November 2005

My friend Paul Short just went live with a new blog that’s going to help all of us who need objective reviews, advice, updates, breaking news and just good info about…Toys !

It’s nearing the time of year that we all tend to buy a toy or two for our own children, nieces, nephews and other kids that just look like they need a toy.

Go by and visit the world’s greatest toy blog by clicking here, if you need help with your selections and if you don’t want to see some great toy advice, then don’t click there.

Just wanted to point you to a great blog by Thom Singer.

It was a great blog anyway, but the fact that Thom allowed me to be a guest blogger kicked it up a few notches on my feed reader.

Here’s a link to my post. Please read it and bookmark Thom’s blog or add it to your RSS feeds. It’s that good and so is here. I hear his book is, too, but I’m gonna wait on an autographed copy before I read it. Hint ! Hint !

It’s actually a pretty good article/post. I’m kinda proud of it, so let me know what you think.

If anyone else would like to be a guest blogger, Thom will be glad to look at your work.

If anyone else wants me as a guest blogger, well, I’ll try it again, but that may have been as good as I can do. I ain’t all that, even though Thom’s intro made me feel like I was.

Thanks again Thom, even with me on there, you’re blog is a great one !

Here’s a story for you and it actually has a moral or a lesson or something in it.

I’m riding around one afternoon, doing the salesman thing, when my cellphone startles me out of my salesy stupor.

It’s Pete ( name changed to protect the innocent ), owner of a firm that buys products from me. We have 4 competitors in the immediate area, so we each get a piece of Pete’s business.

Pete says his son, Pete Jr. is tied up and won’t be able to join him at a charity golf outing today. Would I be able to step in ? Sure. I’m a pretty fair golfer and am always available to play with a valued ( read as BIG ) customer. When and where ? About 45 minutes from now he says and then tells me where. It’ll take me at least 30-40 minutes to get there.

I’ll be there with 5-10 minutes to spare, I tell him, so pick me up in the parking lot and take me to the registration table.

I drive like a fool and get there with 7 minutes to spare. Pete’s in the parking lot and picks up me and my sticks.
Okay, I say, get me over to the registration table so I can pay for this thing.

No deal, Pete says, it’s on Pete Jr’s company. Really ? Okay, well, let me get the mulligans and all the other junk shots. Nope. We already paid for all of it, you just carry us all day. You hit 14 drives over 275 and we’ll be good.

Well, I won’t bore you with the golfy details, but we played okay and finished 5th. Not too bad for a 65 year old man and a scared sales rep.

We sit down to wait for the door prizes and I find some tickets laying at our table, so I gather ‘em in. By the time the door prizes are over with, Pete and I have won 6 prizes. WE should have only had 2 tickets, but no one seems to mind. The fact that I’m 6′2″ and 245 helps, but mostly it’s out of respect for Pete, who is one of the charity’s ( it’s a private school ) most successful alum’s.

Well, Pete, it’s been a good day, we got a $50 gift certificate for 5th Place, 6 door prizes and we played free golf on a Monday. Only thing that’ll make it better is a steak. Let me buy you one.

It’s a little early for dinner, he says ( what ? It’s 8PM ), but if we take it slow, it’ll be okay.

Allright, where would you like to go ? Let’s go to Outback, he says.

We get there about 8:30 PM and we get seated. I had called my wife along the way to tell her where I was and about when I’d be home.

She couldn’t believe Pete was going to dinner with me. He normally wouldn’t even let me in his office. Made me wait and came out to the waiting area to talk with me when I came by his office. Even when I had an appointment !

We got some tea and placed our steak orders. I made sure to get a different steak than he did, even though he got what I usually ordered. Didn’t want him to think I was brown-nosing.

We started talking about the history of our industry in our area. Pete told me stories that happened way before I came around. He went back about 45-50 years and I learned more about the players in our area in a few hours than I had learned in 3 years.

I asked Pete how he came to use one specific product ( let’s call it Brand A ), over another ( let’s call it Brand B )that his company would not use under any circumstances.

Here’s what he told me and here’s what all this has been leading up to. It’s a great sales lesson that has served me well since I learned it.

Pete told me that 30 years ago his company used Brand B…EXCLUSIVELY. Had used it for 15-20 years at that time.

A couple of reps for Brand A had stopped by and asked him to use their stuff on a project that was going to be built almost across the street from their manufacturing facility. Pleaded their case just for the sake of saving face. Didn’t want all their employee’s…and bosses… to drive by it every day and remember that their competitor was used there.

You don’t have to use us ever again, just be merciful to us on this one project, they pleaded.

