are you prepared?
by martin bissett
business development on a budget
you may have the experience yourself of making a major purchase and then having second thoughts – most people do.
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you wonder if you’ve done the right thing or if you can afford the purchase. this is known as buyer’s remorse.
changing accountants is a major consideration for a business, as it means replacing the known with the unknown. as such, it carries higher possibility of buyer’s remorse.
as the unknown factor, it’s your job to do all you can to negate any second thoughts.
- the more interest you take in the client’s needs and concerns,
- the more you pass the so what test,
- the more you demonstrate that you understand them,
the stronger will be the commitment you obtain from the prospect.
if you don’t do these things and still win the work, don’t be surprised if they’ve changed their mind before you get back to your office.
business development tasks
1. regularly refer back to the personal aspirations of the prospect, and reinforce how working with you will help achieve them.
2. schedule the next actions in the diary.
- obtain books and records and as much material as possible to take away for review.
- schedule specific, uninterruptible time in your diary to ensure you can alleviate the client’s concerns so as to prevent buyer’s remorse.