow Scott Bixby.

My pledge to you, dear reader. I will never offer you hype or sensationalism. Only practical and inspirational advice that educates you, helps you see things differently, or consider something you had not before, boosts your spirit or sparks your creativity. Will it make you a million dollars? Maybe, maybe not. That’s not for me to say….or claim. Yes, clients have taken their brands to the next level with my advice and teachings. And others have done nothing. It’s the way it goes. It doesn’t give me permission to make more outlandish claims to get attention or build my audience.

All I can do is offer you the very best knowledge and insights that I can and help you move forward. This should be your pledge as well: to create something of substance that matters. Something with integrity, honesty, and real value. Served with a side of splashy style, if you can, of course. I mean, we gotta have some fun, right?

Image via Flickr

Choose Love

Posted on by Maria Ross

You are a maker. You’re a doer. You’re a business owner.

You write. Or create art. Or teach others.

YOU HAVE INFLUENCE.

I don’t care if you’re just starting out or have been at this awhile.  Your email list may consist of your mom and your best friend. You may only have 100 Twitter followers.

Or you may reach tens of thousands each week. You may serve hundreds of customers each month.

Wherever you are, use what you’ve got.

Never underestimate the importance of your work or message. It may seem trite, but if you can influence or inspire even just a few, then you have done your job well.

Now more than ever, in these tumultuous times…when folks are feeling raw, vulnerable and afraid…now is the time to use your voice and choose love. (TWEET THIS!)

Not “love” in the romantic sense, but like this:

  • Love yourself and be self-confident so you don’t feel the need to bully others or let bullies win over you
  • Love your neighbor so that all people can feel accepted and appreciated
  • Love your clients so you can bring real, honest value to them
  • Love your customers so you can make their lives better with your products or services
  • Love you partners so you can create wins for that benefit everyone
  • Love your community so you can collectively pull everyone up together
  • Love your environment so its beauty and nourishment enriches generations to come
  • Love your family and friends so they have a firm foundation to fully spread their own love to others

Here’s what I know to be true: No matter what your religion, nationality, gender or sexual orientation, the only thing that matters is how you show up in the world and love. You are the example when you think no one is watching – because sometimes only YOU are watching, and you want to be proud of what you see.

Give thanks for the gifts you’ve been given. Start small and share them with whoever is in your circle of influence right now. If that’s just your family and friends, choose love. If that’s tens of thousands of email subscribers or Instagram followers, choose love.

We’re in this together. But do your part. Show up. Choose love. (TWEET THIS!)

THANK YOU so very, very much for being part of my tribe. Thank you for letting me inspire, inform and love you – whether I deliver practical business info or motivational advice. My goal is to make your life + work better. If I do, please share this post with a friend or colleague. And if you’re not already on my weekly list, please sign up below. Thank you!

Image Credit via Flickr

How to Attract Quality Clients and Customers

Posted on by Maria Ross

08.09.16 Attract Quality (Blog)

How much time do you waste fielding inquiries from, preparing long proposals for, or haggling endlessly with people who will never buy from you? Or worse, people with whom it’s, quite frankly, a nightmare to work?

While you can create your ideal client personas and build your brand with intention, there is one extra step you can take to attract the right people into your orbit.

Define, articulate and share your unique philosophy.

What differentiates you is not just what you do, but how you do it. I wrote about this last week.

But, remember, while you get to choose your ideal customers and clients… your ideal fans also get to choose YOU. (Tweet This!)

So make it super easy for them to self-select and say, “Yes! I want to join your party!”

Publish your philosophy right on your website. Post it to a page, such as:

Need some examples and inspiration?

Here’s one we crafted with my amazing client, Renee Metty of With PAUSE.

Here’s another from a client, Karen Ross and her fabulous coaching firm Start With You

And an awe-inspiring one for my client, Souldust.

When you take a stand and say, “This is how I roll!” you invite people in to either join your tribe or say, “Meh, this is just not for me. Thanks.”

And that’s okay. Because you will never create a strong, connective and beloved brand if you try to please everyone.  The best, most successful brands such as Apple, Starbucks and Virgin don’t claim to be right for everyone, so why do you think that would work for you?

Take a stand. Be bold. Share your philosophy and approach.  It may not be right for some people, but wouldn’t you rather spend your precious time and energy engaging with more of the right people, more often? It’s not just an easier sales process, it’s just more fun!

Photo Credit via Flickr

What Drives You?

Posted on by Maria Ross

08.04.16 What Drives You (Blog)

No one starts a business without a passion for change.

Sure, many people do so to make lots of money, but what they choose to do, and how they choose to do it order to make that money? That’s often based on a problem they want to solve or an opportunity to make people, processes or communities better.

I’ll bet this is true for your business, too.

Knowing what drives you is essential to your success.  (TWEET THIS!)

