Intro...and Outro

I see a lot of advice about how to start relationships, that networking, firm handshake, clear eye stuff.

Earlier this month I got a delightful call from a 20 year customer asking permission to introduce me to a new prospect. We hadn’t spoken in years, but still like each other a lot, and he told me he has been reading the blog posts every week.

That got me thinking about how relationships maintain and what makes them dissolve, the “outro.”

Years ago, I was walking on the sidewalk and a customer pulled up and asked if I had time to go to lunch with him. We hadn’t spoken in several years after our project was completed, but we were thrilled to see each other. I jumped in his car.

We lunched, talked, and I remember he said it wasn’t time that eroded relationships, as we were able to start right where we had left off. Great afternoon, haven’t seen him since, and I was grateful for his observation.

I think that transactions are the stuff of relationships, relying on and being relied on. When there are no appropriate transactions, the relationship waits.

What makes the outro is too many promises not kept, creating a relationship better not maintained.

I’m not disappointed when a relationship goes away, because I can usually see it coming from a distance. And not all relationships should be maintained, we all grow and change what is important to us.

Kinda makes me want to cherish the ones that work while they work.

Lagniappe – The Purpose Of The Presentation

It's All About the People

With the evolving efficiency of technology...

With the reliance on email...

With buying from submitted offers and proposals...

With the voicemail 'barrier' to talking directly...

It is easy to lose sight of:

It's the people, not the paper. A face-to-face visit beats a pile of paper to get the right result.

Sales Lab Video Channel - Entertaining experience

What Do Zig Ziglar, Harvey Mackay, and Dale Carnegie Have In Common – And How Can It Help YOU?

Zig , Harvey, and Dale contributed significantly to my professional development. How?

By telling stories to show the benefit of doing something a certain way.

Ziglar would talk about 'the Redhead' and 'Yazoo', Mississippi while weaving his lessons about listening and giving value.

Mackay would wrap his storytelling around applying the laws of human nature and making it easier to have a deep relationship with others.

Carnegie was the geek of the group and told 'why' stories – why, based on observation and research, doing it this way gets your desired result to happen smoothly.

These three gentlemen had a common theme: communication is about 80% listening, 10% talking, and 10% just being there quietly while the prospect connects the dots.

On the surface, their topic was about sales and the message was to learn and satisfy the buyer's needs. To see the true scope and range of their teachings, simply substitute 'relationship' for sales and 'friend' (or 'redhead') for buyer – these lessons work with people you care about at every level.

They each said it best in a quote captured for the ages:

• Zig Ziglar: You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.
• Harvey Mackay: A mediocre person tells. A good person explains. A superior person demonstrates. A great person inspires others to see for themselves.
• Dale Carnegie: You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in the other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.

I'm all done with the 10% talking – now it's time for the 80% listening part – please share your thoughts.

How will this point of view help you?

Starting Relationship

Most good sales don’t start with a presentation. They start with relationship.

That could be, “Joe sent me,” or something more, better.

In her video for Creative Mornings, The Top 10 Things I wish I Knew When I Graduated College, Debbie Millman, mentions the relationship creation power of the phrase, “I don’t know.” The other person gets a chance to explain, to show off, to do a good turn, to exercise their competence.

The downside is not knowing is situational. Something had to happen previously. But when you give someone a teaching opportunity you are usually starting relationship.

Many of our tribe are concentrating on responding to requests, answering the mail. Good to get all of that, but hardly a full-time occupation.

My favorite way to start relationship is to introduce a new concept, a new opportunity, new entertainment. Second favorite is to participate while someone else introduces a new concept, a new opportunity, new entertainment.

What are your favorites?

Come to the Capital Technology Management Hub, June 14th, for Sales Lab Rainmaker #6: ‘Networking - Are You Being Served?’