Making Money and Marriages

Here is the sequence for successful selling – of anything. 

1. Developing rapport and trust – 40% of the process.
2. Identifying Needs – 30% of the process.
3. Product Presentation – 20% of the process.
4. Closing – 10% of the process.

I see people coming in to 48Days.net and immediately blasting multiple blog posts with their greatest MLM company that you just must join.  I see people wanting jobs who simply walk in and tell the manager they need a job.  I see car salesmen who grab a customer and walk them right over to the Chevy Tahoe because that’s where they make the most commission.  I see pastors who scream that their listeners are evil and must change their ways. 

These are all examples of inexperience and missing the critical first two steps of selling.  With no trust and no identification of the need, there will be no sale.

Years ago, on the first day of my sophomore year at Ohio State University, my friends and I were watching the new batch of freshman girls arrive.  Upon seeing Joanne (17 and gorgeous), I quickly asked for someone who could introduce me – a trusted friend of hers.  While walking with her briefly I noticed she was struggling to hold her books while putting a notice on the community bulletin board.  I offered to post the notice and saw that she was asking for a ride to school from her home on the other side of town.  I kindly offered to supply that ride – just for a couple of days until she found someone to bring her regularly (ha).  Six months later, having charmed her with my simple farm boy ways, I asked her to marry me.

On March 23rd we will celebrate 41 wonderful years of marriage.  I’m glad I understood the process of effective selling.  I developed trust and rapport, identified multiple needs, presented the product (me) and closed the most important deal of my life. 

Only an idiot would walk up to a girl and begin the conversation by asking her to marry him.  You have to go through the process of selling.  In the same way, no one who understands selling would blast masses of people with some business deal without first understanding their needs and desires.

If you need a job – you have a product to sell (you).  If you are starting a business – you have a product or service to sell.  If you have a job and want to keep it – you have a product to sell (you) – every day!   If you want to find a mate, you have a product to sell. 

Understand this process of selling and you can transform your success in any area of your life.  It’s not manipulation or deception, just common sense finding a need and filling it.