THE SO-CALLED "FIRST NATIONS" ...

It was only 12,000 years ago, or less, and this should be considered: 

In all those years they: 

- Never “discovered” the wheel 

- Never had a written language 

- Never discovered astronomy 

- Had no science or scientific discoveries 

- Had no mathematics 

- Made no medical discoveries 

- Never had written music 

- Only “figured out” a drum and a rattle for musical instruments 

- Had no metallurgy 

- Had no sails for boats (only had canoes) 

- Created virtually no mechanical devices ......bow and arrow, snowshoes 

- Possessed almost nothing that required hard manual labour over a period of time, i.e.: building with or carving out of stone 

- Made almost no inventions 

- Are just in the last 200 years getting caught-up to most of the rest of the world 

- Have a history that is notable only for underachievement 

Think where an equal number of Chinese would be today; given only 10 years of the advantages Canadian Indians have--- no taxes on any money you earn, while living on a reserve— free dental—free university, etc. 

BTW the hunger striking chief and her husband, were paid $270,000.00 by the Band last year. 

The above comments from a reader in the Globe and Mail.

It's a short history lesson on 'Natives'.... This land does NOT belong to them! 

Why do some people keep saying that it does? 

Is it because that's what they want you to believe? 

Well then the marketing campaign must be working!

Let's get this straight... 

1. These people's ancestors did not just appear in North America magically out of thin air one day 50,000 years ago. They came in waves across the land/ice bridges from Asia. What's more, these waves, in many cases, were not related groups of people. They came from various places around North Eastern Asia and were from different genetic strains....in other words the "natives of North America are not a homogenous group of people and more importantly.... They are immigrants too, like millions of immigrants today. 

2. The idea that the "natives" were peaceful caretakers of the land or benevolent tenants couldn't be further from the truth. The various tribes warred on each other constantly. They were violent. 

Want proof? 

Ask the Hurons ...oh that's right you can't. The Iroquois wiped them out. 

How about slavery that was rife among the first nation tribes until the Europeans came over and freed the slaves and put an end to this "valued cultural tradition"? Is slavery peaceful and humane? 

3. The idea that we "stole" this land from them is also absolutely ridiculous. 

A more technologically advanced and numerous culture invaded and conquered. 

This is exactly what has been happening since the dawn of humanity all around the globe. To say we "stole" their lands is just plain wrong. That is akin to saying the Saxons should return England to the Angles. Or maybe we should launch a campaign to have Roman descendants give Italy back to the Etruscans. 

It is a nonsensical notion driven by the politically correct bleeding hearts, some intellectually deficient politicians, the Government, and it will continue to cost this country needless and wasted billions and billions until we get some backbone and turn off the taps. Are these people in trouble? Yes. 

How does this relate to selling?

It doesn't but I feel it has to be shared. My sins are mine, my father's are his. People are responsible for themselves and the expectation that someone owes them is wrong....

Wait, maybe this does have to do with selling!

No one owes you a sale, you have to earn it; every time.

Cheater!!!!

Oprah makes headlines interviewing Lance Armstrong for 2 1/2 hours where he comes 'clean' about being 'dirty'. My first thought is how will the editing to fit TV time affect the tone/timbre/message of the interview?

Why do we hold those in the Public Eye to a different standard than we expect for ourselves?

High-performance athletes, actors, musicians, and $$$-aires lose their privacy in exchange for the recognition they so often crave. WE expect to know all there is about them but, conversely, we would never want anyone to know the same about us.

Lance Armstrong has disappointed me by his ultimate admission of using performance enhancing drugs to compete at an elite level. Nearly 3,000 kilometres racing a bicycle across flats, hills and mountains over two weeks and we are surprised? In reality everyone within the Community, at that level, is/was cheating because there are limits a human can endure and the expectation of ever greater performance forced the resultant use of EPO/'Roids/Blood doping et al.

The reality is one new steroid is produced daily while one new test is perfected monthly. This is simply how detection is avoided. 

