The words “romance” and “business” aren’t often used together, because they conjure up illicit and tawdry love affairs at best, and at worst, harassment or the coercive extraction of sexual favors. However, when we consider “romance” in a more platonic sense, and focus on alternate definitions of the word, it is easy to see that romance isn’t bad or even optional, but completely necessary in business. Let’s look at the definitions and explore how adding romance to your business can add to the bottom line.
A look at the word “romance”
When “romance” is used as a verb, its meaning is “too woo or court,” and though Google’s dictionary deems that a “dated” usage of the word, there is nothing out of date about the concept. We need to romance our prospects to land that first project or contract and keep the relationship alive to get repeat business.
Among the definitions of “romance” as a noun are “a quality or feeling of mystery, excitement, and remoteness from everyday life.” Excitement is something that we can all use more of, especially in our work lives. Let’s think of remoteness and mystery as a sort of elevation from the ordinary. When we position working with us as an exciting, energizing, and out-of-the-ordinary, we make it harder to say no, or even “maybe later.” We can convince prospects to look beyond bottom-line pricing of our proposals to the “secret sauce” that makes working with us uniquely valuable.
Nine ways to romance prospects and clients
- Slow down.
In an attempt to be efficient and attentive, it is easy to rush through the relationship-building client discovery process. We can assume that the prospect knows what they need—say, an 800 word article on a particular topic—and is looking for the least expensive person to do a reasonable job, and that the lowest bidder will win. Or, we can put on our consultative hat and draw the prospect in by asking to learn more about how this fits into their overall strategy and goals. What are the real objectives? Sometimes we can uncover more opportunities through our willingness to take the time for a personal interaction. - Do research.
Remember when you had a secret crush and would try to find out everything about him or her, possibly where they lived, whether they were into sports or the theater, who their friends were? These days you can look up your prospect on LinkedIn and find their work history, research their company, and find the names of some influencers within their company. You may or may not draw on this intel directly in a conversation, but the knowledge will help you be more confident in your communications. - Schedule a call or a video chat.
Hearing your voice and seeing your face builds trust. You don’t have to have movie-star good looks or a stylish presence. You just need to be authentic. Freelancers can theoretically work any hours they choose and work in their pajamas, but don’t be quite that authentic. Take the time to dress up for client calls. Even if only audio and not video, you will come across with more confidence if you are “dressed for success” or at least business casual. If you stand up during your conversation your voice will have more energy. Ask if you can record the call. If you look into the camera and not down at your notes, you will seem more attentive and trustworthy. - Listen actively.
When pursuing a new client, learn as much as you can about them. Take the time to ask questions about their business goals and what they view as the main obstacles to achieving them. Ask about concerns or fears they have about investing in the type of service you provide. - Be helpful.
Help your prospect work through objections and, if you have specific experiences to share about how you helped a similar client achieve success, share that in a conversation, and if possible, send a written case study as a follow-up. If your prospect will be discussing your proposal in an upcoming meeting, make sure she is armed with the ammunition she needs to fight for the funding for the project. - Make them look good.
Share relevant articles in respectable business publications with a note “Saw this and thought you might be interested.” If you know your prospect will be attending a conference, send an article written by one of the presenters or other material that may be useful in their networking. - Follow up.
Send personal emails, and make phone calls. When trying to get a first date, we are often worried that hounding a crush with too much communication makes us look like desperate losers, and we can take this worry into our business dealings, to our detriment. In reality, our prospect is probably just very busy “putting out fires” or just in a state of ennui. Taking action is difficult, especially when the job is something that can be put off, possibly even indefinitely. Keeping that to-do that they said was important to them front and center is your duty. You become the coach who can help them get it done. - Keep the belief alive.
Your proposed solution or project should have an element of excitement and elevation about it. What if…. the redesign of your home page attracts new leads? What if… creating great content, marketing materials, etc. results in new inbound opportunities and more sales? What if your proposal isn’t an expense, but an investment with a good return? If you have data about how you have achieved this in the past, then you should present those numbers. If not, provide testimonials. Always present yourself and your abilities to achieve results with conviction and confidence. - Give a little gift.
Everybody likes a little swag. Freelancers may discount this investment, but sending even a small thank-you gift at the end of a job can help your client remember you the next time they need services you provide.
Courting clients will pay off. Taking the time to build relationships by bringing excitement and value will help you uncover new opportunities with existing clients, and eventually earn you great testimonials and referrals. No need to wait for Valentine’s Day or any other special occasion. You can start today!
