You've gotta open your mouth!

I thought I'd post this to encourage others to "step outside their comfort zone"--whether you're in a traditional business or otherwise, if you're not telling others that you HAVE a business, you have no idea what type of business you may be missing out on!!

Yesterday, I was calling past customers to see if there was anything I could get for them...and one of the numbers I called was answered by an unfamiliar voice. I asked for the couple by name, was told that no, they weren't there, they were on vacation. I COULD have said thanks, and hung up (and normally I would have--which is why I'm telling you about this!!), but instead, I asked if he was one of the couple's kids. He answered yes, that his parents had asked him to come up and watch their house while they were away. I mentioned to him the business I was in, and that his parents were my customers, and that I was calling to see if they needed anything...and he said, "I have to thank you. I'm really glad to see that my parents have many of your products--it's refreshing to see that they're taking steps to eat better, use healthier products. I don't know where my parents met you, but thank you--I'm very impressed with your product line!"

Well, of course, I was kind of taken aback by his praise. We started talking about good health, and I came to find out that this young man (who's thirty) is living in a commune, and that he follows a pretty strict vegetarian diet when he's home, but has a deep appreciation for good quality natural products. I continued to speak with him (despite the fact I thought initially it was kind of weird that he lived in a commune) and asked him what they did on his commune to make money. He said they grow herbs and sell them to herb companies. I asked him then if he knew anyone that might be interested in making some extra money selling our product line (I was going WAY out on a limb, but hey, I thought it wouldn't hurt!) He said, "You know, I think your products are fantastic, and personally, I think that I would be interested in doing that--and probably know a LOT of other people who may be interested in making extra money too!"

Anyhow, I went out to meet with this young man, showed him my business, explained all the details. He was so excited, and when he returns home to his commune (he also helps to start other communes, as well as visits over 700 communes a year!) he plans on joining me in my business.

After we left, my son and I went to a restaurant (Yes, I took my son on the call with me--he wants to learn more about how I do my business). As we were walking in, a man who was also entering the restaurant mentioned the car sign on my truck, I overheard him, acknowledged that I was the local rep for my company, and we started talking. The conversation continued into the restaurant, and before I left, he asked if I had a business card--he said his mother in law loved our products but thinks that she doesn't have a representative anymore.

I think about how many times in the course of a day that we talk to other people--and how many times do you talk to people and DON'T mention your business? Sure, we have lots of excuses NOT to--they wouldn't be interested, they are too busy, they have a business of their own, etc.

I spoke to a woman who owns her own business the other day, and she's getting ready to join me now in my business as well. We've known each other for a couple of years, and both of us respect the other for being hard-workers. However, my business doesn't have a physical location and walls--and hers does. Did you ever stop to think that even though they have a business, that they would LOVE to have physical freedom from that business? They're tied to it, every single day! Don't ever prejudge who may be interested in your business. Open your mouth, you may be $urpri$ed! :)




It's not just your Grandma's company anymore...

> I thought I'd post this to encourage others
> to "step outside their comfort
> zone"--whether you're in a traditional
> business or otherwise, if you're not telling
> others that you HAVE a business, you have no
> idea what type of business you may be
> missing out on!!

> Yesterday, I was calling past customers to
> see if there was anything I could get for
> them...and one of the numbers I called was
> answered by an unfamiliar voice. I asked for
> the couple by name, was told that no, they
> weren't there, they were on vacation. I
> COULD have said thanks, and hung up (and
> normally I would have--which is why I'm
> telling you about this!!), but instead, I
> asked if he was one of the couple's kids. He
> answered yes, that his parents had asked him
> to come up and watch their house while they
> were away. I mentioned to him the business I
> was in, and that his parents were my
> customers, and that I was calling to see if
> they needed anything...and he said, "I
> have to thank you. I'm really glad to see
> that my parents have many of your
> products--it's refreshing to see that
> they're taking steps to eat better, use
> healthier products. I don't know where my
> parents met you, but thank you--I'm very
> impressed with your product line!"

> Well, of course, I was kind of taken aback
> by his praise. We started talking about good
> health, and I came to find out that this
> young man (who's thirty) is living in a
> commune, and that he follows a pretty strict
> vegetarian diet when he's home, but has a
> deep appreciation for good quality natural
> products. I continued to speak with him
> (despite the fact I thought initially it was
> kind of weird that he lived in a commune)
> and asked him what they did on his commune
> to make money. He said they grow herbs and
> sell them to herb companies. I asked him
> then if he knew anyone that might be
> interested in making some extra money
> selling our product line (I was going WAY
> out on a limb, but hey, I thought it
> wouldn't hurt!) He said, "You know, I
> think your products are fantastic, and
> personally, I think that I would be
> interested in doing that--and probably know
> a LOT of other people who may be interested
> in making extra money too!"

