The Peak Decision Period - - Profit Pointers=?ISO-8859-1?B?gSAgIA==?=Curriculum, Issue 18

            Christine Harvey is the Author of 6 Business and Leadership Books published in 25 languages by 48 publishers worldwide,
                including international best seller ‘In Pursuit of Profit.’

(For application of these principles to:  business, real estate, network marketing, personal development, see APPLICATION TIPS below.)

Hello All,

Do you have something you want to sell... or something you want support on from another person or group?

If so, then you’ll want to pay special attention to what I call the ‘Peak Decision Period.’

While this is a very simple concept, it is the one most abused by sales people... And by business owners who want to increase business! Yet if we would adhere to this principle faithfully, we would increase business exponentially.

The same is true in other aspects of life in which we seek the support of an individual or a group.

So here’s what it’s all about – and as I said – it’s SIMPLE.

It’s about 3 things that are interrelated - the attention span, memory and motivation of human beings. The long and the short of it is that these 3 aspects of human nature are interwoven in such a way that their ‘Peak Decision Period’ doesn’t last long.

Here’s the SIMPLE part – if you don’t ask for their decision during the ‘Peak Decision Period,’ you stand to get a ‘NO.’

However, if you do ask for their decision during the ‘Peak Decision Period,’ you stand to get a ‘YES.’

“How long is that period?” you ask. Good question.

Let’s look at the 3 areas. Attention span first. Research shows that the average attention span is under 45 minutes at best. So when you’ve presented your product, service or idea, many of your points were probably not grasped. Now memory – people forget 60% of what they hear in one day. And what they hear is less than what you say. Additionally, what they hear is filtered and interpreted differently than you mean it. Third, motivation. That changes minute by minute. It matters not if it is an individual or a major corporation. One minute they have the budget and a seemingly urgent need for something and the next minute they don’t.

But if you’ve done a good job putting forth the benefits to them of deciding on your product, service, or idea, then you have a chance that they’ll decide in you favor – while their attention span, memory and motivation are high. For most corporate products, services and ideas, the ‘Peak Decision Period,’ the ideal window of closing the sale – is about three days. However, if it’s a spontaneous consumer item, it could be 3 minutes. If it’s a government contract, it could be three years.

Here’s the point – if you snooze, you’ll loose.

Or if you put all your effort into getting a decision after the ‘Peak Decision Period’ is over, you are spinning your wheels needlessly. Or as business executive Peggy Lindsay says, “Some efforts taken at the wrong time - are as useless as trying to push water uphill with a rake!”

‘In Pursuit of Profit,’ talks about the three reasons people don’t take the right action. Mainly it’s fear of asking for a decision. People procrastinate and make excuses for delay. This can be easily overcome with the right training and management structures.

3 MINUTE ACTION TIP: Think about something you want to sell... or some support you want from a person or group. Consider the 3 points of human nature discussed above, and ask yourself “how long is their ‘Peak Decision Period?’” Next, drop your fear, get organized – and simply ask them for their decision IN THAT PERIOD. Thus, you will succeed.

APPLICATION TIPS:

Business and sales, USE THIS ACTION TIP to increase your sales.

Real estate, USE THIS ACTION TIP to increase your sales and all commitments.

Network marketing, USE THIS ACTION TIP increase commitments from prospective team members.

Personal/ leadership development, USE THIS ACTION TIP to improve your results on any goal or support needed from others.

REFERENCE RESOURCE: Chapter 13, Pages 123-128,  In Pursuit of Profit, by Christine Harvey - an international best selling training tool, used by corporations around the world to improve results instantly.

About the Author: Christine Harvey was the first woman and first American elected to Chair a London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where a business start-up initiative was launched with Prince Charles. She also served as Director on the International Board of Zonta, with 36,000 members in 62 countries and Margaret Thatcher as honorary member, as well as two venture capitol boards – one in the UK and one in the US. She is the author of six international marketing and leadership books now published in 25 languages by 48 publishers, including ‘In Pursuit of Profit.’ Her company trains people in sales, motivation, management and presentations with persuasion - in America, Europe, Australia and Asia. She’s been honored to address two Parliaments of the world on the ‘Privatization of Industry,’ and ‘Policy for the Growth of Private Industry.’ She has been interviewed by the media in dozens of countries.