Communicate Your Real Intentions Instead of Checking In

You are not checking in.

• You are calling your prospective client to schedule a meeting to get the opportunity you were working on back on track after they missed a commitment and went dark.
• You are calling to schedule a meeting to have another conversation about an opportunity you believe is available to them, and one that you failed to convince them of the last time you spoke.
• You are on their phone line because you want to ask them for a do over when you realize that you didn’t accomplish what you needed to when you were with them an hour and a half ago.
• You are calling your dream client to make sure that they have no concerns that would prevent them from moving forward with you and your proposal.
• Maybe you are calling because you haven’t spoken in two months and you want to make sure that they are doing well and to share a new idea with them that you believe will allow them to gain some competitive advantage.

You are not touching base.

• You are calling to ask your dream client to meet with you so you can provide them with an insight that will help them grow their business, maybe, if it makes sense.
• You are calling because you are concerned that too many stakeholders have been left out of the process, and you want to make sure everyone on her team will support the initiative you are working on.
• You are calling to ask your prospective client to become an actual client and buy what you sell from you instead of someone else.

When you say you are calling to check in or touch base, you are being dishonest, even if not the worst kind of dishonesty. You have some intention when you call, and you have something that you want. You’ve tried being so soft and beating around the bush long enough to know that it isn’t effective, it doesn’t make you a peer, and you are wasting everyone’s time.

Instead, get to the point. Ask for what you want, and trade your client the value they get from agreeing to it. Communicate your real intentions.