The Points System (aka: How to Think About Selling)

When I was at University, I participated in a lot of street activism for the environment.

I had to sell an idea.

But for every dozen people I spoke to, maybe one of them would truly seem like they were going to make a change.

I felt extremely discouraged and like the planet was doomed – until the event organizer told me about The Points System.

The Points System is the concept that as a person goes about their daily life, they accumulate “points”.

Zero points = They don’t care about the environment at all.

100 points = They make a drastic change to their life (stop buying fast fashion/cut out animal products/start biking to work).

Maybe they saw a Netflix documentary last year about the damage in our oceans, and that gave them 20 points.

Maybe they saw trash lying on the beach and it added 15 points.

Maybe they had a conversation with me at the event, and it added another 10 points.

Usually, the person would leave our event, seemingly unchanged on the outside.

But inside, the points were adding up.

I realised it wasn’t my job to give them 100 points in a single conversation.

I just had to offer them as many extra points as I could.

It’s the same with selling as a creative, artist, or entrepreneur.

It’s rare to sell something in a single conversation or social media post.

Your audience needs to connect with you over and over again to rack up 100 points.

Each time you talk with someone, you’re adding points.

Each time you make an offer, you’re adding points.

Each time you show up to add value, you’re adding points.

Entrepreneurs sometimes tell me:

And they stop connecting with people and selling.

Because what's the use if no one is buying?

But someone could be on 99 points right now.

They could be ONE offer away, ONE conversation away, ONE point away from hiring you.

If you truly believed that someone was just ONE action away, how would you show up today?