One of the interesting things that we do when we go to breakfasts or lunches, is talk to someone and explain what we do, to each other……………………
You may talk about many things to that person but during the event/occasion, you will speak to many people and for instance, let’s take just one person…..
- Now besides what they say and the business card you may receive, do you actually take this card due to being polite?
- Or because you want to sell to them?
- Or maybe buy from them?
Sometimes all you do is pay lip service and in the majority of cases, you don’t actually do much with their details (that is if you don’t leave it on the table) – be honest, am I right?
So, on this occasion, you take the card, do you actually do anything when you leave with the information? I guess if you do, you add it to your database and use their information to market and hopefully sell to them. You have more than this option you know – or do you?
Have you thought of engagement process?
The main area that majority of us don’t utilise is the “Engagement Process” which is one of the biggest forms of the generating a revolving sales cycle and this we can call the “Prospective Sale”
So how does the “Engagement Process” and “Prospective Sale” work? Simple it is all about creating the engagement between two prospective parties…
There you are, sat in your office, thinking of how to target that company that is sat on your prospective list but something is holding you back but you aren’t sure what it is.
So with them being a prospect, you have done all your homework on the company and you know what they do and what they purchase roughly. (Well all companies have to buy stationary, utilities, materials for what their product ranges are, etc, etc). Now this train of thought has now produced one side of the engagement – do you see where I am going????
At your next business breakfast, lunch or evening event make sure you speak to and engage in conversation with as many people as you can to learn about them and their business (always best to try to have a pen to hand here), ask for their card, make the first move and take it. It doesn’t matter whether they can be a client of your’s or not, but with that, make a note on it as to what they are saying and think which we one of your prospective clients (remember what we did above about understanding what your prospective client does and buys?) could either sell to that person or buy from them.
Do you see what you have done?
You have found the other person in the engagement!
Well done you…..
So, you have the two parties in mind and now you need to get them engaged. How do engage them – simple….
COMMUNICATE!!
All you need to do is write an email to the person you are thinking of and say….
“I was at breakfast (lunch/dinner) today/yesterday and met X from company Z and they were telling me all about what they did. When I got back to the office and remembered you mentioning to me about Y and thought that it would be worth you both chatting. So I have included X in on this email to introduce you both – a form of on-line networking I guess – so you both can have chat. Hope the introduction works well for you both…..”
See, you have created the engagement process and got the two parties engaged. Then (if it has happened before) either pick up the phone (or if you aren’t sure – call them) and see how they got on with X from company Z. Then, towards the end of conversation mention about being in the area next week (or say a fortnight) and wondered if you could pop in for a coffee?
What you have done, it has got both those sides engaged with one another and thus in turn built yourself some credibility with that company (and also X from company Z), so when you are looking to sell to them, hopefully they are more open and willing to discuss things with you.
With helping to get two parties involved in the Engagement Process, you have created the Prospective Sale – in summary, never dismiss a company that has turned you down and don’t dismiss a company selling to you as these two parties being engaged with each other could always lead to the Prospective Sale you are looking for….
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