Winning Attitudes

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Winning Attitudes

People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude. - John C. Maxwell

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. - Winston Churchill

Zig Ziglar, one of my greatest motivational heroes, once said , “ Your attitude determines your altitude.” Henry Ford stated, “ whether you think you can’t or think you can, you’re right.” We choose which attitudes to have every day when our feet hit the floor. No one else selects the way we think.. Possessing the right attitudes and motives precludes our success not only in the workplace, but throughput life in general. Being a sales professional requires each of us to see the glass half full, overcome rejection, experience wins and failures with Grace ; yet still keep pressing on one step at a time . Listed below are a few winning attitudes that have helped me over the years as a sales professional. I hope they help you too !

• Live to fight another day: So you lose the project or your spec gets flipped and you find yourself out in the cold. What do you do ? Man up or Woman up ! Don’t get mad at your clients. Stay in it for the long game, and live to fight another day. Preserve the relationship with your clients, because relationships will usually trump transactional business. Professionals buy from other professionals not Debbie Downers.
• Conduct a Post Mortem : You lose the sale. Find out why. Politely ask the client why your product or service was not selected and take notes. It may not be for the reason you speculated. There may be a stronger relationship with another vendor that bumped you out. If we hang our heads and slump away at the news of a loss, we will never find how we can improve our game. Ask the questions.
• Never Assume Anything: How easy it is to take that Strategic account or annuity client for granted ! Relationship principles are as true in business as they are in our personal lives- no one likes to feel used. We have to remain alert and attentive to our partners needs; while exercising consideration , respect and appreciation. Good relationships on all levels require a win/win on all sides in order to be sustainable. We can become derailed and turned sideways if we stop listening and only think about ourselves. Great relationships require consistent diligent effort, and they are so worth it !
• Respect People’s Time : I realize that this concept is a no brainer for some, but it goes a long ways in developing strong client relationships. If we know we are running behind schedule, then reach out to the client and let them know. They might even be secretly relieved because they have a deadline they are working on. If we are given one hour for a presentation, then finish in 55 minutes. These actions speak very loud and clear to our clients, “ I value you and I value your time. “ It is just not effective to “ show up and throw up “ . How many conversations do you enjoy when only one person does all of the talking , and it isn’t you ? Ask, listen , and then act.
• There is No Letter “I” in the word “ TEAM”: No man or woman is an island to themselves. Most sales professionals are part of a team, so what we do not only affects us, but many others as well.  Treat people like, well, people. Not as ends to our own means. Do to others as you would desire to be treated. Communication is absolutely paramount, because keeping our Team in the Know is rendering respect- the same respect that we want in return. If we help enough people get what they want in life, then our needs will be met in the process. Always be grateful for your Team.
• Enjoy the Journey: Enjoy the journey: If you’re not having fun, then no one else is either. I think of the statement from the Joker The Dark Knight Batman movie, “ Why so serious?” Lighten up. Learn to laugh at yourself and at the comedy that life can bring. We all have quotas and forecasting, and bills to pay; but if we can’t enjoy the process , then schedule a vacation or find another occupation. Angry desperate people don’t sell anything! Take a deep breath, and enjoy the ride. I promise you, if you love what you do, then your clients will love working with you !

Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. - Lou Holtz

Survival of The Fastest : Part 1

Sales Man Up

Survival of The Fastest : Part 1

I've found that if you're not responsive to e-mail, it trains people to leave you alone. - David Karp

Each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being responsible. Viktor E. Frankl

How many emails do you process in the course of one day ? Radicati  states that in 2018, approximately 124.5 Billion Business-related emails were sent and received every day . Additionally, DMR reports that the average office worker receives nearly 121 emails daily.

(https://www.campaignmonitor.com/blog/email-marketing/2018/03/shocking-truth-about-how-many-emails-sent/) I know sales reps and territory managers who process even more. No wonder that texting has become the new email ! Things can get buried so fast within our In Boxes, that they can fall into the cyber abyss, and be lost forever. Consequently, each of us is faced with the challenge of prioritizing our emails, so we can respond to the most important or urgent messages ;while eliminating the Spam and cyber fodder that blows up our in-box.

