You’ve heard that it’s important to use your client’s exact words in your marketing because it’s a signal to that person that you know exactly what problem they have and what they really want most in their lives. You’re saying, “I understand and I can help,” to that person.
But, what about the language you use once that person becomes a client?
Why do we refrain from using jargon in our marketing activities but fall right back into the habit of expert speak when we’re working with a client?
Because the thing is, if a client isn’t following along during a session, if they can’t see the full picture of what you’re saying, they will not pay you full attention.
Their brain will be using all its power to find the meaning of their confusion.
Can you imagine spending an hour with a coach and not being fully present because your mind was too busy trying to understand what an autoresponder was.
Or, wondering what the heck The Work is.
Maybe you’ve been in this exact spot as a client.
Uggghhh… that’s not why we’re here. Nope, we’re here to change lives.
In one simple step you can do it differently and use words, phrases, terms, and industry speak that your client understands.
But, how do you introduce new tools to them if they don’t know the “language”?
You explain it without taking the session on too much of a tangent.
You pause and check for understanding.
You make sure you’re on the same page before continuing on.
Does this simple step mean it’s an extra step? Possibly.
But what’s a worse outcome from a 1:1 session?
Take an extra 3-5 minutes to explain a concept. Or find out afterward that an entire hour-long session was for naught because your client wasn’t sure what the change cycle really was.
Yep, it can happen just that simply.
What does that mean for you?
If you’re a life coach, it means explaining “limiting beliefs” or “lizard brain” to your client and not switching it up to “limiting assumptions” and “monkey mind”.
If you’re a business coach, check for mutual understanding around squishy words like “brand” and “strategy”.
If you’re a website developer, throw all the tech talk out the window and tiptoe your clients into your world – don’t just dive right on in to the cPanel and plugins and CSS on day 1.
Because the human brain likes two things:
- To make meaning and find patterns. In the absence of perfect information (which we can never have), the mind will always try to connect the dots knowing what it knows now. (And what your client knows about thought work or business models or website code is likely not at the same level as you, the expert.)
- Repetition. We like to hear words and terms over and over again because that’s how they take hold in our memory, helping to build new neural pathways.
So stick tightly to your script, the words and concepts you consistently say. And explain them.
I get it, it isn’t fun to say the same thing over and over again. It can get boring.
But you’re not in your business for you alone. You’re in it to change the lives of your clients.
Now, I’d love for you to get really honest and share how using expert speak in your client work might be hindering the progress your clients make.
How can you stay self-aware and mindful of this when during your client sessions?
Photo by Drop the Label Movement on Unsplash