Comments on: Are You Losing Business When You Hunt for Customers?

By: Andy Morley

Andy Morley — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 08:44:59 +0000

I’m pretty new to Google+ and haven’t really used it too much for cultivating relationships with clients. I have got quite a few clients via Twitter, Facebook and Forums (the original Social media platform).

I always find these clients to be “better clients” after building a relationship and providing some free advice to them over social media first.

By: Ruthi aka abitosunshine

Ruthi aka abitosunshine — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 15:14:32 +0000

I’m not too certain it will prevent slugs, but I do know salt sprinkled on slugs will kill them. Actually, they sort of shrivel up and die.

So appreciate the gardening as opposed to hunting idea of yours. Need to apply that more diligently. Thank you.

By: Garry Cardinal

Garry Cardinal — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:29:00 +0000

Some serious food for thought with the article and all the replies. I had moved away from the military metaphors a few months back, so this article was real refreshing. But like slugs – sometimes you have clients that are poisoning your business and you must find a non-toxic way of ridding them

By: Mark McGuinness

Mark McGuinness — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 15:32:18 +0000

Yes, it’s always nice to make a quick sale, but the biggest ones often take more time…

By: Mark McGuinness

Mark McGuinness — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 15:31:39 +0000

Great to hear your approach is working so well for you. And props for ‘marshaling’ – I’d have included that one if I’d thought of it!

By: Mark McGuinness

Mark McGuinness — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 15:30:49 +0000

Yes, much less stressful all round when you’re not attacking people.

By: Sheryll

Sheryll — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:11:06 +0000

Love this post, I actually use this metaphor a lot when dealing with prospecting. When people cold call businesses or leads they expect to seal the deal right then and there. It’s more to it though, when I make the initial call I am “planting my seed” and I nurture the seed through follow ups, and once it has matured enough and I build the relationship, then can you “sow it”. I like how you applied the metaphor to describe a business.

By: Linkswitch #87, Use LinkedIn, Difficult Clients, Marketing Mix | Ricky Noel Diancin Jr. Webmaster | Web Designer | Wordpress Expert

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:46:35 +0000

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By: Linkswitch #87, Use LinkedIn, Difficult Clients, Marketing Mix

Linkswitch #87, Use LinkedIn, Difficult Clients, Marketing Mix — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 13:01:43 +0000

[...] Are You Losing Business When You Hunt for Customers? [...]

By: John Citrigno

John Citrigno — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 00:32:24 +0000

Love your post, Mark! “Business as Gardening” Excellent metaphor, and on so many levels! The other day one or our competitors called to check-in and learn how we are doing. He is a real “The Art of War” type and he’s really struggling despite marshaling (war term) far greater resources (another war term). We started it this new business quite small just over a year ago. It was very slow going at first and we barely survived our first winter. But we did.. and persisted, nurturing our first few customers and weeding out a few, as well, along the way. We worked hard at perfecting our game, and although we have not yet started any formal marketing, and still plan to get our web site up-and-running (soon), we have more business than we can handle (all of it from client referral). We are really busting out at this point, setting sales and growth records, just on word of mouth. After reading your post I wanted to call the competitor back and share the “gardening” metaphor as a way to explain what it is that we are doing.. but being the type of guy he is, he wouldn’t get it. So onward and upward… and thanks for the good read!