Page 29 - The Edge - Spring 2021

Vendors Have Strategies for Connecting with Clients

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

on a client to say hi and leave a flier. “Picking up the phone them find solutions.”
and catching up with somebody is nice, but contacting
a stranger – I have not perfected that. Everybody who If you’re not getting responses, maybe you’re not reaching
doesn’t know you pretty much doesn’t want to hear from the right person. In a very small district, the superintendent
you again. You don’t want to annoy a potential client by who wears several hats might be the person to contact, but
spamming them and junk mailing them.” not in a large district, Gentile said.

“People are still buying. There are needs out Folsom agreed: “It’s hard to connect with someone in
these times when you can’t go in there and do the sneak
there. It is possible to sell in the virtual world.”
attack. If they don’t know who you are, they’re letting
–Erica Gentile your message go to voice mail or spam. Or they know
you’re selling something, but they don’t have time for
On connecting with a client during the pandemic, Gentile that.”
said, “You want to stay on their radar, but you don’t want
to be sent to voice mail. I don’t want to be a thorn in their She recommended using your network of contacts.
side. You don’t want to reach out too much.” “Connect with other vendors,” she said. “A good client
can give you a warm introduction. Sometimes it takes
So when is a good time to follow up? Gentile said s he asks persistence.”
a client when she should call back – in a month or maybe
three months. Regarding emails, Gentile said the subject Folsom said she is OK with conducting virtual meetings
line should not be gimmicky. She prefers something like, with clients. “It’s important to look professional,” she
Student Records, something they’re thinking about. said. “If you can get a video meeting, get it – so you are
not just a name at the end of an email. You put a face to
Gentile recommended keeping emails simple and short. the name.”
“Define the need and propose a response,” she said. “The
longer the email, the more likely they will delete without Gentile said she spends the first few minutes socializing,
reading it.” just as she did for an in-person meeting. “With social
distancing, people are craving socializing,” she said. “It
Gentile does research to learn as much as she can about gives me a chance to know them a little bit better – what’s
what’s going on in her client’s world. She wants to know: going on in their world. Listen intently – 90 percent of
“Are they working at home? What about their bonds, communication is non-verbal. You’re missing a lot of
their funding? A lot of districts have huge funding issues that – body language – if you don’t have cameras on. And
because of a decline in enrollment. Try to find their they perceive body language too.”
strategic initiatives. Make your reach out more personal. I
prefer an in-person meeting, doing it safely. We like to do To vendors who may be having trouble connecting with
business with people, not companies, people.” clients, Gentile had words of encouragement: “People are
still buying. There are needs out there. It is possible to sell
Emphasizing the personal touch, Gentile said she tells in the virtual world.”
an HR department that if they are like some of the other
HR departments she works with, they are probably
experiencing some of these challenges. “I try to relate Erica Gentile can be reached at: gentilee@icmdocs.com
with them in a non-accusatory, not critical way,” she said. Lisa Folsom can be reached at: lfolsom@sunlandasphalt.com
“Here’s how we can help. Chat about their goals – it’s or (602) 288-5647 or (602) 803-3022
more about them. You are there to be a catalyst to help

29