Nov 19, 2018
Once upon a time, Goldilocks stumbled upon a home inhabited by three bears. You know the rest of the story, but do you know the selling and influence lessons it can teach? Today, I’ll tell you this story with some commentary to illuminate its relevance to selling through storytelling. Don’t roll your eyes; instead, do as Marcel Proust recommended and look for discovery by viewing the same landscape through new eyes.
You probably remember that Goldilocks always had three choices in the story: three bowls of porridge, three chairs, and three beds. She tried each until she found the one that was just right. What I want to dig into today is the fact that she always had three choices, and why this particular number is so important.
You see, if you give someone one option, it’s not a choice. If you give two options, it’s a dilemma. But if you give three options, you’re giving someone the chance to make a discerning decision, and they feel as if they have the freedom to choose. They’re buying; you aren’t selling them. Without choice, you can’t be decisive. Instead, the decision is forced upon you. And there’s no ethical influence unless you activate a choice. Three is the remarkable number that allows a choice to feel right.
If you have too many choices or too much information, it can be harder to decide. Think of the experience of being at the grocery store and having too many options for a particular product. The decision would actually be easier if you had only a few choices instead of so many. That’s why three is the magic number that can lead to your prospect letting out a sigh of relief and saying, “Ahh, this one is just right,” just like Goldilocks.
Tune into today’s episode learn about to the power of three in everything from fairy tales to sales to even the military. You’ll also discover three key insights:
In This Episode:
[03:02] - We hear about today’s three key insights, related to the number of examples, options, or reasons to give.
[04:48] - Today’s story is that of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, which is one of the most popular fairy tales written in the English language.
[06:44] - Alex tells the tale of Goldilocks, interjecting with some points about her boldness and the importance of having options.
[08:47] - We learn that Keith Cunningham says that one equals slavery, two equals a dilemma, and three is the beginning of freedom.
[10:37] - If you get the essence of what Alex is expressing, it can change your life and the way you communicate with others.
[13:32] - Having concluded his telling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Alex shares the moral of the story.
[14:42] - Our ability to decide is one of our most remarkable skills.
[15:30] - If you have more than three options, you likely have too many, Alex points out.
[17:25] - Alex gives some examples to illuminate the point that he’s been making about the power of the number three.
[20:20] - We hear more examples of the remarkable power of three, including Alex’s three reasons for why entrepreneurs fail (procrastination, perfectionism, and lack of building momentum).
[23:09] - Alex shifts into talking about high-ticket sales and how this theory of three options applies in that case.
[26:08] - The Alexism for this episode is this: “the three key responsibilities of business leaders are to: 1. Define reality. 2. Protect confidences. 3. Communicate compassionately.
[28:31] - Alex quickly goes over the insights that he has explored throughout this episode.
[29:38] - If you enjoyed this episode or took something away from it, please take a moment out of your day to leave a review at this link.
[31:48] - In honor of this 36th episode of the podcast, Alex gives away instant free access to his powerful new video e-course. Head to this link to accept your free gift!
Links and Resources:
Marketing Online 4-Part Video Training Series