Lately, I started hitting Delhi bars 5–6 nights a week—more than the waiters took off. I even tried Barney Stinson’s ‘Suit Up!’ trick, showing up in a tailored suit, tie, leather shoes, and AirPods. The look drew attention—some thought I worked there and asked for water, food, or tables; one woman even tried to tip me ₹500. High-value leads were just curious about the AirPods. Eventually, the bouncers noticed I came alone every night and began blocking my entry, typical of Delhi’s inorganic bar culture.
I usually stood by the bar counter—one of the best spots to start a conversation. On ladies’ night, women collect their own complimentary drinks, so no friend-zoned guy blocks you. If a woman buys her own drink, she’s likely single, as a boyfriend would usually buy it or accompany her. As the experience economy suggests, I’d start with a subtle compliment—shoes, jacket, or dress. If she responded with more than a word and kept the conversation going, I’d ask about her. People love talking about themselves, and if she showed interest, she’d ask back. That’s when I used my USP. My Instagram—700+ posts since 2013—served as my elevator pitch, showing both legitimacy and a fun, experience-rich life.
One night at a club, I met her after she saw a dating apps notification pop up on my phone (‘research purposes’). Curious, she glanced at the screen, and we started talking. I cracked a quick joke, and we instantly clicked. As time flew, she had to leave, so we exchanged Instagram handles. Over the next few days, we met often—Khan Market, Hauz Khas, Qutub Minar, Aerocity, Gurgaon. We shared drinks, meals, and even a few rounds of pool (neither of us was good), but I just wanted to be around her.
Anyway, coming to the MBA concept of the ‘Sales Circle‘. Many of us must have heard this phrase: ‘A great product sells itself’.
In essence, any transformational difference can be brought about by the product at its core. Other levers like entry into new markets or using more channels (online: E-commerce, quick commerce, apps, et al) or even the technique/ strategy operated by the salesperson (be it Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, or even a used cars salesman), can only make an incremental difference. This circle can be used in all contexts, from commodities to businesses to even people (dating/ job market).
For example:
- Product: Diet Coke
- Markets: US, UK, China, India, et al
- Channels:
Offline: Grocery Stores, Supermarkets, Restaurants, Bars, Cinema Halls, Airports, etc.
Online: Quick Commerce (BlinkIt, Swiggy Instamart, et al) - Selling Technique: Bundling, Deep Discounting, et al
A great example in the Indian commodity market is Nestle Maggi. Across decades, the product has sold itself; be it in a kirana store in a remote village or via BlinkIt (Quick Commerce) in a metropolitan city. Compare its sales with that of the me-too brands of the likes of top ramen noodles and you’ll see a stark difference despite the deep discounting, bundling and other sales strategies used by such competitors. The product will always remain the core of any transformation and work on perfecting it, instead of expecting drastic differences from other factors or looking for the easy way out.
The Sales Circle can be applied in the context of modern-day dating quite aptly:
- Product: You
- Markets: India (Del, Mum, Goa…), US, UK, China, Africa, et al
- Channels:
Offline: College, Office, Mutuals, Coffee Shops, Bars, etc.
Online: Dating Apps, Matrimonial Apps, Instagram, Facebook, etc. - Selling Technique: USP, Scarcity Principle, Elevator Pitch, Brand Seduction, Luxury Brand Marketing, et al
I used to think that I was not using the right technique, or the right channels, or was in the wrong location and that is why I am not meeting the ‘girl of my dreams’. I have tried almost all channels both online (dating apps, Instagram, Facebook, Orkut, Yahoo messenger) and offline (mutuals, bars, coffee shops, supermarkets, airports, Volvo buses, et al). In close to two decades across all markets of Delhi-NCR, Bombay, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Pune, Goa, or even up to Africa, it is highly unlikely that despite countless attempts, I couldn’t end up with a girl who fits my pre-requisites. The core is always the product so my unsuccessful attempts have less to do with all the other factors and more to do with me as a product not being attractive enough for my target market (TG).
Let us say you had just one or two substantial connections in your lifetime, where both you both were totally into each other and everything was perfect but it didn’t work out because of a small anomaly. You are still single and in the never-ending quest of finding the perfect love. Either transform yourself as a product completely or alter your prerequisites for the perfect match. Trying a new technique or different channels or exploring new markets won’t lead to drastically different results.
That brings me to the ‘pool’ girl. Is this the end of the game? Maybe not—new markets rarely change the core product. She was Thai, here with a friend, and it felt like a holiday fling. On her last night, we had dinner at a Thai restaurant, stopped for flowers, then grabbed rooftop drinks with a view. After a quick stop at a friend’s place, we spent the night at her hotel. The next day, we had lunch at a North Indian fine-dining spot, relaxed at a bar, played pool, and I dropped her at the airport. Her only request: don’t miss her. So I return to my only constant—my writing.
Later,
Sidhant
