Gone fishing

by John Passmore

You would think that two appointments on a Monday morning would be a good start to the week. Fine except for one thing – if I wasn’t going to start talking to anybody new until after lunch what were the chances of my getting my six today?

A bit defeatist, I know, but before I left, I raided the Services Directory – the little book that came through the door last week full of adverts from small businesses. Harvesting the mobile numbers from pages 10-15, I sent a dozen texts.

I went off for my appointment thinking how much this business is like fishing. I had this overwhelming impression of just having baited my lobster pots!

I should have taken warning from the fact that the couple I went to see lived on benefits. But they were paying £100 a month on phone calls because most of their friends didn’t have landlines so I was sure I could save them a fortune. When I got there I discovered why they were with BT: “We don’t have to pay the bill for three months – and then we can reckon we can get away with another three months before they cut us off. Then we’ll get a mobile.”

Politely I told them I didn’t think they qualified for membership…

Back home to inspect the lobster pots: Six replies which is very good. They ranged from “Doing What?” to “Always prepared to listen. Any day 1-2 is best for me.”

I got through to three straight away and two wanted to look at the website.

Then Colin, the new distributor came for his Meeting One. Item Five on the agenda is “Start Prospect List”. He had already done so.

“OK,” I said. “So who are your top three people – the friendliest, most enthusiastic and ambitious three? What I suggest we do is ring them now and see if they’d like to join us.”

A cloud passed across Colin’s face – as I knew it would: “Ah yes,” he said. “This is the bit I’ve been dreading.”

The fact is that absolutely everyone feels embarrassed about ringing up their friends and seeing if they want to join. So we talked a bit about whether he would feel embarrassed about recommending a restaurant - or whether it would be OK to recommend it just as long as they didn’t actually go.

“Tell you what, “ I suggested. “I’ll ring them up.”

And that’s what I did: “Hello Brian. My name’s John Passmore. You don’t know me but I’m sitting here with your friend Colin. He’s just started a new business and I’m helping him. I asked him who were his three friendliest, most enthusiastic and ambitious friends and immediately he thought of you. So here he is.”

And Colin took the phone and said something like: “Hi Brian, how are you. Yes I’m starting a new business. Is it OK if John tells you about it?”

And I took the phone back and said: “OK Brian, what I suggest is that I take 30 seconds to tell you about it and you can tell me if you’re interested, OK?”

And I did. And he was.

We did this three times in quick succession and now three of Colin’s friends are looking at the website.

Best of all Colin has completely lost his fear of introducing his friends. Rather to his surprise they all seem very keen!

And best of all, I had now spoken to my six people and it was still only 12.30…

So everything that happened after that was a bonus – like the man in the carpet shop and the woman on the ice cream stand. By this stage I didn’t really need them but somehow we fell into conversation and it seemed a pity to waste it…