Go the Extra Mile
I’ve always found that if I tell someone I’m going to be in New York (less than three hours by train) they say, “That’s nice, but I’m busy that day.” If I tell someone I’m going to be in Chicago, a two-hour plane ride, they say, “Let me see if I can reschedule in order to meet with you.” If I’m heading for San Francisco, almost five hours by plane, they’ll say, “What day and time are best for you?” And if I’m traveling to Hong Kong, a half-world away, where I’m currently holding meetings, I’m told, “Let me host you. We’ll go to dinner and I’ll provide introductions.”
The farther you travel, the more people are willing to go out of their way to accommodate you. (Remember the old rubric, a consultant is someone with a briefcase more than a few hours from home?)
Invest in the air fare. Drive for six hours and stay overnight. If you’re meeting with a buyer it’s worth it every time. I’m weary of people who don’t want to invest in their own success.
A guy actually asked on Facebook (where else?): “What’s the cheapest way to get involved with you so that I can build my business?” He didn’t ask the most effective way, he asked for the cheapest way. I wonder if he’d ask for the cheapest heart surgeon?
Invest in your success, there are no finer potential dividends anywhere. Part of that investment is the time to go see legitimate buyers for an hour or so. If you want to stay home and sit by the phone, that’s fine, but be aware that at some point you’ll no longer be able to pay the phone bill.
© Alan Weiss 2013
Noah
This week I flew to meet a buyer. He was both shocked and impressed that I was willing to get on plane to come see him. He cleared most of his afternoon schedule to meet with me. We had a fantastic meeting for about an hour and a half.