Nothing is free EVER. Things might be that way because the mechanics supporting it make it seem that way. Any investor (and financial literate) knows this. Sell the idea and buy the mechanics.

– Dimitri

This is the wisdom I recently shared as addendum to a tweet of Zuby.
As twitter limits messages to but a few words, elaboration is needed.

“Sell the idea and buy the mechanics”.

This is the cornerstone to ANY functional business.
But how does it work?

Let’s start with common sense.
In order to sell something it needs to have a function, it needs to be sustainable!
This means for in order to sell a solution, or to sell an idea, there needs not only a demand but also a viable SYSTEM which makes the idea self-sustaining.

This means there are genuine businesses who do genuine business.
This also means there are genuine businesses who do fake business.

Genuine businesses doing fake business:

Let us start with a (popular) example.
We are going to sell the idea of “Free healthcare”.
“Healthcare is free for EVERYBODY who is a registered citizen of the country. “
— This is the idea.

How can it be sold to make it viable?
How can it be achieved?
What are the mechanics to make it possible?

Seeing this is nationwide, Government is going to be involved.
You pay taxes to the Government (and state) and expect your money to be wisely invested in infrastructure and other nation-building assets.
Government decides to raise the taxes and funnels a percentage of that money into healthcare enabling this idea to come to fruition.

Congratulations, you now have “Free” Healthcare.

The critics among you might say this isn’t really “free healthcare” as all taxpayers involuntary cover the costs through their taxes. Correct.
It’s a scheme whereby possible costs are offset on the long term and being carried by both healthy and unhealthy individuals nationwide… except those who are tax-exempt.
So in the long term, you have bought “Free healthcare” but are paying for it on the long term. (This is how the “cheaper” healthcare is established in the many countries making part of the European Union. Variations exist but it boils down to this premise/mechanic).

Genuine businesses doing genuine business.

How to recognize a genuine business doing genuine business?
A genuine business doing genuine business is one who puts an idea up for sale but sells you the mechanics in order for that idea to come to fruition.

For example, a friend of mine called Jose Rosado has made a business around webdesign and making money through twitter (we’ll focus on the latter).

With his promotions and tweets he puts up the idea “Make Money Through Twitter”.

What you actually buy will be his book “Twitter Money Master“explaining the MECHANICS on how to achieve this result.

He puts up the idea of “Making Money On Twitter” and sells you the mechanics on how to achieve the premise.

But are the mechanics genuine?
How to know there’s no hidden catch like the “Free Healthcare”-example?

Association and representation.
The following quote is from my course on sales: “Selling Success“.

“YOU REPRESENT “
These 2 words are to be remembered as they are key to your success.
As a salesman you always represent the company you work for.
If you are independent, or a business-owner, you are representing yourself.
People will only buy from people they have a connection with.
From people whom outwardly convey a message of confidence, reliability, authenticity and (self)respect (REPRESENTATION).
From people they trust (ASSOCIATION).
Neglect this bit and no agreement can EVER be made.
Presentation is everything.

– SELLING SUCCESS by Dimitri Hellemond

Use this wisdom to find out if a business is genuine and doing actual genuine business.
A genuine business will make sure it is REPRESENTED.
It will make sure, through representation, there is a face to ASSOCIATE with.

If a business LACKS this you may rest assured it is not genuine (either in set-up, in doing business or both).

Take care,

Dimitri

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