Self-Motivation, Personal Growth and Entrepreneurship Development on DeoluAkinyemi.com

The wake of this week found me reading a new book – The Google Story. It’s a book whose summary I had read before, but just last weekend in Ife, a young man – Sola Adeyinka decided to give me a gift of this book (arguably my best gift of that week). The first night I openned the book to read, I was awake till 3am! It’s a book I recommend for anybody who is contemplating going into business. Don’t practice everything you see there, but it sure lifts the lid off conventional thinking.

The first fact I love about the google story was the fact that their drive was targeted towards creating a solution, and not about the money they could make from it. They were passionate about making information available to research students and people generally who needed information at their finger tips. A drive to do this saw them developing the best search engine in the world, with capability not only to search for the information you need, but in the order of priority.

It looked like a mystery to me, but you won’t believe that 2yrs into the running of that business they still had not been able to connect it with a way to make money. It’s so interesting to note that 80% of the people reading this article cannot still fathom even today, how google makes its money. All google had when the started was a noble intention and the possibility that perhaps they could liscence the product to other companies who would make use of the strength of the search engine for their own businesses.

Like fate always has it, in stories that get written The google guys (Brin and Page), 25yr old, PHD drop outs at the start of the company were able to get a way around making money with google. The company moved from its initial IPO in August 19, 2004 of shares at $85 per share to selling at $300 in the same year. Google has grown to become a company worth over $80Billion!

It sounds like a puzzle to me but can you imagine that google got it’s first investment of $100,000 without having registered the company? They got venture capital investment worth $25 million when the seasoned venture capitalists couldn’t fathom how they would make profit? It beats me, but drives home one point. Noble intentions are powerful! The power of noble intentions backed by passionate conviction by the founders of the company has driven a small young company in silicon valley up and up when all else went down. Their corporate mantra “Do no evil” cements their position.

Who sets your limits, who says your ideas cannot fly? Have it in mind to solve a real human problem and you are well on your way to stardom! If you have what the world needs, go and live in the wilderness, the world will build a path to your house! We’ll all be remembered for two things, the problems we created, or the ones we solved.

Remember

It’s 3:30am, I’m getting used to these late night escapades. But tell me, when but now are things quiet enough for one to be truely inspired to write? I don’t know if night is the correct time, I can only say that I feel truely at peace at these times, and feel free to write from my heart.

Yesterday Night around 10pm, some friends and I went to have a meeting with one of the aspirants for the presidential position in Nigeria for 2007 – Professor Pat Utomi!

He is a man I have come to respect and believe in. Like most of us, I started from the cynical position of, is Nigeria ready for a leader like this? In the past 3 months, my answer to this question has migrated from a sure no, to a compelling yes!

I don’t know about you, but I believe that we have grown over time as a country. The current president and crop of leaders have done some good things. The case of Nigeria is like a man that falls down from a tall building, the first thing you want to do is not suture is head wounds. The first thing you want to do is check his pulse, verify if he is alive or try to resussicate him before anything else. The pulse of a nation is it’s economic indices, the voice of it’s people and it’s general response to the world. We have not witnessed monumental change, but our pulse has to a good extent been restored! To this I say a good kudo’s to President Obasanjo.

Haven developed a pulse however, the calibre of aid needed to get the person up and running again becomes different. That is the stage we are in as a country now! We are in a time when we need competent, committed, charismatic and compassionate leaders! We need leaders that are real and can steer Nigeria into the enviable future that we all desire. Leaders that when we mention their names, people care less about where they come from. Leaders that have the common man in mind, leaders that are accessible. Servant Leaders!

The only thing that good people need to do for evil to prevail is keep quiet! That is why the first lie you and I will battle with is one that makes us believe that votes do not count in this country! Who says? Who forms the rules? If we say votes don’t count and we refuse to vote, does your prophecy not become self fulfilling? Let the picture of the future that we see, propel us to make decisions that we can beat our chest about in the future!

In the words of Prof Pat last night (paraphrased) -”I must encourage you, a lot of senior citizens in this nation usually say, “they are young people what can they do?” These were the same people who the governance of this country was handed over to when they were in their early twenties. Then they were not as prepared as you are today, but they had the privilege of being in charge of things in this nation. I encourage you to go on!

20yrs from now, Nigeria will be a living wonder, a choice place for the world to visit, Nigerians will be treated like kings in other nations. Nations will queue for hours to get our visas! That future will come, what part will you have played to make it real?

