The Flip

I first heard this from Blair Enns, who wrote a fantastic book on pricing called "Pricing Creativity".

He describes how, when you're meeting someone who you know is interested in buying from you (in other words, a prospect, not a lead), you want to signal that you're not just a "vendor", rather you are an expert in this field, someone to be trusted. There are many ways to do this and you have to find the way that works best for you, but it all comes down to trust and expertise. Referrals are amazing for this, as you are borrowing trust from the person who referred you.

And when you do this, there will be a point during the meeting, that he calls the "flip". The prospect will suddenly realise the depth of your knowledge and it will show on their face in some way. It may be a smile, a look away, playing with their hair. But if you know to look for it, you will see it. And when you do, you know that the hardest part of the conversation is over.

Take action: Use referrals, then project expertise. And look for the flip