Attracting TENS
     by Robert Middleton   

In working with clients over several years, I developed a scale that predicted their success. It wasn't based on how good their overall business model was, or the years of training they had or degrees they had accumulated.

It was based on the amount of base metal they turned into gold.

The base metal was my consulting and coaching input. The gold was what they made of it. My favorite clients were those who took the "ONE" that I gave them and turned it into "TEN."

I would give them some ideas about speaking in public and by the next session they had researched every speaking venue in their area, had created their speaker's package and were working on the outline for their second presentation.

If I helped them with a networking plan, they had gone to three meetings, made five contacts and had arranged one-on-one meetings with several prospects.

These kind of people, the TENS, don't need to be told how to do anything. They just need to be told what and pointed in the right direction. They are so resourceful that they just automatically pick up ideas and turn them into plans that get implemented.

Then there were the clients who took ten from me and came back with one.

In a session together we would outline the structure of an article and how to write it for maximum impact. They would come to the next session with three vague bullet points, usually grammatically incorrect.

Of course, there were several people who were in-between.

But I've always wondered what the difference was between the ONES and the TENS? Was it intelligence? I don't think so. I've worked with a few Ph.D.s who were ONES and high school drop outs who were TENS.

Was it background, work ethic, creativity, ambition or was it simply something they were born with? I honestly can't say. Perhaps it's a little of all of those.

As an Independent Professional, your success depends to a great degree on the track record you have with your clients. If you produce great results, you'll have powerful case studies that can give you tremendous leverage.

But you'll never have great success stories if you continue to work with ONES. They will drag you down. They will resist your advice and coaching. They won't keep their word and they'll blame you if things don't work. ONES will find problems instead of opportunities, and they'll pay you late to boot.

What I've also noticed is that Independent Professionals are attracted to ONES and intimidated by TENS. After all, ONES need more help that TENS. It's easier to see all the ways you can help ONES and you quickly jump in, only to regret it later.

If you're really going to be successful, you need to attract TENS. They are moving towards success, not away from failure. They are looking for opportunities and are willing to work hard to achieve their dreams. They can be harder to sell to, but they stay with you longer and refer a lot more business.

TENS make the best clients because they appreciate the value you bring and they take responsibility for making it happen. Although they are high producers, they know they can't do everything alone and appreciate expert help.

How do you attract TENS?

For one, you need to be a TEN yourself.

• Are you clear on your purpose and goals?
• Do you have a very focused marketing message?
• Do you have great marketing materials and a quality web site?
• Do you get the word out consistently about your business?
• Do you have a keep-in-touch marketing system?
• Do you have a well-designed sales and proposal process?
• Do you have a structure of support to keep you on track yourself?

If all of your marketing is haphazard and you present yourself inconsistently, do you think you'll attract many TENS? Not likely.

Marketing is everything you do that makes an impression on a prospect or client. And you don't get a second chance to make a first impression.

Want to attract more TENS? First get your marketing act together.

Let's look at some of the things that attract TENS.

* TENS like good information
- Can you build a solid case for your services? To do so you need more than a brief outline about your services; you need articles, presentations and models.

* TENS like the language of results
- Do you produce consistent results for your clients? Then prove it by focusing on solutions, expected outcomes and client success stories.

* TENS like confidence
- Demonstrate your confidence through a clear marketing message and professionally designed marketing materials and web site.

* TENS like professionalism
- Are you a professional who takes care of your clients? You need to prove it by responding quickly with the answers they need and then by keeping your word.

* TENS like collaborators
- You need to demonstrate that you can work with your clients collaboratively to help them achieve their goals. You need to be on an equal footing with them.