Control Your Client From The Start - Douglas E. Castle - Taking Command

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Control Your Client From The Start

Note: This article originally appeared in The TAKING COMMAND BLOG

To all of our TAKING COMMAND! Readers:

If your firm is a consultancy, and you are finding it difficult to win fee-paying clients, the letter which I recently wrote to a friend and colleague might provide you with some serious insights into what is required in order to actually land clients instead of just engaging with them. Could you be selling too hard? Could you be talking too much? Could you be permitting your prospective clients dictate terms and conditions to you?

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Dear Disappointed Financing Consultant:

I am sorry to hear that following a month of conversations, your prospective client has decided to freely try to solve its capitalization objective on its own without having retained the services of your firm. Your client most likely doesn't know just how difficult it is and how much work is required in order to obtain capital for the growth of its operations in this difficult economy... where so many deals are competing for limited, sophisticated investor and institutional dollars.

Something must have gone wrong – and that “something” might just have been your over-indulgence of your prospective client. You've spent too much time coaching (for free), educating and selling the prospective client on your interest in acquiring it as a client and on your capabilities as a consulting firm. Sadly, the more you try to sell, the more that you will reduce your value in the prospective client's eyes. That's just Human Nature.

You've invested your time with that prospect in educating its president rather than in positioning yourself and your firm. Too bad. A great deal of conversation must have been wasted because you didn't set up the ground rules and frame yourself and your firm's role at the initiation of the relationship. Maybe you've forgotten that every step in communicating with a prospective client is actually a (gasp!) negotiation.

You see, prospective clients secretly want to be lead by a competent and confident consultant. They just are very hesitant to say this openly. And this means that you must establish yourself and your firm as competent, confident and in command and control. It begins with your very first conversation with the client. An you must assume the alpha role right from the inception of the relationship.

Now, getting back to the case of your consulting firm and your prospective client...

It appears that your prospective client's president views your firm not as a consultancy, but as a mere "money broker," to serve the purpose of just shopping his unsupported and somewhat amateur financing proposition to "real" investors and arranging to simply connect him with them in exchange for some unspecified commission -- without the burden of even executing a fee agreement or paying a much-required retainer to your firm. He was simply not made to be emotionally, intellectually or financially invested in your firm, or in your value proposition.

His perception is that you are merely hungry intermediaries and that his company has a "deal" which you will happily shop. He evidently does not see your value-added as a consultancy, and is taking an alpha (dominant) posture and position in your relationship. He might have arrived at (for whatever reason) this misconception of your value from the start.

You might have made some inadvertent missteps in the process of negotiating with him from the very beginning of our conversations - if you don't introduce yourself powerfully and establish a position of strength from the very outset of the relationship, you might find yourselves faced with a truckload of prospects, but no signed clients. That would be awful.

There's a definite demand in the market for what your firm does and for the valuable service that it provides. You'll definitely get many leads, and generate even more through your website and through your networking efforts. But you must establish yourself and your professional firm to every prospective client as a valuable resource and achieve that understanding from your very first communication! You must frame the relationship and set the tone. You must take command.

Perhaps one of the things that you should add to your weekly management meeting agenda is how you present yourselves (as leaders of a firm) to prospective clients from the very beginning, so that each and all of you can properly represent and position your firm to prospective clients to better insure control of the course of the relationship.

Additionally, you might consider letting your wayward client's president take two weeks (to shop his deal to "real" investors via LinkedIn and other means), and let him meet with some failure and frustration before you even accommodate him with further correspondence. Perhaps your errant prospective client's president should be left without a reply from you for two weeks – and then you can re-visit and engage with him again – this time taking a dominant role and re-framing the relationship. This short span of time might provide you and your firm with additional negotiating leverage and an opportunity to, in effect, start the relationship over and set it on its proper course.

