As regular
readers of this blog will be aware, this is a special year for Park Lane Research as we
celebrate being in business for twenty years. So we’d like to think we’re
pretty good at what we do - answering questions and getting questions answered.
But even after
two decades, there are still three questions that make us feel a little bit
nervous and a little ill at ease. Because they aren’t just questions - they
are loaded questions. And they aren’t just loaded questions asked by anyone -
they are loaded questions asked by clients and potential clients.
They all
sound very innocent when said out loud. Take the first one, very topical at
this time of the year; “Hi Barrie, have you been away?” Well, this might sound
friendly and innocent enough, but I’ve had clients who’ve sounded me out about
potential projects on the basis of whether or not I’ve already been on holiday
that year.
So what am I
meant to say? I have been away but actually I’m going away again late September
(but it’s only for a week!). It might just be a friendly question but I have to
consider how my response might fit with whatever he or she might or might not
have in mind.
Next there’s
the experience question; “Hi Barrie, have you done any work on suspended
ceilings?” If I say yes, and divulge my previous client, might this make me
more or less relevant to the potential brief? If I say no, does this make me seem
like I wouldn’t know how to conduct (or construct, ha ha) a project on suspended
ceilings?
And finally
there’s the killer question; “Hi Barrie, are you busy?” This is by far the
trickiest one to answer. Answer yes and the client or potential client might decide to go
elsewhere, assuming I don’t have time for their potential project. Answer no
and I sound like I have no clients, no work, and probably no friends either.
So there you
have it - three loaded client questions and, even after twenty years in
business, I still don’t know how to answer them!
By the way,
just in case you’re a client or potential client, I’ve been away, I’ve probably got at
least some experience in whatever sector you care to name and I’ve been, well,
busy enough…
