Sales Loudmouth

Unlocking the Future

2013-05-20T04:57:47Z

Chuck's office is located in an industrial park just north of Marine Corp Air Station (MCAS) Miramar. Previously Naval Air Station (NAS) Miramar, the base is best known as the former home of the TOPGUN training school and the inspiration for the movie of the same name starring Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis.

As I pulled into an impossibly small parking spot, a pair of F/A-18 Hornets streaked overhead. I watched them rip across the sky and as the roar of their engines subsided, I heard ...

Discovery Day

2013-05-07T05:48:20Z

"I spoke to John and he is willing to fly you out to Cali, get you a meeting with Gary and provide you a car so you can go visit Chuck in San Diego. When do you want to go?" Gregg asks.

"Next week," I reply.

"Okay, Angela will call you and set it all up. I'll talk to you when you get back."

And with that exchange, the wheels were in motion for me to become a Money Mailer franchisee. Not that I really ...

Like a Phoenix?

2013-05-02T05:52:23Z

I blink into the blue sky and try to recall how I got here. First, I need to figure out what time it is because it feels like 1991. I have just made a sales call on European Wax. The young lady at the counter told me that Jim was the one I needed to speak with but Jim, who also owns Massage Envy a couple of doors down, is not in and I should feel free to leave a card and any other collateral and if Jim is interested he'll call me.

That's ...

Demons Fill You with Fear

2013-04-01T20:03:38Z

He is lying on the bed. Bone tired from mountain biking, sleep still eludes him. Beside him, but miles apart, the wife whose success has eclipsed his own, sleeps soundly. Uncomfortable in his own skin; uncomfortable in his own bed. The demons seem very close at night when the noise of the day subsides and he can hear their eternal message. Failure.

The day unfolds before him and he prepares ...

The American Spirit: Risk-taking

2013-01-29T04:33:20Z

"Sometimes, when we reach for the stars, we fall short. But we must pick ourselves up again and press on despite the pain." - Ronald Reagan

Twenty-seven years ago, space launches had become so consistently predictable that television networks no longer carried them live. This was even true of the Challenger launch on January 28, 1986 whose mission included carrying ...

The Truth Will Set You Free

2012-11-13T02:30:21Z

"If I did that, then who would buy it?" Manuel asked with a hint of defiance.

We are sitting in my office and discussing advertising sales. Manuel had just come in to announce that one of his clients had cancelled the remainder of their contract because "no one had called."

I said, "Why did they expect someone to call?"

Manuel replied, "Because when a client buys advertising from us they expect their phone to ring."

"But, should they?" I wondered.

...

Can or Can't; Will or Won't

2012-08-20T01:59:32Z

I am at boot camp. Not real boot camp, mind you, but the kind they have in the suburbs these days for those who are either bored by traditional gyms or looking for someone to tell them to work harder.

Technically, I fit into a third category - those who have purchased a five week membership from Living Social for a low, low introductory price. Well, even more technically, my wife bought it for both of us. Now, here I am in the spartan gym getting ready to rumble at 5:43 a.m.

...

A Sailboat on a Calm, Sunny Day

2012-05-24T21:59:21Z

I was a couple, six months into my new job as a salesperson at Magic 96 radio and I had hit a slump. Prospecting was still part of my regular routine but I clearly didn't have as much time to do it as when I was brand new. My plan had become "work smarter not harder" and I was being rather selective about on whom I was making prospecting calls.

I don't know. Maybe, ...

I Want a New Drug

2012-04-05T03:01:03Z

In 1984, Huey Lewis and the News sang about the need for a new drug.

I want a new drug

One that won't make me sick

One that won't make me crash my car

or make me feel three feet thick

I want a new drug

One that won't hurt my head

One that won't make my mouth too dry

Or make my eyes too red

One that won't make me nervous

wondering what to do

One that makes me ...

Start with a Flawed Premise

2012-01-31T13:15:13Z

Not long ago, I was driving my car and listening to the radio and otherwise just thinking pleasant thoughts when Delta came on the air with a message. I gave it a listen. The essence of the message was that I should become a member of Delta's frequent flyer program because I would get all kinds of perks. One of the perks mentioned is that as a member I'll be invited to board airplanes before non-members.

