Take a Lesson from Your Tailor

We select clothing, such as a sports coat, and then a tailor alters it to fit perfectly. The challenge for us in business is realizing and acting when we need to tailor our approach to our clients because, in its original form, it’s not quite the right fit.

During a recent business development/sales training program, my client gave me an invaluable acknowledgment I wanted to pass on to you.

He said, “I realize from your program that you tailored your sales methodology and approach to us versus most other firms that only impart their methodology and expect us to adapt it.”

This really hit me. I was very grateful for this observation. I have put significant effort into reconstructing my entire program for them, I knew that’s what they needed most from me. Ironically, I worried that I wasn’t following my normal agenda. However, I made peace with it because I knew deep down that this new approach was best for them. And, lo and behold, my client acknowledged it!

The takeaway is that people know when you are committed to them versus when you are operating under your own agenda. The former creates an atmosphere of unique partnership while the latter says that you have grouped them with every other client/customer.

So be sure to tailor your approach, others are watching.