Please give my suggestions serious consideration. I look forward to discussing this, and to my helping you to building a standardized approach for handling prospective clients. You have a powerful and intelligent Team  -- it's just a matter of better-defining yourselves to prospects, taking the controlling position in each relationship from the start, and using your respective skills and talents with better organization and united coordination to subtly overwhelm prospective clients. Yes – they [prospective clients] want and need to be rapidly overwhelmed by you and your firm.

I am confident that you can have a full roster of fee-paying clients under contract if you simply refine and polish your approach. You will win more signed clients, and simultaneously limit any wasted time – consider this to be a means of increasing your operating efficiency in client capture and retention.

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to offer my comments in response to your prospective client's president's most recent email to you, which was tainted with a bit of condescension, dismissiveness and some disrespect for your value. Be confident that he will not get any financing ($50.0 - $100.0 million!) by his current scatter gun methods and amateur approach. I would suggest that you and your firm cool down and let this wine (i.e., your straying prospective client) ferment a bit more. Then come back heroically when your prospective client has predictably failed in its efforts without your firm's help.

In Friendship and With All Of The Best,

Douglas E. Castle

Join me on LinkedIn

Contact me directly at http://bit.ly/CASTLEDIRECT

TAKING COMMAND! ACHIEVING YOUR OBJECTIVES.

http://takingcommand.blogspot.com

The Guide to self-mastery, goal-setting, strategic planning and decision making, leadership, management, contingency planning, leveraging assets, rule and domination, choosing allies, dealing with enemies, assessing risk, time management, negotiation... achieving personal authority, influence, wealth and success through total TRANSFORMATION.

Key Terms: Leadership, management, self-growth, self-mastery, personal power, career advancement, negotiation, winning, wealth, success


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3 Leadership Styles: Always Charismatic.

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Charisma is a curious thing -- we can't seem to define, but we invariably recognize it when we see it. A person with charisma radiates confidence in a vision and in himself or herself, and evangelizes in accord with his or her beliefs as if they were not opinions but certainties; and we follow these people because we are mostly uncertain, fearful and lost -- and we see the light of charisma and fly toward it like moths to a flame. Evil people can be every bit as charismatic as true humanitarians. Charisma is an attractor, with no built in moral compass of its own, and no ethical standards implied.


In your role as a leader, you will constantly be called upon to speak to others individually and in groups. In this latter case, before you ascend the podium and venture to open your mouth, you must determine what actionable item (your purpose) you wish to accomplish by the speech, and focus your speech and its tone in that specific direction. A commander cannot ever speak without an actionable agenda, lest he or she make a boring fool of himself or herself, and lose face with those who are counting upon their leader to shape them and direct their actions. And while you may alter your style, you must always maintain charisma. This requires a constant shifting of posture between being almost inter personally close, and then pulling back, filled with secrets, mystery and power (seemingly) barely held in check.

1) In a speech where you are educating or instructing your audience, you are being an expert, and your tone must be serious, direct and all business. When you teach, while you may use humorous metaphors as examples, make sure that you use strong, emphatic body gestures, that you walk around (so that your audience has to follow you with their eyes), and alternate dynamics -- speak softly, and then suddenly speak loudly -- approach your audience closely from time to time as if to touch them, only to retreat back to your position behind the lectern or podium. You must first capture you audience's attention before you can educate it; and, you must keep them on edge as long as you are delivering words of educational value.

Keep these speeches short, invite interaction in the way of either answers or affirmations from members of the audience, but limit these and don't let an intense educational session turn into a discussion  group.  Engage your audience, but be separate, in complete control, and never, ever say more than you must. End your speech with a call to action or a command, and then make a fast, purposeful exit, as if going to another meeting. Do not remain for casual conversation. Ever.


