The One That Got Away

“The One That Got Away,”  the title of a very popular song on the airways this year, consist of a message that resounds with many.   The lyrical theme represents a woman, who in retrospect, regrets the end of a relationship from long ago.  Yet it is representative of a feeling that others have experienced singularly in many different situations.

The One In Business

The most common occurrence in business that engenders this type of regret is the loss of a potential client.  This often occurs when a particular meeting goes extremely well but you don’t walk away with the order.   Soon after, you realize that this was one you could have had.  This is one that got away.

How Do I Avoid That Awful Feeling?

Below are some tips that will keep this from happening.  Some are obvious, some not so obvious and some we tend to forget.

1. All meetings should be face to face with all decision makers.
2. You should attempt to close for the business numerous times.
3. If you haven’t already gotten the order, have a pre-determined reason to meet again.
4. Push the envelope and attempt to close one more time.
5. Follow-up the meeting with a phone call the very next day.
6. Follow-up the phone call with a thank you note that, among other things, confirms your next appointment.
7. Attend your next appointment with the same exhuberance that you had at the first.
8. Once again attempt to close numerous times.
9. If you still do not have the business when you leave, follow step five all over again.

You’re not going to win them all.   But you’ll find over the course of your career that the ones you don’t get are seldom from being too aggressive.  More often than not you don’t secure the business from not being aggressive enough. 

 If you follow the above steps you will increase your chances exponentially.  At the very least you’ll know that you did everything you could have and it wasn’t a case of “the one that got away.”

Can you think of a number 10 that should be added to the list?  If so please let us know in the comment section below.

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