TWO TEAPOTS… here is a real-life riddle for you…ten design engineers were brought into a laboratory and split into two groups, 5 each. They were given six hours to design a teapot. Here were their 2 different assignments…
Group #1. "Design one teapot but make it the best one possible"
Group #2. "Design as many different ones as you want and then decide on the best one"
Riddle... which group ended up with the best teapot overall? The group that refined one design (#1) or the group that developed many iterations (#2)? Answer… Group #2, the group that did not focus on perfection. Why? Because they learned from their mistakes and ended up with a superior product at the end of the six hours.
Here is your ACTION STEP… some Salespeople focus on perfection. They want everything to be exactly right before they get started. Usually their rationale is based around getting their Customer the best possible alternative, the best possible presentation. At least, that's what they tell themselves. Psychologists often have a different opinion. They say the first group don't like to make mistakes and are avoiding failure. The second group looks for the growth opportunity in making mistakes. Consider Thomas Edison… would he have ever invented the lightbulb if he did not have 10,000 failures? Here's some examples in Sales to help you become more successful…
GROWTH THROUGH MISTAKES
1. Role-playing…honest, first-hand critiques from your peers
2. Admitting you don't know… "I'm not sure Mr./Mrs. Prospect. I will find out and get back to you later today"
3. Asking for referrals every chance you get… "As you know, I'm always looking for more people to help in my business… I was wondering, who do you know that needs my help this year?". More rejection = more business
4. Putting a new Sales presentation together, practicing it a few times, and presenting it even though it's not 100% perfect yet
5. Asking your peers for a new objection handler and then using it the next time your Customer challenges you
6. Introducing a new marketing technique…getting out of your box and testing new approaches
7. Re-defining your brand…reinventing your approach
8. Experiencing something that makes you uncomfortable… a different restaurant, a change in your wardrobe, a market niche or client sector you have been avoiding
Are you guilty of wanting to build the "perfect teapot" at the expense of never finishing it? We have all seen individuals who are stuck in a rut. They operate the same way year after year after year. Over time their market starts to shrink and so do their results. Be brutally honest with yourself… are you stuck because you're hesitating to do anything different? Are you looking for perfection before you take on a new approach? Start making more mistakes and you will start making more money! Try some different designs for your own "personal teapot". One thing for sure, the tea will taste better! NO Excuses.