There are times that you really need to take a step back and not spend so much time talking at your clients. Talking at your clients is an entrepreneur’s innate ability to speak even when not invited to. Instead of talking at your clients, you need to learn the ability to hear when you should be listening to them instead. Chance’s are that your client already knows how amazing your work is, so they don’t need to be told time after time. What they need is for you to stop talking long enough for them to give you some of their friends information to help you build your business. They will not recommend your work if three out of four hours was spent listening to you go on and on. So Stop Speaking.
If your client is upset with you for any reason whatsoever, you will need to be quiet and listen. Listen, listen, listen, once the client has exhausted themselves with yelling and talking endlessly, this will be the time to speak softly, and not speak at them but to them. You need to diffuse the situation by offering solutions. However, there are times that people don’t necessarily need you to fix it, just listen to it. This, by the way, is sound advice for husbands and wives. Women, like your customers, need to vent, if you don’t allow them the opportunity to do just that, then you will end up with a bigger mess than what was first thought. This is a learned skill and one that you should practice daily.
This skill is particularly important when you are creating the paperwork to provide a quote. You need to help your potential client to feel that they have given you a true picture of what their needs are. They need to know that you understand that. It’s simple really. Just pay attention and listen.