Prospecting Isn’t Easy Charlie Brown

No One Ever Said It Was Easy

Receiving e-mails from my clients that they have closed NEW BUSINESS from a prospect that I cultivated for them.

I got one such email today from a client, who is not only a long-standing RSW/US client, but an agency of people who have become friends.

This agency has been working with RSW/US since the start of the company and is one of our longest relationships.

I’ve been calling this prospect so long, I feel like I am his friend too!

Looking back at this prospect’s contact record in our database, I’ve been reaching out to this company since November 2008 – nearly three years.

This is something that everyone in business development needs to understand – whether you’re working with a firm like RSW/US or doing it by yourself.

A Marathon, Not A Sprint

You have to have a lot of stamina and endurance and be willing to go the full 26 miles – or nearly three years of conversations and email exchanges to get that new account.

And like Charlie Brown, there are going to be days when it feels like Lucy has just pulled that football out from underneath you.

But if you believe that a company is a good fit for your agency, stay after them, because you never know when their needs may change.

Stay Relevant

So how did I keep this relationship with my prospect going for so long?

I tried to stay relevant in his world.  I sent him emails about news items and current events in his sector.

I made periodic phone calls – just to check in.

I mailed him examples of new work our agency had done.

But mostly, I have to attribute a lot of it to sheer persistence and consistency.

If you continue to reach out to these marketing directors, despite the overwhelming amount of information they receive from other agencies, you can and will eventually break through.

So many agencies give up too quickly.  If you work that hard to get their business, it’s a great testament to how you will service their account once they are a client.

The Right Tools & The Right Mindset

Technology can help you with much of this: setting up Google Alerts for the prospect, looking up their bio on LinkedIn, following their Twitter account, or even as basic as scheduling quarterly reminders to reach out to that prospect.

Think of it as a game, a challenge on what you can do to show your value – not just your work but your creative thinking and experience – to this prospect.

If you’re running a marketing agency, you don’t have time to do this for 100 prospects or even 50; but you might have time to do this for a handful of people.

You probably already know of a few companies in your market with whom you would love to work, companies that your agency could help.

Put on your running shoes, set up your calendar alerts and give it a shot.  When you land that new account, let me know and I’ll do the Snoopy dance with you.