How often do you understand the questions that your clients are asking?
It might sound like a trick question, but you’d be surprised how often people misunderstand and get the real intention wrong. What is said to you might not actually mean what you think it does.
It’s so easy to assume that you know, that you understand. But to provide the right solution, you must know a client’s wants and needs.
Questions come from clients searching for guidance, clarity, and reassurance. Recognizing this and offering the right support at the right time will generate successful relationships.
Market Trends Are Irrelevant To The Individual
Do you ever get asked about current market trends by your clients?
Whatever area you work in, the overall market is not the sole concern of an individual.Â
Universal market trends only matter to an individual if they directly affect the consumer’s plans.
Every set of circumstances is different. And a common mistake to make is to think that you need to provide a universal answer to a universal question.
If considering the whole market is not of concern to an individual, why might they be asking about current market trends? Â
What they’re really asking is how it will affect them individually.Â
How will this affect their personal goals and aspirations? How will this affect their plans? This is the only thing that matters to an individual.
Understand What Your Clients Are Asking
Your ability to answer before you understand the question is going to trip you up. The most important thing when answering any question is to understand why they’re asking it.
Asking about current market trends isn’t actually about that. It’s a signal that a client is thinking about a change and wondering if the change could be right for them.
Take, for example, real estate. Asking about the market is saying they’re thinking about selling their house or buying a new one. They are thinking about investment opportunities and they are curious to see what effect it will have on them right now.
They are actually saying I want to have a bigger conversation about real estate.
Searching For A Bigger Conversation
If you’ve got the emotional intelligence to see that they are asking for that bigger conversation, then you’ll be able to help your clients.Â
This is the same for someone searching to buy something for their business, to help their current employees, or someone searching for a place to invest their money.
Getting that conversation going is what your client is asking for. So have that conversation without a sales agenda.
Let them explore and expand their vision. Discuss the opportunities and any potential threats. Let them know that you’re listening.
Keep It Interesting
If there’s something that’s making your client more reserved about moving forward with you, then don’t shy away from it.
Describe the thing as ‘interesting’ and break down why that might be.
By keeping it ‘interesting,’ they want to know why it’s interesting. Interesting isn’t scary.
You can also ask them why they are interested.Â
This will lead to a more candid conversation about their whys and their hows. They will give you their circumstances and they’ll explain why they might be nervous or reserved.Â
Be Confident
Clients are often looking for reassurance before moving forward. So be direct and offer that assertion. You can be mindful of their fears, but be confident you can overcome them and avoid the worst-case scenario. Be good enough to help people through complex decisions, and care enough about what they’re asking. Once you’ve fully understood what your client is asking, you can provide the answers they need.
