What Thanksgiving Means to Me

Thanksgiving is not for another four or five days, so I realize that I am a little early with this Thanksgiving message.
It may take some extra time and planning to shop for, cook for and set the table for the one or two extra people your family may want to share this year's Thanksgiving meal with.
I am talking about inviting one or two -- or more -- of our troops to your home this Thanksgiving, especially if you are at an overseas location and fortunate enough to have your loved ones with you.
Wherever you are, there are plenty of lonely Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen who would love to spend a few hours with you and your family sharing not only a home-cooked meal, but also enjoying the warmth, family and, yes, the bitter-sweet memories of home, that such an occasion will bring.
How do I know this?
Well, on Thanksgiving of 1942, one Dominic Cirincione, an Italian immigrant who ran a fruit stand on Mission Avenue in the Mission District of San Francisco, invited two GIs who were stationed at the nearby Cow Palace to dinner at his home to join his wife and daughter. "Dom" became lifelong friends with one of those soldiers and actually became the godfather to his first born son who met him as an adult for the first time after returning from US Air Force duty in Japan in 1969. 
That GI, who never forgot that kindness,was Private Wesley E "Pete" Dobson, who went on to become a SSgt, US Army Air Corps, Tailgunner, B25J by the name of "Tuff Stuff", recipient of the Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters for distinguished air combat in the Rome Arno Air Campaign. He and Isabelle Adams Dobson gave birth to their first son the following summer at St Luke's Hospital near San Francisco's Mission District.  Dom was one of the very first to hold his godson, Danny Boy, as he called me!!
Have a Very Meaningful Thanksgiving,

Captain W Dan Dobson
United States Air Force
1967-1972

150 YEARS AGO TODAY

Tuesday 19 November 2013 is the 150^th Anniversary of the Gettysburg address.  Less than 30% of the people of the United States in 1863 supported President Lincoln.  Over 95% of the newspapers in the United States, after the address was given, said, “…it is not worthy to read.”

Please take a few minutes to read this address which along with the Declaration of Independence are the keystones of American Philosophy:

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.  We are met on a great battle-field of that war.  We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.  It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate – we cannot consecrate – we cannot hallow – this ground.  The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.  The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.  It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.  It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Securing Our Future,
dan

Assuming

His request approved, the CNN News photographer

quickly used a cell phone to call the local airport

to charter a flight.
He was told a twin-engine plane

would be waiting for him at the airport.
Arriving at the airfield, he spotted a plane

warming up outside a hanger.
  He jumped in with his bag, slammed the door shut,

and shouted, 'Let's go'.
The pilot taxied out, swung the plane

into the wind and took off.

Once in the air, the photographer instructed

the pilot, 'Fly over the valley and make

low passes so I can take pictures

of the fires on the hillsides.'
'Why?' asked the pilot.

'Because I'm a photographer for CNN',

he responded, 'and I need to get

some close up shots.'

The pilot was strangely silent for a moment,

finally he stammered, 'So, what you're telling me,

is . . . You're NOT my flight instructor?'

Are you really asking the hard questions of your customers or not because you are afraid of the answers or afraid of "offending them".  Get over it as you are as guilty as the guy in the story above and the consequences while maybe not life threatening could be dire.  There is nothing threatening about asking the following: " I just have a gut feeling that there are some issues that we need to discuss that we have neither taken the time to do so."  You can do this and you need to do this.  You have a sixth sense or you would not be doing what you are doing.  Please take advantage of that talent rather than waiting around to react to something after it happens.

Zooming not assuming,
Captain Dan

Do Something!

Years ago before he became famous, Tom Peters, was just getting started and was beginning to do seminars.  I attended on of these early seminars at the Sunburst Hotel in Scottsdale Arizona.  My sales partner and I both attended and we very impressed with Tom and what he told us.  He offered many valuable tips when it came to selling .
My partner was a veteran and I was a fairly new member of the team.  I took those tips and incorporated them into my personality and sales repertoire.  My sales performance shot off the charts.  Ed however decided to reinvent himself into Tom Peters and failed miserably.  He was a good salesman as Ed but not so good as Tom Peters.
I took some small steps and, as I did, momentum began to come my way.  I did not worry about a long term goal at that time.  I just needed to do something to kick start me past the starting point and get me on the road.  Little goals add up.  Often the final goal seems so unobtainable, we don't even give it a decent shot.
So my advice today is to START.  Do something!  No matter how insignificant it seems or no matter where you are in your circumstances.  Take the first step.
Grow where you are planted because it is highly unlikely that you are going to be transplanted and thrive elsewhere.

