Have you ever noticed the best client meetings are those where you let the client lead and you don’t say much but listen and ask more questions? You don’t multitask; you don’t try to think ahead; you don’t pass judgement; you are simply present. There is huge success in presence. Giving people your undivided attention motivates them to work with you. By being fully present with them you are showing them the love that they crave.
One of my favorite coaching clients was a modest man who sold insurance but had never experienced even a six-figure income. Dale had a heart for people. He had the drive to achieve and he was diligent in his study of financial planning strategies, insurance solutions and selling techniques. He had the makings of a top adviser.
What he lacked was the ability to shut out the personal demons that barraged him constantly with “You’ll never be a success. You came from a poor family. You’ll always be poor. You can’t handle success.”
During a personal interview he told me that while he aspired to accomplish more he felt inferior to others in his industry. He worried a great deal over his financial future.
What Dale lacked was the ability to shut off the voices from the past and the future and listen only to the voice that empowered him to be in the present moment. When he discovered how to shut off the dis-empowering thoughts in his head and focus intensely on the moment his sales sky-rocketed.
Shutting off negative voices when life storms are raging is not an easy task but after a few coaching sessions Dale recognized he had to take control of his thoughts if he was to achieve his income potential. You can use the same techniques to put yourself in a present state of being. When you learn these simple techniques you will find your meetings to be far more enriching for both you and your customer. Listed below are three of the ten techniques Dale learned through coaching sessions.
- Start by relaxing your entire body. Being fully present involves your body, emotions and mind. Visualize a great client meeting. As you do, move your energy through your entire body from your head to your feet. The way to do this exercise is to focus on each part of your body starting with your head and moving downward to your feet. Visualize a stream of liquid energy coursing through your body until you feel completely relaxed.
- Take five minutes to do some slow deep breathing. Breathing helps oxygenate your brain and relaxes your body. It expands your internal sense of self so you can feel the sensation of being high on life energy.
- Be yourself and let go of perfectionism. Nothing attracts people like authenticity. Be real. Give up the idea that you have to be perfect or say things perfectly in order to be effective. Effectiveness is not about your performance. It is about helping your customer get what they truly want.
Author, teacher and business coach Rebecca Stone is turning attorneys and financial advisers right-side-up with her Attorney Alliance Marketing System. This one of a kind system helps professionals get a steady stream of ideal clients at a price they can afford.
