So, I’m at dinner the other night with a new friend. She’s an actress. I fancy myself a writer these days. The two of us are talking about breaking through in our respective fields. I commented on how there’s a fine line between persistent and pushy.
A few beers later, I’m thinking of the above model.
No matter what you’re doing, fight the urge to be pushy. For example, I follow up with people who have requested review copies of The New Small. Ultimately, I can’t make them do anything. Yet, I can gently remind them after a month that I exist.
An innocuous email with the words “Just making sure that you received the book” reads much better than “Where’s my review, dude?”
Remember that next time you’re following up with a prospect, client, or potential contact.
What say you?
Tags: Marketing
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Should the Italian Post Service let me have your book I’d be more than happy to review it! That is, they use tethered mini black-holes as delivery vans …
Hi Phil,
You make a great point about business. I tend to say that you can’t piss off people who won’t help you. But the flip side is you don’t want to burn a potential contact (and your reputation) because they’re slow to respond. It’s a fine–and sometimes frustrating–balance.
(By the way, I think you’re working it the right way.)
It’s a fine line, but I like to think that I stay on the right side of it.
With you Phil. I’m always trying to find the right balance myself. Honestly, I think I need to learn to push a little harder. But hey, this is something that one just continues to develop over time, so hopefully I’m going in the right direction.
Marcus