“My grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group. There is much less competition.”- Indira Gandhi

“The only thing you have a shot at being worldclass is your passion!” -Bill Gates

We all have a shot at greatness in life, we can all live the life of our dreams and be truely successful, but it has to be in an area where we are extremely passionate. “Nothing great in the world has been accomplished without passion” – Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. You need to find your passion and pursue it or follow your dreams with passion!

Once upon a time there was a young warrior who desired to be successful. His desire was not just a mere wish, so he decided to go on a search. He enquired from city to city for the secret of success, but he never got answer strong enough to quench his thirst. All the people he met gave him their best, but told him that there was a village very far away, where an old sage lived. They were all unanimous in believing that this old man, had what it took to give him his ultimate answer!

After a long fruitless soujorn, this young warrior decided to set himself on a long journey of finding the old sage, to whose mouth reputation accrued wisdom. It was a very long walk! After getting to this town, he asked the villagers for the whereabouts of the old sage. He was duely informed that the old sage lived on top of the mountain. They warned him to be careful of the old man though, as the villages felt it required some level of insanity to be comfortable alone.

The young man gave himself no rest, immediately he began to ascend the mountain, he had to know the secret of success, he had not come this far to relax, it was fight to finish. After what seemed like hours, he arrived on the top of the mountain and sighted a little hut. The old man was in front of the little hut, rocking away on his rocking chair. The young man was exhausted and desired to get back to business quickly.

Young Man: Old man, I have been told in every city I crossed in my search for the secret of success, that the answers lies with you. I have travelled long old man, and I’ll really appreciate if you can bring and end to my search.

Old Man: (Silent)keeps rocking

Young Man: Please old man, please pay attention to me, I want to know the secret of success.

Old Man: (Still silent), stands up from the chair and grabs the young man by his right hand, and pulls him along as he descends the mountain. The young man simply follows, until the old man brings him to a nearby stream, and takes him into the water until his heel is fully covered. Then he takes him some more until the water reached his knee, and more until his waist, then his head, and more until he is totally immersed in water. He keeps him under water for about 30 seconds, and then gradually takes him out the way they both came, until they reach the top of the mountain. The Old man reclines his rocking chair, closes his eyes, and rocks away!

Young Man: Gasping for breath and breathing fast…Old man, what is all this, I came here to ask you for a secret, why are you wasting my time, energy and youth!

Old Man: Sorry young man, when I took you into the water, and you were fully submerged, what did you feel like doing?

Young Man: I felt desperate for breathe, and I would have thrown your hands to the high evens, pushed you or done anything to breathe.

Old Man: Hmmm…on the day you feel like that, exactly like you felt when I held you down in the water, about anything, you have found the secret of success!!!

“The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire.”— Field Marshal Ferdinand Foch
If you ignite your passion, the world will love to watch you burn. Great dancers are not great because of their techniques, they are great because of their passions. Find that place where you have passion, pursue your dreams with it, and you’ll soon be a spectacle. Your mind does not concieve impossibilities in the line of your passion, you are willing to work hard, go the extra mile, pay the price, not because you are are under any pressures, but because you have a passion for what you are doing!

“When work, commitment, and pleasure all become one and you reach that deep well where passion lives, nothing is impossible.”

For my birthday this year, I have decided that I will celebrate it! I have thought long and hard, and finally made up my mind that life is worth celebrating! It’s been fantastic 29 odd years, God has been good and faithful. I want to celebrate the past and rejoice ahead for the future! The melody has been good, the frequency has been right! This year alone I have enjoyed many benefits! I can’t count them all, but on August 4, I’ll try!

VENUE: This year, my birthday will be at “The Little Saints Orphanage” at Palmgroove!

COST: The gate fee is a minimum of #500, which will be contributed towards the cause of Little Saints! I will be preparing for about 180 guests (including the saints), in case we are more than this, I’ll advice that you come with some food as well.

DATE and TIME: I like good jokes, but this is no joke. I’ll prefer you bring your gifts for the kids. I’ll very much appreciate that! I will be overwhelmed by your presence alone. Rather than celeberate on friday, we’ll do it on Saturday, August 5. We’ll start things by 4pm, and should be there till 7.

If we wait too long to do things like this, people will say it’s because we are wealthy, or because we are old. Let’s start this now!

