 “I thought
I’d reach out.” In the business world it’s a casual phrase
that’s tossed around all the time. · I thought I’d
reach out to tell you a little bit about our company. · I thought I’d
reach out to see if we could set up a time to chat. · I thought I’d
reach out to give you one of our new white papers. · I thought I’d
reach out to introduce myself and make sure you understand my company. And then you can buy something!  OK, that last one was over-the-top. But more broadly, "to reach out"
means to initiate contact with someone, with the implied implication that the
contact will be helpful or beneficial to the person being contacted. The problem is your targeted audience doesn’t
believe you. They’ve been conditioned to
understand that it’s not going to be beneficial for them because those messages
typically result in the one-sided outcomes they’ve experienced time after time. In fact, in all the many ways I’ve been “reached
out to” I remember very few occasions where the implied purpose of a first
meeting was to listen and learn about my situation. Too bad, because shifting from “me-focused”
to “you-focused” is not that difficult, and it yields a much better first
impression.  Just how might a “you-focused” message
sound? Probing statements or questions
that open people up and eventually enable you to answer the ultimate thought
that every prospect has on their mind; “what’s in this for me?” · I’d really enjoy
hearing about your company. · I’d really enjoy
learning about your career and particularly your work at XYZ Company. · I’d be interested
to see where your application fits in the various markets. · I’d be interested
in any background information you can share about the changes facing your
industry.  Wait a second Alan; those aren’t typical
qualification questions. How can those statements
be helpful to my lead generation strategy?
Also, why should an executive feel compelled to bring me up-to-speed or
educate me on her career or company?
Really, I just want to immediately work through my BANT process: 1. Do they have a BUDGET for a project? 2. Does the person I’m
speaking to have the AUTHORITY to
sign the deal. 3. Do they have a NEED for my solution? 4. Have they
established a TIME FRAME for their decision? Yes, I know the example above doesn’t
necessarily reflect the order or all the questions that you might want to know for
your particular situation. But the point
is you’re currently trying to jam every encounter into your sales process and
have dismissed the thought of nurturing prospects to tease out important information
and to build a trust-based relationship over time.  I hate to break the news to you, but
your prospect is just not that into you.
If you’re hoping your prospect is “struggling” with [blah blah blah] and
that they’re losing sleep and will instantly anointed you as their “trusted
advisor” … well, as they say, “hope is not a strategy.”  “I thought I’d reach out” or “I just
wanted to touch base” messages are best sent once you’ve earned trust. Otherwise they are viewed as just another
gimmick to try and gain attention. |
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