A Smiling Man Wins A Client

It’s been a hectic day in the life of a Broke Wall Streeter. I think I’ve punched my desk about 4 times today. During the mayhem, I received a call with a callerID of “Unknown Number”. Answering the phone while I was in spewing-fire mode would probably have produced a very different outcome to this story.

I have a mirror right above the phone. It’s an old trick that salespeople use, which is to smile before you answer the phone. It makes your voice sound more pleasant and in turn makes the caller more comfortable with you. The caller happened to be a small business owner that was referred to me by a friend of mine. He needed help with his company website ASAP and I took a few minutes to fix the problem. It took my mind off of the madness at work, and I cultivated a potential client, and in this case, one with deep pockets. He offered to pay, but I turned him down this time.

In these rough economic times, I have plenty of competition for the few paying side gigs out there. Why did my Broke self turn down $$$$$?!?!?! Well, I’d rather keep the potential of earning steady business from Mr. Deep Pockets in the future, than making a quick $100 right now. Cultivate the seed. When the economy improves, he may come to me a with a huge project or a fresh crop of referrals. Trust me, they will remember you for it.