(By Rick Fink) Fishing is very much like advertising sales. First, we must prospect or fish in the right spots, use the right bait and equipment, and then we must know what we are fishing for. Are you fishing just to catch some fish, or are you trying to land the BIG ONE? And, how do you know when it’s a BIG ONE?
We know that furniture stores, car dealers, and grocery stores all have great potential, but they are not always the big fish. In fact, sometimes you would just as soon throw some of these back! If and when you hook onto what you believe is a big one, there are a few lessons that we can learn from the fishermen.
First, you need to let them nibble a bit; don’t try to set the hook too quickly. Secondly, take your time to reel them in. Just like setting the hook, if you reel too hard and fast, your chance of losing them increases.
If you know you have a prospect with great potential (A BIG ONE), take your time, educate them on how you can help them, ask more questions, have additional meetings to make sure you have all the bases covered, and don’t try to get them in the boat before they are ready. A longer sales cycle typically reaps better success.
The biggest fish, like the biggest prospects, need to be handled with great care. I can tell you that nearly every six-figure account my sales teams landed took 3 to 6 months to get on the air, and in some cases, even longer.
Patience is a virtue! Once you have the hook set, guide them in with due diligence, but be prepared for sudden changes so you can adjust accordingly. If they should decide to swim upstream one more time, give them some line (more information) and then steer them back towards the boat. Your chances of getting them in the boat will greatly increase.
NEVER Stop Learning – Get Better Every Day!
Rick Fink from ENS Media can be reached at 605-310-2062 or at [email protected]. Read Rick’s Radio Ink archives here.
