How and Why the Client Chooses You as Their Service Provider

If you were to draw a picture of how clients make decisions in the competitive market, it would look something like a funnel.

At first, they fill the top of the funnel with as many choices as possible. Essentially, they’re asking the market; who out there can do this? They want the broadest spectrum of possibilities they can get in order to gain more leverage on things such as pricing and terms.

At this point, there are too many options inside the funnel to effectively scrutinize. Thus, the screening phase begins, in which potential candidates are narrowed down based on a list of requirements given by the client.

Once the client feels they have removed any risk of lack of competency from their field of options, they are ready to begin the final selection process.

At this point, say there are only three potential candidates left in the bottom part of the funnel. All are technically qualified to take on the project. So now the question is – what will be the distinguishing characteristics of the one business that is finally chosen?

At this point, emotion enters the equation. The client asks themselves; “Who will take better care of me?”

There are real life examples of how certain companies have won RFP’s by making themselves stand out in situations in which all of the candidates were equally qualified from a technical standpoint.

I look forward to delving further into this with you,

– Bob