WHAT WENT WRONG

If you knew a disaster was looming, would you not go the extra mile to prevent it?

I bet you would put measures in place to prevent it from happening, after all, prevention they say, is better than cure.

However, can same also be said when the disaster is coming from you?

Think of it this way!

Imagine there was no Covid-19, and you as a guy, walk into the busiest mall in your city wearing your coolest outfit, dazzling in those nice boots, and wearing your favourite perfume. After a few minutes in the mall, you walk up to a random beautiful lady whom you have never met before; she in turn, never knew you existed until that moment. Then you did one of best things you’ve ever done since you could buy yourself a drink.

With the best smile you’ve ever worn, you get on your kneel and then ask her the question -–

“Will you marry me?”

Picture the look on her face!

No! it won’t be a “YES” look.

It will be that of disgust, “are you okay”, and “I’m sorry I can’t” all blended in one. You’d be lucky if you didn’t get a 5-star slap as a thanks for stopping by.

You can’t believe you did that right?

That is an example of a disaster waiting to happen. One that could easily have been prevented.

On another day, the lady would probably have said “YES” if they had gotten off with the “Heys and Hellos”, got to know more of each other, went on a date or two and he asked her the same question after some months as they dated.

In reality though, most professionals have been going through that circle over and over again, and they’ll keep getting a NO!

The quick story above is akin to the salesman-product-customer lifecycle we are familiar with.

Let us bring it together:

The “You” above in our story is the typical kind of salesman or marketer you must have encountered here on LinkedIn or any other platform.

The “Random beautiful lady” is the potential client or target audience you want to get across to

The “Proposal” is the product or offer you want them to own.

The truth is this; the same way the lady had said NO, that is the same way a potential client in your network or a new connection you just connected with will say NO.

One of the grandest mistakes anyone would ever make is to start selling a product to a new connection. You are almost certain to not get a positive response. Don’t think them a snub for not replying you or “wicked” for blocking you. You gave them that option.

There is a psychology to selling. People will certainly buy from people they like and trust. But, before it gets to that point, there has to be some connection. A connection between both parties.

However, this connection doesn’t fall from the moon. It has to be built, and it takes quite some time and nurturing. It doesn’t even require much as you can;

1.      Attach a note as you send out a connection request – This is an approach that stands out when sending out a connection request. With 300 characters at your disposal, you can write the person a quick note on what attracted you to their profile. If someone had recommended you to them, include the recommender’s name to it so it resonates with the recipient. This is a potent approach that gets the recipients’ attention to want to connect with you as it tells more about you than you can even imagine. Don’t make the mistake of using this approach to pitch. The recipient is just one click away from hitting the “Decline” button.

2.      Send them a welcome note – This is another approach that paves the way for further and future discussions with the connection. You can draft your own welcome note or find one online, it doesn’t have to be long, just something personal and friendly. A “Hi” or “Hello” is far from good enough and doesn’t count as communicating. Go the extra mile to make it a discussion e.g -

Hi John!

Happy weekend to you! Hope you had an amazing week?

It is a privilege to be connected with you on this amazing platform. I couldn’t have been happier.

I look forward to shared knowledge in our respective fields.

Stay safe and enjoy the weekend.

It is in this connection that you know if they really need what you are offering or not, as you would have found out in the conversations you have had.

Irrespective of the service been offered, in the hands of the right person, it will always be valuable. Rather than take random chances hoping they pay off, be intentional to build a relationship.

It is the relationship that will give rise to that sales you crave for. Nothing good comes easy. If it is worth it, then it obviously is worth the time.

The next time you didn’t get a desirable outcome, ask yourself “what went wrong?”.