Fearlessly yours,
Dan

Attitude is EVERYTHING

     Team Trinity was honored to host a lavish barbeque for our Wounded Warriors and their families at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Building 62 in Bethesda, MD.
     If the cowardly enemy who have maimed these troops think they have broken their spirit, that delusion joins the many that cloud their perverted minds. They will be waiting for that to never happen like they are the virgins that await them in nirvana. 
     We were humbled by these men and women who represent the finest we have to offer. They have set the gold standard for perseverance in the face of what many would see as insurmountable odds. They were talking about hunting, playing golf, their wives and sweethearts kids and both here and on the way. (Lots of pregnant women there which bodes well for our future).  I saw one guy with both legs gone and an arm with a T-Shirt that said " Chicks dig scars". You think he was living in the past?? God has blessed them as they have given so much for so many of us. It was inspiring and humbling to meet them and serve them. It is amazing to walk among real live heroes.
     How is your perseverance holding up?  Are you giving up on your sales plan or have you neglected to even make one.  Are you keeping the funnel full of prospects?  You have no insurmountable odds to over come.  It is a simple matter of deciding to do it, asking for help if you don't know how, and executing once you have the plan.  It does not need to be sophisticated or complicated.  Decide how much you want to earn, determine your average brokerage, divide that into your earnings goal and you will then know how many loads you have to do to make your goal.  Then start looking for the business to achieve that. Once you get rolling, you can then determine how many calls you have to make for each victory you score and from them on you just keep repeating the process always looking to the future never dwelling on the past.

Faithful to the cause,

Dan

Caution, you are about to enter the NO Cold Calling Zone

I had one of  our Agents call me this morning all giddy about the fact that he had "discovered" that he did not have to cold call any more.  He had found the fountain of success in sales!  I snickered to myself with joy at his "discovery".
     If you are not spending time learning about your leads and prospects BEFORE you pickup up the phone or hit the key board, you are wasting not only your valuable time but that of someone to whom you have the potential to be a Trusted Adviser.
     In the unlikely event you do not have any idea how to proceed with eliminating Cold Calling from your lexicon, contact me for some tips. I will happily assist you in weaning yourself off of this terrible addiction.
    

Come Warm Call With Me,

dan

The Strangest Secret

Earl Nightingale's radio recording that he called The Strangest Secret electrified his listeners all over the country. The stations that carried his syndicated show were deluged with requests for copies of it.
      As a result, the audio version of Nightingale's message was recorded, and sold over 1 million copies. In fact, Earl Nightingale's recording of The Strangest Secret was the first non-music record to exceed the one million mark!
     Written in 1957, the audio recording of The Strangest Secret earned the first Gold Record for the spoken word, with sales exceeding one million copies. As you can see, Earl's message is even more relevant today. I invite you to learn more about how the insights of The Strangest Secret can change your life, as it changed mine.
The Strangest Secret. (click on the title)
     This message can be life changing if you desire it to be so.  It will not happen without you as you will soon learn.
 
Decisively yours,
dan

KILL OR CURE?

