“Great to hear from you! Thank you for calling.”
Words you’ll never hear if you’re addicted to social media and limit all your communication to short 140 character messages and Facebook posts.
Social media in its current form has only been around for about 10 years. Heck, the web has only been in mainstream use since about 2002 after the dot com bubble burst.
But humanity has been building relationships by communicating face to face for millennia.
We intrinsically crave connection. Connection that builds up trust. And at its deepest level that can only be done “live”.
So how does this relate to building your business?
Regardless of whether you’re an Accountant, Financial Planner, Business Coach or Plumber, your clients are looking for one thing above all.
Security!
They want to know you can help them get what they want. That you’re the expert in your field. That you will provide wholistic advice and make recommendations that are in their best interest.
In short, they’re buying you!
So you must become their trusted advisor.
But to get to that position takes time. They have to get to know you, like you and eventually trust you.
The web has made this easier. Up to a point.
Readers of this newsletter regularly tell us how much they appreciate the valuable tips we provide and how often the right message gets to them just when they need to hear it.
A great number of you have become clients over the years. And one of the major reasons cited is you feel you can trust us due to our generosity and the value we freely provide.
But here’s the thing.
No one signs up for a major program without speaking to us.
While you can get a good sense for someone via their written communication, nothing takes the place of a live conversation.
Your prospects want to know who you really are.
They’ll have questions, fears and doubts that can only be assuaged through conversation. So assuming your written material on your website or brochures is going to do all your selling is fanciful.
And frankly, you want to know more about them too. Whether you’re going to be able to help. Whether you’ll be a good fit. Whether they’ll take your recommendations and implement or just be a pain in the you know where.
Recently had a conversation with a colleague which highlights the dangers of one way communication.
They offer a free trial to their system via their website. Prospects have been signing up for the trial, but then do nothing.
They’ve built up a multi-step automated follow up system where prospects get sent videos and follow up emails. To no avail.
I asked what to me was an obvious question. “Do you pick up the phone and call them to find out why?”
“No, it’s too hard.”
If people aren’t taking action there’s a reason. And the only way you’ll find out is to ask. Then fix whatever it is.
If you really want to know what’s happening in someone’s head, you have to pick up the phone and call! Relying on social media, sending them an email etc., simply won’t get to the heart of the matter.
And the irony is both of you miss out.
You miss out on a sale. They miss out on using something that could solve their issues and get them their desired outcomes.
Unfortunately many people have fallen for the big lie that social media and other forms of one way communication is the panacea for all marketing ails.
While it certainly has its place, nothing, but nothing beats picking up the phone and talking to someone. Do it. They’ll thank you for it.
