When you initiate a contact without trust, you are setting yourself up for a “No”. It’s a brave new world. Yet, there are still people acting out of desperation and ignorance. Why try failing tactics of interrupting people with cold calls, unsolicited emails and other imposing marketing messages? Those are about what you want. And the script which plays out is predictable:
- You irritate a person
- You get deleted or identified as spam
- You lose opportunities for future engagement
You do the same thing. You block out what is unwanted because you have choices of finding what you want when you want it.
Everyone is busy. We are in survival mode with our inboxes. Sure, I advise a strategy of a ZeroInbox, but it takes ruthless vigilance, work and habit. We have to react to so many inputs and non-essentials that anyone who seeks to engage without permission is setting themselves up for rejection.
Serve Busy People Instead
Think it through. If you want to remain relevant instead of trolling the information highways seeking to peddle goods and services, then ask how people buy. It’s what you do when you want something. Check out my ebook, Bought Not Sold, if you want some direction and strategies. The key is to get your eyes off of your wants and focus them on delivering value for others in a sincere and timely manner.
There is not overnight success with this approach. You can’t throw money at it and think a magical output happens. It takes care and work to build trust today. People are busy. They want value and answers. Give them this in a way that helps them and you are creating opportunities.
It’s much better to be perceived as valuable than a nuisance. Take your pick. Get in the game or ignore it at your peril.
How can you get in the business of helping more?
