Spend your money on diesel and coffee

[Paul David]

But what if I don't like Coffee?...... tastes like what I can imagine crude oil to taste like. ha anyway enough of my weird taste buds.

On a serious note there's so much gold in this thread from Andy and others. I think it's even more relevant these days when everyone is getting hounded from all angles with people selling them something before they even know they need it.

I've been following a guy on linkedin (Josh Braun) for a while now who creates some valuable posts around this whole concept of reaching out and seeing if there's a problem, starting a conversation without just launching into a pitch. I particularly love the term he uses, that prospects can smell your commission breath when you start pitching right from the off.

I used this strategy myself just yesterday, I reached out to a potential client on linkedin (and they don't usually hang around on that platform but thought I'd test it) and asked him

Hi Tom, Mind if I ask you an unusual question about your company reviews?

He replied Hi Paul, I will be honest I'm not very good at getting customer reviews, I'm good at my job but not so good at being my own boss.

So he's told me he's got a problem that my app solves and I haven't even told him about it yet. People like to be asked not told. Otherwise they enter what Josh calls the Zone of resistance.

Would love to see some more examples from others about how they initial start conversations with prospects to get the conversation started whether thats in person or to get them on a zoom call like Andy now does.

PS: @Andy Black I see Periscope has now ceased to exist, I'm sad I'll never be able to drop into you on there whilst you're singing in a bar again. What a time to be alive that was!

 

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[Andy Black]

But what if I don't like Coffee?...... tastes like what I can imagine crude oil to taste like. ha anyway enough of my weird taste buds.

On a serious note there's so much gold in this thread from Andy and others. I think it's even more relevant these days when everyone is getting hounded from all angles with people selling them something before they even know they need it.

I've been following a guy on linkedin (Josh Braun) for a while now who creates some valuable posts around this whole concept of reaching out and seeing if there's a problem, starting a conversation without just launching into a pitch. I particularly love the term he uses, that prospects can smell your commission breath when you start pitching right from the off.

I used this strategy myself just yesterday, I reached out to a potential client on linkedin (and they don't usually hang around on that platform but thought I'd test it) and asked him

Hi Tom, Mind if I ask you an unusual question about your company reviews?

He replied Hi Paul, I will be honest I'm not very good at getting customer reviews, I'm good at my job but not so good at being my own boss.

So he's told me he's got a problem that my app solves and I haven't even told him about it yet. People like to be asked not told. Otherwise they enter what Josh calls the Zone of resistance.

Would love to see some more examples from others about how they initial start conversations with prospects to get the conversation started whether thats in person or to get them on a zoom call like Andy now does.

PS: @Andy Black I see Periscope has now ceased to exist, I'm sad I'll never be able to drop into you on there whilst you're singing in a bar again. What a time to be alive that was!

Ah yes. I remember that pub. I was even there yesterday watching Newcastle get slaughtered by Man City.

Have you tried posting helpful content or replies and then reaching out to people who Like or respond?

 

[Paul David]

Ah yes. I remember that pub. I was even there yesterday watching Newcastle get slaughtered by Man City.

Have you tried posting helpful content or replies and then reaching out to people who Like or respond?

Not yet, I've only really just started on linkedin. Been focusing on cold outreach.

What's your opinion on surveys Andy?

As in reaching out for someone for help, but instead of asking them for time on phone seeing if they would complete a short survey?

 

[Andy Black]

Not yet, I've only really just started on linkedin. Been focusing on cold outreach.

What's your opinion on surveys Andy?

As in reaching out for someone for help, but instead of asking them for time on phone seeing if they would complete a short survey?

I prefer building relationships.

 

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[Paul David]

I prefer building relationships.

Yes I do agree, I think the key is to get that initial conversation starter correct. Whether thats on SMS, phone call, in person meeting.

I think there's always going to be some scepticism when someone you don't know approaches and asks any question even if it's about them.

Do you think theres context needed in addition to why you're asking a question?

Personally when someone reaches out to me and asks something even if its about me, in the back of my head I'm thinking why are they asking this?

 

[Andy Black]

Yes I do agree, I think the key is to get that initial conversation starter correct. Whether thats on SMS, phone call, in person meeting.

I think there's always going to be some scepticism when someone you don't know approaches and asks any question even if it's about them.

Do you think theres context needed in addition to why you're asking a question?

Personally when someone reaches out to me and asks something even if its about me, in the back of my head I'm thinking why are they asking this?

Bear in mind I don’t do cold outreach. I associate diesel and coffee more with what you do when you’ve got to know someone a bit already - meaning don’t try to pitch but just get to know folks.

In my LinkedIn and Facebook Messenger inboxes I often get people asking if they can ask me a question. Aside from the logic of that bothering me, it’s invariably been a sign they’re trying to sell me something. (It’s like they read some advice to get people to say Yes immediately and take it from there?)

Just ask your question already.

I’d much prefer to contact people I already know, using that format of:

“Hi Paul, How’s it going? Some space has cleared up in my calendar and I was wondering if you knew anyone who might need help with their Google Ads campaigns?”