If you are coming, you can indicate interest here, so we can know how many chairs to plan for…and You are ALL welcome!

Regards

Adeolu Akinyemi

NB: Will make the map available to all who want it! Thanks

“Selling is the art of transferring emotions” – Unknown

In selling a product or a service, the entire process involves getting the buyer to feel the way you do about your product. This invariably means that if you don’t like your product you are not likely to get good results selling it. The first thing that gets impressed on your buyer is your perception of your product.

If you have ever tried selling anything, you’ll have discovered that it’s extremely difficult to sell a product you don’t like. You’ll find it extremely easy however, to sell something you are really passionate about.

The first thing you want to do about any product you have to sell then, is to know enough about it, to be able to passionately sell it. Remember selling is a transfer of emotions. I want you to feel the way I feel about the product, and there is nothing easier to transfer than emotions. Remember how easy it is to rejoice with people that are rejoicing and how easily you’ll start mourning if a second after you meet a friend that is bereaved. When you sell the first thing you transfer is not the benefits, it’s your enthusiasm.

Let me use an example of a product we all sell – Ourselves! Every job interview is a sales opportunity, every business meeting and every networking opportunity, everyday and everywhere we sell ourselves. Whatever your profession, if you don’t know how to sell then you won’t get bought or you’ll be bought for less than you are worth. Selling is the art of convincing the willing to buy.

In an interview, the first opportunity you are likely to get, is a request for you to introduce yourself. If you think the interviewer is interested in getting to know your family tree, you kid yourself. In asking you to introduce yourself, the interviewer is giving you a fantastic opportunity to sell yourself. While there are ways to do this effectively without blowing your own horn, this is where it shows if even you are passionate enough with the product called you, to sell it.

It is perverted for a human being to pursue pain. In the same vein, nobody will be willing to engage the services of someone who is not happy or excited about himself/herself. Let’s take an extreme position, imagine you are an interviewer and a candidate is asked to introduce himself/herself and he immediately frowns, looks to the side, and says great things about his or her achievements like someone far away. The product he is selling is probably good, but the first thing you are likely to share is his feeling about him/herself.

Selling involves knowing and liking your product. If technical knowledge gives you a bonus, passion for the product should score you two more. Selling with passion is not selling, it’s genuinely caring about your customer and providing a product or service that can help. People will get weary of you if they think you are trying to sell them something, but they will love you if your passion makes it clear you are trying to help. Remember, the golden rule in selling is that people will do business with people they know, like or trust. Get passionate.

“Stop selling, start helping” – Zig Ziglar

“Above all, be true to yourself, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.” – Unknown

The first time I heard the term networking was back in my Engineering days! In those good old days when I was an Electronics and Electrical Engineering student, my area of specializaton then bordered around networking. In fact right in my part 4 I became a Cisco Certified Network Associate. I understood networking well, knew all the layers and protocols or so i thought!

Networking in the real world of human beings is one of the most useful skills in building either your career or business. In achieving your life purpose, in career development or business, there are some factors called “Critical Success Factors” (CSF). These are factors that are necessary to your achieving anything significant. They are the make or break of your business or career, if any one of the factors you have identified as critical to your success is missing, then your business or career is in a jam. Networking is a skill that is critical to success in any area of business or career.

“More business decisions occur over lunch and dinner than at any other time, yet no MBA courses are given on the subject.” Peter Drucker

Coming from the world’s most respected management consultant, that’s a big one. Whether you get that deal or don’t, your next promotion, your next assignment, may well be finalized over a cup of coffee or over a bottle of rum. Beyond where your eyes can see, decisions are being made about you. You are not there to defend yourself, you can’t lend clarity to their arguements. What gives you a say in those places is your power of networking.

I’m certain you are wondering, what is networking? How can I leverage it to my own advantage? I’ll give you quick bullet points that we can build on with time into what it is and what it’s not.

First, networking is not bootlicking or ***kissing. No matter how good you are at bootlicking, you’ll always get replaced by real polish. If you always agree with everybody around you, you are not necessary- it will soon be discovered.

It’s not politicking either. This works shortterm. It involves forming parties, having cliques and painting other parties black. He that tells me of others will surely tell others of me. It’s only a matter of time. Soon someone will decamp, the winds will blow and the world will see the naked butt of the chicken. Trouble will break loose, and the world will know what you were cooking when the house got burnt.

