What Your Clients Want… (no foolin')

This past weekend, my wife and I went shopping for our soon-to-be adopted children.
Yes…this was the first time we’d hit Babies’R’Us and we were excited.
When we got to the store, we were frankly overwhelmed by all the choices. Our mission was to find some car seats, and there was quite an array.
So, we wandered about aimlessly, taking in the options–and had NO CLUE what to look for.
That is, of course, until store employee Alvaro stepped up and asked: “Can I answer any questions you had about car seats?”
Well, yes.
He went on to carefully spend time with us, cutting through the baloney about the different brands and options, even recommending we search online for better deals.
And, of course, we left the store with one of the most expensive models. 🙂 (Alvaro highly recommended it)
LESSON: Clients love to be treated with respect and hate to feel stupid.
I know this may sound too simple…or too fundamental, but if you stop and observe how you, your staff, and anyone who contacts your clients and prospective clients speaks to them…I’ll guarantee the client doesn’t understand some of the language and explanations.
Why does this happen?
Well, it’s simple. You are in the “tax” or “legal” world every day.
Clients are in it maybe 1 to 2 days a year.
The ‘disconnect’ prevents them from choosing more services, referring others, and/or keeping appointments or helping you make their life easier.
I see this all the time in marketing and advertising materials.
I see this all the time when evaluating a firm’s website.
Too confusing…clients don’t know where to get the information they are looking for.
Once they find it…it confuses them.
Million Dollar Lesson: Confused people don’t sign on the dotted line.
That’s it for today!