Oscar-Winning Introductions: How to Establish Meaningful
Business Relationships
by Ruth Ledesma
Published on this site: October 6th, 2005 - See
more articles from this month
Awkward pauses, “uh’s” and other meaningless
sounds are deadly when starting a conversation with someone
you just met. They can also be death on building a meaningful
business relationship that will be of benefit to you and
to the other person. You must be able to express clearly who
you are, what you do, who you serve and the benefits of your
services. How else can someone decide to hire you or to refer
someone to you for services?
Scripting Your Production:
Think in terms of producing an award-winning film. This template
will help you write a great ‘script’ that articulates
what you do. Fill in the blanks with your most explicit answer.
Your answers don’t have to be the same every time you
meet someone, but they do have to be explicit.
These are the opening scenes in your movie. Start from the
beginning, most foundational scene and add another descriptive
scene about you and your business as you have time and/or
the other person asks you questions.
- Scene :
“My name is ______________.” (Truly, you can do
this!)
- Scene :
“I’m a ____(specific title)_____.”
Title is optional and can in fact sometimes confuse people,
so skip “Scene 2” if you feel it will add to the
clarity of your introduction. If you must give yourself
a title, make it as explicit as possible: CPA, divorce recovery
coach, research scientist, public opinion pollster, etc.
- Scene :
“I ___(action verb)___ ___(specifically ‘who’)___
__( outcome or accomplishment)__.”
Use this template to combine who you serve with a powerful
statement of benefit. Make it 15 words or less and as specific
as possible. Your goal is to grab the other person’s
attention and start the conversation. Don’t worry that
you haven’t described all the different kinds of people
you serve or all the ways in which you serve them, or even
all the ways they benefit. Stick to just one in introducing
yourself: there will be time later to expand as the conversation
progresses. Examples: CPA: “I help small businesses
pay less to Uncle Sam without breaking the law.” Coach:
“I coach recently divorced women to rebuild their lives
on their own terms.” Research scientist: “I do
medical research to make our society safer from killer diseases.”
- Scene :
“My best clients ________(action verb)_____ ______(object
of the verb)_________.”
Identify in explicit action terms what problem you help
solve. One school of thought says “ratchet up the pain”
and another says “highlight the desired outcome.”
I believe in the first introductory conversation, ratcheting
up the pain is usually preferable. Examples: CPA: “My
clients are determined not to be victims of unfair or vague
tax laws.” Coach: My clients are pulling together lives
that have been shattered by divorce.” Research Scientist
(a little more difficult because they tend not to serve
individuals as such, but still quite possible): “I
serve the fragile people in our society who are most susceptible
to life-threatening infections.”
Rehearsals:
Once your ‘script’ is written, memorize your lines
and then practice it out loud in front of the mirror. “Out
loud” because the muscles and nerves in your mouth need
the practice as much as you brain does. “In front of
the mirror” because you need to be comfortable with the
sensory input of eyes and faces in front of you.
When the words flow easily off your tongue without having
to think about it, practice each increment with someone who
already knows you and won’t put a lot of pressure on
you to be perfect. Once you have it down pat with a friend
or two, practice your introduction whenever the opportunities
arise. Sometimes it will only be Scene 1, your name. Other times you will need to add
more scenes; just be sure to add them in a logical sequence.
On Location:
Great as your introduction must be, it’s still just
the “Opening Scene” and requires quality, engaging
dialogue to follow. Best advice is to be a great listener
yourself and encourage the other person to talk. Sharing the
spotlight in a natural give and take of information and interest
is the way to build meaningful relationships, the foundation
of all service businesses.
In this engaging dialogue you must know the questions to
ask as well as the answers you will give to those same questions.
Examples include:
You Questions:
- How did you get started?
- How did you decide to become a ______________?
- What makes you well qualified to provide this service?
- What is the primary reason for your success?
- How do you see your business in 5 years? 10 Years?
Client Questions:
- What kind of problems do your clients usually face?
- What kind of solutions do your clients seek?
- How do you measure the outcome of your services?
- What do all your clients have in common?
- What personality traits do they share?
- How else are they similar?
- Why are they drawn to you?
- What draws you to them?
- Who would *not* be a good client for you?
Logistical Questions:
- Where is your office?
- How do you market your services?
- How do you meet new clients?
- How is your service provided?
- How do clients usually find and contact you?
- Do your clients come back to you for further services?
And One Big, Essential “I” Question:
- How can I help you be more successful?
Your guidance in asking these kinds of questions will not
only give you valuable information, but will also prompt the
other person to ask you relevant questions so you can provide
information that will help him assist you in your business.
Mutual give and take of information, interest and assistance
is the basis of a relationship that can benefit you both for
years.
Next thing you know, you could be winning an Oscar for “Most
Effective Introduction to a Meaningful Business Relationship.”
Ruth Ledesma coaches innovative thinkers and professional
communicators to distill their wisdom and package their knowledge
for maximum understanding and profitability. Learn more about
Ruth and her services at: http://www.RuthLedesma.com
|
