Sometimes You Just Have To Go Negative

For this week’s Guest Post Friday, we welcome Matt Handal for a third time.  Matt (@matthandal)is a marketer, contributing editor of SMPS Marketer, and blogs about Marketing in the A/E/C industry.  Matt sure is busy, but never too busy to answer your questions at mhan7474@yahoo.com or post at www.HelpEverybodyEveryday.com, where you can sign up to receive his weekly articles.

I was standing with a structural engineer, a site/civil engineer, and an acoustical engineer. We were talking to a general contractor about how to differentiate your firm in  a tough market.

I told the story about how I had put an ad on craigslist for a handyman (I’m not very handy). I got 500 responses that said, “I’m interested in your job, my number is (xxx) xxx-xxxx.”

How am I supposed to choose when everybody says the same thing? I hired a guy who said he had extra materials in his truck, so he had the little things covered. That’s how one guy stood out among 500.

The structural engineer told a story of how a real estate consultant he knew sold a large warehouse property that no other agent could sell by simply putting garage doors on the side of the building. He didn’t focus on selling the property, he focused on selling it’s use.

Then the site/civil engineer told us how he pursued a client. He joined a charity the guy was involved in. He took him to lunch. He developed a great relationship. He was promised the job. He submitted a proposal, but there was no word. He called again and again but the client didn’t call back. Finally, he went to a business coach for some advice.

The business coach simply said, “go negative.”

“What, you want me to go tell this potential client to jump off a bridge?” said the engineer. “You are out of your mind.”

“No,” said the coach. “Just call him up and say you realize the job is not happening, so you are calling him just to let him know your taking it off your books.”

The engineer did just that. A day later the client called apologizing for not getting back to the engineer and explained that as soon as he got back from a trip, he would send a purchase order.

The business coach proved his worth with an insightful piece of advice, “go negative.”

As always, both Matt and I encourage your comments below.  I also encourage you to subscribe to keep up with this and other Guest Post Fridays at Construction Law Musings.