Personality over Product?
Today i was contemplating one of the more unintuitive aspects of being on the front line of client relationships. (notice how i’m trying desperately to avoid saying sales) After many years in trenches it slowly dawns on a seasoned (old) professional that personality, or presence, does more for customer acquisition than most anything else (for service oriented providers at least). Don’t believe me? Ask around. Best place to start is with customers. Ask them why they chose you? See if they don’t come back with something stewed in the amygdala. Oh they’ll come up with a few practical or logical things to toss into the mix as a futile duck and cover from the simple truth. They had a ‘feeling’ or the meeting ‘felt right.’ Personality and the mystical ‘chemistry’ has more to do with a successful business connection than any preparation, product or portfolio… But you have to be authentic (or a gifted thespian).
Take away? Be honest, go for work or projects you really want to work on and try to objectively make sure you’re a match for them folk. Oh, you don’t get out of your homework. You still have to be prepared and have something worth while to say. Sorry.
