VOLUME 16, ISSUE 7 – JULY 2017
THIS MONTH’S MENU:
I. APPETIZER: WHEN SLOPPY IS THE NORM, SEIZE THE DAY!
A Simple, Clean Follow-Up Email Stands Out, Underscoring How Easy It Is to Shine.
II. “FIELD” GREENS: YOUR FIRST CALL WITH A PROSPECT
Ex-FLCW, Biz-Coach: Stop Using the Typical Opening Line to New Prospect!
III. MAIN “MEAT” COURSE: ARE YOU MEMORABLE TO PROSPECTS?
Yours Truly Shows Prospect How I’d Make HIM Look Better, Gets His Attention.
IV. DESSERT: SWEET SUCCESS STORIES & TIPS
Introverted VT FLCW Steps Out of Comfort Zone, Gets Rewarded!
TIP: MN FLCW Boldly Goes Where He’s Never Gone Before, & Gets Asked Back!
I. APPETIZER: WHEN SLOPPY IS THE NORM, SEIZE THE DAY!
A Simple, Clean Follow-Up Email Stands Out, Underscoring How Easy It Is to Shine.
Recently met the owner of a successful design firm at a networking event, and we agreed to connect for an in-person meeting to talk possibilities. I followed up a few days later to firm up time and place. At our meeting, he commented on how clean, error-free and professional my email to him was. It was just an email, but he noticed it.
You getting that? Here’s a 60-something businessman with a long track record of success, who makes a point to mention to me in our sit-down meeting, how impressed he was that my confirmation email to him had no errors, and was professionally written (i.e., no “textspeak” abbreviating, or your/you’re, its/it’s errors, etc.)
Hmmm. There was nothing particularly unusual about it. Just a basic, “Great meeting you…just confirming our one-on-one meeting…visited your site, loved your work…here are a few of my samples of web site writing…looking forward to it….etc.”
What does it tell you when someone like him takes the time to note something minor like that? It tells me that it’s not that minor—or typical—at all. As in, It. Doesn’t. Happen. All. That. Often.
And isn’t that an amazing thing in itself? Especially since it takes ZERO experience to be buttoned-up. You can do that on Day 1 of your business, even if your portfolio is empty.
I shared with him that, in my experience, that sort of thing IS pretty rare—along with reliability. A long time ago, I told him, I figured out that if you simply did what you said you were going to do, and when you said you were going to do it, that you’d stand out.
He asked me if I’d heard that line somewhere before, and I said, no, just a way I like to live and conduct business. He replied that, years ago, when working for IBM, he remembered a C-level exec with the company delivering a speech.
The speaker said the most important 16 words he could share with his audience—the 16 words that had made the biggest difference for him in his success—were…wait for it…
Do what you say you’re going to do, when you say you’re going to do it.
Surprise, surprise. Could it really be that easy to stand out from the crowd? Believe it. On that “shortcuts-to-success” note, let’s eat!
PB NOTE: In this month’s “Main Meat” course, I continue the above story, and share my approach to the meeting we booked, and how it went. I think you’ll enjoy it.
II. “FIELD” GREENS: YOUR FIRST CALL WITH A PROSPECT
Ex-FLCW, Biz Coach: Stop Using the Typical Opening Line to New Prospects!
Got this great tip from Ed Gandia, my friend/colleague/fellow Atlantan, a former FLCW and current business-building coach. It’s a little thing that’s NOT a little thing at all. AND, it can rewire how you view yourself, and—even more importantly—how clients view you. Thanks, Ed!
During my first six years in sales, I’d start off every in-person appointment or initial phone call with something like this:
“Thanks for your time this morning.”
To me, it just felt right and courteous to say that.
Then in 2000 I came across a book titled Solution Selling by Michael Bosworth. This book changed my approach to prospect conversations. Bosworth emphasized that you should never start off that initial meeting by thanking the prospect for seeing you or talking with you.
Why? Because it sends the wrong message.
It says that what you have to offer is not very valuable. It communicates that you feel “lucky” that the prospect is taking valuable time out of his day to meet with you.
And you know what? He’s right!
When I asked myself (I mean REALLY asked myself) why I was saying that, I realized I was coming to the meeting or to the call with a subservient mindset. I didn’t feel worthy. And it showed in everything I did. Not overtly. But my energy and demeanor were that of someone with low self-confidence.
Anyway, here’s what Bosworth suggested: Rather than thanking the prospect for their time, say, “I appreciate the opportunity to meet with you today.”
(Or if it’s a phone call, say, “I appreciate the opportunity to talk with you today.”)
And then…shut up for four seconds.
Make this minor shift, and you position yourself as a peer—as an equal.
You’re subtly communicating to your prospect that you’re a professional. You value your time just as much as she does hers. And the prospect is not doing you a favor by meeting with you. She has a need to fill. You have a skill that (probably) matches that need. You’re on equal ground. And if she hires you, you’ll be exchanging value for value.
It’s not charity. You’re not “lucky.” It’s a potential transaction where equal value will be exchanged.
Oh, and about that 4-second pause…
I like it because it adds emphasis to what you just said, and it allows that message to sink in with the prospect.
Anyway, give this a try. Use that greeting word for word.
And mean it when you say it to a prospect! 😉
PB: I’d add one more thing to Ed’s great advice above. Same goes for your website: LOSE any “Thanks for stopping by my site” verbiage. Not only is it boring, unnecessary filler, but it sends the same hat-in-hand message: “Thanks for doing me a favor and taking time out of your busy day to come see my humble offerings…” Yuck!
