Just One Penny
There are far more beggars in Florida than there are in Colorado.
It’s hard to go anywhere without being panhandled.
Not only that, the beggars in Florida are much more aggressive. They walk in between cars stopped at busy intersections doing their best to make eye contact. They make you uncomfortable.
Clearly, these men and women are professionals.
One man in particular stood out to me.
As he used body language to communicate with me through the windshield, he held up his index finger, raised his eyebrows, and mouthed:
“Just one penny? Just one penny?”
I gave him a dollar.
After all, who gives a poor man just a penny?
As I thought about this experience, I wondered:
- Am I being aggressive enough in my salesmanship?
- Am I asking for the sale more than once?
- Am I accepting the first “no” as the final answer — or am I viewing the first “no” as the first opportunity to get to “yes”?
Lesson: If your prospects don’t feel a little bit uncomfortable, you’re probably not selling hard enough.
-Ryan M. Healy
P.S. For more lessons hidden in this simple story, read the comments below.
