Enterprise Doctor

So, an nice man offered to link with me on LinkedIn. He's an accountant. Seemed a nice enough guy, relatively local, someone who might be able to use my services, someone to whom I might be able to refer people, someone who might be able to refer to me.

I accepted the connection request. And then I did what I always do under such circumstances (as some of you will know!), I pinged him a message asking what it was that had motivated him to want to connect.

He soon replied, with two key messages.

1. They were able to deliver accountancy services at a lower price than my current accountant.
2. They were keen that I should be aware of their specialism in the healthcare industry.

I did think about it, but then I pinged him the following:

"Hi xxxxx.

You really do know nothing about me.

The first thing you don't know is what I pay my accountant, so how do you know you'll offer lower prices?

Why do you think that your having lots of clients in the healthcare sector would be of relevance to me? Oh, you think I'm a doctor. How silly.

The other thing you don't know about me is that I don't believe LinkedIn is a cold calling tool. You really shouldn't connect with people out of the blue and then immediately sell at them.

Still, nice knowing you!"

Maybe I was a little harsh. Maybe being a little harsh has some validity! I really feel strongly that LinkedIn is not a cold calling tool, at least not a brazenly as he was using it. I wonder how many such connection requests he pinged out that day, and every day.

I really believe in the "know like trust" sales journey and I accept that I didn't know him and now I do. However, he hasn't made me like him. And the depth of his research was such that he thinks I'm a GP. If his accountancy skills are as strong, I don't want to do business with him.

What do you think? Am I right or am I wrong? Was I harsh? Was it justified??

People buy from people they know, like and trust.  It sounds obvious, but it’s surprising how many sales approaches skip straight past the first two steps and hope for the third.

Know.  Before anyone buys from you, they need to know you exist – and know what you do.  That’s where networking, a helpful website, a LinkedIn profile that actually says something and the occasional blog all earn their keep.  You’re not selling at this stage; you’re simply making sure the right people have heard of you.

Like.  Once they know you, do they like dealing with you?  Liking comes from conversations that are about them rather than about you, from being helpful without strings attached, and from turning up when you said you would.  Nobody likes being sold at by a stranger.

Trust.  Trust takes longest to build and is the quickest to lose.  It comes from doing what you said you would do, from being honest when something isn’t right for them, and from recommendations by people they already trust.

Only when all three are in place does a sales conversation feel natural – to both of you.  Try to jump straight to the sale and, at best, you’ll be politely ignored.

So where are your prospects on that journey?  And what are you doing to help them along it?  If you’d like some help working that out, please do get in touch!

Many businesses I speak to bemoan the fact that they’re not selling enough stuff, be that stuff a product or a service.  Top of the list of their moans is that they talk to people who it turns out are not the right MAN.

Don’t worry – I’m not being sexist with the word MAN – I know women buy things too!  The capital letters are a clue.  It’s an acronym for Money Authority Need.

If the person (man or woman) you’re speaking to is nor not the right MAN, you’re wasting your time, and theirs.

Let’s say you sell gold plated coffee mugs.  Best of luck with that business – there may be a market out there – you never know!

Money means disposable funds, money they’re actually prepared to spend on what you’re talking about.  I probably could find £1000 to spend if I needed to.  I’m not prepared to spend that money on a gold plated coffee mug.  The money is simply not available for that purpose.  You can extoll the virtues of your product for as long as you like, I’m just not going to spend the money.  You’re wasting your time, and mine.

Authority means the power to make the purchasing decision.  There may well be a budget for a number of gold plated mugs, but it’s not me who decides.  All the time you spend convincing me that you’re my ideal supplier, who can deliver my ideal product, is wasted time.  It’s true that decision makers have gatekeepers, but the sell to a gatekeeper is a different sell.  You’re trying to sell them the concept that they should be letting you through the gate. You need to identify the decision maker, the person with the authority to buy.  You then need to secure access to them.  Only then should you try to sell to them!

Need should be fairly obvious, but I get countless approaches from people trying to sell me things I don’t need.  I regret to advise I just don’t need a gold plated coffee mug.  It will create the wrong impression of me and my business.  My china mug fulfils its purpose adequately.  I’m happy as I am, thank you very much!  Please don’t waste my time, or yours.

So, before you make that call, or visit that networking group, or kick off that social media campaign, think about the MAN you want to talk to.  How will you find them?  How will you ensure they are indeed the right MAN for you?

If you want some answers to those questions, please do get in touch!