Each day of the week seems to be good in some way for business: Tuesday afternoon for a face-to-face meeting. Wednesday afternoon for cold calling. Monday morning for catching up.
What about Fridays?
Most of the time Fridays are a backwater, a dead time because people are either immersed in getting the week completed or checked out completely. But what if we did something different with Friday? Let’s start a new tradition–Find ’em Fridays!
When I was in exhibit sales it was a ploy I used to either reconnect with an existing client or find new ones out of the heap of cards and contacts I had. Now with social media and online databases and files, it has become easier. Here’s an idea:
- Go to your LinkedIn contacts and cruise through the “Connections” tab. Purposely look for people you haven’t emailed, called, seen or heard from in over 6 weeks or longer.
- Pick up the phone and talk with them. Start the conversation with “We haven’t spoken in some time so I thought I’d reach out to you.”
- Alternatively, write an unsolicited, sincere recommendation for at least one person in that list. But be sincere and don’t ask for a recommendation in return. At least not now.
Do this for a number of weeks and keep track of those you talk with. Do the usual followups–thank-you emails and written notes, a second quick follow up call. The numbers might surprise you.
Reaching out and reconnecting a good thing. Statistics show that you get more business from established relationships sooner than if you ahve to start from scratch. But remember to be patient, persistent and consider that this is really about them and not you.
Relentless
