So yesterday I was in L.A. to meet a business partner and had a heck of a time finding parking. (Go figure.) Then I find a line of meters open so I park. (Hint: when there are a lot of open spaces in L.A....worry!)
The meter wouldn't accept my credit card. After several minutes I say "whatever" and begin crossing the street to my meeting, which was only a quick "hello" since I was going to see him today at a conference and I had to hop on a conference call soon.
At the same time a beat up car driven by a disheveled looking man flips a u-turn and grabs a spot that just opened across the street.
He then gets out and makes a beel-line straight for me and I think he's going to ask for money. (He looked that rough.)
Instead he says "Hey Man, they'll tow you there. You can't park there from 11 - 2. They won't ticket you. They'll actually tow you."
This was one of those famous L.A. "maybe parking signs" that essentially said
- No parking on a full moon from 12 to 1:16...
- No parking on odd Tuesday's from 3 am to 7:18 am during election years...
- No parking if a dog is heard barking from 1 to 4:35 pm unless it's a Leap Year and you have a picture of your cat in the window...
I had mis-read the times that parking was allowed and didn't accept the fact that the electronic meter was right in not accepting my card. (Nahhh...I'm not stubborn nor do I have a touch of ADD!)
So this guy saved my bacon and I started out not wanting to even make eye contact with him because I assumed something about him.
- Your appearance matters.
- Your appearance creates your first impression to everyone around you.
- When you're in sales you are the package, so wrap your package with care and attention to detail.
- We do judge books by their covers. How do you want your prospects to judge you?
- Judging others by their appearance is shallow and often incorrect.
- Stop judging others solely by their appearance.
- Give everyone the benefit of the doubt so they have the opportunity to prove themselves to you.
You have to dress to impress because not everyone is as thoughtful and conscientious as you.
To make a lasting impression and to get to the truth you have to ask great questions and seek to understand rather than strive to be understood.
When you enter every conversation with no assumptions—only good questions—you'll get so much more out of business and out of life.
But what are good questions? That's just one of the (big) things we'll cover here.
Now go get dressed!
Good selling,
Wes Schaeffer
Founder, The W.E.S. Method™