Framing & Preframing of the conversation

Clarity of expectation setting early on is important as it is the foundation of your relationship with a prospect and the rest of the sales process.

When I'm operating at my best, I start the conversation by informing the prospect that I view my role as helping them get to a point of clarity as soon as possible to determine if & how our business/product may be able to help them, and then aligning on our social contract outlining what to expect from me and what I expect from them.

From me they can expect:

• Curiosity: I will take a genuine interest in them, their business, their needs and will spend the time probing deep to really make sure I understand what they need

• Honesty: through all of the business I conduct, I will do so honestly, and will directly share if we are not a fit and will direct them in the direction of another possible solution for their problems

• Customer Experience: through accountability, speed, and responsiveness, I will work to create the best customer experience I can for them, and if I ever feel like I can't then I'll communicate to them the reason ahead of time

From them, I need:

• Information: the more information they can empower me with, the more effectively I'll be able to help them

• Honesty: this is a two way street as honesty goes both ways. I'll expect they will be respectful of me & my time, just as I am of theirs and if circumstances change that may affect our working relationship, then I'll need them to tell me honestly

• Communication: building on the first two, communication is critical, so I recommend spending time here understanding how they prefer to communicate (method, frequency, etc.) and I'll normalize the fact that bad news doesn't get better with time, so if either of us has bad news for the other, let's address it promptly and directly

With that understanding of a relationship & social contract established, both myself & the prospect can continue with clear expectations, and I've found when done well, it can lead to the most pleasant buy/sell process for both parties.