Let me share a story about motivation.

In 2008, I left Corporate America. My career included successful stints as a Fortune 500 management consultant, a marketer at Discovery Networks, an ad agency executive and several Director of Marketing positions at Silicon Valley tech companies.

Corporate life was great to me. It offered stability, a clear-cut career path, and benefits.

But as my marketing and branding skills grew, as I studied the greats like Ogilvy and as I saw first-hand what resonated with people and what did not, I realized something:

Many businesses forget that they are marketing to human beings.

This is never more true than in the business to business (B2B) space. So much jargon, overblown claims and eye-glazing boredom. No one talks like that!

Were we talking to robots…or to human beings with needs, desires and problems to be solved? Where was the connection? Where were the stories?

I’m a storytelling addict, in all its forms: An indie film. A moving play. An emotional video. A hilarious joke. A persuasive and succinct argument. I truly believe stories have the power to inspire, provoke, entertain, educate and persuade.

Marketing is not about lying to people. Marketing is simply communication, elevating the truth of your story so that the right people–the people who need what you’ve got–can find you and get on board. Truthful communication, where claims are backed up by proof but served with a side of emotion.

When I started Red Slice in 2008, I was excited. Finally, I could do marketing my way. Truthful. Emotional. Passionate. Human. I vowed to do work I loved with people I liked who were passionate about what they do. Period. No BS.

Honesty was important to me. I would offer tough love to my clients. Constructive feedback. Even if they made a different decision in the end, they would always get the truth.

Why? Three things happened in my early career that shaped this:

One, as a 21 year-old management consultant, I was asked to lie to a client about my age. Didn’t matter that the client valued my work. Today, they call that “managing the optics.”

Two, I strongly advised a client to go one route when she wanted to take another. I was pulled aside by my manager:

Me: But aren’t we supposed to advise the best way for them to be successful? Isn’t that what they are paying us for?

Manager: No, they are paying us to do what they say and not argue.

Three, when asked by a client to make advertising recommendations, I presented several options. There was just too much she didn’t realize she had to first determine. The client complained that I was “wasting her time.” I was asked to do less consulting and simply execute.

Me: You mean, you want me to be her secretary.

Manager: Well……um….kind of…..yes.

Needless to say, these instances devastated me. But they also fueled my passion for my work today.

It’s important to know what drives you. Your unique philosophy. This is what the right customers will find attractive and rally to support.

The same values drove me to create MOMENTUM, my guided program for busy entrepreneurs. Working with me and a kick-ass group of entrepreneurs, you will streamline your efforts by building a unique, useful and honest brand strategy, step by step. Even if you say you “hate” marketing.

We’ll cover how to determine your drive and articulate your philosophy to attract more of the right people to your business.

You will get feedback and support. You’ll probably even get my tough love!

With MOMENTUM, you will learn how to message and share your unique approach as your best secret “client attraction” weapon. You can jump on the wait list and get all the details right here and I hope you’ll join me.

Because like I always say: If YOU are not driven and inspired to promote your work, why should your audience care?

And I promise, that’s the truth.

 

Photo Credit via Flickr

 

4 Warm Ways to Welcome New Email Subscribers

Posted on by Maria Ross

4 Ways to Welcome Folks to Your Email Party

Last year, we threw a holiday party at our house. As with all my entertaining escapades, I bought too much food and stressed out right until the first guests arrived – and I had a drink in my hand.

While I’m no Martha Stewart, I wanted to delight my guests with a signature cocktail. My husband played around and came up with a gin gimlet with lime cordial, creating a lovely green concoction.

Being…well, me, I had to brand the evening’s special: We called it The Merry Grinch. **BONUS: Recipe below!

Our guests clapped with glee when they walked in and saw the drink “advertised” at the bar. They lit up. My husband spent most of the night filling orders.

Unexpected touches can delight and welcome your guests. Same holds true for your email list.

Your email subscribers have signed up for your party. Now it’s time to be a good host. (TWEET THIS!)

Right now, what do your subscribers get as soon as they sign up? A robotic auto-responder? Nothing? Yawn.

Just as a good host, you need to welcome people into your tribe. Delight them. Show them around. Tempt them with treats. Make them excited that they came and leave them wanting more.

