Ever wonder

Ever wonder about an organization that courts you when they want something?

They will call you, they will send you some of the nicest emails, basically a lot courtesy on their part. The when it comes time to repay the courtesy and respond to that organization and/or it's representative that you are unable to commit or attend or just to just give a courteous "No, Thank You" you get the big blow off. This just re-confirms what they really thought of you; a name on a list that could make the numbers bigger thus hoping to make what they do relevant. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be relevant.

However, there is something very wrong with this shortsighted approach to doing business.

Organizations and individuals that work this way are not only burning bridges but don't see the big picture for what it is. They fail to see that this time next year, for example. The big annual gala is looking for sponsors but cannot court the ones that they dismissed last year and now have to scramble find new sponsors for their event.

While it is prudent to court existing sponsors and as well as those that were unable to deliver last year for the next event. Burning bridges prevents that from happening and could spoil any future relationships. Who knows, the next bridge that's burned may have very close ties to a High Profile individual that you may one day want to court.

As a word of advice to those organizations that burn bridges especially the kind that can deliver the $$$$ next time, try a simple "sorry you weren't there but here is what you missed" email. In my book, a message like that would all but seal the deal the next time they came calling.

Any thoughts?

tag this:
Dave Guerra, sponsorships, Bridge Burning, Burning Bridges, Marketing, Advertising, Missing the Boat, Opportunity