| Last Tuesday night, my wife Linda told me
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| | don't need a dog's nose to smell the,
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| in no uncertain terms that I had to go
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| | "guy-who-just-finished-a-project-and-is-d
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| sleep on the family room couch. Not only
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| | esperate-for-the-next-one" from a mile
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| that, but she did it again on Wednesday
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| | away.
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| and again on Thursday.
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| | If on the other hand, you work to stay in
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| Don't worry though, it's not what you
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| | touch with your network just for the sake
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| think. What happened was we adopted a
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| | of staying in touch, you'll find it
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| dog (a 2 year old beauty that we named
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| | easier and more natural to shift into
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| Abbie) and I slept next to her for a few
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| | selling mode when the opportunity arises
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| nights to keep her company.
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| | with one of these people.
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| Knowing that a new dog was coming soon, I
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| | Do be systematic. Whether it's white
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| made a call last month to a company that
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| | papers you distribute, colleagues you
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| sells "invisible fencing" -- a system
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| | call/email, business meetings you attend,
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| that keeps a dog on the property via an
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| | E-Newsletters you write, or some
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| electronic collar. We set up an
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| | combination, you need to schedule these
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| appointment, and a couple of days later,
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| | events into your calendar. In my
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| a woman named Marie showed up at the
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| | experience, if you don't have a specific,
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| house.
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| | "relationship communications plan" (and
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| Although my 6 year-old son Jonathan was
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| | if it's not on paper, you don't have
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| initially disappointed to discover that
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| | one), this kind of thing becomes the
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| Marie herself was not invisible, she was
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| | walking definition of "back burner."
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| an excellent saleswoman.
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| | Don't apply the filter too tightly. If,
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| From her big smile as she stepped out of
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| | like Marie, you're making sales calls
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| her car, to her clear interest in talking
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| | today with the intention of closing sales
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| about me rather than just her company, to
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| | today, it makes sense to try and figure
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| the fistful of invisible fence ground
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| | out who the hot prospects are now.
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| flags that she presumptively handed over
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| | Long term rapport building however, takes
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| as she stepped in the back door, I knew
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| | the opposite approach -- staying in touch
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| right away that I was dealing with a pro.
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| | with lots of people over a long period of
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| But even then, it was only after she left
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| | time, knowing that any one of them could
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| that I realized just how skilled she was.
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| | ultimately be (or lead you to) a sale.
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| Because despite my not having been
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| | When you're that far back in the chain of
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| "ready to buy" when she arrived, after we
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| | events that need to take place, it's hard
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| spent an hour or so talking about the
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| | to predict who is ultimately going to
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| weather, my kids, my house and of course,
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| | lead you to the promised land. So stay
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| her product, she walked out with a sale.
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| | in touch with a lot of people, not just
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| And, interestingly enough, I never once
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| | the ones who seem likely to bring you
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| felt pressured.
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| | something today.
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| Think about what she accomplished. She
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| | A true story. . .
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| arrived stone cold at the home of a
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| | One of my newest clients came about as a
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| prospect (Marie was not even who I spoke
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| | result of my sending a congratulatory
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| with on the phone), and was immediately
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| | e-mail to the founder of a local company,
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| faced with having to build rapport and
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| | after seeing him profiled in a weekly
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| close the sale simultaneously. Not an
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| | business paper. He and I had spoken
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| easy thing to do. Spend too much time on
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| | briefly about six months earlier, he'd
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| rapport and risk going home with a new
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| | been getting my newsletter ever since,
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| friend, but no sale. Push too hard on
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| | and I just thought I'd say hello.
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| selling and risk having me walk away.
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| | Ten minutes after he got my e-mail he
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| It's a thin line to walk and only a real
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| | called. We met the next week, and before
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| sales expert can do it consistently.
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| | I even had a chance to go back to my
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| I don't mind telling you that I'm not one
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| | office and write up a proposal, he and
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| of those experts, and frankly, I couldn't
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| | his partner hired me.
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| walk that line if it were a mile wide and
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| | Was it a fast sale? I suppose so, but
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| painted on the ground in bright red. By
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| | the only reason it happened so fast and
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| the time I get to the point of closing a
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| | the meeting went so well was because by
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| sale, I need months (not minutes) of
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| | the time I walked in the door, we already
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| rapport-building history to compensate
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| | had a long term relationship. The rest
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| for my selling ineptitude.
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| | was just working out the details.
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| The good news here is that you don't need
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| | Bottom Line: One way or the other, you've
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| to build rapport and close the sale at
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| | got to close sales to make money. And
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| the same time. I've got nothing but
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| | the way I see it, that means you've got
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| respect and awe for the Marie's of the
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| | two options: You can either get really
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| world who can, but if like me and many
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| | good at selling, or. . . you can build
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| other professional service providers you
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| | connections that are so strong, that the
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| find yourself challenged in this area,
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| | closing takes care of itself.
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| it's perfectly effective to separate the
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| | Michael J. Katz is Founder and Chief
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| two events (did somebody say Relationship
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| | Penguin of Blue Penguin Development,
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| Marketing?).
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| | Inc., ( a Boston consulting firm that
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| With that in mind, I offer three
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| | helps clients increase sales by showing
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| suggestions:
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| | them how to nurture their existing
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| Don't wait until you need the sale. If
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| | relationships, and that specializes in
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| the only time I hear from you is when you
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| | the development of electronic
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| are trying to close me, or when you want
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| | newsletters. He is author of the book,
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| me to give you some referrals, you're
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| | E-Newsletters That Work.
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| going to have an uphill battle. You
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| |
|
