Stories. Since the dawn of time, we have been sharing our stories–from cave paintings and the written word, to the Internet and mobile communications. Today, more than a tenth of our lives are spent telling, or being told stories. Why? Because stories are a part of us, they engage us, and the good ones stay with us, long after the story has ended–inspiring us to pass them on.

Beginning this month, I would like to share with you some of our clients’ stories.

These success stories show our clients using the Walmsley Toolkit to build and strengthen relationships with their own prospective clients. In the months to come, you will see different tools in action and hear their success stories first hand. And perhaps one of these stories will resonate with you, helping you to build a success story of your own.

This month, we will learn how to take a selling situation and change the narrative. The storyline of selling usually begins with a push from the salesperson, followed by resistance from the prospective client. However, in this version we’ve taken a page out of the Walmsley Toolkit and changed the story. The prospect loved the new plot twist. Will there be a happy ending? Read on…

A Success Story P A R T  O N E – B E F O R E  T H E  M E E T I N G Our goal was to secure a title sponsorship from a major communications company for a large entertainment event. Doing so would bring a very large client investment and build brand recognition for us. The dilemma was there were only two companies we could approach. We managed to secure a meeting with one of them. Our team only had one shot at the biggest, and only, fish in the country. Now if this was six months ago, we would have just walked in with a flashy PowerPoint presentation–convinced in our own ability to knock their socks off with the obvious value of our plan. Thinking back it’s a good thing we came across Walmsley when we did. So, what was the problem? One of the most important lessons our team learned is what to do before the meeting–and the answer isn’t to just arrive on time with a polished presentation, it’s to know your client. The Walmsley Toolkit showed how by engaging in meaningful dialogue with the client in advance of the meeting, we uncovered their expectations were and what they were looking for. With this insight, we were able to start building a story that is relevant and engages the client’s passion and commitment.

Know Your Client

One of the benefits of the Walmsley Toolkit is the ‘Know Your Client” Feature. This allows you to not only know your client’s story in an in-depth way, but allows you to create agendas and summary letters that engage the client from the beginning. You’ll know what matters most to them personally and to their business goals. Learn how to: create the right agendas, rely less on face-to-face meetings, write effective follow-up letters, and build proposals that win.

It’s as simple as asking a few telling questions…

Instead of peppering your prospect with the same old questions, why not establish a dialogue to determine what will help both of you achieve your goals.

• What 3 things are you measuring to be successful in the next 90 days?
  Helps you discover more about the individual. What do they value and what do the people they report to value.
• If we move the calendar ahead 9 months, what 3 things do you hope to achieve to advance your current strategy?
  Gain insight into their long term priorities and advance your understanding of should be happening now.
• How are you doing, based on your business plan?
  Reveals their current performance needs and interests and establishes you as part of the team working to achieve a higher goal.
• What pet projects would you be doing right now if you had all the time and resources you need?
  Learn how to help them guide you. Create a process of continuous insight into their hopes and dreams and work to realize them.

Incorporate these questions into your conversation, and watch the information flow. Keep it flowing and you will soon know what kind of a story your client wants to build with you.

Is the team ready for their big meeting?
Not quite, there's still one vital thing left to do before any meeting.

Learn what is in next month's success story, or visit us online at
www.walmsleyandco.com