KEY POINTS:
One day soon you're going to write a book. Or train customers at a workshop. Or give a client a specific task.
But there's just one problem. The client doesn't do the task, despite the obvious benefits.
Is it because the client is lazy? Or stupid? Or is it you that's caused the confusion?
Who, me? Yes you. Because when you give a client an action plan, it may seem like you've give them simple steps to do - and they should do them.
But they don't. And often, it's because the client is confused.
Now, logically a confused client should ask for help, but that's not a normal reaction from most people.
The normal reaction when we're confused is to doubt ourselves. Maybe we haven't figured out the instructions, we think. Maybe we're kinda slow.
So we don't ask for help, and the task doesn't get done. Or it gets done in any ol' way. Or it gets half-done.
And it's all because we haven't given the client a precise action plan. So how do we get a precise action plan across to a customer?
A precise action plan should have these details:
* What to do and why the action is important.
* How to do it - and the precise steps.
* In what format to submit the task.
* Resources to get the task done.
* Examples of completed tasks.
* The timeframe allocated to the task.
* A "help" button.
So let's take a look at the specifics involved in each of these steps.
Step 1 - what to do. The client must be given an overview of what to do and how what they're about to do fits in with everything else.
Some clients don't care about the overview. But a lack of overview of the task drives some clients absolutely bonkers.
So you need to say something like this: "As part of your action plan for this Info-Products course, you'll need to create a 'tiny' product.
"The tiny product helps you to create a product in less than 24 hours. The reason for creating this tiny product is because it instantly builds credibility and trust with customers.
"It demonstrates your expertise. And it helps sell your services, training and other related products.
"It also helps you get (and keep) strategic alliances and joint-venture partners. And most of all it helps build your confidence to quickly create top-notch products overnight."
So now you've told your customer what to do and why they need to do it.
Step 2 - how to do it (and why). In this section, you need to outline precise steps, otherwise customers are confused.
So you need to say: "Step 1: Do this. Step 2: Do this. Step 3: Do this. Step 4: Do this. Step 5: This is what the result looks like."
And now you're bringing more clarity into the customer's mind but, hey, they're not sure about the format.
Step 3 - elaborate the format. You'll need to say something like this: "I'll need your result in one of these formats: (1) audio, (2) video, (3) PDF, (4) Word file."
Step 4 - the resources. These may be part of your product/service offering. Or they may not be.
For example: "To create audio, you'll need (list of things and where to get them). To create video, you'll need (list of things and how to get them). To create a PDF, you'll need the PDF template that we provide as part of this course."
Aha - now they know which resources are needed and where they can find these resources.
The client will quickly determine which resources are the best suited for quick output.
Which takes us to explicit examples.
Step 5 - examples. This part is important, because people tend to respond to tasks in different ways.
You may say you want the result in a Word file format but a client may do this in different ways.
One client may create a table. The other client may create bullet points. Yet another may do a graphical representation of the task in Word.
It's important to give the client at least three examples of how the task can be presented.
These examples enable the client to make the leap and create either their own style or follow one of the styles shown by your example.
Step 6 - the timeframe. Be very specific about this.
For example: "This task needs to be done by 3pm on November 15." Or: "This needs to be done within the next 45 minutes."
The more specific you are, the more likely it is that the client will understand the importance of the deadline.
Step 7 - a "help" button. Despite the extensive instructions you've given, there's still a tiny chance that the customer hasn't understood something. In which case, they need to know who they can turn to for help, and how, and how often.
But isn't this action plan rollout overkill?
It may seem that way. And it well might be.
But one thing's clear. It leaves no room for confusion.
Clients aren't lazy. Or stupid. They're just confused. It's your job to remove the confusion.
Ahoy. Time to do an action plan rollout, eh?
* Sean D'Souza is chief executive of Psychotactics and is an international author and trainer