Why is this practice paramount to any modern business professional, but especially to sales people ? Because we live or die, succeed or fail by our ability to respond to our client’s needs ! What drove this point home for me, was a meeting I recently had with a reputable architectural firm, and the statements made by the Director of Interior Design . She told me during our library update, ( I paraphrase…) “ When we need something, we cannot afford to wait a week for a sales rep to respond. If you cannot offer immediate assistance, then your products have no place in our library.” When she made this statement, I felt a bead of sweat run down the back of my neck, even though my books were in her library; and  I do my best to jump on any request that clients email me. Still, this is the harsh reality that our clients face daily, and their time is such a precious commodity that when they send us an email for a sample request, or budgetary pricing; our response needs to be spot on.

I realize this is sales 101 for many of the veterans reading this blog, but the horror stories still abound in the marketplace of reps taking 2-3 days to respond to customer inquiries. We do so at our own peril and the potential demise of our business. Technology, in my opinion, has not necessarily made our lives easier as much as it has increased the pace and made them faster. It used to take 10 days for pony express to cover their route and make their deliveries ( Britannica.com ) . USPS can still average 3 days on snail mail, but even the paradigm has shifted for them, as it seems there are more trucks delivering smiling boxes than mail. Email is immediate. ( as long as it does not fall into a Spencer file). With that immediacy comes an expectation of improved responsiveness, which is a fact we all have to live with. Truly, it is survival of the fastest ! Tune in for Part 2 as we cover practical ways of managing our information.

Do you have suggestions on email tips and tactics that have helped you ? Please share them in the Comment line on Linkedin. Thank you !

A five minute call replaces the time it takes to read and reply to the original email and read and reply to their reply... or replies. And I no longer spend 20+ minutes crafting the perfect email - no need to. - Simon Sinek

: Image from Pixabay.com

Do You Know Jack ?

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Do You Know Jack ?

The food you put in your body can be good or bad. It can be live, vital food that builds live vital bodies or it can be “junk food” that contributes to abuse, neglect, and decline of your physical condition. If you can put the proper fuel in your car, surely you can put the proper fuel in your body.” - Jack LaLanne

We are walking billboards...if you take care of your body by giving it proper nutrition and exercise, you will exude vitality and enthusiasm. - Jack LaLanne

Some of Jack’s amazing physical feats :

• Age 40: Swam the length of the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge under water with 140 pounds of equipment, including two air tanks...an undisputed world record.
• Age 45: Completed 1,000 push ups and 1,000 chin-ups in 1 hour and 22 minutes.
• Age 60: Swam from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman’s Wharf, handcuffed, shackled, and towing a 1,000-pound boat.
• Age 65: In Lake Ashinoko, Tokyo, Japan… handcuffed and shackled, towed sixty five boats filled with 6,500 pounds of Louisiana Pacific wood pulp .
• Age 70:  Handcuffed , shackled, and fighting strong winds and currents, towed seventy boats with seventy people from the Queen’s Way Bridge in Long Beach Harbor to The Queen Mary, 1 ½ miles.

   

( For a more complete list, check out Jack’s book, “ Revitalize Your Life After 50” on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Revitalize-Your-Life-After-50 )

Jack LaLanne was an amazing person, creator, motivator, trainer and athlete .  I recently finished one of his books, mentioned above, and found his life and story so inspiring, that I wanted to share it with my readers. Here’s his story : Jack was a mere teen when he was exposed to a Health lecture from Paul Bragg in Oakland California . Jack relates that , “ Not only was I inspired, but it changed my life completely. The lecturer, Paul Bragg, said that I could be reborn again, meaning that if I obeyed nature’s laws, improved my eating habits, and exercised, I could change my body. I stopped eating white flour and white sugar products and joined the local YMCA. I was inspired ! In fact, I was a strict vegetarian for six years. “ Jack was on fire, and he burned with the passion of good health and fitness. During his high school years, he played football and wrestled ; carrying out his mission during his off hours by setting up a gym in his backyard with dumbbells, barbells, and exercise machines that he designed.  ( This was sunny California in the 1930s folks… we know this wouldn’t work year round in NY or Vancouver ! ) Even the local Oakland firefighters and Police force recognized his talents, and worked out regularly in Jack’s backyard gym. Jack studied physiology and human anatomy arduously, becoming a skilled personal trainer. He was persecuted as a result, like many early innovators are. Some people said he was nuts. The coach from the local football team prohibited any team member from working out with weights in Jack’s gym, fearing that they would become “ muscle bound” ! At the age of 21, Jack opened one of nation’s first gyms in Oakland California ( Wikipedia ).

