|
Posted April 10, 2009 You gotta learn to love the word ‘no.’ That was the secret shared by ‘the world's greatest used-car-salesman.’ Each no might be seen as a failure, a failed attempt to sell a vehicle to that person. But the more times you pop the question, the more chances you have to win, to make the sale. The more tickets you buy, the greater the likelihood you win the lottery. It's like getting married - the more women you ask, the more likely you will find one that says yes. Actually, I have not found that last approach to be all that effective in the field of matrimonial endeavors. But the principle is sound in business, and certainly in toy design. Whenever someone asks what I do, and I answer, and they say (ask they invariably do) “Toy Design! Oh, that must be fun,” I think to myself that they have no idea. We have to learn to love the word no. Most of our ideas don't get built, most of what we do build we don’t sell. Most of what we sell and gets to market does not end up selling millions of units. Toy invention is a certain type of fun, but it's hardly for everyone. For most people the frustration might be too much to bear. But we keep coming up with ideas, we keep building prototypes, we keep showing them to company after company, again and again, year after ‘gol durned’ year. We keep hearing NO again and again, sometimes with an explanation, and often not. And I know that the more times we hear no, the more product we will sell. It seems to work. Don’t fear the word NO. Eat it up like popcorn, and you will find success like the prize at the bottom of the Crackerjacks box. Today is Good Friday. Happy Easter and Happy Passover to all. May the Good Lord bless you and yours.
 |
Subscribe to this comment's feed