BY WHEN? AND WHY?

I have a client, who’s  a self  taught Project Manager

He started out in the construction industry as a ‘Joiner’ and then worked hard to become a very experienced and effective Project Manager. During that time he has developed two favourite questions, by when? And, why?

These two questions put the people he is managing under real pressure because they have to tell him what he needs to know, now!

He insists on full answers that are simple, straightforward and honest.  He uses the information gathered to get the whole team pointing in the right direction, to take sensible steps forward and to do so as economically as possible.

When variations to the plan take place he always implements his favourite questions, because they get him reams of information i.e. they both help to expose and solve problems.

Well, he might be a good PM but he’s not very good at marketing his services! He tends to rely on merely doing a good job in the hope that his efforts are appreciated by someone. Sadly it doesn’t always work out that way for him.

So we put a few alternative suggestions to him that would generate new leads for his services.  He quite liked the sound of our direct mail methodology. I think he liked it because we based it on one of his favourite words, why!

We produced a mailing piece that had the title:

 ‘10 Things You Must knows Before You Employ a Project Manager’.

It contained ten key questions that any potential client needs to know the answers to before he appoints a PM. Of course, and not by coincidence, our client had the necessary combination of qualifications, relevant work experience and knowledge of the particular sector the campaign was aimed at.

Within days of having sent it out, and without any form of follow up, he received four invitations to attend exploratory talks with potential clients. We actually followed up his original mailing with six follow on postcards. The final results ended up with his having received ten requests for discussion and he eventually secured two full fee paying commissions!

So, sometimes it’s important to find out ‘WHY’ something is important and by ‘WHEN’ it needs to be done!

If you need some help with this sort of thing you know a man who can help.

“I HAVE NOW GOT TO A POINT IN MY LIFE, THAT I NOW DON’T BELIEVE ANYTHING I HEAR, AND ONLY HALF OF WHAT I CAN SEE”

So what do you say to some one in reply to that statement?

I also believe he meant it!

But I’m here to help him. That’s my job. To help others to get what they need and want!

But as our discussion unfolded I could feel myself getting ‘push back’ all the time.

Doesn’t he want to benefit from out time together?

Well, after 20 minutes I decided that I was talking to a brick wall, so I thanked him for his time, I got up and headed for the door. Job done, lesson learned.

But then he said “If I was to buy your idea what guarantee can you give me that I’m going to get a return on my investment”. I turned and said “there is no guarantee, however, I am so convinced that my direct response campaign will work for you that if it doesn’t I will give you your money back”.

Without really appreciating what I had done, I later realised that in effect I had made buying from me for the first time easy.

I had transferred all the risk from him to me

Fortunately, or was it because I know what I’m doing, the campaign payed off handsomely and I am now one of John’s trusted advisors.

Phew!

So if you need a no risk direct response campaign to generate you some prequalified leads that will bring you the results you desire, you know a man who can!