When Jack experienced a knee injury in high school football, he actually designed a leg machine using pulleys and cables , to fully rehabilitate his knee. I believe many of us have heard of the “ Leg Extension Machine “ ? Thank Jack Lalanne for his creativity. Whenever he experienced a challenge, he developed a solution that was outside the box. Jack is also recognized as the inventor of the “Smith Station machine’ , which many of us have used in the gym. In the 1950’s Jack went national with his exercise and fitness television show, aimed primarily at women staying at home who needed a manageable exercise regimen, which aired for decades. I remember my mom, setting up the chair in front of the TV in our living room, and spending that half hour doing body weight and resistance exercises with Jack and at times, his wife, Elaine.

Jack lived well into his 90s and was a walking billboard of the message that he preached. So what are some of my own takeaways from Jack’s example ? I am committed to stay active and be intentional about the foods that I eat. I can never use the excuse of getting older, for not living a healthy, vibrant and fulfilling life. If we can conceive it and believe it , we can achieve it - no matter our age or circumstances. You know Jack ! He is living proof of that !

Age is only a number, and with the mind and the body, anything is possible if you make it happen. - Jack LaLanne

Little Things Matter

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Little Things Matter

Enjoy the satisfaction that comes from doing little things well. H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

“ Irma was a long-lived Cape Verde hurricane that reached category 5 intensity … and struck southwestern Florida at category 3 intensity. Irma caused widespread devastation across the affected areas and was one of the strongest and costliest hurricanes on record in the Atlantic basin.” - National Hurricane Center Report, June, 2018.

By the time Hurricane Irma reached central Florida, in early September of 2017, her intensity had ebbed a little. Now as a Cat 3, she still packed a formidable punch, with threatening winds boasting of gusts of over 100 mph. Like most Floridians, we tracked Irma’s approach ; and when the storm turned to head northward up the middle of the state, we all got a lot more serious about our preparations. On a last minute whim, I decided to use some zip ties on each of the three gates connected to the wooden fence that surrounds the perimeter of our back yard. I could envision these gates rattling in 90 mph wind, flying open, ripping off their hinges; and becoming airborne projectiles firing upon my neighbors. Yeah, I’m really sorry that your SUV was impaled by my wooden gate !

Irma showed up that night with a fury. The winds were howling with such intensity that our chimney was whistling. After buckets of rain and wind, and lots of prayers; the sun broke the horizon onto a changed neighborhood. No, all the houses remained intact, thank God, but trees were down, electricity was off ,and life began to stir again as each of us assessed our damage. As I rounded the corner on the west side of our property, I was amazed by what I saw- twenty feet of wooden fence along with a gate suspended by one single zip tie ! Small things do matter.

The little positive things that we do on a daily basis, sometimes even automatically, without thinking; become the zip ties that hold our lives together. Once these small habits become ingrained in us, we feel awkward or uncomfortable when they are not completed ; like not putting on our seatbelt in the car. The most successful people I have observed in life and in business, do a lot of little things right- and they do them consistently. AviationPro.com states that a Boeing 747 cargo jet is held together by roughly 850,000 rivets. Another source estimates that over 40,000 rivets are used in the construction of just one jumbo jet wing ! One rivet is not that impressive, but when you combine it with 39,000 others, you create a mode of transportation that defies gravity!

Conversely, the small things we do can have a negative impact on us - like not returning our phone calls or responding to our  emails. Responsiveness is vital for survival in any business. It is imperative that we all become mindful of the little actions that produce negative effects on our lives. We must overcome the bad with the good. Our good habits are the zip ties that anchor and ground us through the storms of life. Be aware of the little things in life and in business , because they really do matter!

