09/05/2024
THE LUNCH OPPORTUNITY
Grant Cardone
A partner and I were at a lunch meeting with a group of potential clients. The group seated my partner and me together, so I requested that we be seated at different tables. Why? Because I cant sell my partner and there is no opportunity in sitting next to him! The goal was to be with as many of these clients as possible, not be with each other. I sat at one table and he sat at another, thus doubling our exposure.
I learned this valuable lesson back when I was a salesperson wasting lunches with my co-worker. Today I wont go to lunch with a fellow salesperson, a manager or even the boss. I need to spend time with customers. Going to lunch with the boss wont give you job security but getting more clients will. My rule is if they work with me, they wont buy from me. You need to work your sales career the way a politician works his campaign. He doesn't keep talking to the people who are already vote for him. He goes and talks to the people who haven't yet decided who to vote for.
Today I invest breakfast, lunchtime, and dinner with buyers, prospects and even long shots. These lunch dates would include anyone who might someday buy from me. Even when I not taking a customer to lunch, I'll frequent places where Ive got a shot at being seen, where lots of people go, or where I might just luck out and run into someone who will buy from me.
People who go out for lunch are typically qualified buyers. They're working; Bankers, insurance people, sales people, entrepreneurs, etc. These are the buyers of your products. Go out and be with them, be seen by them, and get to know them. Find a restaurant where qualified people go to eat and show up there every day until you get to know the scene. Visit that one place and become known there before moving on to other locations. Get to know the owner and the waitresses until they know you by your first name. Then you'll get to know the patrons. Go to where potential customers congregate at lunch and be seen by them. Personally, I like to go to the pricier restaurants because they attract the better-quality customers. Aristotle Onassis, the great shipping magnate, always made a point of going to the most expensive restaurants through his travels when he was a young man. Not because he could afford it, but because the people there had money, and he wanted to be around opportunity and success.
DONT JUST HAVE LUNCH, INVEST IN LUNCHES
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