I have to be inspired to write.  It does not just happen.  I need a catalyst and today's came from an article that my friend and co-worker, Ray Smith, S/VP Design Solutions, shared with me this morning. 
http://www.stevenfurtick.com/personal-development/never-go-to-war-where-there-are-no-spoils/    
     My Dad, "Pete" Dobson 1908-1996, who was the best salesman I have ever known, told me something many years ago regarding selling. Kill It or Cure It but whichever do it quickly.
     How much time are you spending on things that do nothing to make your life better thereby allowing you to serve more effectively? 
     My first real selling job where I was totally dependent upon my income for survival was selling new homes from a development with model homes in Arizona (no it was not "ocean front property"-LOL) on straight commission.  As you can imagine there were tons of "lookers' among the potential "real" buyers.  Closing a sale with home buyers (the biggest investment most folks make in their life time) the FIRST time through was a challenge. I was able to master and become very good at it by engaging the people very quickly and by asking carefully crafted questions to find out if they could afford what they were looking at so I did not waste time helping those who could not be helped.
     Are you qualifying your leads?  Are you asking questions to determine if they are truly able or willing to be helped.  If not you are wasting a lot of valuable time which could be more effectively used to help ones who really desire to be helped and are able to make that decision to allow you to do so.
     Email me for some qualifying questions to ask your prospects.



Legitimately yours,

dan
My Dad, "Pete" Dobson 1908-1996, who was the best salesman I have ever known, told me something many years ago regarding selling.

Diane Moore

My friend and one of the best sales people I have known is retiring August 1.  I print her farewell email as a token of my respect for her but also because of the paragraph outlining her sales philosophy.  You would all do very well to adopt that as your mission statement because it is really the essence of sales.  Helping people be the very best they can be with the very best service possible.  You do that and you don't have to ask for referrals.  They will come to you because you have earned them.

God Speed, Diane Moore!

Thank you all so very much for making one of my last days before retirement a very ‘special’ day!  The cake was wonderful, I love the bracelet and earrings, and the various comments, laughs and memories.  You are all very special!

I appreciate all of you and the support you have provided me over the years.  You certainly helped enable my success, and I couldn’t have accomplished what I did without you.  “No man is an island”.  All of you are “salespeople” and represent Trinity in everything you do – every time you pick up that phone, send or answer an email, interact with each other, with carriers and with customers.  You are the “face” of Trinity in everything you do 

I’ll leave you with my philosophy:  Sales is not something you pursue; it’s what happens to you while you are immersed in serving your customers.  Make your customers (internal and external) your priority, and they in turn will make you and Trinity their priority.  Stay immersed, stay focused, and empower the people around you to be the best they can be;  the future will present amazing opportunities for all of you as it has for me!

 Thanks again, and God Bless all of you!

 Best regards,

Diane Moore
Sr. National Sales Manager
Trinity Logistics
At your service...always,
dan

Sandwiches

There was a sales manager, a field rep and an inside sales rep who always ate lunch together atop the 35 story office tower.
The sales manager said,  "Ham sandwiches again!  If I get ham sanwiches again tomorrow, I'm jumping off this building."
The field rep looks at his sandwiches and says, "Beef sandwiches!  If I get beef sandwiches again tomorrow, I'm jumping off the top of this buildiing."
The inside rep looks at his sanwiches and say, "Tuna sandwiches!  If I get tuna sandiwches again tomorrow,  I'm jumping off the top of this building."
So the next day they all meet atop the 35 story office tower and check their sandwiches.
"Oh no, I got ham sandwiches again!"  says the sales manager as he jumps off the office tower.
"Oh no, I got beef sandwiches again!"  says the field rep as he jumps off the office tower.
"Oh no, I got tuna sandwiches again!" says the inside rep as he jumps off the office tower.
At the funerals the wives of the three sales execs meet up crying.
The wife of the sales manager says, "I only made him ham sandwiches because I thought he liked them."
The wife of the field rep says, "Same here, I only made him beef sandwiches because I thought he liked them."
Then the wife of the inside rep says, "Don't look at me like that.  It wasn't my fault.  My husband made his own tuna sandwiches."
Moral of the story.  Peer pressure can be a very dangerous thing.  Even in the workplace.  Remember what you mother used to tell you?   "If your friend told you to jump off a cliff would you?"
By the way, if you are a member of a sales team, co-operation can often save the day.  Leverage each members' various skill sets and various experiences.  Learn from one another.  Or in reference to this case....   perhaps just swap sandwiches.