The actual wording went something like this: ". . . and members get to board first so you ...

The Rhythm of the Sales Process

2011-12-22T20:54:20Z

"What are you going to have?" Dick asked over his menu.

We had convened at the local barbecue joint which neither of us had yet tried. Dick had declared that one could tell the worthiness of a barbecue place by the human attributes assigned to the pig on the sign. This restaurant was called The Dancing Pig and the sign featured a fat, pink, dress-wearing pig standing on her back legs and spinning a hula hoop around her middle. Based on Dick's definition, this was barbecue heaven.

"A ...

A Book Review: "People Follow You" by Jeb Blount

2011-11-19T03:51:52Z

Sometimes I review books. Most of the time, I have no relationship with the author and feel free to write whatever I want. For those of you who’ve been reading this blog for a while, you would agree that I am, generally, not afraid to say what is on my mind.

But, this book is different. I know the guy who wrote it. We’re not best buddies and we don’t hang out but I’ve contributed to his blog (salesgravy.com) – the ...

Using Gasoline to Kill Ants

2011-11-11T19:30:29Z

Just because you buy something regularly or use it consistently, that does not make you an expert on how that something works. Most of us would agree with that when we start thinking about our car or other complicated machinery. We might even agree when our thinking goes deeper and we confront the chemical complexities of our pest control or even our detergent. After thinking about it some more, we might just wholeheartedly agree that just because we buy something that doesn't make us an expert on how it works.

Take for example, ...

Delight or Die

2011-09-30T12:52:54Z

When a media seller accepts money for an advertising campaign, they accept responsibility for the success of the campaign. But, they ultimately have very little to do with the success of the client's business and the confusion between these two very disparate objectives causes much heartbreak for both media sellers and high-level business decision makers.

To see what I mean, let's take a look at two examples.

I am on an Airtran flight from Atlanta to Houston and shortly after take-off, the flight attendant appears with a basket full of ...

The Root Cause

2011-09-19T23:08:18Z

Maddy would not sleep. At eighteen months, she has simply decided that being awake all the time is the best course of action and so she refuses to go to bed. Her father, Josh, loves Maddy very much and he knows that she must get the proper amount of sleep to grow strong and be healthy, so he desperately tries to get her to sleep. The first thing he tries is putting her to bed when he and his wife go to bed at 11 p.m. His theory is that when Maddy sees that everyone in the house ...

Productivity Tips from the Field(s)

2011-08-17T04:05:00Z

What do you say when your wife tells you that your son's soccer league needs coaches and experience doesn't matter? If your son is four years old, tell your wife that you're allergic to grass. If that doesn't work, try explaining that coaching would interfere with your new interest in mapping the phases of the ...

Relational versus Transactional Consumers

2011-07-08T04:28:19Z

The Academy of Marketing teaches media sellers how advertising really works so they can have deeper, more meaningful conversations with prospects and customers. But, deeper and more meaningful conversations about what?

About what is likely to happen when the prospect buys the advertising that the media seller is offering.

Unlike traditional process sales trainers, The Academy of Marketing doesn't teach tips, tricks and techniques for qualifying prospects or cold calling or getting appointments. We teach consumer behavior and demonstrate to media sellers how their advertising customers can use ...

In Media Sales Your Product is Advertising

2011-06-29T03:58:00Z

"What do you do when your air conditioner breaks in the middle of July?"

The question is being posed by my partner, Josh, in front of a roomful of broadcast media sellers as part of an exercise during a recent training event being performed by The Academy of Marketing.

"Let's make a list of the things you do from the moment you realize the air conditioner is broken until it is fixed," Josh continued. He turned to the whiteboard with a red marker in hand and waited.

...

The Truth about a 3 Frequency

2011-03-07T10:01:00Z

Part 2 of 2

Right at 8:30a the sales team filled the room. I was still sitting there with my fresh pad of paper thinking about the implications of what Dick was about to share with the rest of the sellers. Dick quickly drew us to order and then gave us an update on our sales figures and a couple of housekeeping items before opening up the doors to the whiteboard and asking for definitions of a 3-Frequency.

Nancy jumped right in and said, ...

