Tailoring to your clients' needs

Understanding the needs of your customers is critical to success in the world of sales. This is true whether you're handling large financial portfolios for corporations or going door to door with some cosmetics and a smile. The more diverse a clientele you can serve, the more you will see how needs change from one person or company to the next. As a result, you'll gain greater experience and product mastery and increase your customer base.
One person who can speak first-hand about dealing with a wide variety of clients is registered dietician and certified specialist in sports dietetics Dawn Jackson Blatner. Ms. Blatner has advised individuals and groups from all walks of life and with all types of dietary needs. She is currently the nutrition consultant for Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs, and the author of "The Flexitarian Diet" (McGraw-Hill, 2009) and co-author of "Counseling Overweight Adults" (American Dietetic Association, 2009).
Dawn took a moment to talk to CareerBuilder about her experience as a dietician who serves an array of people and groups.

CareerBuilder: When a client is new to you and you are unfamiliar with them, how do you assess their needs?

Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, CSSN, LDN: I have a wide variety of clients from pro athletes to weight-loss clients to huge corporations to TV producers and magazine editors. No matter who I am working with I do a SWOT analysis, looking at Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities for me/my services to help and Threats to long-term success. It's important to meet people where they are and then inspire them to make better changes than they ever thought they could.

CB: Can you think of two very different clients you've had (e.g. ones who might seem to be on opposite ends of a spectrum) and share how you adjusted to each one?

DJB: Two clients may have the same goal to lose weight, but to get there the strategies need to be personalized, customized, tailored. For example: Client #1 is a vegetarian and enjoys cooking so he/she needs strategizes for more quick and calorie-conscious veggie-friendly fare. Client #2 may travel five out of seven days and restaurant eating is the norm, so he/she needs more strategies for menu maneuvers while dining out.

CB: How much time do you spend with the average client?

DJB: 40-60 minutes (for individual clients), more for large projects with magazines, television, corporations, etc.

CB: Do you ever run into conflict with diets that might currently be all the rage in pop culture? For instance, do you get requests to help people follow the South Beach diet, the Atkins diet, or gluten-free cooking?

DJB: I never dodge trends -- I work with them, not against them. For example, if people want to do a fad diet I will show them how to do a healthier, more balanced, more science-based version of it. It's fun and exciting to be a part of pop culture, and there are parts of every diet trend that are healthy that you can incorporate into a more sound eating plan ... and parts that are unfounded/ridiculous/dangerous that should be ditched.

CB: Have you ever had a client express disappointment in your services, and if so, how did you seek to resolve that?

DJB: I try to avoid this situation by specifically asking before a session what they are hoping to get from me and then deliver that. I also ask after initial appointments and before follow-up appointments if they are happy with my services/results. I am always asking if there is anything more they want me to provide to make this process easier, more enjoyable and ultimately successful. It's my reputation on the line, so I try to make the lines of communication as open and honest as possible so they can report all their successes and struggles; I congratulate them on successes and then strategize struggles with them to achieve a successful outcome.

CB: What words of wisdom can you share for those who do independent consulting and may interact with a wide range of client types, as you do?

DJB: It's a four step process: 1) Find out their personal goals; 2) Ask questions to understand their current situation/lifestyle/routine; 3) Provide tailored strategies that tweak their current situation to better achieve their goals; and 4) Check in to be sure they are making the changes and are happy with results, and offer more expert guidance and strategy if necessary.