No pressure here,
"Sorry Charlie"

Dessert First? Not in Sales

Do you have the bad habit of cleaning up the easy stuff before you do the hard stuff.  It is very easy to fall into that trap.  Some people say that eating dessert before dinner is a good thing and maybe it is. It is not for me as I believe my mother to this day that "it will spoil your dinner, Danny!"
Not taking care of the stuff that takes you out of your comfort zone first will not only spoil your day but if it persists will spoil your life as well.
     Prospecting for a sales person is hard work.  I spoke at the meeting last year in Las Vegas about working on your business vs. working in your business.  Most of you, like the majority of people trying to sell, think of too many reasons to put off filling your funnel with prospects.  One day the customer you were dealing with while working IN your business goes away and then you panic because you have not been working ON your business.  You have got to keep things in that funnel and moving down toward the spout.
     Good work requires doing something uncomfortable, often making slow, incremental progress, through informed trial and error.  But good work has to be done for you to be successful.
     If you are too busy to prospect then you need to make some changes.  Considering hiring a temp if you don't feel you can afford a full timer or reevaluating your time management skills but do something to allow yourself to do the necessary thing to grow and prosper.  And it is a hard thing that prospecting. But it is the ONE THING that all sales people have to do to be successful. 

Click on the link for some positive reinforcement from Curly!

One Thing!
 Doing the hard things first,

"Curly" Dan

Barriers

A salesman reading the morning newspaper says to his wife.  "You know, honey, I think there might be some merit to what this article says, that the intelligence of the father often proves a stumbling block to the son."

"Well, thank heavens," said his wife, "at least our son has nothing standing in his way."

Moral of the story.   True sales professionals know that in order to be at the top of their game, they need to keep on top of current events, especially any news that goes on in their industry.   One way of doing this is to quickly scan through your local paper while having breakfast.   Feed your brain while you feed your body.  Call it the multitask of Champions!   Might I suggest a new breakfast cereal that will soon be hitting store shelves?    Mini-tweets!    They'll help you stay connected and regular in just under 140 "bites" per day.

"A newspaper is lumber made malleable.  It is ink made into words and pictures.  It is conceived, born, grows up and dies of old age in one day."             -       Jim Bishop

Are you on top of your game?

Dan

Since reading The Traveler's Gift by Andy Andrews which I highly recommend, I have been able to codify my life principles because they match those that he spelled out in the book.  I want to share them with you:
1/ The buck stops here: Adversity is preparation for greatness
2/  I will see wisdom: I will chose my friends with care
3/  I am a person of action: I can make a decision and make it NOW!
4/  I have a decided heart: My destiny is assured
5/  Today I will choose to be happy: I am the possessor of a grateful heart
6/  I will greet this day with a forgiving spirit: I will forgive myself
7/  I will persist without exception: I will find a way where there is no way
     You do not have to tell me anything about yourself other than what you believe in and I mean what you honestly believe in and I will tell you what you are and what you will become.  It is that simple!

Believe in yourself ONLY if you have a self worth believing in,

dan

Do you like to annoy people? Does your boss?

By now most of you know how I feel about the Return on Investment (ROI) of cold calling.  It is not good. Not good at all!
     Jeffrey Gitomer sums up how I feel very succinctly as he is often prone to do. 

Have your boss sit down next to you and make cold calls himself. Let him annoy the same people you're annoying. Let him see what a total waste of time cold calling is – how it affects your mood, how it affects your belief system, how it affects your personal pride, and how it affects your attitude. Then start to call customers you're already doing business with, customers who love you. Ask them if you can come over and help them out for an hour. Ask them if you can come over and talk about how your service affects their business. Ask them if you can come over and help build the relationship. Tell them you need to make a 'good will' visit. Those are the people who will invite you right in and talk to you for a half an hour and maybe help you earn a referral. That's where the money is in sales, not in cold calling. Cold calling will annoy your boss. Imagine what it does to your potential customers. Referrals – that's where the money is. "

Here is an actual and factual example from one of our agents from an email he sent me last month.  How does this stack up against your ROI on Cold Calling?

"Last month was referred to a customer from one of my other customers.The referral has netted us so far a profit of close to $20,000".

Trying not to annoy you with facts,

dan

Be Careful What You Plant

 A successful businessman was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.  

Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.

 He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you. "  The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued. "I am going to give each one of you a SEED today -one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO."

 One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil, and compost and he planted the seed. Every day, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.

 Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.

 Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing.

 By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure.

 Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed.

 Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however, he just kept watering and fertilizing the soil- he so wanted the seed to grow.


 A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.

 Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened.

Jim felt sick to his stomach; it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room.

 When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful - in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!

 When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives.

 Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"

 All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"

 When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed. Jim told him the story.

 The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "This is your next Chief Executive Officer! His name is Jim!" 

Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed.

 "How could he be the new CEO?" the others asked.

 Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possiblefor them to grow.

 All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you.

 Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it.

 Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!"


 * If you plant honesty, you will reap trust* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective* If you plant hard work, you will reap success* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.

 So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.

Have The Best Father's Day Ever,

dan

Appreciation

An elderly American salesman arrived at French immigration at Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport and began fumbling for his passport. The French official quickly grew impatient.  "You have been to France before, monsieur?"  he asked in an unnecessarily aggressive tone.  "Yes, but it was a while back," replied the old, retired salesman, still rummaging in his bag.   "In that case," continued the official, doing what passed for a hostile impression of Inspector Clousseau, "you should know to have your passport ready for inspection."  "But the last time I came to France I didn't have to show my passport or any documents," asserted the old salesman.   "It is not possible," snorted the Frenchman.  "I'm telling you, old man, you Americans always have to show your passport on arrival in la belle France!"   The retired American salesman's patience, had suddenly be worn thin.  He turned and fixed his icy stare on the the young French official and strongly asserted:  "And I'm telling you, son, that when I came ashore on Omaha Beach, in Normandy, on D-Day, on June the 6th in the year 1944, there was no d-a-m-n-e-d Frenchman on the beach asking to see my passport!"
Moral of the story.   True sales professionals know that in order to do what we do, we require a free democratic society.   Sixty-nine years ago today several thousand Americans, British, Canadian and other allies paid the ultimate price, so that we may live, free.    
Take a few minutes today to read about them at any one of the following sites:
 http://www.dday.org/
http://www.army.mil/d-day/
http://www.dday.co.uk/

"You are about to embark upon the great crusade toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you...I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle."  -  General Dwight D. Eisenhower

The Bell

Years ago, a salesman, working for the Philadelphia Bell Company, traveled to France to pay a visit on one of their best clients, the Notre Dame Cathedral.   The new bell from Philadelphia, was much lighter, yet louder and would make one of the decision makers, Quasimodo, job of ringing the bell a whole lot easier.
During the product demonstration, the salesman explained to Quasimodo how to swing the new bell clapper and stressed how important it was to move out of the way before the new, lighter bell clapper made its return.  The salesman then urged Quasimodo to give the new bell a try.
Quasimodo, used to the much heavier, previous clapper, was careless, however.  His brute strength sent the new clapper towards the bell at an odd angle, causing it to strike the salesman square in the face, sending him falling from the tower.
Quasimodo rushed to the street, where a crowd have already gathered.  "Do you know this man?" they asked him.
"No," Quasimodo answered.  "But his face rings a bell."
Moral of the story.   True sales professionals know that before making a presentation, it's important to establish a personal rapport or connection with your prospect.   Without some emotional investment from the prospect, your presentation is sure to fall on deaf ears, and your sales will fall flat.
"Once that bell rings you're on your own.  It's just you and the other guy."    -     Joe Louis

Sell something and I will be your best clapper,

dan

Two Thoughts

     Did you know that you cannot think two thoughts at the same time?  If you are thinking negatively you have to stop that thought to replace it with a positive thought.  The great thing is that you have control over that process.
     Another fact to think about AFTER you get done with the above. LOL  I cannot make you become a great sales person but I can tell you things that you should be doing if that is what you want to become.
     One thing is that you need to have the kind of attitude about yourself that enables you to put yourself out there and take some risks.  Here is an opening statement I recommended to someone yesterday regarding a prospect he found on social media that was expanding their business:

"Like so many people who I am sure have been contacting you lately about the news of your expansion, I too congratulate you on that particularly in light of a sluggish economy.  Our company is well positioned to be able to help you with your supply chain challenges.  My name is -------------------- and I would like to be able to tell you why we are truly and uniquely set apart from our competition."

