The Business Journal:
You’re in sales. Well, today we all are in sales in that we’re selling our ideas, our concepts etc.
Even a small infant is in sales and uses one tool that works (crying) to get attention from parents and others to get what the child wants. But, how can you, in a business world torn with a thousand different competing sources demanding attention, get that attention? We’ve all heard about the tried-and-true AIDA model (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action). That model has worked for a long time and still does.
But how do you get their attention initially? How do you break through the clutter to reach a new prospect? How can you get through to important prospects?
… Here are some sure-fire ways to establish that relationship in the first place and begin the process to build a sold, profitable business relationship.
1. Get To Know Me. Find out about what I like and don’t like. Harvey Mackay has a brilliant system for this called his ‘Mackay 66.’ He has a list of 66 questions about a contact. You gradually learn and answer these questions over time. You learn not just the name, address, email, etc. but you learn what they like and don’t like. This psychographic and demographic information gives you the building blocks to start relationship marketing as it should be done. As you get to know me, you can appeal to those areas that are of interest to me.
2. Find Ways To Help Me Achieve My Goals. Appeal to something that is of interest to me. Find out about the pain I’m going through now. Be the resource to extinguish that pain. Talk about one of the groups I have joined or avocations I love. Talk about a cause that is near and dear to my heart. Appeal to my interests and you’ll have my attention.
3. Here’s the biggie - Find A Way To Get Me Business. If someone brings a lead to me or introduces me to a prospect that buys from me, they have my attention. Out of a genuine, pure sense of obligation I want to do something to help that person who made the referral. I’d love to get business for them. Watch their demo of their new software? Absolutely! I’d show it to others. Find a way to bring business to someone and they will be in your debt.
To build relationships in business you have to start with a genuine interest in the other person. Get to know them and what they are facing and how you can help them. If you start first appealing to their needs and desires, they are much more likely to listen to you and what you have to say. Building relationships in business is all about getting to know people and what is important to them.
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