Enthusiasm is the HOOK.
It’s the thing that makes you look. It makes you wonder “What the heck is so awesome here?”
“Something’s happening and I want to be part of the party. I want to know what IT is that has everyone sooooo excited.”
You want to know so badly. It’s just too contagious!
You’re hooked. You’re curious. You want to know what’s up. You’re looking...
Then what?
What’s next? If you’re in the business of selling something, what’s the next card to play? What’s your next tool to pull out of the box?
Absolute, commanding, bold ... confidence.
You know what you're selling is great and you trust your product.
You step up to the plate, state your opinion, make your point, and you are done. You’ve gone in with confidence. And that, friends, is a big fat sell.
I recently went to the eye doctor to get a new pair of glasses.
I’m a designer. I wanted some new frames - something a little bigger, a little different. I was tired of what I had.
But I’m practically blind! I can’t even see the end of my nose when my glasses are off. So, trying on frames is really hard for me; it always has been. I always try them on and then squint in the mirror. I can't ever really see what I’ve got on.
So, I was there in the shop trying on frames and a woman came up to help me. She looked right at me and said confidently, “I don’t like those. Try these.”
I thought, “Excuse me. Who the heck are you??? I’ve been looking at my face for 50+ years; I think I know what I’m looking at. Just leave me alone and I’ll let you know when I need you to ring these babies up.”
Even though I tried to brush her off, she remained steadfast and opinionated about every pair of glasses I tried on. At one point I was getting really annoyed.
I even said, “Hey, I’m a designer. I need something a little different. I think I know what I want. Just give me some time and I’ll let you know when I need help.” (In other words, “Bug off!”)
There she stood, nonplussed, giving me her straightforward opinion about every frame I slid on my face. “I don’t like that one. This one is better.”
I have to say, after a short time, I became entranced with her feedback.
Her confidence. I even rationalized her opinions by thinking, “Well, she does look at people all day with these frames on. Maybe she does know what she’s talking about.”
I found myself trying on frame after frame and turning around looking for her approval. OMG! Really! She’s not a stylist for goodness sakes! She's a sales clerk!
At the end, I walked out feeling like I’d made the quickest decision on glasses I’d ever made in my whole life. And I was happy with it. Really happy with my choice.
Even though... I couldn’t see myself in the mirror.
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After the enthusiasm, it's the confidence that sells.
Want to see the hook? The enthusiasm? Click here.