People Do Business with People They Like

By Kathy Condon
Posted Friday, January 28, 2005

People do business with people they know and like!

In my networking classes I have been saying this for six years. Can’t say I was the originator of it, yet it appears people are catching on. Finally, people are referring to this statement in casual conversation when they are talking about marketing.

BAN COLD CALLS

Just this morning the news reported there have been 400,000 complaints registered by people who had received unsolicited calls even though they had registered on the “No Call List. When checking, I couldn’t discover how many people have signed up on the “No Call List,” yet the number is in the millions. It is apparent; people do not want to get sales calls at their home or business.

Signing up on the website the minute it was launched was a priority for me. Yet, in the last two weeks I have received calls from local businesses. I have to say now I am even more frustrated with them. They didn’t follow the guidelines of the new law and they bothered me.

NAME COLD CALLS

While I am at it, does anyone know who came up with the truly “dumb” name cold calls? First of all, I am a person who hates to be cold. Then someone labeled a phone connection as a cold call---How Cold!!!!

Once when being trained as a sales person, I was told I had to make 100 Cold Calls a day and, of course, track them. At the time, I thought it was an ineffective way to connect with people. Yet, being the new salesperson and wanting to please, I spent my day penned up in a small office “trying” to connect with people so they would buy sales training. Notice I used the word “trying.” Either I was a total loser, or the system truly was inefficient. I remember only one significant customer I got through that process and I had spent hours and hours on the phone. Of course, if you want to learn how to handle being told “No” and how to handle it with real grace that is the perfect way to do it. Many organizations continue to start their sales people out on the phones and give them the same assignment – 100 calls a day. My belief is they are missing really connecting with people.

SELLING THE MINUTE YOU MEET SOMEONE

This is easy to illustrate through something that happened to me. I went to a networking event at 7:00 a.m. in the morning. A woman came up to me, shook my hand and introduced herself and said “What do you take for your health?” That’s right, it was 7:00 a.m., I hadn’t had my coffee yet and a total stranger is asking me “What do you take for your health?” I was so shocked I didn’t even have reply. This happened three years ago and I remember it as clearly as it happened this morning.

There is no way I am going to start talking about my personal diet etc. with someone I had just met two seconds ago. Yet, for some reason people feel they have to go out and sell their product. People buy things from people they know and like!

EFFECT WAY TO DEVELOP CLIENTS—ONE ON ONE MEETINGS

While it may appear to be the slow way, it is the most effective. Remember the Hare and the Tortoise---Who came out the winner?

I am interested in learning new things and understand that people are interesting and have much to teach me if I take the time to listen. I am urging those of you in business to take a new approach to your marketing efforts. Yes, I know the days are frantic with work and issues to solve. Yet, taking a time out to have coffee with a person you met at event can reap huge rewards.

1. It’s Relaxing Stopping to have a cup of coffee with someone at the local coffee shop changes the pace in your day. Trust me, you’ll come back to the office with a new outlook.

2. You Learn. Didn’t quite understand what Louise does at the XYZ Company? Bet you will when you are through with the meeting. Plus, you will know more about Louise and Louise will understand more clearly what you do.

3. You have a New Contact. Maybe you can’t use Louise’s services, yet you will be amazed how quickly someone crosses your path that could use her services. You refer her to your friend: your friend wins, Louise wins and you do because you are known for sharing great information.

4. Louise liked you – She sends you a Referral. It may not be immediate, maybe even a year, yet it will happen when you least expect it.

PEOPLE DO BUSINESS WITH PEOPLE THEY LIKE AND KNOW!

Personal connections are even more important as we continue to rely more and more on technology. Pick up that contact card on your desk that was given to you by a person you met at a recent event and give them a call. Listen how pleased the person is at the other side of the phone. You will be delighted with what you hear and subsequently learn.

PS. The “Do Not Call List” website is (www.DONOTCALL.GOV).

About the Author
KATHY CONDON, GCDF, is a Vancouver, Washington based Career Facilitator, International Speaker, Columnist and Trainer. She is an expert in Connecting with People/Networking, Generations Working Together and Gender Issues in the Workplace. She has published a CD on "Connect with People/Networking." She can be reached at (360)695-4313, (http://www.kathycondon.info) or kathycondon.info