August 2009

Here’s what a mortgage adviser sent fellow attendees after a networking event we both attended. He also forwarded it to me for comment. His text is in bold. My comments are not.

This is what I sent out

Excellent plan

(with slight, personalised variations)

Go to the top of the class

to the new people I met, I also wrote to people I re-met (as you’ve noticed!) what’d’you think?

The real test is the response you get, but here are some comments (well, you *did* ask!)…

Dear *****,

Emails are more informal, so they often start with ‘Hi’ (unlike letters)

It was good to meet you

Americanism. English would be ‘nice’

yesterday

You get extra points for following up within 24 hours

and to have confirmed yet again that people prefer to deal with people they like.

Delete this or explain it e.g. I enjoyed the event and was pleased to meet so many likeable people. It reminded me that people prefer to deal with people they like. What did you think? (Your aim is to start a conversation)

As a residential and commercial mortgage broker I am trying to make contacts with accountants, family law solicitors, finance brokers (i.e. ones who do factoring & leasing), insurance brokers who don’t have a financial services arm, insolvency practitioners, independent estate agents, etc. but first and foremost – established, two partner or more accountancy firms.

I received several follow-ups asking me to introduce attendees to people but without giving me a reason why. I ignored them all. Also, it’s better to be specific and ask for just one thing. Especially if you can name the accountants you’re targeting e.g. ‘Who do you know that can introduce me to Fred at Fred Bloggs Accountancy?’

(more…)

That’s what every successful actor says. So I don’t know what Glade were thinking when they approved the script for “I want to have a poo at Paul’s house”. Poor Paul.

You decide.

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