| Many business coaches, executive coaches, | | | | me? |
| business consultants not to mention the tens of | | | | Every single time without fail, the response to this |
| others small business owners including real estate | | | | question has been a resounding Yes. I then |
| agents, new car salesmen and financial advisors | | | | receive the contact information including email |
| write a column for a local newspaper, business | | | | from the individual. When returning home, I then |
| journal, health magazine, etc. Yet, these many of | | | | send the person my editor's contact information. I |
| the same intelligent and goal driven individuals fail | | | | also send my editor an email giving him a heads |
| to leverage the power within this written column. | | | | up about the forthcoming testimonial. |
| Please let me explain. | | | | By leveraging the business column, I have |
| Since February of 2007, I have been writing a | | | | accomplished several objectives: |
| business column for a local newspaper in | | | | |
| northwest Indiana, the Post Tribune. Each Monday | | | | 1. I have further developed a relationship with the |
| morning, my column on business building appears. | | | | reader through the thank you. |
| And because of the focus and the quality of the | | | | 2. I have demonstrated that the column is being |
| content, I have been receiving both emails and | | | | read by subscribers or potential subscribers to the |
| verbal accolades. | | | | newspaper. |
| These comments include: | | | | 3. My editor can share the testimonials and |
| - I use your column for training my employees. | | | | reinforce that he made a great decision my |
| - I look forward to reading your column every | | | | publishing my column because of the readership. |
| Monday. | | | | 4. I have more testimonials about my writing |
| - Your ability to render the complex and make it | | | | quality as I further expand my professional writing |
| simple is one reason I read it. | | | | to achieve additional goals. |
| - Boy, I wish my boss would read your column. | | | | By using this proven sales strategy of harvesting |
| Each and everyone one of these has received a | | | | testimonials from a written business column, you |
| personal thank you either written or verbally. | | | | can build additional relationships. Since business is all |
| Then I ask this simple question: Would you mind | | | | about relationship selling, this sales strategy allows |
| me sending you the name of my newspaper | | | | you a strategic competitive advantage that your |
| editor along with his email and phone number so | | | | competitors simply do not have. |
| that you can personally tell him what you just told | | | | |