The Dog at the BBQ Taught Me More About Sales Than I Expected

I visited a friend over the weekend that I hadn't seen in some time. We had a great time catching up on life and family.

The thing is, I'm not necessarily an animal person, but he had a dog.

It was small, white, and quiet. He said it only barked when it was scared.

Everyone who was there took turns giving the dog attention, but I didn't.

The dog could sense my apprehension and didn't press me. While we ate, she would come over and just look at me, but that was it. At one point, I noticed she started laying beside my feet.

There's a Fine Line When You're Trying to Assess a Potential Client or Someone Joining Your Community

There's a fine line when you're trying to assess a potential client or someone joining your community. You're watching for needs and intention. It's about letting people see your value without being aggressive about it.

Without realizing it, I started warming up to her. She hadn't pressured me, but she made me feel comfortable, and over time, trust started to build.

We were having a BBQ and at one point I asked my friend if it was okay to feed her. He nodded, but said not too much—dogs don't always know when to stop. I understood that. Knowing limitations is key to building any mutually beneficial relationship.

I put a piece of meat on the ground, and she came over and ate it gratefully. No pressure. No forcing. Just trust, and a simple exchange. The ideal "transaction" without friction.

At some point I caught myself saying, "She's a really good dog," more than once, even surprising myself.

One of my other friends asked if I wanted to pick her up or hold her. I said, "No, I don't hold anything that doesn't wear pants."

My friend laughed and told a story about hygiene issues with animals. Then he said, "Let's go for a walk."

He went into the house to grab the leash and get the dog ready.

When they came back out, I was shocked and told him I had to take a picture.

The dog was wearing sunglasses.

It wasn't my usual world—I'm not a pet owner—but after an afternoon of building trust, connection had formed naturally. I even found myself saying, "If I had a dog, I'd do the same in a heartbeat."

That's when it clicked again for me.

Building a community begins with trust, then connection. Once that is established, everything else—engagement, offers, sales—tends to follow naturally.

I hate to admit it, but she may have just made this year's Christmas list.