The acacia tree emits a warning gas that signals to neighboring trees that giraffes are coming.
The gas (ethylene) gives nearby trees time to relesse a toxic substance so giraffes don’t eat their leaves. (The Hidden Life of Trees)
Acacia trees can even emmit a scent to summon predators to devour insects that bother them.
In other words, trees can smell danger and raise their defenses.
Why am I talking about this?
Prospects are like acacia trees.
They can smell when they’re under “attack” by a salesperson.
The scent?
Commission breath.
Whenever prospects sense they’re being talking into buying they raise their defenses to fend off the attack too.
Prospects can also summon “predators” to keep you away (gatekeepers, caller ID, spam filters, ad blockers, etc.).
How do you get “acacai trees” to lower their defenses?
Ditch the pitch.
Detach from the outcome.
When you’re attached to the outcome, you behave in ways that feel pushy. When prospects feel the push, they pull away.
You feel anxious when you don’t get the meeting or sale because you’re attaching your self worth to the outcome (extrinsic motivation).
Same intent.
Same feelings.
Same pushy behavior.
Same results.
The way out?
Change your intent.
Let go of assuming you’re for everyone.
Be open to the possibility that some people you reach out to can *gasp* make progress without you.
When you detach from the outcome you create an environment where prospects feel comfortable opening up because they don’t feel sold or manipulated.
Your mantra? “I’m not for everyone.”
Different intent.
Different feelings.
Different behavior.
Different results.