“The successful networkers I know, the ones receiving tons of referrals and feeling truly happy about themselves, continually put the other person’s needs ahead of their own.” Bob Burg

Good networking involves meeting people at the point of their needs, having quality relationships with people, taking time and effort to seek win-wins, making the most of every contact, leaving a true and good impression and aftertaste on the tongues of people. Good networking is not about how many biggies you know, it’s about the quality and strength of your relationship even with the small people. That cleaner might just be there when they are discussing you…what will she have to say about you?

“To find out what one is fitted to do, and to secure an opportunity to do it, is the key to happiness.”– John Dewey

“The fact remains that the overwhelming majority of people who have become wealthy have become so thanks to work they found profoundly absorbing. The long term study of people who eventually became wealthy clearly reveals that their ‘luck’ arose from accidental dedication they had to an arena they enjoyed.”– Srully Blotnick

The Ancient Greek aphorism “Know thyself” (Greek: γνώθι σεαυτόν or gnothi seauton) was inscribed in golden letters at the lintel of the entrance to the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.

In order to understand the above statement well, it will be a good idea for me to shed a little light on some of the terms used in it.

Ancient Greek, this is a time in greek history, 1000 years before christianity. Historians are unaminous that the greek culture was the foundation of the western civilization.

Aphorisms, are concise statements of fact that were made as a result of experience. Axioms are similar statements that come from mere reason and require no proof, while aphorisms are developed based on experience. E.g “A stitch in time, saves nine”

Delphi, was known in ancient mythology to be the centre of the earth.

Temple of Apollo, This is believed to have the makings of an ancient university. Apollo was a god, who had strengths in poetry, medicine, and music. He was the most versatile and most skilled, in greek mythology, of the gods. In entering the Temple of Apollo, you come to interact with knowledge, the reason why you come in, is to know!

Now imagine you are at the entrance into the doors that lead to discovery, to knowledge and perhaps skill. What will you expect to see as a sign on the door? I’ll guess it will be a message telling you about the best attitude to have as a student, or an instruction that will help you make use of all you hear, won’t you? Interestingly, it is the aphorism -”Know thyself”

The first class in the school of knowledge is self awareness! If you don’t know who you are, and what you have, education is useless. The first thing you must know to be teachable is yourself. True education must be targeted first at personal discovery then personal development. “Know thyself!”

If you ever watched the blockburster -”Matrix”. There was a time when Neo had to go visit the oracle, to know if he was the one, to know what the future will be. Can you imagine the sign on the Oracles door? …….Yeah, you guessed right! “Know thyself” -Only it was writen in greek! The future responds only to those who have come to understand themselves. There is a stage for trial and error, typically it’s before you are 21! The Hebrews celebrate the 21st birthday as the age to announce your self discovery! It might be late for you, but it’s never too late until you are the late. “Know thyself”.

Your passions, your talents, your values and the things that give you a sense of destiny! You must know them. Help yourself and find help. There are many gates ahead that will lead into the worlds of your dreams, but the first criteria to enter is simple – “Know thyself”. It is the secret of happiness, it’s the source of true fulfillment. It’s the only way to enjoy your labor.

“Why do you spend … your labor for that which does not satisfy?”– Isaiah 55:1-2

“It is more blessed to give than to recieve” – Acts 20:35

“Think of giving not as a duty but as a privilege” – John D. Rockerfeller Jr

“Life, like a mirror, never gives back more than we put into it” – Anonymous

There are many books that have been writen on the secret of wealth. Wealth and financial gain are by far the most sort out topic in the world. It’s perhaps the major reason why you want a career change, perhaps the reason you started that business, perhaps the ultimate reason why you are studying in that school. You want to be rich, you have worked hard and perhaps you really deserve it.

One of the greatest secrets of wealth of all time however is to give! It seems a paradox, that to get more, you need to give more. We don’t need to be rocket scientists to discover that life lived for self is meaningless, whether you like it or not, you spend most of your time everyday for someone else. If you are an employee, that’s clear, if you are an entrepreneur it’s even clearer. But all these we can do, without conciously doing it, and doing it gladly.

One of the news items that have rocked the media in recent times is the story of Warren Buffet and Bill Gates. Bill Gates has been the worlds richest man for 12 years consecutively, at the same time is being acclaimed the greatest philantropist of all times. Warren Buffet the second richest, by hard work and self denial decided to give 80% of his fortune to the philantropic cause that Bill and Melinda lead. If you think it’s easy for them to give because they are rich, you can think again! There are few passions in this world that compare with teh passion of getting more! More money, more riches, more, more, more! They are not giving because they have, they are giving because they have learnt to give!

