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4 common assumptions that are hindering you from winning new business

12th Jul 2013
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I was reading the first comment on my last blog about 'are you too old to make partner at 47' where the commentator assumed I was 47...

I had a brief chuckle to myself and also refrained from making the obvious comment back... which was "no, of course I am not 47". However, this got me thinking. It's pretty easy to make assumptions, based on limited evidence and our experience. Sometimes assumptions make our lives easier. Other times they can actually hold us back from developing our business.

1. Assuming the client will be too small to bother with

We all often get enquiries where it looks as if a client is going to be too small for us to bother with. In fact, I was helping one of my clients with a client portfolio analysis. On two occasions we elevated the importance of seemingly small clients, when we realised the amount of referrals they had made, or the number of actual companies owned by members of the family that they acted for.

Therefore, before you turn down a lead, do your homework. You may find our free client qualification tool, from our career kitbag, helpful when deciding whether to pursue a lead.

2. Making assumptions about the client's buying criteria

I've been involved in 2 pitches recently for mid-tier accountancy firms. The two firms involved have had different buying criteria, and as a result we have altered our pitches, our points of differentiation and our cost structure for the two firms. So, before you assume that price will be the top buying criteria for your potential client, ask the question. 

3. Making assumptions about pitches

Once again, these two firms have very different requirements for their pitch. One of the clients does not want a formal pitch document with tons of detail, but an overview, with lots of pictures, on powerpoint slides. This client rejected one supplier before they even got to the pitch because they hadn't asked this question and supplied a very detail heavy written proposal document. Luckily, we asked the questions! In any business development scenario, ask the questions. What does the client want to hear about in the pitch? What is important to the client? How do they want the pitch documents?

4. Assuming we know what good client service means to our clients

How many times have you trotted out the old cliche that 'we deliver excellent client service'? But, how many times have you actually asked your clients what they count as excellent client service? Your definition of client service may be very different to their definition. 

Author Credit

Heather Townsend helps professionals become the Go-To-Expert. She is the author of the  award winning and best-selling book on business networking, the ‘FT Guide To Business Networking’ and the co-author of ‘How to make partner and still have a life’. Over the last decade she has worked with over 300 partners; coached, trained and mentored over 1000 professionals at every level of the UK's most ambitious professional practices.

Heather blogs regularly at How to make partner and still have a life and Joined Up Networking

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