Two different people. Two different approaches. Two completely different results.
I was standing outside a building on a busy street waiting for a friend to arrive when two different men, who were pacing up and down the median at different spots at the same intersection, caught my attention.
They both held hand-written signs and were attempting to collect cash hand-outs from motorists when they stopped at a red light. They were both dressed similarly and looked like they hadn’t showered or changed clothes in days. They both approached about the same number of cars. Neither one was overly aggressive. Yet they were having dramatically different results.
The first man held a sign that read, “Homeless. I’m Hungry.” He was receiving occasional donations.
The second man held a sign that read, “Homeless. Will Work for Food.” He was receiving more than double the donations of the first man. Why? He wasn’t standing on a busier median. He wasn’t saying anything to the drivers other than “thank you” if they gave him money.
It was his sign that made the difference. While the first man was asking for a handout, he wasn’t indicating a willingness to do anything to earn the payment. The second man wasn’t asking directly for money – in fact, he was offering to do work to get some food.
The irony of the situation is that none of the motorists giving the second man money were making him work before giving him their money. It was the simple offer to do something in return for payment, to provide value to get value, that earned their trust enough to fork over some cash.
For those of us who try to help those in need on the street, there is always a worry in the back of our minds about whether the person we’re trying to help is truly needy, or if they are pretending in order to make easy money. The second man (knowingly or unknowingly) addressed that worry by offering to give something back in exchange for our generosity. This set him apart from the first man and made his request seem more sincere, which in turn made the donors more comfortable giving him money.
When we think of what the other person wants before thinking about what we want, the magic happens. Even on a busy street.
Lanny Zechar, speaker and consultant to some of the most happily successful people on the planet. Cold calling, sales and customer happiness consulting.