> Anyhow, I went out to meet with this young
> man, showed him my business, explained all
> the details. He was so excited, and when he
> returns home to his commune (he also helps
> to start other communes, as well as visits
> over 700 communes a year!) he plans on
> joining me in my business.

> After we left, my son and I went to a
> restaurant (Yes, I took my son on the call
> with me--he wants to learn more about how I
> do my business). As we were walking in, a
> man who was also entering the restaurant
> mentioned the car sign on my truck, I
> overheard him, acknowledged that I was the
> local rep for my company, and we started
> talking. The conversation continued into the
> restaurant, and before I left, he asked if I
> had a business card--he said his mother in
> law loved our products but thinks that she
> doesn't have a representative anymore.

> I think about how many times in the course
> of a day that we talk to other people--and
> how many times do you talk to people and
> DON'T mention your business? Sure, we have
> lots of excuses NOT to--they wouldn't be
> interested, they are too busy, they have a
> business of their own, etc.

> I spoke to a woman who owns her own business
> the other day, and she's getting ready to
> join me now in my business as well. We've
> known each other for a couple of years, and
> both of us respect the other for being
> hard-workers. However, my business doesn't
> have a physical location and walls--and hers
> does. Did you ever stop to think that even
> though they have a business, that they would
> LOVE to have physical freedom from that
> business? They're tied to it, every single
> day! Don't ever prejudge who may be
> interested in your business. Open your
> mouth, you may be $urpri$ed! :)

Kelly, FYI. I clicked on your '...grandma's business' link and got a code error. Apparently there is a code number needed to access? Your post intrigued me and I wanted to learn more.

Sandi

I've GOT to find out why that's doing that.

Try www.tsginfo.com and enter code BC2442

dno
> I thought I'd post this to encourage others
> to "step outside their comfort
> zone"--whether you're in a traditional
> business or otherwise, if you're not telling
> others that you HAVE a business, you have no
> idea what type of business you may be
> missing out on!!

> Yesterday, I was calling past customers to
> see if there was anything I could get for
> them...and one of the numbers I called was
> answered by an unfamiliar voice. I asked for
> the couple by name, was told that no, they
> weren't there, they were on vacation. I
> COULD have said thanks, and hung up (and
> normally I would have--which is why I'm
> telling you about this!!), but instead, I
> asked if he was one of the couple's kids. He
> answered yes, that his parents had asked him
> to come up and watch their house while they
> were away. I mentioned to him the business I
> was in, and that his parents were my
> customers, and that I was calling to see if
> they needed anything...and he said, "I
> have to thank you. I'm really glad to see
> that my parents have many of your
> products--it's refreshing to see that
> they're taking steps to eat better, use
> healthier products. I don't know where my
> parents met you, but thank you--I'm very
> impressed with your product line!"

> Well, of course, I was kind of taken aback
> by his praise. We started talking about good
> health, and I came to find out that this
> young man (who's thirty) is living in a
> commune, and that he follows a pretty strict
> vegetarian diet when he's home, but has a
> deep appreciation for good quality natural
> products. I continued to speak with him
> (despite the fact I thought initially it was
> kind of weird that he lived in a commune)
> and asked him what they did on his commune
> to make money. He said they grow herbs and
> sell them to herb companies. I asked him
> then if he knew anyone that might be
> interested in making some extra money
> selling our product line (I was going WAY
> out on a limb, but hey, I thought it
> wouldn't hurt!) He said, "You know, I
> think your products are fantastic, and
> personally, I think that I would be
> interested in doing that--and probably know
> a LOT of other people who may be interested
> in making extra money too!"

> Anyhow, I went out to meet with this young
> man, showed him my business, explained all
> the details. He was so excited, and when he
> returns home to his commune (he also helps
> to start other communes, as well as visits
> over 700 communes a year!) he plans on
> joining me in my business.

> After we left, my son and I went to a
> restaurant (Yes, I took my son on the call
> with me--he wants to learn more about how I
> do my business). As we were walking in, a
> man who was also entering the restaurant
> mentioned the car sign on my truck, I
> overheard him, acknowledged that I was the
> local rep for my company, and we started
> talking. The conversation continued into the
> restaurant, and before I left, he asked if I
> had a business card--he said his mother in
> law loved our products but thinks that she
> doesn't have a representative anymore.

> I think about how many times in the course
> of a day that we talk to other people--and
> how many times do you talk to people and
> DON'T mention your business? Sure, we have
> lots of excuses NOT to--they wouldn't be
> interested, they are too busy, they have a
> business of their own, etc.