     The big question I want you to answer is how would you respond to the future customer should he or she ask you to tell them what sets Trinity apart from the competition.

     Do you have the self confidence to say the word ME?  The truth is that is all that separates Trinity from many of our competitors who do all we do and often do it cheaper.  What they do not have is you and that my friend is the unique difference between us and the others.

     Now just saying ME is not going to cut it because after the future customer picks him or herself up off the floor, you have to back up what you said with some facts otherwise it is simply bragging.  It ceases to be bragging when you can prove what you say is true and that is where it is essential that you have third party testimonials as to the value you have brought to other customers.  Do you have these available?  If the answer is NO then you need to start collecting them and no better time to do that is when your customer calls you or emails you and says : "WOW".  Simply ask them if you can use that email as a testimonial for others who might benefit from your service or if it is verbal ask them to send you a note.

Make your one thought always positive,

dan

Follow-Up

While rummaging through his attic. a salesman found a shoe-repair ticket that was nine years old.  Figuring that he had nothing to lose, he went to the shop and presented the ticket to the proprietor, who reluctantly began a search for the unclaimed shoes.  After ten minutes, the owner reappeared and handed back the ticket.
"Well," asked the salesman, "did you find my shoes?"
"Yes," replied the shop owner, "they'll be ready by Tuesday."
Moral of the story.  Follow up.  Every sales professional knows that without constant follow up and vigilant attention to detail,  opportunities will not close on their own.  Business, cards, leads from trade shows, articles on potential prospects that you've read; these all need to be entered into a CRM system with follow up tasks assigned.  The last thing you want to do, is file them away in a shoe box somewhere and forget about them for nine years.

Relentlessly yours,
dan

Critical Condition

The salesman's wife asked the hospital doctor:  "How is my sick husband, he was admitted yesterday?"
"Ah yes," said the doctor.  "Since he has been here, he has done nothing but complain.  He has complained about his bed, he has complained about his food, he has complained about the temperature in the room, both too hot and too cold, and he has complained about the nurses."
"The salesman's wife frowned, looked down at her shoes, her eyes started to tear up as she looked again at the doctor and pleaded:  "So you mean....?"
"Yes, interrupted the doctor.  "He's still critical."
Moral of the story.   True sales professionals understand that while critical thinking can be an asset when it comes to problem solving, a constant critical attitude can be hazardous to your sales career.  Just think, would you want to do business with someone who whines all the time?   A constant complainer will eventually alienate his customers, his boss, his co-workers, his family, his wife, his kids and even his dog.  At some point, he'll lose his house and end up living out of his old pickup truck listening to country music on the radio.   So remember, either pick up your attitude or it could be a pickup truck in your future.
 "Criticism is always easier than constructive solutions."     -      Jaron Lanier
Positively yours,
dan

Mowing

"It's too hot to wear clothes today," said the salesman stepping out of the shower.    "What do you reckon the neighbors will think if I mow the lawn like this?" the salesman asked his wife.
"Probably that I married you for your money," she quipped.
Moral of the story.  True sales professionals know that in order to be successful in sales, they cannot let themselves be intimidated.  They realize each morning when they step out of the shower, that millions of sales executives, CEO's, CFO's, their competitor's, their co-workers and even their boss are stepping out of the shower just like they are.   True sales professionals know that they put their socks on one at a time just like they are, and they get into their pants one leg at a time, just like they do too!   When you strip the fancy titles away, when it comes right down to it, we're all just alike really.   But the true sales professional knows he can get that competitive edge, that one leg up sort of speak by going that extra mile and doing what the majority of others aren't willing to do.   
"Everyone who's ever taken a shower has an idea.  It's the person who gets out of the shower, dries off and does something about it who makes a difference."     -      Nolan Bushnell
Mowing down the competition,
dan

Inspiration

     

