Sales Lessons I Learned From a Beggar

I recently spent a month in Florida, mostly in the Sarasota, Tampa, and St. Petersburg areas.

I noticed something while I was down there.

That is, there are far more beggars in Florida than there are in Colorado.It’s hard to go anywhere without being panhandled.

Not only that, the beggars in Florida are much more aggressive. They walk in between cars stopped at busy intersections doing their best to make eye contact. They make you uncomfortable.

Clearly, these men and women are professionals.

One man in particular stood out to me.

As he used body language to communicate with me through the windshield, he held up his index finger, raised his eyebrows, and mouthed:

“Just one penny? Just one penny?”

I gave him a dollar.

After all, who gives a poor man just a penny?

There are a few sales lessons hidden in this brief story.

First, persistence often pays off. This man didn’t give up easily. He did whatever he could to get people to make eye contact.

Second, by reducing the requirements of your request, you can get more people to say yes. This man didn’t ask for a dollar. He also didn’t make a vague request like “anything helps.” He asked for just a penny. That’s an easy request to agree to.

Third, by differentiating yourself from others, you can stand out, get attention, and achieve the results you want. After all, this man didn’t hold up a cardboard sign like so many beggars do; he walked between cars and communicated with body language instead.

Summing up: Persistence combined with the right offer and a unique approach can be wonderfully effective.

-Ryan Healy

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