> I spoke to a woman who owns her own business
> the other day, and she's getting ready to
> join me now in my business as well. We've
> known each other for a couple of years, and
> both of us respect the other for being
> hard-workers. However, my business doesn't
> have a physical location and walls--and hers
> does. Did you ever stop to think that even
> though they have a business, that they would
> LOVE to have physical freedom from that
> business? They're tied to it, every single
> day! Don't ever prejudge who may be
> interested in your business. Open your
> mouth, you may be $urpri$ed! :)

First I have to say that I agree totally with "open your mouth". My exboss thought I talked to long to my contacts, but I found that a causual, friendly, conversation always opened them up, and I got info that would not have been available to a "brief, efficient, attorney-like" approach. Since one of the things he paid me for was to gather info & leads, I had to grin when he commented on my cell phone minutes, especially when he had just said: "How did you find that out? I just talked to them & they didn't even mention their plans for expansion." (or whatever)

This may be a little off-topic, but I'll let you decide if there are any lessons for marketers.

And now to the rest of the story: "The Kids from Black Bear", one of the oldest, original communes in Far Northern California.

When I had my organic produce farm in the mountains about 50 mi South of the Oregon border, my major crop was several acres of potatoes. Harvest was very labor intensive and there was no workforce of migrant labor available. One year some kids (young adults) from the commune at Black Bear came to get organic spuds and found out I could use help. (again: open your mouth) They would work in trade for a winter supply of spuds for the commune!! Do you think I might have been interested in "almost free" labor at a time when cash was short because the crop was not sold yet?

OK so what kind of help could these "no-good, lazy, welfare, hippies" be anyway? Surely they don't know what real, hard work is!

That was not my opinion, but it was a common attitude with lots of the locals, rednecks and others too.

It is because of that attitude that I must tell this story.

Harvest was late in the Fall and it was already quite cold & miserable. They were working on the potato digger picking grass clumps, dirt clods, rotten spuds, etc.. out of the good potatoes as they go by on the belt. In decent weather it is a less than pleasent job, dust, noise, don't get your finger pinched off etc.. In Nov with temps just above freezing, horizontal snow squalls blowing through, and still the dust; it was absolutely the worst!! These kids did not need to work for the spuds, they could have easily bought them. They turned out to be the best, fastest, hardest working crew I ever had!!! And having a good time as well. (no it wasn't from drugs, no drugs around this dangerous machine)
The most amazing part, (besides the fact that no one but a crazy farmer would have been out there at all), was how fast they were. If the trash got too thick, I told them to holler at me on the tractor, and I would stop for a minute or two. I would rather stop than have junk go in with the spuds. Every crew I ever had before would need these catch-up breaks now & then. The "hippies" seemed to take it as a challenge, and were determined not to slow up the harvest by stopping. No matter how many dirt clods were in there, they just worked faster. It was absolutely amazing! Their hands were flying so fast, I could hardly see them. We almost never stopped.
I found myself wishing that some of my former "hard-working, farm boys & girls" could have seen these kids that all the local "conservatives" had the attitude about.

When we settled up our labor for spuds deal, I found out that when they bartered labor with other vegetable farmers, they usually ended up with the seconds that weren't as marketable!! I gave them field-run that had all grades. After the job they had done for me, I would gladly have given them all #1 Bakers! But the field-run are more versatile, and keep longer.

So I got my spuds out and into the cellar and they got a couple of tons of good, organic food for the winter. And I got a good story to tell whenever I hear someone say anything about "hippies" or communes.
It was an honor to work with them, I often wonder where they are now and what they are doing. With that kind of work ethic, I'm sure they're doing OK.

Best to all for success,
Dave Horn


All I was looking for was a new isp. I found great unlimited dialup @ $12.95 and much more.

Dave,

That's a great story! I kind of got the same impression about them--because so many of them want so badly to continue to stay on at the communes (they don't let freeloaders hang out--everyone MUST be working or contributing somehow), they'll do what they must to stay there. They like their "alternative lifestyle", like the peace of living away from the hustle and bustle of the regular world, free to practice whatever religion they choose, free to express themselves however they like--and I guess that works for them. I'm a pretty tolerant individual--I figure if they're happy, that's great.

One of the things this man told me was that many of them would love to have the chance to just make an extra couple hundred bucks a month, as that would give them the opportunity to live at the commune year-round (I think there's probably times of the year, like in the winter, when they can't really work the fields to help grow things, or do any kind of work like that, so they have to go back to living somewhere else, wherever that is).

I guess part of the lesson I wished to impart too, was to never prejudge who may be interested in your products, services or opportunities. You will never know..unless you ask.


Ever spill a candle? These candles clean up with soap and water!