After another failed attempt to connect with a certain corporate blog prospect, I’m starting to rethink my desire to work with him.
I drove 2+ hours, spent another night adding Hilton Honors points to my enormous cache, building towards an all-inclusive somewhere warm, sandy and golfy.
The net result was a cancelled dinner and an aborted lunch.
It’s not my preparation that’s in question, it’s his.
He hits the ground in a panic every day and then builds on it.
He’s late to every meeting, he never answers his cellphone without saying, “Can I call you right back ?”
Note to all who do this : That’s what the freakin’ voicemail is for. I’ll leave you the details of what I need and then you can get the info and call me back. Don’t switch over every time you get a beep. Finish your conversation and pay full attention to that particular issue. Finish it before you start on mine.
It brings to mind the story of an old-time salesman I read about who said, ” I’d rather walk the pavement in front of a man’s office for an hour before a presentation than step into his office unprepared as to what I’m going to say and not knowing how he’ll answer. “
You not only have to be perfectly clear as to what you’ll present, you must know what he’ll say when you do.
You have to know his business and his motives before you meet with him or you’ll be operating at a disadvantage.
You will never be as successful as you were meant to be if you don’t prepare properly for every visit to a prospects office.
Has his market share chnged for the better or worse since you last sat down with him ?
Has the company issued any news releases ?
Any new products ?
Any new acquisitions ?
Has your company developed any new ways to make his business more efficient, effective or economical ?
Don’t go in without a plan that you can use to control the conversation and the outcome.
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