As consumers, we can learn valuable lessons from our own actions and interactions with other sales professionals. For example, I was solicited by a Westlaw representative about 6 months ago for a subscription to Westlaw, a legal resource that is almost as important for lawyers as a hammer is to a carpenter. Nevertheless, I was unable to justify the cost of the service and wasn't sure how I could ever become a customer of this wonderful and kind sales rep.
Instead of brushing me off or considering me a lost cause, this sales rep continued to stay in touch with me, sometimes through phone calls, emails and even inviting me to certain professional networking events. Every time I took him up on an offer, I thought "gosh, I wish I could repay him..." I knew he was trying to make a good impression, but he never made his offers of help conditional upon becoming a customer...and never pushed me to make a decision he knew I wasn't ready to make.
After SIX MONTHS of staying in touch, I finally decided I could give up my Ferrari (haha) in order to gain access to some wonderful legal tools. I made the commitment and even locked in for THREE YEARS! This guy put in six solid months of "caring and sharing" without giving me the impression it was conditional...and now I'll be paying for HIS Ferrari for the next 3 years.
Is it worth the time and energy to be a valuable asset to someone, even if you can't quantify their value in dollars, and even if you can't see when the relationship will make sense on paper? I say, in many cases, it certainly is.
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