Even a soul as mean as Pete, and he was mean to the bone, couldn’t be that heartless, so he said yes.

About 3 months later, as the project began, the Rep for Brand B came by and demanded to see Pete.

I saw that project start up today and you guys are using Brand A. What did they do ? Did they cut my price ? Well, I’ll put a stop to that nonsense, I’ll cut your price by .50 per bag. How’s that ? Can we get your guys to stop and use my stuff ?

He had said all this without giving Pete a chance to tell him about the reason he was using Brand A. Pete had heard him say everything, but all he really heard was…I’ll cut your price .50 per bag.

You mean to tell me you’re going to cut my price .50 per bag ? Pete asked.

Heck, said the Rep for Brand B, I’ll cut it $1.00 ! How’s that ?

Well, said Pete, why haven’t you been giving me that price for your product all along ? Looks to me like I’ve been over-paying $1.00 per bag for a long time !

The Rep was goggle-eyed and speechless all at the same time. He realized that he had just ruined his relationship with Pete.

Pete’s company switched to Brand A immediately and had still not bought another bag of Brand B 30 years later.

Brand A did absolutely nothing to get this business and it was a large, large amount of business. They took good care of Pete for the next 30 some odd years, until he retired.

The Rep for Brand B soon left the industry and was last seen in the same suit, 30 years later, selling booze from a briefcase.

Here’s what you can take from this.

You have 2 ears and one mouth for a reason. Listen to your customers twice as much as you talk to them.

If a customer suddenly switches from your product to one he normally never uses….ASK him why and then listen to the answer. Then, and only then, go back and talk it over with someone else, but don’t cut prices on a whim. ” We’re cheaper ” is a poor marketing strategy.

Sometimes it’s better to let your customer use one of your competitors on occassion. Let them see how bad your competition is. They are worse than you, aren’t they ?

Several times in my sales career, I’ve steered one of my customers towards a competitor, especially if it was in an area that I knew they would be weak in.

Find your competition’s weak points and promote the heck out of them !

Sometime’s you can do more for your company by letting an order go the other way.

Do you have any stories that will enhance this one ?

Can you offer any tips along these lines ?

Thanks for readin’ and let me hear from you.

BTW - Pete paid for dinner and they ran us out of Outback at midnight. Needless to say, my interest in industry history, good golf and ability to listen got me a lot larger share of Pete’s business for years to come.

I just read a great…no, make that extraordinary post on Selling Is Dead.

It’s all about the path you need to navigate to create the best possible chance at hiring a successful salesman.

I tend to agree with the post, aside from a few steps that would really make me uneasy, if I was on the hoping to get hired side.

Such as:

‘Based on the premise that past behavior is the best predictor of future performance.’

I understand where they’re coming from, but wouldn’t that eliminate Einstein, Da Vinci and several other people who later became successful. Seems like it would create a cookie-cutter environment. The only people who made it thru the obstacle course would all basically fit the same mold. Kinda Ross Perot-ish…you know, all blue suits, white shirts and red ties.

‘Include a battery of tests measuring personality and temperament, as well as intellect and cognitive ability.’

I love tests, don’t get me wrong, but when you screen out temperament, don’t you also risk screening out passion? Believe me, my boss would rather have me and my sales numbers and have to put up with a guy who fights for his customers, rather than a bland little mouse who never gets aroused.

‘The interviewer does not need to be an expert in the candidate’s current field to conduct effective role-plays.’

Wrong ! I don’t ever want an engineer interviewing me on the finer points of sales. You can read about that disaster HERE.

The interviewer must be able to discern talent, not just ask questions and base his decision on a few simplistic questions. If the interviewer cannot get a gut feeling about the applicant, he’s of no use to the organization.

I, as a long time salesman, can spot a natural born salesman in a crowd. I can also spot someone who’ll struggle as a Wal-Mart door greeter.

I can also smell a Realtor a mile away, but that’s another post for another day.

For the most part, I like the post and think they did a great job. As a salesman, some of it would make me run, not walk, out of the interview process.

Several years ago, I went thru a 7 week process to get a sales job. The VP of Sales and I met, outside of their office, every week for golf, dinner and talk.

I watched him watch me eat. I watched him watch how I treated those that served us. I watched him watch me watch him.

When he hired me, only then did I ask him what he was looking for.

Well, he said, I wanted to see if you could use a knife and fork. I wanted to make sure you weren’t one of those people who complain about everything that happens in a restaurant and I wanted to see if you’d cheat at golf.

Here’s the tally :

Yes, even though I’m from Kentucky, I can use eating utensils ( if I have to ).

