The salesman asks, "What is it supposed to be when it is finished?"
The salesman's girlfriend replies, "According to the picture on the box, it's a big chicken."
The salesman hurries to his girlfriend's place to find the puzzle spread all over the table. He studies the pieces for a moment and then looks at the box. Turning to his girlfriend, he says, "First of all, no matter what we do, we're not going to be able to assemble these pieces into anything that resembles a chicken."
The salesman takes his girlfriend by the hand and says, "Secondly, I'd advise you to relax. Let's have a cup of coffee and then," he sighs, "let's put all these Corn Flakes back in the box."
Moral of the story. True sales professionals know that in order to succeed at sales, sometimes you need to hand hold prospects. You need to help them solve their current problems that they find puzzling. At other times, you just need to put those flakes back in the box. Knowing how to tell the difference between the two quickly, will give you a competitive edge.
"There are no extra pieces in the universe. Everyone is here because he or she has a place to fill, and every piece must fit itself into the big jigsaw puzzle." - Deepak Chopra
