As you know, I am now a chicken mama. In the past three weeks, I have learned that my chickens are much more free-range than I expected or planned on. Yes, this is saving me money on food and effort in cleaning the coop, but I do have concerns for their safety, especially at night.
Two weeks ago, I began the campaign to bring them into the coop each night. Thanks to my neighbor, I have learned that running after them and trying to chase them into the coop isn’t effective.
What I really want to do is entice them to come into the coop willingly. And this requires understanding their wants and needs and providing a solution that meets those needs.
Chickens need food, water, and, to a certain extent, shelter. Within the run, I keep chicken crumbles, a flock block, and water available for them. And it appears that they have been partaking of the food. My chickens have been roosting in trees since the second night following their arrival. And with all the trees and cover around our property and the adjacent property, they seem to have the shelter angle covered (pun intended). However, when winter arrives, the cover will not be as thick, and the nights will be cold, wet, and long.
What do chickens like? Well, fortunately, they like bugs, which is a win for me. But they also like snacks like watermelon rinds, pineapple, and mealworms. So, every morning, I put out some treats for them in their run. They seem to like these, but so do the squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits.
Chickens fear the dark and predators. And apparently me (and my dogs). The good news is that we haven’t found any predators lurking around yet, but I fear it is only a matter of time. Thanks to one of my readers, I now have a solar light over the coop. I’m hoping this will encourage the chickens to “come to the light” as they settle in for the night.
My mission is to meet their needs and help them overcome their fears. And so far, I think it is starting to work. The Chicken-Cam has caught them lurking around the coop first thing in the morning. They clearly like the treats and food I leave for them. They haven’t committed to sleeping in the coop, but they definitely know where their meals come from.
Are you wondering how I’m planning on relating this to real life? Well, every one of us is a salesperson in one capacity or another. You may be a professional salesperson, but you could also be an owner, a manager, or a parent. Regardless of what you are trying to sell, you need a process. And that process can’t be simply scaring the target into buying what you are selling. You must frame your goods to be in the best interest of your target audience. What are their needs? What do they like? What are their fears?
Using fear alone to sell your solution may result in short-term gains, but it won’t result in a long-term relationship. If you take the time to understand the customer’s needs and deliver a solution that shows you understand, you will have much better luck.
During your next sale, decide if you want to chase your target around the field or throw out some tasty pineapple skin to lure them in. I’m confident that one of these options will result in the achievement of both parties’ goals. If you find that your sales process hasn’t adapted to the new Covid marketplace, please email me. I can help you and your sales team thrive in this new reality.