I never treat those that handle my food poorly. Never. Like I said, they’re handling your food.

I can play golf by the rules, if you want to. I can also beat you by whatever you want me to beat you by and you’ll never know how or where I did it.

And I’ve learned more by watching people watch me than most people will ever even know exists.

BTW - he was a helluva good boss, a helluva good salesman and he treated me very well.

To pay him back, I sold $18 million worth of product in 7 years and he bought a nice ( second ) home in Phoenix.

Go read the entire post and subscribe to their RSS feed. They’re that good.

My feed reader just lit up with a post from David V. Lorenzo.

I’m sure he knew about simple before we exchanged emails, but I’m gonna say I’ve rubbed off on him. I like simple and he’s got a post all about it.

Here’s a few nuggets of wisdom to entice you into going over to read the whole post and subscribing to his RSS feed.

” Have you ever met someone who loves to complicate things? They relish showing you how smart they are by making a concept or procedure so difficult that only they can understand it. These people don’t get very far in business and often become politicians. In truth, it is much more difficult to simplify than it is to complicate. ”

Those words are very true. I’m in an ongoing argu…er, discussion with one of my webmistresses. I want posting and using images, like we did here, to be easier and she insists it’s as easy as it can get. I want it to be even easier and I’m gonna win.

” Remember that wishing doesn’t make things happen. Hope is a great tool for staying optimistic and positive, but achieving your goals requires action. Do not make decisions based upon things that you hope will happen. Make decisions based upon concrete evidence, past precedents, or the resources that are available. “

Action is the father of all inventions. No idea ever got to useful product without action.

Head over to David’s blog and read the whole post. It’s well worth your time. It’s simply too good to pass up.

Well, I must be doing something right.

In the few days between my last post ( 10-27-05 ) about how much this blog is worth, I’ve gained $3,387.24 !

If you want to get a PR6 blog that’s heading to the top with a bullet, you better act fast !

Let’s get back to what we’re here for…Selling.

Whether you realize it or not, we all sell from the day we’re born til the day we die.

A baby sells it’s need/desire for nourishment by screaming and crying. Our three did, anyway.

As a young boy, I tried to sell my Mama on all my ideas. She bought very few, to her credit. I need a new bike, I need new shoes, I need a rocket kit, a new model to build, new basketball, new glove, whatever.

She convinced me that they were all wants and I’ve been trying to distinguish between the two ever since. She didn’t have a hard time convincing me, as we were dirt poor and rarely bought any of those things. I did get them, however, by selling someone on the idea of letting me work for them to get the item in question.

I’ve sold something everyday of my life since then.

Some days I try to sell my wife on the idea of cooking my favorite meal for dinner. Somedays I try to sell my daughters on the idea of doing their chores a little better.

On every road of life, there’s an idea waiting to be sold. Whether or not you get it done determines your success as a salesman.

Nobody wants to be a failure at anything, especially selling. It will determine your lot in life, whether you believe it or not. How well you sell makes the difference between that “dream job” you always wanted and taking a job you need but don’t care for.

The simplenomics ways of selling are fundamental, tested and proven.

We use theories and experiments, but not every day. And only when they will teach us something, not just for kicks.

It’s a way to sell that’s intense, aggressive, hard-hitting and factual. The customer is not tricked or deceived into buying, he’s shown all the benefits of doing business with us and see’s all the ways we will work for him and with him. We give him the facts, the reasons why and do it in a firm, but respectful way. And we always ask for the order. Always. If we don’t get it, we immediately ask for the next one. You’d be surprised how often a customer will agree to give you the next order. It seems to be a trait of humans to want to not hurt others feelings.

I’m in the business of selling to get sales, not for my health. They keep up with sales just like they keep score on the field of play…for a reason. To determine a winner.

I’m hoping that as you read this, that you’ll be able to join in and offer comments and advice. I don’t know all there is about selling, but I hope to. If you’re not interested in learning, I’m not going to be someone you want to read. I’m all about learning from each day’s work.

Human nature is a funny thing. People can be steered, if you know how to do it. They react to pressures and situations in different ways. Seeing how they react, documenting that reaction and using it in the future is what seperates the big winners from the average salepeople. If you want to learn about average, try this post.

In today’s world, the salesman is an integral part of the team. Without sales, there’s nothing to market. Without sales, there’s no accounts to be receivable, no paper to push. Without sales, there’s no need for people, so no need for HR. Without sales, there’s no need for management. Looks like sales drive the company, from where I sit.

There are so many facets to selling, that if anyone tells you he knows all there is about selling, you’ve just met a person who needs an attitude adjustment or a new position.

