Let's do one more concrete example.
>> 'My products are too expensive.
Nobody wants to pay that much. Sound familiar? Does this sound like distributor thinking to you? Distributors believe that prospects make their buying decision based on price. Will it be hard to change their thinking?
Not if we use stories and examples.
So let's imagine that I'm a potential leader, but my belief that the products are too expensive is holding me back. You want to change my thinking from:
'the products are too expensive
to
'the products are affordable because prospects really want what they have to offer.
You take note of my distributor thinking and attempt to change my thinking not with a lecture, but with the following story:
'Tom, I know you think that the products are too expensive. You could be right. But I think a lot of people buy for convenience, quality, comfort, extra features or prestige. Most people will pay more for products when they can get this extra convenience, quality, comfort, extra features or prestige.
'But I reply:
No. I don't believe you. Prospect buy because of price. They want to save money and will buy the least expensive products they can.
'So you tell me:
'Tom, you could be right. Maybe a lot of people go out and buy the least expensive products. I don't know. Let's go and find out, okay? You take me outside and we stand on the street corner.
You ask me:
'Tom, what's the cheapest automobile you can purchase?
'I think for a minute and say:
'A Yugo. That's the least expensive car you can get. It has four wheels and a steering wheel and will get you from Point A to Point B.
'And then you say:
'Let's stand on this street corner. Since people buy on price, I'm sure most people will purchase the least expensive automobile that they can get - a Yugo. I bet we'll see a lot of Yugos drive by. In fact, I think over 50% of the cars that will pass by us will be Yugos.
'As we stand on that street corner, what types of automobiles pass us by? Well, first there is a Chevrolet, then a Ford, then a BMW, then a Toyota, then a Dodge, another Ford, a Cadillac, a Lexus, another Ford, a Volkswagen . . . and we don't see a single Yugo!
You turn to me and say:
'Is it possible that people buy automobiles for prestige, comfort or quality - and not on price? I haven't seen a single Yugo yet. I don't think anybody purchases automobiles just based on price. People want image, comfort, special features, more speed, or prestige. But, hey - I could be wrong. Tell you what, let's go to another street corner. This just could be a bad location.
We walk to another street corner. What do we see?
'We see Nissans, Toyotas, Fords, Chevrolets, BMWs, Oldsmobiles, Cadillacs, and not a single Yugo.
You turn to me and say:
'Gee, it doesn't look like anybody purchased an automobile based on price. Everybody purchased comfort, color, convenience or prestige. Let's go to another corner and look at some more automobiles.
I say:
'No, no, no - I get the point.
Again, you've changed my thinking. No longer do I believe that prospects purchase solely on price. And did my thinking change from distributor thinking all the way to leadership thinking with this one story or real life adventure?
No. That would be too easy, wouldn't it? But you have changed my thinking at least a little bit. You'll have to tell me more stories or examples over the next few weeks to gradually get my thinking all the way to leadership thinking.
In Lesson 13 I'll give you another story (The Pizza Story) to change your thinking about price.
Then we'll be finishing the third big step in developing leaders: 'Changing how they think.'
>> 'My products are too expensive.
Nobody wants to pay that much. Sound familiar? Does this sound like distributor thinking to you? Distributors believe that prospects make their buying decision based on price. Will it be hard to change their thinking?
Not if we use stories and examples.
So let's imagine that I'm a potential leader, but my belief that the products are too expensive is holding me back. You want to change my thinking from:
'the products are too expensive
to
'the products are affordable because prospects really want what they have to offer.
You take note of my distributor thinking and attempt to change my thinking not with a lecture, but with the following story:
'Tom, I know you think that the products are too expensive. You could be right. But I think a lot of people buy for convenience, quality, comfort, extra features or prestige. Most people will pay more for products when they can get this extra convenience, quality, comfort, extra features or prestige.
'But I reply:
No. I don't believe you. Prospect buy because of price. They want to save money and will buy the least expensive products they can.
'So you tell me:
'Tom, you could be right. Maybe a lot of people go out and buy the least expensive products. I don't know. Let's go and find out, okay? You take me outside and we stand on the street corner.
You ask me:
'Tom, what's the cheapest automobile you can purchase?
'I think for a minute and say:
'A Yugo. That's the least expensive car you can get. It has four wheels and a steering wheel and will get you from Point A to Point B.
'And then you say:
'Let's stand on this street corner. Since people buy on price, I'm sure most people will purchase the least expensive automobile that they can get - a Yugo. I bet we'll see a lot of Yugos drive by. In fact, I think over 50% of the cars that will pass by us will be Yugos.
'As we stand on that street corner, what types of automobiles pass us by? Well, first there is a Chevrolet, then a Ford, then a BMW, then a Toyota, then a Dodge, another Ford, a Cadillac, a Lexus, another Ford, a Volkswagen . . . and we don't see a single Yugo!
You turn to me and say:
'Is it possible that people buy automobiles for prestige, comfort or quality - and not on price? I haven't seen a single Yugo yet. I don't think anybody purchases automobiles just based on price. People want image, comfort, special features, more speed, or prestige. But, hey - I could be wrong. Tell you what, let's go to another street corner. This just could be a bad location.
We walk to another street corner. What do we see?
'We see Nissans, Toyotas, Fords, Chevrolets, BMWs, Oldsmobiles, Cadillacs, and not a single Yugo.
You turn to me and say:
'Gee, it doesn't look like anybody purchased an automobile based on price. Everybody purchased comfort, color, convenience or prestige. Let's go to another corner and look at some more automobiles.
I say:
'No, no, no - I get the point.
Again, you've changed my thinking. No longer do I believe that prospects purchase solely on price. And did my thinking change from distributor thinking all the way to leadership thinking with this one story or real life adventure?
No. That would be too easy, wouldn't it? But you have changed my thinking at least a little bit. You'll have to tell me more stories or examples over the next few weeks to gradually get my thinking all the way to leadership thinking.
In Lesson 13 I'll give you another story (The Pizza Story) to change your thinking about price.
Then we'll be finishing the third big step in developing leaders: 'Changing how they think.'
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