You don’t recognize the number . . . do you answer your phone? . . . . . . . . . many don’t because because if the number is not stored inside their phone they don’t know the caller i.e. the caller is not part of their social network i.e. what the Ben Stiller movie calls the “inner circle of trust”
For the last 100 years we have answered the anonymous ringing of the land line telephone; its urgent firehouse bell was all that was needed to interrupt our day and force us to take the unknown caller – Now that has all changed.
We need to deliberately and consciously convert selected people in our social network into trusted business partners. Part one of this is to get our number into their mobile phones. This is a personal marketing strategy that is as important as breathing.
Getting into the “inner circle of trust” – into another person’s phone is a conferred privilege that comes with responsibility. When you phone they will answer. What are you bringing to the table to qualify for that privilege?
It is not important who you know, but who knows you.