It’s All About the Follow-Through: Marketing, as with Tennis & Golf

In April 2014, I was selected to be the (youngest ever?) next “Counselor-in-training” with SCORE, the business counseling non-profit funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration. As soon as 1 of the NYC SCORE Counselors read my bio, she recommended me to speak with 2 of her clients, both involved in legal services. I met with one of them today – not as an official SCORE appointment – but as a casual conversation. 1 of the key knowledge nuggets I imparted: “As with tennis or golf, it’s all about the follow-through.”

Have you taken any tennis or golf lessons? I have. I’ve learned that it’s not good enough to strike the ball square. More important is the full swing, including its follow-through. This is exactly the same when it comes to marketing: presentations, networking, trade shows, or any meeting with a potential client or referral relationship:

How do you turn a new relationship into new business? How do you know when it’s time to ask direct questions? What direct questions are you asking? How are you measuring your results; keeping track; keeping score? What market research questions do you ask during in-take? Are you booking a meeting from a meeting? After your presentations, are you asking to present to other groups? Never mind what hasn’t worked in the past. I’ve seen too many clients fail to follow-through on successful meetings. Or, many fail to repeat or build upon successes. Don’t worry about striking balls or striking out; it’s a numbers game after all.  Have you mapped out your follow-through process? How many meetings does it take to convert a potential client into a signed contract?

Vikram Rajan
Telephone: (516) 642-4100
Email: Vik@phoneBlogger.net
Website: phoneBlogger.net