Kill The Snake

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Kill The Snake

Success is where preparation and opportunity meet. - Bobby Unser

Opportunity dances with those already on the dance floor. - H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

It was the biggest snake I’d ever seen. Well, not exactly the whole snake; but it’s skin, from the back of the head to just before his rattlers, stretched the full length of my brother’s eight foot long bedroom wall. As a little boy of seven, looking up at this  massive snake skin was like observing a slain sea monster or a creature of the night which slithered through the Florida Everglades. As a matter of fact, my older brother Jim had stumbled upon this monstrous snake while hiking in the Everglades. The reptile was curled up in the sun, when Jim came upon him, and quickly pinned him down with a big stick. He decapitated him with his hunting knife. How was a teenager able to tackle a reptile that large ? The answer came when Jim skinned the snake, and found a rabbit inside of him! The snake was laying by a palmetto patch trying to digest bugs bunny when Jim nailed him. When asked why he killed the snake, Jim replied, “ A rattler that big was bound to kill someone if someone didn’t kill him first. “

So where in the world does this barbaric act connect with modern day business? We all deal with big snakes in some manner. January is typically the time for many of us to examine our habits and behaviors, and to set new goals. Can you think of any self defeating habits or behaviors that you need to change ? I know I can, and I have written some things down as action steps to help me make some positive changes in my behavior this year, starting today! I realize that on January 2nd, a proverbial gun goes off ; and we all seem to jump into this new season like a race horse galloping at full speed. I am convinced , though, that we must invest the time to schedule an honest evaluation of our past, and reflection about our future. This pause for reflection, helps us form the “why” in what we do. Without a solid “why” in life, we are like an untied blown up balloon, let go, and flying here and there until our air is gone.

Part of pursuing my goals this year has included establishing and cleaning up my own product library, reviewing and taking inventory of my sales tools, and organizing my electronic files so that I can quickly access any information that my clients might need. My desk is always a challenge as I struggle to tame the “ paper tiger”. I’d much rather be doing a presentation than sitting at my desk doing paperwork. Yet it must be done. Another personal goal- my mantra for this year- is to “ do it now”. When someone needs information, pricing or samples; unless I am driving or in a meeting, my goal is to get it done . I have to fight the temptation to put things off and do them later. It is easy to get busy and forget, and things can slip through the cracks. Following up and following through shows that we care, and this forges strong relationships on all levels. Words are easy to speak , but actions rule.

That big snake could also represent a huge business opportunity that you’ve set your sites on this year. Just like with Jim, timing is everything and persistence is King. We must be aware of our surroundings, stay connected and empathic to our prospect’s needs; and keep the necessary tools readily available to get the job done. Then enjoy the rewards of your labor. Just as Jim mounted that snakeskin onto a piece of paneling and nailed him to the wall ; take the time to enjoy your new business relationships with an attitude of thankfulness . Happy hunting !

Take time to gather up the past so that you will be able to draw from your experience and invest them in the future. - Jim Rohn

Fresh Starts & Second Chances

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Fresh Starts & Second Chances

The thing about Christmas is that it almost doesn't matter what mood you're in or what kind of a year you've had - it's a fresh start. - Kelly Clarkson

New Year's Day. A fresh start. A new chapter in life waiting to be written. New questions to be asked, embraced, and loved. Answers to be discovered and then lived in this transformative year of delight and self-discovery. Today carve out a quiet interlude for yourself in which to dream, pen in hand. Only dreams give birth to change. - Sarah Ban Breathnach

Dixie was lost and confused - found wandering around a busy four lane highway. A good friend, who seems to attract stray animals, rescued her ( she’s a dog magnet). The dog wasn’t much to look at - mange across her face, a dull black dirty coat, which accentuated her visible ribs and protruding back bone from malnutrition. When our friend whisked her away from certain death on a busy highway , this five month old black lab buried her face in our friend’s jacket. Long and short of it, my wife was called and rushed to the vets office to meet this stray five month old puppy. She immediately fell in love, but there was a problem- me ! We had lost our rescue Cocker Spaniel to old age and poor health two years ago . Tally ( named after the road he was found on by my wife’s sister…), had been a member of the family for over twelve years; and I wasn’t sure if I wanted another dog. I was set in my ways, liked my routine, and not quite sure if I wanted to disrupt my life by adopting a puppy. My wife needed to sell the salesman, and that is what she did !

That very same evening we drove to the local animal shelter to visit this mangy Lab. “ Just meet her...that’s all you need to do!” my wife had subtly coaxed me.

