Those of you who follow me on Twitter know that I am a big fan of Harry Beckwith’s book "What Clients Love: A Field Guide to Growing Your Business."  The book provides valuable suggestions on how to build a thriving business for those of us who sell services, which is virtually every business.

The book is written to stimulate thinking on how to make your business boom.  The topics are short (usually less than two pages), but packed full of valuable insights.  I recommend reading the book with a highlighter in hand.  As you read, ask yourself, “How can I put this idea into practice in my business?”  Keep a notepad near by so that you can jot down ideas as they come to you.

We have found two key ways to use the book at my office.

First, we are working to incorporate as many of the ideas as possible into our daily practice.  We purchased a copy of the book for all attorneys and staff, and asked everyone to set aside 15 minutes each day to read the book.  Doing so has reinforced the idea that we are serious about improving our client service, and has led to ongoing ideas for improvement.  We have not yet incorporated all of the ideas from the book (I don’t know if it is humanly possible to adopt all of the ideas), but we are moving forward and improving.

Second, we are helping our clients improve their businesses.  We give our clients and friends copies of the book, each one of which has a gold foil label reading “Compliments of Gibson Ferrin & Riggs, PLC” inside the front cover so that they remember where the book came from.  If we help our clients and friends succeed, we also will be successful.

When I give clients a copy of the book, I emphasize the challenges in selling services.  When shopping for a car, most people can tell whether a particular model meets their needs.  They can sit in the driver’s seat, take the care for a test drive, and listen to the radio.  They know whether the car is the right color and whether the trunk is large enough for their needs.

Those of us who sell services must sell differently than those who sell tangible products.  We sell ideas, concepts, air.  Or, as Harry Beckwith described it in his first book, we are “Selling the Invisible.”  Even many sophisticated clients often have a difficult time discerning whether services meet their needs.

Consequently, in selling services we must focus on helping the client perceive the value of the services.  Clients perceive value through their interactions with your company.  If you want your clients to understand that your services are valuable, help them see that value.