Wednesday, June 7, 2023, 11:15 PM EST

We have begun a new campaign of learning about building influence. I want to share our experiences as we go in hopes it will help someone else. I should have actually started a week ago, so how to catch up? Here goes…

It is easier for me to analyze a situation when I am just a third party. I have a much harder time analyzing a situation where I was involved. If I am active debating, I am unlikely to take in the details of the environment. However, I realize that a key to success may be the ability to stay very present in the moment, almost slowing time down so you can pick up on cues better. Watching my wife do multiple cold and warm contact which I thought were excellent, but were met with the usual “not interested” or “too busy”. It amazed me because sometimes people were saying they were not interested before my wife had mentioned any product, app, service, or opportunity. So I had to accept that there is something we can put out that people can sense. If they think for a moment you have an angle or an agenda, they run for the hills.

I liken it to being on a date and thinking all the signs say she wants you to put your arm around her. But when you make the move, you get blocked. What happened? You thought you had read the signals. But instead you imagined the signals. We get so wrapped up in the moment when emotions are engaged that we can become complete lunatics in terms of judgement and perception.

The same is true when you are prospecting. For some reason I found myself thinking back to my training on the circle of influence versus the circle of concern. More relevant is the diagram that would show the circle of control, the circle of influence, and the circle of concern. When we think about where we fall in those diagrams as marketers, everything rides on the circle of influence. Figure out how to influence others. If we can show others value, we can grow influence. And when influence is targeted properly, the perfect prospect will come to you.

More to come.