Craig Park
Craig Park’s most recent blog posting, “Seven Steps to Reconnect” addresses the challenges of rebuilding and re-establishing potentially long-lost relationships.
This can be hard work, but is certainly easier than cold calling (assuming of course your relationships were positive and concluded well). Still it takes discipline and organization to achieve the results you are seeking.
I hope I’m not stealing his thunder (and copyright) by giving away the final three steps. (You can learn the others, of course, and their context, by reading his blog).
Step #5: What’s new and what’s changed?—exploring their current situation is critical—roles, focus, and even the “economic reality” (a nice way to say “how is this recession impacting you and your business?”) because learning their challenges is the critical to moving the business-to-business business to the next step.
Step #6: Book a meeting from a meeting—after all we’re both in this for “business” notwithstanding the professional friendship that comes from shared project experience—because unless we commit to building the relationship (“How can I help you?”), and the best way to reconnect is face-to-face. So don’t leave the call without a definite, time-defined, agreement to meet. Apply same strategy to that meeting as well.
Step #7: Share information willingly and freely—nothing builds trust better than helping a client win more work—whether “relevant” technical information (good), news in their market (better), or leads for opportunities (best). Helping clients succeed is the brand of the best consultants.
Step #7 should not be underestimated. The difference between a pushy, irritating sales representative and an effective business-building consultant is whether your communications have giving and sharing at root. If you are just using rote techniques to pitch your services you might-as-well apply for a minimum wage telemarketing job (and never call me!)
with each interaction or attempt to connect a voice is whispering a question “Why should this person care? How does this information or presentation or meeting add value to what I’m trying to do.
Then when you have defined how your action will add value, you need to express that to your potential contact.
The adage of “it’s not about you” is not all correct..”it’s not about you & you need to tell them why it’s about them”.
Just because you know, doesn’t mean your potential contact will.
There are several but one more thing, be sure you have done a good job in researching your past contact before you try to re-engage. Be knowledgeable and relevant from the get-to.
I applaud #7. I would like to share a story relating to this thought.
My daughters school encouraged a bring your child to work day. I thought it would be fun and invited her along to spend the day going on sales calls.
At the end of the day as we were pulling into the driveway, she appeared very confused. I asked her what was wrong. She looked at me and asked “Why didn’t you take me to work with you.” I asked her what she was talking about. She said, “All you did is go visit your friends”.
That is my motto. I do not sell to people I make friends. Focus on helping your customers and not simply selling them. People buy from people not because of a sales pitch.