|
|
      |
| The Lounge | Champions | The Wire | Schedule | Audio | Arcade | The Top Ten | Historical | Email | Video |
|
|
|
| The Lounge | Champions | The Wire | Schedule | Audio | Arcade | The Top Ten | Historical | Email | Video |
 |
Understanding What Motivates People to Take Action
So I wanted to buy a car. It was a tough choice but I decided that my next new car would be a Volvo. So I drove down to a local dealer and told him I wanted to take a look at a few Volvos and could he help. "Of course" he replied. After viewing a few of the cars I decided to test drive one of them. As I drove around the salesman went on about how great this car is and how customers don't complain about the car and how they love their Volvos. I then asked him to be more specific about what customers like about their Volvo. He seemed to hesitate. It quickly became obvious no one had ever asked him to be specific. He said, "Well you know, people like the way it drives and how it looks." He rambled on but never got into specifics. After a few test drives and more "oohs, ahs" about how great it would be to own a Volvo I thanked him and left without buying a car. I just wasn't sure and wanted to think about some more. About a week or so later I decided to go back and test-drive some Volvos again. This time I went to a different dealership hoping to get another flavor before making up my mind. The salesman that greeted me was a polite and unassuming individual. We'll call him Jack. Jack asked me simple questions about what I was looking for in a car. I also told him that I had test driven a few Volvos but was unsure of whether to buy or not. Jack listened and nodded his head and said, "Alright. Let's begin with the model you like the most." I said, "Sure." We got into the car and I was ready to start the car when Jack asked me to wait a minute. Jack then went on to explain the features of the car. By the time he was done I understood what every button on the panels, dashboard and doors could do. Then Jack explained how many of these features would make my drive more comfortable. It became quickly apparent that Jack understood how to sell benefits, not features. When we finally started driving, Jack began to go into the history of the Volvo; origin, model transitions and improvements and on and on. It was like listening to a Volvo documentary?with me in it! When we finished driving, Jack stepped me around the car to explain some of the hidden safety features. Volvo is known for being one of the safest cars in the world. And after Jack's mini-tour around the vehicle I understood why. Needless to say, within an hour I was sitting down in his office finalizing the paperwork to purchase my first Volvo. I gleaned a couple lessons from this experience that I want to share with you. First, Jack wasn't a 'slick' salesman. He was an average guy with a very modest demeanor. Most people have it in their heads that to be a great salesperson you have to be a fast and smooth talker. Wrong. Who would you trust more? A fast talking salesperson like the first with slick answers and no depth or someone like Jack who answers all your questions with details and facts? Second, people don't want to be sold, they want to be convinced. Jack understood that giving me a lot of information would go a long way in helping me decide as to whether I wanted to buy or not. Having enough information allowed me, or better yet, convinced me to make a decision. I didn't buy from the first dealership because I didn't have enough information to make an informed decision. All I had were the opinions of other people who had driven the car from a salesman I didn't personally know. Testimonials are great, but unless I know the person behind the testimonials it mean very little to me. More often then not, people reject proposals or making a buying decision because somewhere in the sales process their concerns weren't addressed. They still have lingering doubts about whether it is the right choice for them. Jack's approach reminded me of an adage I keep in mind when trying to understand the link between motivation and action: "An uninformed mind is a confused mind. And a confused mind will NEVER make a decision." In a hyper-capitalist society where we are inundated and bombard with new technology and features, our minds often times can't keep up. The job of a salesperson is to explain the new advances, but more importantly how they benefit the buyer. Whether selling or just trying to convince others, what motivates people into action is 1) knowledge and 2) that it is in their best interest. Think about it for a second. When you know 'how to' do something, you rarely hesitate in getting it done. When you know that it will benefit you personally, you will act! A final note: If you're in management, keep this is mind when someone doesn't buy into your approach, strategy or way of thinking. Maybe the reason they don't has less to do with your ideas, and more to do with them not having enough information to make an informed decision OR how it will benefit them in the long run. p.s., Update: five years later my Volvo is still going strong! Victor Gonzalez, top Hispanic motivational speaker and author of "The LOGIC of Success". For more info go to: www.thelogicofsuccess.comwww.thelogicofsuccess.com or by email victor@thelogicofsuccess.