We all want more sales and we want them sooner rather than later. Sales is an impatient mistress and she wants constant attention and immediate gratification.

In late May or early June I met a great guy who wanted a website and some general marketing help. No problem. We met for a little more than an hour, I spent some time in front of my computer doing some research and filling in my proposal template until, whalla, everything he needed was on paper and the price was fair, maybe even a tad low. I emailed the proposal. Have you guessed what happened next?

I called the next day to follow up. He said he hadn’t had time to read it yet and asked if I could call him back. No problem. No worries. A week passes and the same conversation takes place. Two more weeks pass and he, very politely, tells me he’s going to talk to some other folks because it is a big and important investment. That makes perfect sense but it felt like the opportunity was slipping away. It happens in sales. I asked if I can call him back in a week and he says, “sure.” Voicemail again.

Two weeks later I leave another voicemail and no response. Ugh. I finally reach him a few days later and he says he’s still looking. By the way, this entire time we are both very friendly and relaxed with one another. The way we talked to each other you’d think we’d known each other for years and didn’t have a care in the world.

I dial him up this week, two and a half months after our first meeting, ready to leave my cheery voicemail or, if I do get through, be told to call back in a week. Instead, he answers and asks if I can be there Wednesday because, “we’ve decided to go forward. We appreciate your (my) patience and professionalism and, in fact, that’s one of the reasons we want to work with you.” Huh? Okey-dokey. Look who’s happy now.

I’m excited about the project, obviously, but there’s more. Making cold calls is one of the worst parts of being a solopreneur but, thanks to this experience, it just got a little easier.

Steve

Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink