I hate selling! Ok, hate is a really strong word. I dislike selling. I really don’t like when someone blatantly sells something to me. I find it annoying and rude. I know that people are out there trying to run a business. I get that. I have been running businesses myself for over 15 years. Sometimes it’s tough to get the clients you need.
The trick I have learned is that you don’t want to sell. You want to build relationships. There are many different ways to build relationships. You can network, you can ask for referrals and word-of-mouth, you can use social media.
I want to tell you a story. A few years back I was on the Board of Directors for a local organization called Independent Computer Consultants Association. I was in charge of putting together a monthly newsletter for the group. The quality of this newsletter was so great that it won “Best Chapter Newsletter” for the best newsletter put out by that organziation from the whole country. The other members of the board recognized this quality and even mentioned in a meeting, “When someone does a great job when they are doing volunteer work, then just imagine how good they are when they are getting paid!” I got quite a few projects through referrals from that board of directors. By working with them even on a volunteer basis, they got to know me and what I had to offer. They don’t hesitate to refer me to someone in need of my services.
Watch this video to hear a story of being on the flip side of a relationship, or lack there of…
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