Never Accept Beyond The Horizon

During February, one of my cold-callers ecstatically informed me of a new first meeting they’d nailed into the diary.  When I enquired as to the date, it turned out to be for 2 June.  My excitement and attention quickly diverted elsewhere.  I then realised that I must explain myself to the now rather forlorn figure in front of me.

March-April-May.  A full 3 months separated us from the meeting date.  I pointed out that there was as much chance of walking on the moon as this meeting going ahead.  In my (sometimes bitter!) experience, when you arrange a meeting with a prospect for the first time, there is a specific window open for such new forum.

Most people will have fullish diaries for the next ten days or so.  Gaining a meeting date with a stranger for around a fortnight hence can be an acceptable norm.  Anything beyond that though, and wierd things creep into the way.  I had to assure them to trust me, but meetings booked in for way off in the future always get canned.  Always.

I suggested a remedy.  Simply call the guy back up, and be honest.  Explain that the meeting was doomed and could we perhaps bring the date forward.  I could tell this wasn’t a manoeuvre that appealled to my cold-caller.  A week or so later, contact was re-made, the new conversation had.  The response wowed my guy.  After the initial explanation, the prospect agreed straight away and started to empathise.  A new date, much closer to ‘now’, was dutifully confirmed.