I cringe when a development professional starts a visit preparation discussion with the declaration, “This is just going to be a cultivation visit.”
There should be no such thing as ‘a cultivation visit’!!! And, certainly not ‘JUST a cultivation visit’! It suggests the visit is limited only to the realm of relationship BUILDING.
This framing is not consistent with the thinking and vocabulary in a Sales Culture For Impact.
- One in which we’re always trying to build lifetime relationships AND maximize them at this given moment…
- One in which we do not make decisions for our prospects…
- One in which it’s our job to share the story around the impact and present the opportunity to invest…
- One in which we should always have a clear GOAL for each visit…
Are there times when it might be premature to ‘ask’? Absolutely! But the intent… the mindset… the goal… should never be to ‘just cultivate.’
In these situations, we should make it our goal to communicate and inspire so that more prospects ask, “How can I help?” Then, we need to be ready to answer that question — even on a first visit!
See also: Stop Cultivating and Start Communicating
