Quick notes to help you find new business in less time with less effort. . . sometime next week.
In this issue:
- Thoughts on Ideas
- Being Human – Groping
- Random Stuff
- Back In The Day
Thoughts on Ideas
- I you want new ideas, read a book. If you want to put ideas into practice, work with a coach. The difference between getting an outcome or not is working with a coach.
- Give your ideas away. Prospects will think, if that's what we get for free, I wonder what we get if we pay for it? Do this early in the sales cycle and do it often. We know there's a big difference between ideas and outcomes. Prospects pay for outcomes.
- Since the distance between ideas and outcomes can be vast, your process for working ideas into outcomes is worth a lot. That basically describes what happens inside successful startups. The ideas are all in existence. It their unique process for turning it into a working product that's the difference.
- Welcome all ideas. Figure out which ones sound useful and help the idea break free from its moorings and set sail. Take it on a journey.
Being Human – Feel about blindly
“How do I work? I grope.” – A. Einstein
"How do you know that will work?" they said.
The truth is, I don't know. Today is the first day of the NCAA Mens Basketball tournament and I'm watching a team get blown out in the first round. Commentators will say it's because of this or that, but no one knows for sure. It's the reason we watch the games. Things happen. No matter how tried and true the process is, no matter how talented the people working are, outcomes are not guaranteed. Some outcomes may be more likely than others, but no one knows for sure what will happen.
After a blowout win, there are a lot of opinions about what should happen next. The winning team's fans feel vindicated and can't imagine the team losing again. The losing team's fans want to scrap the whole thing and start over. Take note of what the coaches and players do, though. They vow to watch the tape, note what went well, what could have gone better, and to get back to work.
That's sales. Try something and if the outcome is good, try it again. If the outcomes are bad, figure out why, and make an adjustment.
As Eintein said about his work, "I grope." He "felt about and searched blindly" as the dictionary would say. Just because we have a process doesn't mean it's guaranteed to work. We have to keep reaching and trying new things. What worked this time, might not work next time. What has never worked before, may work now. Keep track of it. Take notes. Make adjustments. Feel about blindly. That's how you know it will work.
Random Stuff
"I think we consider too much the good luck of the early bird and not enough the bad luck of the early worm." – Franklin D. Roosevelt
When I climb into my truck this morning, the dreaded gas refill light is on. Dreaded because we are Costco members and I feel like I should refill at the little service station outside the warehouse. Today's errands are taking me thee miles to the east. Costco is seven miles to the west.
I know. It's a big choice. Do I spend $.14-.20 worth of gas to save $.20 a gallon? I mean, in a 22 gallon tank it adds up. Almost $5!
Many years ago, I drove a 1995 Range Rover Classic that I rescued from the dump. It was a wreck. Literally. With the help of a friend, we got it up and running. That winter, there was some sort of gas crisis. I kept track of mileage, so when I filled up the Slow Rover's giant tank I did some quick maths.
The beast was consuming a gallon of gas every seven miles or so.
I made up my mind to sell it. I had purchased it for less than $1000, put $1000 more in it, so it felt like $2000 would be a win. I put it up on Craigslist for $2500 and was flooded with inquiries. Very exciting. I might come out ahead! I took the truck out on an errand . . . and got T-boned at an intersection.
The Slow Rover and its bottomless gas tank was un-drivable, probably totaled.
The insurance company was calling and I was prepared with receipts. I had my number. I had my game face on. The voice in my head was saying, "We're lean! We're mean! We don't take no nothin' from nobody!" This was going to be fun. I want the truck totaled. I want my $2500! I picked up the phone.
"Hello," I said.
"It's totaled. We'll give you $7500," she said.
To date, it may be my most successful investment.
That's it. My mind's made up. I'm driving out to Costco. There are a dozen intersections along the way. Maybe I'll get lucky again.
Back in the Day
What was on my mind last year, five years ago, and ten years ago.
- Last Year: Right FIT #481 – I talked about maps and presentations. They're loosely related, like most things in my brain. I'm helping someone else with a presentation this week, so it's timely to review. I have some new bits for him.
- Five Years Ago: Right FIT #272 – I brought up the peach tree. Another good reminder. Now that our final snow has passed (fingers crossed) it's time to think about pruning. Each year I get a little better at it, but it's still scary.
- Ten Years Ago: Right FIT #10 – Ten years ago I released an audiobook. I'd forgotten about it. I just listened to a few minutes of it and it's not bad. My next novel should be so much better, but no guarantees. I'm about halfway done with the first draft, a long way to go, but as Mary Poppins said, "Well begun is half done!" Let's hope she's right.
