I’ve talked before about taking the long game with prospective clients. As was drilled into me long ago, people are ready to buy when they’re ready — or more specifically, when you’ve built trust and demonstrated value. It’s your job to listen, find solutions, and, along the way, check all their boxes for them.
Business clients aren’t much different from end users. They have needs they’re trying to meet. Sometimes it just takes longer before you come together.
If a prospective business client isn’t ready to sign up today, that’s fine. Generally, they’ll be ready when they’re ready. My record from first contact to signing up a retail dealer is seven years. My previous record was five years.
I only bring those up because they’re extreme examples. Most of the time, it’s not more than a month or two from first contact to a signed dealer account.
Playing the long game has usually worked out for me. Usually.
Not always, though.
There’s one Canadian retailer I’ve been talking with on and off for years. We’ve had initial discussions periodically, but I was never able to find the right levers to pull to check off all their boxes.
The company’s buyer was always pleasant but kept putting me off. They always wanted to revisit next quarter — or the quarter after that. Usually, the refrain was “things are a little slow right now.”
And I, the guy who is all about follow-up, followed up — diligently.
I didn’t hound them; that’s not my style. I just put them in my CRM (customer relationship management) system and checked in every six months.
Anyway, between my previous check-in, when they told me they weren’t ready to add new lines, and my last one, they filed for creditor protection and ceased all operations, closing more than 90 locations.
On one hand, it’s a drag that my follow-up never paid off and I never signed them up.
But on the bright side, they didn’t owe us money.