The Day Before The COP

by John Passmore

The day before the COP and the 30-second-thing has given way to calling everyone on the list and reminding them we have a meeting.

Many of these people have had this reminder many times before. Several of them have other things that occupy their time.

But here’s the point: Very, very few of them say they’re not interested – that I’m pestering them. Almost all of them say: “Let me know when the next one’s coming up.”

And I do. There was a time when I could get quite shirty and say: “Is whatever you’re planning to do instead going to make you £50,000 a year?”

I’ve now given up this tactic. Why? Because it’s not going to persuade them to come – and also it gives the impression that to do this business, you have to go around picking fights with people…

So now I say: “That’s OK, I’ll let you know when the next one’s coming up.”

They’re so thrilled to be let off the hook that they reply: “Yes, please do.”

Which means I’m only doing what people have asked me to do. This makes me feel a whole lot more relaxed when I do call them again. For instance I just called a car valeter. I first spoke to on June 17th 2008. My notes tell me: “Text. Car valeter. Half Martini and sent to website.”

And then, three months later: “Lots of no reply”.

Yet now I call him and say: “Remember you were looking at making an extra income with TelecomPlus. Well, I just called to say we’re having a meeting on Tuesday if you’re free.”

And guess what, HE asked ME for the time and the address of the venue. That’s always a good sign. What do you suppose has happened in his life between September last year and now? I have no idea. But what I do know is that circumstances change and in everybody’s life there is going to be some point which is the right time for this business.

And here’s a cautionary tale. At lunchtime I popped into the Tesco café to meet someone who had responded to a text. As an experiment, I hadn’t told him anything about it. He received a text asking if he was interested in extra money and I said: “What I suggest we do is meet up at the café in Tesco’s at 1.15 on Monday.”

What’s more he turned up as promised. In return for his commitment, I had taken the trouble to put on a suit.

So, I bought him a cappuccino and started off on my the 30 second thing.

Quick as a flash: “Is this Utility Warehouse?” he asked.

It turned out he was a member already but the distributor who signed him up had never explained the business potential. Instead he just gave his new customer a DVD – which, naturally, the customer had not watched.

That distributor might be interested to know that his customer not only intends to come to the COP but asked if he can bring a friend.

When I said: “Of course you can, we like to see lots of friends,” he said: “Can I bring two?”