Written by: Vickie Sullivan | February 06, 2020
How to Attract Skeptical Prospects
Many business owners come to me wanting to grow past referrals. It’s a laudable goal, but the challenges also increase when we charge premium prices.
The problem: High-end projects require clients who understand that they need professional advice and expertise not found in low-cost solutions. Unfortunately, these prospects learn this lesson the hard way, usually after they’ve worked with others and failed. So, now they come to us skeptical.
I call these folks the walking wounded. Here are two messages we must convey to overcome the reluctance and show they won’t get burned again:
• An approach they agree with. Listing benefits won’t work with these folks. (After all, that happened before and didn’t work out.) Be prepared to show more of your approach. This isn’t a step-by-step process, but your perspective of what they need and why. If these prospects agree with the broad outline, they will discuss details with you.
• We know what they don’t. These folks understand they don’t know everything. They want to make sure that we know more than them. This is where nuance and distinctions work well. If your initial conversation gives new insights, you have their attention.
Listen: The Most Common (and Popular) Tactic that High-end Buyers Ignore
Many of these folks need to check us out before they agree to an initial conversation. So, make sure your content marketing, website copy, etc. demonstrates the above. Attracting high-end buyers requires us to bring our “A” game.
Now Read This:
- 2 Negotiation Tips to Get the Fee You Deserve
- Competitive Branding for B2B Professional Service Firms