It's counter-intuitive but positioning as an “Expert” creates a trap. When snared by The Expert Trap, you suffer clients who take longer to hire you, pay you less, and see you as replaceable. Escaping The Expert Trap more than levels the playing field, it gives you a competitive advantage.
Using examples and discussion, Bruce La Fetra, shows how to recognize The Expert Trap, the harm done to your business, and most importantly, how to transform your business by escaping The Expert Trap. Bruce shares concepts that will boost your firm's profitability by building on what you already do well for your Best Clients.
- Kevin G. Long, President, Employee Benefits Law Group
Customer-centered is a way of life. My approach to business is rooted in teenage experiences with my afternoon newspaper route. Serving a circular neighborhood a mile from home provided daily conversations as I sat against a big rock folding my papers.
Little actions create big impacts. I learned how seemingly simple actions—picking up ad circulars when my customers were away or greeting their dog by name—built meaningful relationships (and well remembered at Christmas time!). These days I help clients discover those little things that deliver big results and set them apart.
Relationships create lasting impressions. Those daily conversations while folding newspapers created relationships which remain memorable to this day. Periodically my relatives get asked if they are related to “Bruce La Fetra, our old paperboy?” Most recently, a customer I hadn’t seen in 35 years saw my name and immediately told all those around how I’d created a lasting impression. I continue to use these lessons.
Embrace the self-interest of others. I learned early that intent doesn’t equal action. Companies buy, partner, or refer you for their benefit, not yours. This wisdom was my guide when building channel and developer programs for several market-leading companies.
Nothing compares to your customer’s own voice. I’ve interviewed hundreds of customers for dozens of companies to uncover the real and often unexpressed reasons customers select one option over others. These are highly actionable insights you simply can’t get with surveys or data alone.
Excellence loves company. A big takeaway from my college, graduate school, and success at market-leading companies is that excellence attracts excellence. The more components of excellence you embody, the better employees, clients, and referral partners you will attract. If you think those are trade-offs, you’ve lost the big picture.
A unique perspective. I love data – I took Calculus with the engineers and Statistics with the economists – but recognize profit comes from strategy and execution. In my role as “product marketing for professional services” I step beyond “the professional is the product” to “the professional creates the impact.” This is a more valuable role.
I’m still coming to grips with being a “consultant.” Although many of my Ivy League MBA classmates signed on with McKinsey, Bain, and A-list consulting firms, I opted for the real world. I know how hard it is thinking and acting strategically while holding down a “day job” managing tactical priorities. The best way I’ve found to create lasting change is to make it the other person’s idea. I’m OK with that.