Ben Johnson was caught not by a positive steroid result but by being outside an arbitrary range of hormone levels. His ratio of testosterone to epi-testosterone was beyond the 'normal' range determined by WADA. A great training session/race would elevate naturally produced testosterone while a regularly consumed beer afterward would suppress epi-testosterone levels. Hmm, the ratio would be really wide obviously indicating anabolic steroid use not the previous scenario. YES, Ben Johnson was using anabolics  and looked it, however, his greatest critic, Carl Lewis, was eventually revealed to have been using the same drugs during that time. But, he wasn't caught at the Olympics so he is still OK.

Did one cheat more than the other?

Recall Rafael Palmero pointing to emphasize his innocence at a Congressional-hearing then ultimately admitting use? How will the Baseball Hall of Fame deal with Barry Bonds? Roger Clemens? et al? Yet still keep Pete Rose out?

Lance Armstrong is the victim of a sport/industry in the midst of a public relations disaster of epic proportions. Why go after him this far after he has retired? Why continue to look when you didn't find things then? Who benefits? I know who loses.....the recipients of the support of Livestrong, whose ability to raise and distribute funds will suffer, will hurt.

In sales it becomes tempting to cheat. Raise prices slightly because a long-term customer no longer checks. Pad expense accounts. Substitute deliverables to lower cost items. Slip tickets to a key person to get favourable standing. The possibilities are endless.

In short; "Don't CHEAT!"

Even if you know/suspect your competitors are.

Years ago I was into a two truck competitive situation. There was only $500 difference between us. However, for the application, my offering was best suited to the job and I had the agreement of the decision-maker this was so. I never delivered the vehicles because I would not complete the deal as requested.... I did not provide liquid incentive as a final part of the process. Boy was I ticked!

What was the net result? The vehicles purchased proved to be ill suited to the job and ended up being very expensive from a total cost perspective. My replacement vehicles, supplied mere months later, were sold at a price much more favourable to my commissions. Oh and the fellow demanding incentives? Well, it turns out this was not isolated and eventually devovled into criminal activity which resulted in jail time etcetera.

It IS tempting to cheat!

It IS easy to cheat!

It WILL catch you eventually.

Work and play fair. Use your performance against yourself as the carrot. When in doubt; don't!

Been Thinking

What do you do when you really have no ideas left?

In football, you'd punt.

In hockey, you'd start a fight.

In life, you'd bluff.

In sales???????

I find if you stay quiet long enough your customer will give you enough information for more ideas than you have time to manage.

Asking leading questions only get you where you want to go and often tick off the customer.

Not asking questions and doing a FAB dump is even worse.

Listen first.

Pause.

Clarify if necessary.

Ask ONE question.

Listen for the response.

Get the idea?

Honestly, you can have all the value propositions in the world but unless you find out what really matters to your customer they mean nothing. It is akin to going on about the colour of a shirt to a blind guy; he really doesn't care what shade of blue it is, just that it fits him, his budget and his needs.

Everyone sells to everyone else. The difference is we admit we do it and have made it our profession.

When in doubt I circle back to my less than stellar experiences as a customer and draw on the lessons learned to prevent me from doing the same thing.

Long time ago I went into a Men's Store looking for a specific article. I had already determined the cost and even had the full amount in cash in my possession. However, I entered the store wearing shorts, t-shirt and flip flops.

As this is/was an 'upper' end store there was a certain attitude among the staff who studiously ignored me. After several minutes I went to the front of the store, reached into my pocket and withdrew a large wad of bills. I said; "I planned on leaving this here today but apparently none of you were interested enough in asking me what I wanted to get your share." So I left.

Seconds after my departure the owner approached me and apologized. I stated that I could afford to spend what he required to get what I wanted without a staff discount but people judged me on my appearance not my need and I am taking my business elsewhere.

Later, I was working at an automobile dealership. A high-end auto was celebrating a dubious birthday in the showroom and the Manager put a spiff on the sale of the vehicle to incentivize everyone. That Saturday late a gentleman entered wearing rubber boots with his overalls tucked inside, torn flannel shirt and a battered Kangol cap. I approached him immediately and asked him which of the vehicles on display interested him most? His express reason for coming in was to view the car that now had a spiff attached because it had not sold in a timely manner. We sat in it, discussed his preferences in vehicles and how much he liked the traditional colour. It matched the car he wanted to trade in. 

The story ends with a cash sale and a highly desirable trade that sold within days. It turned out the gentleman was a Physician on his way to/from his hobby farm and he had reached a point where he felt he deserved the exact car we had.