As soon as they brought Dixie out to visit us, she promptly hopped up onto the bench where we were sitting, draped one paw over my leg, and kissed my wife’s face. She looked at me with those deep brown eyes ( the dog, not my wife…) and we bonded. I knew that I was closed. Where do I sign ? Weeks later, after some treatments and spaying, my wife picked up Dixie at the shelter, and brought her to her new adopted home. Now we’ve had many animals over the years, and raised two awesome sons; but I had forgotten what it was like to have the energy of a puppy in the house. It’s almost like someone dropped off a toddler with a box of formula, said “good luck”, and drove off into the sunset. Raising dogs ( or children ) is work ! But my wife was up for the task ! In one week, she successfully taught Dixie to sit, high five, lay down, play fetch, and not to harass us while we are eating dinner. Actually, we are both being trained, because I am learning things along with the dog. Just as with Caesar, The Dog Whisperer, it seems that the owners need as much or even more training than the dog does.

Why have I shared my dog story, and how does this have anything to do with with sales, business or even the Holidays? Thank you for asking ! Bottom line, we all need fresh starts. Everyone needs a second chance. New Years present opportunities for new goals, resets, setting aside the past hurts , failures, or even successes ;  and moving forward. We are all faced with new challenges, new quotas and new expectations. Bringing Dixie into our family forced me out of my comfort zone, and into better habits - more walking, more moving, more time outside. This new addition has caused me to become a better version of myself, learning more patience ( except when driving in Orlando), and expanding my capacity to give and receive love. What new challenges and opportunities await you this year ? Now is the time for a fresh start .Today is a new day !

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end. - Seneca

Let's forget the baggages of the past and make a new beginning. - Shehbaz Sharif

Defining Moments

                         Photo of square in front of St Paul’s Church, Halifax , Nova Scotia

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Defining Moments

A defining moment takes a long time to get over, if you ever do. - Mick Jones

Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.   

-Charles R. Swindoll

It was a brisk December morning in Halifax Nova Scotia. The year was 1917. The Norwegian vessel SS Imo was cruising through The Narrows- a strait connecting the Halifax Harbor to the Bedford Basin - when the unthinkable happened. The SS Imo collided with another vessel, The SS Mont-Blanc. Unfortunately, to the demise of many, the SS Mont-Blanc was laden to the gills with TNT and Nitroglycerin. As a result of the collision, a fire broke out on the French ship which ignited the cargo.

You know what happened next - an explosion of historic proportions equivalent to the release of nearly 2.9 kilotons of TNT ! Over 2000 people within the vicinity of the ships were killed and several thousands injured - many blinded or visually impaired by the blast and scattered debris. ( Wikipedia ) The anchor of one of the ships was literally launched over seven kilometers from the site of the collision . A little girl skipping down the hill to meet her family in the harbor was blown back up the hill… and lived. St. Paul’s Church in Halifax, the oldest Anglican Church outside of England, had all but one of their stained glass windows shattered ; and received a lasting memento of this occasion in the form of a long steel rod that impaled the front vestibule of the church. My wife and I had occasion to visit this church and saw the plaque just below the protruding rod, stating, “ Relic of the Explosion, Dec. 6, 1917. “ This, my friends, was a defining moment for the city of Halifax. Even one hundred years later, the Great Explosion is spoken of as if it happened this year.

We all experience defining moments. They might not be on the caliber of a munitions ship exploding in our city , but the impact can feel the same. A parent or close friend passes away. A marriage dissolves. An adult child goes away to college, gets married; or maybe our baby starts their first day of kindergarten or preschool. We might not always recognize the gravity of these high points or low points when they occur, but they mark us. Maybe our company is purchased by another larger corporation, and the corporate culture and values that we once knew and held dear  have now changed. An economic downturn occurs in our market and cuts your business in half. These are defining moments too. They mark us. They leave a deep impact on each of us.

The root meaning for the word “character” means to be “ marked or etched” . A person with deep character has usually experienced a lot of challenges in life that have affected them. Experiences can make us bitter or make us better. The choice is ours. We cannot choose what happens to us, but we can choose how we handle that defining moment, and how we respond to it. As a famous writer, psychologist, and holocaust survivor, Viktor Frankl concluded, “ Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.” What attitude will we choose within our defining moments ? The community of Halifax chose to move forward and has become a beautiful port city filled with resilient people who are descendants of a horrendous event in history. May the moments that define you make you a better person with character that runs deep like a river in your soul. Live strong.

A man who becomes conscious of the responsibility he bears toward a human being who affectionately waits for him, or to an unfinished work, will never be able to throw away his life. He knows the 'why' for his existence, and will be able to bear almost any 'how.' -  Viktor E. Frankl