When I was a child, I really wanted a slinky. Not the plastic two toned neon slinky, I wanted the metal one. In the red brick row home that I grew up in, we had a huge wooden staircase that (in my mind) was built for a slinky to “walk” down.
Money was tight, so I knew it was pointless to ask for a toy outside of my birthday or Christmas. But as fate would have it, my school was having a candy sale fundraiser. I ran to my mother for permission to sign up and she happily agreed.
I came home with the order form and within two days, my mother Edythe had gotten enough candy orders to earn my slinky. I was overjoyed. My mother ran the biggest salon in Philadelphia called Glemby inside of a department store in downtown Philadelphia called John Wannamaker’s. I know she got all of her stylists and customers to order candy. After all, my mom was and is a hustler. With minimal effort, I had my slinky in record time! Truth be told, the school got over on us kids because for the amount of candy you had to sell, you could have purchased 20 slinkys.
That was the only time I depended on my mother for sales. I was all of 4 years old. As an adult, I’ve come to realize that as a business owner, it’s extremely foolish to rely on your friends and family members to make sales.
The average person has about 25-30 relatives. The earth has over 7.4 Billion people who inhabit it. Which group do you think is more likely to get you to the success you’re looking for?
Don’t be frustrated, upset or disappointed with friends and family for not buying your product or service. Most people mean well but they know too much about you. Sometimes that stops them, even if only on a subconscious level from putting funds toward your dreams.
I consider myself lucky that my mother still supports my endeavors. Though long retired, she makes sure her book club buys each one of my books when they’re published. Though I’m grateful, I’d be an idiot to think that 30 sales would make me a #1 best selling author. I still have to promote and campaign and tour. Don’t even get me started on advertising costs!
The work should go beyond your home, your mother’s house and your Facebook friends. If you want to succeed in business, you have to put away childish things. (1 Corinthians 13:11).
My goals are much bigger now than walking a slinky down the steps. Yours should be too!
David Anderson is one of the top Business and Sales Coaches in the country. His latest #1 Best Selling Book, Pitch Close Upsell Repeat is available here http://amzn.to/1TyHGs4
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