Don't waste your clients' time

Ever wonder why the company you applied to never called you back?
Or better yet, why the VP you bump into at every industry event still will not accept your LinkedIn invitation? I would like to share a strategy that might answer these questions and give you tools to acquire the clarity and understanding needed to grasp your goals.
This tactic, which we like to emphasize among our staff, is what we call, “looking through the filter.”
Looking through “the filter” essentially means knowing your audience — fully understanding the depth of the company, its needs for the business, the background of the person you are directing your messages to and how to boil down the message in a digestible format.
You need to know what type of “animal” you are dealing with so you can angle your presentation or resume the way they will see things vs. how you will see things.
When I started my career, my goal was to build relationships. How do you build relationships you might ask? Simple. Read up on the person you want to know, then make an introduction.
One of my greatest wins — and a foundation for my company — was snagging my first automotive client.
I knew I had to be strategic. I made sure to read up on the owner, his wife, his life goals, previous things he had said in the paper and what his ambition was for the future.
When I went into that meeting, I knew how to hit those “hot buttons” that would intrigue him to want to learn more about me and what I could do for him.
I did not stand there bringing up general assumptions about what he wanted. It was calculated and featured quick scenarios that made his life easier and his company better.
I treated him as if his time were precious, no tricks, just to-the-point explanations. I knew when I was out of that meeting in 30 minutes, I had done my job to deliver his objectives.
Be respectful of time
Too many times people take an hour of an executive’s time and are not aware they are wasting it. There are two reasons why this happens: 1. The presenter failed to see who the person they were presenting to was. No. 2 They missed the mark on the company’s needs and goals.
It is important to keep it simple, boiling it down to the key elements that will resonate with the audience.
We have seen people time and time again present random facts with no plan or purpose. If you do not pinpoint that “wow” factor in the first meeting, do not be surprised if you are marginalized from pitching an idea a second time around.
Do research on that chairman, president, CEO or department head you’ll be meeting. The time you manage to cut down will be a well thought-out investment for your own career.
Filters are ever changing just like clients — being flexible with your thoughts and capabilities will guide you to a long and fruitful career. ●
Joseph Molina is president at JMPR Public Relations.