The check bounced – Now what?
An acquaintance of mine is a business consultant. He has a very narrow specialty, or as they say in marketing, a niche.
His biggest client, an up and coming marketing company, had just bounced his latest check. It might have been weeks before they could make it good. He was out of cash and had been depending on that check to get him through the month.
That was the problem. A big problem and seemingly insurmountable, at least for the short term. His own checks were now about bounce too. More problems.
His entire focus was on his problems. He came to me almost in tears. While I could loan him some money, that really wasn’t his best solution at that moment. In fact, he wasn’t thinking about a solution, just his problems.
In my book, “How To Take No For An Answer And Still Succeed” I get into creative problem solving with this suggestion:
Think of your problem like the palm of your hand. First, you know the problem as well as the preverbal palm of your hand. So, take your palm (the problem) and place it right in front of your eyes. What else can you see now? Right. Nothing. Just the problem. That’s a problem consciousness.
Problem Conscious Or Solution Conscious?
This is how many people deal with serious issues, by concentrating on the problem and not the solutions. It’s a mental freeze that stops creativity and increases stress.
He’d consulted with many companies within his specialty over the years. His level of knowledge was deep, far beyond his niche. While some people don’t know what they don’t know, he didn’t know or appreciate what he knew.
I urged him to set the problem aside. His most immediate solution was the same as the problem, money! The problem was not enough, the solution was getting enough to more than enough money.
I asked him how many former clients he had who were happy with his work? His reply was that most of them had been quite happy. But, he quickly added, they were no longer in need of his services because he’d done “all they needed already.”
His creativity was both stifled by his problem as well as his failure to see the possibilities of expansion and to go beyond his circumstances. Unfortunately, this is how too many handle urgent problems.
I suggested that he think of a company he’d worked with that had had multiple problems that he could readily see even though it was outside of his niche. His most recent client came to mind. I asked him if he’d considered what some of their solutions might be. He nodded his head and said, “Sure, I had some thoughts on that, but it was outside my area of consultation.”
I said if he were running that company would he be confident enough to implement his ideas for those solutions? He thought a moment and said, yes, he would.
Could he possibly put himself in the position of a knowledge master about the corporate conditions he’d seen in the past and the solutions he’d watched others implement and pass those along to other clients? He looked at me, at first confused.
AHA Or Oh Oh?
Suddenly his eyebrows raised up, his eyes got bigger and his face lit up in his AHA moment. He grabbed a sheet of paper and began writing, mumbling to himself excitedly.
After a few minutes he stopped and looked up. “I know a hell of a lot about a lot of things.” he said. “I didn’t really think of that until now.” Then his eyes wandered down and a look of confusion faded in. His mouth formed the classic look of disgust. “So what! What good does that do me now, with all this crap I have to deal with today?” Problem conscious again.
Realization is the most important part of this process. At least he now appreciated that he had a body of knowledge far more vast than he’d previously considered. Possibilities had crept into his mind.
Expanding The Possibilities
I suggested he reach out to his contacts, beginning with his most satisfied clients. First, put a brief description of his “new services” and make his offer. He just shook his head and said, “What offer?”
I showed him how I use a “fire extinguisher” consolation approach. Being on call for review, coaching/consulting as needed with three specific fee structures. I won’t go into details, but for consultants with a track record, it can be a very effective tool.
He agreed, and put a quick page together and began calling old clients. The result? He got 50% more income in 24 hours from four new/old clients than he’d just lost with the bounced check. He would also be working far fewer hours, and from his home office. With this approach there’s an extra fee if you have go to their office, something he’d never done before.
The question you have to ask when faced with a challenge is this; “Am I being problem conscious or solution conscious?
When I work with clients that’s the primary element I look for, problem or solution consciousness. When it’s the former, bringing them to solution thinking can create some quick and amazing results.
Your Inner Wizard, when you actualize it, has amazing and wonderful information that’s readily available when you learn how to consistently activate it.
You can look like a problem solving genius when you use this simple technique for yourself or others.
You can get our Special Report on Your Inner Wizard at no cost. Just Click Here.
