Should we be thinking about our success?

As business professionals, we may find ourselves imagining our future success. This may take the form of daydreaming about selling more products, or we may even imagine how we'll live when we've "made it" (however you personally define "making it"). Others use this form of imagery as a tool for self-improvement (for example, daily affirmations such as "I am a success"). Indeed, we've all probably heard success stories or had our own personal experiences confirming that affirmations and imagery are powerful tools.

Now here is an interesting twist on this concept...a friend of mine works in sales for a major magazine. His job is to secure major advertising accounts for the magazine (several hundred thousand dollar accounts and up!).

He doesn't imagine his success...in other words, he doesn't imagine himself securing these accounts and making a nice commission. Instead, he imagines his CLIENT'S success. After he has had an initial meeting with a potential client, he imagines the client opening an advertising account and being richly rewarded. He imagines potential clients accomplishing THEIR goals--selling their products, acquiring new customers, etc.

Soon after my friend began using this "alternative" sales technique, he said his potential clients were showing up in his office or calling him to open an account, sometimes within moments after he imagined them succeeding!

Any thoughts on this technique?

If you use imagery or affirmations, you may want to give this a shot. I'll be waiting to hear your success stories.

Regards,
Becky




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Hi Becky,

> Now here is an interesting twist on this
> concept...a friend of mine works in sales
> for a major magazine. His job is to secure
> major advertising accounts for the magazine
> (several hundred thousand dollar accounts
> and up!).

> He doesn't imagine his success...in other
> words, he doesn't imagine himself securing
> these accounts and making a nice commission.
> Instead, he imagines his CLIENT'S success.
> After he has had an initial meeting with a
> potential client, he imagines the client
> opening an advertising account and being
> richly rewarded. He imagines potential
> clients accomplishing THEIR goals--selling
> their products, acquiring new customers,
> etc.

> Soon after my friend began using this
> "alternative" sales technique, he
> said his potential clients were showing up
> in his office or calling him to open an
> account, sometimes within moments after he
> imagined them succeeding!

> Any thoughts on this technique?

Becky, I LOVE this approach! It sounds like a really good way to do things.... :)

I think it also puts the focus in the right place, which is with helping the customer....

Thank you for sharing that. I hadn't heard of this approach before, yet I think it's one of the best things I've read. I'm definitely going to try it out too. :)

- Dien

I have a problem with the "greed factor" in business....

I've seen the movie "Wall Street." I know Gordon Gecko's speech....

"Greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit."

But something inside me seems to rebel against the notion that it is good to be greedy....

However, Becky, what I like about your friend's method is that it gives an alternative approach to the "self-centered" method.... Which is to focus on the welfare of your potential customers.... Visualize their benefit, rather than solely focusing on your own. It's a notion which I personally feel more comfortable with (just seems to be something in my personality).

I don't have any problems with others following the more usual approaches, yet something inside me seems to have a reaction against me following that approach.... This internal reaction draws me towards also doing what your friend does.... :)

So thank you Becky for sharing that.... :)

- Dien

...because it keeps the focus on the customer. If you start thinking about yourself, you've probably lost sight of your customer's goals--and if you've done that, you really shouldn't be in business anyway. :)

So overall this method is good simply because it keeps you focused. Even folks who don't like "alternative ideas" might agree that that's a good enough reason to utilize the method.

However, I can't help but be intrigued by "ooooohhhh" factor...that little bit of the unknown. My friend is imagining these great things, and folks are calling him out of the blue (when they weren't supposed to get into contact until later). *enter Twilight Zone music* Very interesting...

Becky




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