I listened to what he said which gave me the ideas I needed to help him decide the vehicle was the best for him. I got the sale of the new vehicle, the trade and the spiff and a happy customer because I recalled how I felt when people assumed, based on my appearance, and chose not to ask me questions to get ideas to help me decide on what I wanted to buy.

You WILL run out of ideas! When you do, ask an open question, sit back, and let your customer give you new ones. Knowing what they want from listening to them makes the sale very personal and successful.

So, what is your perfect idea on how to proceed?

Success? How to measure it?

How to measure success?

Some use money; others position; some a lack of failure.

I choose to measure success by viewing what would be different if I had not been part of the result.

Years ago I sold the largest project of its kind in Canada. In my defence I was too young and callow to know what I was doing was not 'right' so I was able to secure a positive result. Was I successful? Well, I did not make a ton of money because my Manager discounted the price for his reasons. BUT, I was successful.

In my naiveté I was able to affect a change in the landscape specifications after the Tender closed. Through my efforts the complete look and feel of the project was changed to what I was selling. Since then literally millions of people have enjoyed the results of my labours without even being aware of my contribution. I think that was a success.

Later I was part of helping a Municipality in securing a new piece of Fire Apparatus. Cold calling enabled me to uncover a brand new opportunity and to work with the Chief on setting the specification for the truck. Many bid but only mine met all the requirements and we successfully entered into service protecting a City of 30,000 for almost 25 years. I think that was a success.

Selling software to Primary Care I enabled the providers to improve the quality of their lives and the care they provided. On average that had a positive impact on the lives of 2,000 patients per. I surely view that as a success.

As a Shriner I am part of an organization that runs 22 Hospitals for the treatment of Children with specific health challenges. At $3,000,000 per day it is an enterprise that demands a lot of all Shriners to deliver. However, we are a highly successful organization because crippled, burned, cleft palate and spinal chord injured children have better lives at no cost to their families because of the effort we put in.

So I postulate that success is not measured by what we receive but more so by what our absence means. 

Be successful in your life by making sure your contribution benefits others; the dollars will look after themselves.

It's been so long and now there needs to be some Value.

Years actually since I've posted here.

What's going on?

Well, I have had a couple of jobs, made some bad decisions and suffered some Corporate whims BUT I'm still here.

Nearly 6 months ago I found myself summarily dismissed mostly because there was, and still is, a shortage of money to run the company. I began to search again however, I was determined this time to go where I would be rewarded for the effort I produce and the person I am.

After not one but several instances where I was the 'First Loser' my confidence was shot and doubts began to surface. It does not help when you are on EI and receive constant messages from the Government telling you re-training is possible and paid for under the Employment Act; wow! I could become an Air Traffic Controller, or a Hair Dresser, or even an EMT. 

I'm not focused enough to stare at a screen all shift  and would be sorely tempted to mess with people; nothing really dangerous but a wee bit pucker inducing. I am not in touch with my inner woman enough to keep a straight face while doing a blue rinse, and I certainly have dealt with enough pain and suffering in my own life to not want to endure someone else's.

So I sell!

The core of selling has never changed from the first transaction. What has changed is the methods we use to arrive at the destination. 

Every day the consumer becomes somewhat better informed. Every day competitors become somewhat more desperate to make sales. Every day there are more challenges to our time than we have time to manage.

How can we as Sellers make it better?

Identify, carefully, what really matters to our customers. Know it is not their job to remember us but ours to be unforgettable to them.

Ask questions and listen; REALLY listen. Make sure you understand their real need and confirm with them, in your own words, to be certain they know you understand. Create VALUE for your customer while becoming unforgettable.

Value is truly subjective..... If I came to you and said I could get you a 75% DISCOUNT on a brand new car, that would have value for you. Wouldn't it?

If I told you the car was a brand new Bentley GT; would there still be the same value?

Yes, I can get you a brand new Bentley GT for only $100,000 which is more than $300,000 from list. That makes it a great value doesn't it?

NO!!!!!!

If you have no need for a Bentley or can't afford to insure or run it then there is no value to you.

My vision of value is not yours nor the customers; so I make certain I know what is of maximum value for them before I even try and offer a solution; IF I have one!

