"Anticipating value challenges" is step number four of your pre-call value strategy. Now that you have determined what you know (and what you need to know) about your prospect, and how to more effectively prepare yourself for the meeting, you need to anticipate value challenges you may encounter. Value challenges might present themselves either as broad-based or specific and will usually focus on how you differentiate yourself and your practice from the competition, as well as what you personally will deliver to your prospective client. Again, it is critical to be prepared and ready to answer all "challenges." Think of all the areas in which questions may arise, specifically in your services, investment solutions or products, and about yourself personally.
The next step on the skill model is to "revisit your value ladder." Do you remember that when you learned the seven questions and formulated your answers, you memorized and internalized your responses? Then you personalized (or customized) your answers to all seven questions for each prospect with whom you met? Take a minute to think about how you accomplished that, and how your prospects responded to those answers. By revisiting your value ladder from time to time before your meetings, you strengthen your skill set and reinforce the elements of confidence, passion and speed in your presentations.
The last step of the pre-call value strategy is to "develop your meeting objectives." This is helpful to your client, as well as to you, as it provides an agenda and helps keep the meeting on track. It also tells the client what you are trying to accomplish during the meeting. Make another list of meeting objectives. One of your objectives might include a statement such as, "I would like to enhance your comfort level with the value that I can provide."
Here are a few things you should remember while setting up your objectives:
Your objectives should be succinct and should engage the prospect.
Up to three objectives should be accomplished during the meeting.
Your objectives should set the "value stage" that you and your team can provide.
We challenge you to articulate the value you provide to all your prospects (and clients) with confidence, passion, speed, respect and value. You should be well prepared now with all the tangibles needed for your meeting.
Remember, successfully delivering your value is the result of correctly identifying what your clients truly value, and aligning your value (and your values) to theirs. That said, another critical ingredient is necessary to add to the mix before the actual meeting. The ingredient is the "emotional connection" with your prospect during the meeting. We will illustrate how this is done in the next column, "Earning the Right to the Value Connection."
Leo Pusateri is president of Pusateri Consulting and Training LLC in Buffalo, N.Y., and is author of Mirror Mirror on the Wall Am I the Most Valued of Them All?