With all the hubbub about Social Media platforms I thought this interesting? I also am awfully disappointed in all of them. As a Cluetrain guy – well, we had hope!
I know a titch about selling. Did pretty well at it. and just received my umpteeth solicitaion on Linkedin. Yay!
I will share my reply to this person who wanted to add me as their connection and a then with a predictable one-two-punch … the wealth, retirement and financial security pitch. Eeeek.
I wrote them this reply – I have written something like this before to some of the others – no responses as yet. I don’t expect a response from this person either. Maybe use it as a cautionary tale? And there have been no pattern of sales typs. Old, young, male and female and all from companies I never heard of?
Y’all simply can’t sell.
Here are my thoughts on Selling.
The Note
Hi
I am not trying to be pissy or rude here I am just curious. I have always been a very curious person and you add that to being a senior and retired, well I found this fascinating.
If you are like some – or most – of the folks that have solicited me, here on LinkedIn, you won’t reply. I understand if you don’t.
Not sure but did you check- at the very least – my profile here prior to the sales message?
If you did you will first and foremost see I am retired, and old, and have been for a while now. Not the old part but depending on who ya talk to these days being over 40 is old? LOL!
If you didn’t I am curious how I became a “suspect?” Certainly not a “prospect” in any sense. And I know from the 40+ years selling and as past-President of the Direct Marketing Association and no stranger to lead-gen am – as mentioned before curious – why me?
If is is simply a “cold call” cool.
When I was working and selling or running a sales team I made sure we always checked out something about whomever I wanted to do business with? And that was only marketing communications ergo really didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things! But wealth management and my financial future?
Hell in successful pitches with some of the ad agencies and the professional consulting firm I ran we knew just about everything before we said “So, any today, Ma’am?”
Sales to me is 90 percent homework.
So as a die-hard direct marketer why contact me?
Pete
PS: I am a devoted Og Mandino cultist.