If it's good, USE it!

Rush Limbaugh said the other day that the smallest minority is....... one.

Therefore anything that purports to represent minority rights while ignoring individual rights and freedoms is by it's very nature wrong.

I agree completely.

But, how does that work in sales?

Recognize that each person we deal with is a minority.

Even if part of a larger group, all decisions are made to satisfy the minority.

Years ago I was taking a sales course and was asked to explain the difference between purchasing a robotic welding system, a wrench and a party dress.

I could not. It is often that a purchasing manager will do just that: buy a robot in the morning, a wrench in the afternoon and a party dress on the way home. The same person with very different purchase decision requirements on the surface but below the same person dealing with the same pain and removal of that discomfort.

If each salesman they meet that day treats them as a minority of one and recognizes how they alone can remove their pain, then the probability of a sale goes up.

NEVER assume. NEVER let your ego prevent you from recognizing that smallest minority.

Treat everyone with respect and empathy and solve their problems; ultimately you will solve your own.

Just prior to the most recent Masters (you know which one), Tiger Woods was asked if he believed he had a chance to win. His response? "I expect to!"

It has been said that all other professional golfers merely hope to beat Tiger. Tiger only needs to beat himself. He expects to win.

He is neither arrogant, bold nor boastful. He firmly believes in his ability to concentrate and bear down when the need arises. He believes in his training and preparation for each event. He has forced the rest of the field to train off the course as hard as he does.

Why not make your competition feel the same?

Train hard. Take courses, work with colleagues and mentors, ask for help (even Tiger has a swing coach and a trainer).

Believe in your ability to provide the answers the minority of one needs to remove their pain. Make anyone you compete against merely hope to beat you.

NEVER lose to yourself. Every morning, when you look in the mirror, you only have one person to beat and they are looking back at you.

A post or two ago I mentioned a personal mantra and maybe it bears repeating?

"At every opportunity, given the skills I have, did I do the best I could?"

Answer YES every time personally and professionally.

Newton's First Law of Motion means outside influences can affect your inertia to change and place you on the best path for success.

Newton's Second Law of Motion shows how the careful application of force will change your direction but not in a straight line.

Newton's Third Law of Motion reminds that there are consequences from the application of force in an equal and opposite direction.

Use these laws for selling: accept that you will remain on your course unless acted upon and realize that it is in your best interests to have managers willing to apply it. The result of the force is never a straight line but a vector relating to the original direction of travel and the direction of the input; be prepared to go where you did not expect to go. ALL actions have results in an equal proportion to the force applied; push hard you get a hard push back. Be firm but subtle.

Thank you.