Have you ever worked feverishly to set an appointment with a prospect but just cannot get through to the decision maker? I certainly have, many times. Even though I have confidence in the content of my voicemails and emails, sometimes a reply just does not come, and frustration sets in.
If you find yourself in a similar position, start thinking about the people you currently HAVE a relationship with. Who do you know that may know someone that you WANT to know?
Last week I connected with a retired former newspaper publisher who I know has a close relationship with a candidate for a U.S. congressional seat. I mentioned my struggle to get an appointment, and before I could ask, this former publisher graciously offered to help me out by making a phone call or sending an email on my behalf.
Yesterday I left my fourth message with a very influential political action committee with a sizable advertising budget to support a gubernatorial candidate. On a whim, I searched for the communications director of this PAC on LinkedIn and discovered that one of my closest friends has a personal relationship with this person. A quick phone call to my friend revealed that she is meeting with the communications director next week for happy hour and invited me to stop by for introductions.
As the examples above illustrate, because of who I know I suddenly find myself no longer standing on the sidelines, trying to get into the game. I’m now on the field, in the middle of the action, with the opportunity to score.
Seek out opportunities to build your professional network. Take the time to build your personal brand so people you know are confident that you’ll live up to all of the great things they say about you when making a referral on your behalf. And never be afraid to ask people you know for their assistance in getting connected to people they know. People want to see other people succeed and are (almost) always willing to pay the favor forward since we all need help at some point.
Have a terrific week,
Dan
If there are specific topics you’d like to see discussed in a future issue of The Sales Cycle, please contact me at (612) 278-0223 or dan@mna.org