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NewsvineARE YOU CONSULTING OR REACTING?
October 11th, 2007by Scott Greggory / BusinessVoice Creative Director
Marsha Yudkin is a marketing consultant who has mentored hundreds of people over the years. In her October 10th newsletter she writes:
“Some mentorees assume that serving clients means being subservient. They’re surprised to learn that as a consultant, you don’t have to accept the client’s definition of the problem. Indeed, fulfilling the client’s request may lead them to a dead end. Instead, explain why they’d reach their goal faster by taking a different route.”
Do you bill yourself as a consultant? If so, do you have enough confidence in your abilities to proactively lead your clients in a specific direction, or are you just reacting to suggestions they make?
Here’s one example of how BusinessVoice serves clients in a consultative manner. We’re just shy of insistent when it comes to updating our clients’ On Hold Messaging productions because we know that, as with stagnant online and broadcast copy, stale on hold content loses its ability to engage callers and elicit a specific response. This is why we contact clients proactively about updates. It’s why we bring copy points and marketing ideas to the table. It’s why we monitor our key and major clients online to stay aware of news and changes within their companies and industries. It’s one of the ways we serve our clients as a consultant, not just a vendor.
So, are you consulting and leading your clients to success…or merely reacting to their phone calls?