Small business owners and professional service providers should think of their leads and potential clients as patients.

Like patients, leads need someone to help them understand their problem and fix it. If you can fix a problem, converting leads becomes easy.

When seeking out new business relationships, future clients gravitate towards small business owners and professionals that ask the right questions, listen intently then prescribe the correct solution, just like a doctor. You need the confidence that comes from clarity to do this well.

A fear of selling yourself or your services will destroy your confidence. When you learn how to be confident and speak with clarity, you’ll elegantly influence people without ever sounding salesy and convert leads into clients.

How to speak confidently

A confident professional will set the right tone and question and listen to their potential client. By asking the right questions, they will lead the sales conversation and support their message with data.

Set the right tone

Take a moment to observe the person before launching into your perfect elevator pitch . Leads who enter a sales meeting cautious and nervous can be easily overwhelmed. Use a calm, centered approach and gentle words to create trust.

If you enter a hostile situation, speak with confidence and conviction to appease the state of affairs.

Ask questions and respectfully listen

To be a listener, you must ask the right questions.

Speak like a doctor. Ask what ‘symptoms’ they are experiencing. How do they feel? What do they want? The right questions will elicit the most telling answers and allow you to lead the sales conversation to a successful outcome elegantly.

Take the lead

A confident conversation requires an authoritative voice speaking prescriptive words.

Umm, maybe, possibly, might, just and hope are not part of a confident person’s vocabulary. When you speak with confidence, your expertise and ability to solve a lead’s problem will shine.

Take your time

A confident person will take the time to contemplate before responding. Don’t rush to answer. A confident response demonstrates you have listened to the lead’s problem and considered the best solution for them.

Back it up

A professional service provider or small business owner that sells its products and services has the authority to back up their statements with facts. Weave statistics, facts and research findings into your message to support your confident tone.

Refer on

A good doctor will refer patients requiring specific treatments to a specialist.

When you speak with confidence, you’ll know your perfect customer. When it becomes apparent your product or service is not ideal for the future client, have the courage to refer them to a trusted associate.

How to build confidence

Like all things in life, practice makes perfect.

When it comes to business, the first step is to craft your perfect elevator pitch . The perfect pitch will ensure you feel at ease, convey your message elegantly and have your leads craving more.