Ed Forteau, owner of Email Open Rate Optimization, was interviewed on the podcast “Failing to Success”. With over 30 years of experience in marketing consulting, Forteau talked about his journey with email optimization and a pivotal moment that made him shift his perspective on how to acquire clients. During the pandemic, his business was struggling to make sales, taking eight months before securing the first one. Instead of trying to push sales, he built relationships by networking with people and applying a process that focuses on making friends and solving their problems. This strategy led to business coming their way and opened the floodgate for new opportunities.

Forteau shared his process for making friends, which involves looking for dumpster fires, or problems that require the attention of a business owner. He doesn’t push sales, but instead, he is focused on helping them solve their problems. By doing this, he establishes a relationship with them and gains their trust. He then asks them about their business, which leads to talking shop and eventually talking business. This process has worked effectively for him and is now being taught to his clients.

Networking and building relationships is crucial in business, especially during tough times. This podcast episode is a good reminder that focusing on sales might not always be the best strategy, and establishing relationships with people can lead to better and more sustainable opportunities.‍

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Intro

00:00:20 Pivotal Moment

00:02:54 Making Friends with Business Owners

00:04:53 Engaging with Each Other's Content

00:11:57 LinkedIn 100% Open Rate

00:13:32 Contact Ed