As a professional service provider you face special challenges promoting yourself to potential clients. You may have certain restrictions on how you market or advertise. You may feel overwhelmed by demands of being both owner and employee. You might not have a strong base of effective selling & marketing skills. In addition, you may believe that self promotion is somehow unprofessional and pushy or even unnecessary. Very often, professionals "open up shop" and expect, much like in Field of Dreams, "if you build it, they will come."

I don't deny that there is some validity to this approach; for instance, if you rent space in a strategic location and let your colleagues know you're there then you are likely to get referrals - eventually. This is fine if you're willing to wait months or years to create a thriving business. The bottom line is that you must let people know who you are and what you can do if you want to be successful in selling your services now.

This does not mean that you adopt a persona that doesn't suit you or that you try all marketing and sales techniques you can find while desperately seeking one that works. Instead, I'd like to offer you 7 "C" approach to successfully selling your professional service.

Clarity. This refers to spending time to craft a clear, compelling and memorable message. It involves being very clear about benefits of your service and finding a way to "speak language" of your potential customers. Very often, professionals resort to phrases like, "I help my clients reach their goals." "I do tax returns." "I give massages". Is there anything particularly compelling or memorable about any of these statements? Not really. Instead, how about these: "I help my clients reach their goals of working 51% less and making 52% more." Or "My clients legally pay fewer taxes" Or "I provide a special type of massage which can permanently reduce pain from old injuries." Do you see how each of these statements provides more clarity and gives potential customer more information about benefits? The power of clarity is that you know, right away, if your potential client will buy from you. At very least you've provided potential client a memorable way to remember you-so s/he can refer friends.

The reality of America in new millennium is that no one believes in anything way they used to! They are extremely skeptical.

Does this describe your prospects, or what?

Well, let’s look at their psychology to see what’s in there. They still want something very important to them.

They want someone who truly cares about them. Who has empathy and compassion for them. Who wants to make their life better.

So, if they want this very badly, and they don’t believe anything any more, how do we bridge this gap? Let's take a look at some surefire skepticism beaters.

1. Avoid going for kill too soon.

We still see and hear this all time. You know what I mean. “So, Mr. Haney, I would like to stop by and present my ideas on how I can help you with your carpet cleaning needs. You should learn how a professional cleaner would help you do what you can't do yourself. Would Friday at seven, or Sunday...”

Yes, people do this horrible stuff. Now, let’s think about it for a second. You pick up phone, and some sales person says he would like to come over and tell you that you are stupid for trying to buy something by yourself. That you need him for your own good.

All you hear is someone trying make a buck off of you. Do you think this breeds skepticism?

If you are going to do cold marketing, you sure better build a slow and steady empathic connection with your prospective customer. Take time to let them see you are really interested in them before you ask for sale!

The right time to go for what you want comes around when person’s defenses have been stripped because you were careful not to rush them.

And, yes, relationships can and do occur when prospecting. A relationship starts with your initiative, and it only has a chance to continue if you show people you have walked a mile in their shoes. That you are really interested in them.

2. Avoid making claims.

Everybody, and I mean everybody, hates claims. You know, a claim is some sort of statement that tells listener that:

Your Whatever Is The Best Whatever, And That You Are The Best Person To Deliver The Best Whatever, Because Your Company Is Best At Making The Best Whatever, Because It Has More Experience And It Has A Bigger Office!

Believe me when I tell you, though, that this stuff falls on deafest ears!

Read my type: No one is listening, and no one cares!

Your prospect is thinking, “You guys don’t impress me! I don’t want to hear how good you are. I don’t want to listen to more hype. I want you to...HELP ME!"

What a concept!

See, if your prospective customer senses a true desire in you to want to help them, they will be very likely to keep talking. If you pound your chest and brag about yourself and your company, they get nauseous.

3. Don’t talk about it, show it!

This is basically, “I’m from Missouri, so don’t tell me, show me!” An example:

In a postcard to a homeowner, typical furnace guy says, “We have worked with hundreds of homeowners like yourself and we know you need to act right now...”

Instead, what if you came to a prospect and said something like, “~ . .Are you really sure you want to get a new furnace right now? I’d hate to have you make a decision in haste. Don’t you think you’d be better off waiting and sleeping on it? I know how worried you are, but a new furnace is a really big decision. You’ve got your other bills and everything How about if I call you in a couple of days, and see if you still feel same way?”

Anyway, you get idea. We are not telling prospect we understand them, and care about them more than ourselves...We are showing them!

Any customer would immediately know that you have been there. That you know exactly what their life is like. That you have a deep sense of empathy. That you are one with them. That you are into their psychology.

Now, when you communicate empathy for their life like this, do you really need to start bragging? Haven’t you beaten all skepticism away? Aren’t you proving your case without displaying all your credentials?