Sixty Minutes to Better Head Space
In about an hour you can completely transform how you feel about yourself and how you feel about your business. In an earlier post I mentioned how I was going to help a client find some opportunities by going door-to-door in a local business park today. We started about 9:40 and were done by 10:30. We intentionally chose to go prospecting on the day before Thanksgiving because it is a good time to catch decision makers who may not have front desk support staff working.
My client started with the approach of introducing himself and then saying, “I do graphic design work, redesign websites and layout brochures. I was wondering if there was anyone in the office that I could speak to about that.” Easy to say and straight to the point. Most visits were 5 minutes or less.
About half the time the gate keeper introduced us to someone else in the office who takes care of marketing.
We came across one doorway and my client stopped dead in his tracks. “I did that logo! I’ve worked for these people before. They were my clients about 2 years ago.” The office was closed for the holiday, but he made a note to check back with this long-lost client.
Towards the end of our hour my client said, “Everyone’s been so nice. There hasn’t been one person who said, ‘Hey, what are you doing here?'” That has been my experience as well. Most people are polite and receptive. Makes me wonder why people who want to build their business don’t go door-to-door more often.
“Everyone’s been so nice. There hasn’t been one person who said, ‘Hey, what are you doing here?'”
Wins
- We found one former client that is ripe for re-opening conversation.
- Received permission to come back to one prospect with recommendations for how he would improve existing communication pieces (web, brochures, logo, etc.).
- Found one big fish prospect. We have good rapport with the gatekeeper who invited us back.
- Opened discussion with one medical practice who welcomed more conversation.
- Discovered one key-man office space that could be a door to her existing 25 clients.