I was recently propositioned by an excessively perky, enthusiastic high school student. Let’s call her Mindy.
Wearing some sort of school club t-shirt, and oozing school spirit, she immediately struck me as one of those kids who will be the next class president. You know what I’m talking about.
Nevertheless, she demonstrated a level of sales savvy worthy of our attention.
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My wife was in the driver’s seat. I was in the passenger’s seat. And we were in line waiting to pick up my older daughter, Samantha, from school.
Kids were walking, talking, goofing around, and jumping into cars all around us.
That’s when Mindy made a beeline right to my open window.
Full of pep, and holding a little coin box up to my face, she asked, “Would you be willing to help starving children with a small donation?”
“Um… sure”, I said, left with no other reasonable alternative. How could I say no to starving children?
So, grabbing some coins from the dashboard, I made my contribution to Unicef. And off bounced Mindy to the next car.
I sat there and chuckled to myself as I thought about the sales-savvy way Mindy had framed her proposition.
Whether it was done consciously or unconsciously, I don’t know. But Mindy’s request was framed and presented in a way that was difficult to resist.
It was focused on something I care about – children. Presented with some emotional imagery – starving children. And presented in a way where I was forced to choose sides – helping or ignoring starving children.
What Mindy didn’t ask was whether I wanted to donate to Unicef (even though that’s what I was doing). She didn’t talk to me about some nameless, faceless organization. She didn’t talk to me just about the act of donating.
She framed the question so it was focused on my willingness to help children who don’t have enough food to eat.
Again, pretty savvy, regardless of whether it was intentional or not.
The lesson for you?
Be aware of how you’re framing the things you’re presenting to your prospects.
The same proposition, fact, statement, or question can be framed in a variety of different ways to create a different perspective or viewpoint.
The doctor who tells their patient there’s a 20% chance they’ll die on the operating table, may be correct. But, they’d also be correct in telling their patient there’s an 80% chance of survival.
It’s all about the frame you create.
Think about it. And when in doubt… channel your inner Mindy.
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