Dazzle This Diva – June 17th Edition
Once again, here’s your opportunity to not only send a sales and marketing related question to me BUT TO ALSO leave your opinion or suggestion, helpful hint or resource for other people who have posted a question!
This weeks question comes from Catherine Christensen of Leagal Nurses of Canada :
Hi Kim,
I am launching a service that is relatively new to Canada. It is legal nurse consulting which provides expertise to lawyers who do medical liability, product liability, personal injury, Workers’ Compensation and other types of claims related to medical cases.
My question is this: how do I get past the “dragon at the gate” so that the lawyer knows of my service as well as why I am THE nurse expert who will help make the case a winner?
Thanks for your help!
Catherine Christensen RN MA
Legal Nurse Consultant
http://www.legalnursesofcanada.com
I can’t wait to hear my reader advice on how you take that first step to get your foot in the door and make a name for yourself. Share your thoughts with Catherine (and me!) in the comments of this post
We can always use more questions so send in one. Wouldn’t you love to benefit from free advice from fabulous women all over the world? (and one certain Sales Diva)
Send your own Dazzle This Diva question to:info@salesdivas.com and don’t forget to include a link to your website!
Catherine
First of all, I want to acknowlege you for defining your niche clearly. Many businesses and owners that I consult and coach… forget to start with this important question answered… WHO am I trying to reach? Next is HOW can I effectively reach them?
I agree leaving the outcome to hands of a gatekeeper can be challenging. It gives the power to the gatekeeper to determine your fate. So YOU are smart to ask the question…How can I get past the gatekeeper? How can I let these specific lawyers know why I am …?
One suggestion is to integrate other marketing and sales methods to increase your results.
My suggestion for you is based on the often recanted premise… “People do business with people that they know, like and trust”.
Try figuring out where “lawyers who do medical liability, product liability, personal injury, Workers’ Compensation and other types of claims related to medical cases” hang out. If you can attend meetings (or better yet join organizations) where your target hangs out, you will have opportunities to mingle so that they can get to ‘know’, ‘like’ and ‘trust’ you.
I was at at a meeting where a successful coach, Jennifer Firm, shared how she has created a ‘Happy Hour” time for her clients to mix and mingle. Her clients include lawyers. This strategy has been fun and worthwhile as a means to build professional relationships in a ‘relaxed setting’. She said this activity does not feel like work and has yielded an abundance of referrals by leveraging the ‘mix and mingle’ concept.
You might want to adapt this idea to meet your own strategic objectives…maybe not a Happy Hour …maybe some other way to meet your target in a relaxed forum and give them the opportunity to get to know YOU!
If you would like my help in seeing if Jennifer is open to an electronic introduction, visit my web site and fill out a contact form referencing this post. I also have a contact who is working on something to help nurses build skills and she might be an excellent resource (and vice versa) for you also.
Good luck! I would love to know if you use this strategy and whether it works for you! So post back and let us all know which advice resonates and your outcome.
Barb Girson
http://www.MySalesTactics.com
Comment by Barb Girson — June 17, 2009 @ 9:17 am
Hello Diva,
I love calling you that, since you are the only diva that I “know.”
My advice to Catherine is this:
Firstly, don’t think of the person as a “dragon” or any other denigrating term.
Remember she/him is just doing the best job for their employer/client as we all want to do for those who make us an income.
Make the person an ally instead.
Treat them with respect and courstesy.
Call them by name – please say you have researched the target company and know this information!
Then , speak to them with the same attitude you would have if you had reached the “BOSS”.
Some of the “dragons at the gate” have so much influence with their employers you would be smart to invest a good portion of your time and effort in making them a part of your strategic marketing.
Good luck, Catherine!
Thanks for letting me air my 2 cents Diva!
I love your newsletter.
Yvonne Finn
Comment by Yvonne Fin — June 18, 2009 @ 10:00 am
Hi Kim and Catherine:
I have a couple of thoughts on this tough quesion.
First of all, if the Dragon at the Gate is being difficult, why not explain the actual benefits to them as a client of a lawyer who retained you as a consulting expert. I know you may think this is unnecessary but it could work to your benefit because Dragons know other dragons who stand guard at other offices, if you know what I mean!! Also, if you get her on your side she will help to get you on the good side of her boss.
My other thought would be. call or arrive at the office just before she arrives in the morning or shortly after her scheduled leave. Usually bosses will arrive a little earlier in the morning and stay later in the evening. This may be the perfect way to get past your Dragon!!
Hope these ideas help!!
KK
Comment by Kim Boudreau — June 19, 2009 @ 2:16 pm
Thank you, Ladies, for your feedback. There are some great ideas here. And, thank you, Kim for your response since you reminded me of what I already knew but hadn’t brought forward in my brain!
Have a successful summer, Catherine
Comment by Catherine Christensen — June 24, 2009 @ 7:01 am
I realized that I made a mistake above with the person’s name…
In the sentence…
I was at at a meeting where a successful coach, Jennifer Firm,
The correct name should be “JESSICA FIRM” … I must not have had enough coffee that morning. Oh well, I embrace my ‘humanness”.
Best,
Barb Girson
http://www.MySalesTactics.com
Comment by Barb Girson — July 4, 2009 @ 7:35 am