"And the Salesman told me..."

Hello  

I have this habit you see – not sure where it originated, but at times it’s been really useful and at times – well – the opposite.

It wasn’t until...

One of my guests told me I was doing it – I noticed how often I’d done it in the past.

So enough...

Here’s what I was doing. I was using superlatives in every question I asked!

Question: What’s the BEST thing you ever learned?

Question: What the WORST failure you ever experienced?

Question: What the INTERESTINGEST book you ever read? (I didn’t actually use the word ‘interestingest’ but it had a nice ring about it – in the rhythm of 3s didn’t it?)

And perhaps...

I could have asked:

Question: What are the 3 traits you believe great leaders have?

Question: If you were to recommend 4 books which you think everyone should read – what would they be and why those?

However...

There was a time when I asked someone a question, including a superlative, which taught me a profit-making idea I might not have discovered otherwise.

And here it is...

One day, some many suns ago – I was chatting with a car salesman. We’d done the deal. I was the buyer, he was the seller and we were getting along pretty well. Exchanging ideas, thoughts, even selling methods once he knew I had a fascination for business success.

And it was...

In that conversation he mentioned an idea to me which had me reaching for my ubiquitous notebook and pen. Just 5 words but “oh, what an idea!”

This is...

What he said: “Scratch ‘em - when they itch!”

Oh so obvious, oh so plain to see, oh so unseen by so many – including me before the moment of revealing.

“Scratch ‘em – when they itch!”

Now...

For the car salesman this meant – when a previous car buyer was reaching the stage when they’d be considering changing their car – it would be the time to make contact again and let them know what was on offer.

For true professionals – they’d be maintaining regular and unconditional contact – but the idea still holds true.

And so...

I was wondering if you might just know when your clients or customers are about to ‘itch’ and whether or not you’re poised to scratch ‘em.

Might be worthy of some thinking time – don’t you think?
 

Go on then...

Peter Thomson

Editor and Scratching Publisher

tgiMondays
 

PS: Feedback and comments to: peter@tgimondays.com