Individual Sessions: Value Statement Workshop

Using online collaboration software called "thinktank" from GroupSystems (http:www.groupsystems.com).

Three questions posed to the group:

1. What is the significance of developing a trusted advisor relationship with clients?
2. What steps can you take to become more of a trusted advisor?
3. What do you currently do that gets in the way of becoming more of a trusted advisor?
   

Value = "I am the cheapest therapy they could hope for with a fantastic experience at the end"

My job description reads "worldwide...travel hassle remover"

From a buyers perspective (subset of original list of 10):

1. Working with someone who has the ability to discover, understand, and care about my needs.
2. Working with someone who has expertise, experience, and knowledge beyond the basics
3. Working with someone I trust who is dedicated to finding me the best value
   
4. Working with someone who anticipates needs that I did not know I had
5. Working with someone who "lives" the trip with me
6. Working with someone who gets the details right

4 core elements

1. Establish excitement (in Troy's talk called intimacy): artwork in your office, passion for travel, you've been there & done that (you've been there), be yourself & have your own style, tell a personal story, "delighted to hear from someone interested in Ireland as it is my favorite place", you get excited and they get excited
2. Establish credibility for yourself and the company (in Troy's talk also called credibility): need to internalize this and really believe it, there are so many amazing resources within our org so you can be confident about any and every destination and property, source of pride which makes it easy to give a sense of "wow", use traveltribe and talk about it openly (cannot know everything), it's all about confidence that you can say "i don't know" but you can get the information, talk about our partners "on the ground" and promote them heavily, nothing says credibility like a satisfied client who will give you a testimonial on your website, use the website!, promote Brownell's longevity
3. "It's all in the details..." (in Troy's talk called reliability). Outline what you will do for them. Paint them a picture. Don't over-promise. Give them very unique and specific insights into the experience, use the phrase "can you imagine?", help them understand how you will work with them, even with an email lead get them to a conversation
   
4. The close. Position fees & call to action. Think through "at what point to you present your fees?" Don't want to appear to bait & switch. Go through 1 to 3 in 15 minutes and then close them. Matthew adds "there really is power in creating an (individualized) process and giving it a name. You aren't just giving them a fee schedule but you call it something else like a blueprint for success."
   

Your homework: What is your value statement?