Let’s Get Uncomfortable

DJ Hughley said, “I love the idea of pushing people past the point where they’re comfortable.”

This is something that I’ve always done naturally and it is a major weakness of mine. Clearly, DJ Hughley can get away with it. I cannot.

First, I’m not paid to be a comedian. Second, I don’t have his talent. Third, and most importantly, I’m not self employed. But I do believe that making a dent in the universe is critical to success and happiness. This doesn’t apply to everyone, but it does to me.

Like Mathew Dixon describes in, The Challenger Sale, you need to get people thinking about something in a way they didn’t before you joined the conversation. If you can do this, it buys you time to proceed. Then, if you have a viable solution to the challenge you instigated, then you have more than just a foot in the door.

Comfort is perhaps the biggest obstacle I face in making a sale. People are comfortable with status quo. Change is scarey and risky. No one wants to be the guy that tried something new that didn’t deliver ROI. And I don’t want to be the vendor that sold it.

I often get asked to quantify the results my services will deliver. I can demonstrate the utility of my offer. But, I will tell my customers, just like you can lead a horse to water, you can’t make him drink. My services are as valueable as water is for nourishment, but I cannot force you to maximize the utility. However, I do promise to facilitate in all ways that I control. This is how I pushback to a customer who asks me to accept full responsibility for his success, when in reality, that can only be shared by both parties.

Effective selling, just like all relationships, requires open communication, respect and trust. This should never be a one way street, but rather a give and take. To reach this point with a customer requires demonstration of value, knowledge and integrity. It should feel mutual.

THE LESSON: If you can push people beyond the point at which they are comfortable, and retain them as friends or clients, they are telling you they know you’ve got their back. And once you reach this point, you will be successful in the relationship.