The Sweet Stubbornness of A New Business Director: A Success Story

Ah, how nice to bask in sweet success!  This New Business Director just finished scheduling a meeting for a client at the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas next week (5/7 through 5/9/13).

Did I say Sweet Success?!?

Yes, as I look at my records of the reach out to this particular prospect there are no fewer than 3, yes 3, incidents where I dialed the prospect, the phone was picked up and then put immediately back in the cradle!

“OH NO, SHE DIDN’T!!!”

Yes, she DID…

 

How can you get someone at “hello” when she hangs up 3 times without even 1 hello?

This is definitely not my favorite scenario when this talented and brilliant NBD makes cold calls on behalf of my talented and brilliant clients.

And the prospect worked for a company that was a perfect match to my client’s expertise.

Soooo, I got stubborn.

Very, very, very stubborn [my angel is whispering in my ear “determined or maybe persistent” but I fear I was listening to the devil after that 3^rd hang-up, which was “the charm”].

In this case stubbornness manifested itself in:

 

-a carefully positioned and worded email

-pointing out how my client’s expertise has benefitted other businesses

-with a picture of the work

-ending in an invitation to reach back to me with a time to chat at the show

 

(I really hoped not to have to dial that phone again).

The prospect responded via email:  “I would like to hear what you have to say.  What day works best for you?”

Within 10 minutes of receiving this email, the meeting was on the calendar.

And, yes, that was done via a phone call.

Today’s moral is the same as that in my last blog on new business development:

Persistence (or stubbornness) pays off.

 

Post by RSW/US New Business Director Catherine Ross