I recently reconnected with a business acquaintance, the founder and CEO of a successful company, at a networking event. We hadn’t seen each other in a few months and exchanged news on our respective businesses and mutual acquaintances. 

John mentioned that Derek, an inveterate pitchman we both knew, had contacted him. Derek was involved in yet another business and made another pitch to John. “Did you consider it?” I asked. John shook his head. “Why not?”

John stammered something about the services not being a fit for his company, and being too busy. Then he shrugged, palms up, and sighed, “Because there’s no there, there.”

John had articulated a hard truth about the difference between a shallow pitch and a meaningful business dialogue.

This kind of candor doesn’t often surface in casual conversations, and the fact that it did set me to thinking. What does it mean to have there, there?

No there means you’re not here. If a prospective client, customer or business partner thinks that you have no there, it means they’re not willing to invest the time, energy and ultimately their hard-earned cash to work with you.

It’s often said that every business relationship involves give and take. I prefer to think of it as an exchange. If your exchange isn’t a blend of substance, character and space for the prospect’s point of view, there’s no there behind your pitch. And no chance to develop the mutual trust that transforms an exchange into a sale.

Yes, it’s important to craft a short, compelling value proposition and use it skillfully in conversations with prospects, clients and customers. But when a prospect starts to feel like Dorothy wishing for a little dog to pull back the Great Oz’s curtain and reveal the person behind it, perhaps it’s time look behind your pitch for deeper substance.

Where’s your there?