GarthBox

“What’s your favorite beer?” can do wonders in selling beer from your cooler. More so than riffing from your latest product sell sheet.

“When did you last have a really solid sleep?” is an emotionally evocative question that makes it easier to connect with someone you’re working to sell a mattress to.

Basic questions get you basic answers.

Better questions pull on memories and associates to evoke emotion.

That’s the mark of a true salesperson, one who cares enough.

Stay Positive & Ask Better Questions

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When we search for fit, we often get sidetracked by the present.

Does the peg fit into the square hole?

That might work for manufacturing components, but not when it comes to people.

“Can this person do this job?” isn’t a worthy question to ask when looking for fit.

A better question: “What experiences has this person had in getting to this point?”

The experiences shape the dreams a person has and the culture they’ve developed.

If you get a person with the right dreams and cultural background that fit the dreams and culture of your business, then you have the real fit you’ve been looking for.

Stay Positive & Find The Fit

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Spark plugs don’t have to be perfect to get an engine rolling.

They can be a little dated. They can be a little rusty. They can be a little used.

Even as a set, they might still function with one or two spark plugs that are kaput.

Same goes for ideas, really.

Stay Positive & Keep Sharing Your Ideas

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The more competition there is, the higher the bar gets raised and the greater the return on the investment of those who leap.

The more adversity there is, the smarter we maneuver and the more strategic we get to set ourselves up for long term success.

The more people interested in the kind of product or service we offer, the more empathy and personalization and care we have to show up with.

Stay Positive & There’s Quite An Upside To Every “Downside”

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Blaming lack of traction on a lack of awareness certainly works for new brands or launches, but much of the time the real problem is getting people who know about you or what you offer to act.

For politicians, it’s not how many people know about them, it’s about how many show up to vote for them.

For your new app, it’s not about how many people have downloaded it, it’s about how many use it after downloading it.

You can certainly drive awareness and see an uptick in the bottom of the funnel – no doubt – but it’s a temporary increase.

At some point, all those for whom your product or service is relevant to might see it.

What then?

It’s my favorite question to ask clients who come asking to have awareness increased.

“Imagine we do it – everyone who matters knows about you. Then what will make them use what you offer and keep using it and tell their friends to use it?”

Oftentimes it’s that side of the spectrum that needs support.

Stay Positive & Knowledge Isn’t Power Until It Gets Used

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Of course, small talk is more than just small talk.

It’s connection sampling.

Depending on your POV, it’s a moment to decipher if there’s something in it for you or something there you can give. It’s prodding to see if there is any overlap in eachothers’ narratives.

It feels uncomfortable for anyone, but the moment a connection made, the talk doesn’t feel small any longer.

Stay Positive & Seek The Big Talks

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“Leaders strike down the proposal” reads much different than “Leaders forgo signing the proposal” which reads much different than “Leaders opt for a different proposal.”

None of the above is wrong; they’re all stating the same thing.

But words matter when working to inspire change or behavior or emotion.

Are the ones you’re using igniting your audience to react the way you hope?

Stay Positive & Choose Intentionally

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