Business Lessons from a Date Doctor (Hitch – Will Smith)

Your job is to inspire hope and instill belief in your clients. Show them what's possible, and how terribly they could fail if they try to do it all by themselves without you. And then paint a beautiful picture of the kind of outcomes they could enjoy by working with you. Coach them, guide them, be like the angel that whispers on their shoulder. Show them the way to paradise.

Tell them exactly what they should expect from you, and in return, what you expect from them. Don't fool around.

Seize your opportunities.

"One dance, one kiss, one shot is all you're going to get between happily ever after, and just some guy I went to some thing with."

If they have a clear target with which to measure your success, then it will be immediately transparent whether you're valuable or not. Hit the numbers, and they keep paying for your services. Fail to hit the numbers, then you're out! Better luck elsewhere.

Ask for some commitment from your clients. You're not the only one who's benefiting from this deal. They also benefit. They came to you because you have some expertise or skill they need. Don't let them disrespect you or walk all over you. Don't be too desperate. Understand your value. Insist upon it.

They have boundaries too, so respect their boundaries and honor their values just like you want them to respect and value yours.

This way it's easy to anticipate their moves, and it's easy to counter these moves so you gain the upper hand. Anticipate their objections, and be prepared to blow their minds with your creativity and originality.  Anticipate their moves so you can work around obstacles before they even arise. Anticipate their moves so you can always be one step ahead. Research your competition and your clients so well that you know them better than they know themselves. What do they yearn for most? What makes them weak and vulnerable? What makes them tick? What are they missing? And where's the gap in their armor which will give you your opportunity?

Humor and a pleasing personality helps a lot, but "You can not use what you do not have. So if you're shy, be shy. If you're outgoing, be outgoing..." Identify your own strengths, and figure out how to best utilize them to gain advantage for yourself. Don't try to be something you're not. Be fluid in your approach, not rigid. Challenges exist everywhere. Be flexible. Make decisions quickly and capitalize on opportunities quickly. Have a growth mindset and understand that what you start with is not what you have to finish with. You can learn, grow and adapt.

Know exactly where to find the resources your clients will need to succeed... Which means you have to study your industry. Develop relationships so that you can call on favors when needed, like Hitch did with the barman who gave him inside info on Sara Melas. Or how he leveraged his relationship with the guard from Ellis Island to organize a private tour for their first date. Develop relationships so you can get information quicker than your competitors. This will put you miles ahead of the competition.

Always be on the lookout for potential opportunities (or potential dangers). You just never know when or where your greatest luck will arise. Be bold and courageous, and creative too. Find ways to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Don't shy away from a challenge. The most satisfying victories come when you think you've lost it all, but you somehow manage to turn the odds back in your favor.

People are always watching. There will be haters trying to hurt you for no reason other than that they have no life of their own. Jealousy? I don't know. Perhaps. There will also be those who look up to you and wanna emulate you.

Keep your head cool. Run your race.

Don't let the cheers (or the boos) from the crowd make you lose yourself. Don't let social media define you. Do you, and be damn good at it. Rare and exclusive is considered to be more valuable for some reason. Think about gold and diamonds - they're expensive because they're rare. They can't easily be found or formed. Other rocks are worthless because they're everywhere. Don't be afraid to walk away from a relationship that no longer serves you or is taking away from your peace or happiness.

Why do you do what you do? What's the benefit your clients gain by associating with you. What do you help your clients achieve, avoid or overcome? Why do they need you to help them achieve this goal? Why couldn't they do it themselves or with another company? What's so special about you? What hardships did you overcome to acquire the skills you have? What lessons did you learn along the way that you can pass on to your clients?

Develop your values and your principles, like Hitch did when he declined to work with Vance Munson because their values were not aligned. Know exactly what you stand for.  What will you not tolerate? Which kinds of behaviors and attitudes will you not put up with? What are the consequences when those boundaries are disrespected or broken?

When you feel like you're out of your depth, reach out for help. Have a mentor, coach, accountability partner, mastermind group. Whatever it is, have somebody who will get you back on track when you start falling off the rails. Who's on your team? What role do they play in helping you succeed?

Go after the things that make you happy. Be an adult. Make decisions, and stand firm by them. Speak up, voice your opinions. Just don't make stupid decisions that satisfy you in the short term but cost you dearly in the long term, like Albert did when he quit his job without a backup plan. Things worked out nicely for him in the end, but they don't always do. Pick your shots based on what's best for you in the long run, not based on what you see first. Keep a cool head. Stand your ground. Look people in the eye, and affirm your value without disrespecting or insulting them.

Be nimble so that you're not caught with your pants down when disaster strikes. Know your business so well that you're seldom thrown off your game. Persistence and perseverance pay off. Giving up too soon rarely leads to success. Develop your framework and keep updating it to ensure you keep delivering the results. Don't get left behind. Stay on top of your game. Keep the competition guessing. Be cool when you lose some deals, or when  things don't go your way. Be calm under pressure. Trust your instincts.

Don't be too eager or overzealous. Beware of potential Trojan Horses, wolves in sheep clothing, people pretending to be your friend while they're trying to hurt you, like Sara and her boss when they invited Hitch for a double date that was really a ruse to extract information from him. Don't neglect your own happiness and your own well being. Take time out for yourself. Invest in your own personal and business development.

Without marketing, you get no sales. And without sales, you get no money. Find creative and innovative ways to break the ice and make yourself known to your potential clients. Be original and daring so that you stand out from the crowd. Make an imaginative and lasting first impression. Resist desperation, but still keep your eye on the ball. Don't smother your clients, but make your intentions very clear. Pay attention. Be interested. Show them that you care, but still maintain your boundaries. Learn about their business so you can serve them well. Put yourself in their shoes and be sympathetic with their needs. Walk them through the process of what you will be doing for them, and also what you expect from them. Make the ground rules very clear from the beginning.

Are you elite and exclusive or abundantly available? Do you specialize in a specific niche or generally available? There's benefits to both approaches. Decide on the one that works best for you. Think out of the box. Blow them away with your originality and fresh ideas. Everybody loves gifts. It's a great conversation starter and helps you stand out from everybody else.

You can't get business if you don't make sales. Sales bring in the money. Every other department just wastes it... just kidding.

Listen and respond.

Solve the clients' real pains, the pains that are keeping them up at night. Not pains you made up in your mind because some book told you that's what everybody wants.

Ask them.

Let them tell you what they want,  and then help them get there. Figure out who are the decision makers and who are the influencers. Sell to people who have the authority to make buying decisions. Don't invest too much time with people who have no sway and no ability to move the deal forward, unless you really enjoy their company.

Word of warning, though. If you want to go for the rare and exclusive appeal, make sure you deliver. Nothing is worse than some schmuck consultant who oversold themselves and  is now failing to deliver the result. Despite the odds and challenges and uphill battles you're facing, find a way to get the job done. If you can't get the job done in the time you promised, communicate this to your client so you guys can work something out. Include them in the decision making process. Don't just impose upon them. Better yet, help them reach conclusions for themselves and help them implement these conclusions for the best possible outcome. Give your clients an experience they will never forget. Surprise them with so much value that they will enthusiastically recommend your services to friends and colleagues.

Don't be too proud to apologize and make amends. Maybe you get an opportunity to start over and do things right, going forward. Or maybe you just fix your mistakes and part ways amicably.