I Gotta Feeling…
Thursday, April 29th, 2010I love running to the Black Eyed Peas song “I Gotta Feeling”. It makes me feel like I am Wonder Woman. It’s so upbeat and motivating.
I want to pass the feeling that I get from this song on to you and your business. The last year and half has been tough for most businesses. Many have gone into their shells like turtles, hiding out until it’s safe to show their faces.
Well, I gotta feeling that things are looking up for the economy and business overall. I see businesses every day that are pumped up and ready to get out there and go after it. They’re taking a hard look at their market positioning and determining if there are ways they can make themselves more relevant in today’s world. They’re getting real about their web presences and realizing that they need to do what it takes to have a stronger site that is search engine friendly. They may not get what search engine marketing is all about but they know they can’t bury their heads in the sand about it anymore because their competitors are showing up and they are not.
Yeah, I realize that our economy is complicated and one thing impacts another and so on. But Americans are resilient people and we get bored sitting around waiting for the sky to fall so we start coming up with new ideas and ultimately roll up our sleeves and get busy. This is what I am seeing every day with companies all over the country. They’re gearing up to kick some serious booty.
What’s it going to take for you to “get the feeling” that things are going to be good for your business? I say do whatever it takes to wake this feeling up because chances are, your competition is already feeling it.
Strive for a First Date, Not the Sale
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010I’m as eager as the next salesperson to close the deal. I wish every business we touch in our sales and marketing efforts had a big need with an urgent deadline attached to it. Then, we could skip all of the overtures and get down to business. But it doesn’t really work this way does it?
While we’re all eager to make the sale, there is a courtship that must take place between us and our prospective new client. And, it all begins with a first date. The question is: how do you score the first date?
It’s not so easy these days. I’ve talked to agency veterans that remember the old days of wining and dining prospective clients in order to build relationships with them. It was a good way to get to know each other and, let’s face it, most people are going to take a liking to someone that is eager to treat them well. We all like to be wooed.
I’ve thought about this first date idea a lot in my own sales process. When I connect with prospective clients at networking events or even on the phone or email, I ask about their company, their role, their challenges and their goals. I try to be a really good listener and reflect things back to them so they know I get what they are saying. I spend about 90% of the time listening to them and 10% telling them what my company can do for them. Then when I ask for the first date, more often than not, they’re amenable to it because they felt “heard” in their communication with me. Who isn’t going to want more of that feeling?!
So the next time you’re reaching out to a prospective customer, instead of being overeager to tell them all about your wonderful products or services, take an interest in them. Be patient. Listen. Make them feel heard. Then, ask for the first date. You will find that this approach works wonders.