Bill’s note: Full credit for this blog idea goes to my client, Barry Henry. During our weekly coaching call, Barry told me a story about his pastor’s unique policy for seeing to it people in the congregation get to know each other. I thought it’d make an interesting blog…
At a church function, the pastor makes some “housekeeping” announcements and then adds, “Oh, yes…and the Pastor’s Rule is in affect tonight!” Immediately, everyone turns to shake the hands of someone nearby whom they do not know, introducing themselves as they go. Attend enough events like this one and you’re going to know everyone in the congregation.
Imagine that.
I once went 11 years without prospecting. No cold calling whatsoever. I simply spread from one company to another like a 6’6” computer virus.
11 years!
Do you want know how I did it? Using a broad smile, a warm handshake, and a sentence that went something like this:
“Hi! My name is Bill Farquharson. I don’t believe we’ve met and I wanted to introduce myself.”
I used this approach to introduce myself to one new person each time I visited an existing account. Just afterward, I would make it note of everything I can think of regarding that conversation and then added it to my CRM as soon as I got back to the office. When these people moved on to another company, I had an in.
I did that for 11 years. I called it networking. Barry Henry calls it The Pastor’s Rule. This guy should have gotten the sales but I suppose he had a higher calling!
Whether or not you are churchgoing, you should apply the Pastor’s Rule. Find a way to meet one new person a day. Keep track. Write down the name. This is networking the way it used to be done, one handshake at a time. Following this practice cannot help but make you a better listener and a happier person. There is no downside.
So, effective immediately, The Pastor’s Rule is in effect. Can I get an amen?