In Search of a 3 Frequency

2011-03-03T09:55:00Z

Part 1 of 2

Coming in a little earlier than usual on Wednesdays had become my habit because Wednesday was sales meeting day. When we had sales meetings, I liked to get in and prepare for the day before the meeting so that I wasn't thinking about all that I had to do during the meeting. Later in my radio sales career, I was surprised to learn that some sellers dread the sales meeting. Thinking back on it now, the reason is clear - they didn't have Dick Harlow.

Dick ...

Be What Tomorrow Needs

2011-02-18T09:55:00Z

Maybe, it's because I have a son who is matriculating in a few months. Or, because I have made a career in an ever changing industry. Maybe, it's part of the natural aging process or just what it means to be an achiever in a capitalist society.

I don't know.

Regardless, I've been turning a Rubik's cube in my mind. How do I match the colors so that experience, skills, talents, personal goals, professional goals and family responsibility are all aligned? Simply put, how do I answer the question "what do I ...

Bad BETs

2010-12-16T14:42:00Z

In my most recent post, I recounted the story of a sales lesson I learned from Dick Harlow. Many of you wanted a further explanation and this post serves as a clarification.

Avoiding lobster traps

2010-12-11T23:48:00Z

I grabbed my car phone on the second ring as I pulled out of the parking space in the furniture store lot. The cord wrapped around the shift lever and, in a loud voice, I told the caller to hold on a second as I unwound it.

"I hope one day these stupid things are more convenient than this," I thought as the cord came free and its full extension allowed me to both speak into it and hear out of it at the same time.

"Hello"
...

Dancing with Fireflies

2010-10-25T02:55:00Z

I suppose it didn't matter because corporate was dictating our growth rate and they were projecting that we would achieve our current year goals. Never mind that we weren't even on pace to achieve 3rd quarter.

Iron (willed) kids

2010-09-20T20:44:00Z

I looked at the flyer filled with pictures of young athletes swimming, biking, running and smiling. Little girls were hugging each other and holding up medals for the photographers and little boys were high fiving their Dads. Would Thomas be interested? "Who cares," I thought. "I'm interested!"

Take a Stand

2010-08-04T22:53:10Z

The client abruptly ended the meeting and declared that I had “wasted his time”. While there was no violence, this was the professional equivalent of being thrown out the saloon door.

Win or Go Home

2010-07-19T21:09:00Z

“What are we going to do?” I thought to myself. “What are we going to do? We are going to lose, of course. We are going to go down in flames. Our playoff hopes dashed! Our best season ruined!”

Dead or Just Dormant

2010-06-04T20:49:00Z

The problem was that by the middle of the day on Monday, I had spoken to or attempted to speak to all of my hottest prospects and all that was left was my not so hot prospects. And there were a lot of those.

Build Trust: Indict Your Industry

2010-05-24T22:57:18Z

When someone first meets with a person they don't know, they do not trust them at all. That's not just true in sales, it's just normal human behavior. People are guarded around strangers.

Answering the Cost Question

2010-05-11T20:58:00Z

When prospects don't have a budget and finds themselves in the market for a customized solution for a product that they've never bought before or only buy very rarely, they will not engage fully in the sales process until the cost question has been answered.

Beware the Commonality

2010-04-23T19:20:00Z

A plane roared low overhead and I twisted my neck to look up and through the driver's side window. A 737 heading into Charlotte Douglas International. I was getting close to my destination but it wasn't the airport. I was going to the golf course to meet with Dick. His message had been cryptic: "Timmy, meet me at the golf course near the airport at 6p. But, we aren't playing golf." I didn't know what that meant but any meeting with Dick Harlow was worth ...

Call Back to Add Value

2010-04-18T02:52:00Z

Sellers who make face-to-face presentations are usually required to make phone calls to those same prospects in the event that the sale wasn't consummated. You're not alone if this phone call sometimes trips you up.

Good, Better, Best

2010-04-05T02:19:00Z

Perhaps, this approach gained momentum because of the Sears catalogue. Back in the day, for those of you under the age of 30 who have no idea of what I speak, there was a publication mailed by Sears to nearly every household in America.

