Greatest Salesman in the World

My dad was a food-broker. Growing up, I didn't know that meant "a person who sells food to restaurants." I thought it meant that we got to eat in restaurants every night because that was his job.

I loved my dad.  He loved Oregon State University and he loved baseball.

In 4th or 5th grade, I borrowed this book, "The Greatest Salesman in the World," by Og Mandino.  I read it from cover to cover.  I had no idea what it meant, but I liked the story.

When I was an adult and wanted to run my own business, I asked my dad if I could buy his food-broker business.  I wanted to move back to Oregon when my husband left the Air Force so we could be closer to relatives and friends.  My dad's response was, "Sales are too tricky for girls."

So our family moved to Wisconsin, my husband got a job as a financial analyst,  and I started my own company.  I set off to the National Speakers Association to learn how to become a motivational speaker.  The evening keynote speaker was Og Mandino.  I couldn't afford to attend all of the sessions for the conference, so I snuck in to massive ballroom to hear Og speak.  He was not only a great salesman, but he was a fabulous speaker.  

A few months later, Og died.  I was glad that I had snuck in to see him speak before his tragic accident.

Many years and many moves later.... I've decided to return to return to an industry I love:  networking, promoting, and selling professional speakers, authors & consultants.  

Last Sunday I found an old copy of The Greatest Salesman in the World in a "free book" box at church.  Now I know exactly what Og was talking about.

"Strive to be a millionaire, not for the money it will bring you, but for the person you will become along the way."

Message for the Day:

• What are some of the well-meaning messages that loved ones have told you that are not true?
• Forgive them today.

• When was the last time you read a book that changed your life?  
• Do it today.

• Who are people in your life that you want to meet?  With social media, it's easier than ever to engage with people you admire. 
• Make a connection today.

Networking Tips

"A network is an organized collection of your personal contacts and your persona contacts' own network. Networking is finding fast whom you need to get when you need to get them in any given situation and helping others do the same."  -Harvey Mackay, author, "Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty"

Networking: A network provides a path, a way of getting from point A to point B in the shortest possible time over the least possible distance.

In every moment, "You are either networking or being "networked." For me, the most successful networking opportunities are spontaneous conversations that sprout out of nowhere.  In line the grocery store. Sitting next to someone one an airplane.  An e-mail from someone who saw your post in an on-line forum.

Too often people think that networking is collecting a lot of business cards at the Friday night Chamber of Commerce Wine & Cheese Party. Yes, business cards are handy (they have all sorts of good info like Name, phone #, and e-mail address.) But more important than collecting business cards/contact information is creating new relationships. Real relationships...not relationships based on a hidden agenda.  (Can't you tell when someone strikes up a conversation to sell you something, not because they really care about getting to know you?)

If you want to build your business through networking...keep collecting business cards, but remember that it's more important to build relationships. Practice really getting to know people. Genuinely care about them and what they do. If they are passionate about their work, chances are they are good at it too.

People like doing business with people they like. And people like people who are like them. Leveraged networking is about tapping into the people that people know, and nobody is going to want to share their valuable contacts with you unless they "know you." Trust is the key to meaningful relationships and only time will truly expose people for their true intentions. 

One of the best tag lines I ever saw was for a woman's conference I attended back in the mid 90's.  It was titled, "Uncommon Women on Common Ground."  It was an event put on by Women, Inc. (a former non-profit organization for entrepreneurial women.)  I was sitting in the hotel lobby and started chatting with the lady next to me.  I had no idea who she was.  It didn't matter.  I was excited and my ride was late.  I just started talking. I told her I loved the conference and I was so glad that someone had put together such a great event for new entrepreneurs.  To make a long story short, she was one of the co-founders of Women Inc. She asked me to stay in touch. I sent her a thank you letter when I got home.  She invited me to speak at their next event and I later became their National Spokeswoman.

This taught me that networking takes place any time. Any where. Start today. Be yourself.  Make some friends.  Have some fun. And watch your business grow!

Desire vs Discipline

When I first started my business, I believed that Desire was enough to get me from where I was to where I wanted to be.  I met and worked with, some of the greatest motivational speakers in the world. 

If you don't master Desire...you'll give up when it comes to Discipline.  Some people go from Desire to Discipline very quickly. They get therapy. They get an MBA.  They get started. But for the longest time, I thought I was lost.  I wasn't lost...I just wasn't ready.  

"I'm not lost, I'm exploring." -Jana Stanfield

It wasn't until I got to a place in my life where I realized my definition of Success was not a big salary and private office working for someone else.  I still want those things...but I want them from working for myself.  So I've entered Phase 2:  DISCIPLINE. (More on that later.)

Everyone's path is uniquely their own. Life is a Journey...It's not a Destination. I spent over 20 years in Phase I and I took some pretty fun turns. Curious?  Here's my Phase I roadmap:

1. EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE

The first sales book I ever read was, "Greatest Salesman in the World" by Og Mandino.  I started my first company, after my dad made the comment, "Sales are too tricky for girls!"

