After going to see the movie He’s Just Not That Into You with my daughter not long ago, I couldn’t resist picking up the best-selling relationship guide to get the inside scoop.
Let’s just say that I wolfed down that dating guide faster than a bucket of popcorn at a teen movie. It’s not that I’m looking for dating advice–thanks to my boyfriend, I haven’t had to scramble for a date in almost eight years–it’s just that so much of the advice dished out in the book also applies to selling, an activity that exposes those of us who run our own businesses to rejection and humiliation on an almost-daily basis.
I think we’ve all experienced the frustration of pursuing that elusive client or customer whose lips said “yes, yes” while his checkbook said “no, no.” And who hasn’t felt burned by that client who hired us once and never came back–only to see him a few months later at a networking event chatting it up with the competition? After everything we did to make him happy.
The bottom line: Some clients, for reasons known only to themselves, are just not that into us. And instead of calling them, e-mailing them, inviting them to lunch and making idiots of ourselves, we should accept it and move on.
But hold on, I hear you saying. Sometimes it takes awhile to build a relationship with a prospective customer. After all, if you’ve only met the person at a networking event the night before, you can’t expect him to whip out his checkbook and make a commitment on the spot. Nobody likes a pushy salesperson. You’ve got to play it cool.
OK, that’s fine as far as it goes. But if several weeks have passed (or worse, several months) and that big fish still hasn’t taken the bait, you’re wasting your time if you’re standing around hoping to reel him in. He’s probably still out there in the ocean, swimming along commitment-free.
What’s the solution? Without further ado, I present:
Rosalind’s Five Ways to Tell If Your Prospective Customer or Client Is Just Not That Into You.
1. He’s not returning your calls.
If a prospective client really wants to do business with you, he’ll call you back the same day. Any client who promises to call you back after consulting with his partner, his wife, his cat or his armadillo–and never does–is trying to spare your feelings. Get over it and move on.
2. He hasn’t actually hired you.
Some clients can be pretty sneaky. Under the pretext of doing their homework on you and your company, they’ll spend hours on the phone asking you all sorts of questions, requesting proposals and giving every indication that they’re about to hire you. Don’t be fooled. Until that client actually signs on the dotted line, it’s no more than a midnight booty call.
3. He hasn’t actually paid you.
Many service providers (especially consultants) like to offer a little free advice in the hope the prospective client will hire them once the prospect sees how amazing their work really is. Sometimes this courtship can stretch out for months, even years. Well, guess what? That prospect is not a client until he actually pays you. And if he won’t make a commitment within a reasonable period of time, it’s time to move on to a prospect who will.
4. He still hasn’t broken it off with his old provider.
Who hasn’t gotten a call from a prospective client who’s unhappy with his current law firm, accounting firm, web designer, etc.? I know I’ve heard from plenty of people who’ve had bad experiences with their business plan writer. But if they’re still committed to their current service provider (and still working off the retainer they paid him), there’s nothing in it for you until they decide to break off that relationship and move on.
5. He only wants to see you if you’re picking up the tab.
Mooching off you for free advice is one thing; soaking you for free meals and drinks when you can barely make payroll is unacceptable. If you’re that desperate, go on a date.
I know, I know. It’s tough to give up on a prospective client or customer–especially in today’s economy, but you’ve got to show you mean business if you want to bring business in the door. Otherwise you’re going to waste your time fooling around with prospects who, sad to say, are just not that into you.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 31st, 2009 at 12:43 pm and is filed under Business. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.One Response to “What To Do If Your Customer Is Just Not That Into You”
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April 13th, 2009 at 7:14 am
What a great article. I’m working through these exact issues with prospective clients right now. And yes, I’ve learned the “play it cool lesson” on a real time basis. It’s about handcrafting tiny changes for potential clients to see and take ownership for. Change is hard for humans. I called two prospective clients a day after meeting them each by accident. Neither have come back. I’ll busy myself with others; if they call, then it will be b/c they are ready to listen.
‘Nuf said.
Thanks Rosalind, as always, your sage wisdom empowers. R