Too Many Mind, How Your Cell Phone Can Cost You The Deal
Too Many Mind, How Your Cell Phone Can Cost You The Deal
A few weeks ago, I met with a young professional who ran her own local media company. She was trying to pitch Reflect7 on an advertising campaign for our sports apps. She had some good ideas and some bad ideas. Most of all I liked her gumption.
During the meeting, I noticed her eyes moving towards her phone. I was explaining how traditional advertising didn’t make any sense for us. She recovered from the distraction and I carried on. Then, when I was speaking again, she checked her phone. This time I was elaborating on the legalities of the CLC and what we could and couldn’t do. This was important information. She “yepped” and “uh huhed” while holding her phone like I was a parent scolding her for missing curfew. Two Strikes.
We continued on through a few more drinks. Then a third phone interruption came where she picked it up to send an elongated text while I was talking. Strike three. Her inability to focus had just cost her the deal.
In hindsight, she probably wouldn’t have gotten our business anyways. Her ideas didn’t make any sense for our model. We really didn’t need advertising in the traditional sense. However, Reflect7 meets with entrepreneurs all of the time. Our friends are owners of bars, restaurants, massage clinics, tanning salons, software companies, trucking companies, etc. These businesses utilize radio, print, and TV ads. But those businesses will never hear about her. Why would we refer someone that can’t even focus on their client for an hour?
The bottom line: Get off of your phone during important meetings. If you can’t make your client feel like a priority during your meeting, then why would that client think they would be a priority outside of the meeting? Keep your phone on vibrate and in your pocket. If you absolutely must check it, excuse yourself to the bathroom. I don’t want someone working for my cause that is easily distracted. Someone that has too many mind.
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-Brian
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-JP