Clients (and prospects) have many expectations. But come up short in this area and you may lose business: 

Active listening.

Study after study shows the biggest gripe clients cite about service providers is: “They don’t hear my concerns.”

In his new book “Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear,” pollster and former GOP strategist Frank Luntz says businesspeople should use short, clear phrases after clients explain something that matters to them.

Luntz believes one phrase beats them all: “I get it.”

The point is not overdoing it. Telling someone “I get it” every time you talk with them can get tedious.

Here are some other phrases that also tell clients you “get it”:

“I hear you.”

“I see. Go on.”

“I understand your concern.”

Luntz also offers 11 rules of effective communication for service providers. The first two can be difficult for financial pros to remember, given all the technical jargon and acronyms in the industry, but they’re crucial:

1) Use small words, and

2) Use short sentences.

And that’s it.

Tags: client relations, frank luntz, words that work