Spring Has Sprung

Sales Man Up

Spring Has Sprung 

I believe in process. I believe in four seasons. I believe that winter's tough, but spring's coming. I believe that there's a growing season. And I think that you realize that in life, you grow. You get better.  - Steve Southerland

Life is full of seasons. When we are young, we simply react to them; but as we get older , we learn to anticipate them. We adjust our lives in accordance to the season, and prepare in advance for the inevitable changes that are coming . In Florida, we experience “ Hurricane Season”, which typically runs from June to November . We check our generators and have them serviced if necessary . We monitor our non-perishable foods, batteries, flashlights and candles. Why all the activity ? Because being prepared for a season is much better than merely reacting to one. Running out to the store in an attempt to pick up canned goods and water, only to find the grocery shelves stripped and bare; is not good timing. Just ask the person who had all of their food spoil in their fridge or freezer because of power outages. 

I believe there are seasons within sales cycles also. We all watch the retail stores change displays and products in advance of every natural season. In the same manner, sales professionals need to be cognizant of the season of their territory and understand which tools are most applicable for that season. Like any good farmer, we must know when to prepare the ground, when to plant, how long to cultivate and care for our crops, and when to harvest the fruitfulness. These steps are all integral parts of the season, in succession of one another, and it is vital that we flow within the chronology of that season and not get ahead of ourselves. It is easy to look at another rep who is in a prime season of harvest and try to compare ourselves to them. Last year I asked a top performer how long it took him to get to the pinnacle of his harvest season, and he told me ten years ! That’s 10 mind you. Not an overnight flash in the pan instant orange juice success; but rather a slow climb upward doing the right thing every day, line upon line consistency. It is easy to desire high-speed internet success, but life does not work that way. Seasons are reminders to us that there is always due process that must be followed, no matter how much of a hurry we are in. 

Some years consist of just tilling and plowing dirt. Knocking on doors. Establishing our brand. Letting our clients know who to call for help. We have to show up to go up. We are laying the foundation and preparing the soil to receive the seed to produce good results. Good healthy soil produces good healthy plants, which in turn produces good fruit ( if you protect them from pests and blight…) . Some seasons may seem like perpetual sowing - unending presentations and meetings and samples and follow up...yet without any obvious harvest. No fruit...yet. That is where we have to trust the process and understand the season. IF we are doing the basics - the right things and actions that we know will yield results, then even if we do not see with our physical eyes the produce of our labor, we can know that good things are happening. Relationships , like plants, are growing and becoming stronger every day. Then it seems like it happens overnight - we step outside in the morning with our cup of Starbucks or herbal tea, and there are flowers on the vines. We actually see fruit hanging from the plants. The calls and opportunities start chasing US down, and the sales begin to happen organically, almost to our surprise . 

Winter is almost over for many and Spring has sprung. Now is the time for growth and new life to appear. Now is the season for fruitfulness, but also for sowing and planting for a future harvest. Seize the day and get into the flow of the season. 

Never cut a tree down in the wintertime. Never make a negative decision in the low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst moods. Wait. Be patient. The storm will pass. The spring will come. -Robert H. Schuller

Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!'  - Robin Williams

The Big One: Part 2

Sales Man Up

The Big One: Part 2

All successful people men and women are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose. - Brian Tracy

We have a relationship with our customer, and that relationship translates into sales. - Richard Hayne


( continued from Part 1…)

What salesperson hasn't dreamed of catching “The Big One”? That massive dominate end-user in your market , or maybe that corporation whose power and presence extends around the globe. Our success can best be achieved through building long-term relationships. Like any good relationship, I have observed the following important traits that need to be present.


Know Your Partner

A good relationship exists when partners know and understand each other's Ike's and dislikes. My wife’s love languages are “ Acts of Service “ and “ Quality Time “ ( from Dr. Gary Chapman’s Five Love Languages ). If I bring my wife flowers, that’s ok. I can buy her dark chocolate, and she is appreciative. But if I fix that light switch in the bathroom that has been driving her cray cray, that makes a huge deposit into her emotional bank account. I have spoken her “ love language”, and she is very happy with me. In a similar manner, we have to discover and learn about our clients, and know their Likes and dislikes . I heard of a sales rep who took a group of healthcare executives to lunch at a BBQ restaurant, not knowing that this particular system subscribes to Old Testament dietary laws that prohibits them from eating pork. Ouch. How NOT to win new customers indeed. What are our client’s pain points ? What are their major challenges within their business ? Better yet, I like to ask prospects, “who are your key vendors, and what do you like most about them ?”  Then listen and take notes. People will clue you in on what is most important to them, because it is usually what they talk about. Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.

Servant Leadership

Like any good partnership, it cannot be all about me, nor all about you; but rather all about US. We do not lose our individuality ,but the sum of two becomes greater than the power of just the individual . If we operate in consideration and respect within our personal relationships , hopefully, it is reciprocated back to us. Being sensitive to the needs of others is not a sign of weakness, but rather one of wisdom, strength and love. When my wife chooses to wash and dry and fold my work clothes, she shows her love for me in a very practical way : which enables me to grab and go in the morning on my way out to make sales calls. Her action helps US operate more efficiently. If I am able to cook a meal or clean up the kitchen after dinner, I am reciprocating that love back, and acting as a team member because it is about US. Part of a genuine relationship is “ taking out the trash” and dealing with the mundane tasks of life. There is no gender assignment for household duties. Except for child birthing and breastfeeding, everything else is simply “ work” .  The same applies to caring for the business needs of our clients. It is not all about a fairy tale carriage ride to a five-star restaurant, and sipping on martinis under the stars. There are day to day tasks to be accomplished that are not always glamorous, but they all contribute to the health of the relationship. If we roll up our sleeves and focus on the positive , the journey can be enjoyable no matter what the task is. It pays to be a servant. The first shall be last and the last shall be first.

Lastly, as in any good relationship, we must never ever take that personal or business alliance for granted. It requires us to work at it constantly but can be lost instantly. If you’ve landed that “Big Fish” , be thankful for the opportunity to serve. Keep listening and responding proactively. Never stop looking for opportunities to give, encourage and help. Keep on fishing.


The top salesperson in the organization probably missed more sales than 90% of the sales people on the team, but they also made more calls than the others made. - Zig Ziglar