Strategic Entertainment

I was out "entertaining" people last night and started to ask myself why bother? Just starting out in the business, i don't exactly have a big capital to work on, as much as i would LIKE to entertain people, bring them out for drinks/shows/dinner, i just don't have the budget, not when the sale isn't guaranteed anyway.

i used to believe that if someone is really sincere about something, they will do their utmost to make that something come to pass, and why should i entertain to get to know someone when that's what business meetings are for - precisely to get ot know someone and do busines which mutually benefits each other?

i just wanted to find a bit of general opinion and chanced upon this article which is excerpted from the Dave Kahl website: http://www.davekahle.com/article/entertain.html

I'm just going to highlight the important bits below, but you can read the whole article at the link.

On Entertaining Your Customers

Copyright 2002, by Dave Kahle.

How much time should I spend entertaining my customers?

Good question. The world of the field salesperson is changing rapidly these days, and everything is in question. The practice of entertaining customers is one of those issues that needs to be rethought.

First, let's consider whether or not you should entertain your customers. In these days of e-commerce and Internet communication, is there a place for this age-old practice?

...

There is an important truth illustrated by these examples. People like to do business with people they know. The better they know you, the more likely it is that they'll do business with you. When they spend time with you out side of the business setting, they come to know you better. It really is that simple.

...

In this time of high-tech communication, powerful personal relationships provide the high-touch that many people are subconsciously hungering for. Robert Putnam, in his landmark book, Bowling Alone, quoted a study by an MIT researcher that concludes:

"Though some unimportant business relationships and casual social relationships will be established and maintained on a purely virtual basis, physical proximity will be needed to cement and reinforce the more important professional and social encounters."

Later, more directly to our point, the research concludes:

"widespread use of computer-mediated communication will actually require more frequent face-to-face encounters,' and extensive deep, robust, social infrastructure of relationships must exist so that those using the electronic media will truly understand what others are communicating to them."

In other words, even in this high-tech world characterized by voice mail, e-commerce and instant messaging, face-to-face relationships are necessary.

....

The article sounds very manipulative but i get where it's coming from - that sometimes we just need to take that extra effort to get to know someone outside of the business context. What i would add on to it is: to never to expect something in return.

Well, that's a real eye opener for me. it's difficult to separate the motive from what needs to be done. the best of both worlds in this case would be that I need to learn how to entertain effectively but affordably i guess. i just hope that whatever small things i put my money into that my customers will be able to see my sincerity shining through; not because i want them to buy something from me, but simply because i just want them to give me a chance to get to know them better and for me to get to know THEM better. Only in my getting to know my clients, can i really understand their needs and give them good advice.  

small gestures as they may be, i hope that if you do appreciate something i've done for you, please let me know. it's always good to know that it's being appreciated and will encourage me to continue doing kind things for others.

becoming a less complicated person,

Jessica