Lessons from interactions:
I'm asked often what do I do when I meet a new client? I honestly have no idea. I just wing it by feel. I always probe their mental models of the world. I walk in and I know I have to manage their insecurities. But I can't do that if I'm rattled.
I'm asked often what do I do when I meet a new client? I honestly have no idea. I just wing it by feel. I always probe their mental models of the world. I walk in and I know I have to manage their insecurities. But I can't do that if I'm rattled.
Before I walk in, I always give the person my 100% undivided attention for at least the first 15 mins. Why? There are conversations that cannot unfold if the person doesn't feel respected in your presence. Eye contact, warm greeting, friendly inquiries, commentary on shoes, etc
I walk into my coffee shop and I leave a $20 with one of my girls. Why? I just want that to not be an issue. I ask the client what they want to drink/eat and we just get the drink. The girls bring the drink over and on my way out I settle the bill plus their tip.
Side note: the girls have been placing bets on outcomes of my meetings because they now feel like they are part of the process. 🤣😂 So when I'm leaving and they sense I got the deal, they'll do some subtle shit that they don't think I noticed but I do.
What do these devilish ladies do? They put my change out in coins because they know I'm a more generous tipper if it's coins. If they read me and know the client was a dud, they'll leave bills. Anyway, it's a little side trick you can do to smooth out meetings over coffee 😉
Back to the clients. I sometimes will stop paying attention to them. If I sense someone is bs, I'll pull out my phone and note the time. I always sit them so they see me and the wall. This way their eyes can't wander. The business details are about 2 mins of the conversation.
The rest of it is finding out their true intentions and their insecurities. If I'm meeting someone younger, I praise them. If I'm meeting someone with more experience I try to signal network relationships by mentioning people we know.
I'm always on the look out for words used. It's the tone, it's the pause, the facial expression. I'm interested in how they react to Trump. I casually mention him and gauge their political beliefs. I ask about their hobbies and I look for them faking interest in something I say.
I throw bits of information at them that is completely contrarian to what I actually care about. I just want to see the reactions. I ask them about who their best partners are and why that is so. Sales and negotiations happen on the side channels. It's about the trust.
If I see them making an inappropriate comment, I lose interest. If the person has some Degree (PhD or Dr of something, Law Degree) I immediately remind them that they are smarter than I am but there are areas where I may serve as a function to enhance their business.
Why do this? It's like playing a game with a child, if you can make them happy and feel safe/secure they can be themselves. If they feel it's a contest of who is smarter, I've already lost. The trick is to get them to believe they are smarter than me but not in my area of exp.
Of course with other people, I'll do the exact opposite. I'll hammer them from quoting Blake, to telling them about the time I got robbed at gunpoint and had the person apologize to me. All of this is just an exercise on the fly. None of it is premeditated.
Most people want to impress a client. I don't care to impress anyone because impressing doesn't pay bills. I want them to feel at ease with me, trust me, and rely on me. That is why sometimes I'll beat competitors who come in at lower rates. Wing it, probe for info, build trust.
