Honest?

Two small boys, not yet old enough to go to school, were overheard talking at the zoo one day.
"My name is Billy.  What's yours?" asked the first boy.
"Tommy," replied the second.
"My Dad's an accountant.  What does your Dad do for a living?" asked Billy.
"My Dad's a salesman." answered Tommy.

"Honest?" asked Billy.

"No, just the regular kind," replied Tommy.

Moral of the story.  True sales professionals know that you shouldn't bring the negative aspects of your work home with you, because it can affect your kids and your spouse.  If you're having a bad day at work or if you're thinking your colleagues are out to get you; leave it at the office.  Or before you know it, your young kids will be thinking that all managers are idiots, all salespeople are dishonest and all conspiracies are real rather than imaginary.  Often in life, the results we obtain in any endeavor stem not from external forces but rather from internal expectations.  So take a step back from things today, and re-evaluate your present situation through more honest lenses.  And know this, the best gift you can give your children, is an optimistic view of the future.  If your kids grow up expecting the best of others, and their situation; happiness will surely follow.

"That inner voice has both gentleness and clarity. So to get to authenticity, you really keep going down to the bone, to the honesty, and the inevitability of something."      -      Meredith Monk

From SalesForce Data.com

Celebrating

     Sales is a tough career and certainly not for the faint of heart or the thin of skin.  It has been said (and I generally believe it) that about 10% of sales people make 90% of the money.  To be good at sales is very hard work and requires great and excruciating dedication to detail at all times.  Mistakes are costly in a very personal way. They affect your earnings directly and quickly and painfully.  In the trucking business a mistake by a dispatcher generally has no affect on their income but can affect the income of the person who was paid to bring on the customer in the first place if it results in a lost customer.  The picture I am trying to paint is one of stress and pressure of a very high degree on a daily basis.  You cannot "rest on your laurels" because you will be left in the dust by someone who is running not resting.
     I have been blessed over the years by being in the company of some really great sales people and I mean REALLY GREAT!  They all share many of the same characteristics such as being astute observers and quick thinkers, possessing  keen senses of humor and desire to serve their customers well.  One thing that stands out in my mind in every single great sales person I have known is that they know how to have fun and can immerse themselves in having a good time for a long enough period to rejuvenate themselves for the next challenge.  They all like to celebrate. To use a well worn phrase: "They work hard and play hard as well."
     It is really not much fun to vacation or party if you are not really working hard to be successful however you define that.  You are not vacationing from anything if you are not putting your full effort into your career.
When you get that time off or opportunity to celebrate, it should not be an entitlement or "benefit" but something you earned.  You will enjoy it to a much higher degree if you earn it with "blood sweat and tears".
     I have worked hard for about 40 years now at this profession of sales and along the way I have learned a few things. You have to make the good times yourself. Take the little times and make them big times, and save the times that are just alright for those that aren't so good.  I guess that is why I celebrate my birthday for an entire week still at age 69 and love every minute of it.
     This morning the CEO of our company said something that I believe wholeheartedly.  Live a life that will not result in a bunch of regrets when you "punch out" that final time and I add to that ....work hard and play hard!

Stop Selling

A local United Way office realized that the organization had never received a donation from the town's most successful sales rep. The person in charge of contributions called him to persuade him to contribute.

"Our research shows that out of a yearly income of at least $700,000, you give not a penny to charity. Wouldn't you like to give back to the community in some way?"

The sales rep mulled this over for a moment and replied, "First, did your research also show that my mother is dying after a long illness, and has medical bills that are several times her annual income?"

Embarrassed, the United Way rep mumbled, "Um ... No."

The sales rep interrupts, "or that my brother, a disabled veteran, is blind and confined to a wheelchair?"

The stricken United Way rep began to stammer out an apology, but was interrupted again.

"Or that my sister's husband died in a traffic accident," the sales rep's voice rising in indignation, "leaving her penniless with three children?!"

The humiliated United Way rep, completely beaten, said simply, "I had no idea..."

On a roll, the sales rep cut him off once again, "So if I don't give any money to them, why should I give any to you?"


The lesson here - and I have lived it - when you got the sale, STOP SELLING!

Carrying Burdens Too Long

A young lady confidently walked around the room while leading and explaining stress management to an audience with a raised glass of water. Everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, 'half empty or half full?'...

She fooled them all ..... "How heavy is this glass of water?" she inquired with a smile. Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied , "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.
If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." She continued, "and that's the way it is with stress.

If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on."

"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden - holding stress longer and better each time practiced

So , as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down.

Don't carry them through the evening and into the night... Pick them up tomorrow.

