by Nick Miller of Clarity Advantage

In which we are reminded that our clients make decisions to change based on a broader set of factors than cost savings and that, sometimes, cost savings isn’t even first on the list.

I answered the ringing phone at 5:15 pm. Every sales rep’s dream, right? Get to the senior executive after 5:00, when the gatekeeper is gone? The sales rep at the other end of the line, Jamie, sounded a little startled to hear my voice.

Jamie: “Mr. Miller?”

Me: “Yes.”

Jamie: “Um…er… This is Jamie Enders at Vital Communications. I’ve been speaking with your assistant, Carla.”

Me: “Yes, I’m aware of your conversations.”

Jamie: “Oh, good. Well, I’d like to come in to meet with you for 20 minutes to show you how we can save you money on your phone bill.” [This meant: "I haven't been able to convince Carla and I'm hoping I can persuade you."]

by Nick Miller of Clarity Advantage

From the “Unreferred Approaches to Prospects” Department: We are reminded that we can’t pitch our benefits to prospects unless we first get their attention.

“Pitching benefits to prospects is a complete waste of time”

I was at the office pretty late Friday night. Tooled into the house around midnight. Why? Email. LOTS of email…combined with “Nick’s Rule of Roughly 20” which goes something like, “You can’t leave the office Friday night until there are roughly 20 or fewer emails in your email box.”) Needless to say, Friday night is NOT a big date night for me.

However, on many Friday nights, I am delighted because my email box has filled with cold-approach prospecting emails. And I read all of them.

And, do you know what I’ve learned? Pitching benefits in those cold approach emails is a complete waste of time… IF… the email senders want me to pay attention to their messages. Their benefits and whoop-dee-doo roll into an indistinguishable drone:

• Decreased X  by over 10% in the first 3 months of engagement
• Increased Y  by 23% in 5 months
• 30% – 40% decrease in Z  year over year

True, but completely predictable and, therefor, booooooooooring. Will not get prospects’ attention.

What to do differently?

by Nick Miller of Clarity Advantage

In which we are reminded to focus on our clients’ voices to silence the voices in our heads.

There was a summer night, years ago, when I returned to Woods Hole, Massachusetts on the evening’s  last ferry from Martha’s Vineyard. While I was staying with friends in Woods Hole, I had been out on the Vineyard for the day, enjoying the beach and reading Stephen King’s book, ‘Salem’s Lot, a story about a pretty Maine country town…overtaken by vampires. Hiding. In the dark. And people being snatched away. And dying. You know,  a little light summer beach reading a year after reading Jaws.

Docked in Woods Hole, pre-occupied with the story, I walked silently off the ferry with other day-trippers and boarded the parking shuttle bus. A mile up Woods Hole Road, the driver let me out at the end FR Lilly Road, a 400 meter straight shot into the moonless Cape night,  framed by overhanging trees and vines leading toward my friends’ cottage.