  After a speech one day, Zig Ziglar was approached by someone in the audience who said: "Zig, it was a great speech, but...motivation just doesn't last."
Zig said, "Bathing doesn't either. That's why I recommend it daily!"
      Where do you get your inspiration?  Church on Sunday morning, attending a motivational seminar once a year, watching "greatest moments in sports weekly.  If that is the case it just is not enough.  I hope you read these weekly articles I write and are inspired by them but you need to feed yourself inspiration daily at a minimum and I recommend that you do not get it from just one source but multiple sources.  See it as a work out for the soul!
Here are a few sources of inspiration:
Music:  if Josh Groban's You Lift Me Up" does not inspire you well..............you are likely beyond inspiration  LOL
Books: ever read anything by Andy Andrews?
Social Media: yes it can be a downer but I find amazingly inspirational stories on there daily.  Click on the top splash for one of them.
People:  take the time to find our their stories and you will often be inspired in the process.
Prayer:  when you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them and sometimes when you are safe and happy remember that someone has prayed for you
This list is endless and you find inspiration in the most unlikely places and people.  But you have to look a bit for it as it will not always come to you on its own.
     You want to be really great at what you do?  Feed your soul a healthy helping of inspiration DAILY without fail!! It will help!

"Inspiringly" yours,
dan

Habits

An acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it  becomes almost involuntary (the Barbie Nun top splash was just to get your attention)
     I have read volumes about good habits and how to establish them.  From visualization to starting small to doing something for thirty days straight (repetition).  They are all important! However, I have to tell you something that I learned a long time ago regarding behavioral changes.  Back in the day, it was called "accountability partners" but in today's lexicon I would characterize it as "shout it out"
Tell as many people as you can about what it is you’re doing and why you’re doing it. Not only does it create accountability on your end (the heaviness of living up to expectations is a massive motivator for taking the right action) but it also might give you that "cheerleader high five" just when you need it.

     So start by telling everyone you are going to begin making 5 well researched prospecting calls per day and suggest to them that they ask you about your progress on this.........well....everyday. 
     Let me know what happens!!!

 Habitually yours,
dan

 

PS:
     It was a hot day outside.....so three nuns decided to take off their clothes and bolt the door to their church.Since there were stain glass windows, nobody could see inside, and the door was locked. The nuns were busy doing renovations when a Thud Thud Thud hit the door. A shocked nun ran to the door and pulled her clothes up over herself, when she asked "Who is it"? The reply from behind the door was "Its the blind man". The 3 nuns looked relieved when they heard he was a blind man, no sight no problem they figured, and let him in. Upon opening the door, in entered a burly man in coveralls and said loudly "on which windows do you want these installed? "

Habitually yours,
dan

Look Me In The Eye

It was nearing the end of the the quarter and the Vice President of Sales sent out an urgent email asking his reps to email him a copy of their latest updated forecasts immediately.

The salesman, who had been sandbagging a deal or two, decided to now include the extra several hundred thousand dollars in potential sales, look like a rock star, and take the opportunity to ask for a raise.  So he attached his file to the response email, but not before entitling it, "Increase_my_pay."

A few moments later his email was returned, acknowledging the great effort in drumming up new business.  But there was no comment on the file name or his likelihood of getting a raise.

It was then that the salesman noticed that his attachment had been returned and the name of his file had been changed to, "Fat_chance."

Moral of the story.  Want to close a big deal?   Go out into the field and meet your customers face to face.  Make it impossible for them to ignore you.   Or you can stay in the office, send out a bunch of templated emails and hope that "Tinkerbell" waves her magic wand and whisks you away to quota attainment land.   The choice is yours.
 "The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it."     -      Henry David Thoreau


Yeah I am looking right at you,

dan

No Tears

Two new salesmen were sitting outside the large company's corporate clinic.   One was crying.

"What's the matter?" asked the second new salesman.

"I had to come here for a blood test," replied the first.

"So, that's nothing to be afraid of," asserted the second.

"You don't seem to understand.  For the blood test they cut my finger."

Hearing this, the second salesman started to cry too.

"Why are you crying now too?" sobbed the first salesman.

"Because they called me in for a urine test," cried the second.

Moral of the story.  True sales professionals know that in order to succeed in sales you need to be able to deal with cuts.   Whether it's your finger, your account base, your territory, your commission rate, your base salary, or even your job; cuts are just something you have to deal with.   Regardless, cuts are nothing to cry over.   Keep a stiff upper lip, pick up your briefcase and carry on!   Tears for Fears, may have been a successful rock band in the eighties, but they're not going to help your sales career.

