Imagine, if you will, being in a relationship, where you keep having the same date, over and over.

You go to the same place.

Have the same conversation.

Heck, maybe you even use the same cliched line, to try to get to first base.

How long would you give that relationship?

It’s no different when you’re trying to have a relationship with a potential client.

If you keep showing up

Via the same communication method and the same cliched line,

You ARE going to get disregarded and deleted!

Here are 5 ways to court your potential clients more effectively!

• Stop Having The Same Date. There’s a whole world of venues available to you, beyond the phone and email. There’s snail mail, FedEx, drop ins, drop offs, warm intros, video, traditional networking, social networking, creative “door openers”, events, content etc. Changing up the venue makes for a more interesting courtship. You’ll also find that everyone has their preferred method of communication. You’ll never find out what that is if you only cling to one method. We talk about how you can change things up in our How To Hunt More Effectively program. Click HERE to have a look.

• Stop Having The Same Conversation on The Same Date. Since courtships take time, we not only have to vary our dates, we need to talk about different things. Sadly, and forgive me for being blunt, the way we “court” someone in sales, is more like a conversation around trying to get in someone’s pants. So if you’re showing up, for the same date, and all you’re talking about is a variation of “I’d like to set an appointment with you” or “I’d like to sell you something” How long would you give that courtship? How can you change up your messaging? You could offer an idea, a resource, invite your contact to an event, introduce them to someone who can buy from them or help them, you could offer information, ask a question, etc. All of which sound better than the other used and abused approach “I’m calling to check in”.

• Stop Making The Date All About YOU! Imagine a date where you kept talking about yourself. Then imagine another, then another and so on. How many “so ons” before you bored the piss out of the other person? We do this an awful lot in sales, particularly in our opening statements. We begin with things like “My name is Paul Castain from Castain Training Systems and we blah, blah freakin blah.” Instead, reverse that, and tell them something you noticed about their company, their industry, their product, service, website, blog etc. Last time I checked, everyone has a favorite subject and it isn’t you.

• Stop With The Cheesy Lines. Imagine how douchey you would come across if you said “Hey baby. I bet you work for Google ’cause you’re everything I’m looking for!” Please understand that we have sales equivalents of that line. I could write an entire blog post on that one, but I will be brief and suggest that you don’t speak in “marketing speak”. Saying dopey sh*t like “We’re a full service” “We are a one source” fails the “KITCHEN TABLE TEST” . . . If you wouldn’t say it, at your kitchen table, in an actual conversation, don’t day it!

• Stop Being So Predictable.When you approach your potential client, at the same time each week, via the same venue, and the same message, you’ve conditioned them to disregard and DELETE you. Same goes for leaving a message and then immediately sending an email. Between changing up your communication venue, your message, when you contact them, you can become less predictable. The other way, is to consider using creativity or simply, look at how most people approach clients, then do the opposite. In our upcoming How To WARM Up Your Cold Calls webinar, we talk about a concept called “Pattern Interrupt”. Click HERE to learn more.

One more thing . . .

How long should you be in a relationship before you fall in love?

When is love supposed to happen?

Is it after a fixed amount of time?

After you’ve spent a fixed amount of money?

After your first fight?

The short answer is . . .

LOVE happens when it happens so;

Like in any courtship, we have to have the patience to go the distance;

And the urgency to work at it regularly, NOT sporadically!

What Are You Doing To Get Better On The Phone?

The phone is a HUGE part of how we secure new opportunities and yet;

Many sales reps never do a thing to improve their phone chops!

We’re going to be talking, a lot, about prospecting (and how to WARM it up) on September 22nd, during our How To WARM Up Your Cold Calls webinar.

Here’s what you can expect when you join us . . .