OH so many sales programs out there . . . always have been.
Everyone has an opinion. Often, a mega-performer will “manualize” her way of doing business, package it in a nice little bundle of books, webinars, conferences, and coaching and sell it to the masses of sales pros out there looking for the magic pill that will bring astronomical success.
The sad truth is that the 20/80 principle applies . . . a disproportionately small number of the folks who attempt the program (the Vital few) will reach a high level of success while the “80% Trivial Many” plod along without significant boost in performance.
The 80%ers become jaded and blame it on a faulty program.
“OH! DON’T buy THAT program! It doesn’t work!”
Maybe they’re right. Could it be possible that the folks who realize significant gains while working the program would have achieved those high levels of success with or without it?
I’m climbing out on a limb by suggesting that these programs (for most of the people who succeed at high levels) are really placebos that give these people a mental boost and perhaps a little structure (The discipline of taking the pill every day) . . . but aren’t really otherwise instrumental in generating the phenomenal success.
So . . .
Let’s look at these high performers – the 20%ers . . . What do they know or what are they DOING that the 80%ers aren’t?
I believe high performance isn’t about what you know nor is it about most of what you do . . . It’s ALL about WHO you know and HOW you do what you do.
I coach my daughter’s soccer teams, and I noticed something about the players who score the most goals. They FOLLOW THROUGH with EVERY kick. They follow the ball after it leaves their foot and pursue it THROUGH the goal.
Those who wallop the ball and stop to watch where it goes often find the ball being walloped right back into their face . . . those games look like ping-pong matches.
The “Secret” lies in the follow through. How that relates to success in business and life is the practice of “Going Deep” with relationships (instead of superficially walloping them and then standing back to see where they go).
When we go deep with people and business opportunities, we look THROUGH them to the other side with the goal to optimize the opportunity for everyone involved . . . and we actively seek other people and opportunities to join (and enhance) our “party.”
How ’bout a recent example?
Real Estate Professional is hosting a Sunday Open House in a single family home listed @ $350,000 in a nice part of town. Traffic is disappointingly low. 4 “groups” come through the house during the 2 hour Open House, and she leaves with only 1 name and telephone number . . . a couple who own a residential lot they need to sell before they can move forward on a purchase . . . and lots aren’t selling these days because builders aren’t building much.
I believe that’s a GREAT lead for a LOT of business!
why?
- Develop a relationship with these folks by paying attention to them and offering to help them with the sale of the lot.
- Find out where they live and if they will also be selling a house when they make their move.
- LISTEN to their goals and dreams – “If everything were to happen like clock-work, what would it look like? Where will you be living when we get you there? What’s it look like?”
- Tackle that Lot Listing as a project.
- Find a builder to design a house for the lot – Develop a rendering . . . and market it as a turn-key custom home
- Since you’ve now met the builder, learn more about HIS Needs and Wants and “Partner” with him to him grow HIS business.
- Network with other REALTORS who work in the area – ESPECIALLY those who have done work with new construction.
- Begin at the lot and work your way OUT meeting the neighbors and getting to know the neighborhood. develop relationships with THEM and ask their assistance in finding a Buyer for the lot.
- Learn more about these neighbor’s wants and needs.
- visit local businesses and talk about the lot and the neighborhood
- All along the way, be sure that folks know that your business survives primarily because you understand the value of referrals and that you live and breathe to make and receive referrals with everyone you know.
- and so on and so on
I could go on and on . . . We found a couple who most folks would consider to be a dud lead and turned it into a veritable GOLD MINE of future business and relationships simply by committing to this concept of “Going DEEP” with every relationship.
It ain’t the “system” that creates insanely successful . . . It’s their “method to their madness” of indefatigably following through with every chance meeting.
The Vital Few (20%ers) aren’t superior beings . . . they simply understand that WHO they know and how deeply they follow through with every relationship creates their success.
Just sayin’
Best,
b