2) In a speech where your mission is to interpret the meaning or implications of another's policy pronouncement, orders, rules, objectives or ideas, your role is not so much as an educator, but as an interpreter. In this role, you slow the pace of your speech, restrain movement and any participation on the part of the audience. You loudly recite each point, where quoting another's words (either spoken or written), pause for a moment of absolute silence, and then give your interpretation by saying something definitive and declarative. Perhaps start with words such as: "What he is saying is that..." or "This means that..." Be certain. Act unwaveringly sure. Again, make it brief and don't remain for casual conversation, as in item numbered 1, above. Leave, but not before you've given out a study assignment.

3) In a speech where you want to provoke a definitive response from your audience, speak from the pulpit with the appearance of barely contained emotion (whether it is sorrow, outrage, pride, impatience... it doesn't matter -- let it show on your face in the flaring of your nostrils, the gritting of your teeth, the pounding of your fist with each syllable of a battle cry, but be impassioned). Use the term "We" at the beginning of most declarative sentences as if you had no doubts at all that there was an assumed agreement between yourself and your audience, as well as imparting a feeling of the classic "unified team" amongst the audience. Do not permit interruptions. Do not pause for questions. The only pauses should be for emphasis of the spoken point immediately preceding them.

In terms of body language, use your hands vigorously for finger raising, finger pointing (at no one in particular except perhaps an unseen enemy or an unperformed job waiting to be completed). During a pause you may alternate between A) looking down (as if collecting your thoughts), or B) scanning across the entire audience with your eyes, and moving your head from one side to the other as if making certain that there is no one who dares to defy you or object to you, or C) make locked-in, intense eye contact with one individual (chosen at random) until that individual looks down, at which time you commence. When you have finished, secure the wisdom of your call to action by saying something akin to "So it is obvious that we must..." Those members of the audience who have doubts about what you are saying or about your right to command will be kept in line -- they will not wish to appear stupid by questioning or even doubting something that you have said is obvious. In fact, if you nod your head affirmatively several times, you will find most of the audience members echoing your nod.

An interesting article excerpt follows from a selection in SmartBrief which addresses these three leadership roles in speaking:


Are you an expert, an interpreter or a catalyst?
When speaking in public, it's important to understand what added value you bring to the table. For some people, Stephanie Scotti writes, it's subject-matter expertise; for others, it's the ability to interpret the expertise of others or to turn data into a message that acts as a catalyst for action. "[A]nyone who has the desire to be confident, heard and inspiring when they step up to speak has the potential to be a catalyst," Scotti writes. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership (4/16)

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If you are just taking command, act like you are already in command, and expect to be treated as a leader. Don't waver. A large portion of charismatic leadership, whether you are being an educator an interpreter or a catalyst, is being confident, in control of yourself, in control of he crowd, and having the answers. It is better to be wrong than to appear indecisive or lost.

Your radiation of charisma will draw people to you like a magnet, but between the hint of shared intimacies and camaraderie, pull back and maintain your mysteries and your rank.

No do what must be done, commanders.

Douglas E. Castle for The Taking Command Blog

Sponsored By:
CFI - CrowdFunding Incubator LLC
Global Edge Technologies Group LLC
ICS - International Connection Services
CFI Business Growth

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Fast Self-Defense: Saving Or Protecting A Life.

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Many of my readers at The Taking Command Blog have expressed more than a passing interest in simple but powerful self-defense. Aside from building a leader's or commander's self confidence, it may just save your life or the life of someone about whom you care. I've dedicated an entire new page on the blog to FAST SELF-DEFENSE. Please read on:

Not only can these simple, reflexive techniques be easily learned, but they carry with them some valuable additional benefits:

1) They can save your life if you are being bullied or attacked;

2) They can be utilized to save the life of someone about whom you care;

3) They will build your feelings of self-confidence and courage as a leader, commander or executive.

This is why I have created a new page on the site specifically addressed to those of you who are interested in pursing this topic in greater depth. But wait! There's more!
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There are times where you either have to defend yourself, or intervene to save the life of a loved one. If these circumstances are extreme, and there is a clear and imminent danger to life and limb, these are simple but incredibly powerful moves to get out a dangerous physical situation safely.

