Ep. 44 Interview Series: Lynn Whitbeck on Building Client Relationships with Worthy Intent

Business Breaks - All Things Business

Speaker Bio:

Lynn Whitbeck is the Co-Author of a 4.8-Star Amazon-rated book: Practical Wisdoms @ Work. She has also been featured in USA Today, HuffPost, Chicago Tribune, and many more!

Lynn has always had a knack for selling, starting from her days selling girl scout cookies. She was determined to earn the coveted cookie badge that required selling a truckload of cookies, and with the help of her shy and introverted friend, she succeeded. This experience taught Whitbeck the power of genuine intent in sales - the desire to make a difference for her clients and create long-lasting relationships.
Throughout her 30+ years in sales, she has remained true to this approach, always striving to serve and create impact. For Lynn sales is about problem-solving, taking away pain and finding innovative solutions to make her clients' lives easier and more efficient. She believes that by helping her clients, she is also benefiting their teams, companies, communities and ultimately making a positive impact on the world. Sales is not just a job for Lynn - it is her way to help and serve.
Connect with Lynn:

• LinkedIn
• Website
• Lynn's Ghost-busting register program
• Twitter (now X)
• Instagram

Episode Topics:

Overcoming Negative Thoughts and Fears
- Technique: Worst case scenario analysis
- Identifying worst case scenario, best case scenario, and most likely scenario
- Addressing underlying fears and assessing real risks
- Understanding when fear is justified and when it is unnecessary
- Realizing that even in the worst case scenario, everything will be alright
Embracing Client Thinking and Understanding Needs
- Focus on client wants, needs, and problems
- Evolving with the client's thinking as needs and challenges change
- Framework of understanding what the client wants, needs, or lacks and why it matters to them
- Aligning messaging and positioning with client motivations and emotions
- Creating a win-win situation for both editor and client
- Complacency as the main enemy
- Encouraging the client to share through questions like "tell me more" or "how is that impacting you?"
Nurturing and Expanding Relationships with Existing Clients
- Importance of nurturing and expanding relationships with existing clients
- Repeat business, referrals, and introductions from existing clients
- Proactively suggesting new solutions or proof of concepts
- Seeking opportunities outside of the client's industry
- Listening and asking questions to understand and meet the client's needs
The Speaker's Background and Sales Philosophy
- Personal experience of selling girl scout cookies
- Motivated by earning coveted cookie badge
- Building lifelong relationships with clients
- Sales as problem-solving and taking away pain
- Making clients' lives easier, better, and more effective
- Sales as a way to help and serve others
Cultivating Genuine Connections with Networking Clients
- Creating genuine and meaningful connections with networking clients
- Going beyond superficial interactions
- Emotional repair when something goes wrong
- Listening without interruption or explanation
- Apologizing genuinely and discussing remedies
- Importance of resolving issues for long-term business relationship
Building with Worthy Intent
- Genuine desire to help and serve others
- Becoming a trusted partner and part of the client's community
- Establishing long-term relationships and friendships with clients
- Being a trusted resource and providing advice beyond products
Creating Raving Fans and Maintaining Relationships
- Negative approach of sales with short-term goals leads to churn
- Creating raving fans who provide introductions and referrals
- Maintaining relationships with clients, partners, promoters, and network connections
- Exiting gracefully from self-interested individuals
- Working with committed people who care about solving problems
Delivering Value and Effective Communication
- Importance of delivering value and consistent communication
- Personal experience of continuing communication with a potential client
- Different cadence of communication based on industry norms
- Sending shorter summaries of content catered to short attention spans
- Following up to stay front of mind and first in line
Effective Follow-up Strategies
- Planning and providing value in follow-up
- Avoiding generic follow-up messages
- Utilizing multiple communication channels
- Using voice messages on LinkedIn to stand out
- Keeping follow-up messages short and focused on credibility and value
- Fortune in the follow-up in sales
Engaging Clients through Events and Activities
- Industry-specific events and activities to engage clients
- Bringing clients to events, conferences, roundtables, or cocktail parties
- Facilitating networking and introductions for clients

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