The Art of Attraction and Persuasion
The Hunter
In an earlier blog on my website I talked about building your Network, and the difference between having a hunter's mentality opposed to a farmer's mentality. That having a hunter's mentality would cause frustration and a feeling that your always chasing the next sale or prospect. That using a high-powered sales presentation to bag that sale or to recruit that prospect may work occasionally, but will eventually lead to discouragement and frustration. A feeling that your always chasing that elusive next deal.
The Farmer
Where with the farmer, I wrote that he is always cultivating and working his leads, "with caring solutions to problems, he kills the weeds of doubt". I wrote that the hunter is only interested in the next recruit or sale with little thought about if the product or system is really the right fit, this attitude obviously leads to a high drop out rate. Whereas the farmer has carefully selected the right person and cultivates and shares his knowledge, in order that they may grow.
It's About Attracting The Right People
I then went on about the benefits of belonging to a Network. But in this blog I want to dig deeper into how you cultivate and work your leads. Because at the end of the day it's not about using fast-talking sales pitches or false promises to get a sale or a recruit. It's about attracting the right people and the right opportunities into your life.
They Need To Feel Understood
The key is understanding that people will learn from you, listen to you, love you, buy from you, and hire you when they feel understood, not when they understand you. Most people get in a meeting or on the phone and all they do is sell, and sell, and sell, wanting to be understood or prove they are offering a benefit, instead of seeking to understand the customer or the person on the other end of the phone.
Listen to Learn and Learn to Listen
Understanding how others think is the foundation of attraction and persuasion. Selling is just giving people a solution to their problem. And in order to find it, we must listen to learn and learn to listen.
Ask a Clarifying Question
Instead of focusing on delivering the next line of your script, try listening to what the other person is saying and ask a clarifying question.
As always, thanks for visiting. Dave
Recent Comments
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I really enjoyed your post. You touched on key points when trying to reach your audience.
Thank you!
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I always find your posts to be golden nuggets of thought and wisdom. I really do!
I love this analogy. I am definitely making sure I keep the farmer mindset. It is more relaxing, more stable and helps us get through the slow times. You can't be a farmer if you can't wait out the winter!
I grew up with huge gardens and greenhouses. Not a true farm but we grew enough produce to last us through the winter in Alaska, had chickens, rabbits and entered veggies, herbs and berries in the state fair. We won quite a few ribbons and even some grand champions. Therefore, I feel like I understand the farming mindset. We started all our own seeds (hundreds of miles from a city) months in advance and kept them in the greenhouses until they could be planted outside. We saved seed to be used in future years and Dad had great compost to recycle scraps and make rich soil. We collected trailers of dead leaves with the 4-wheeler in the fall to till onto the garden to further enrich the soil, Canning and drying produce etc (along with smoking salmon, making jam) all taught me about that long rang planning approach to life.
So I think I can call myself a farmer! I employ that here with my websites.
I agree with you about selling as well. It is hard to slow down when you feel like you have to make the elevator pitch, but it always helps to listen! I prefer to write great posts that answer people's questions and let organic traffic come to me rather than go out and sell.
Jessica
Thank you Jessica, Your background helps you resonate with my analogy. But I think everyone can relate. I grew up in San Diego and the only chicken or rabbit or cow or sheep I ever saw up close was at a County Fair I went to as a young adult. I was amazed that the four H folks actually slept with or near their animals. As far as hunting goes I've never been and doubt if I could pull the trigger and kill a deer or even a rabbit. But everyone can understand the mind set.
Dave