Did you know? All clients fear something. They are just people and once you get it, they will stop thinking of you as a commodity.

Think back:

It’s been easy. You’re a partner in a giant firm. It’s a force in the market. RFIs just appear. You just pick them up.

I totally get it. I’ve been there.

Remember the last big RFP? How you all scrambled to pull it together? Hundreds of slides! Plenty of partners, all ready to share in the win.

Exhausting!

Then that lackluster presentation … With client executives mildly entertained.

Going through the motions of buying a commodity. Purely transactional.

That’s how they see you! It’s true! A commodity service presented and acquired.

You may have even won it. After purchasing took you for a good ride.

Have you recovered yet? Does it still hurt?

Clients are people too

It’s easy to forget but clients are people too. And people buy from people they know, like, and trust.

From people who get it, who understand the personal apprehension and fears of the key individuals in the room.

So, what have you done to show that you’ve got it?

Let’s face it: not a whole lot.

You need to figure out what makes them apprehensive. And develop something related to the upcoming challenges they’ll be facing. Something that is eliminating their fears.

Present something relevant to the key clients in the room. Show that you are the one who understands what is at stake for them and suddenly you may find yourself leaving the commodity-zone.

Want to find out where you are at with your partner powers? And get some tips on getting there? Perhaps my PartnerPowers Scorecard is for you. It will take you 2 minutes to find out where you stand with the market, your team, as a leader.