Smiling and Dialing is NOT Enough

One of the basic principles of everything we do at The Latimer Group is that great communication is based on, and in fact requires, a reasonable understanding of our audience. The more we know about the people we are speaking to, the better our chances to lead, sell, persuade or motivate them. It’s a simple equation, and one that we write about all the time.

And here’s a perfect example of the risk you take on when you try and sell someone without doing your basic homework…

We’re in the midst of outsourcing a major project for The Latimer Group. Details not necessary, but we’re creating a new capability and we need another company to help us build out that capability. So, based on a referral, we had been talking to a potential vendor. Things were looking good after a “get to know you” cup of coffee and then a few phone calls. And then this vendor came to our office for a more serious planning meeting. And that is where he lost the business. Why? Because he walked into our office, noticed a few things and asked some really obvious questions that were proof that he had done zero homework about who we were.

More specifically, I’m pretty seriously into sailing, and if you spend five seconds reading my biography on the TLG site, you would know that. This salesman comes into our office, looks at some of the things hanging on the walls, and says “I’m sensing a nautical theme. Are you a boater?”

Are… you… kidding… me?

Shouldn’t the basic level of effort when you are trying to sell a piece of business be that you take the time to read the easily found biography of the business leader? Shouldn’t that be the price of entry into the conversation? I think so.

To make a long story a bit shorter, I started looking at this possible relationship differently. I took this vignette as a sign that this vendor doesn’t do his homework, and I’ve decided to take the opportunity elsewhere. And it’s going to be a big project. Major loss for him, all because he didn’t simply take the time to even look at our website. I even gave him the website address when I handed him my business card.

The lesson here is that if you are in sales, “smiling and dialing” is not a strategy for success. In fact, it’s not a strategy at all. It’s a cop out.

If you want to sell me anything, show me that you’ve taken the time to at least learn a bit about who I am and what my company is about. And I’ll do the same for you. If you want to communicate effectively, learning more about the people you are speaking with is initial cost of doing business. If you don’t take the time to do that, you haven’t earned the right to even be in the conversation.

Advertisement