Getting ahold of the unreachable.
Communication in the Small Business world is key. This is how you meet people, make an impression, make a connection, and keep them. How about getting a hold of someone who seems unreachable? It seems like a huge feat. Call after call, and email after email. My mom is the boss at this. She will call, email, and even send a personal card if she really wants to make a connection. In fact, she has even showed up unannounced. Now, I am not saying you need to stalk this person, but if you want to make connections, you do need to be persistent but not annoying. How she does this is not only being persistent but being personable. This is key.
Let’s start with email:
Email is an easy way to connect with a business connection. Although an email is straightforward, remember to sell it. An executive at a Fortune 500 company may get hundreds of emails a day. What will make yours stand out? Especially if you have not made the connection just yet, it is a bit harder. Make your subject line simple. Do your research, and make sure to have a subject line that will make the recipient open it. You want to lure them in (without being the big bad wolf in Little Red Riding Hood). Remember to get straight to the point in your email. I can’t tell you how many times I delete an email if is way too long. Also, make sure you are grabbing
Pick up the phone:
When was the last time you dialed someone’s number? This is a lot more effective. Out of the hundreds of emails, how many people actually take the time to give someone a ring? Not as many, that is for sure. This is a way to get your foot in the door, even if this is a follow up of an email previously sent. There is always a chance you may need to leave a voicemail. Remember that just because you left a voicemail, does not mean they will call you back, let alone listen to it.
Make an impression:
Your email, or phone call could be your only introduction to a potential customer or a business contact. Make it count. Whether it be a personal handwritten letter, or sending them cookies, make it yours. Now, this has to be strategic. I would not advise that you go to someone’s office every day, because I am pretty sure that will get annoying fast, but I do think making an impression is important.
Every interaction matters. Even if you do not get a response right away, an impression was made. Let’s keep it a positive one!
For more insights on marketing strategy that actually works for small business, subscribe to the FreshLime Newsletter here. Connect with Jay Bean, Founder of FreshLime and Small Business Marketing Expert on LinkedIn and Twitter. And last of all, if any of these tips have helped you or if you have anything to add please comment below. We’d love to hear from you!
Resources & great reads on this topic:
http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/sales-persistent-without-annoying-sa
http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/tips-emailing-busy-people