WINNING FRIENDS AND INFLUENCING PEOPLE
Greetings All
Welcome to my new blog. It’s been a while since i last wrote a blog. Life gets in the way. I’ve missed writing. I created this new blog to provide some helpful information to those who want to learn more about their business and themselves.
I’m Martin Wroe, I’ve spent a long time growing businesses and finding ways to increase their value. I’ve had great success with it and it is something which I'm pretty good at. Before I get lost in a long ego trip, I’d much rather you check out my social pages and you can form your own options about me.
I’d much rather you spend the time learning something than listening to me waffle on about myself.
This blog's aim is to give you some hints and tips on two topics that you will need to master to ensure you can move through the ranks and tighten up your journey to greatness.
The first two topics which we’ll cover in this exciting episode are Forging lasting relationships that pay & Where to find clients.
Forging lasting relationships that pay
In a world where time is a precious resource and the sales technique of choice seems to spam your inbox and social media get clogged up with very obnoxious messages that just buy this, I’m amazing, buy from me! The art of growing relationships seems to be dying out in favour of hard and fast selling. It always amazes me when people take this approach. When I take some of these scamps to task often I ask them if this is how they date people. Think about it. How do you find people that you want to grow a romantic relationship? Is it taking the time to get to know someone and what makes them tick or is it simply a quick one-night stand that fulfills a purpose but long term there is no value?
Get to know your prospect
I can say with 100% conviction that it’s easier to sell to a client who already knows and trusts you rather than constantly finding new clients to churn in and churn out. People aren’t disposable, put the time in.
Once you’ve established a rapport, keep resisting the urge to sell. Ask lots of questions about them, their interests, family etc. DO NOT SEE THIS AS TRIVIAL INFORMATION. It’s essential!
It’s much easier to gain higher-paying clients if you form professional friendships. There will be some of you that think this isn’t news or new but there are a lot of people that do not see the value in this.
Make them feel special
One of the most memorable things that someone did for me was to buy me a copy of a book that related to my favorite football team ( soccer ) Manchester United. What made this unique was that the person who sent me this item was a Liverpool fan. Historically these teams are one of the greatest rivalries in the game. The book wasn’t expensive but it was effective. It came to me from Amazon with no notes or names. I found this really strange and for almost a week I racked my brains as to who it could be. I then received an email titled. How did you like the book?
The point of this is that for a week this was in my thoughts and when I got that closure, I felt very flattered that someone took the time to get to know me and sent something that I would value. This person then became a trusted supplier to my business and also a friend. If they didn’t take the time to get to know me, our relationship wouldn’t have blossomed.
The follow-up
So often we find ourselves neglecting one of the most essential things within the development of our relations and that’s following up. If we spend the time on phone calls or meetings. Ensure you spend the time to follow up. Companies can spend thousands if not millions on marketing and sales campaigns, a lot of the time we choose to pick off the quick wins and neglect the ones that may feel like they need some more effort. Give yourself at least 3 opportunities to follow up on your last interaction and do not let it slip through the net. Be respectful of people's time. If on the third try you do not get a response. Simply send a short email or message similar to the following :
Hi ( insert name )
It’s been a while since our last conversation. I’ve tried to reach you on several occasions but sadly I can’t seem to catch up with you.
I really enjoyed our conversation and I think there are a number of ways we can work together for mutual benefit.
Time is something which I really value and I respect yours. This will be my last email/contact for a while as I don’t want to clog up your inbox.
Hope the family are doing well and ( insert personal note ) eg. your child enjoyed their birthday or looking forward to their holiday or special event
Catch up soon
( insert your name )
We often forget that people are human and emotional. Sending a message like this says that you value them as a person and you’ve taken the time to get to know them as a person, not a prospect. Empathy can lead to many things.
More often than not you will get some form of reply that asks you to speak with them another day. Nobody likes to come across as an asshole or rude.
Try it.
If you don’t get a response. Diary a final follow-up for 4-6 weeks time.