Marketing Professional Services

If you have been serving business owners for very long you have come to some important conclusions, you only know what you know, you can only see what you see, and there are other professionals with blind spots in different places.

Let’s face it, if we all knew the same things – most of us would not be needed. And if we had productive relationships with other professionals – those our clients use who services compliment ours, our client would receive our coordinated ideas and insights. Plus we would be in a position to refer business to these professionals – now that we know how they work, and they would tell their clients about us. This is a perfect scenario all the way around.

Partnering, on a case by case basis or on an ongoing basis with consultants, financial planners, accountants, coaches, lawyers, and other professionals can be a very good idea indeed.

And of course there are many different business models for doing this. For many of us it works best when we to do it quid pro quo basis vs. referral fees. Here are a few quick suggestions that you should consider:

1. Always work with someone you trust. In over three decades working with business owners I have found that if there is any doubt in your mind about the person you are considering working with – no matter how casually or infrequently, do not do it. I am still reminded from time to time, in a nice way – about the time I partnered with the wrong person – years ago.

2. Be the one to give more than you think you have to, in time, money, energy, etc. The other person will appreciate it and the law of reciprocity will kick in. The one thing anyone will remember about you is whether or not you did what you said you’d do. If you always deliver more than they expect and because of your example your project partners do the same – you will all be proud of the results.

3. There are lots of opportunities to work with other professionals these days. I would suggest that you not enter into long-term relationships until you have a lot of experience with each person. In fact you may find that your clients hold you in greater esteem when you become known as the person who can put the right people on the team – no matter the situation, and they may be different people almost every time. You are seen as the go-to person because you are the one with the connections, the one who fits the pieces of the planning team puzzle together.

4. Give, rather than look for, credit. It is as true today as it was the first time someone told me that there is nothing we can not achieve if we do not care who gets the credit. All relationships are give and take. Give more and you’ll get more.

5. Think outside the box when choosing your partnering relationships. Naturally if you are in the life insurance business you think of partnering with an accountant and a lawyer, or if you are an engineer you work with architects and people in the construction industry.

If there is anyone you should consider putting on your team it is a workplace conflict resolution professional. Why, because where there is conflict – no matter how far they keep it under the radar, nothing gets done. Wills are not signed and we never know why, estate plans end up in the file cabinet when doing nothing is just dumb.

When nothing happens to your (team’s) proposals it is either because of you or the client. If it is you – they don’t trust your or your partner’s recommendations, that’s one thing. You may or may not be able to over come that.

If it is them, it may be that there are unseen disagreements and conflicts going on that is keeping them from taking action. For example Marsha Petrie Sue, in here article “How to Handle Backstabbers at Work: five keys to manage their bad behavior ” describes things that are going on you may never see – until later long after the deal has gone sour and the proposals are taking up space on your hard drive.

When you are putting together your next planning team – add someone who sees what you can’t see, both traditional number crunchers and workplace conflict professionals

Recommended Reading

• Roadblocks to Marketing Professional Services
• Straightforward Practices Offering Word of Mouth Advertising Success
• What Exactly Is The Necessary Factor To Take Into Account As It Pertains To Effective Progress For You And Your Clients?
• If You Are Marketing Your Professional Services – Don’t Think of Yourself as Being an Expert At Everything
• Accountants, Are You Currently Trying To Find Your Appropriate Niche in Flawed Locations?
• Just What is Critical When It Comes to Marketing Professional Solutions These Days?
• Marketing Professional Services (ebook)

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