April 10, 2010 at 18:49How to increase customer confidence in an IT professional
Trust can be different - who trusts whom and to whom: staff - to the leader, visitors - to the site, customer - to the executor ... Below I will touch on the latter, which is most relevant for freelancers.
There are people whose credit of trust in any other people is extremely low due to the fact that they were often deceived bynae (maybe even their parents in childhood) - these are rather closed people who find it difficult to trust someone even in small ways, not to mention serious and vital things. I would not recommend working with such people if you recognized them, but if you already decided to, do not try to increase their confidence in themselves, because spend a lot of nerves and most likely in vain.
Building trust, think about why you need it, because most often these actions are desirable only with long-term cooperation.
So...
If you say that you will make a project, for example in 7 days, and do it in 5 and happily inform the client about it, this will certainly attract you and increase confidence as an executive employee, but undermine the trust in a professional (who clearly calculates time) and may cause distrust in the specified terms when performing the next project with the same customer.
The same goes for development costs. First, they called one, and then another, in order to establish / strengthen relations - there will be a similar result to the previous one.
Optimal solution- Do it right on time, but in addition to offer several free bonuses made with the soul (functions in the program, articles or interactivity on the site, etc.) that it will be difficult for the client to refuse. And also offer a discount on the next project, and not on this one, so that the customer does not sit on his neck.
Before meeting, think that it will be pleasant for you to be near and communicate with this person. The mood will do the trick. Also, do not forget to learn more about the company / client with whom you will deal.
Speak slower if you are not usually stopped. In general, try to match the pace of your client’s speech, but do not mimic his conversation.
With low self-esteem: to be confident in yourself is not necessary, try to look confident. Do not fuss, do not rush, walk more smoothly and leisurely.
If you feel insecureno super-methods will help you in the moment of negotiations, the only working option is to pause and start talking again, listening to your voice (the sound of your voice calms). So you take the initiative into your own hands and, as it were, begin a new stage of negotiations, which will allow you to smooth out the errors of the previous period a little (for example: got excited, started to stutter, etc.).
Try not to look in the eyes , but on the bridge of the nose, periodically looking away to the side, looking at the surroundings. Do not look at the floor! This will create the feeling that you are to blame for something or doubt.
If the client suddenly changed the subjectand began to talk about what does not apply to the project at all - carefully listen to everything that he tells you and try to grab at least something close and understandable for you to keep the conversation going. Do not try to break off the client at a glance, forcing you to return to the conversation about the project - let speak out. Believe me, this happens quite often.
If, in addition to the main activity (programming, website development, etc.), you are doing something else (for example: consulting, brainstorming, testing, auditing, etc.) - near the end of the conversation, change the subject yourself and tell us about your additional features, skills and resources.
In the case tell us about yourself. Examples: “By the way, the other day / I will have a son / I bought a car / I'm going to overthrow the government ... etc.”
No need to ulcerate.You can make a little joke. But the ulcer is NOT NECESSARY! Example: to notice some stupidity / oversight / ignorance of the customer and make a joke about it, even slightly. People cannot stand being fooled, even as a joke.
Excessive flattery does not lead to anything good. But in time said a short compliment will increase confidence in you. Say the words more often: “good, excellent, excellent, wonderful, etc.” You will create the feeling that the client is in the company of a pleasant person.
In the end, one of the most important, although, probably, many people know this - do not forget to call the customer as he introduced himself. The name by which a person appears (not a passport or a business card) is a trigger for him. The more often you call him, the stronger the trust in you and the more you can influence this person.
Think about your main commercial offer / working conditions / price and quality of services. How can they be improved to achieve certain results you need?
Try to go in for some kind of sport, at least a morning run (unfortunately, I have not succeeded in this yet) - this will allow you to take more open poses, not cross your legs and arms, and keep your back straight.
ADDITION : Encourage your customers who let you know about you, thereby increasing the number of your customers. Encourage not money, not flowers, not sweets and not books. Be not banal, but good-natured, inventive and not stingy.
I will be happy to comment on your situations or options.
There are people whose credit of trust in any other people is extremely low due to the fact that they were often deceived by
Building trust, think about why you need it, because most often these actions are desirable only with long-term cooperation.
So...
Faster and better
If you say that you will make a project, for example in 7 days, and do it in 5 and happily inform the client about it, this will certainly attract you and increase confidence as an executive employee, but undermine the trust in a professional (who clearly calculates time) and may cause distrust in the specified terms when performing the next project with the same customer.
The same goes for development costs. First, they called one, and then another, in order to establish / strengthen relations - there will be a similar result to the previous one.
Optimal solution- Do it right on time, but in addition to offer several free bonuses made with the soul (functions in the program, articles or interactivity on the site, etc.) that it will be difficult for the client to refuse. And also offer a discount on the next project, and not on this one, so that the customer does not sit on his neck.
Conversation with customer
Before meeting, think that it will be pleasant for you to be near and communicate with this person. The mood will do the trick. Also, do not forget to learn more about the company / client with whom you will deal.
Speak slower if you are not usually stopped. In general, try to match the pace of your client’s speech, but do not mimic his conversation.
With low self-esteem: to be confident in yourself is not necessary, try to look confident. Do not fuss, do not rush, walk more smoothly and leisurely.
If you feel insecureno super-methods will help you in the moment of negotiations, the only working option is to pause and start talking again, listening to your voice (the sound of your voice calms). So you take the initiative into your own hands and, as it were, begin a new stage of negotiations, which will allow you to smooth out the errors of the previous period a little (for example: got excited, started to stutter, etc.).
Try not to look in the eyes , but on the bridge of the nose, periodically looking away to the side, looking at the surroundings. Do not look at the floor! This will create the feeling that you are to blame for something or doubt.
If the client suddenly changed the subjectand began to talk about what does not apply to the project at all - carefully listen to everything that he tells you and try to grab at least something close and understandable for you to keep the conversation going. Do not try to break off the client at a glance, forcing you to return to the conversation about the project - let speak out. Believe me, this happens quite often.
If, in addition to the main activity (programming, website development, etc.), you are doing something else (for example: consulting, brainstorming, testing, auditing, etc.) - near the end of the conversation, change the subject yourself and tell us about your additional features, skills and resources.
In the case tell us about yourself. Examples: “By the way, the other day / I will have a son / I bought a car / I'm going to overthrow the government ... etc.”
No need to ulcerate.You can make a little joke. But the ulcer is NOT NECESSARY! Example: to notice some stupidity / oversight / ignorance of the customer and make a joke about it, even slightly. People cannot stand being fooled, even as a joke.
Excessive flattery does not lead to anything good. But in time said a short compliment will increase confidence in you. Say the words more often: “good, excellent, excellent, wonderful, etc.” You will create the feeling that the client is in the company of a pleasant person.
In the end, one of the most important, although, probably, many people know this - do not forget to call the customer as he introduced himself. The name by which a person appears (not a passport or a business card) is a trigger for him. The more often you call him, the stronger the trust in you and the more you can influence this person.
At leisure
Think about your main commercial offer / working conditions / price and quality of services. How can they be improved to achieve certain results you need?
Try to go in for some kind of sport, at least a morning run (unfortunately, I have not succeeded in this yet) - this will allow you to take more open poses, not cross your legs and arms, and keep your back straight.
ADDITION : Encourage your customers who let you know about you, thereby increasing the number of your customers. Encourage not money, not flowers, not sweets and not books. Be not banal, but good-natured, inventive and not stingy.
I will be happy to comment on your situations or options.