Image: Sigmund
Before someone decides to hire you or buy from you, they need to feel confident. So they start looking for clues. Clues that will tell them whether they should hire you or avoid you.
Why?
Because your prospective clients have all made bad decisions before.
They’ve been let down.
They’ve had promises broken.
Some will have even been ripped off.
This time they want to get it right. And that’s why, before they invest in you they need to know:
- If you’re reliable and likely to keep your promises.
- If you’re experienced at solving whatever problem or problems they have.
- If you offer value for money.
- If you’re approachable.
- If you offer the flexibility they need.
- If you make it easy to do business with you.
- If your fees match your promises. (Promising great service for an average fee is the main way to scare them off).
- If you seem to love what you do. Note: This is easy to overlook – but it’s really important. Here’s why.
- If your customer service is up to their standard.
You get the general idea.
They’re looking for clues that help them build the right picture. And here’s why this matters. If it’s a picture they trust, you’re hired. If not, you lose. People are making these decisions all the time, based on the clues you have left. Let that sink in for a moment.
Where do your prospective clients look for clues?
Almost all will do the following as a bare minimum. They’ll visit your website. They’ll check your social media profiles. They’ll search for your name and company name on their preferred search engine, to see what others are saying about you. If they speak with you, they’ll obviously be looking for clues in what you say. Most will go several levels deeper. This is especially the case if there’s a lot of trust involved in the services you provide.
Depending on your industry and how cautious the prospective client is, they may dig even deeper.
What kind of picture do your clues paint?
For example, every business owner claims to offer a professional service. However, as you know, many operate from a cheap looking, outdated website. This instantly turns prospective clients a way.
Does it really matter?
Yes. It’s extremely important. And here’s why.
I’ve met with some superb service providers over the years, who leave lousy clues. If you didn’t already know them, you’d never hire them. Even if people recommended them to you, after checking them out online for a few minutes, you wouldn’t consider contacting them. They just don’t look like serious professionals. And it’s costing them a fortune.
Here’s the thing – – No business can afford to leave money on the table like that. You know you’re a capable professional. You also know you care deeply about your clients and deliver an excellent service.
But unless your clues leave prospective clients feeling confident about contacting you, you’ll lose a fortune. And it’s 100% avoidable.
Now what?
Try looking at your business through the eyes of a stranger. A stranger who eagerly wants to hire a service provider in your industry. Unless you’re fully confident that your clues paint the right picture, start leaving better clues. Make hiring you easy.