Page 78 - merged.pdf

•58 The 100 Greatest Business Ideas of All Time

Ask yourself

Does the gender and ethnic mix in your company reflect society in general, and
the market which you address in particular?

Idea 37 – Forecasting a sale

In the 1950s there was a Indian guru who was trying to be a mystic; he had a small
following, but at the same time he had to earn a living. This he did by selling Indian
products – shawls, tablecloths and other decorative fabrics – door to door. Wittingly
or unwittingly, he developed a pretty eccentric impending event close (see greatest
ways of getting the order Idea 33). Once the housewife had looked at the offerings and
was plainly about to decline, the fakir moved to his other persona and offered to tell
her fortune.

Studying her hand intently, he pursed his lips and gave the sort of Delphic
prophecies you would expect from such an exercise. He was good at it and normally
got the attention of the prospect with a few good ‘hits’ on things that were actually
true. At the end of the consultation, he would suddenly notice another line on the
hand and exclaim, ‘Oh, I see that you and I will never meet again!’ ‘Really?’ said the
customer. ‘Yes,’ said the guru, ‘So this is your only opportunity to buy these rugs,
shawls and tablecloths.’