ALPHABET OF NON-TANGIBLES (‘ANT’) FOR SUCCESS (‘ANTS’)

Of course there are many non-tangibles e.g. anger, fear, joy etc BUT which are the KEY ANT for business success i.e. ANTS?

First you need to acknowledge that the real business success is relationships and not money or profits – the latter are by-products of relationships. If your immediate aim when meeting a current or prospective clients if money and profit, you MAY gain that in the very short term but not in the long term. It’s a bit like to well-known philosophy of giving a man a fish & teaching him how to fish: instant outcome as opposed to massaging the skills or for that matter the relationship.

The worst thing is for a client to think every time he hears that you are on the line ‘Oh dear what does he/she want to sell to me now?’ If you are not driven by the profit/money motive but aim to massage the relationship, the client will look forward to/take your call with anticipation as it is about a friendship/having fun and making money in the process.

So what are these ANTS? Most people like to hear their own voice but often not when you are the buyer. If you are the buyer/potential client you want to be listened to AND know that you are not only being heard but in fact listened to by an empathetic listener. Listening is an art and the primary sales tool and OFTEN what you are listening to has NOTHING to do with the sale, product or services. But if you show empathy and understanding, you are in fact actively starting to build a relationship. There is nothing worse than making a comment, however trivial, only to have your ‘listener’ respond with a completely unrelated statement! [ANTS = ‘L’ & ‘E’]

Do NOT make assumptions! We all know the ‘interpretation’ or the acronym ‘assume’ i.e. ‘making an ass of u & me’ so don’t go there! Listen, assess objectively, with clear mind & with no preconceived ideas & then address the outcome of your thinking. [ANTS = ‘A’]

Remember key client details and I’m not talking ROI etc – I am talking about elements that comprise the foundation and building blocks of a relationship i.e. PERSONAL issues starting with such as nicknames, birthdays, likes/dislikes, kids’ & wife’s names, etc. Imagine after one meeting you meet the ‘client’ a 2nd time for lunch & you can recall all this! Now you are building a serious long term relationship which WILL lead to profits & money! [ANTS = ‘R’]

Nurture the relationship, be patient, listen & address the REAL needs of your client. These may often NOT be the obvious so try & be subtle & uncover the subliminal issues – store & treasure these as they are the KEYS to unlocking your long term wealth based on a mutually beneficial relationship! Ultimately it is not about getting, it is about giving. [ANTS = ‘N’]

TOTAL ANTS FROM ABOVE = L.E.A.R.N.