These techniques are all time-tested and are used by Special Ops commandos, the Secret Service, bodyguards and members of many law enforcement agencies. These are people who do not have the luxury of working toward attaining a black belt (sensei or sifu) in any organized, recognized martial arts system. These moves can be mastered instantly, with minimal practice, and rely on simple "muscle memory" to become memorable and accessible.

This feed is brought to us through FightFast.org, and is co-sponsored by The Taking Command Blog, Global Edge Technologies Group LLC, The Daily Burst Of Brilliance Blog and by my Headmaster and instructor, U.S. Martial Arts Hall Of Fame Inductee, Soke Joseph Droual. You can lean more about Soke Joseph by viewing his website at New York Martial Arts. I was blessed to have been trained by him. Joseph is now heading a program titled "NO MORE VICTIMS" which will soon make its appearance on the CrowdFunding Incubator website.

These techniques were all designed to be used in self defense against would-be attackers and physically menacing bullies. Never use them for any other purpose.

Douglas E. Castle

You can directly access this page by simply clicking on:

FAST SELF-DEFENSE

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Related articles and interesting materials for my readers. Some of these are on-topic and some off-topic...but I promise you that they will each be of some interest in terms of informational or sheer entertainment value. DC

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• Free Tips, Tools, Tricks And Resources - Business And Personal (sendingsignals.blogspot.com)
• Crowdfunding A Mortgage: SocioEconomic Leverage (crowdfundingrssfeeds.blogspot.com)

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You must exude self-confidence if you choose to be a leader. People admire decisiveness and strength of conviction even more than they do wisdom and diplomacy in a leader. It's true. To command others, they must be coldly convinced that you are absolutely resolute in your goals, beliefs and personal identity.

The majority of the populace does not want to be inundated with research, choices and philosophy -- people eschew this cerebration for "bottom-line" leadership. They want to follow someone who has (presumably) done all of that work for them and is prepared to forge ahead immediately.

Self-confidence is manifest in simple, methodical, bold words and action steps. Wavering is (with the occasional exception of a  Bill Clinton) seen as weakness or deceitfulness.

This whole phenomenon steps from a deep, behavioral propensity on the part of most people to be led by a parental figure, despite their idle protestations to the contrary.

To Take Command, you must be a leader in every aspect. You must be, and you must appear self-confident. Your body language, tone of voice, passion, posture and mood serves to stimulate the reactive minds of your charges or constituents.

You may have your doubts, but you, as a leader, and a commander-in-chief, do not have the Human luxury of expressing uncertainty, or of hesitation.

Some interesting material follows for sharpening your leadership skill-set.

Douglas E Castle

3 ways to lead more like Ronald Reagan   Source: YouTube/John Baldoni The best leaders -- people like John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan -- have more than just star power, writes John Baldoni. They also have earned authority: a tangible confidence and sense of their mastery of a situation that inspires others to follow them and work toward a common goal. "You can't lead another person if you don't believe in yourself," Baldoni writes. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership (7/29)

You may enjoy these links to other sites, as well:

TAKING COMMAND!
SENDING SIGNALS!
INFOSPHERE BUSINESS ALERTS AND INTELLIGENCE
BUSINESS AND PROJECT PLANNING

 

"Man...It's getting awfully hot in here!"

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JUDGMENT

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Dear Friends:

No matter what action you take, and regardless of its appropriateness or necessity, someone will judge you wrong. People prefer to criticize than to create -- it is far easier, and easier to gain a following. The trick is to understand that your principal job, for emotional and spiritual survival, is to please yourself. You have to live with your decisions -- your critics and detractors do not. Show strength by not 1) yielding to their judgment, and by 2) being your own judge. Even your critics will be envious of you if you go forth with your plans and your life despite them.

Never allow yourself to be held hostage by another person's opinion.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle
Reprinted from http://aboutdouglascastle.blogspot.com/
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