Last week I gave a presentation to a local business club. The presentation outlined the seismic changes underway in marketing and advertising, and to a certain extent, sales and customer service. I firmly believe to fully take advantage of any opportunity, you must understand the environment. After I had outlined the changes underway and their potential impact, I urged the group to take a new approach to dealing with their customers, clients and prospects.
The closing slide was entitled “Think Differently.” I challenged the group to leave behind the ABC (always be closing) mentality of Glengarry Glen Ross, and develop an approach based on building and maintaining relationships. Thinking differently requires a new set of skills:
- Be a learner;
- Be patient;
- Be a contributor;
- Be a planner;
- Be a skeptic; and
- Be yourself.
I think each point is worth a discussion of its own, so over the next few weeks, I’ll elaborate on each, starting with the importance of embracing learning as a way to stay engaged in your market.
