In “The Godfather,” Don Corleone dispatches a minion to deal with an uncooperative movie producer. “Make him an offer he can’t refuse,” orders theDon.
You don’t have the Don’s powers of persuasion (or at least I hope not). The threat of violence is not exactly a standard sales tool.
Still, Don C. offers some sage sales advice. When you’re working with a new prospect, make him an offer he can’t refuse.
Convince him that:
- There is a small project that should be completed.
- You can do it.
- It will be inexpensive, fast, and low risk.
Above all, you want to earn Mr. Prospect’s trust. Good things will happen if this project is successful.
What’s the Problem?
Mr. Prospect has lots of problems. They could be things he’d like to fix; opportunities he’d like to pursue; projects he’d like to complete, or all of the above.
Don’t even think about trying to solve several problems at once even if Mr. Prospect wants you to. If you propose an expensive megaproject, bad things may happen:
- Mr. Prospect may get overwhelmed by the complexity and delay a decision.
- Multiple execs may have to weigh in, slowing the approval process.
- You may compete with internal or external service providers.
I have firsthand experience with a failed megaproject. I once proposed a small project to a business owner named Kevin.
He kept asking for more. First, he wanted me to work on his sales system. Next, he wanted a proposal to rewrite his marketing materials. Then he asked me for a proposal to rewrite his website.
The proposals – and the costs – kept piling up. I was drooling at the prospect of all that work and all that money. Kevin finally choked on the cost and the complexity.
Nothing happened.
In retrospect, I was at fault for letting it get out of hand. I should have insisted on doing the original project first.
Start Small
Instead, find a small project. It must be useful to Mr. Prospect. And it must showcase your expertise.
Find out what Mr. Prospect‘s priorities are in your area of expertise. Where are his most acute problems? What opportunities would he like to explore?
You may propose a study or a research project. Ideally, it will be something you can complete independently without involving Mr. Prospect or others (or at least very few people) in his company.
Another approach is a multiphase project. Each phase would be self contained. Mr. Prospect would have the option not to complete future phases. That reduces the upfront costs – and the risks.
Propose a project that:
- Can be approved quickly (ideally by Mr. Prospect).
- Addresses a defined problem quickly.
- Has a clearly defined deliverable, timeline, and budget.
- Is relatively inexpensive (to avoid decision making paralysis).
- Supplements but does not duplicate work performed by others.
- Provides value but poses little risk for Mr. Prospect.
Resist Mr. Prospect’s “mission-creep” tendencies. If he wants to expand the scope of the project, just say no. That may be painful. But, ultimately, both of you will be happier.
A consultant friend of mine uses the term “Penetrate. Then Radiate.”
You can penetrate a company with a small project. If that project is successful, you can radiate. Presumably, you’ll get more work from your new client and possibly from others in the organization.
