Have you ever met someone who jumped straight from hello to a marriage proposal?

I think we all have encountered that in one way or another. 

Here’s What Happened...

I was living in Tampa Bay when a rainstorm came up quickly and flooded the streets along Bayshore Boulevard. 

Since my low-riding Acura Integra wasn't designed for high water, the engine flooded in the blink of an eye.

Before I knew what happened, the water rose half-way up the outside of my red sports car doors.

As a result, this “flash flood” found me calling a flatbed to move my car to dry ground. 

I hopped into the tow truck cab after my car was loaded so we could head to our destination.

Imagine my surprise when—within seconds—the driver said in his best (creepy) Southern drawl, “You sure are purty! Will you marry me?”

(Seriously, you can't make this stuff up.)

He didn’t ask for my name, phone number, or out for a first date.

He said, “Hi!” and jumped right to the proposal.

(Yes, it was the longest tow truck ride ever.)

But this experience reminds me of many encounters I’ve had — and perhaps you’ve had — with others in business.

Hello, Will You Marry Me?

Have you ever opted-in to someone’s list, and they immediately asked you to book a call or buy from them? (Instant recoil.)

Or someone sends you a LinkedIn message out of the clear blue trying to sell you something? (Delete.)

What about the person who connects with you from a mutual Facebook group, and asks you to join their business group immediately? (Eww, why did we connect?!)

While this approach may work for some people, it makes something inside me recoil and scramble to find the unsubscribe or delete button.

If that is how this approach makes us feel, then why would we use it with our prospects and customers?

Sure, I know many entrepreneurs and marketers only focus on hitting sales numbers.  

Yes, making money is a good thing. But if that is all you’re focused on, you are guaranteed to leave “money on the table.”

What about nurturing a relationship with someone, so they stick around and engage with you for years to come? 

Make Them Excited to Hear From You

I remember when I first started dating my husband, I couldn’t wait until his next call.

One reason Robert and I clicked was because he took the time to understand what was important to me.

It doesn't matter who you are or what you sell in your business—if you want long-term clients—you need to be intentional about what you say, and when you say it.

[PRO TIP:] Successful businesses use good copywriting to catch attention so they draw in the right person to serve.

When a person is pulled in by your message, it isn’t because you’ve told them how awesome you are and all the wonderful accomplishments you’ve achieved.

The right someone (aka prospective customer) is drawn in because you speak a similar language in a way that makes a genuine connection.

While sparks may fly at the initial hello, if you want them to stick around, you will invest the time to learn what is important to them and build rapport.

How to Keep Them Interested

[PRO TIP:] Two reasons why sales and marketing copy doesn’t work is because the words focus on the features (aka how wonderful you are) and you don’t address their problems. 

If you want prospects to stick around, then you will:

• research your audience
• learn their language
• show you "get them" and
• offer helpful insights they will use

If you haven't done these steps yet, then you know where to start. 

If you want more insights about communications strategy first, then stay tuned for free tips periodically.

Word to the wise: Don’t jump to the proposal after just saying hello.