The vertical crossword clue was “unrelated,” six letters, and the first two letters were “un.” What was the answer? Clearly, I thought, the answer had to be “unlike,” as, for example, apples and tennis rackets are “unrelated to” or “unlike each other” – only my answer didn’t fit with the last four horizontal clues. Something was amiss and I was frustrated. Actually, the whole puzzle was a problem and, with only about fifteen percent of the Sunday New York Times puzzle done, I gave up and put the paper aside. The next day, when I made another attempt at it, a miracle happened!
With a fresh look, I suddenly realized that “unrelated” could also mean “not told,” so that the right answer was, in fact, “untold.” Suddenly, I 
saw fresh answers for nearly all the clues I could not get the day before.
Bottom-line, I went from fifteen percent completion to about ninety percent completion of the whole puzzle, which I considered an outstanding jump in performance, given the usual difficulty of the Sunday New York Times puzzle.
What Client “Clues” Are You Missing?
I think my little crossword challenge is a good metaphor for traps that we fall into when we present and sell to clients, if we are not careful. How often are we missing business, under performing, because we assume we are so sure that we are seeing the total picture, that we have all the answers, and that we absolutely know what a client means and needs?
I had an advertising agency client once who called and asked that I do a brief talk to his senior management–at no charge. My first reaction was to see that request as an insult to me and my value and to write him off as bad business. I gritted my teeth and, as politely as possible, said I would get back to him shortly.
After I stopped fuming, I looked at my immediate assumptions about this client and his request. Why would he make such an unreasonable request? Up to that point, he had been a perfectly good client. What was I missing????
Then, it hit me. I called back and asked if his agency did work for clients at no charge. And he said, “All the time.” I then explained that his clients paid him hundreds of thousands of dollars to run their campaigns, so to do an occasional pro bono favor for them would be acceptable. However, he and I were dealing in far, far smaller numbers, I was a sole practitioner, and time was money, so that I would, indeed, need to charge a fee. He didn’t flinch. He immediately understood and said, “Oh, fine. What is the fee?”
What Else Could the Clues Mean?
When situations aren’t working out, stepping back, taking a breather, and asking yourself, What else could this mean? What else? What else? and then exploring those avenues with clients, can improve outcomes and performance for everyone.
- Client isn’t budging? What could be holding back a decision: Other people? Existing systems? Fear of change? Company politics? Prior relationships? Bad previous experience? Not the decision-maker? Other?
- Client has price objections? What is your service being compared to? What value is being placed on solving his problems? What’s the cost of staying with the status quo? Is that even the real objection? Other?
- Client doesn’t seem to understand your solution? Are you talking to the right person? Do you need others in on your presentation? Are you talking above his head? Are there internal resources to support the changes you are recommending? Other?
When you get stuck in a sales or presentation situation, what your client is saying is a “clue” to the real issue at hand.
- Step back
- Think: what else could this mean?
- Ask questions to get at the real issues
Never be clueless again.
Anne Miller
Words Matter – Make What You Say Pay!
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Selling With Metaphors: Influence, Persuade, and Explain Anything to Anyone
December 06, 2017
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