 

[Miketing]

I was just talking to @Edgar King about getting clients, and part of the conversation reminded me of this thread. So I thought I'd share my experience here:

Edgar: How did you two meet?

Me: I think it was at a language exchange event originally, so pretty random. He ended up living at the villa I was renting there for a couple months too

Reminds me of how Andy Black talks about just meeting people and talking about what you do e.g. HOT! - Spend your money on diesel and coffee

He's also the one who introduced me to a current cold email outreach client because he got to know me as "the cold email guy" after I became an expert in that.

I also provided a huge amount of free value to him on cold email outreach, sales, etc. which obviously helped.

So, none of this stuff was planned.

I didn't think "hey he could give me work" when we met. I just spoke to enough people that the opportunity happened to appear.

I didn't think "hey he could give me cold email clients" when I was teaching him about what I learnt. I just provided value and the opportunity happened to arise.

Basically, just meet people and provide value and opportunities start falling in your lap.

 

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[GuestR401x3]

"Spend your money on diesel and coffee"
(Blaise Brosnan of The Management Resource Institute Wexford)


Just getting started?

Wondering what to spend your time and money on?



Hustle.

Build relationships.

Make stuff happen.

You'll be amazed what happens when you get out of the building.



EDIT: Added the source. I'm not smart enough to have come up with that, just smart enough to recognise its brilliance.


EDIT2: Added a video version (2 mins long):

EDIT3: TRANSCRIPTION

I was on a course a couple of days ago, 20 business owners in a room and Blaise Brosnan.

Blaise was instilling his wisdom from the center of the room telling little stories and anecdotes, and it was brilliant.

This was the first of ten courses on a Tuesday morning 8:00 to 11:00, and Blaise had a power point presentation that he was going to go through with us, and he just gave [us] his presentation at the end - he hadn't done it.

What he'd done instead was round-robin through each of the attendees and get us to introduce ourselves and our business and one piece of advice to everyone else.

To be on this course you have to have attended the initial ten-week course with Blaise previously, and Mandy's piece of advice to everybody in the room, was something that Blaise had said in the previous course, that she'd picked up on and lived by, which was to "spend your money on diesel and coffee".

At the start when you're trying to grow your business get out there - meet people for coffees, chat to people, create relationships, try to help people, let them know what you're doing as well, that's how you get going.

Apparently when AirBnB was getting started they were talking to the guys in Y-Combinator, people like Paul Graham from paulgraham.com (his stuff is excellent) and there's a story about how they got going. They'd realized that a lot of their initial BnB hosts were in New York, and they literally went to stay at the hosts. And meet them, go out for dinner and talk to them.

And by doing that they found out that some of the properties, the houses, were amazing but the photos didn't do them justice. They asked some of the hosts, "Would you be happy if we send a photographer around to take pictures of your property?" The hosts were delighted, and then the next day a photographer came round, took pictures and made much better job than the actual hosts could do of taking pictures.

A lesson there is to "do things that don't scale", you're not going to do that later on in your business, but when you're small you can afford to do things that don't scale.

And another lesson is something Gary Vaynerchuk says, that, "One is greater than zero." Getting one extra customer is better than having zero.

Grow your business one customer at a time, which brings me back to my favorite quote from Mother Theresa, "Never worry about numbers, help one person at a time and start with the person closest to you."

Great advice, thanks! Focus on the one person.

 

[mikecarlooch]

It took so long to understand this, one of the best threads I've seen.

Love what @Primeperiwinkle said

Tom Hopkins quotes a sales dude in his book “How To Master The Art of Selling” with the simplest advice ever.

“Get face-to-face with 20 ppl a day and you’ll become a top seller.”

I said wtf and tried it one week. I talked to nine ppl on the first day, three ppl on the next and thirteen on the third. No joke, my tiny business tripled that month. Of course, I haven’t done it again because I got sucked down a rabbit hole but this post reminded me of just how simple it is to bring in revenue when you take the time to actually talk to people. Thank you for the post.

 

[Andy Black]

It took so long to understand this, one of the best threads I've seen.

Love what @Primeperiwinkle said

Thanks Mike. Glad it makes sense now.

Funnily enough, I literally just posted a tiny note about this on TikTok. I suspect people won't get it.

TikTok - Make Your Day

 

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[miguelst]

I wonder, when reaching out to people for a chat and a coffee, if they won't be thinking that you have a hidden agenda (which is not the case) I completely agree with the providing value to people first!
I know a few entrepreneurs from the old days, I'm going to reach out to them, just not sure how to phrase it so it doesn't sound like a sales conversation

 

[Andy Black]

reaching out to people for a chat and a coffee,

I don't reach out to people suggesting we have a chat or coffee. The chat and a coffee is a natural progression from being in conversation already.

 

[miguelst]

I don't reach out to people suggesting we have a chat or coffee. The chat and a coffee is a natural progression from being in conversation already.

I was thinking about what @Primeperiwinkle said, which I read in the post above by @mikecarlooch
“Get face-to-face with 20 ppl a day and you’ll become a top seller.”

