I was once in a sales meeting speaking to a potential client, and after the usual sales meeting pitches, what ultimately convinced them to work with my agency was to show them the training manual for my Collection Advantage online training program.
The reason this was the ultimate selling point for the prospective client is that it allowed the company to see exactly how my agency was going to take care of their customers, reduce complaints, and collect the money. The manual showed them how my team would stand out, and they felt comfortable signing with us because of it.
I wholeheartedly believe other agencies can attract clients using their unique value as well, and I want to show you exactly how to make that happen.
If you're a salesperson or attend meetings with prospective clients, this blog post is designed specifically for you. Keep reading to find out exactly how you can stand out and attract new clients.
1. Show Your Clients How You’ll Have Their Back
Clients trust their collection agency to do a job they don’t have the time or resources to do themselves. That’s why prospective clients need to know you have their back from the get-go.
The question is, how do you show your client that your team can collect from their customers adequately?
What I’ve found is that being transparent about your collection strategies in the sales stage is the best way to show prospective clients exactly how you’ll support them.
For example, at my agency, we’re passionate about communicating with empathy, which is an attractive quality that many healthcare clients look for. At your agency, you might have a stellar negotiation strategy or great technology that puts you ahead of other local competition. That's exactly what you need to be showing your prospective clients.
Here’s an exercise for you:
Open up a blank document and type out any unique strategies your agency has. Then, type out a few ways to explain those strategies to a prospective client during a sales call. Here’s a quick and easy example:
My team’s signature strategy: A 3-step, empathetic communication strategy
How I describe my communication strategy to prospective clients: Show them my training manual, explain the foundations of the strategy
Take 10 minutes to really brainstorm this exercise. You’ll be surprised how much you actually come up with, which will make you that much more prepared for your next sales meeting with a prospective client.
2. Outline a Clear Return on Investment
Prospective clients are always wanting to know what they’ll get out of a partnership with your agency. This is where those cold, hard numbers and facts come into play.
Here are a few ROI metrics to consider when going into a sales meeting with prospective clients:
On average, how much money can you save a client in a particular industry? How?
How much time can you save your client by reducing their internal collection methods and complaint handling?
How much money could you make for this client?
Before going into any sales situation, make sure you have your ROI data gathered and organized. If you’re using a slide deck, dedicate an entire slide to ROI, or if you have a handout, make sure the ROI is clearly listed and labeled.
The truth is, even though ROI is the second item on this list, it’s usually the first item prospective clients ask about, so having these details accessible during a sales meeting is crucial.
3. Invest in Professional Development for Your Collection Floor
If you’re a salesperson, you may be wondering what professional development on the collection floor has to do with winning over prospective clients. I wholeheartedly believe this is an extremely important selling point, and let me explain why.
First and foremost, prospective clients will appreciate that you’re investing in your collectors because that means your team will continuously improve while working with them. That will lead to increased ROI and an overall enhanced consumer experience.
More importantly, prospective clients may see a dedicated investment in professional development as a humanitarian-plus business move. Humanitarian-plus business is any strategy that moves humanity forward rather than backward.
This is important because in the 21st century, people are more likely to work with companies that have a humanitarian-plus mission than companies that don’t. In other words, making sure your collectors are invested in and cared for can actually attract more clients.
If you’re looking for a new professional development opportunity for your team, let’s chat. Book a call with me today to find out how to bring The Collection Advantage online training program to your agency.
What Now?
If any of the sales practices outlined in this post jump out at you, I challenge you to do some brainstorming and ultimately try them out in your next sales meeting with a prospective client. You might be pleasantly surprised by the results.
In the meantime, my Communication Code for Collectors course can up-level your communication whether you’re speaking with consumers, clients, leads, or colleagues. Start your communication journey right away, and watch how effortless your everyday conversations become.