Because my partner and I have a site called, Bankers Market (www.bankersmarket.com), I asked him about his experiences with banks and marketing to them. He gave me some excellent information on trade shows we could attend and books I should read.

This relationship has progressed until now he is going to the presidents of the hundreds of banks he serves and selling my company’s Web services to his clients. He hires me and then sells the Web sites under his company name. It’s a perfect match with his other *banking image* products and services. And for me it’s a great flow of business.

He’s gone through questioning from his partners on who I was, and what he knew about me. He’s dealt with weeks of red tape within his busy company. But throughout it all, he has remained loyal to me and my company. He assured me that he is 100% with me on this and will use no other Web company for subcontractors.

Frankly, I was a little amazed with all this because we had never met. We had only talked on the phone. And he only asked for pricing as a last minute formality. Why was he so dedicated to me? Finally, when we met face to face, I asked him why he had chosen my company to do the Web sites for not only his company, but for all of his client banks. This was his answer:

''I have always said there are three things that get you the sale. 50 percent of it is being in the right place at the right time. And you were -- you were out there on the Web so I could find you. 25 percent is your product knowledge, and the last 25 percent is your human relations skills. You just seemed like a very knowledgeable person who was extremely helpful.''

 

	Be out there. Be in as many places as possible. Look as big as you possibly can. The Internet gives you the ability to do this. It is the best vehicle for projecting the illusion of success that I have ever found. Be free with your knowledge. Give prospects a *taste* of what you know without expectations of reimbursement. You don’t always have to be on the clock.
	Look for long term alliances in every situation. Don’t be satisfied with just the one sale. Learn from the experiences and successes of others. Continually look for ways you can ride on the coat tails of others’ successes.
	Be helpful and friendly. Again, this is being free with your knowledge -- without an invoice behind everything you do. This gets people ''hooked'' on you. They become very loyal. Think about it. If someone helps you without expecting pay, and you know they offer a service you need, when you need that service, will you waste your time shopping around for someone else? Unless they are overpriced or you are forced to take bids, you probably will automatically give your business to the person who helped you!

People do business with people, not with companies! I have three companies – one sole proprietorship and 2 partnerships. My client didn’t care which one billed him. He only cared that I was the one handling his account. Ask your customers why they chose you! What did you do right? Learn from your successes so you can repeat them. Although I had suspected the reason this man had chosen my company, I would have never articulated it as well as he did. Once my customer said it, it became a ''rule'' to live by. It became something I could hang on to and use again and again.