One day Mrs. Cat and Mr. Fox were having a conversation. Mr. Fox, who had an ego roughly the size of Rhode Island, boasted about how clever he was when it came to promoting his new home community.
“I know of at least a hundred ideas that will get buyers to come to my new homes,” Mr. Fox said.
“Really? How many have you tried?” Mrs. Cat asked.
“None yet,” Mr. Fox replied with a yawn. “They are all such great ideas, I’ve had a hard time deciding which one to do first.”
“Oh. Well, maybe you could share some of them with me. I’ve just started selling new homes and could use some help from a successful mentor,” Mrs. Cat told him.
“Yeah, well, maybe some day, when I have the time, I’ll share an idea or two,” he said. Just then they heard “You’ve got mail” on Mrs. Cat’s desktop computer. As she was printing out her e-mails, her cell phone rang. She hastily wrote down a name and appointment time, stuck her Bluetooth in her ear, grabbed her camera, briefcase, laptop, contracts and brochures. As she clicked off from talking to a potential buyer, she waved to Mr. Fox.
“Bye!” she yelled. “Since I’m not as clever as you, I have to go out and work this sales process I learned. It’s the only way I know to get buyers.”
Mr. Fox waved a weak goodbye. “Poor girl,” he said, shaking his head. “Why put yourself out there like that and risk rejection every day … day in … day out? And for what? They’re no qualified buyers, competition’s tough, builders are demanding. That’s not for me. I’ll wait right here. Buyers who are serious will come to me.”
So, Mr. Fox sat silently at his desk waiting for buyers and wondering which idea to pursue first. Before he could decide, however, poverty overtook him.
He tried to parlay his profession into a nightclub act, billing himself as Jed Foxworth and telling jokes like, “You know you’re a new home salesperson if you think Sherlock Holmes is a gated community in Florida.” However, no one understood his humor and the last time anyone saw Mr. Fox, he was wearing a trench-coat and selling knock-off Rolexes. Mrs. Cat, on the other hand, was still working the new-home sales process and could afford as many real Rolexes as she wanted.
The Moral: Learn a sales process, follow it and diligently pursue buyers instead of waiting for them to come to you. A single plan you work is better than a hundred ideas you don’t.
