A senior, seasoned and successful accountant was sitting in an Essential Message workshop. His arms were folded across his chest, and the words 'prove it' were written all over his face.
You know the type.
Soon after my introduction, he raised his hand and proceeded to tell me (and the other people in the workshop) why accountants could not market themselves the way other independent professionals can. In other words, he was sure the Essential Message approach would never work for him or his company.
I let him speak.
He explained that he had learned a long time ago that if he wanted people at social functions to talk to him, the last thing he should say was that he was an accountant. He'd tell people he was a movie producer or had some other glamorous career.
When he was done, all I asked of him was to keep an open mind.
About a half hour later, I was talking about how credibility was rooted in our ability to understand the other person's situation. To prove my point, I picked up an article that I had written in a well-known accounting magazine, and started reading:
"Do people get all excited when you start talking about your business or about accounting in general? Once people at a party find how that you’re an accountant, does the news travel around the room with lightening speed until suddenly, you find yourself mobbed with pretty young men and women who all want your autograph, or at least display a sincere interest in your career and hang onto your every word? I didn’t think so."
I stopped reading and put the article down. Then I looked at the accountant.
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He laughed, unfolded his arms, and gave himself permission to listen to what I had to say. To quote Webster's, in that moment he deemed me ' worthy of belief'.
And by the end of that day, he pulled me aside and said, "I'm going to have to figure out how to get my partner into this workshop."
You see, formal credentials, case studies, a strong client list and a good looking website are all important to have – but those things are the most basic elements to help you be considered a serious contender for the business. They do little to differentiate your business and they do even less to establish your credibility beyond anyone else in your industry.
How do you establish your credibility?
Essentially yours,
