Valentine’s day is long gone. Some celebrated it the day with flowers and loving cards. Others stayed at home watching Netflix and eating pizza and being angry at it. Just like business some companies celebrated their success or drowned their sorrows. Here’s some dating advice to succeed in business.
1. Get on Tinder – Or better said Linkedin
Dating story: My friend moans about how she never gets any dates, but she isn’t on any online dating sites or apps.
Business advice: To be found you must be where your customers are. If you are a B2B Linkedin is quite likely to be a useful tool, while B2C Facebook or Pinterest might work best. But also you must get in as many places as you can, where your potential customers may hang out, not only online but also in places like conferences and networking events.
2. Have an excellent profile
Dating story: It’s all about getting swiped right. If you have a good picture and an engaging text, people will want to chat with you, agree?
Business advice: So many companies overlook their branding. They have very unattractive websites that don’t inspire trust or professionality. Although they might be the best in the market, they don’t look like it. The look matters.
3. Go to dates
Dating story: Raul is chatting to so many girls at the moment. We are all excited as he shows us their profiles, till one of as asks have you met them? He confesses that he can’t be arsed to go on a date.
Business advice: Networking is the most similar feeling to that first date. You don’t know anybody, neither if the effort will be worth. I used to miss a lot of networking events because I just couldn’t bring myself to do it like Raul is in his dating. But the more you go, the more practice you get, and the easier gets to identify the right contacts and start conversations.
4. Be honest
Dating story: My friend texted me the other day: “Call me now pretend something urgent just happened to you. Get me out of this date. NOW!”
When I managed to gather the full story was quite simple. The guy posted pictures from a few years ago when he was younger and lied about his age by, according to my friend, ten years.
Business advice: When you doing business honesty will take you further than a lie. Many companies look for the instant satisfaction of the one sale, and they forget about customer lifetime value. Customers will repeat purchases and will recommend an honest brand, and they will catch a dodgy one.
5. Don’t look desperate
Dating story: Longtime ago on the second date I was invited to meet his parents that they were in town. Obviously and under a false pretext, I excused myself and left trying not to look like I was running away.
Business advice: In business when you are pushy you also scare people. People want to have the feeling they are making the decision.
6. After the date
Dating story: It’s nice to get a message when you get home knowing that the date when well and that would be fun to meet up again.
Business advice: After a meeting is polite and tell them how nice was meeting them, and that would love to do business with them.
7. Dealing with Rejection
Dating story: My friend’s date went well on her part but not as well from his part. She hated the feeling of being rejected that started texting him how annoyed she was that he wasted her time. She still regrets those SMSs after so many years.
Business advice: Not all prospects will become customers, event if you spent time and efforts to acquire them, they still have the freedom to choose you or choose your competition. And it’s ok!