We’ve all heard it said so many different ways. That infamous and rarely welcome message –
“Don’t Call Me – I’ll Call You.”
Whether it’s said in the spirit of efficiency –
“I don’t have an answer yet – when I do, I’ll call you.”
or as the ultimate brush off.
“Yeah, Yeah – I’ll get back to you on that.”
knowing when to wait and when to follow up can be a delicate dance of one step forward and two steps back.
Whether you are an entrepreneur working on getting that next round of funding, an employee moving a decision up the corporate decision ladder, or a sales person trying to close that BIG order, it is important to be able to get over the “Don’t Call Me” hurdle. Here are some tactics that have worked for me. They just might work for you too.
Ask a clear question that can be answered.
Be sure to clearly state the question and make sure the other person knows what you are asking. Nothing is more frustrating that waiting for an answer and when it comes, YOUR question is still unanswered. When this happens you end up starting the process all over again.
Ask a champion to help you get an answer.
Just like the photo above, find someone who can help you place that call. Your champion may have the inside information or access to get through when you do not.
Help the other party understand why making a decision is good for THEM.
While we often focus on what we need, that will not necessarily be a high priority for the other person. If you can demonstrate why coming to a decision is good for the person on the other side, you might quickly find that you are both on the SAME side.
Wishing won’t make it so.
Years ago, I was waiting for a VERY important answer on a very big deal. If we did not have an answer that day, the deal would not go through and weeks of my team’s work would have been for naught. I got so frustrated that I finally just sat in my office staring at the phone and willing it to ring. My assistant was not used to seeing me sit still that long and came in to see what was up. When she realized what I was doing, she started to laugh.
“That’s no way to get an answer. You have to do something to move things forward. Wishing won’t make it so.”
The glare I gave her would have made strong men tremble as I muttered under my breath and turned back to stare at the phone even harder.
“Maybe I can help” she said.
With that she went back to her desk and called an assistant at the other company. Explaining that her boss was driving her crazy, she asked the other assistant to help. Within 15 minutes, I got my answer. My company got the deal AND my assistant got a raise. And, she did not even have to ask!
So whatever you need to do to get YOUR answer, do it. You never know, it just might be the one you’ve been waiting for.
Thanks for stopping by. Stay Tuned…
Joan Koerber-Walker