(Even if they were a referral.)
Article 3 in a 4-Part Series
In the journey through the personalized service industry, where roles span from consulting to coaching and engaging in professional practices, students of our sales process have discovered that true success goes beyond mere transactions.
Professionals like you often act as guides, supporters, and confidantes, embarking on deeply emotional and heart-centered journeys with their clients.
The cornerstone of these transformative relationships is a commitment to “T.E.A.” (Time, Energy, and Attention) before evolving into a “T.E.A.M.” (M stands for Money).
Understanding the T.E.A. Concept
For those of us who place a high value on intimacy, trustworthiness, and adaptability, T.E.A. represents much more than a metaphor; it is a crucial business strategy.
Having T.E.A. symbolizes the initial investment in truly understanding, engaging with, and genuinely connecting with clients before any formal business partnership begins.
This approach is particularly beneficial when navigating the delicate balance between the need to earn financially and developing a genuine relationship with a potential client.
Time: The Approach to Personalization
The first step involves dedicating time to deeply understand each client’s unique challenges.
Whether it’s navigating legal complexities or personal upheavals, the investment of time ensures that the solutions offered are practical and deeply personalized.
This commitment signals to clients how important they are and will be valued as individuals whose confidentiality and personal journeys are deeply respected.
Energy: The Commitment to Transformation
Investing energy extends beyond mere problem-solving.
It’s about being emotionally and intellectually present to support clients through their challenges.
Acting as a guide and a pillar of support, resilience, kindness, and adaptability is how you demonstrate the investment of energy into the client’s needs.
This energy investment fosters transformative client relationships, making each interaction an opportunity for growth and learning.
Attention: The Focus of Presence
In today’s world, teeming with distractions, offering undivided attention has become a rare commodity.
By focusing entirely on clients, their concerns, hopes, and dreams are validated, establishing a sacred space of trust and integrity.
This level of attention underlines a heart-centered approach, prioritizing emotional and physical presence to foster meaningful relationships.
Becoming a TEAM with Clients
The culmination of the T.E.A. approach is forming a T.E.A.M. – a partnership where you and the client work together towards a common goal in a formal contract or agreement of services.
The “M” in T.E.A.M. stands for “money.”
When your clients are ready to move to the fulfillment part of the relationship, they invest money to transition into the T.E.A.M. dynamic.
This partnership isn’t about achieving immediate objectives; it’s about securing results and fostering a lasting relationship built on confidentiality, mutual trust, respect, and understanding.
When you don’t know the T.E.A.M. concept, most of us fall into the trap of rushing through the process of connecting with potential clients and driving them to a yes.
Without the T.E.A. process, business owners unintentionally engage with less-than-ideal clients.
- These clients often become time-sucking burdens rather than joys to work with, never seem satisfied, rarely refer others, demand the lowest prices, and struggle to pay invoices.
- This affects business and often fuels personal doubts and fears such as imposter syndrome, personal rejection, and financial instability.
By prioritizing T.E.A. before T.E.A.M., personal self-worth and value are enhanced, while a business model is also established where sales become a natural, non-confrontational part of the relationship.
This approach has been developed to prioritize people over transactions,
leading to a comfortable and confident stance in both the sales and fulfillment aspects of the business.
Ultimately, emphasizing T.E.A. before becoming a T.E.A.M. is a transformative business strategy.
The T.E.A.M approach aligns with the values of professionals like you, who are dedicated to providing personalized, confidential, and deeply impactful services. This allows you to navigate the business realm with integrity and foster relationships that are professionally rewarding, impactful, and deeply fulfilling.
Love this information? Read the other articles in this 4-part series:
Marla Mattenson in collaboration with ESI team
With a 25+ year career, Mattenson is a trailblazer in transforming sales paradigms from transactional to relational for professionals who prioritize the integrity & fulfillment of their services. She is a champion of consent-based sales.
www.instagram.com/marla.mattenson
