--- title: Start Sharing Your Ideas with Your Clients | The Sales Blog description: This post was written as part of the IBM for Midsize Business program, which provides midsize businesses with the tools, expertise and solutions they need to become engines of a smarter planet. For sometime now I have been noticing a growing trend. When I ask salespeople what they need to do to create value for […] image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2012-03-21-at-9_29_09-PM.png --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! 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When I ask salespeople what they need to do to [create value ](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2012/01/11/you-are-the-sharp-end-of-the-spear/)for their clients, they know exactly what to do and how it would be done. When I ask them to share with me all of the ideas of how their clients could improve their results, they immediately rattle off a list of actionable ideas. They know how to help their clients, and they know where their client should go next. But when I ask them why they haven’t shared these ideas, the answers aren’t so compelling. We are so used to selling in one way that we get locked into a certain set of activities in a certain order. Because we believe we always need to diagnose before we prescribe, we believe that we always have to start the process by listening to our client. But because we are already serving our clients, we already know what ails our client before they do. We also know what we are doing for our other clients that might benefit them. One way to help a client understand that they should be [dissatisfied](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2010/05/17/no-dissatisfaction-no-value-instead-commodity-pricing/) is by asking them questions. Another way to show them how they might produce better results is simply by [sharing your ideas](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2011/11/29/one-more-way-to-be-a-strategic-advantage-for-your-clients-bring-ideas/) with them. #### Make a List of Ideas Make a list of the ideas you have that will help your client produce better results. What should your clients be doing that they aren’t doing now? How would it help them produce better results? What are they risking by not changing and by not taking the actions you know that they need to take? #### Build Proof Your Ideas Work When you provide your clients with actionable ideas, it helps to give them some [evidence](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2011/11/19/the-sales-call-planner-providing-proof/) as to how it is going to help them. Prepare examples of how your ideas and are helping others to produce results. How are your ideas helping others generate more revenue? How are your ideas making your clients more profitable? What have they gained? Proof and evidence is not only compelling. It can also help your clients envision their own future with the new and better results you can help them achieve. #### Make the Two Asks You need two asks. The first ask is for permission to share ideas. This isn’t the same thing as pitching your product, your service, or your solution. Instead, you need permission just to share a single, compelling idea. You share your idea and your proof. If the idea is compelling, you need a second ask. The second ask is permission to take the next step to discover how you might begin working on that idea with your client. Bringing ideas helps to make you [a strategic partner](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2011/11/28/how-to-be-a-strategic-advantage-for-your-clients/). It helps you to avoid [complacency](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2012/01/08/fear-complacency-your-clients-do/). It builds the path to [retention](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2010/12/12/why-client-retention-isn%e2%80%99t-enough-a-note-to-the-sales-leader/). You already have the ideas. You need to bring them to bear on helping your clients produce better results. **Note: **Small and mid size businesses are more flexible than larger companies. They almost always have a greater ability to be flexible in serving their clients, and they have an easier time innovating and executing on ideas. But to make their ideas valuable, these ideas have to be shared with your clients. ###### Tags: [Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/sales) [2012](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2012) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on March 21, 2012 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. You can email Anthony at [iannarino@gmail.com](mailto:iannarino@gmail.com) [Follow me on my website](https://www.thesalesblog.com/anthony-iannarino) [Follow me on Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/thesalesblog) [Follow me on LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/iannarino/) [Follow me on Twitter ](http://www.twitter.com/iannarino) [![AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg?width=400&height=400&name=AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/authority) [![ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg?width=318&height=179&name=ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/free-cold-calling-video) ![salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover (1)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(1).jpg?width=768&height=994&name=salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(1).jpg) ### Free Sales eBook: Sales Call Planner Planning your sales call improves the likelihood of making a successful call, and it demonstrates to your dream client your professionalism. 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What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2021-06-15T6:23:02 PM", "datePublished" : "2012-03-21 21:49:14", "description" : "This post was written as part of the IBM for Midsize Business program, which provides midsize businesses with the tools, expertise and solutions they need to become engines of a smarter planet. For sometime now I have been noticing a growing trend. 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