Here are four ways to warmly welcome your email guests–and get them talking about you:

  1. Give them a gift: Offer a useful and entertaining free gift just for signing up, such as a tip sheet, eBook, video series, or worksheet. Or something “on brand” for your personality. A fitness trainer offers the ultimate workout playlist. A coffee shop offers a free scone with purchase. An online store offers free shipping and a perfume gift sample on your first order. A leadership coach offers a video on how to be a more commanding speaker.
  2. Personalize your auto-responder: These folks have raised their hands to hear from you and allowed you into your inbox. Don’t waste that mindshare! Personalize your auto-responder to further welcome them, or show off your brand personality. Act like you’re welcoming a friend over for dinner and remind then of what’s on the menu that they will love.
  3. Give them a short tour: A few days after they first sign up, schedule a follow-up message to welcome them (again) and show them around. Point them to three of your most popular blog posts, link them to your core offering, remind them to follow you on social media. They’re new around there, so don’t assume they know how to navigate your wonderful world.
  4. Ask them a question! Derek Halpern of Social Triggers shared this tip and I LOVE IT! You can engage a new subscriber and get valuable intel at the same time by asking one or two questions What would they like to see? What are they struggling with? If you’re a trainer, ask them if they have a big fitness goal or what they hate the most about exercising. If you’re a life coach, ask them what coaching style they prefer or if they’ve ever worked with one before.

When people subscribe to my list, they get an auto-responder with a free guide and are then invited to hit REPLY to answer two questions: What is your business and what one brand-building wish would you ask your Fairy Godmother to grant?

Of course not everyone responds, but those who do are super engaged and also give me great information that can add more value. Some folks have even tweeted about my auto-responders because they stand out.

Your email subscribers have signed up to come to your party. Pour the champagne, set out the chocolate-covered strawberries, and welcome them warmly so that you get not just new subscribers but engaged fans who will remember you and spread the word.

Oh, and enjoy the cocktail…..!

The Merry Grinch

2 shots gin

2 shots lime cordial

Couple of splashes of celery bitters

Shake over ice in cocktail shaker

Serve ii a martini glass

Optional: Add a cherry!

Image Credit via Flickr

How to Combine Everything Under One Brand

Posted on by Maria Ross

07.12.16 One Brand (Blog)

I like things tidy…do you? While I’m considerably less organized as a Type A personality than I used to be prior to my brain injury, I’m still an organization freak. My biggest pet peeve is the jumble of wires behind our TV that is now our hub for cable, internet, phone, game consoles and more. The sight of it literally gives me a headache.

But my obsession with organization is a huge benefit for my clients. One of my superpowers is being able to connect dots that no one else can see to create a clear, crisp narrative.

My clients often have an enviable problem: they are interesting people with many passions and skills to offer the world. And they are full of ideas on how to do it. Which is all great. Until you confuse the heck out of your target audience.

First step to clarity? Understand that not everything you love has to be a part of what people pay you to do (TWEET THIS!)

If you have ever asked, “How do I combine everything I do under one brand?”, here are 5 steps to tie everything together:

  1. Take inventory: Write down every offering or skill you currently, or would like, to showcase to your market. Seeing things on paper is a big step to getting it out of your head and into some sort of system.
  2. Identify the common threads: Trust me, there will be some. How do I know? Because they are all stemming from one person or company with its own unique personality! If you are drawn to offering different types of things, there is something linking those all together for you, whether it be a theme, audience or product/service “type”: Do you see a pattern across all your offerings and interests about healthy living? Storytelling? Connecting women? Transformation? Solving complex tech problems? Fine design? What is it that runs through everything?
  3. Define your core audience: If many of your offerings can serve the same audience, great! But if they are all targeting completely different ones, you may have to pare down and get focused. It’s going to cost too much time and money to build your reputation among so many disparate audiences. Plus, people will get confused as to if you are right for them. Focus on the low hanging fruit.
  4. Determine a compelling “Brand Umbrella”: What is the overarching theme that ties everything together? When you find the right one, you will see that you can easily fit all your offerings and passions under that umbrella in a way that makes sense to people. Brands you know and love offer tons of products or services but usually under the same brand umbrella: Method is all about pure cleaning products that don’t harm the planet. Dove is about real beauty and healthy skin. Alexandra Franzen is about writing and self-expression. Hiro Boga is about building a soulful business.
  5. Purge: Anything that doesn’t fit. Maybe those are not your business’ core offerings but simply personal passions. Your brand umbrella can help you find your creative brand hook that can lead to a snazzy title, a unique company name, a signature touch or a unique visual device (juicy fruit that is irresistible to resist, perhaps?!).

For example,  I determined a while back that my brand umbrella was “irresistible storytelling.” I help clients tell compelling stories, I speak at companies and conferences, I write books…I even enjoy acting and voiceover work, which is all about storytelling and even wrote food and wine articles for websites and print – but these are not the core ways I make my money. So I shifted that from an “offering” category to a “passion” category – and now use that personal interest to add color and life to my work.

Personal passions that have nothing to do with how you make money can also be called your Swirl, as publicity expert Melissa Cassera says. This is what gives your work a unique voice and flavor. You can color how you do the work you do with these unique interests. My love for wine and past wine writing experience does not mean I have to go out an create an entire company or offering as a “wine writer.” But it makes my stuff a lot more interesting to read!