How about you? Do you want to wait till you are super rich before you start giving? Perhaps that is the reason you will never be that rich! One of the things I have observed about life, that God decides to give wealth to people who he is sure will make it available to those who by factors beyond their choice do not have it! Check out history, and you’ll probably discover, that the richest of men, happen to be the greatest of givers.

Hear what some of the most blessed men that ever lived had to say about giving!

“We make a living by what we get but make a life by what we give” -Winston Churchill

“The value of a man resides in what he gives and not what he is capable of receiving” -Albert Einstein

“You get the best out of others when you give the best of yourself”- Harvey S. Firestone

“Who dies rich, dies disgraced” – Andrew Carnegie

Start giving where you are today. Give to people who don’t have what you have. Give to people who by choices not their own, cannot afford a good life. Give to the little orphans who can’t fend for themselves, give to a cause that will live beyond you. The God that controls resources looks at the earth, and says, if I give more to this one, will he not give more? It’s not all about money, give your time, give resources, give knowledge, give opportunities. Those that bring sunshine to the lives of others, can’t hide it from themselves, the hand that gives the rose never looses the frangrance (Bejah Hada). Give – it does wonders to the soul. Give – You need to give up to go up!
“And the King answering shall say to them, Verily, I say to you, Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it to me. ” -Matt 25:40

It’s almost 2am in the morning, five minuites more actually. I’m not suffering from amnesia, once I close this laptop i’ll be gone in less than 60seconds. What keeps me awake is my passion! My desire to see you improve, to see you grow, to affect you positively, to be your partner in success, yes -you!

It has been a great weekend for me, I was in Ife on saturday, I had a speaking engagement in two places, will be back there again next week, Ilorin the upper week and so on. Just yesterday (Sunday), I heard 4 deep thank you’s. They were deeply refreshing. I felt great joy when a complete stranger approached me and said, “I applied what you told us 3 weeks ago, and I have a job now!” I love to live life deeply and have no fear of death!

However, in as much as there are people with genuine interests in helping others, you must help yourself! The world meets nobody half way! No living human being has two heads, we all have one, and are all qualified for the futures that we desire. You have the responsibility of setting your life vision and following through with it. You can’t stay idle, you can’t just go to sleep. There is no vacuum in reality, everyday counts for or against you. The farm that is left idle soon grows weeds, the life that is idle, literally worsens. One year more, is one year less. Excellence is not an event, it’s a habit. What 2-3 things do you do everyday that will take you in the direction of your vision?
“Hell begins on the day when God grants us a clear vision of all that we might have achieved, of all the gifts which we have wasted, of all that we might have done which we did not do” -Gian Carlo Menotti

I remember a story I love to tell, the story of the stray horse. This horse wandered far away from home. It went to a place where, neither it nor it’s owner was known. Some small children saw it around and tried to move close, perhaps the name of the owner was written somewhere on it. Unfortunately, it was not. Horses were expensive back in those days, in fact they were the units of wealth. Very rich meant very many horses. These children were pondering what to do with the stray horse, when their father came out of the house. The children narrated their ordeal to their dad, “the horse was stray and unlabelled, it just has to be kept until someone finds it”. The father felt differently, he asked that they get him a rope, that he would take the horse to it’s home. The children wondered what majic their father had in mind.

In a short while the rope was tied on the horses neck, and man and horse strolled together. Initially the man was ahead, after a while he withdrew to the sides, holding the rope lightly. The horse will stray into the bush at times to eat some grass, the man will tug the rope a bit, and the horse will move back on course. The horse moved, the man moved, a little tug here and there, the journey lasted for 2hrs. After two hours a man ran out of a particular house and shouted, “thank you, thank you, how did you know it was my horse, I had lost hope on it?” The man answered him and said, “I didn’t know it was your house, I only guided it and it lead me to its home”.

Nobody can guide you to a home you don’t know. We can guide, we can’t show you there. Take a pen right now, and write it down -Where do you want to be 5 years from now? Write it down, say it out. Set your sails, then the winds will favour you. People will remember you when the opportunity they know you need comes up. Write it down, make it plain, let it be what motivates you. Don’t go with the flow, the river ends in a waterfall. Paddle yourself to your desired end. Help yourself!