But I wonder how does one go about getting face-to-face with 20 people a day without reaching out to them?

 

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[Andy Black]

I was thinking about what @Primeperiwinkle said, which I read in the post above by @mikecarlooch
“Get face-to-face with 20 ppl a day and you’ll become a top seller.”

But I wonder how does one go about getting face-to-face with 20 people a day without reaching out to them?

For me, face-to-face could be a Zoom call.

I got on a Zoom call last night with @Antifragile. He asked in the Random Chat Thread what folks were using instead of Slack. I replied saying I preferred Basecamp and would be happy to show over a Zoom. We were on Zoom an hour later where I showed him Basecamp, and where we now both know each other a bit better. Easy.

Here's part of the convo in that thread:

• Post in thread 'Random Chat, Thoughts, Posts, and/or Rants Thread' HOT! - CHAT - Random Chat, Thoughts, Posts, and/or Rants Thread

 

[miguelst]

For me, face-to-face could be a Zoom call.

I got on a Zoom call last night with @Antifragile. He asked in the Random Chat Thread what folks were using instead of Slack. I replied saying I preferred Basecamp and would be happy to show over a Zoom. We were on Zoom an hour later where I showed him Basecamp, and where we both now know each other a bit better. Easy.

I see! Online there's a lot of opportunities to connect with people, I just wonder if your method could translate into offline conversations, as I've read from your posts regarding the coffee and diesel approach, It might be good to start with friends and friends-of-friends, and see who can be helped.

 

[Primeperiwinkle]

I see! Online there's a lot of opportunities to connect with people, I just wonder if your method could translate into offline conversations, as I've read from your posts regarding the coffee and diesel approach, It might be good to start with friends and friends-of-friends, and see who can be helped.

If someone (or a friend) came up to you and said “I feel like an idiot but I’m trying this new challenge. For sixty days I have to try and talk to someone every day and ask them two questions.” You’d be curious.

So try it. Go say that and then just wait.

The person will say “well??”

You take a deep breath in and relax your shoulders and breathe out. Then you say “What’s the one thing about your day/business/job that really drives you crazy?”

They’ll be so overjoyed to vent! Just keep nodding. Thankfully in American culture talking to strangers is not frowned upon but looked more like street entertainment, a good distraction from their day.

Then you say “Is there any way I can help or find someone who could?”

And then do it. Even if it has nothing to do with your business.

One of my biggest pet peeves is small business owners who don’t realize that referrals OFTEN come from ppl who never use their product. Those ppl are called “Connectors”. I am one. Most talkative charismatic ppl are. You can bet I’ve paid attention to people who respond well to me and who respond professionally in general. I refer others to those people.

I might never use the upholstery business down the street but I damn well remember the guy who helped me pick up my kids bottle when he dropped it and I hadn’t slept in three days. He was wearing his business shirt. I sent ppl to that upholstery business with one word of caution “I don’t know if they’re any good at upholstery but I know they cared enough to help me. Check them out!”

That’s what kindness does. The ppl you talk to might never utilize your services but you can bet that some of them will pass on your info.

 

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[Andy Black]

I might never use the upholstery business down the street but I damn well remember the guy who helped me pick up my kids bottle when he dropped it and I hadn’t slept in three days. He was wearing his business shirt. I sent ppl to that upholstery business with one word of caution “I don’t know if they’re any good at upholstery but I know they cared enough to help me. Check them out!”

^^^ THIS.


Folks are thinking about this wrong.

"People buy from PEOPLE."

("PEOPLE also buy from people.")


What makes you referrable?

1. Manners.
2. You show up on time.
3. You do what you said you're going to do (or let them know what's going on if not).
4. You're competent.

Being competent is the last on the list.


PEOPLE ASSUME YOU'RE COMPETENT.

I assume you can fix sofas if you say you fix sofas.

I assume you can change locks if you say you're a locksmith.

I assume you can do Facebook Ads if you say you do Facebook Ads.



I did a couple of short videos related to the above:

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/LWPSF3gVUJ4?feature=share

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/LfLCIpos9rs?feature=share

 

[Andy Black]

You take a deep breath in and relax your shoulders and breathe out. Then you say “What’s the one thing about your day/business/job that really drives you crazy?”

They’ll be so overjoyed to vent! Just keep nodding. Thankfully in American culture talking to strangers is not frowned upon but looked more like street entertainment, a good distraction from their day.

Then you say “Is there any way I can help or find someone who could?”

And then do it. Even if it has nothing to do with your business.

^^^ This too.


Know what I've sent in over 3.5k PMs to people who've followed me in the forum?

Message Title: Thanks for following

Message Body:
How're things going?

Andy


They can vent all they like.


You know what I ask business owners when I hop on a call with them (after a bit of small talk)?

Soooo, how's business going?

How often do business owners get asked how their business is going? All they get is complaints, issues, problems to solve, etc.

If someone does ask they're normally not listening.

So ask, then stfu and let them talk.