Do you use small talk in sales?

Not long ago, I was talking to a potential client, a company whose business I really wanted. I had, a few days before, sent him a proposal with some ideas for a branding and PR program.

The conversation started out with some small talk about the weather or whatever. He lives in Florida, I in Wisconsin. Then the subject of sailing came up, and I mentioned I had just come back from a race across Lake Michigan. He mentioned he sailed too, and had for much of his life.

But I wanted to get to the subject. I wanted to know what he thought of my ideas. I was anxious to see how it went over and if it might result in a big, fat contract.

So I said, in essence, “Oh, that’s nice. What did you think of the proposal?”

Dang!

I knew right away that I had messed up. If there’s one thing sailors like to do, it’s talk about sailing. And here was one who was a potential client who wanted to share a few stories. It was a prime opportunity to build the relationship, and I missed it.

Of course, he didn’t buy my proposal. It just wasn’t in the cards at that time, and engaging him in a conversation about boats and regattas wouldn’t have changed that.

But it would have gone further to cement our relationship, and when he is ready to move on a branding plan, I would have a better chance of being the first call.

He remains a potential client (I think), so all is not lost. But I did learn a lesson from this, one that I already knew: When talking to a prospect, friendly small talk is crucial. Talking about your product or service might be the least important subject.

You can bet the next time I talk to him, if he wants to talk boats, we’re talking boats.