Picture this. Last November one of my clients gave me the name and number of a potential new lead. The word was that this chap was the MD of a medium-sized business who was looking to reorganise his business development and lead generation capability and he was keen to talk to me. Basically he was up for it. Fantastic!
Actually, not as fantastic as I had first thought because like most of us these days he was always in meetings or his mobile went straight through to VM. Very frustrating! There is nothing worse than being given a big juicy gift-box that you can’t open.
Now, I may not have many strong points but perseverance is definitely one of them – a bit like that rabbit on TV I just keep going and going and going until I get what I want. I learned a long time ago that when you’re trying to speak to somebody who is as hard to reach as anybody on BT’s help desk who can actually help you try ringing at different times of the day and on different days of the week.
Good idea but drew a big fat goose-egg I’m afraid.
Anyhow, the story moves on to last Tuesday. I happened to be visiting a client in the same town as the HQ of this firm. I arrived early (please see previous blog) and was just doing a few sales calls in my car when I thought “shall I ring old was-his-name? Nah, what’s the point”. Well I did anyway. Got his answer machine (what are the odds?) and left the following message.
“Hi, it’s Mike Ames again. Look, I know this sounds a bit like an old salesman’s ploy but I really am in town today. I will be free after 1pm and would be delighted to swing over for a coffee or even to just shake hands in reception. Please give me a call if you’re up for it”. Almost word for word.
Well guess what? That’s right; I come out of my meeting and pick up my messages and there it is. Was-his-name had left a message: “delighted to meet; come over when you’re free”. Well tie me to a tree and call me Linda!
I arrived at his offices at 2:30pm and left at 5:30 with the instruction to prepare a proposal to get things kicked off and if it looks anything like away we go. Wowser!
So the moral: –
- Never give up, never never give up, never never never give up.
- When in town ring somebody, client or prospect, who is also based there and try to see them.
- When that little voice inside says “don’t call, it’s a waste of time” cock a Snook in its direction and make the call anyway.
Good hunting dear readers!
Image courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
