Knock, Knock
Steve Moynihan
Advisor, mentor, teacher and connector with a passion for marketing, data and AI. Dedicated to connecting people, companies, and ideas
I was knee deep in a work project recently when my doorbell rang.? When I answered the door, it was a solicitor, selling solar solutions.? I was a bit annoyed by this unwelcome intrusion, so I wasn’t in the mood to listen to his sales pitch and sent him on his way.
I was reflecting on this experience recently and realized that there were many parallels between my experience and the problems with cold outreach today.
Imagine if it hadn’t been just one solicitor ringing my doorbell that day but a dozen or two dozen.? After the first couple of interruptions, I think that just about anyone would just stop answering the door.
Now translate this experience to your email inbox and you’re receiving dozens (or more) unsolicited emails every week.? Each one is coming from someone that you don’t know pitching a company or service that you’ve never heard of.? What would you do?? Unless you have an incredible amount of patience, it’s highly likely that you send them to the trash without ever opening them.
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That is the state of cold outreach today.
Now imagine a different scenario where I had been researching solar solutions and had read a bunch of thought leadership articles online from a specific solar company, let’s call them Bird Solar.? One day, my doorbell rings and it's John from Bird Solar at my door.? Suddenly, I’m more open-minded to listening to his story because I recognize the company and the value they have provided during my search.
Again, translate this to a professional scenario, where you don’t receive a sales pitch but an invitation to connect on LinkedIn from someone with shared connections and background.? You connect and, over time, through reading their posts and seeing them interact with others’ content, you see them as a real person.? If they were associated with a product or service that was of interest to you, I’d bet that you’d be much more open to a conversation.
This is the new era of connected sales.
The valuable lesson here for those of you in sales is that buyers want to do business with people they know, like and trust and with companies they are familiar with. Building your own personal brand is a critical step in that process.
How are you building your personal brand today?
Where Conversations Become Stories—and Stories Become Growth
3 个月Great insights, Steve! Your emphasis on personal branding as a foundation for trust and connection really resonates. When I read your story it got me thinking, that it's not that hard to improve your sales strategy starting with your people!
Product Marketing Management
3 个月Great article and a great reminder about the power of relationship building and investment.
Never in my career have I had to market myself. The patients always came because the insurance companies always sent them. Now, I’m on my own in the direct care world and learning this very lesson!
Helping business leaders bridge the gap between vision and execution to accelerate growth.
3 个月Excellent write up, Steve Moynihan! "This is the new?era?of connected?sales. The valuable lesson here for those of you in sales is that buyers want to do business with people they know, like and trust and with companies they are familiar with. Building your own personal brand is a critical step in that process." You hit the nail on the head. The barrage on garbage emails that are being sent out from companies that don't take the time to research their prospects, understand the challenges they are trying to solve, and meet them with information that demonstrates you can help solve the challenges they are trying to solve, will go a long way to building new conversation.
Revenue Growth Architect | Go-To-Market Expert | B2B Marketing and Sales Expert | Industry Analyst | Podcast Producer & Host | Content Creator | Executive Board Member
3 个月Love this, Steve! So true!