Five thousand years ago, every human was a hunter.

If you were hungry, you got a rock or a stick, a bow and arrow and you went hunting.

The problem was that all of the animals were either dead, really good at hiding or very fast at running away.

For a while this was a problem,

Fortunately, we discovered/invented the idea of farming.

Plant seeds, fertilise them, water them, watch them grow and then you harvest them.

The idea spread and it led to the birth of civilisation.

Everyone got the idea… except for marketers.

Marketers still like to hunt.

What we are discovering, though, is that the good prospects are getting really good at hiding. Spam email, caller ID, “I’m busy at the moment, let’s talk later” etc are some ways that prospects hide.

Good marketer establish and tell a story that resonates, get permission, establish trust, see beyond the sale, don’t sell yet, they are honest, they see you [sawubona] not as a number to meet their sales targets.

Good marketers don’t chase you, set a trap to capture you or manipulate to win you.

Good marketers are farmers, they nurture and grow you.

Farmers are more focused on developing long-term relationships.

They are the nurturers, building relationships with leads and clients for a lasting impact.

They are team players that bring everyone else up and develop strong customer loyalty.