From the initial pickup line to nurturing a long-term relationship, sales and dating really do have a lot more in common than you might think.

In this special Valentine’s Day episode of Stay Paid, Josh and Luke offer suggestions for breaking the ice, building rapport, and creating lasting, meaningful relationships. No swiping required!

Key Points: 

• Think of your digital marketing as a dating profile—the first impression prospects get of your business.
• Personalize your messaging for your clients.
• Build rapport by using the F.O.R.D. Method.
• In sales, as in dating, relationships that aren’t nurtured grow stale.
• Know when to stop chasing a prospect.

Breaking the ice.

Sales, like dating, is a numbers game. You’re never going to meet the love of your life unless you get out there and find them.

In many ways, your Facebook ads are like your dating profile. You’re putting yourself out there, while trying to put your best foot forward. You need to make a strong first impression and have a clear call to action. Lead with your unique value proposition and make sure to provide contact information.

If you’re trying to build your first dating profile, you’re probably going to ask a trusted friend to weigh in before you put it up. You can do the same with your ads, showing them to a third party to see how effective they might be. And, like your dating profile, once you find something that works, double down on it.

Personalize your messaging.

After meeting somebody for the first time, you don’t immediately start talking about the next time you’re going to hang out. Instead, you think carefully about what you’re going to say next. In the same way, you should be personalizing your messaging to your clients.

Before going into a meeting with a prospect, do your research. Find out more about them, and use that information to show them you understand where they’re coming from.

Build rapport.

Why is your relationship or your business failing? It’s because you have no connection. Establish rapport with your prospects by finding out who they are, and communicate with them in a way that makes them feel heard.

To build a meaningful connection, consider using the F.O.R.D. Method:

Family
Occupation
Recreation
Dreams

By learning more about the things your prospect values the most, you’re laying down the foundation for a lasting relationship.

Additionally, when you know more about a person’s family, what they do for a living, what they do in their spare time, and what their dreams are, you will be better able to position your product as something that will enrich their lives.

Nurture your relationships.

Communication is key in dating and in sales. If you’re going to expect your client to be open with you, you’ve got to be open and transparent with them. Beyond that, you need to consistently offer them value.

Ultimately, your relationship will grow stale if you don’t nurture it. That magical feeling won’t always be there. Follow up with your clients. Send them something valuable to remember you by.

When you focus on making the lives of your customers better, you’ll be rewarded in the long run.

Know when to move on.

What do you do when you have an appointment and you’re stood up (or ghosted)? If the meeting was with a good prospect, you’ll have to be more creative the next time you reach out to them. If they’re not a good prospect, just move on.

Again, remember that sales is a numbers game. What has happened to you shapes you into who you are, and even something that seems terrible in the moment can lead you in another direction.

Action Items:

• Do something nice for your significant other.
• Send a small gift to your clients for Valentine’s Day, and tell them how much you love referrals.
• Examine your relationships to see whether you have a connection.