Crain's New York Business

Q: It’s so hard to close deals. So why then is it? I mean, after all, during the dot-com generation everyone signed fast. The sales cycle is still so darn slooooow.
Suki John, Stores, Conn.

A: I believe it is an overreaction to the irrational behavior in the late 1990s. The pendulum has swung too far back the other way. People have turned making a decision into a crushing, never-ending deliberation, especially among corporate executives. When one is fearful for one’s job, it is often easier to keep one’s head down and not do anything, not make a decision.

On the other hand, we have seen some strong-willed folks with the confidence to make decisions and make things happen. As the economy continues to go up, those are the people that will be on top.

And as for future boomlets, I can guarantee that the barrier to entry will be way higher than it was in the Nineties, when a ton of folks who were selling shoes suddenly thought they didn’t have to anymore. They were wrong.

It’s funny–a lot of people I have met in the last year have said they aren’t ready, and this is confusing to me. In the marketing world, you meet some people who would rather wait till they are superflush before they do anything. But what happens, more often than not, is that their brand gets weak. A few times, I have had to say, “You let the person who takes your job call me.” It’s less than polite, sure, but the point has gotten across.

Richard Laermer
Laermer is the author of Full Frontal PR: Getting People Talking About You, Your Business or Your Product. He is the founder of RLM PR, based in New York and Los Angeles.