By Linda Julian

Great professionals still need to sell their services, but should never fall into the trap of sounding like just another salesperson. Selling professional services is substantially an education process rather than a process of desire creation, domination and control leading to "order taking" in the classic sales training mould.

Avoid these tactics if you don't want to sound like just another salesperson and be relegated to their status.

Don't make phone cold calls unless you want to be pigeonholed as one more of many annoying telemarketers. Warm calls work best and frames you as an expert and high-value professional.

Don't make en masse sales calls. Intimate business development meetings work much better.

Don't get down to business ahead of developing rapport. Time-poor prospective clients will prefer that you establish common ground around the subject of the meeting, however it's a mistake to leap into selling your services too quickly.

Don't start selling your services before you understand. You can't even know what and how to sell before you know what the prospective client needs (and possibly wants) to buy.

Don't merely ask questions. Yes, gently probe out for information you want but earn the right to ask questions. Share useful information and participate actively and equally in a conversation with your prospective The best professionals exchange knowledge, insights, and suggestions with their prospective clients in the process of converting them to clients.

Don't be coy about information and ideas. Withholding preliminary information and answers until after they've signed up will remind your prospective client of every snake oil salesperson they've ever met. Besides, with so much out there on the web for free, why would a prospective client think it's right that you to hold back ? Be generous with samples of the benefits and expertise they'll receive as your client.

Don't wrest control from your prospective client. Respect that it is their decision to engage you, and keep them comfortable throughout the process of establishing a professional service relationship with you.

Don't take the next step without your prospective client's invitation or permission. You may need to elicit an invitation with "would it be helpful to you if I ... " or permission with "how does it sound to you if we do this next ... ".

Don't be cute about cost. Respect that your prospective client cares about their money and may have other competing priorities. Initially, it's often best to estimate a typical cost range or an indicative price to complete the first phase. If you avoid the issue of price, you'll signal danger.

Don't harass prospective clients. You won't badger them into buying your services -- it will just drive them away. Make calls armed with something to give rather than just "gimme gimme" messages. Yes, follow-up but never make yourself an annoyance.

Don't trigger defences of prospective clients which will make them want to keep you at a distance. Trust is key.

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© Trey Ryder
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