5 KEYS TO BECOMING THE TRUSTED ADVISOR.
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Discover the keys to becoming a Trusted Advisor, securing your ongoing pipeline of work and securing your position in the marketplace. YOU TRUST
SINES S BU
MARKET
RELATE
LEAD
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GREATE THE SHIFT
It has never been more important to stand out in the crowd and shift from “just another consultant” to the role of “Trusted Advisor”. The marketplace is flooded with companies trying to
THIS E-BOOK WILL GIVE YOU 5 KEYS TO HELP YOUR BUSINESS BEGIN THIS SHIFT.
secure work and trying to get noticed, all of these companies provide services.
“The quality of your life is determined by the quality of your - Harvey Mackay
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relationships. The quality of your business is no different.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER 1 - SHIFT FROM CUSTOMER TO CLIENT
05
CHAPTER 2 - SHIFT FROM TRANSACTION TO RELATIONSHIP
06
CHAPTER 3 - SHIFT FROM “WHAT THEY WANT, TO WHAT THEY NEED”
07
CHAPTER 4 - SHIFT FROM FOLLOWER TO LEADER
08
CHAPTER 5 - SHIFT FROM BUST TO TRUST
09
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CHAPTER
01.
SHIFT FROM CUSTOMER TO CLIENT The Trusted Advisor does not have customers. They have clients. You have probably heard that old saying “the customer is always right”. Sadly most service businesses are stuck inside this paradigm with their services and offerings being bought and sold like items on a grocery store shelf. In this situation the business has limited ability to differentiate and is often competing against many other businesses for potential work with little loyalty and limited relationship. The shift that is required is to move from this “off the shelf” mentality to a place where the organisations you work with recognise the value your
business brings, as they do with their accountants, their legal advisers or other parties who similarly provide expertise to support their operations. This shift provides huge value to both the client, and your business, as you work to provide solutions that are timely, measured and responsive to their real needs.
THIS IS THE VALUE THE TRUSTED ADVISOR PROVIDES.
“The more people you help and the more value you create, - Robin S Sharma
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the more your business will fly - and the quicker you’ll win
CHAPTER
02.
SHIFT FROM TRANSACTION TO RELATIONSHIP The Trusted advisor does not merely transact with their clients, they develop and maintain significant relationships. This focus on relationship is critical in building a sustainable pipeline of work over the long term for your business. The business working on a relationship level has connectivity into many levels of their clients organisations, and are involved with supporting these clients in key decisions they are considering or undertaking.
it becomes tiring and fraught with risk as your business has no surety of any ongoing work. This approach also provides a limited insight or connectivity into your clients organisation and you are likely to be the last person to be made aware of any strategic decisions or market activity. Trusted advisors recognise that a relationship approach to business provides many benefits, here is a list of 4 key differences.
While transactional work can be good in the early days of the business, TRANSACTION
RELATIONSHIP
Self interest
Mutual interest
What you get
What you give
Stay in touch
Be informed or
Agreement
included
Single eve
collaboration PAGE - 6
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CHAPTER
03.
SHIFT FROM “WHAT THEY WANT, TO WHAT THEY NEED” The trusted adviser works with their clients to support them in getting what it is they need to best serve their organisation. Many service businesses often complain that they must deliver solutions that the customer requests with little or no input from them. The work is transactional and does not allow the service business to demonstrate its broad range of skills or expertise. They have minimal opportunity to add value. The trusted advisor has developed a depth of trust with their clients over a period of time allowing them the
space to work creatively with their clients. Their opinions and expertise are requested and the client allows freedom in the work scope, allowing significant value to be generated for all. The trusted advisor realises this is not a passive activity, rather they recognise the need to listen to their clients both deeply and actively to ensure they areabale to deliver an excellent outcome. In this process it is wise to consider the old saying of, “Two ears and one mouth, use them in that proportion”.
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CHAPTER
04.
SHIFT FROM FOLLOWER TO LEADER The Trusted adviser realises the need to lead in the industry, and not follow. With the pace of change most industries are dealing with they realise that the solutions that got them this far will not be the ones that take them to where they need to be. As the saying goes, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you always got”. When looking for companies to support them in this evolutionary (or revolutionary) journey, they are trying
to find someone who can help them Shift from their current situation to a place of more value, and/or more opportunity. They are looking to see who is leading their space through innovation and creativity. They then see how they can apply and leverage this within their own organisations. The Trusted Adviser is seeking to push the boundaries, disrupt their industry, and themselves . Ever restless in their desire to be on the leading edge, offering their clients outstanding value.
“Good Business Leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly - Jack Welch
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drive it to completion.”
CHAPTER
05.
SHIFT FROM BUST TO TRUST Trusted Advisers realise the value of trust and recognise that without this key ingredient their relationship can quickly falter, and potentially go bust. Trust is a choice. If we know how to build trust with others, it means they have confidence that we will keep our word. They trust that we are exactly who we say we are, and that we will still be there supporting them when times get tough. Trust is give and take. It means you’ve found a way to relate to other people in a way that is meaningful to them.
HERE ARE 6 WAYS TO BUILD TRUST; 1. Follow through with actions. 2. Communicate, communicate, communicate. 3. Practice patience. 4. Establish a culture of purpose. 5. Notice the words of others. (Listen) 6. Be willing to admit you don’t have all the answers.
The trusted adviser also knows that it is important to deliver the unexpected occasionally. Surprise and delight your client occasionally. This will only increase the value you bring to their table.
“Business thrives with trust. Every single business transaction is based on trust. Trust is what you deal in. - Rahul Gandhi
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From trust emerges a safe and predictable environment”
ARE YOU LOOKING TO BECOME THE TRUSTED ADVISER IN YOUR INDUSTRY? CLIENT RELATIONSHIP NEED LEADER TRUST Contact us for a consultation today on 0459806046 Email – adeering@thedeeringgroup.com
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