There are two kinds of sales, transactional and relational. A transactional sale means you HAVE TO make the sale. You’re needy and desperate for the sale. In a relational sale people want to be understood before they do business with you.

There is a misconception that if you can just make your prospects understand what you do you will be hired. If you can explain everything to them, then they will see all your knowledge and insight and hire you right on the spot, but this is not what is most important to the prospect. As a matter of fact, most professionals talk themselves out of the sales the more technical they get with their prospects.

Feeling understood is what the prospect wants most from you. In a relational sale you develop rapport with the client. The client explains their side of the story, and why it’s important to them to get the problem resolved once and for all.  When the client finishes speaking your response to them should exhibit empathy, you understand where they are coming from. You understand that the IRS is ruining their life and the stress that they are under.

People don't do business with you because they understand what you do. They do business with you because they feel understood. Think about that for a moment, people don’t do business with you because they understand what you do.  They do business with you because they feel understood. If you adopt this mindset everything in your consultations will change.  When you are trying to close the deal and get clients, suddenly the pressure is off.  You do not have to wow them with your knowledge or try to try to explain your fee. All you need to do is listen to them, hear their story. Then when it’s time to close you’ll be amazed at how easy it is. Your prospects will want to sign with you. They’ll be thinking, “This is the person I want to represent me. They get me. They understand me.” It is all about the relationship.

When I had my consultations, I would find some common ground that my prospect could relate to, and they could relate to me. I never was condescending. I never judged.  I wanted to have that emotional bond with them from the very beginning of the meeting.

Once you adopt having a relational versus a transactional mindset, everything changes. It’s the difference between having a customer or having a client. A customer is a one-time transaction. A client is a relationship. It's a long-term relationship. Over time that long term relationship is going to evolve and hopefully will result in referrals and testimonials for your business, and it all starts with making the client feel understood.

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