From Negative Thought to Positive – Part 1
Here are some rhetorical questions about selling. Everyone in sales has asked themselves at least some of these questions at one time or another. Unanswered these questions can be demotivating. It may be helpful to have a place where you can find the answer.
I’ll answer the next six questions in an upcoming blog post.
1> Why bother making long-term relationship development calls when the probability that any one of them will result in new work rounds to zero?
Why? Because, if you make enough of them, the cumulative probability that someone you talk to will hire you is high.
2> Why bother calling an old client when our contact there knows what we do and where to find us?
Why? Because if we don’t, he may give his business to someone who talks to him from time to time and shows an interest in him and reminds this busy and sometimes distracted client of what her firm does.
3> Why bother going to an association meeting when I hate doing it and am no good at small talk?
Why? Because it is a highly efficient way to meet and catch up with many market contacts. Also, because networkers know that there is no such thing as small talk; there is only business talk and relationship talk. And finally, because you don’t have to be good at small talk. You need to listen to other people, so that you learn about them.
4> Why bother inviting more than a couple of people to the firm open house, when most people don’t want to come and when no one decides to buy our kinds of services based on having attended a party?
Why? Because if they don’t want to come, they will decline, and then you can ask how they are doing, and who knows what you will learn? Also because more people probably want to come than you imagine, but they can’t come unless invited. And finally, because some will hire us if they know us and like us and trust us which will result from many small steps, such as this invitation.
5> Why bother building a relationship beyond our current assignment with people my age in a client organization, when they don’t decide what firm to hire?
Why? Because they will move up the organizational ladder over time, just as you hope to, and if you stay in touch with them with even one call a year, you will have a much better chance of doing business with than if you drop them for ten years and only show interest in them again when they have become important.
6> Why bother calling former clients when we have so much work already that we couldn’t deal with another matter if one of them wanted us to. Or, why bother calling former clients when we know that none of them will have any work for us until the economy improves?
Why? Because when the economy turns down you will have a better chance of getting what little business there is, if you have shown an interest in them in good times. Because we need to be first in line when they do have work to offer.
