Green Apples Get Ripe

Gayle shouted, “Daddy, Daddy! There are ripe apples on the tree! Let’s go pick them!” Daddy got a bucket and off they went to pick apples. There were many green apples on the tree, but there were four ripe ones, so they picked the ripe ones and put them in the bucket. Then Daddy went to the tool shed, got an axe, and proceeded to chop the tree down. After all, one can’t eat green apples, right?

I had a distraught salesperson call me who felt she had failed by not closing a sale. The prospect had agreed to buy, but when the time came to pay, she decided not to go ahead. The salesperson tried every conceivable closing technique, argument, and explanation, but the buyer would not budge. I told her the story about the apples on the tree and reminded her that the buyer simply wasn’t ripe for the picking yet. YET being the operative word.

People don’t buy for many reasons – projection, self-esteem, peer pressure, timing, misunderstanding, negative associations, lack of urgency or hunger, and contamination (she attended another seminar and it didn’t work, so she doesn’t believe yours will work, either). We also need to remember that most people need more than one exposure to a new idea before they accept it or act upon it. “NO” simply means “Not Yet” in my book. People’s circumstances change, and if you’re friendly and understanding when they don’t buy, they will come back to you when they’re ready. The key is to remain friendly and supportive, keep contact and “Drip on them” – keep feeding them tasty morsels until one day the scales tip in favor of your product or service.

We live in a cynical world and people are understandably skeptical. When you don’t pressurize, ostracize, or get nasty when they don’t buy, you retain the option to sell them later. They will watch how you handle their refusal and they will remember. They will also wait and see how successful you are, and when they’re comfortable that you’re not some fly-by-night type, they’ll contact you and buy. Be patient when you sow. You can’t plant an acorn today and expect an oak tree tomorrow. Nurture that seed – water it, smile at it, feed it more information and benefits, care for it and build relationship. Often, those who take a long time to buy turn out to be your very best, most loyal fans and customers, who in turn bring you many more customers.

Sow massively, consistently and abundantly, and you will reap in due proportion. Sow in different areas, with different bait. Use Joint Ventures to duplicate and multiply your efforts and resources when sowing, and you can’t help but reap. Use JV’s to sow with no cost or risk. Different seeds will germinate at different times, so spread your sowing across different demographic and geographic fields. And always remember that green apples do eventually get ripe. Don’t chop the tree down - water it!

Robin J. Elliott www.DollarMakers.com