The Difference between a contact and a contRact

Sales, selling, the art of selling, whatever you want to call it, has lots of rules.  Some rules are better than others.  I noticed a colleague recently talking about how many contacts she had and the number of connections she has made.

She continued that, “in sales, it’s all about the contacts.”  While this is true, it’s only partially true.  If you want contracts from your contacts you’d better understand the difference between the two, and it is a simple as one letter.

It's the letter "R" for relationship.  Unless you turn your contacts into relationships you’ll never earn the contracts.  Relationships are everything.  One quality relationship is worth more than dozens of contacts that produce little to nothing.  I have a dear friend who, while not in sales, makes similar misjudgments. 

He has more social media connections than you can possibly fathom, and when pressed, he admits that he really doesn’t know many of them very well.  You likely have some friends similar in nature. 

You have to wonder - how good are these relationships when you want to leverage them for something more, different or better?  The answer is obvious.  They’re of little to no value.  Why?  Because they’re contacts and not relationships. 

Relationships take time to develop and cultivate. Trust must be earned and built. Relationships are a give and take, not take only.  Relationships grow and mature. Relationships take work and effort.  Contacts are easy.  Contacts take little effort. Contacts are everywhere.  Contracts though, they come from relationships, and the name of the game in sales is Relationships.