If a saleman is smart, he’ll watch and learn something every day. He’ll never think that anyone is below learning from and he’ll make it his personal quest to build his web of contacts as wide and deep as he can. No person is without merit.

One Friday, I had the pleasure of helping a little elderly woman in a brick showroom pick bricks for her to “put around her flowers”. I sold her, or let her sell herself about 100 bricks and even went out on the yard and loaded them for her, one by one, into her trunk. The customer service rep who was behind the desk in that showroom asked me why I would concern myself with a sale that probably netted our company about $20 and me personally $0. She reminded me of my grandmother, I said. And I’d want people to treat her that way.

The following Monday, I get a call from the CSR in that showroom. There’s a guy on the phone who wants to talk to the guy that helped his mother with her flower garden bricks. Give him my cell number, I told him.

He calls and wants to know if I can meet him in our showroom. Sure thing, I tell him. When he gets there he asks me the same question. Why ? Why did you spend an hour with a little old woman and 100 bricks ? ‘Cause she reminded me of my grandmother, I told him, and she’d whip my butt if I didn’t treat another little old woman with respect and help her with her flower garden.

Well, he says, anyone who can take the time to do that for such a simple reason deserves all the business he can get. And with that he shook hands with me and gave me the orders for the brick on the next 30 houses he was going to build. He was a home-builder in our metro area and he was very thankful that I’d been so nice to his mother. That little act of respect helped me sell 600,00 brick. They went out the door at my price, too.

Tomorrow we’ll continue our intro to selling and then we’ll get into the meat and ‘tater’s of this thing we all do.

While sitting here wondering whether or not to get into a full blown post about sales, marketing, advertising or some other subject worthy of a post, I was listening to ESPN in the background.

Terrell Owens, a Philadelphia Eagles ( sometimes ) wide receiver was apologizing for dissing his team and teammates. Really smart man, T.O., bites the hand that throws to him and the one that pays him.

Kinda stupid, is he not ?

Some reporter stuck his mic in the faces of some of his teammates, hoping with a fervent, nasty hope, that one of them would go ballistic for him. No takers.

Here’s what I would have said, had I been bigger, stronger and faster and in front of one of the lockers the reporter was stalking:

Who gives a damn what Terrell Owens says, thinks or does !

He’s one small pimple on the butt of the NFL.

He’s obviously very self-centered, not very well spoken, not very well educated and his opinions are virtually worthless because of those facts.

He’s done nothing heroic. No saving of babies from burning houses. No rushing into a bank and stopping a robbery. Hasn’t spent the night trying to keep someone alive in an ER in inner city New York. Nothing.

Nothing but having a unique ability to catch an oblong ball and run with it. Not that big of a deal. I’ve done it, just not as well as he. Others do it daily, just as well and for less cash. Think about that, Mr. General Manager, just as well and for less cash. Should be an easy one to fix, this small problem.

That ability doesn’t make his thoughts worth listening to, he just doesn’t know that, because he really likes listening to himself, so he thinks eveybody else does too.

Here’s how the Eagles and the other teams can fix this problem. It’s real simple and you know I like simple.

Cut his stupid butt ! Send him home and when no other teams pick him up, the reporters will stop sticking mic’s in front of him and he’ll have to face the reality that he’s really rather insignificant in the grand scheme of life.

No other teams need his services, either. Don’t pick him up. Leopards don’t change their spots. Zebra’s are always stripey…black, white, black, white. He’s dissing his teammates and getting paid to do it. He’s done it everywhere he’s been, he’ll do it to you, too, if you’re dumb enough to pick him up.

Trust me on this one, you won’t miss him. We won’t miss him. The NFL won’t miss him.

I’m tired of seeing him, hearing him and seeing you pay him to be stupid. Wake up Eagles management and call his agent and tell him to come get his personal items.

Perception is a terrible thing, sometimes. He perceives that the mindless babbling that spews from his mouth is important. I perceive that it ain’t.

A survey on ESPN’s homepage says 80% of the 42,000 ( at the time I wrote this ) who responded agree with me.

Sorry to get away from the usual subjects around here, but I do feel better. I’ll really feel good when he’s unemployed.

A friend of mine, Cary Miller has started a new blog and it’s fresh, fun and fantastic to look at.

It’s called Electric Guitar Review and I’d appreciate it if you’d go by and see if it’s something you’d like to put in your feed reader.

If you know the difference between a Stratocaster and a Fender, it’s simply the place for you.

Cary’s been gittin’ his tar for 20 years and he’s a helluva blogger, so give it a look and tell him Mike sent you !