Partnership Rejection? Why You Get No Reply

"When you do things from your soul, other people really dig that ****."

Author Unknown

I get coaching clients that complain all the time about not having people support their projects. They reach out to people via email and social media to partner on a particular project or event and never get a response or get the run around. It may mean that that person of influence is wack and slack, but normally it has something to do with the approach. I generally ask three things:

1. Why are you doing the project?

2. How have you promoted and marketed the project, and how are you personally branded?

3. If I am a person of influence, why should I help/partner with you?

Usually there's a disconnect or something missing based on their feedback and it truly boils down to presentation.  The answer to the first question should express a clear need tied to passion and purpose. The more meaningful the project, the more likely an affirmative response.

Question two is vital because people will judge you based on your by-products. If they google you or your brand will they be impressed? If they click on your social media profiles, will they see you well put together and doing progressive things? Is your messaging direct and organized? Does it look like something they'd use/support/attend if they hadn't been asked? You need to nail the answers to these questions before engaging anyone.

The answer to question three can't just be because it's a great cause. There are millions of great causes. There's no shortage of people asking for money and assistance to help others in need. You have to focus on passion and purpose and ensure you're engaging the right people for the right projects. A person of influence may not care about animal rights if they don't have pets. Of course no one is in support of animal abuse, but they would probably prefer to spend their energy on causes they're familiar with and care about.

Lastly, if you don't go hard for you, why should they go hard for you? People ask me to promote stuff all the time but I pause when I notice their lack of hustle. If you aren't promoting yourself and your events appropriately, why should I "waste" my time and efforts assisting you? It sounds harsh but it's a gamble for someone to promote something with no guarantee that you'll follow through. 

Don't go surface. Dig deep and really analyze these questions. That person in mind has already mastered the art of growing an audience and becoming someone of influence. Successful people like dealing with those that have put in the same amount of work or that are willing to work their butt off. They know that they have just as much to lose as the next, so there's an assumption they'll treat the project with care. It can't be talk. It must be show.