Business is heating up post-pandemic. So, how can an AVL consultant specializing in working with churches ensure that they’re the go-to solution when issues and difficulties arise for potential and existing clients? Here are seven steps to make sure that call comes your way.
1. Return Every Call, Text, Email and DM Promptly
When we’re busy with our own projects and agendas it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that when a potential client calls it’s usually because they’re experiencing an emergency of their own. Smart consultants make every client a priority, which means blocking out multiple times a day to respond to everything from calls to texts to emails to Facebook, Twitter LinkedIn and Instagram DMs. Even a quick “I got your message and I’ll get back to you ASAP” goes a long way towards letting your client know that their problem is your problem too.
Ultimately, your goal is to become a primary source of encouragement and affirmation for your clients. The sales and commissions will naturally follow.
2. Keep the Ball in Their Court
Another key aspect to helping your client feel like things are under control is to do everything possible to keep the ball in their court. Nothing’s more frustrating than waiting on a consultant to get back to you with critical information or advice, so make sure to knock out your parts of the process right away. A great practice for ensuring that’s happening is to get into the habit of closing out emails with a summary of where the process is currently and what the next steps will be once the client is ready.
3. Track Your Client’s Story
The difference between a teammate and a hired gun is the way a teammate knows the score. It feels great when your AVL consultant remembers the specifics of what a client is wrestling with and who some of the key stakeholders are. Granted, this kind of relational report is easier for some people than for others, but successful consultants will put the needed infrastructure in place to ensure their clients don’t have to continually remind their consultants of context.
4. Know Your Stuff
AVL is one of the most rapidly changing industries around. While it’s often easier and more efficient to just continue offering new clients the same solutions that worked three years ago, these established technologies can often end up costing more upfront, as well as being more expensive to operate and maintain overtime. Great consultants invest the time it takes to keep abreast of where things are moving in each discipline and using that up-to-the-minute information to set their clients up for success.
5. Be a Bargain Master
Consider the mechanic who almost always comes in 20% cheaper than his would-be competitors but still produces consistently amazing results. When customers know he’s always going to look for the best deal, they find it easier trust him when he says that an expensive part or repair is necessary. Ministry’s a small world, and most leaders who’ve been around for a while can tell a horror story or two about when they got fleeced by a contractor. On the other hand, AVL consultants who earn a reputation of producing value for their customers are the ones who get to stay in the game over the years and decades.
6. Keep Your Word
While this one seems like it should go without saying, working with churches is an inherently messy business. Things change, leaders come and go, and projects sometimes go dramatically sideways. Through the highs and lows, successful consultants learn how to keep their word and following through on projects, delivering on time and on budget. It is easy? No, but it’s absolutely crucial.
7-Lead With Love
“Always Be Closing” might work for Wall Street, but it’s poison for ministry. Church leaders and pastors spend so much of their lives giving, and what they’re really looking for is someone who will be in their corner when the going gets rough. Look for ways to communicate that the person and the relationship is about more than just making another sale. It could an unexpected birthday or Christmas gift, or it could be as simple as a “How’re You Doing?” text, but the little things like that go a long way.
Ultimately, your goal is to become a primary source of encouragement and affirmation for your clients. The sales and commissions will naturally follow. Even better, when you learn to excel at leading with love your clients will begin to enthusiastically share your name with their own networks of leaders who need someone like you in their corner, as well.
