This experiment surprised me (and it might you too).

In their brilliant book, ‘Messengers – Who we listen to, who we don’t and why’, Stephen Martin and Joseph Marks tell this fascinating story.

A London property sales and lettings firm once handled enquiries from potential customers as you might expect: the receptionist would ask about the nature of the call and then transfer them to the right member of the team.

At Martin’s and Marks’ suggestion, they made a small change to the process. Before they transferred the call, the receptionist first ‘bigged up’ their colleague, like this:

‘Let me put you through to Peter, our head of sales.  He has twenty years of experience selling properties in this area.  He’s certainly the best person to speak to and get advice from.’

The results were quick and striking.  The firm converted nearly 20% more enquiries into valuation appointments.  And they closed 15% more contracts over all.

So why am I telling you this story?

Well, studies like this show we’re heavily influenced by what third parties say about people, even if they clearly have skin in the game.

So, I’m curious.  What are people saying about you?  

Do they say – ‘What a legend!’

Or perhaps – ‘Wow – they really know their stuff’

Or even – ‘You’ve got to speak to them – you won’t regret it.’

By the time people meet you in person, are they already sold on you?

But maybe no-one’s saying very much at all.

Maybe it’s just….

???????

…(that’s crickets btw).  

Yikes.

Without having others to amplify your brilliance, it can feel like hard work influencing the people who matter most.