TNF #028: Dig your well before you’re thirsty

Welcome Professionals…

…imagine an unknown person, a stranger, who approaches you the first time with a product you do not know, that you may never have heard of. Will you buy? Most likely not. You might ask, what a ridiculous question. What a setup for failure you might say.

Yet, it happens all the time.

dig the well

In my profession as executive search consultant I get unsolicited requests by email, phone and social networks all the time, many per day. Which is completely fine because I am even asking for it. The misconception is for some candidates to believe that I will immediately drop everything I am doing in order to promote their CV to my key contacts although I do not even know them, yet. Some of the candidates get a bit more pushy, few of them get angry if they do not get what they expect.

Why am I telling this? Because I made the same foolish assumptions. I met target clients for the first time, jumped into the meeting, told them – unsolicited – about my credentials and expected them to buy on the spot.

It takes a lot of time to build a brand, a reputation, and finally a relationship to the individual that will become our client. So we better start digging our well before we become thirsty!

Dig deep!

Malte

Thursday Night Flight is brought to you by Malte Müller Professionals. Sharing best practices for top management consultants on topics like communication, client handling, problem solving, appearance, and fitness. Check out www.mm-professionals.com for more material and free resources!

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