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Buyer enablement

Is anyone even opening your PDF attachments?

By
Martin Barnes | 8 Seconds 2 Connect
Last updated
September 6, 2023

On this page

Is anyone even opening your PDF attachments?

Here's the scene:

✔︎ You've just finished a great call.

✔︎ You are on the same page.

✔︎ They know the price range, and then they ask...

"Send me something so I can share it with the team."

YES - a result, progress.

But stop. 

You are at the cliff edge.

The cliff edge of momentum.

You could bounce over the canyon to the other side or fall short and free-fall to the ground far below.

However, there is a bridge to the other side.

Sorry did I say bridge I meant to say Trumpet?

Before Trumpet, I would finish the call, compile a pdf and a cover letter and then click -

‘Send’.

I get a swift reply for one or two follow-ups, and then we get started.

But for the majority, I would then wait... and wait....and send reminders.

Slow.

Painful.

Wasting time and energy.

Why is this?

01 - Sometimes, it's because they were shopping around, and something in your proposal bursts momentum.

02 - Sometimes, it's because their internal process works at a different speed.

03 - Or their life has kicked up a gear, and it isn't a priority.

Whatever the reason, sitting in the dark after a great call is highly frustrating.

But this changed when I started sharing pods, not proposals.

What's a Pod?

The visual continuation of the phone call - a bespoke proposal that is created with reusable assets and frameworks.

Imagine if:

  • a webpage 
  • a magazine feature article 
  • a proposal 
  • a social media feed

All combined - it sounds hectic, but the team and Trumpet make it work.

✔︎ I can have multiple pages to a proposal - this allows me to breadcrumb the content and avoid overloading people with too much information at one time

✔︎ I can add video, voice, images and PDFs

✔︎ We can have specific conversations with the chat feature at precise points in the content

✔︎ It allows the ability to scale without falling foul of impersonal automation

And the one that inspired me to go pro

✔︎ I know when the follow-up is following up and not just sitting in the dark

I get a notification every time someone has looked at the follow-up - I can see who and when, and this a) removes the self-doubt that might foster whilst waiting and b) lets me prepare for the next flow of the conversation.

For example

One of my pods has been opened and viewed once = zero interest.

Another one over 24 times by four different team members = people are spending time on it, so it's got alignment.

A trumpet Pod is part of the evolution of pitching and communication post 2022 - tools that help us zig when everyone else is zagging.

✔︎ Have a process.

✔︎  Follow the plan

✔︎ Adapt to our work context 

✔︎ Get results 

I've sent 11 pods, and so far, I have:

Five wins.

Two fast nos.

Four ghosts.

The five wins have all happened recently - so like anything quality, the results take time and effort.

There is no 'Jack and the Beanstalk' overnight success. 

But instead, long game progress and a slight learning curve - but it is 100% totally worth the investment of time.

Oh, and one last thing - I haven't measured it strictly, but it feels like I finish my follow-up much faster - an additional win for family life.

Thank you 🎺.

“Martin Barnes is a pitch coach with decades of experience reaching out to prospects and training professionals to become more confident in their presentations and pitches.

With 8 Seconds 2 Connect he helps business leaders and founders connect with their audience and elevate their presentation skills.”