"I believe that one defines oneself by reinvention.  To not be like your parents.  To not be like your friends.  To be yourself.  To cut yourself out of stone."       -       Henry Rollins

No Tears for Fears,

dan

Love Is A Choice

     I have had a love affair with sales since I saved up some money and bought an Esquire shoeshine box and set up on North Main Street in Federalsburg, MD.  I was doing really good at 10 cents a shine until the local shoemaker, who was a even family friend) took exception to me "stealing his business" (he employed a full time shoe shine "boy") and the town policeman made up some story about me not having a business license. That ended my shoe shine career after about 5 days.  I matriculated to the local drug store where it was soon discovered I had a talent for "up-selling" customers after I graduated from the obligatory stock boy apprenticeship.  They came in for a box of Kleenex and left with an arm full of other stuff I suggested they might try or need.  I think I was making about 1.00 per hour with no commission but I was thrilled every time I made a sale.  I still am after about 50 plus years.
     It is my fervent hope on this "Valenheart's" Day (in my family we call it that because my daughter, Aimee, now almost 42 called it that as a kid and it stuck with all of us and continues to this day) that you get a thrill out of making a sale that transcends the money part.  If that is all you are in sales for, then get out and get out now.  The calling is about serving others by showing them how something you genuinely believe by asking them questions is in their best interest and will enhance their business or personal lives. One of the higher callings in life I believe and I hope you do too.
     So on this Valenheart's Day 2013, rededicate yourselves to loving sales because as we all know "love is a choice"!

Vetting

I am not sure when this word became part of the jargon in the transportation world or in business in general but I have always like the sound of it for some reason. Kind of rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it? Vetting.

Vetting is a service that Trinity Logistics provides to our customers to make sure the carriers we use to transport their freight are the very best we can find.  We go to great pains to determine their worthiness to carry our customers freight.  It is a process that requires the greatest of diligence since not only our customers but Trinity has a lot riding on the outcome.

I know how seriously we take this carrier vetting process but I have often wondered how diligent we are about "vetting" the people that provide our freight.  How much do we know about those to whom we are so dependent.  Oh sure, there are the normal processes such as Dun and Bradstreet or the Better Business Bureau which would tell us about their financial and ethical strengths and weaknesses.  But what about the people within the company on whom we are depending upon every day?  How much do we know about them and what makes them tick?

As individuals who work for Trinity, we say we highly value relationships and we eagerly reach out for those relationships.  We say we genuinely like people and we like to do business with friends so we make every effort to become friends with our customers.  Are we really practicing what we preach?

Everyone is busy.  We are busy serving hundreds of customers every day and our customers are busy serving their customers every day.  We should never too busy to take time to really find out about the folks with whom we are dealing every day in so many ways.  We should ask questions about family, sports and many other “personal” things because we really and genuinely want to get to know them and understand them better.  We should know a lot about our customers because we take the time to engage them not for any gain but because it is a lot more pleasant to do business with friends than it is with strangers. We should friend them on Facebook, connect with them on Linked-In, Tweet with them, share You Tubes of our family just to get to know each other better.

I also often wonder if our customers are really “vetting” us.  Really finding out about what makes us tick so they better understand the person on the other end of the phone, fax or keyboard.  I really hope they are because what they will find are some really great people who have done and are doing some really great & interesting things in their home, community, and work place. They will find people who are serious about their reputation and standing in the transportation industry and whose only purpose here is to serve them with the excellence they deserve. This will very rarely happen unless you "put yourself out there" first.  Someone has to take the initiative and that someone is likely going to have to be you.

I sincerely hope that we all  take some time from working “in” our businesses each day and start working “on” our relationships just as hard.  You make friends with your customers, providers or vendors or whatever we call one another and I think you will see the wisdom of when it comes to building relationships it works just as well on both sides of the fence.

When all other things are equal (and sometimes when they are not) people like doing business with people they like.

I am "vetting" on you to be better in 2013 than you were in 2012,

Dan