A recent newsletter from Business Brokerage Press had an article applicable to all businesses. Its title was, “Are You Shaking Hands Or Hitting Send.”
The gist of the article was too many business brokers use the Internet to advertise businesses for sale, never meet the buyers, and therefore there was no relationship so it became nothing more than a transaction.
In my book Buying a Business That Makes You Rich I tell the following story:
Many years ago, at a professional group meeting, a crusty old salesman pulled me, a young marketing neophyte, aside and drew the following picture on a piece of paper.
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He asked me if I knew what the drawing was, I didn’t know so he told me that no matter what the circumstances, the best way to make a sale was to get belly-to-belly (the drawing represents two people standing belly-to-belly).
Fast forward many years, and meeting people one-on-one still is the best way to communicate and get the results you want, [no matter what your industry].
It’s not just business brokers who take the easy way out. Every industry is affected and I’m not sure if it’s bad training, fascination with technology, laziness, a combination, or something else.
This is why I keep an Excel spreadsheet open on my computer to record the meetings I have every week, by type.
“I prefer people who rock the boat to those who jump out.” Orson Welles