Ignore The Gatekeepers
I’ve been reading Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter by Curtis Jackson aka 50 Cent. The benefits of reading in his words how smart he is are…somewhat dubious, but it is entertaining none the less. One of the points that actually hit home for me was about ignoring the “gatekeepers.” All too often, when I’m trying to get in touch with someone for a business meeting (sales pitch), I spend more time than necessary trying to find a way to get an “in.” Having an introduction from a trusted associate definitely has an impact, don’t get me wrong. Whenever possible, that’s the route I will try to go first. But sometimes, even when you have located someone that’s in a perfect position to get you that meeting, they just…don’t. Maybe they got busy and forgot to mention it, that happens to all of us. Regardless of why it didn’t pan out the way you intended, that course of action either isn’t going to work or might take longer than you want to wait. That’s when the lesson about ignoring the gatekeepers comes into play. Sometimes you have to reach out directly and make that connection yourself.
Be Persistent
That’s exactly what I did this morning. Now, because I use Polymail (which I highly recommend), I know that the president of the company read my email. I don’t know how they can track that information, but it’s amazing to get a notification when someone reads your email. He hasn’t responded yet to my offer for coffee or breakfast, but I’ll wait a few days before reaching out again. Next step is a phonecall. If that doesn’t get a response, I’ll have to stop by their offices. This kind of behavior can certainly rub some people the wrong way, but people that are legit businessmen/women will recognize the merit in your persistence. I have nothing to lose by continuing to follow up until I get that meeting, and this company could certainly benefit from the services we are offering, but ultimately they might still pass. Giving a solid pitch for our services might be enough to get his attention, and he might know of someone else that I should go talk to…literally growing our network in the process. Or, he’ll have some underling tell me to fuck off and that’ll be the end of it.
