It happens in my email.
It happens on Linkedin.
On occasion someone gets a hold of my phone number, and it happens via text.
What is it that happens?
People are “following up” for me to take action on something that I never expressed the slightest bit of interest in. These are communications, that happen after an initial sales offer, and without any signal from me to keep going. These are all people I do not even know.
It often sounds like: “I noticed you haven’t…” or “here’s that link again to schedule some time to…” or “wondering why I haven’t heard from you about…” or “is this thing on?”
If this is you, and if this is part of your sales process, please stop.
Seriously, please, for everyone’s sake, just stop. Literally, no one wants this. No one wants to be pestered about what you want to sell to them. If they did, they would have sought you out, or expressed even mild interest in one of your earlier messages.
Who we buy from
You’ve probably heard this before
“People do business with those they know, like, and trust.”
Sure, it’s good advice. But, it’s incomplete. It’s actually leaving out two vital components.
People do business with those they know, like, trust, need, and remember.
- Even if I know, like, and trust you, if I don’t need what you’re selling, I’m not buying.
- Similarly, even if I know, like, and trust you, AND I need what you’re selling, if I don’t need it now or in the near future, I’m not buying. But, when the time comes, you better hope that I remember you.
All of the clowns following up with people who don’t know them, have no reason to like them or trust them, and have been given no indication that the person they are following up with even needs them, will only be remembered as a nuisance, if they are remembered at all.
A better approach
Stop opening with a sales offer. If you do and no interest was expressed, move on.
If you want a better approach, try the human one.
- Try to get to know the person.
- Try to formulate the relationship without the requirement that a transaction take place or the implication connecting will lead to a sales offer.
If you keep emailing/messaging/texting me, even after I’ve given you nothing back after your first few messages, I will get to know you, and I probably won’t like you. Given your totally self-centered posture of reaching out to me in the first place, I absolutely won’t trust you. So, even if I need you, the answer will be no.
And should the time come when I do need what you’re selling, you will have blown the chance for me to remember you positively.
