THINKING FORWARD
Soft skills are all the rage this month. As I have been thinking and researching more and more about the soft skills necessary for business success, there is one skill that keeps coming back to the forefront of my mind: Anticipation.
We hear all the time about the forward thinkers, the innovators, those that drive our progress. We need people that can create the technology and products of tomorrow. However, we also really need people that can think forward.
Not to be confused with forward thinking, thinking forward is the ability to anticipate what others need, want, or will say, before they do. Anticipation is an important skill for any business owner or professional to master.
When you anticipate, you have a reasonable expectation that something will happen. As you spend time in your business learning, experiencing, and working with clients, you will come to know the usual questions or reactions they will have to different things, and you can start to anticipate those things before they occur. The power in this is that you can then give them the answers they will need before they even know they need them!
For example, let’s say you are a new real estate professional (or maybe even a seasoned one). You haven’t done a lot of transactions yet, but you know enough to get your clients to the finish line. You notice in the first few deals that your clients are asking the same questions about the process and time frame of the homebuying process.
You could continue to just answer their questions as they arise with each transaction, however, if you want to streamline your process and create a better experience for your customer, you should start discussing the details of what they need to know and what they should expect in your initial interview with them. Instead of waiting for the consumer to ask you a question, provide them with necessary information before they even know to ask for it!
Here is another example – let’s say you are a photographer, and you are booking a family photo session in a certain location. You could just provide your client with instructions on how to reach the location, that would be fine, and they would probably arrive on time. However, if you really wanted to provide an amazing experience for them, you could send them reminder email 2-3 days before their session and detail the directions for the location, make them aware of any local events that may cause a delay in reaching that location, give them a recommended time for leaving, let them know the weather forecast, offer suggestions on what to wear, what kind of shoes might be needed for the location, if they should wear sunscreen, and what props to bring if they want any. You could detail any number of things for them that makes the day of the session easier and more enjoyable for them. It might seem simple to you, but to your client, this is what makes you stand apart from your competition!
The ability to anticipate your clients’ needs isn’t built overnight. It takes time, experience, and some trial and error to get it right. But there are things you can do to help you strengthen this skill and build it sooner rather than later.
1. Reflect on your own experiences – think about the first time you bought a house, a car, a photo session…Did you know what to ask? Did you know what to expect? Did you feel like the person helping you was adequately equipped with the information you needed? Did they provide that information to you before you knew you needed it or did they wait for you to ask for it?
When you think about the experiences you have had, you can put yourself in your clients’ shoes. For instance, if you are helping a first-time home or car buyer, think back to your first buying experience. If you haven’t yet had such an experience, ask your mentors or family members about their first experience with the process. Ask them how they felt, what they wish they had known, what could have made the process simpler or at least a little less stressful. Then use this information to help your own clients have a better experience than you did when you were in their position. This applies to any industry. If you don’t personally have an experience as a consumer in your professional industry, ask those around you for their experiences. You might be surprised to learn just how similar they are!
2. Consider the possibilities – think about what questions or needs your clients could have and then decide which ones they are most likely to have. You will encounter all kinds of people with all kinds of needs, questions, and experiences. You will not be able to anticipate every single one of these, but by knowing the most-likely issues, you will be more prepared to help them when the time comes. Then, if you do get presented with something you aren’t sure about, you can confidently tell them that you will need to find out more information before providing them an answer!
3. Present the information early – I am a huge advocate for initial interviews or discovery calls in client-based service industries. This is your opportunity as the service-provider to give value quickly and help your client see the value in using you for this particular service instead of your competitor. Ask the client questions, get to know them, listen intently to their needs, and provide the information you already know they need before they know they need it!
When you present necessary and valuable information to your client in the beginning, they will view you as someone who cares about them and what they need. It will also save you and your client time and stress as you work together because they will already have the answers to the questions that will inevitably arise!
I hope this article has helped you think about the ways you can serve your clients better and more thoroughly. Don’t just take them through a transaction, give them a great experience!
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Ciao for now!