The Key Investment

I came across some notes I made around the turn of 2009.

The portents weren't all that great. Where once there was credit crunch, now there's recession. Generational turbulent headwinds onrushing.

Most people I spoke to felt that 2008 sales overall held up fairly well.

Unfortunately, they were all at best cautious, at worst petrified, about suggesting success in '09.

We now know how that went. Ouch.

I was planning for cold-calling. This particular activity revolved around product selling with a discovery twist. Hopefully leading to fuller solution sell engagement.

I aimed to be quickly in and out on the phone. Principally, I intended to ensure one simple question uncovered whether a potential fit between the wares and the prospect's plans existed.

I had one extra idea. As tricky as it might be to get a bite, if reception felt frosty, then deliver one parting shot;

"if you were to invest in one key initiative this year, what type of thing would it be?"

My thinking was twofold. That you may well inadvertently discover something that we could indeed help with at a later date. And that it might just give some powerful facts to use to our advantage when meeting prospects about the current climate among my purchaser-community.

Feedback around this mini-campaign ask was clear.

Most were reticent to answer.

We tried to clarify with;

'...just a general headline area, not the crown jewels, of course...'

Often then stating it could be an area in which we offer something unique.

Ceasing probes at that point. This did make inroads though.

Then of those responding, most basically shrugged, 'nothing'.

Luckily, we did get a few proper insights.

Which we did get to use well. Both for further actions and when engaging existing clients.

Despite the relative fraction offering intel, it was definitely worth it.

It made drawing a blank less feared by the callers. They exhibited a feeling of having tried.

So although only a relatively short campaign, did yield Sales results.

Are we approaching similar times today, almost half-way through '26?

There's plenty of wars, ongoing and threatened. Anti-business governments. A serious (tech) stock market bubble fit to burst.

Maybe the time's ripe for popping this qu on the end of our conversations now too?