Know who you want to know

    New York Times bestselling author and marketing guru Michael Port describes in his article "Know who you want to know" the importance of knowing the business or person that you are contacting. He starts out the article describing a personal experience with someone that approached him asking for business, but who was poorly prepared knowledge-wise. Mr. Port claims that approaching someone without gaining some business intelligence first is worse than simply being ineffective; it is also a turnoff.
    Mr. Port describes tactics in order to be well a prepared salesperson based on these business intelligence concepts. He reinforces that a good salesperson must show up in the know with all the people that they want to know. As long as you are prepared confidence and effectiveness will naturally come to you. The author lists seven tactics in order to implement the ideas discussed in the article.
    First of all, you should know what motivates the person you want to know. It might be business, family or hobbies. Then, you have to research what they’ve accomplished, which can be done through an online search. Thirdly, find out what you have in common – how are your paths crossed? It is also important to know who they know, since both of you might have mutual friends/contacts. Also, try to find out what challenges them, such as knowing the competition they face in business. To wrap it up, you should let them know how they have helped you (be complimentary) and let them know why you are indispensable.

Implication

    Mr. Port points out in this article one of the most important aspects of business, which is business intelligence. Knowing who you’re dealing with in depth is not only a sign of business knowledge, but also a notice of respect and interest. In-depth knowledge should not be overly invasive, but good enough to appreciably touch people’s emotions. In the end, these impressions and reactions do influence in business decisions and could be a differential factor in a negotiation, sale, or meeting.
    The author provided us with seven hints to be more effective and remarkable in regards to business intelligence. Finding out what motivates your contacts can be easily done by noticing their office surroundings. Books, pictures, and other things sitting on their desks are a good clue. Try to learn from them what they are genuinely interested in. It is fairly simple to assess what they’ve accomplished through online search engines (Google, Bing, and Yahoo!) and online networking websites (LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter) currently available. You can see peoples’ faces and learn what awards, public recognitions, or publication announcements exist in regards to them. Based off of that, you can also do your search for commonalities and become more connected to the individual(s) through your common interests.
    Luckily, the online options available cover many of the important aspects of business intelligence. Through these tools you can also easily learn about who they know, and thus assess further connections you may have. Do you have same Facebook friends or Twitter followers? This is a great way to stay connected! Online search engines are an easy way to find their competitor’s websites and learn more about what challenges your target people. In the end, it is important to be appreciative of the support you have received. Let them know how their work and opinions have affected you through a thank you note, e-mail, or phone call. Lastly, make sure to re-state that you are indispensable to them by letting them know why you believe that your help will make their lives easier, better, fuller with the benefits of your product/service.


Gustavo Stille  MBA