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People in sales can be predatory. It is an unfortunate fact of life. Everyone of us is in sales. Parents need to teach their children right from wrong. Pastors need to deliver positive messages that inspire good behavior. Doctors need to persuade patients to follow their advice. Unfortunately, many people in sales “go straight for the close” which can be seen as “going in for the kill” if you are on the receiving end. How can you get to know your prospects better and gently bring them around to your way of thinking? Sometimes you need to become their client before they become yours.
This can be approached in two ways:
- You walk in and become a new client. Recently I was approaching a restaurant owner about supporting a nonprofit where I am a board member. He listened to my appeal after I had finished dinner. He said: “We support people who support us.” In this case, you become a regular, making it a point to greet the owner whenever you visit. It helps to send them some business. With a restaurant, you might say: “A friend is visiting and asked me to recommend the best seafood restaurant in town. I hold her to come here.” If you do seminars as part of your marketing effort, you might consider booking their restaurant on a Monday night. Monday is the traditional “dead day” in the restaurant business. You can probably get a good deal. The business owner will want to annuitize this steam of business. They can see the logic of become your client. You brought business to them with no strings attached. Now you are approaching them.
- The businesses you patronize. There are likely a few dozen, especially if you are married with children. You use professional services. You buy products. You might patronize independently owned stores in your area. You are a familiar face to the owner or manager. My tailor refers to me as a “bread and butter client.” I don’t spend a lot, but I but a new suit or jacket twice a year. He knows when he is in the area, he can count on an order. Unlike the financial services business where clients might haggle for discounts, you are likely paying the sticker price when you do business. In every instance there is both a business and an individual with the potential to be a client. They have not brought up business with you (they already have you as a client). Why not bring up business with them?
This relationship can develop over time, even if they do not immediately become clients:
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Refer them: Let them know you feel they do an excellent job. Let them know you tell all your friends about them.
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Connect with them on LinkedIn. This works well for other social media channels too. Keep up with what they are doing. Give them likes, congratulations or send a message. Share when appropriate. They are likely seeing your posts too.
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Nominate them for awards. Your area likely has “People’s Choice” awards organized by a local newspaper or magazine. When you see the notices, enter their business in the appropriate category. Let them know. This might be recognition they have wanted to receive, but did not know how to get started.
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Send them clippings. If their business wins an award or makes the news for a positive reason, clip out the article and send it by surface mail. “Thought you would like to see this.”
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Be a regular. This is most important. Everyone struggles for business. They get visits from charities asking for donations. Dinner for two or a gift certificate are two examples. They are often irked when people who never patronize their establishment walk in and ask for a donation. The chances of them becoming a client or a donor to your charity increase once you become their regular customer.
This might sound expensive. You are going to be making these expenditures anyway. Consider this targeted spending. Just don’t forget to ask them to become a client, or at least explain what you do.
Related: Encourage Your Client To Live in the Moment, Not the Past