“People travel to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering.” — St. Augustine

Wether you like it or not, you will have to learn how to sell! Selling is an important skill that is useful to whatever it is you desire to become in life. If you read the first article on becoming a star, you will remember that the first thing you need to do after discovering your ultimate desire is to analyse your skill requirements. Selling is a skill that is very essential. The first commodity you’ll learn to sell upon coming into the labour market, is yourself!

Knowing how to sell is crucial in getting your dream job, securing your promotion, closing a business deal, pushing your ideas or even getting a good wife. I have done a full day training on selling for people before and they wondered why they were never taught to sell back in school. It’s so interesting that a skill of this much value is completely left out of the school curriculum. Get it straight, you need to know how to sell, then you need to go out and put it to practice.

Over time, selling had been imagined to be an art. You either had it or didn’t. People believed that being a good sales woman or man was based on temperament. The smooth talking sanguines will do better than the melacholic melancholies, how untrue. In looking critically at the art of selling used by people ranked as exceptional sales men, some science was discovered. There is a way to sell, there is a process, there are steps and the art can be distilled down into a science which can be taught.

To understand selling, it will be good to understand another skill that is a close colleague of selling. It’s a skill we all use as well, it’s the skill of “buying”. By studing the behaviour of the buyer, which we all fall into at one time or the other, we can gain a deeper understanding of the key principles for selling. Please be certain that a full course on Selling can take as much as 3 full days.
The question that unviels the steps that should govern your sales process is, “why will a buyer buy?” In years of studying the thinking process of buyers (you inclusive), it was discovered that there are 5 reasons why a buyer will buy any product. You can put any product in these reasons, and you’ll discover that the reasons are absolutely correct. The buyer will not buy for one of the reasons, all are critical to making this decision. In order to have fun with this, I prefer to use the example of asking a lady out. Why will a buyer buy? Why will the employer say yes? Why will the lady say yes? Why will your boss say yes?

The buyer will buy if

1. he sees that the seller demonstrates an understanding of his or her present situation

2. the sellers proposal is practical

3. he understand how the sellers idea/product/service works

4. the benefits are clear and

5. the next steps of action are easy.

In every sales encounter, success is greatly enhanced depending on how well your sales pitch is delivered. The five questions above form not only the content of your sales presentation, but even the order of your presentation. Mastery of this is developed over time by practice and by experience.

Let’s use getting to ask a lady out as an example – Just for humour. First you need to understand the person situation before you can demonstrate your understanding. Lets assume you are both in the same school and she has been having a lot of male disturbance. You walk up to her, and

Guy: How are you linda, you’ve been looking quite distant lately, is everything okay? I observed that as soon as the class is over, you simply pack your books and go, you don’t wait to chat with people anymore, hope it’s not that people were beginning to take you for granted and make silly assumptions? (1-Demonstrates understanding of situation)
Girl: You are very observant, actually, people were beginning to make assumptions. (smiles that smile that says it all)

Guy: Wow, Guys!!! Well can’t blame them, the girl is good (chuckle) but you know, I don’t think it pays you not to be active in class because of these. I think if you act close to just one person, everybody will get an idea and buzz off, that way you can still make the most of the class discussions. (2. The practical proposal- remember win-win)

Girl: How will that work? (if you did a good job with step 2, the buyer will ask for step 3)

Guy: Quite easy, you and I will read together, chat together, and generally create the we are close idea, no strings attached, no serious favours, just do all we have always done, only this time around, sufficient to ward off unneccesary assumptions. I’ll wait for you….( fill in the blanks)

Girl: (Thinking, does this pay me? Every buyer asks that)

Guy: The benefit of this is that you’ll be able to maintain your friendships, your academics will improve, you’ll be able to light up in class and fully participate, and who knows, we might get to like each other- (laughs loud- she tries to hit him) Girl: you ke?

Guy: …(continues) it will really help you, its not nice the way you’ve been looking harrassed in the past few days.(4. Clarifies the benefits)
Girl: (thinking…hmmm, not bad, whats the next step)

Guy: I think we should start right away. Essentially, I walk you to your hostel regularly, we make sure we are each in class together, I’m generally around, we keep it up and see how it goes. If you fall in love with me, I won’t find it funny (both laugh-hahahahah) (5. easy next steps)

This entire article is just one element of one of the critical success factors in selling, master it, and keep searching for more. Rome was not built in a day.