People Have to Like It

Do people like what you’re doing? 

It’s such a basic question but it’s probably one we should ask ourselves more often. Not because we need to be liked, but because when you ask somebody for something (like a meeting or to be your client) it’s kind of helpful if you don’t piss them off in the process. 

So, do you personally know people who like what you’re doing in marketing and sales? 

Let’s pretend I’m one of your prospects. These are potential sales and marketing activities in my “like” and “dislike” buckets. 

Like: 

• Reading blogs

• Listening to podcasts

• Watching helpful/interesting videos

• Networking (for real)

• Receiving gifts in the mail 

• Attending interesting events/speaking sessions

• Getting emails, phone calls, or LinkedIn messages that are specifically for me. 

Dislike: 

• Getting emails, phone calls, or LinkedIn messages that are lightly customized to make them appear as if they’re specifically for me. 

• Networking (as a thinly veiled sales tactic)

I would guess we overlap on 90% of these “likes” and “dislikes” - as do almost all of your prospects. So it’s strange that as an industry, we continue to rely so heavily on the things we would never want ourselves - and expect our prospects to have different reactions than we do. 

When things aren’t working

Our attraction to the items in the “dislike” bucket comes down to time. It’s so easy (and fast) to ask 1,000 people we don’t know for a meeting rather than research and email twenty we want to get to know. The temptation is real - and it’s just as real for everyone else too. That’s part of why it isn’t working. How frequently are you sent a thoughtful email or LinkedIn message that you can tell has only been sent to you? And if that rare event occurred, would you respond? 

Some people are saying that cold outreach is dead. But we’re the ones killing it. This stuff used to work really well because people actually did it the right way. Not because we were better, but because we didn’t have the automations shortcuts that increased volume while driving down quality.

A different lens

Now, look at these two lists with a different lens. As an agency leader, which of these activities do you like or dislike creating yourself? I’m guessing there won’t be much change. And if you can make yourself and your clients happier - shouldn’t you? 

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Most relationships go a lot like how they start - if you’re respectful and thoughtful from the get-go, they’ll probably last a lot longer than those that start with just trying to get lucky.