Friday, April 23, 2010

Rocky (Sales) Relationship Letter

Dear Joe,

I wanted to share with you my feelings about our relationship.

I feel I really put myself out there for you, wondering about your needs, concerned about how you are doing.  I think about you a lot, and believe I have much to offer you, but my emails go unanswered my phone calls ignored.

I don't hear from for months, writing you off for good, and then you ask me out of the blue to come see you.  And then when I'm standing there in front of you, you have the nerve to blame ME that the relationship is rocky, that it is somehow my fault that we aren't moving forward together.

It's only when you have "urgent needs" and a deadline that you suddenly find me interesting. But when your needs go away I know your interest will too.  I'm a grown up, Joe, I've seen this before.

I want you to know that I really want us to work.  But it has to be a two-way street.  You can't just discard me then suddenly call when you find you need me.

I'm here for you, Joe, but only to a point.  There are others out there - your competitors - who value what I have.   They want me and treat me with respect.  And if you can't do that, then maybe it's time we should part ways.

Please think about this.  Take some time, and if you feel that you want to work on this, develop a real relationship, you have my number.

Sincerely,
Your Sales Guy

2 comments:

BA said...

Do you really have as much in with his competitors, and just as importantly, does he realize that?

Jim said...

Awesome! It's also akin to when you need to "fire" a customer.