How to Win the Game
The idea is simple. People like sports, video games, poker, Monopoly, and just about anything else they can win—so why not attribute a win/lose dynamic to non-games too. It’s an emerging business concept called “gamification” and it applies game play mechanics to everyday experiences. It’s becoming a common technique among online colleges and consumer-oriented websites. You can apply this to business development too.
The rules are simple:
- The objective of the game is to score at least 20 points per month.
- An introduction is worth 1 point. A referral to a small client is worth 2 points. A referral to a large client is worth 3.
- Track your incoming and outgoing referrals using a spreadsheet.
Okay, you’re ready to play. Let’s say Jim refers you a small potential client. He just scored 2 points. You return the favor by introducing Jim to a potential referral source. Now you’ve got 1 point, but Jim is still in the lead. Then you send Susan a referral to a large client. That’s worth 3 points. Now you’re in the lead. Keep giving referrals and you’ll win the game before the month’s end.
Assuming you win the game, make sure you give a prize to the runner-up. Why? Because they’re probably your top referral source.
If you score 20 points well before the end of the game, it’s time to advance to a more challenging level. Raise the bar to 40 points per month and see if you’re still the champion.
You’ll find that if you take the game seriously, your business development will become more fun and engaging. So play hard and score often. Even if you don’t win the game, you’ll improve your performance, and as any athlete will tell you, that’s the key to becoming a pro.
i think you should build this into a software application and sell it. it’s a good idea. you could even have different point values for different areas of your business. In my case for example, a search engine optimization lead it could be worth more than a website design lead because one is long-term (SEO) and one is usually more short term and a one-off type of project (website design)
Good idea, Jason. I’m upgrading the Tracker in Practice Boomers so it’s more “gamified” – if it’s well-received I plan to expand it as a stand-alone offering.
i think jason is on to something!!! it could be fun n challenging and of course easily helps one be accountable for their business activity. scoring could be very creative like you could get a point by generating your own lead via Linkedin.
hey, the hell with you david ( n jason) i’m gonna put this together and run with it and retire with MY millions!!!
thanks
gary
I believe in the world of gamification that would be called an interception.
I think this is a fantastic concept. As the only female entrepreneur in one of the local networking groups, I’m often sitting around with “the boys” after the meeting talking about sports. This might be a way to lengthen and make the meetings even more productive! Maybe we can celebrate all the referrals with a few beers, too!
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for reading and commenting, Angie.