Belly to Belly Business Building

If you rely solely on the yellow pages and the phone to build your commercial and institutional business, you're missing the boat . . .

In the commercial and institutional marketplaces, nothing takes the place of a Belly-to-Belly meeting. There are more benefits of meeting in person than you may realize, including:

1. You will pick up details you would otherwise miss: When you look prospects in the eyes, you can communicate your sincerity and confidence. Their eyes in turn will either communicate the trust they have in you—or let you know if they have unanswered questions.
    
2. The customer can get a sense of who you are: For small expenses, a telephone discussion may be all you need. But for larger cost services, there's no replacement for the face-to-face presentation. If the prospect doesn't know you, how can he or she trust you? — they will feel very uncomfortable handing over a large sum of money to a perfect stranger, no matter how many testimonials in your brochure.
    
3. You get a firsthand look at the situation: Taking time to tour a prospect's location will help you build a bond with that person. While you're there, you'll probably uncover details about the size of the business, and its day-to-day operations—and any potential problems dealing with your service. Plus, you'll be able to meet other people in the organization, any of whom have the potential to bring you more commercial as well as residential business.
    
4. Cuts through the nonsense: I can't say enough about body language. Your posture, gestures and confidence say the things about you that a customer simply can't get over the telephone. It's easy to misunderstand the written word or a voice over a phone line.

It's not always possible to sell Belly-to-Belly. Sometimes it's just too far to travel, or you may not have the time. When it's impossible to make the trip, use every technological advantage you have at your disposal. But when it is possible, make the effort to have a face-to-face meeting with your customers & prospects. No technology in the world can form a bond as tight or as fundamental as human contact.