Everyone in business and beyond knows the meaning of “using a Silver Bullet” – where you use something very valuable to get something else very valuable, like a reference to get new customer/client. It is usually used in the regard to getting a reference from someone who you can’t ask too frequently so when you do use their reference, it better be for a really good purpose – and you don’t waste one of your few limited supply “silver bullets” on something that isn’t a big deal. I would challenge you to think of it in a different way in today’s highly connected and conversational world…
We all know Word-of-Mouth is the most powerful form of communication – always has been and by all accounts, always will be – that’s a given. But the real question is, “What are they saying about you when they tell others about you?” This is the most important question you should be asking yourself and your people today. Why? This is the NEW SILVER BULLET in today’s world!!
In this fast-paced world of communications and sharing information almost immediately, if someone is your “advocate” and telling others about you, WHAT ARE THEY SAYING? What have you “armed” them with that would cause them to check you out (other than being personally recommended, which is awesome) and reach out to contact you. What is it they are saying that will cause this new person to “take action” and connect with you so you can work your magic with them? This is the new SILVER BULLET in the online, real time, and connected world. References are too slow – Social Media has made this super fast, if not instant. Today someone wants to know now or they will make other decisions.
The big difference, they can share it in 140 characters or even an e-mail “Proactively” rather than going through the ask process we have lived in up until now. For example, if someone wants to know what someone might say about me, I can now send them to LinkedIn to check out my “Recommendations” or to “Client Blogs” where they have actually blogged about our relationship and the value they got from it (which is super powerful). Why would I put a client through the process of writing a really good reference to ONE potential client when today they can write it ONCE and anyone can see my silver bullets on display? The world has definitely changed in this regard – are you using the power of the NEW SILVER BULLET yet? Something I talk about with the management teams I work with and would encourage you to talk about with your teams…
