theLeaseBlog - Leasing Jobs

Imagine prospecting a fabulous vendor on the very day they are contemplating changing leasing companies. You float out of that sales call as if you hit the lottery.

When networking or prospecting your goal is to make a connection with a vendor or a lessee. A new business relationship connection is similar to a relationship with a new romantic partner, it’s all about timing and chemistry.

Unfortunately, in real life calling on a great prospect the day they are thinking about switching leasing companies happens less than 2% of the time. Most of your prospects will tell you that they are happy with their current source. Then you have to apply persistence to your timing. Timing is not a one shot deal; it’s keeping your name in front of the prospect on a consistent basis. Being persistent usually brings surprising success.

For example, shortly after committing myself to the leasing profession I started calling on Brunswick Surgical, a medical equipment vendor with fourteen sales reps. They quickly informed me that they had a long term relationship with Copellco, and they were very satisfied. I saw the potential of this account and I persistently called on them. Each time I left them with a sales tip or an idea for how they could increase their equipment sales. (If I was prospecting today I might send them an article from theLeaseBlog ;=)) Eventually their Copellco rep was promoted. They then gave me a shot at their business. It turned into a win/win situation for both of our companies.

The timing was not ideal at the beginning of the relationship, but with planning, effort and resilience I hung in there until the timing was right.

Chemistry comes into play because regardless of your timing the prospect wants to do business with whom they can get along.. Someone they feel compatable or connected with, someone with whom they can relate. If there is no chemistry how do you get past the obstacle of their first application being declined? The chemistry, the rapport will give your vendor the desire to give your company another shot.

Included in chemistry is respect and trust. Communication with your prospect works when it’s based on mutual respect. This means treating every person in their organization cordially and with dignity. Would you want to start a business relationship with a sales person that you feel you can’t trust? Maybe you are trustworthy, but your initial approach to the prospect was filled with false flattery. I’ve witnessed sales people on a cold call trying so hard to be liked that the prospect is rolling their eyes and can’t get rid of the salesperson fast enough. The prospect is left felling “icky”. That is not the start of a respectful and trusting business relationship.

I believe that to be worthy of a prospects’ trust we have to earn it. We earn it with clear communication on many levels: face to face, over the phone, through e-mail, fax and direct mail. When we approach the prospect on these different levels we gain credibility for our company and we stay away from the “icky” feeling that comes from an amateur sales person.

Getting to the point in the relationship where you can experience proper timing and social chemistry requires patience, persistence and practice. Be patient with yourself, trust in your plan. Persistence means that giving up is not an option. You are a leasing sales professional. Act like it! Practice new ways of thinking, new attitudes and flexible behavior patterns. Eventually new habits with proper timing and chemistry will turn into new accounts.