Author: Julie Scardamaglia
Published: 31 July 2024
Everyone knows what professional services firms sell is their people’s skills. But firms don’t always draw the additional conclusion that what the firm presents to clients externally is what they are internally.
Every interaction, large and small, tells your clients something about your firm – tangible things like your expertise and your service, but also intangibles like your true values, your culture, ambition, and reputation. The most important thing they show is how proud your people are to work for you.
Your work product and your people are therefore your own advertising. When your people present their work, it needs not only to correctly represent who you are in visual terms, it needs to do so well and consistently. When people speak and act, they need to do this consistently, also. Not only must they do what they say they will do, but their messages and actions – overt and subliminal – need to align.
This builds three things – knowledge, recognition, and trust. The work and the interaction mean they get to know who you really are. The consistent, relevant visual representation of your brand and what it stands for builds the recognition, and the consistent positive, authentic experience builds trust. But what builds the positive, authentic experience? Pride in the firm is a given, but not every expert is comfortable with client contact and business development. That’s where coaching comes in. Knowing the right approach and having the right tools will make all the difference.
And the right culture. Your people will spread the infectious enthusiasm about working at your firm if they are engaged and supported. If they understand where the firm is going and how it will get there. And above all, if they feel a part of it.
Building a strong, positive, and inclusive culture doesn’t happen by accident. Or by choosing a few good sounding values. True values – the ones that really drive the firm – are built through leadership actions, strategic communication, and the positive reinforcement of desired behaviours. By showing, not telling.
How can you make all this happen? Start with a realistic look at your current situation and develop a strategic approach to your firm’s market position through brand, client management, and your people. And give your people the tools they need for effective, authentic business development.
That’s the secret to building trust with your clients. Build it inside first.
Author: Julie Scardamaglia
Published: 31 July 2024
Everyone knows what professional services firms sell is their people’s skills. But firms don’t always draw the additional conclusion that what the firm presents to clients externally is what they are internally.
Every interaction, large and small, tells your clients something about your firm – tangible things like your expertise and your service, but also intangibles like your true values, your culture, ambition, and reputation. The most important thing they show is how proud your people are to work for you.
Your work product and your people are therefore your own advertising. When your people present their work, it needs not only to correctly represent who you are in visual terms, it needs to do so well and consistently. When people speak and act, they need to do this consistently, also. Not only must they do what they say they will do, but their messages and actions – overt and subliminal – need to align.
This builds three things – knowledge, recognition, and trust. The work and the interaction mean they get to know who you really are. The consistent, relevant visual representation of your brand and what it stands for builds the recognition, and the consistent positive, authentic experience builds trust. But what builds the positive, authentic experience? Pride in the firm is a given, but not every expert is comfortable with client contact and business development. That’s where coaching comes in. Knowing the right approach and having the right tools will make all the difference.
And the right culture. Your people will spread the infectious enthusiasm about working at your firm if they are engaged and supported. If they understand where the firm is going and how it will get there. And above all, if they feel a part of it.
Building a strong, positive, and inclusive culture doesn’t happen by accident. Or by choosing a few good sounding values. True values – the ones that really drive the firm – are built through leadership actions, strategic communication, and the positive reinforcement of desired behaviours. By showing, not telling.
How can you make all this happen? Start with a realistic look at your current situation and develop a strategic approach to your firm’s market position through brand, client management, and your people. And give your people the tools they need for effective, authentic business development.
That’s the secret to building trust with your clients. Build it inside first.