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Motivation - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Change 101: How to Handle the Changes that Come Your Way One of the few things that are constant in this world is change. At the same time, many people just don't like change. A Turning Point 19 years ago, I was a young working mother at 28, independent and working for a prestigious company, until circumstances made me choose between family and career. After going through weighing my options, I chose to become a full-time Homemaker because I believed that family should come first if the situation would permit. How To Beat Procrastination At Work Listen. If you don´t beat procrastination at work the long term consequences could be serious. Are You A Visionary Dreams may seem unimportant in your quest for success. And it's true that ordinary dreams are often a mix of what happened during your day --plus some "wild" random associations. Practical Ways To Motivate Yourself To Learn A Skill One way to motivate yourself to work hard at anything is to risk wasting your money if you fail to put in the necessary effort.When Charles Simeon, the great preacher and theologian, was at Cambridge, he promised himself that if he failed to get up at 6 a. Ten Sure-Fire Rules To Put Old On Hold By At Least 25 Years Would you like to feel and function like age 40 for an extra 25 years? Would you like to have a ton of energy, able to work at something you enjoy? Would you like to be free of many of the physical and mental problems generally considered age related?You can do it.. Who Is Stuart Goldsmith? 'Stuart Goldsmith? Who is Stuart Goldsmith?' you may be asking.I met Stuart at his retirement seminar in London at the end of 2002. Making the Most of Now "You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. 7 Tips For Unstoppable Motivation And Enduring Success Procrastination is of no use to you in your quest to fulfill your dreams. Lose those old habits and replace them with habits that lead to self-motivation and control over your life. Do I have What It takes? What am I made of? Do I have what it takes? I want to succeed, can I do it?Let us attempt to answer your question, if you are willing to listen.I don't know you, but you tell me? So you have what it takes? Everyone wants to succeed, can you make the grade? What are you made of? Why should you care? Is it worth finding out? Well, it is interesting you ask this question. What Are You Waiting For? It's the new millenium. Are you ready to finally realize your dream? I'm talking about the desire that you carry deep down inside of you that you attribute to some adolescent fancy. Lights are Off and No One is Home The other day I was on my way home, and for some reason all the traffic lights were out. It was 5pm, so needless to say it was rush hour, and pure chaos. Get Up and Do! The motivation to change my oil came the other day when I turned the key in my car's ignition. It coughed wearily, and there was an ominous clicking sound where the engine should have chimed in. If It Feels Good, It Must Be Right Copyright © 2003 Priya Shah Is it possible to motivate yourself to do something you don't enjoy doing? Let me illustrate with my own example. I'm not a natural networker. Going with the Flow This whole idea of change is founded on a single principle: CHANGE IS ALL IN YOUR MIND.First comes a desire or need to change. Commitment vs.Trying - Is Trying Lying? Today I heard the saying "Trying is lying!"It made me reflect back to earlier this year when I was lying in my hospital bed with two broken legs, a broken hip and a broken pelvis, injuries I had sustained in a motorcycle accident. After the surgeons had put my body back together, I was moved to a rehabilitation hospital, where I spent the next 4 ½ months learning how to walk again. 10 Common Money And Success Myths - Part 2 Here are a few commonly held beliefs, or "myths," that hold many of us back from achieving success.. Nothing To Lose I stormed out of the office and headed for the patio area in front of my office building. It was October 2003, and everybody knew what happened. Who Is The Inner Critic? The inner critic is that voice inside your head that tells you that you aren't good enough, smart enough, talented enough, pretty enough, or strong enough. It nags and natters at you to the point that your self confidence and sense of bravery is destroyed. Action vs. Self Delusion Knowledge fueled by emotion equals action. Action is the ingredient that ensures results.
|
Section Site Map - Submit News - Feedback - Comments - Advertise with Us Copyright © 2006 Luminati Inc. All rights reserved. 
|
.jpg){kind=small}
