Goals
October 12, 2008 – 4:24 pm
We are told that we ought to have goals, we ought to write them down, we ought to focus on them daily, etc. etc. There is so much “ought to” that the whole subject of goals becomes a pain and we end suffering from “hardening of the oughteries”.
When we meet prospects we try to assess if they have a strong driving reason to join and do the business. We ask them what their goals are – what do they “want” in the sense of their life goals – and many simply have no idea. What people want out of life is a big philosophical question in the same category as “Why are we here?” and “What is our purpose?” Big questions are daunting and can be very “off putting” so no wonder prospects hesitate, go away to think about it and never come back.
Instead of using the word “goals” why not ask people what “excites” them, what “turns them on” (you might want to exercise a little subtlety in your choice of words here) and then steer the conversation to whether they would do whatever it takes to reach that state – to be, to do or to have whatever excites them.
Not everything that excites someone will amount to the compelling force we are looking for in a prospect but it will be a non-threatening conversation and will sow a seed in their mind and at the moment of germination they will (because you are conscientious with your follow up) remember who sowed that seed!