2.  PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER/SPOKESWOMAN

I attended my first business conference, Uncommon Women on Common Ground, hosted in NYC by Women Inc.  (They later invited me to become their first National Spokeswoman.)

3.  LINK MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL

I merged Extraordinary People with a PR firm in Edmonton, Alberta.  The terrorist attacks on 9/11 profoundly changed all of our lives. Forever.

4.  PASSIONATE FUNDRAISER

I spent several years raising my children, while honing my sales skills. I was room-mom, PTA President, and Art-Club/Science Club co-founder. (I even home-schooled. Briefly.)

5.  LEVERAGED NETWORKING

I moved to Memphis in 2005 and reconnected with Alan Gompers, author, "Maximum Security: The True Meaning of Freedom."  Together we got his memoir published, produced a meditation CD, pitched Lionsgate, and helped several other extraordinary people along the way.

6.  LIFE IS A JOURNEY, NOT A DESTINATION - Ralph Waldo Emerson

As I "on ramped,*" I volunteered at church, waited on tables, worked in Commercial Real Estate, and managed a Wholesale Flooring Distribution Center. I am forever grateful for every person I met along the way (friends, customers, colleagues, and CEOs.)

*The phrase "on ramper" comes from "Women in High Gear," by Amy Howell & Anne Deeter Gallaher

Establishing Instant Expertise

I truly believe that we can never outrun or outlive the question, “What do you do?” We ask our children, “What do you want to do when you grow up?”  And even when we retire, people still ask, “What did you do?”

Establishing Expert or a connection with Celebrity Status will accelerate the rate at which people will choose you over the competition, or pay more for your services. 

I'm going to use the term “celebrity” to mean anyone whose name can positively influence how your customers or prospects feel.  They don’t have to be actors or actresses…they are the “someones” or the “somethings” your customers or prospects can identify with as being successful or prosperous.

Example:  If I meet someone in technology, I will mention that I once worked with Richard Brodie, the original author Microsoft Word.  They don’t have to know the name Richard Brodie, but they should recognize Microsoft or Word.  If not, I add, “He was Bill Gate’s first technical assistant.”  Now I’ve added Bill Gates.

Note:  I don’t want people to get off track and start talking about the celebrity… but I do want to grab their attention and convince them that I have experience working with, or on behalf of, someone that is successful.

As Shawn Sandy of The Selling Agency reminds us, we have less than 9 seconds to capture someone’s attention (not to give our entire talk track.)   

Your sales message needs to be able catch someone's attention, convince them that you work with people like them, and that no one else can do it like you.  

People like to buy, but nobody likes to be sold.  Most often, people buy from people they like, who are like them, or who are like who they want to become.

Best places to Network

Sometimes I really hate organized networking events. For some reason, they make me nervous. I think its because at these types of events everyone is trying so hard to network.  You're either networking or being "networked." For me, the most successful networking opportunities are spontaneous conversations that sprout out of nowhere.  In line the grocery store. Sitting next to someone one an airplane.  An e-mail from someone who saw your post in an on-line forum.

Too often people think that networking is collecting a lot of business cards at the Friday night Chamber of Commerce Wine & Cheese Party. Yes, business cards are handy (they have all sorts of good info like Name, phone #, and e-mail address.) But more important than collecting business cards/contact information is creating new relationships. Real relationships...not relationships based on a hidden agenda.  (Can't you tell when someone strikes up a conversation to sell you something, not because they really care about getting to know you?)

If you want to build your business through networking...keep collecting business cards, but remember that it's more important to build relationships. Practice really getting to know people. Genuinely care about them and what they do. If they are passionate about their work, chances are they are good at it too.

People like doing business with people they like. And people like people who are like them. Leveraged networking is about tapping into the people that people know, and nobody is going to want to share their valuable contacts with you unless they "know you." Trust is the key to meaningful relationships and only time will truly expose people for their true intentions. 

One of the best tag lines I ever saw was for a woman's conference I attended back in the mid 90's.  It was titled, "Uncommon Women on Common Ground."  It was an event put on by Women, Inc. (a former non-profit organization for entrepreneurial women.)  I was sitting in the hotel lobby and started chatting with the lady next to me.  I had no idea who she was.  It didn't matter.  I was excited and my ride was late.  I just started talking. I told her I loved the conference and I was so glad that someone had put together such a great event for new entrepreneurs.  To make a long story short, she was one of the co-founders of Women Inc. She asked me to stay in touch. I sent her a thank you letter when I got home.  She invited me to speak at their next event and I later became their National Spokeswoman.

This taught me that networking takes place any time. Any where. Start today. Be yourself.  Make some friends.  Have some fun. And watch your business grow!