Are your client's needs so obvious?

I celebrated my 17th wedding anniversary on November 24. My husband had been wanting an iPod Touch for a while now. He talked about the kind he wanted. When we would be out shopping he always made a point of stopping to look at the iPods. Even though he would do anything to get his iPod, he wasn't expecting it. I surprised him with the brand new 32 GB iPod Touch. To say he was giddy is an understatement. He couldn't believe that I would do that for him. Of course I would because I knew that was what he wanted. It was easy to choose to get that for him.

Now me, I am a different story. I do not have a wish list lined up with things I desire. For my husband it is harder for him to get me gifts because me wants and needs are not so obvious. I don't have signs up saying what I want, like that kid in the commercial who leaves pictures all through his house with an ad of what he wants. My husband has to dig a little deeper to find out what to get me.

Your clients, both potential and current, will fall into one of two categories. They will either know what they want and come to you immediately or you will have to dig a little deeper to find out what it is that they want and find a way to communicate to them how you can handle those needs. Most small business owners think that if they hang their shingle out to say they are in business that the clients will flock to them. Not so true. You have to let these people know what it is that you do out loud. If you don't say anything, how do you expect them to figure out what it is that you want from them?

When you market and advertise, you need to make your message loud and clear. Tell them how they can benefit from using your services or products and then give them a call to action. Tell them the next steps that you want them to follow so that they win by getting what they want and you win by getting what you want.

Now I have to work on letting my husband know what I want so that it is easier for him to shop for me.