Page 29 - 100 Great Business Ideas: From Leading Companies Around the World (100 Great Ideas)

151 Quick Ideas to Get New Customers

13
Get Them on Your Own Turf

In developing new customers, it’s important to understand
how power influences your efforts to convince that customer
to do business with you. Any time you’re in a customer’s place
of business or on their turf, you’re at a major disadvantage.
They have the power and the control to guide and direct what
happens. A better idea is to get them on neutral turf, where you
can interact as equals. The ideal situation is to get them on your
turf, where you can direct the action and capture their com-

plete attention.

Assignment Dave is a master at forg-
ing what he terms inten-

Remind your sales team tional relationships with
about intentional relationships. new customers. One of his
Discuss techniques to get pro- strategies is to do everything
spective customers away he can to get a prospect on
from their office and onto neutral territory. When Dave
neutral turf. Then try and ex- has a special offer or a tan-
plore ideas to bring prospects talizing deal for a prospect,
to your turf, where you are in he invites them to join him for
the power position. breakfast, coffee, lunch, or an
afternoon break so he can

have their total attention.

When he can, he tries to get them to visit him at his office. This

puts Dave in the power position. What are you doing to get

your prospects on neutral territory so you can have an equal

chance to get them as a new customer?

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