What would happen if a man showed up at a doctor’s office, and announced, “I’ve got a herniated disc – I need you to fuse two of my vertebrae!”

Would the doctor say, “Yes sir, let’s get that surgery scheduled…”

Consider:

• The doctor wants to do surgery!
• It would be the most profitable course of action; skip the office visit, get right to the OR.
• It keeps the doctor’s sales cycle short and utilization high.

Why wouldn’t the doctor do that?

Because it would be malpractice!

Why would the doctor believe that the man who walks in and demands spinal surgery knows what he’s talking about? Who’s got the medical degree here?

Now, let’s change the scenario…

What would happen if a prospect calls your agency and says, “I need you to help me make a video…” What would you do next? Would you send them a proposal for a video?

Prospects don’t come to us because they want “a video,” they don’t even come to “to solve a problem.” Prospects come to us to engage a professional.

Professionals (like the doctor) need to investigate the situation, make their own diagnosis, and then propose a course of action.

How do you know you’ve engaged a professional?

When that person changes your thinking in that first phone call.

• they ask a question you hadn’t anticipated.
• they brought up an option you didn’t know existed.
• they anticipated problems you hadn’t seen coming.

When we do that, we turn a prospect who wanted us to “make a video” into a prospect who needs a marketing strategy that may include video. Instead of coming to us for our arms and legs, they are coming to us for our knowledge and experience.

People pay more for knowledge and experience!

How are you engaging your prospects to shift their thinking in that first meeting?