Get Coffee and Make Time to Connect

You live it every day. You wake up to your phone alarm, a riff from your favorite song or perhaps one of the standard tones that sounds like a tug boat is actually in the next room. After a quick check on the traffic from a map app, you frantically respond to the emails and texts sent to you by night owl coworkers and clients. As you drive away from home, panic sets in ... you left the phone on the counter. How could that be? Wasn’t it duct taped to your hand? After making a mad dash back into the house to retrieve your lifeline, you’re finally on your way to work.

Don’t Get Too Wired

After the third episode of your favorite self-help, how to sell, how to lose weight and how to live-a-better-life podcast, you arrive at work. You’re not really at work, it’s a quick stop to load up on caffeine first. I’ll just have a venti black eye, can’t get too wired, you know. OK, now you arrive at work.

As you approach your desk, all you can see is a huge pile of job tickets, billing and proofs that all need your immediate attention. You dive in and give it the old college try, only to realize that after reducing the pile to a small rubble, and you’ve answered 57 emails from the two co-workers who sit right next to you, it’s now 11:30 a.m. and you’ve yet to do the job you actually make money doing – selling. Shucks. Another morning blown. You think about blasting out some emails to that prospect list you have buried on the bottom of your desk but you talk yourself out of it because, you know, it’s almost lunchtime so they probably won’t read their emails right now anyway. Might as well grab a sandwich and get to the selling part RIGHT AFTER LUNCH.

What’s Your Talent?

This ritual goes on in printing companies every day. I know, not in yours, but maybe one that you know of. Selling remains a contact sport. Whether it’s a plant tour, a storefront demo or a new capability dog and pony show, being in front of that prospect or client is important. Maybe your talent is solving problems and bringing new ideas to the table. Regardless of your offering, you’ve got to provide a good reason for that other person to commit to spending time with you. It should be meaningful and relevant, and heck, maybe you can make it fun too.

Face-to-Face Contact

Now, back to the contact sport portion of this post. As you have been totally consumed by your phone from the wake-up call to the umpteenth email and text responses throughout the day, your client/prospect may actually be in the same boat. Running, running and running, but not gaining any ground. Their eyes are glazed over, staring into their screen(s), going about their daily routines. So here’s an idea, why don’t you reach out to them (I know, another email/text), but this time with an invitation to get a coffee. Take them out to their favorite coffee joint, or if they really can’t get out of the office, offer to bring coffee to them and the two of you sit in a quiet place and talk. Yes, talk, you know, an actual face-to-face conversation. Ask them how they are doing, let them know that you’ve been thinking about how to make it easier for them to reach their goals by working with your company. Have a plan, have some ideas, show that you are genuinely interested in them, and don’t forget to show them the petite scones that you brought with the coffee!

It’ll Be OK

It’s just an idea. But in this fast paced world, it’s easy to lose touch with connecting with people. You know, maybe it’s a client or prospect, maybe it’s your CSR, or perhaps the driver that makes you and your company look good every-day. Take time to connect, put the phone down for 20 minutes. It’ll be OK, trust me. If you have questions, let me know. Also, if you have any thoughts on this post or would like to share what’s going on in your world, please get in touch with me. Good luck, let me know how you’re doing, and have fun.

About The Philie Group
Mike Philie can help validate what’s working and what may need to change in your business. Changing the trajectory of a business is difficult to do while simultaneously operating the core competencies. Mike provides strategy and insight to owners and CEOs in the Graphic Communications Industry by providing direct and realistic assessments, not being afraid to voice the unpopular opinion and helping leaders navigate change through a common sense and practical approach. Learn more at www.philiegroup.com , LinkedIn or email at mphilie@philiegroup.com.