It's common to hear sellers refer to a potential client as "the prospect" or "the target." The convenient shorthand implies an expectation, on the seller's part anyway, of a future sale. And, the seller's behavior reflects that expectation.
Too often, though, the mindset that defines people as prospects leads to seller-centric behavior that clients will reject as self-serving. Once you define your client as a target, it's likely you'll do whatever to hit the bull's eye-even if it's not really in the client's interest.
Don't get me wrong. Of course, you should pursue your sales opportunities. But once you see your client only as a financial goal, you can easily lose sight of what really matters to that client. When that happens, you put the sale-and worse, the client relationship-in jeopardy.
The labels you use for clients, even just in your own mind, matter because they impact how you behave. Before you label clients, ask yourself two questions. First, would you tell them what you call them? And second, how would you feel if a seller referred to you in a similar way?
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