I don’t think that Cinderella’s actual goal was to marry the Prince. I think she just wants to participate in the ball. But, she never could have reached that impossible goal of winning the Prince’s heart if she hadn’t been memorable. Even after she got the dress and shoes to look presentable, and the coach and groomsmen to get her there, she would have just blended in with the hundreds of other people who managed to get dressed and arrive at the ball. It is her ability to stand out that makes her memorable.
Just like my very first post about the 90 Seconds rule – you only have one chance to make a good first impression. Yes, Cinderella arrives late and the activities in the ballroom stop as she walks in and the spotlight trains on her, but in truth, that was done for every new arrival at the ball. It is Cinderella’s ability to be her amazing self that makes her memorable.
Every opportunity to dance with the prince is thwarted by another over-zealous guest pushing in front of her trying to get noticed. The good news, Cinderella doesn’t give up. The even better news, the Prince is obligated to dance with every female guest. So, eventually, Cinderella is bound to have a fraction of a second during a dance when the Prince is twirling from one partner to the next that she will actually interact with him. Because she is memorable in that first 90 seconds, the Prince wants to spend more time with her – much to the chagrin of the other prospects on the dance floor.
Cinderella’s first impression makes the Prince veer off the standard path to spend more time with her than with other girls he danced with. She doesn’t do any of the things her step-sisters do to try to manipulate him. She just has a genuine offer (her genuine self) that is intriguing enough that the Prince wants to know more.
Whether you are at an interview or selling something in person or online, like Cinderella, you have a ton of competition out there. So, your mission is to be the one that your prospects remember and contact when they are ready.
When I had my first sales job, we were taught the power of seven. It takes seven interactions for someone to engage. They may actively be seeking what you have to offer, which is nice, but when they type that request into their search engine, you have to be near the top (back to the 90 seconds). If they request more information from you, you have to actually respond with useful information.
That’s two contacts. You might be memorable enough or have a strong enough product or service for them to buy right there. But if they don’t, you have to give it five more attempts before calling it a bust. Even then, most experts say that today, seven needs to be more like seventy. If what they are looking for isn’t an urgent need, it may be months before they are ready to make a decision. That’s why you want to stay relevant and top of mind when they are ready.
Since you are reading this online, my guess is that you look for things online. You found me either from an online search or recommendation. Do I personally know all of the best tools to get you to read my blog? I knew nothing until I found a mentor, SEO Queen Zhe Scott, (like we talked about in Post 4). Once you can get found, you can be memorable enough for people to keep coming back.