The Smokin’ Hottie Client: Cold Calling vs Relationship Building

Today I answered a question on LinkedIn about “Starting the Client Friendship.” The question, posed by Clint of Eye Say was, “How do you initiate a client relationship via email or over the phone without it being/sounding creepy?”

Zoinks, the cold call! Just thinking about cold calling or e-mailing makes me shiver. Not in a good way.

I’ve never found the right thing to say and I always feel creepy afterwards. So I stopped doing it.

Yep. Cold turkey on the cold calls and e-mails.

What I do now is build relationships in an organic way. Virtually all of my business comes through networking, word-of-mouth, or casual meetings.

However, if there’s a prospect I really want to work with and I don’t know them, there are a few things I do to start a relationship.

1. Check my network to see if someone I already connect with knows this prospect. Maybe I can get an introduction.
2. See if they’re on one of the social media sites I frequent. Twitter is perfect. I just start by following them. Click! Maybe I’ll send them a useful tweet or simply say hello. Yes, just hello. Not, “Hello, I’m an illustrator and I can illustrate something great for you today!” Blech. Wait. I have to go wash my hands before number three…
3. If you feel an unstoppable force pushing you to cold call or e-mail, well, okay… do it. Except, rather than shove down their throat all the wonderfulness that is you and your service (see also #2 above), simply explain what you do (briefly. Sum it up and shut up) and then ask the contact something about their company that isn’t obvious, like “I’m curious about who your ideal customers are?” or “Who designed your web site? I like the navigation.” Whatever you ask, make sure it comes from something real and true, not fake fluffy flattery or a thinly-veiled attempt at getting them to view your portfolio.

The point is, you want to start a conversation that isn’t a sales pitch. Hopefully you can build a long-term relationship that will result in business down the road. You can’t fake this. People will see through fakery and you’ll cause more harm than if you never contacted them at all.

Think about why you’re even pursuing this relationship. Is it because they’re a hugely successful person or company and you want to work with amazing people? Is it because you think you’ll make a lot of cash from them?

It’s okay to be honest and say the latter. Who doesn’t want to make a ton of cash for the thing they do? But if tons of cash is the only reason, your relationship isn’t going to last long.

It’s like marrying someone only because they’re a smokin’ hottie. In about 20 years, the smoke will clear. So there better be something deeper under the hotness.

If you marry a smokin’ hottie who also possesses depth and intelligence, then you’ll be more inclined to stay in that relationship despite economic disasters and a few botched projects.

Wait. Were we talking about people or clients? Guess what? If you can’t tell the difference, that’s a great thing. Hold onto that concept.

This relationship-building thing takes patience. Lots of patience. Like, more patience than the DMV. But it’s worth it, and it beats the hell out of cold calling any day.