The Single, Most Powerful Question to Get New Business
Six months ago, I updated my LinkedIn profile to include my coaching and consulting practice that I re-launched in late 2019. Like most updates, I changed my headline and revised my summary to ensure my profile reflected what I was doing and the business I was growing. The changes were important to make sure I could be found in LinkedIn searches. That was part of the reason for the update, for people who want a coach to find me and select me as their coach. The changes were better than I could imagine. Besides clients, I have been inundated with emails, InMails, and connection requests from sales reps with products and services for coaches.
I have previous sales and marketing experience, so when I have received these communications, I have been underwhelmed. I already have issues with what people write in their connection invites on the platform. The business solicitation emails I have received are much worse. Reps are using the same script, which includes “saw you provide some really valuable coaching.” Another template has my full headline, company name, and industry in the email. The commonality among these bad solicitation emails is that none of them offer a solution to solve a problem.
The most powerful question a sales rep can ask a potential client is, “how can I solve the problem?” Every business-consumer relationship is based on solving a problem. It does not matter if it is a consumer need or a consumer want. The purchase of the product or service satisfies the consumer’s problem.
The most powerful question a sales rep can ask a potential client is, “how can I solve the problem?”
In my role as a coach, I help my clients solve problems, whether it is around career development and job search or creating new personal and professional opportunities. A restaurant solves a person’s hunger problem. A car salesman solves transportation problems. Nearly every business-consumer relationship is solving a problem, and the question applies to solving problems in the employer-employee dynamic as well.
The employer-employee relationship exists because the employee is hired to do a job and perform a task for the employer. Your position, as an employee, is the business, and your employer is your customer. What I love about this question in a corporate setting is that it can provide clarity about responsibilities and goals. I know there are a lot of ways to look for a job and craft your resume. It has much more weight when you, as the applicant, consider the problem you can and will solve for the employer.
What I dislike most about the solicitation emails I get is that they do not focus on the problem, but the sale. I can tell the reps have not done any research on me or my business besides finding me on LinkedIn. One email said they could help me build a website. After reading that email, I knew the person never ventured beyond the platform to visit my website that has been up and running for years. Plus, the link is in my profile, another clue that tells me they did not look beyond what came up in the search results.
Research is golden and transparent. It is clear when it has not been done. Research makes “how can I solve the problem” such a powerful question and the secret sauce for new business and opportunities. It is your lifeline to determining what may be your potential client’s pain points and getting your foot in the door to at least have a conversation with a prospect. If “how can I solve the problem” is the burger, research is the secret sauce. However, remember, there is never just one problem. There may be two, or five, or ten, that need to be solved, but also consider the client’s priority of those problems. Do not try to create a priority. If you do, you will never get your foot in the door again.
Some coaching advice:
- Asking “how can I solve the problem?” will prepare you for some meaningful dialogue with a potential client.
- Do not try to fit your offering into their strategic plan.
- Find out their core business first.
- Consider what may be their top three to five pain points or problems.
- Once you have identified possible problems, your call or email should tell a potential client how you, your product or service has solved those problems for other clients.
You can give a potential client a chance to see themselves in the solutions and testimonials you give them. Without asking the question, you are wasting a new client’s time and your sad attempt at an effort.
