Is there any difference between setting and achieving personal goals versus business goals?
Students in my most recent sales training workshop posed the above question. My answer was, “It is entirely the same. In fact selling to a business client or to a friend or spouse is the exact same process.”
In business, you have the option of “cold calling” (finding a new prospect on your own) or following-up with a prospect by telephone or appointment. The last holiday we celebrated, I casually met a few people from the neighborhood at another neighbor’s home. My goal was to get to know them better and ultimately establish friendships.
Finally settled in our new neighborhood, last week, I “cold called” our neighbors. I knocked on their front doors and invited them over for dessert on either Wed. or Friday evening. Giving a choice of dates increases the odds for getting a “yes” answer. Everyone accepted. One neighbor, however, behaved like a suspicious prospect and first asked, “What do you want?” followed by, “Do I need to bring anything?”
I replied, “You do not need to do anything you do not wish to do, there are no obligations. All you need to do is show up and enjoy the other neighbors.”
Yesterday evening, the neighbors already in my living room were amazed the suspicious one came to our door. They previously had no success connecting with her and wondered how I was able to do it. Both get-togethers proved to be a lot of fun and blossoming friendships are under way.
My point was proved. There is absolutely no difference between building personal friends or relationships with business clients.
When you change your mindset to marketing and selling to friends other than those from whom you will make money, your results will be far better and you will experience a Smooth Sale!