A wise coach once told me, ‘You can do everything you want to do. You just don’t have to do it all right now or even with this evolution of your business.” (TWEET THIS!)

Truth.

Image credit via Flickr

Three Strategies for Dealing with Problem Clients or Customers

Posted on by Maria Ross

3 Strategies to Handle “Problem” Clients

My two-year old son is my heart, my joy and my life.

His can also be a pain in the butt.

A friend once said that dealing with toddlers is like dealing with drunk people. They can be the happiest, most joyful people one minute and turn into a nasty, crying, incoherent mess the next. Sounds about right.

I’ve seen some parallels between toddler behavior and challenging clients. And I realized that some of the coping strategies we use with my son are actually pretty good tips for working with a “problem child” client or customer. (TWEET THIS!)

Here are three reasons why challenging clients or customers can behave like toddlers – and what you can do about it. And, PS, these apply to both product and service businesses:

  1. They don’t respect boundaries – because boundaries were never set: My tussles with my son are often because he simply does not know where the line is. If you’ve never tried dive-bombing off the couch onto hardwood floor before, you would also be surprised if all of the sudden you ended up in Time Out. It’s my responsibility to set clear boundaries of what is and is not okay.

Same holds true with your clients or customers. They can’t read your mind.

What you can do:

  • Draft a clear contract that outlines exactly what you will deliver and what is not included. If a particular clause or section needs their attention (no refunds, payment plans, etc.) make them initial that section.
  • Set boundaries on when you are reachable and how to best get in touch with you (email, mobile phone, not on weekends, etc.)
  • Firmly but kindly say “no” when asked to do something out of scope, or better yet, refer them to someone who can help them.
  • Post simple-to-understand (and easy to find) policies on your website, in your store or on your sales page so there are no surprises.
  1. They make irrational demands: My toddler has requested, at one time or another, to run around with a sharp knife, play outside right before bedtime, or that I make him something and then, once made, he refuses to eat it. These demands are maddening. The tantrums that follow even more so.

Certain clients or customers ask for the sun, moon and stars, make wacky requests or behave irrationally, which could result in emotional meltdowns that would even impress my toddler (Yes, a client has yelled at me and my team before. He was not a client for long!)

What you can do:

  • Set clear boundaries upfront: See above.
  • Acknowledge the request: “I can see that your boss is demanding the work earlier than expected. You’re trying to see if we can move up the timeline we agreed to upfront and still include everything you asked for, correct?”
  • Empathize and mirror their concern. Only then will they be receptive to what you have to say next: “That’s a rough spot for you to be in! I can see why you’re so frustrated.”
  • Get to the root of the demand and offer an alternative, if you can. “Can you share what’s causing this issue and maybe we can find another solution?” Or, “We can try to deliver that to you ahead of time, but then your final deliverable will not include x, y and z. Are you okay with that?”
  • If there is no alternative other than an outright “No”, offer a referral or resource. “I really want you to get the help you need, and unfortunately, I don’t do that type of work. May I recommend so-and-so?”
  • These ideas work even if you have a product or retail business. Acknowledge, empathize, find alternate solutions or refer them out.
  1. They don’t listen: No matter how many times I ask him to not do something, my son sometimes never learns. “I’m telling you that if you put your hand on that pot you will burn yourself. NO TOUCH!” And he slowly stares me down as he stretches his hand toward the forbidden item, as if to say, “Are you watching?!”

Clients and customers always have the final say. It’s their money. But it can be hard, especially for services professionals, when some clients refuse to listen, things go sideways and then they might blame you. It’s sort of like talking to my two-year old: “I TOLD you not to touch the stove and you did it anyway!”

What you can do:

  • Back up your recommendations with data, a similar experience or a recent article.
  • Share both the upsides and downsides of all options to show you’ve considered everything.
  • Gently remind them they are paying you for your expertise, not to “yes” them to death (unless they are….?) or lead them to failure. It’s your responsibility to at least voice concerns by making a clear and professional case – but don’t harp on this if they continue to say no. In the end, it is their money and decision.
  • If they still won’t listen, document your recommendations in email or more formally. You can even say, “We are committed to helping you move forward, however, we’d like to officially document our concerns one last time.” Trust me on this.
  • If this is not a path you can morally, ethically or intellectually get behind, break ties. Do so gracefully by focusing on their needs and what would be the best value for them. Offer a refund only if that’s appropriate.

Now…..hang on……here’s your WHIPLASH moment:

Are YOU a “problem child” for someone else, or are you a good client or customer? Think about your web designer, copywriter or social media strategist. Hmmm…..well, um…yikes.

If you want to make sure you’re being a good client to your own vendors and consultants, here’s a FREE GUIDE I made for you: How to Play Nice with Consultants. Enjoy!

Image Credit via Flickr