Honesty is your best friend all the time. If you can't provide what they need then tell them up front. 

Keep your value and recognition high by getting permission to keep in touch. 

Then be sure to send 99 messages (or touches) that have nothing to do with you or your product. Send them information on anything that your questions have determined to be of value to them. 

The 1 message you send that is an advertisement will be gratefully received and remembered because the vast percentage of what you have given them is valuable.

Work smarter. Listen harder. Become valuable and I promise you will become unforgettable.

Friends are great!

I had a Friend tell me that feedback from my clients was not favourable regarding my follow up. Not having my notes in front of me puts me in an indefensible position so I could not rebut the assertion.

Then I thought about it and thanked them for the information. It helps to know what you do wrong because if you do it right all the time you never get a chance to improve.

I admit I was not the best at follow up. I was always focused on the next sale and I let the process of getting the product to the end user slide. The good news is that I recognized I was doing that and was already moving to correct the flaw and prevent it from becoming a bane of my existence.

How you may ask? Well I did even if you did not.

I started using what we had for a CRM so there was a central place for information for everyone involved in the sales process. I put every note in there and every contact attempt so that when things went pear shaped I was ready to help.

I started apportioning my time to ensure I did call backs or sent replies via email BUT I found that email is not the best way to work. It often took a couple of days for me to find out that a message had not gone through for whatever reason. I had become enamoured of the technology and forgot the people I was dealing with. Recently I heard a story that set it permanently for me......

A friend has a retail store where people are coming in every day seeking donations for worthy causes. He rarely donates because the event is not related to his business and the sponsorship would not make any benefit to his company. However, a 'cool' gentleman one day was able to secure a small donation for his event. After, he sent a HANDWRITTEN note expressing thanks for the donation. Jamie has supported this event every year since yet it has nothing to do with his business; the man still sends a handwritten note every year expressing thanks.

Sometimes it is not in the action of the follow up but in the method that sets us apart. I started sending handwritten notes of thanks and would telephone where I would have emailed just to make certain the information I provided was what they wanted.

It is NEVER too late to learn nor to change nor to have a friend tell you where you have made errors so that you can improve for everyone. Ultimately, everything we do is judged and how we do it influences the result.

Choose to be proactive and different and above all honest.

Thank you.

Fear

Fear is the great motivator and the great disincentive to proceed.

When asked, more people fear speaking in public than most anything else.

Fear prevents us from closing a sale. Ego drives the fear.

Huh?

We don't close because we fear rejection... an absolute attack on our ego. If we are rejected then they don't like us. Our ego requires us to be liked and should not be part of the process.

BUT, you've done all this work; prospecting, qualifying, cultivating and now you have earned the right to harvest the sale. So, your ego forces you into being less than what you are....a salesman whose sole job is to sell. You waffle and wait because you can't afford to upset them. You won't.

If you close the sale you save them time and money and effort and pain.

If you close the sale you keep production and client care and research and administration working for another day.

If they reject you it is because you have not done your job properly. You have not asked enough questions or asked too many or the wrong ones or you ignored their signals and talked yourself out of the sale or ad infinitum.

This brings up another fear...failure.

If I don't try I can't fail. Can't I? Failure IS an option. You will make mistakes. The good ones only make them once.

Sometimes though it may not be your fault. The customer had a bad experience in the past or they took a Negotiation course and they 'know' all of your wily ways. You do have wily ways don't you? They don't want to make a mistake: pay too much, get too little and so on. Their ego fuels their desire not to fail.

You fail if you don't sell value every time. If you don't listen, you fail.

Failure is an option only if you don't do everything in your power and ability to erase their fears before they come up (if you can) or after you hear their objections. Let them know that they have made the correct decision for the right product at a fair price and many of your objections (and fears) will be less of a problem.

Criticism is not a bad thing. How you deal with it is. Ego feeds your fear of criticism and gives you anxiety that prevents you from learning about yourself from how others see you and your mistakes. Remember that a lack of error is never noted, never commented on, never an inhibition to sales. Error is noted, criticised, costs sales and sometimes jobs but ONLY IF YOU REPEAT the error because you were afraid to hear criticism.

"There is nothing to fear but fear itself." I believe Winston Churchill said that at a really dark time in English history.

Thank you.