by Will Rotondi
Why don’t prospects want to buy from you right now?
Is it that they don’t see your value? – don’t understand what you do? – don’t know why they need you?
Probably none of these. They simply don’t know who you are, or they don’t remember you.
Don’t feel bad. It’s hard meeting new people. That’s why Entrepreneur still offers tips on how to network effectively, because – let’s face it – it’s not easy to retain all of that information regarding new prospects. So cut them some slack on learning who you are.
They may even have a copy of your book (like ours, The Selling Machine, pictured above),
which ends up on their waiting room table, and they still won’t remember exactly what you do.
Even though it’s easier to begin your conversations through email, don’t expect your prospects to immediately know who you are, or recognize how much they may need you. Chances are, they’re as busy as you are with their own internal workload, and they’ve heard from several other companies who provide comparable services to yours.
Here’s how to be remembered:
- Be persistent. No, it’s not a cheerleader chant. It’s about following up with them by email at a respectful rate, asking for a conversation.
- Don’t sell. Make your emails personal, and keep the focus on the prospect. Don’t try to close a deal when you haven’t had a phone call to properly vet them.
- Offer value. Educate your prospects on changes in their marketspace, and share news that you think is relevant to them. It’ll establish your credibility, and help you segue into a conversation that they’ll be interested in.
