When we ask the question 'what's working?', often people just look at the end result they want and say 'nothing'...but they are missing a whole wealth of information. Let me give you an example...when I decided to experiment with asking for referrals (with a statistically significant sample instead of 3 people!), I asked about 40 people for a referral and got back ... nada, nothing, not a bean.
As in I got no concrete referrals, I hadn't signed up any clients directly as a result of these conversations. However, there were positives. What was working? Well, I was learning how to ask, and how not to. Who to ask, and who not to. And as I went along, I was ever drilling down into my natural way to ask for referrals, and what would feel good. Initially, it just felt HARD. I could easily have given up at that point, and dismissed it as 'not working' and 'not my Natural Way'.
But the more you do something, the better you get at it. And I noticed 3 things from this experiment - 1. there were over 40 (for the experiment continued) people who knew what and who I was looking for. 2. There were 'offshoots' of these conversations - random people signed up to my newsletter or started reading my blog. And 3. these people would ask how i was doing. Sometimes in front of other people, who would then get interested in helping me.
I know because I am in their mind, if and when they meet the sort of person I am looking for, they will think of me. That experiment worked. And continues to work now as it is still ongoing, and I have spoken to more than 40 people, and am getting ever closer to my 'perfect' referral request!
So when you are next asking yourself what is working...be prepared to look beneath the surface. Be prepared to see which parts of your experiment are working, and feeling good...even if the result isn't here yet. When you ask what is working, think 'what am I learning' - while you are learning, your experiments are working!
Love
Donna.x
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