What's Good Here?
Dating gurus tend to face lacerating coverage.
From the early-century ’pickup artist’ seduction cult lambasted as aggressive and misogynist, to current catch-that-man theatrical coaches dismissed as self-help charlatans for charging thousands of dollars an hour.
I saw one of the latter preach that we should all become americanised (not necessarily all-bad an idea) and spark up chats with strangers all the time, as a driving aim. He gave his wincing-in-English-reserve audience his favourite conversation starter. Ideal, he insisted, whether you find yourself without a friend in any of cafe, gallery, shop or indeed, practically anywhere;
What’s good here?
Whether you believe this or not (the PUA community certainly would not, although this particular query is not necessarily sold as romance finder) there is an interesting parallel with new contact within a prospect.
What’ll open them up, put them at ease, get them chatting like a human being and not a grizzled drawbridge raising buyer?
I myself recall my earliest days as a cubrep. Not even yet with a fully fledged quota. I tried to determine for myself this very opener.
With three senior people in a row my first question out the blocks; “so what’s your strategic vision?”
Oh dear.
As an aside, the theory behind this is on firm grounds. Knowing where someone wants to be is a winner. I’ve always liked the ‘imagine looking back in a year‘ vibe to guiding a prospect confessional. But as for execution, well… you must learn quick, hey.
Anyway, have we a solutions alternative to ‘what’s good here?’
What’s the plan?
What are you working on?
What’s working well?
Who’s in charge? Who’s to blame? Who’s leaving next? (…kidding)
Thinking back on all the multitude of initial encounters with the ‘top’ people I’ve had, whether they engage with you is quite the qualifier. Regardless of what you say alongside salutations. You can say almost anything.
Yet it may well be handy – if you’ve no insider tip, obvious project problem nor natural flow to draw upon – to have up your sleeve a short simple question like these to fall back on.