2 Reasons Why Most Business Pitches Fall on Deaf Ears
Hi Guys.
This morning, I received 2 emails that elicited a little chuckle. But that also inspired me to write this guest.
Someone filled out my contact form with a pitch to me, a potential client, for their $1 article services. Meaning I pay only 1 dollar for an article that their authors create for me.
I also received an email from a blogger who wanted to place a health insurance related article on my blog. My blog being a blogging tips blog.
We can make wise cracks and all but at the end of the day, most business pitches (like these 2 attempts) fall on deaf ears for 2 reasons.
Most online entrepreneurs do not practice creating and the masses refuse to practice connecting too.
The $1 an article consultant has a tiny fleet (or perhaps a solo act) or writers with no writing skills, because if you have writing skills, you gain the confidence and clarity to charge more than $1 per article. Like perhaps $100 per article. A small % of these low-ballers are actually skilled writers who don't know their worth, or who live in developing nations where making a few bucks literally satiates their daily bread quota. But those cases are few and far between.
This freelancer (or freelancing boss) also has no friends. Because people with large, supportive, loyal friend networks do not blindly fill out contact forms to pitch people with any opportunity, let alone an opportunity consistent with paying $1 per article. Business finds the connected entrepreneur, through their supportive, loyal friend network of referrals.
Ditto for the guy who filled out my contact form to pitch me a health insurance guest post on a blogging tips blog. He has no successful blogging buddies who would teach him never to pitch a blogger outside of the health insurance niche, because this is a waste of time. Even if 1 out of 1000 bloggers places the guestie, their audience is not interested in health insurance.
This blogger likely has poor writing skills too because skilled writers with solid friend networks discover that work/business, finds them. Meaning they grow their freelancing business by attracting clients, both through the quality of their writing (said quality the result of practicing writing, for years) and through the referring traffic from their blogging buddies.
Practice Creating
Practice creating content daily. Either in a Word document - for you bloggers out there - or through guest posting. Or if you are a video guy or gal, either upload a video to YouTube daily or practice shooting videos with your camera, offline.
When you practice creating content daily, diligently, for months, then years, the confidence and clarity you gain through your persistent practice draws business to you, based on you being really good at what you do, through your practice. But usually, not a ton of business...because you need to....
Practice Connecting
Practice connecting with successful entrepreneurs in your niche by helping these folks out, without looking for anything in return.
Be generous.
Promote top entrepreneurs via social media, then tag them on social sites.
Refer to these folks via your blog, then tag 'em to give them props and to connect with these pros.
Mention them via your newsletter, or through your products or services.
By patiently helping successful entrepreneurs, you will befriend these folks over weeks, months and years.
This is how you become connected. But don't buy into the illusion that this connecting process happens passively, or easily, or seamlessly. It is not a becoming, but, a conscious decision to serve and befriend successful entrepreneurs from your niche.
When you surround yourself with 10, 50, 100 or more rocking entrepreneurs from your niche, who:
- promote you
- endorse you
- refer business to you
- buy your eBooks and products
- hire you for your services
your business grows steadily. Then, quickly.
You will never ever ever fill out a contact form for a blind or cold pitch again.
Business will flow in warm, ready to buy, ready to hire, because your commitment to practicing your creating and connecting skills, over months, then years, ensures that business flows your way.
I'd suggest this; before you pitch anybody, serve them. Help them. Comment on their blog. Tweet their post. Buy one of their eBooks.
Then, over time, as you pay your dues and practice your creating skills, your generosity will open profitable doors for you, through increased features, interview requests with top entrepreneurs, and a wide range of other rocking opportunities that benefit all parties involved.
When you know people (by practicing connecting) and when you become a known commodity in your niche (by practicing creating) most or all of your business will find you, sans pitching.
What say you?
Are you playing more of a numbers/pitching game?
Or do you focus heavily on improving your creating and connecting skills through persistent practice, allowing business to flow to you?
I prefer to accept or turn down invitations, versus pitching, but that's just me. More fun, much less effort, bigger business growth, I have seen, over the long haul.
What do you think?
Ryan
This morning, I received 2 emails that elicited a little chuckle. But that also inspired me to write this guest.
