What are the classic cases about divergent thinking?

The classic case of "selling combs to monks" has been mentioned many times in marketing or management. When countless salespeople regard the fourth marketer in this story who sold 1000 to a monk as an idol, and when more fields quoted this story to the management, the article "Selling Combs to Monks in a Higher Realm" also cited this case. So what does the higher realm of selling combs to monks tell us?

I think it is: "Let the brand be full of spirit"!

Why did the clever fourth salesman who sold the comb to the monk successfully sell 1000 to the temple? Because he made the comb rich in spiritual value. I have a batch of combs, and your handwriting is excellent. You can engrave the word' Jishan comb' as a gift. " The abbot was overjoyed and immediately bought 1000 combs. What is even more exciting is that when the fourth salesman's "Jishan comb" came out, it spread from one word to ten words and from ten words to a hundred words. There were many letters and more incense. So the abbot ordered from the fourth salesman. In this way, the fourth salesman not only sold 1000 combs at one time, but also achieved excellent results in long-term ordering, realizing the optimization and maximization of marketing work.

The first salesman returned empty-handed, because when he arrived at the temple, the monk said he didn't need a hairless comb, so he didn't sell any. This is a one-way thinking of mortals, which seems to be understandable. Although the second salesman sold a dozen more than the first one, he was not much better than him, because his consciousness and thinking were still stuck in a one-way thinking pattern, and his eyes were only fixed on the physical function of the comb. The third salesman sold 100 yuan, much better than the first two, because he turned his eyes from monks to pilgrims, which is a multi-directional thinking. The most brilliant is the fourth one, which not only sells thousands, but also orders. This is the miracle created by divergent thinking! Completely get rid of the linear thinking mode of comb-hair-monk. The most important thing is that he endowed the comb with spiritual value! It is precisely because the combs he sells are rich in unusual spiritual values-"accumulated goodness, boundless merits", which is different from tired combing, or lower than gratitude for accumulated goodness. You open the comb in advance, and then sell it to pilgrims who come with a sincere heart, as a treasure blessed by the Buddha, giving them the greatest psychological satisfaction and spiritual comfort. In this way, the temple turned the original worthless gift comb into a treasure that gave pilgrims protection and strength. This should be a higher level of selling combs to monks! So a large number of pilgrims will buy combs from the abbot, so the abbot will also buy goods from him.

What is spiritual value?

Spiritual value is beyond the function of the product itself, and can also be understood as brand effect. The trademark of the world-famous Coca-Cola Company is currently worth $72.5 billion! Coke is just a thirst-quenching drink. Why is a small can of coke so valuable? Because its formula is unique in the world, it is a famous brand product known by many people all over the world. Drinking coke is not only for quenching thirst, but also represents the fashionable life in the minds of young people. This is also the spiritual value of a brand. This shows that when a brand has spiritual value, the energy it releases is immeasurable.

The story of selling combs to monks gives me the greatest enlightenment that as a company's marketer, we should get rid of the shackles of the usual linear thinking mode, not stick to the functional value of the product itself, be brave in pioneering thinking and innovation, dare to think what ordinary people didn't expect and do what ordinary people didn't do. We should always consider the interests of customers and companies, and always put ourselves in the customer's shoes. I think this is the basic quality of a marketer. A drop of water can see the sea, and a comb can let us see the internal philosophy of brand spiritual value! Making the brand full of spiritual value is not only the marketing goal pursued by the company. As every employee of the company, it is the responsibility and obligation to work hard for it, so that the company's product brand has a unique, good and spiritual value to be known by more people. In fact, many things in our work and life are not impossible, but we don't want to do it-[lack of goals] and dare not do it-[lack of courage and thinking to get goals directly]. Now I think I have a clear goal and will make unremitting efforts for it. I think this is a prerequisite for success. Even if you encounter difficulties and setbacks, you should be able to remain calm and try to find a breakthrough to solve the problem.