Is relationship selling dead? It sure feels like it these days. Your prospects are quick to brush you off. They don’t have time for chitchat. Shoot. Even your best customers don’t seem to have time to meet anymore. They’re crazy busy, struggling to survive in a frenetic workplace. The truth its, they don’t need another relationship. They barely get to see their best friends anymore.
So in one respect, relationship selling is dead. But here’s the good news. Underneath all that get-to-the-point behavior and failure to return your calls is a normal human being who desperately wants relationships with people who can help them achieve their work objectives.
That person could be you. But having a good relationship is simply no longer enough. Instead, you have to focus on being an invaluable resource. You have to constantly bring your prospects and clients ideas, insights and information to help them run their business better. You have to ensure that all your communications with them are relevant to what they’re trying to achieve — and even better yet, focused on their priorities.
This is a real shift. Being likeable is no longer sufficient. You have to personally bring value — so that every meeting with you has a payback for them. Seriously. What you bring to them should be so worthwhile, that they should be willing to pay for it. And, when you do that — you’ll have tons of great — and highly productive — relationships.
