Desperate times calls for desperate measures but there are no reasons why you should appear desperate or less then forthright.

I just got off the phone with a lovely lady who approached me to have my articles published.  By the middle of the phone call, the conversation turned into a pitch.  It was let down, no matter how good the service might be.

Many marketers and advertisers have become so desperate they approach you with flattery and bait.  Instead of you receiving compensation for your work, you end up having to pay for free advertising.  It just isn’t the best way to reach out to potential clients.  It’s a turn off and leaves you feeling let down… again.

So what can a smart marketer do?  Be forward, announce it like it is.  Don’t be afraid to say you have a product and would like to know if your potential client could be interested.  By reaching out this way, you not only treat them respectfully and in a mature way, but you don’t risk leaving them feeling like it was yet another disguised pitch call.

Ask the potential client if they are in a position or thinking about advertising.  Ask what have their experience been like.  In other words, don’t just talk and pitch, ask how you can be of service… it goes a long way.

In the end, what we are witnessing is a reluctant sales force to come to terms with the mess they help create in the first place.  By approaching potential clients with detours, they are not only wasting their time and the said potential clients but also perpetuating yesterday’s “business as usual”, have to sell no matter system.  It just doesn’t work anymore.

My generation now looks for actions, not words.