| A member of Peer to Peer related a story this morning that shows the power of relationships. He had been doing business for about a year with a client in Massachusetts. It was good business, but not as much as it could be. Then, he and his fellow Peer to Peer members had a conversation about the power of developing real relationships with people instead of just knowing each other and doing transactions. He decided to try it with his client in MA.
Last time he saw the client he didn’t talk about business. Rather, he found out about the person with whom he was doing business. In the course of the conversation they each discovered a shared passion for fast cars, and the fact that each owned a vintage “really fast” car. He got to drive his client’s car, and is showing up with his car next time he visits. Oh by the way, he got some new business as well.
Another member who was in the same Peer to Peer conversation tried the same thing with a new prospect. He got to know the prospect and helped the prospect get to know him. Who they really were, what their passions were, and what their goals and aspirations entailed. At the close of the conversation the prospect said that “you have spent more time with me today than my current provider has spent with me in the past five years”. Our friend is bidding on the business. My bet is on him to get it.
It’s all about the person, it’s not about the product or service. That stuff will come out and be discussed. And when it does it will be in the context of solutions that the prospect or client is asking for, not things you’re trying to sell to them.