Is Relationship Selling Dead?

July 25, 2012 at 12:15 AM
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Have you noticed that prospects these days are quick to brush you off? They don't seem to have time for chit-chat. Even your best customers don't have time to meet with you anymore. They're crazy busy, struggling to survive in a frenetic workplace. The truth is, they don't need another relationship. They barely get to see their best friends anymore.

So, in one respect, relationship selling is indeed 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.

Valuable Resource

That person could be you. But having a good relationship is simply no longer enough. Instead, you need 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 businesses better. You have to ensure that all your communications with them are relevant to what they're trying to achieve, that you are focused on their priorities.

This is a real shift. Being likeable is no longer sufficient. You have to bring value, so that every meeting they have with you has some form of benefit to them. What you bring to them should be so worthwhile that they are willing to pay for it. And, when you do that, you'll have tons of great—and highly productive—relationships.

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Jill Konrath is the author of SNAP Selling and Selling to Big Companies. If you're struggling to set up meetings, click here to get a free Prospecting Tool Kit. 

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