What if....?

OK, I gotta run in a minute (real time constraint, not false...ha ha ha!), but I want to jot down something I was thinking.

So the normal course of events is this:

• Prospect answers an ad
  
• Player calls prospect and has a conversation
  
• If the prospect qualifies, they are scheduled to attend a presentation
  
• Next comes the follow up, questions answered, possible 3-way, closing question
• Prospect is in or out

In this model, the player really only interacts with the prospect twice--before the presentation and after the presentation (not including the virtual interaction in the ad/website, etc.).  Is this enough time to really build trust and comfort?  In my experience, many people flake:  either they fail to attend the presentation or they fail to call back for the follow up (they fail their compliance tests!--more on that later).  One of my mentors says that always means that you failed to build rapport with them.  Or, as Mystery puts it, they are not invested in the interaction--they don't feel any obligation to you.  (FYI, Mystery doesn't like the term "rapport" because it's not specific enough.  He prefers "trust and comfort.")

So in the old model, you're scrunching the majority of the steps into one:

• A1 - Attraction (they answer the ad)
• A2 - Prospect's Indicators of Interest, A3 - Player's Indicators of Interest, C1 - Comfort, C2 - Connection, C3 - Intimacy (in just one intial conversation you are qualifying, getting indicators of interest, building trust and comfort -- all in just 10 minutes (?))
• S1 - Foreplay (the presentation)
• S2 - LMB (objections)
• S3 - Sex (getting started)

It's like you're trying to go from 10 minutes of conversation to full on sex.  That may work with with some, but the majority are not going to feel comfortable with it.

So what if, instead, you had little "dates" with the prospect.  Acclimate them to having phone conversations with you (which they would if they got started with you), let them get comfortable with you.  What if the model was this:

• Prospect answers an ad (A1)
• Player has an initial, quick conversation, includes a false time constraint to prevent really going into detail--just determines whether there is enough there to warrant another conversation or "date" to get to know each other better--player shows disinterest, prospect qualifies themselves and is "rewarded" with another conversation later (A2-A3)
• Player and prospect talk again, this time building comfort and connection--who is this person?  What are they like?  Do you guys enjoy each other's company and get along?  Could you work together?  (C1-C2)
• Once comfort and connection is felt (either in the same conversation or in yet another "date"), the player gets the prospect to open up about hopes and dreams--really feels it on an emotional level and connects that feeling with talking to the player (C3)
• The prospect attends the presentation (S1)
• 3-way (S2)
• Getting started (S3)

OK, so I really gotta run.  These are just some notes.  More later.