Christmas cards - networking for everyone ?
By Jim Lewis, Founder, Princeton Sales Partners LLC
Read time: 2 minutes My wife handed me a stack of cards this morning and said, “Get to work!” Yes, it’s that time of year when we reach out to friends and family, some of whom we haven’t spoken to in years. The tradition of the Christmas card started in 1843 when Sir Henry Cole got the idea as part of an awareness campaign. He commissioned John Horsley to design the first card. And the rest, as they say, is history. I realize that we are a people of many faiths and practices but I am going to guess that most everyone has received at least one “Seasons Greetings” card in their life. For weeks I’ve been struggling with how to discuss the most effective prospecting methodology there is: networking. And then all the dots connected. In last month’s article I discussed the idea of Compelling Business Events. The main point was that the Sales Cycle really begins when a set of circumstances (events) occurs within a prospect’s business to create a reason for you to help them. In order for you to be a candidate to help them – they must know about you and have a belief that you have the skill, knowledge, services or products that can help. If you have a tactical marketing program in place, that’s a good start. However, do you send the same generic information to everyone? Just as we can detect selling from someone cold calling us, we can also detect the generic nature of regular, well formatted newsletters (Like this one!) Most would agree that a personal note inside a card is far more interesting than just the card. I am always curious about what people have been up to during the past 12 months. What would be the impact if you kept in regular contact with your prospects by sending them information that is useful and/or thought provoking? You might already do this through a monthly newsletter. That is a step in the right direction but it’s not unique and it’s not personalized. Find a way to be aware of information that can be uniquely valuable to each of your prospects individually. As a courtesy you could provide this information to your contact and provide a personalized note. The Consultative Selling style that we teach and preach is designed to enhance the personal relationship between you and your prospects and clients. These behaviors and practices will help you become their Trusted Advisor. |