If you’ve been paying attention to the online space at all right now you’re probably vividly aware of the number of people who claim big results for their clients like it’s magic. And while I’m all about manifesting some magic, I (like most people) prefer to have a plan–especially if I’m shelling out some serious money for a product or service. I want to know HOW you’re going to help me achieve these big-time results before I’ll trust that you can actually deliver on these promises. So today we’re going to discuss how to create a plan for client success.
One mistake that many entrepreneurs make is that they talk all about the results that they are getting for their clients via the service they provide but they don’t actually lay out what that looks like.
Think of it like this:
A = Where a client starts. This is the “before” in a before and after photo. This is the place a client starts before they have their transformation and get to the results they’re after. As a potential client, you’re living in “A-world”
B = The “how” (a.k.a. the plan, action, or steps) that you will be guiding the client through in order to get them to where they want to be. This is how a client gets from A to C. They need to stop at B first.
C = This is the promised land. This is where your client wants to be. C is all of the results your client can expect to achieve–it is the “after” in the before and after photos. C is usually rooted in data and testimonials collected from past clients.
Everybody knows that the alphabet goes A, B, then C. You start one place, take some action, and get some results. The issue is that a lot of entrepreneurs aren’t explaining B. Therefore their clients are subconsciously doubting their ability to deliver on the claims that they’re making.
Think about it…
If you’re going to buy a new bed and it claims to give you the best sleep ever, and the people in the commercial are raving about the fact that it’s the best nights sleep they’ve ever had and how this is the most amazing mattress they’ve ever slept on, you’re naturally going to start questioning those claims.
“Why? I don’t get it. How is this mattress so amazing?”
But, if the commercial makes those claims AND says that they have this new state of the art material that is proven to help you fall asleep 90% faster, plus it sprays essential oils on you while special “sleep-inducing sheep” dance across the ceiling as you drift off into Neverland then you MIGHT start to believe that just maybe this bed might be what you’ve been looking for.
Back to the ABC’s…
So for a lot of entrepreneurs A and C are getting all of the love while B is the forgotten middle child. They go straight from A → C in their messaging and on their website without even addressing the fact that you can’t get to C without stopping at B first.
Why does everyone leave out B???
I think part of it has to do with The Curse of Knowledge (for a refresher on that click here) and I also think entrepreneurs take for granted the fact that their clients understand the process.
“Everyone knows you have to stop at B, right? So why explain it?”
Well the problem with that kind of thinking is that your clients don’t know what B is. They don’t know how to get from A → C. Chances are they would have already done it themselves if they did. They know that you can confidently navigate them to and past B to C, but they want to be sure. They want to know that they are making the right choice investing with you. You can show them that you have a plan to get the results they’re after. So reassure them! Tell them about B (a.k.a. your plan). Tell them what it will actually look like so they feel comfortable and trust your ability to competently help them on their journey to where they want to be.
You want your clients to trust your ability to help them get to C. That’s going to be one of the things that sets you apart from other people. It helps you stand out in a crowded market. Your clients obviously know there’s something between where they are and where they want to be. They can’t always see what that next step or two looks like or how to even take it though. By sharing your plan and really showing them what it will look like, clients will start to trust you. They see that you’ve clearly communicated what they can expect. THAT builds trust!
So take a peek at your messaging. Are you explaining your HOW enough? Are you effectively connecting A, B, and C? Or are you jumping straight from A to C and pretending that B isn’t a thing? If you are starting to talk about your “how” and effectively paint a picture of what it looks like on that journey from before to after your clients are going to be more confident that they want to take that journey with you and that’s the point, amirite?
Thanks for reading friend,
