How often do you get the chance to chat with a potential client on the phone?
And how often do those conversations directly lead to gaining a new client?
Imagine spending 10-15 minutes on the phone with a pet owner and have a play date set before hanging up each and every time.
Are you keeping track of, or aware of, the biggest objections you continually hear?
You know the ones I’m talking about:
How often does a potential new pet sitting client tell you that she’s read great things about you online?
It’s one thing to boast on your website that you’ve grown up around animals you’re entire life and that you are the most caring, loving and professional pet sitter this side of the Mississippi.
And it’s an entirely different thing for someone else to say it.
The truth of the matter is that when someone else toots your horn for you, the impact is tremendously greater than saying it yourself.
Are you looking for more pet sitting clients than you can possibly handle?
Of course you are, it’s a trick question!
We can all use a spike in our bank accounts right about now and one way to increase our available balance is to increase our client base.
The holiday season is no longer just around the corner; it is squarely upon us. And it’s no secret that the last few months of the year are the most profitable for working pet sitters.
Have you noticed the interesting phenomenon about the current season of America’s Got Talent?
As we approach the finals, it’s becoming more and more apparent.
America’s Got Talent is not about talent at all. Sure, the finalists certainly have talent, but the show is not actually about talent.
“What?!” you may be thinking. “But it’s got the word talent right in the title!”
Fair enough. So let’s back up for a second. It’s important to note that none other than Simon Cowell created the show. Mr. Cowell is certainly no stranger to producing compelling and exciting television shows.
In Part 2 of this series, we sat down with some burgers and focused on the ways to give your clients exactly what they want, without them even knowing they wanted it.
I pointed out a wonderful section the PSI website written for pet owners and how to use it to your advantage.
Today in Part 3, we pull out all the stops and get you to be a better pet sitter by focusing on yourself. We start with a straight forward question:
Are you insane? No, seriously, are you insane?
In Part 1 of this series, we focused on bringing out your best in you to win over your potential clients. I followed that by pointing out the fact that if you don’t do your best to add that person to your new client list, someone else will.
And finally, I revealed the 6 rules to bring out your absolute best.
Today in Part 2, you’re going to discover how to be a better pet sitter by ‘amazing’ your potential clients. How, you ask? Simply by giving them exactly what they want even when they had no idea they wanted it to begin with.
Let’s see if we can make some sense of all that.
Are you a good pet sitter? Are you a great pet sitter?
Chances are we can all benefit from a bit of competitive edge over our competition, wouldn’t you agree? You know, doing something just a little bit extra, better or different from your competition.
First of all, remember this: Every potential client you find yourself chatting with is yours to lose. She is clearly in the market and desperately searching for the highest qualified pet sitter around. If she doesn’t hire you, she’ll be hiring the next pet sitter on her list.
How many times have you been chatting on the phone with a perspective client for 30 minutes only to be told that she can’t afford it or your price is too high?
Believe it or not, a prospect that says such a thing rarely means that she can’t afford to pay that kind of money for your pet sitting service.
In fact, studies have shown that when you hear an objection like this, you actually still have a great chance of winning the client.
How? By asking the right questions to uncover her true objection. It may come down to not seeing the value in your offer or not quite trusting yet that you are the best for the job.
Amazon.com founder and CEO Jeff Bezos recently put out a video announcing his excitement at his recent purchase of Zappos.
Yep, Amazon now owns Zappos. Purchased for over $800 million.
As intriguing as that may sound, it’s not the part of his 8 minute video that, as pet sitters, we can learn something from.
Mr. Bezos, casually standing in front of his home and a big board for visual effect, reveals everything he knows (his words). He then states that everything he knows “is a very short list.”
First, a few questions for you:
What sets you apart from other pet sitters? Why should a potential client choose you over all other options available? What are you doing to stand out and become the preferred choice as pet sitter?
If you do not have clear and specific answers to these questions, you may find yourself struggling for new clients.
Start by asking yourself, “What do I do better than anyone else?” Dig deep to discover what makes you, you.