Warrior Skills

Why must it take the skills of a warrior to obtain and retain customers?

I had an opportunity five years ago to take over a consultant's business.  The target market in this industry was less than five percent of the entire industry.  The actual users of this gentleman's service and others like him totaled less than one tenth of one percent.  I had asked my friend how did he do what he did?  To be on the road over two-hundred fifty days a year and maybe score a couple of new customers.  But mostly, how did he deal with all of the ignorance and resistance?

He said, "David, you've got to get in the ring and knock them upside the head. You have to battle and pound sense into them."

My friend loved that part.  He lived for the battle.

I am sure that it helps to be passionate about what you are selling.  For me, I long to sell a service or product that folks take delight in, that folks love to buy, that doesn't involve big corporation, that doesn't involve me conforming, that doesn't involve me dressing up like a monkey - where I can just be myself.

Here is a little story that involved me years ago, working in the aforementioned industry.  We had a customer who for years experienced extremely uncomfortable areas in his home that no other company could remedy.  We proposed a solution that he said was the equivalent price of taking his family of four to Disney World.  Comfort or Disney World?  This customer and his family chose to remain uncomfortable.

I just don't have the strength, stamina or will power to battle prospective customers.

Here is proof that this goes beyond my industry and actually inspired these words.