Smart Calling - A Book Review

2010-03-16T21:22:00Z

Occasionally, I am asked to review sales books from those authors who haven't yet hit the big time and are hopeful that some publicity on Sales Loudmouth might help their cause. Of course, I am always flattered to be a part of anyone's success.

This month, there are two books up for review: ...

Familiarity Breeds Complacency

2010-02-28T02:54:00Z

This was either going to be a very quick conversation or something that Dick wanted me to hear. As it turned out, the latter was in play and I was privy to another sales lesson from Dick Harlow.

Still the Fatal Flaw

2010-02-15T03:32:00Z

Author's Note: This post was first published in November of '08. Recently, my team and I completed sales training that reminded me of this article so I looked it up and decided it was worth a second posting. I would love to know your thoughts.
________________________________________________________________________________

If I tell you the fatal flaw, will you avoid it?

Of course, you say that you will.

But, I'm not convinced because smokers know ...

The Real Sales Trainers

2010-02-05T19:43:00Z

Okay, we could bang on these sellers for not doing everything possible to understand my needs, offer solutions and get a deal done. But, I am more interested in this observation. . .

Dragon Rider

2010-01-27T03:14:00Z

The day was a little warmer and sunnier than March usually offered. My team had advanced to the Elite 8 and I had just closed a sweet deal with the local electronics store. I was pretty pleased with myself. ...

Understanding is About Clarification

2010-01-14T22:54:00Z

I didn't hear Dick coming. Normally, he was whistling or greeting people as he walked through the sales bullpen. But, with my hands holding up my face and my eyes closed, I was oblivious.

Learning to Solve Problems

2009-12-17T03:18:00Z

Dick looked around the room to make sure that his audience was still tuned in. As usual, I was on the edge of my seat.

Sell Like You're Living

2009-12-01T03:57:00Z

I noticed that she was using the yellow icing knife in the green icing and was now unwittingly making a blue gingerbread man. I glanced at the cookies in front of her and saw a Santa with one eye, an elf with what looked like a bloody knife wound in his chest and a black star. When she reached for another color of icing, I grabbed her glass of eggnog and took a swig.

The Elements of Effective Sales Meetings

2009-11-19T16:39:00Z

"My sales meetings just aren't as good as the ones you used to run when I was an Account Manager," I explained to Dick over the phone. "Would you have some time after work to give me some ideas about making them more effective?"

S.W.E.A.T

2009-11-04T02:50:00Z

The room pulsed with the energy of the forty-person sales force - gathered to meet the new sales manager. Jody found a seat in the back corner where she could both observe and fail to be observed.

Redefining Failure

2009-10-28T01:32:00Z

"As long as a person accomplishes some of their goals along the way I'm willing to give them an unlimited number of failures without labeling them a failure" I explained.

Establish "Finish Lines"

2009-10-26T21:17:00Z

Just as its appropriate to create deadlines for prospects and clients where natural deadlines may not exist, it is also appropriate and effective to create finish lines for sellers.

Human Behavior Responds to Deadlines

2009-10-15T02:14:00Z

Dick often used a question as a way to get into a topic. The correct answer was always a polite 'no' because then he could launch into a monologue. His monologue would include a story and an example and then a call to action. Lesson absorbed, I would head out to conquer the world of radio advertising sales.

Imperfect and Forgiven

2009-09-25T18:59:00Z

Although I should have been listening to the message in the readings, I was obsessed with the noise and the absurdity of trying to worship in such a setting. "No wonder," I thought, "that people aren't excited about what is going on with the Catholic church."

The Myth of Experience and other shorts

2009-09-16T01:24:00Z

Think about this: Until you've done something, you've never done it before. If the qualification for getting a chance to do it is to have done it. . . well, the circularity of it all is obvious.

Dump the Script during Panel Presentations

2009-08-31T01:49:00Z

The competition exits stage left and we are greeted and ushered in to a too large room. The "prospect" is a five-headed panel sitting behind their laptops at individual desks - lined up side by side as if the Supreme Court itself was now in session.

Missed Opportunities and Strikeouts

2009-08-24T02:06:00Z

Dear Readers:

This is a little different than my usual post as it has nothing to do with sales, selling or sales management