The Lady Vanished
Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day is a great time to strategize the coming year. Those five weeks are perfect for focusing on developing marketing plans, determining budgets, and hustling new clients.
So I wasn’t terribly surprised when I heard from a local business consultant wanting to talk about our working together. Seeing my range of services, she thought there was a potential relationship worth exploring.
She initially pursued me aggressively on LinkedIn, requesting an in-person meeting to discuss our collaboration efforts. LinkedIn showed us having hundreds of people in common, so I considered it…until I discovered nobody I checked with actually knew her.
Instead, I agreed to a 10am Zoom meeting the Friday after Thanksgiving…despite my bride’s unhappiness about my working that day.
With the appointment now set, her assistant called to tell me this would actually be a sales call. Instantly, I felt I was being set up as the prospect for a service I neither wanted nor needed.
I immediately canceled the appointment, and within minutes heard back that the topic was, in fact, strategic alliance building.
Someone obviously didn’t have their act together.
Still, I’d made the commitment and appeared as scheduled…only to be stood up. After waiting 20 minutes, I sent her a note and left.
Naturally, she popped up again several days later explaining that she’d been tired and had forgotten about the call. But I find myself now seriously questioning if this is someone I’d want to be associated with.
Okay, I know everyone makes mistakes, and I’m being too judgmental. Only my time has value, and I judge professionalism, in large part, by how you keep promises you’ve made.
So far she’s blown it. Indeed, even if I do talk with this woman, she’s already got two strikes against her.
Growing a business is all about building and maintaining relationships, and the toughest time in a relationship is when it’s in its infancy. It’s always true that you should work like hell to keep any commitment you make, but especially with someone new.
As you’re strategizing the coming year, give some serious thought to promises you’re making and bust your chops to keep those promises.
Because nobody wants to feel they’re being taken for granted…and “I’m tired,” just isn’t a good enough excuse.
With that said, I wish you a week of profitable marketing.
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