Someone filled out my contact form with a pitch to me, a potential client, for their $1 article services. Meaning I pay only 1 dollar for an article that their authors create for me.
I also received an email from a blogger who wanted to place a health insurance related article on my blog. My blog being a blogging tips blog.
We can make wise cracks and all but at the end of the day, most business pitches (like these 2 attempts) fall on deaf ears for 2 reasons.
Most online entrepreneurs do not practice creating and the masses refuse to practice connecting too.
The $1 an article consultant has a tiny fleet (or perhaps a solo act) or writers with no writing skills, because if you have writing skills, you gain the confidence and clarity to charge more than $1 per article. Like perhaps $100 per article. A small % of these low-ballers are actually skilled writers who don't know their worth, or who live in developing nations where making a few bucks literally satiates their daily bread quota. But those cases are few and far between.
This freelancer (or freelancing boss) also has no friends. Because people with large, supportive, loyal friend networks do not blindly fill out contact forms to pitch people with any opportunity, let alone an opportunity consistent with paying $1 per article. Business finds the connected entrepreneur, through their supportive, loyal friend network of referrals.
Ditto for the guy who filled out my contact form to pitch me a health insurance guest post on a blogging tips blog. He has no successful blogging buddies who would teach him never to pitch a blogger outside of the health insurance niche, because this is a waste of time. Even if 1 out of 1000 bloggers places the guestie, their audience is not interested in health insurance.
This blogger likely has poor writing skills too because skilled writers with solid friend networks discover that work/business, finds them. Meaning they grow their freelancing business by attracting clients, both through the quality of their writing (said quality the result of practicing writing, for years) and through the referring traffic from their blogging buddies.
Practice Creating
Practice creating content daily. Either in a Word document - for you bloggers out there - or through guest posting. Or if you are a video guy or gal, either upload a video to YouTube daily or practice shooting videos with your camera, offline.
When you practice creating content daily, diligently, for months, then years, the confidence and clarity you gain through your persistent practice draws business to you, based on you being really good at what you do, through your practice. But usually, not a ton of business...because you need to....
Practice Connecting
Practice connecting with successful entrepreneurs in your niche by helping these folks out, without looking for anything in return.
Be generous.
Promote top entrepreneurs via social media, then tag them on social sites.
Refer to these folks via your blog, then tag 'em to give them props and to connect with these pros.
Mention them via your newsletter, or through your products or services.
By patiently helping successful entrepreneurs, you will befriend these folks over weeks, months and years.
This is how you become connected. But don't buy into the illusion that this connecting process happens passively, or easily, or seamlessly. It is not a becoming, but, a conscious decision to serve and befriend successful entrepreneurs from your niche.
When you surround yourself with 10, 50, 100 or more rocking entrepreneurs from your niche, who:
- promote you
- endorse you
- refer business to you
- buy your eBooks and products
- hire you for your services
your business grows steadily. Then, quickly.
You will never ever ever fill out a contact form for a blind or cold pitch again.
Business will flow in warm, ready to buy, ready to hire, because your commitment to practicing your creating and connecting skills, over months, then years, ensures that business flows your way.
I'd suggest this; before you pitch anybody, serve them. Help them. Comment on their blog. Tweet their post. Buy one of their eBooks.
Then, over time, as you pay your dues and practice your creating skills, your generosity will open profitable doors for you, through increased features, interview requests with top entrepreneurs, and a wide range of other rocking opportunities that benefit all parties involved.
When you know people (by practicing connecting) and when you become a known commodity in your niche (by practicing creating) most or all of your business will find you, sans pitching.
What say you?
Are you playing more of a numbers/pitching game?
Or do you focus heavily on improving your creating and connecting skills through persistent practice, allowing business to flow to you?
I prefer to accept or turn down invitations, versus pitching, but that's just me. More fun, much less effort, bigger business growth, I have seen, over the long haul.
What do you think?
Ryan
Steve Browne, online business strategies, tips, guidance, and resources
SteveBrowneDirect
All The Real Marketers Are Gone. There's Nothing Left But Weak, Sniveling Wanna-Bees!