“Call me the breeze 

I keep blowin' down the road 

Well now they call me the breeze 

I keep blowin' down the road 

I ain't got me nobody 

I don't carry me no load”

Lyrics from the hit song “Call me the breeze” by Lynyrd Skynyrd (just putting this here to avoid any copyright law infringement…).

When I think of salespeople, in any industry, this song often comes to mind because I feel that way too many people are solely in it for themselves… they just want to make a quick buck, even at the expense of others.

Funny enough, as soon as they realize you’re not buying… a sudden gust of wind blows them down the road and you never see or hear from them ever again!

Sadly, being in the oil and gas industry, I see this all the time… and I hear it from my clients as well.

Big oil companies often treat you like a number. They look at the amount of acres you own, the location, and a host of other factors before they declare you worth their time…

… and if they don’t like what they see, they are gone with the wind as well!

So, how do you know which oil and gas company you should place your faith in? Who should you trust to handle such an important transaction?

Well, let’s look at some things to look out for before you decide to sell or lease your oil and gas rights through a specific company.

You would think that this is a given for people in sales and consulting… don’t leave people hanging when they reach out to you.

Granted, often consultants are overwhelmed with things they need to do. But is that really an excuse to just ignore people that have reached out to you for advice?

How about a big NO!

If you’ve been left in the dark by a consultant, or the company that they work for, it might be time to reconsider who you want to do business with.

In an age of global communication, where you can be sitting on a beach in Mexico while doing business with someone in West Virginia, it has changed the game considerately.

But that doesn’t mean a consultant doesn’t need to understand their clients and the area that they live in.

This is especially true if your client lives on the land they intend to sell. If your oil and gas rights consultant has no understanding of the local area, how is he going to understand your needs and wants?

As important it is, for a oil and gas consultant, to understand the oil and gas industry… I would argue it’s more important that they understand the area they operate in… and the people that live in those communities.

This ties in with number 2 above. Does the company you’re doing business with care about your community?

Do the people working in the company live in the community. Do they contribute to making your community better?

This is especially important for communities that are ravaged by poverty and drug and alcohol abuse. By taking money out of the community and not feeling a need to reinvest in your local community… big corporations are sometimes guilty of bleeding an area dry… and leaving the locals to scratch a living from the scrap pile.

Any good business owner knows that great testimonials are critical to growing their business.

Consumers, home owners, or just people in general… want to purchase items or services through businesses that have a proven track record.

Nobody wants to be the first one to try the roller coaster… especially when there are some loose screws around...

So, look for testimonials on the company’s website or on other social media platforms. Read what past clients have said before you place your trust in that business. 

Did you like talking to the consultant? Did you connect with them?

Why is this important? Because it’s human to want to interact with people you connect with, trust, and that are just like you!

We all want to talk and hang out with people just like us!

If you didn’t like talking to the consultant, chances are you might not like doing business with the company either. All companies have a culture, whether it’s actively created or just happens to be this way.

If the consultant is miserable to talk to and deal with… chances are others in the company are the same… and you’ll become miserable as well!

The head office is usually where most of the top brass work… and live close by (they hate driving long ways…).

But more importantly, the head office influences the company culture. If the head office is located in Manhattan… chances are most of the organization won’t understand your needs and wants as much.

Their consultants might live in a concrete jungle, not in the appalachian mountains!

They might just see you as a number on their screen, not a person that lives in the same area as they do. Who has to deal with the same snow to get to work.

Here’s the secret to growing a business to extraordinary levels… solid processes.

A process for marketing. A process for sales. A process for accounting. In fact, a good business will have a process for everything… even down to how the floors should be cleaned and how often employees should dip their tea bags into their mug!

But with extraordinary growth… a company often loses that personal touch.

So, if you see that the company you are looking at has offices all across the US (and even across the world)... chances are you will be treated as just another number.

Lets face it. Selling your oil and gas rights is ultimately about making money. No shame in thinking that.

So dealing with companies that have deep pockets makes sense, right?

Of course it does. But you also want to make sure they aren’t a bloated, bureaucratic beast that takes ages to take action.

Money today is worth a lot more than money two years from now.

And another note, just because an organization is big and holding onto a lot of cash… doesn’t mean they will buy at any cost.

They will have options across the US (even the world). Everything will be a numbers game for them. If doing business with you doesn’t add up… they will probably leave you high and dry.

The stereotypical salesman is usually the fast talking, flying by the seat-of-their-pants, not taking no for an answer kind of personality.

In reality, these types seldom do well in sales. 

A great salesman, and consultant for that matter, listens to their prospects needs and wants... 

… and if the consultant realizes that their solution is NOT a good fit… they are upfront about it with their prospect.

So, here’s a simple way to see if a consultant REALLY, truly cares about you and is not just after your money…

Do they listen more than they talk? Are they asking you questions and REMEMBERING the answers you gave them just a few minutes ago?

The reality is... most people will not be a great fit for my business. The size, location, timing, and a host of other variables might not align for a deal to be made.

But that doesn’t mean a company needs to just throw you out into the street.

Giving away free advice, even if it’s a simple article like this one, doesn’t cost much in the end.

Being helpful is ultimately the reason businesses and capitalism succeed. A great business provides value that far outweighs the cost for you.

Even if you don’t want to read, listen, or watch the content being provided for you… take notice that the company wants to help out… even if they don’t see you as a potential client of theirs. 

There’ya’have’it!

Are there other reasons for selecting one company over the other? Sure.

But based on decades of experience in sales and consulting, these stand out.

The way I like to do business, whether it’s me buying items personally or through my business, is to ask myself; 

Do I like this person or company? 

Do I want to give them my hard-earned money? 

Or trust them to handle my important affairs?

I hope this article helps shed some light on which course of action you want to take with your oil and gas rights.

Take care!

Co-founder of Relique Energy Management, Inc.