You have some choices that you may not have thought about until now.
Traditionally, a small business owner, contractor, real estate agent, insurance agent, sales people in all industries will meet 1 on 1 to present their wares and discuss their products and services. And for decades this system has worked well.
Today, we want to take it to the next level. Today, we will discuss a concept called “Tandem Client Visits”.
Recently one of our team members jumped out of an airplane. Since he had never parachuted, he jumped in “tandem” (thankfully) on the back of a highly skilled instructor that has jumped hundreds of times. They soared in a fast downward spiral until the instructor pulled the rip cord and guided them safely to their landing target.
Tandem client visits are similar in that a person with much more experience takes along another team member to share in the interview, note-taking and listening.
Why might you consider implementing a system with your team to conduct Tandem Client Visits? Here are 6 benefits my team has experienced as a result of this system.
Tandem Benefit #1
The Communication dynamic is totally different. In my experience, when you are conducting client visits alone, there are so many things you are thinking about that it’s very easy to miss an important point(s) that the client is sharing. The tandem visit feels more like we are consulting and working with them. Instead of feeling like a sales call it feels more like a team meeting.
Tandem Benefit #2
Vertical selling. In late June of 2007, I implemented our “Tandem” system. Within 3 Client appointments we noted that we were placing more business and solving more needs for our clients than before the Tandem appointments.
Tandem Benefit #3
Our newer team members could be in the visit so they could really get first hand experience on how to work with our clients and what our system can offer to the client. On the job training always has the potential to be far more effective than role-playing in a sales meeting environment. Notice I said on the job training has the “potential” to be more effective. Observing a poor system or bad habits is not going to help the new team member achieve great results.
Tandem Benefit #4
Some of our inexperienced team members had self-confidence, knowledge and selling skills challenges. They needed to hear and learn how their leader would conduct a visit. I cannot overemphasize the importance of your team members having the opportunity to see you lead.
Tandem Benefit #5
Personally, my weakness is paperwork. So because I hate paperwork and because my team members love to be paid bonuses, I empower them to take care of the paperwork. My job is to spend time eyeball to eyeball with the clients. I strive to never have a computer between my clients and myself. The team member primarily preps for the appointment. They will also prep with me. They gather all the paperwork and relevant presentation materials. If I have to complete the paperwork, (paper or electronic) they don't earn the bonus. This process allows me to use my strengths and the strengths of my team members.
Would you please delegate all activities that you are currently doing that are not your strength? If you are stuck doing activities you don’t enjoy or you are not good at, you are becoming more and more frustrated. So find team members that are strong in the areas that you are weak in and let them do that.
Tandem Benefit #6
Finally, I would encourage you to view yourself as a teacher. Perhaps a commissioned teacher, but a teacher nonetheless. Our client visits are teaching moments more than they are selling moments. We live in a society built around RUSH! RUSH! RUSH! But I promise to you that if you make your Tandem Client Visits extremely valuable teaching moments, then 2 things will happen.
1. The products and services that you represent will be retained by your company for many years longer than your competitor.
2. You will earn a great reputation & that reputation will earn you an endless stream of additional qualified referrals.
Take a few minutes and reflect about what your client visits are currently like.
How much wasted time can the tandem client visits save you by avoiding endless hours of training meetings - because your team members can learn “on the job”?
What if you tried something different? What if you tried the “Tandem Client Visit” system and it worked? It will work if you work it.
Allow yourself to offer a wacked-out, authentic, totally unique delivery system and you will become --- SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE!
