Why elephants never forget and children are the best salesmen

One explanation for the saying 'an elephant never forgets' revolves around their early days in training (for shows and zoos); the trainer will leave a baby elephant tied to a small stake  for a period of time, after which even when fully grown they will never try to escape, having learned early on that they cannot pull the stake out of the ground.

Children, on the other hand are highly selective in their memory and will cheerfully pull on the sweet cupboard door time and time again until they find it open. They will also question ad nausiem any decision of which they don't approve; what are the chances of this conversation?:

'Mum, can I have an ice cream?'

'no, you've just had one'

'Oh, OK, you're right, it will spoil my tea'

More likely it will drone on for a few minutes with about 50% chance of the mother caving in and buying an ice cream.

Even in later childhood/early adulthood we retain this ability to persevere - some 50% will 'learn' to smoke - it is a tough learning curve which will involve coughing, retching and possibly even vomiting, but most will persevere in order to be part of the smoking crew - the same applies to our early experiments with alcohol.

So why, then do most of us go on to become elephants and take on board every single barrier as a finishing point? Take a read through most salesmen's notes on calls and they will be littered with finite comments such as 'customer not interested, do not call'; 'no requirements'; or even 'very rude, do not do business with this person'.

When did we stop asking for the ice cream and become staked to the ground? In the vast majority of cases those comments relate to a moment in time, when a prospective customer was otherwise engaged, perhaps having a bad day, or simply not interested at that moment in time.

By creating this negativity the salesman (perhaps you or me!) has not only lost theirself a potential opportunity, but has put off other people from picking up on the opportunity.

Note to all of us: Remember the child - Even of no means no, it only means it today.