| Or, on the importance of "right association." | | | | I told them a story... |
| | | | |
| "When a wild elephant is to be tamed and | | | | There are two major organic food markets in |
| trained, the best way to begin is by yoking | | | | the Kansas City area, where I am right now: |
| it to one that has already been through the | | | | Whole Foods and Wild Oats. |
| process. By contact, the wild one comes to | | | | |
| see that the condition it is being led toward | | | | Someone who works at the Wild Oats store |
| is not wholly incompatible with being an | | | | related recently how the new owners there had |
| elephant -- that what is expected of it does | | | | decided to add "regular" products like Tide |
| not contradict its nature categorically, but | | | | and Crest toothpaste, because, they thought |
| heralds a condition that, though startlingly | | | | their customers might want to buy those |
| different, is viable. The constant, | | | | things there, instead of having to go to say |
| immediate, and contagious example of its yoke | | | | Price Chopper, to get them. |
| fellow can teach it as nothing else can. | | | | |
| | | | The other store, Whole Foods, is planning to |
| Training for the life of the spirit (or | | | | do the opposite: go ALL organic, and drop |
| learning, KK) is no different. The | | | | lines that are not organic from their stores. |
| transformation facing the untrained is | | | | |
| neither smnaller than the elephant's nor less | | | | Question 1: Which store would you go to? |
| demanding. Without visible evidence that | | | | |
| success is possible, without a continuous | | | | (Response: about half and half) |
| transfusion of courage, discouragement is | | | | |
| bound to set in..." -Huston Smith, Buddhism, | | | | Question 2: Which store do you think organic |
| 2004. | | | | fanatics will go to? (Are there regular |
| | | | grocery store fanatics, even?) |
| Smith is also the author of "The Soul of | | | | |
| Christianity." | | | | (Response: to the all-organic store) |
| | | | |
| Isn't this what Jesus meant when he told his | | | | Question 3. Which kind of people would you |
| disciples to go "two-by-two", side by side, | | | | prefer to represent YOUR product line? |
| to tell the story? One who was trained, the | | | | Fanatics or luke-warm, half hearted ones? |
| other in training, watching and being in the | | | | |
| "right association" with the trained one? | | | | (Response: fanatics) |
| | | | |
| Two-by-two been one of the most reliable | | | | Indeed. Fanatics will tell fence-sitter |
| training methods in training new people in | | | | friends of theirs where to shop, so you don't |
| door-to-door and direct sales. For the same | | | | have to. Luke warm ones won't. |
| reasons it works for the elephants. | | | | |
| | | | There are way fewer fanatics than luke warm |
| Is there anyone in our business anymore who | | | | types, and if you can attract a fanatic, |
| practices two-by-two with a new recruit? | | | | because YOU are one, you will earn their |
| | | | loyalty and their evangalism. Saves you |
| For example, learning to talk to people | | | | marketing effort for the luke warm ones. |
| together first, e.g. cadaver calling | | | | |
| together, before the new recruit goes calling | | | | If you are a fanatic, and act like it, other |
| on their best prospects? Something which you | | | | fanatics will join you. |
| know many will do no matter what you say? | | | | |
| | | | Are you fanatic about what you market? Do you |
| *** | | | | love it madly because of what it did for you |
| | | | in your life? |
| ~ The Case for Fanatics... ~ | | | | |
| | | | Do you know how to tell that fanatic story so |
| Tonight I had a group of guys who were | | | | other fanatics hear the call and come |
| discussing how to get more aces, or | | | | running? |
| evangelist types, to help them build their | | | | |
| businesses. | | | | P.S. As an organic fanatic, where do you |
| | | | think I will be shopping from now on? |