Posts Tagged ‘Telford International Centre’
This one’s for you!
This weekend was my company’s annual convention and I’ve just spent three days in the Telford International Centre and the Holiday Inn. The only times I went out was to walk between the two.
But during those three days I was astounded by the number of people who came up to me and said how much they appreciated this blog. It really was heartwarming to know that sitting here late at night amusing myself with heavily contrived figures of speech, I am doing something that other people find useful.
So guys, this one’s for you:
First of all you would have thought that after a weekend dealing with several hundred network marketers, Scott, the young man behind the reception desk at the Holiday Inn would have heard so much about what we were doing there and how our business could give him anything he wanted, that he would start screaming if anyone else mentioned “an opportunity”.
So as I paid my drinks bill (slightly alarming which was why the company baulked at paying that part) I asked him: “I expect you’ve heard what we’ve been doing here this weekend?”
“No,” he said.
“What, nobody’s told you how much money you could make? Nobody’s given you a card?”
“No.”
Very briefly, and shaking my head at the extraordinary oversight of some 150 distributors who had been staying in the hotel, I put this right. Presumably they all thought someone else had given him a card.
Never presume…
Then I went into the conference room to spend a solid eight hours learning the new training courses. When I came out at 5.00 p.m. I was aware of two things: It was a three-hour drive home – and today was a Monday, a working day, and all I had done to advance my business was to talk to Scott. Normally I like to spend an hour a day talking to people – it doesn’t seem much, given the income. In an hour, you can usually find a couple of people who are seriously interested in looking at ways to make money in their spare time.
But here’s what happened – and it just shows you how circumstances can arrange themselves to your advantage if only you give them a chance: To drive from Telford to my home in Suffolk is about three hours and that’s a lot of petrol. Half way along, I stopped to fill up. At the counter, waiting for the machine to read my card, I said to the young man on the other side: “Is this a long day for you? Are you just starting or about to finish? Well let me give you one of these. If you want to cut down on your hours, have a look – it’s all about money and time.”
Everyone gets a card and a helpful word. Honestly, I thought nothing more of it.
But as I emerged from the gents a few minutes later, the young man had come out from behind the counter – and so had his friend. He was holding the card: “What’s it all about?” he asked.
“Are you interested in more money … more free time?” I asked him.
“More money, yes very much. What do we have to do?”
“You really want to know?”
“Yes, really.”
“Well, you listen. You listen for people who moan about the recession and the cost of living – does anyone moan to you about those things?”
“All the time.”
OK, well, when they moan I say 19 words. Here are the first nine: Someone moans, I say ‘I ought to tell you about my brilliant club’. What do you think they say?”
“What club?”
“Right. Then I say the other ten words: ‘It’s great. They get Sainsbury’s to pay my electricity bill.’ Now what do you think they say?
“”How does that work?”
“Exactly right – and now they’ve asked twice – so I have to tell them. And when I do that and they join the club, I get paid forever. Do you want to get paid forever for talking to someone once?”
“Yes please,” they said in unison.
So now I have their names and mobile numbers in my phone and we’ll be talking again on Tuesday after 8.00 p.m. Apparently I can call as late as I like – the petrol station is open through the night.
Before putting the car into gear, I made the last call from the succession of messages which had built up over the weekend. Driving off with the headset in my ear, I began talking to one of those delegates who had come up to me in the lunch recess. What he wanted was the phone number for the man who had won the £1,000 prize for breaking the record and signing up 29 new distributors in a single month.
I told him he didn’t need the number because there’s no secret. Quite simply the £1,000 winner talks to more people than anyone else.He drives from London to Birmingham at 4.00 a.m. to do a presentation – and then drives to Slough for an Open Evening.
I don’t do that. In fact one hotel receptionist and a couple of guys in a petrol station is not in the same league at all – but then how many people spoke to no-one at all today?
I suppose what I’m saying is that you don’t have to be a superstar. You just have to do a little bit and do it consistently – and even that advice isn’t original!