The Opportunity You Never Saw

Sandra Baas Studio

Someone Recommended You.

Now What?

I sometimes wonder how many opportunities I’ve missed without ever knowing about them.

Seriously. How would I know?

When I moved from Spain to Miami, I left behind a professional network I’d spent more than 20 years building.

I knew people in hospitality, entertainment, media, and business. I’d organized major events, worked with international sponsors, and could usually find someone who knew someone.

Then I arrived in Miami.

Nobody knew me, and my experience didn’t exactly come with a welcome committee.

That was humbling. I had to start building relationships all over again.

And here’s what I’ve learned.

Being good at what you do doesn’t automatically make people think of you when an opportunity comes along.

They have to remember you and understand what you do.

Which brings me to something I’ve been thinking about lately.

When was the last time someone recommended a professional to you?

What did you do?

I bet you looked them up.

I certainly do. I Google their name, check their website, and peek at their social media.

Yes, I snoop a little. Don’t we all?

Now imagine someone recommends you to a potential client.

They search your name and find an outdated website, social media profiles that tell different stories, or information that no longer reflects what you do.

Meanwhile, you’re wondering why nobody is calling.

And here’s the frustrating part.

You may never know that person was interested in working with you.

A polished online presence won’t magically bring clients to your door. I wish!

But think about all the years you’ve spent building relationships. Every former colleague, happy client, business acquaintance, and person you’ve met could introduce you to someone.

What happens when that person looks you up?

A little experiment:

Google yourself.

Then visit your website and social media profiles as if you were meeting yourself for the first time.

Would you understand what you do today?

Would you get a sense of your personality?

Most importantly, would you want to get in touch?

Be a little critical. I promise your feelings won’t be hurt.

This is exactly the kind of thing I help experienced professionals with at Baas Studio. They’ve spent years building their reputation, and I help them make sure people can see that same experience, personality, and expertise online.

After all, a wonderful recommendation deserves a wonderful first impression.

And after all those years of building relationships, it would be a shame to lose an opportunity before you’ve even said hello.

I’m curious, though.

Have you ever looked someone up after a recommendation and changed your mind about contacting them?

I have. And now I’m wondering how many people have done the same with me!

With love,

Sandra

P.S.Did you try the little experiment? I'd love to hear what you discovered. Reply to this email and tell me. We can have a little chat about it.