It was the coldest winter ever, with many animals dying from the freezing temperatures.
The porcupines, however, evaluated the situation and decided that, if they grouped together, they could keep one another warm.
Just as they were close enough to huddle against the cold, their quills began wounding their closest companions. So, although they could supply heat to each other, they decided to distance themselves to avoid being hurt.
But the air was too cold and they began to shiver and die … alone and frozen. The others realized they had a choice to make: either accept the quills of their companions or risk death. Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. They learned to live with the little wounds that were caused by a close relationship with their companions. Because of the heat they generated and shared, they were able to survive the harsh winter.
Moral of the story as it applies to new home sales: When building a relationship with your buyers, there is always the risk of being wounded … especially when asking for referrals. You will think you’ve done a bang-up job selling them their new home and they seem eager to recommend you, but then they cop out or clam up. Call it human nature … the law of averages … whatever. Don’t take it personally. Just turn up the heat and give them some space. Even in a warm market, you may have some cold calls.
