What’s important to the people around you?
Just a thought: Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step. — Martin Luther King, Jr.
Do you know what’s important to the people around you? Do you ever take the time to find out? As a referral coach my time and attention is focused on the best ways to nurture long term, non-exploitive relationships with clients and referrals sources. Human nature and society have conditioned us to pursue what’s important to us, and many times we do that without regard to what’s important to other people. We often see this in connection with how we introduce our products and business opportunities to others.
How many times have you been approached by someone who’s got the best (whatever the product is) for you, and they KNOW it’s perfect before they even KNOW you? We forgive ourselves for this calling it enthusiasm for what we are doing, but the reality is we are simply being selfish, and in most cases very ineffective.
Imagine how much more receptive poeple would be to your activities if you stopped to take a sincere interest in them and what’s important to them. If you took the time to find out what people want, instead of assuming that what you’ve got is perfect for them you might actually find that they will reveal what it is about your product that they would like.
Most of us don’t have the patience or the understanding of how to take a sincere interest in others, but for those that do the results they get are extraordinary. The next time you’re inclined to focus on closing a sale, try slowing down and engaging in a dialogue with them, about them, and focused on them. Forget for the moment that you’re interested in selling something, and be totally focused, unconditionally, on getting to know that person. If you do this without looking at them like they have a dollar sign on their head you will find them much more receptive to what is important to you.