III. MAIN “MEAT” COURSE: ARE YOU MEMORABLE TO PROSPECTS?
Yours Truly Shows Prospect How I’d Make HIM Look Better, Gets His Attention.
Prior to meeting with the client I discussed in the Appetizer, I did my homework. Knowing that, overwhelmingly, his firm didn’t write the copy for the sites he created (hence, our meeting…), I had no qualms about diplomatically offering up some critiques of some of the web copy on the sites that his firm had designed.
Graphically speaking, I loved the work his company had done, but felt like the copy wasn’t nearly as effective as it might have been. He was the first to agree, saying that, in most cases, the clients provided their own copy, so there wasn’t much he could do.
I certainly understand that: A designer just hired by a client doesn’t want to rock the boat by telling them their copy sucks (in so many words). At the same time, a good designer, ideally, wants the finished product to be as good as it can possibly be, on all levels.
(NOTE: Of course, I’ve crossed paths with many designers who just flat-out say, “No, not willing to pay for a copywriter; we just do it ourselves.” In most cases, I assert, they’ve never worked with a really good writer, and see the difference one makes; they think writing is just stuff that fills in the holes in their art. That’s life. You move on.)
But, while that good designer noted above wants that across-the-board quality in their final product, unless they’re partnered with a writer they know will enhance their value proposition, they make do with what they have.
But, when they do have such a writer, they’ll lobby their client hard to bring him/her in to ensure the copy’s just as compelling as the graphics.
When you find a designer who understands the value a good writer brings, show them what you can do. If you can show a client how you might have done things differently for a project that’s already done (one on which they know the writing could’ve been more effective), it has them see the value of bringing you in the next time.
So, before our meeting, picked out three sites from his online portfolio, that I felt I could have improved (heck, doesn’t every writer think he/she could have done ANY piece of writing better?).
No, I didn’t do alternate versions of the copy or anything—nothing than involved. I just printed out a few pages, jotted a few notes, and in the meeting, walked him through a few alternate outcomes. He loved what I shared, saw the difference it would have made, and had him realize the value of bringing me in the next time.
His reply to my follow-up email I sent him after our meeting:
Thanks Peter! The pleasure was mine. I was impressed with your thoughtful preparation and insights. You seem like the real deal. Hope I can find a way to send some work your way, as I know anyone I send would be the better for it.
That works.
Since, when we met, he didn’t have any projects pending that needed copywriting, I didn’t expect to hear from him for a while; I just looked at it as “client development.”
But, less than a week later, he emailed me with a sizable project. It was a competitive situation, and ultimately, the client did end up going with a different vendor, but no matter. The quick blossoming of his interest tells me he’ll be back.
That’s where you want to get with a prospect. You don’t want them to just put your stuff “in the file.” Whenever possible, you want to show them that you’re more than “just a writer”—that your participation would make their work better, and their clients happier.
Believe me, any smart businessperson looks for that kind of edge. When they’ve got it, they’ll want to get you involved.
IV. DESSERT: SWEET SUCCESS STORIES & TIPS
Introverted VT FLCW Steps Out of Comfort Zone, Gets Rewarded!
TIP: MN FLCW Boldly Goes Where He’s Never Gone Before, & Gets Asked Back!
Got this cool little success from St. Albans, VT FLCW Gail Schwartz. An in-person networking meeting this short isn’t always this productive, but it just goes to show how much our services are needed everywhere out there. Thanks, Gail!
After that, a tip/success story/lesson in courage from a very different kind of freelancer, Dave Walbridge, from Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN.
My story is about joining the Chamber of Commerce in the Burlington, VT area. I am SO not a social butterfly, and have a hard time making small talk. But I forced myself to go to one event last spring. The one that looked most interesting was a Valentine’s Day party and silent raffle. I donned my little black dress, threw some Gail Writes postcards into my beaded purse and off I went.
Once there, I found it to be one of the most intimidating social settings I have ever been in. I made a deal with myself: I could leave after I talked with three people. Well, the second one happened to be a journalist (I don’t believe this was a coincidence…I think we sniff each other out like bloodhounds).
We actually talked about being socially awkward and how it’s a whole other movie when we’re covering it for work. He asked about my biz and was very interested. Not only did I end up with a mention in his article, but, even better, two months later, he did a feature story on me and it got me a bunch of calls and several ongoing clients.
Sometimes a client calls with a totally new project—something you’ve never done. They describe it and then ask you a very interesting question: “Can you do it?”
The answer is yes.
This has happened to me several times. A client often needs a somewhat unique bit of writing done (often in a hurry) so I get the call. Once it was:
“We have more students than expected; can you add new characters to
this play and have it ready by Monday?”
Yes.
Some of my clients know I started in the Arts (literally as a clown) and moved over into ghostwriting, so I get some very specific requests. This one is my favorite:
“Hello Dave: We have a show opening in two weeks. We have a title and a venue, and we’ve sold tickets, but we really don’t have a script or actors. Can you write a play in 14 days?”
Yes.
Not only did I write it, it was so successful, the same client called me back for the next year—this time with considerably more lead time. Because of my yes.
When you’re ready to stretch your writing muscles, say yes. Sure, it’s great to be able to say, “Yes, I’ve done this a hundred times before,” but, if you haven’t, nothing wrong with saying, in essence, “Yes, I’m sure I can do this because I’m a good writer, and I can figure out the rules for whatever it is that you need.”
And when you say yes, you may discover you have a particular skill, or might open a new market, and often…have more than a little bit of fun.