Soft Skills Mini Tip: Be Trustworthy, Not Pushy
In my workshops about networking, I often ask participants what they find irritating about it.
One of the most common complaints is about people who are pushy and out for the sale. One participant I’ll call “Debra,” told me she had met a person, “Joe,” online in a LinkedIn group and subsequently went to his website. In an email to Joe, Debra mentioned she liked his site and then received a call from him the next day.
Joe started out the conversation with, “I just want to know if you are interested in being a client since you’ve looked at my website.”
Then Joe asked Debra if she was happy with her current advisor, and when she said she was, Joe abruptly ended the conversation with, “My other line is ringing.”
What is wrong with this approach? Debra has never met Joe in person and had only had a few email exchanges and one phone call from him. She doesn’t know about his character, or competence, and if she can trust him yet. Research done by Contacts Count found that it takes 6-8 interactions before other people start to know who you are and if they can count on you.
In this case, trust had not been established. Joe just wanted the sale. No wonder Debra found the call memorable enough to mention in the workshop.
Joe’s approach is definitely not networking, but most certainly irritating.
If your a salesperson that’s the dilemma you face to, promote your sincerity, or to try and fit more tasks in. People giving attention to time management will understand. Listening to Marcia will help them understand also.