How not to pitch a Customer (or ask for a job)

LinkedIN is a pretty awesome tool to connect to prospects. It is also possibly the #1 job site out there. However like all tools, a nuanced approach is what’s needed. Using the messaging service to spam your connections with requests for meeting or sales material is a sure fire way to turn them off. In my experience unfortunately, there are sales organisations who hire junior people with minimal training to connect with prospects on LinkedIn. Their job is to wrangle an appointment for a more senior manager to handle. To my mind there is something intrinsically wrong in this approach. In the days where telephones were used as the only cold calling mechanism, maybe this approach was excusable. LinkedIN is a relationship building tool. It enables you to gather information about your future customer and understand what they stand for. An experienced sales professional will use a mix of social media and real world connects to get a deeper understanding of the customer before reaching out. Why would you want to build a rapport with someone to only turn them over to someone else to start all over again? My gut - these senior Managers feel it beneath them to cultivate the relationship themselves. Their excuse will be lack of time but I suspect that it’s actually fear of rejection.

 We are at that cusp of time where AI is going to disrupt quite a few jobs. Any chat bot can have a conversation of a better quality than the one below. But one thing it cannot do is build an enduring relation – at least not yet. The exchange below is an everyday example of how people use LinkedIn . But being somewhat of an extreme case it serves to highlight my point. It manages to do all the wrong things at every level. There is impatience, incorrect grammar usage, manages to get the prospect’s name wrong (a big no-no in my book) and uses blatant copy-paste. A big thumbs up for the perseverance but the real twist is at the end.

 However I would be amiss if I did not state that I have also been part of several rich interactions with representatives of organisations who do take customer experience seriously. They provide a stark contrast to the one below.

MAY 20

 XYZ. 11:16 AM

Dear Mr.Ranjit, Greetings from ABC Solutions!! Thank you for adding me to your Linkedin network. We are one of the leading telecommunication Industry and we offer sms and voice solutions. Please share me your email id so that can share you the corporate deck on the same. Our clients: <enter all big logos here> and many more. Awaiting eagerly for your reply. Regards, XYZ

 XYZ 12:52 PM

Hello Sir, Please connect me to concern person who handles sms and voice solutions. Awaiting for your reply. Regards, XYZ

MAY 21

 XYZ 10:20 AM

Dear Mr.Ranjit, Hope you have gone through the corporate deck Please let me know if we can meet you for a short demo in regards to sms and voice communication solutions. Awaiting for your reply. Regards, XYZ

JUN 17

 XYZ 4:59 PM

Dear Mr.Ranjit, Hope you are doing good. Please share me your email id so that i can share you the corporate deck. Awaiting for your reply. Regards, XYZ

<I finally give in>

Ranjit Satyanath 5:19 PM

ranjit.satyanath@*******.com 

XYZ 5:29 PM

Thanks a ton for sharing your email Id.

 XYZ 6:17 PM

Dear Mr.Ranjith, Sent you an email.Please connect me to concern person who handles sms and cloud telephony solutions. Thanks & Regards, XYZ

 <Offline interactions over email included exchange of corporate deck and description of services rendered. We did not have a requirement and this was advised to the sales person.>

 JUN 21

 XYZ 3:01 PM

Hello Rajesh, I understand currently you have a vendor in place. But it would be really great if you can give us an opportunity to represent our solutions to you. We proved our customizations to <repeat aforementioned big logos again> and many more Awaiting eagerly for your reply. Regards, XYZ

Ranjit Satyanath 4:25 PM

This is not Rajesh

XYZ 4:29 PM

I apologize sir.

XYZ 4:31 PM

Dear Mr.Ranjit, Please do let me know if we can meet you on a short discussion on our cloud telephony solutions. Awaiting for your positive response. Regards, XYZ

Ranjit Satyanath 5:18 PM

There is no requirement currently. Will advise when there is. Thanks.

XYZ 5:32 PM

Thank you

TODAY

XYZ 4:31 PM

Hello Mr.Ranjit, Hope you are doing good. I am looking out for job. Please do let me know if your company has any vaccancy. Thanks & Regards, XYZ

*The views expressed herein are my own and not that of any organisation I represent.