A boy really wanted an iPad, which is nothing unusual. What’s unusual is that he managed to get one while other sons were still nagging their parents and couldn’t look at the “screen” because they didn’t have one yet. What did he do differently? He hit the true nerve of his mother! And this is how it went. (This was back in 2012 when having an iPad was still a big deal.)
Success Strategy: 1. Really want something, 2. Don’t give up, 3. Find out your mother’s true wishes and use them as a strong reason to buy.
Once he figured out what the iPad could do and that he absolutely had to have one, he went to his mother. He simply told her that he wanted an iPad. The mother replied that she wanted a lot of things too. This answer was a dead end for him. He tried to convince her, mentioning that his report card would be out soon, then his birthday, and… His mother was not at all interested in the idea of giving her son an iPad, not at all. He thought about it and a few days later, he suggested that he would buy it himself with his own money. He knew that for such a large amount, he would need his mother’s permission. This suggestion also didn’t get through to her. He then tried to persuade her, saying things like, “You always want me to save for things,” “Then I have to be patient because I need to save,” “If I buy it myself, it shows how important it is to me,” etc. The mother remained unimpressed and kept saying no.
And then, he had a brilliant idea! She had often mentioned how much she would like to use an iPad for her clients but wasn’t sure if it really made sense or met the requirements. Ha, he was certain. This would get her, and he was right!
His mother was sitting at the computer, working. With a friendly face, he approached her. “Mom, you know I really want an iPad. And you know I’d pay for it with my own money. Please, please let me finish.” The mother was on the defensive but let him continue. “Look, you’ve mentioned several times that an iPad could be helpful during your client visits. But you’re not sure if it’s really worth it or if it’s too expensive just to try out.” The mother realized what he was up to and at the same time sensed that he was about to win. Unfortunately, he argued so well that she couldn’t possibly keep saying no without it backfiring on herself. And she was absolutely right. “Look, Mom, if you let me buy the iPad now, and I’ll pay for it myself, then I would lend it to you whenever you need it for work, so you can find out at your own pace whether the iPad is useful for you too.” Damn, but how could you turn down such a good offer, right? Goodbye parenting rule, who cares about you. Welcome, iPad :-))))).
I always say, reach the person within the customer, and you’ll get everything.
Okay, I admit it, I was the mom 😉
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