Sweating The Small Stuff

    How many of you have ever been bitten by a mosquito?  If you have not, you perhaps just arrived on this planet in the last nanosecond.  They are very small and quiet and sneak up on us and in their aftermath leave a welt that often itches for days.
    I think of the mosquito often when I hear people say " don't sweat the small stuff".  If you have never read "The Noticer" by Andy Andrews there is a great and meaningful story contained therein related to Andy by a character names Jones about being bitten by an elephant or a mosquito. Read it if you can!!
    Anyway, I have been at this sales game for 40 years now and I always sweat the small stuff because attention to the details that the 90% overlook will get you into the 10% that are remembered.  Relationships are not built by elephant like steps but rather by a series of little details that go into the tapestry that eventually becomes a friendship and the speed by which that happens is directly proportionate to the details you take the time to remember.  he list is long and distinquished and includes the obvious birthdays, anniversaries, deaths, illnesses, etc.  But there are many many more little things that come up in conversation that if you are listening with an attentive, caring ear you will pickup and note and bring up some time in the future as a way of showing that you truly care and have listened and not just told your story and moved on.
    How impressive is it for someone who you have not seen for years to come up or call you and ask you if you still like a certain food, or movie or book.  It gets my attention and I know it does yours.
    Finding out the threads that make up the material out of which one's life is stitched together is fun, stimulating and finally makes you a better person for the exercise. The side benefit in business is that it will make you more successful than the automaton sales techs who are totally self-indulged and preoccupied with changing money from their customers hand to theirs.


Attentively yours,
Dan

How's Your "Tude"

Two shoe salespeople were sent to Africa to open up new markets. Three days after arriving, one salesperson called the office and said, “I’m returning on the next flight. Can’t sell shoes here. Everybody goes barefoot.”
At the same time the other salesperson sent an email to the factory, telling “The prospects are unlimited. Nobody wears shoes here!”

The moral to this one is pretty obvious:  Your Attitude is everything!!!!!

Put Your Best Foot Forward,
Dan

Why Not Spice Up Your Out of Office Messages

  
 I attended a webinar the other day where the matter of setting yourself apart from your competition was the theme. One of the areas that was discussed was phone and email messages when you are not available.
You know I am always preaching the "set yourself apart from the crowd" sermon.  I think this is just another way to do that and have some fun in the process.  Let your imagination be your guide.
     Recently, I took a day off to spend with my wife and dog at our nearby beach. Here is what I left on my out of office email reply as well as my voice mail

About 10AM Friday morning I hope to be sitting on the beach in Lewes, DE with my wife, our dog, a fishing pole and my Jeep.  If you are not able to join us there to discuss the matter at hand, trust that I will be back at my desk Monday morning and will get back to you ASAP unless of course I am swallowed by a large fish who will hopefully spit me out in a few days on a beach in Bermuda where I would likely pursue the life of a beach bum and not be able to return your email or call.

     Hokey?  Probably! But it is being personal and offering some harmless information about yourself that will perhaps help build or strengthen a relationship.  Even if it does nothing to increase the size of your wallet, it is just fun stuff to do and your callers will enjoy the break from the mundane.
     Or maybe your would rather continue with this type of "exciting" message

Sorry I missed your email. I am on vacation and will be back in a week.

     Anyway, make it fun, make is personal as in letting them know what the heck you are doing and make it creative by injecting with large does of your personality aka known as what you like to do when not in the office..

Representing

     My wife and I love Hungry Howie's Pizza. Howie Maui with Sesame Crust (Pineapple, Smoked Bacon, Sliced Ham & Mozzarella Cheese). You can order online and we have it on 40 minutes or less every time.  Great service and great pizza at fair prices.  This big guy named Mark delivers to us and he is a truly a gentle giant.  Very pleasant and very courteous and careful where he parks and wiping his feet before coming in.  He is our go to guy.  Well, apparently while he was off, they set this skinny be-speckled kid to deliver and here is how it went.  I answered the door and said " Hey how ya doing?"  He replied " it is 14 dollars and 55 cents"  I said " Well OOOOOOOOOOKAY Come on in put it on the kitchen counter"  Doofus spies the 20 laying on the counter and his next comment was " Do You Want Any Change?  We regularly give Mark the whole deal but I said "Yes as a matter of fact I do.  Give me back three dollars"  He did and left never uttering another word like maybe "thank you for your business or catch you later". 
     Now they have a Facebook page so I posted what happened on there and got a post back from the manager asking me to call.  I believe that she took care of the problem for us as he has not shown his face at our place since.
     Made we wonder if, in our haste to get to the next dollar of business, we are ALWAYS making sure we are representing ourselves and our company to the fullest possible extent no matter how small the customer might be.  It has been said that a smile costs you nothing but gains you a lot.  You have a smile on your face while on that phone and it will shine through to the other end.
     I can guarantee that.

Happy to be of service to you,
hungry dan