Skip Anderson recently posted an excellent blog that prompted me to consider my thoughts on the question of my favourite quotation. One of my favourites, if not my No. 1 is from Cicero. I didn't know him personally (before my time - 106 BC - just) but I can vouch for the value of what he said, and use it on every course I give.
"If you want to persuade me, you must think my thoughts, feel my feelings and speak my words."
If sales is all about the art of persuasion, try and understand the customer before try to persuade them to part with their money, given that you will be able to 'think their thoughts, fell their feelings and speak their words'...
Your favourite quotation?
Paul Arden's quote: Don't look for the next opportunity. The one you have in hand is the opportunity.
Posted by: Chris | June 16, 2008 at 03:17 PM
Xenophon - "Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything" - also attributed to Wyatt Earp surprisingly.
Posted by: nesh thompson | June 16, 2008 at 05:20 PM
I like that Cicero quote very much, Chris. That's going to go on my "favorite quotes" list.
Posted by: Skip Anderson | June 18, 2008 at 01:31 AM
I have two - the first I've shown you before:
"We trained hard. But it seemed like everytime we began to form into effective teams, we were re-organized. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by re-organising. And what a wonderful method it is for giving the illusion of progress while in reality causing confusion, inefficiency and demoralisation”
Petronius Arbiter, 1st Century AD
The second is by Gary Player. After someone commented that he'd hit a lucky shot he retorted - "The more I practice, the luckier I get"
Posted by: Justin Davies - King of the Mountain, MapInfo | June 19, 2008 at 10:52 AM
Chris that is a great quote. It reminds me of my favorite habit from 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Habit #5 Seek first to understand, then to be understood.
I'll be sharing your quote with my team this week!
-Brad
Posted by: Brad Trnavsky | June 22, 2008 at 06:07 AM
My favourite is from my old friend Ben Franklin... apparently he said the following...
"Tell me and I will forget
Show me and I might remember
Involve me and I will understand"
He was so far ahead of his time... and profession... how could he know way back then that in the arena of B2B complex sales the best results always come from involving the customer... such insight!
Posted by: Colin Wilson | June 24, 2008 at 09:56 AM
Friends I got, Money I need.
"Those Who Stay Will be Champions" - Bo
See "The List" - http://sellinghigh.blogspot.com/2008/02/list.html
Posted by: Greg Walters | August 08, 2008 at 07:14 PM