Last week, I was out in the Hotlanta sun, pulling weeds in the garden in my front yard. A lawn care truck pulled up and a guy got out and sprayed the weeds in my neighbors’ yard. He looked at me several times, but he didn’t approach me. I’d been working long enough that had he asked, I would have gladly paid him to finish my job. But, he drove off. He missed a golden opportunity to impress me…and get my business in the future.
So, what happened? Maybe he assumed that if I wanted his help, I would have asked him. Maybe he thought I was enjoying myself. (Ha!) Maybe he just didn’t care. Who knows?
How many times have we missed a great business opportunity because we didn’t take a moment to simply ask if our assistance would be helpful? Maybe we didn’t want to intrude or to seem pushy. Or worse, maybe we assumed they would simply know about our product or service – like they were mind readers.
Social media presents us with an excellent opportunity to listen to what people may need. Every day, I read posts from people who “need” something. Sometimes it’s a casual comment while other times it’s a direct “I need help.” How many times have you seen these types of posts and thought to yourself “Gee, self. I can help them but…” and then you do nothing?
Now, I’m not saying to jump in to the conversation and virtually scream “I CAN HELP!” You need to be more subtle.
Think about the tactic taken by the salespeople in your favorite retail store. They approach you and offer their assistance if needed…then they back off. But, they keep an eye on you so they can quickly offer assistance or guidance when needed. The retail stores you like the least probably either have salespeople who won’t leave you alone – or totally ignore you.
When someone may need your product or service, consider replying something along the lines of “If you’re interested, I may have a solution.” Of course, there are times when you can provide more info about how you can help and there may also be times when you need to contact them privately. When you’ve listened to the conversation, you’ll know the appropriate steps to take.
What’s key is to take some type of action. Don’t assume they’ll psychically know about you. Be tactful…and respectful.
And, if you still want to hesitate, just think about how you’ll feel if you take no action and they were helped by (gasp!) your competitor! Are you letting potential business “walk away” from you?
Thoughts? Feel free to comment below.
