How Pullman's Growth Fantasy is Handy Selling

Bestselling author, Philip Pullman, recently voiced disquiet at not relating to much present day fantasy. A genre especially revered in, he now bemoans the lack of psychology held within.

Where a novel does consider that, he posits there's merely surface concern with how people think or feel. Missing out on what he's really interested in; how characters grow.

This struck me as classic top-tier solution seller focus.

We're all familiar with the head-versus-heart conundrum.

Pressing when selling where conflict arises between what the data, numbers, facts may say with the how the underlying emotions sway.

Many winning salespeople and effective processes seek to understand these two driving forces for each individual buyer.

Yet as Pullman astutely observes, a trifecta exists.

Adding a third, essential pillar.

The writer's lens of growth is a cracker.

In our terms, how the buyer or buying organisation grows is vital.

The famed 'personal and professional win' of our bid a non-negotiable to nail. Beyond our perhaps 'champion' too.

There's another angle come to light lately on this. Helping ensure we do not constrain ourselves here.

We have the buyer 'head' thought of their truth. And their 'heart' feel for meaning.

These can be two of three 'anxieties'. The desire to look for then orient around those first pair of 'realms' above leads onto the leap towards what's useful.

I've seen this in argument resolution. Yet applies well in selling.

'Is this about what's true, meaningful or useful?'

Which I've seen framed;

'Is this about the head, heart or the hands?'

In relationship dynamics, if you can agree which most applies, you can make progress. As in Sales.

Where we can have 'handy' as our third pillar.

Extending from the 'information and science' and 'preferences and values' to the 'practicality and planning'.

"Each of them represents a part of reality that has its own rules for validation and different implications in a conversation [ie, Sale]."

Please peerless Pullman. And your selling success. Grow Handy.