"What will it Take?"

This is a powerful question, and yet people seldom use it. It gives the person being asked the question the opportunity to “Name their price”, as it were. This is very exciting because it gives you the opportunity to find out what that person really wants – their “Hot Button”, if you like, plus it is often relatively easy to get them what they want in order to grant whatever it is you’re requesting in return. Especially if you’re using Joint Ventures! This question also implies reciprocity – it is not selling or begging, but trading from a position of strength, insight, sensitivity and equality.

You can remove the guesswork from your transactions by using this approach. For example, you might say, “Mr. Faulty, I would like very much to enjoy the hospitality of your fishing lodge for a week with my wife in June. And I would like to trade you for the privilege. Now, in order to cut to the chase and avoid wasting your valuable time or offering you stuff that isn’t of interest to you, may I ask you, in exchange for that week at your Lodge, what will it take? What are you looking for that I might be able to deliver to you that could be more valuable than a simple monetary transaction?”

You might be amazed at the response. Mr. Faulty might respond that if you bring a party of six, he will only charge you for four people. Or he might be looking for a canoe that he can rent out to his guests, and you might just have access to one. Or he might want something that you can purchase with Trade Dollars. Perhaps he would be satisfied with advertising exposure that you could arrange through a Joint Venture. Be well prepared for the meeting and, having done your homework, be well armed with some juicy options, like the aforementioned advertising exposure, seats on seminars, consultations, Gift Certificates (“How about I give you $10,000 worth of Gift Certificates that you can offer your clients in order to increase loyalty, referrals and return business, Mr. Faulty?”) and so on.

“You have not, because you ask”, could also be “You have not, because you ask the wrong questions”. And because you have not done your due diligence to find out what it is that Mr. Faulty really WANTS, as opposed to what you might imagine he NEEDS. Is it more important, for example, for him to get more guests or to make more money from his existing guests? Is it an introduction to someone, a new supplier, or access to a database? Use this powerful question and you may be amazed at the responses you get. “What will it take?”

Robin J. Elliott www.DollarMakers.com

Give Them a Reason

Their eyes meet across a crowded room. He approaches her. The excitement mounts. But suddenly, she is distracted by a friend and he assumes she isn’t interested, so he retreats. On her way past him towards the door, she drops her silk handkerchief. He sweeps it up and rushes after her to hand her the handkerchief and talk with her. Romance blossoms.

Benjamin’s dog, Vicious, is a fluffy, white Toy Pomeranian that wears a powder blue T shirt on his walks around the lake of a sunny afternoon. Benjamin thinks the sun rises and sets on young Vicious and he spends a fortune on high-end dog food. He has even imported a special dog bed for his furry child. Lucy sells insurance. She mails Benjamin a hand addressed letter, offering him a complimentary dog walking and dog sitting session with her client, Paws Here. Benjamin is asked to collect the Gift Certificates at Lucy’s office.

How many times have you had someone call you up, offering to sell you something, without giving you any reason whatsoever to even talk with them? Desperate people do desperate things. We are busy people, inundated with 36,000 advertising messages a day, all vying for our attention. We have to be very selective and sophisticated in our approach if we want someone’s attention. Consider www.Pandora.com – this is the future of effective advertising – giving people more of what they want. Pandora asks what music you like and gives you the option of creating a bank of music you love (and then you might buy some of it from them!)

Give people what they want. Give them a good reason to contact you, listen to you and buy from you. Talk in the interest of the OTHER person because nobody cares what you want. Earn the right. Create massive, unprecedented, differentiated and visible value. We all have thousands of options. Answer the unspoken question, “Why should I listen to you, talk with you, buy from you or even notice you? What makes you so different? How do I know you care about me? How much do you even know about me?” Do your homework, find the Hot Button and customize/ personalize your product or service to fit the needs of your prospect. Hand addressed envelopes, for example, pull much better than printed addresses.

Get personal and get results.

Robin J. Elliott www.DollarMakers.com