What will you do today

This is the first day of the New Year for Sales people. Everything starts from the beginning, which means quotas, reports, kick off meetings, etc. I have been through this for 30 years, and it gets no better. Every year we start from the beginning.

There was away around this; if you set appointments for this week and next, you are ahead of the game. If not, you maybe two weeks behind.

Nevertheless, do you have a plan for this year. Two days ago I began my plan, and will have it complete by this weekend. I will document what it that I want to achieve for the year, and into next. It will be as specific as possible, but it will be flexible, as I know that there will be changes that come my way: both good and bad.

Take the time now, and think about what you want, and get there!

Good selling,

Steve

Where you live

There are any number of factors that will set you apart from the other sales people that you know. The most important, however is the environment that you set for yourself.

This means the way that you think about sales, the way that you approach sales and the way that you explain what you do.

I have known many sales people who rarely talk about their business. Recently I was with a doctor friend of mine, and we were talking about his patients (generally) and he said to me when he asked people what they do, and they said "sales" that was all that he got out of them.

Rarely he said does anyone elaborate on that word, they never mention what they sell and who they work for. Yet if the question was asked about their family, they will go forever.

What do you say when someones asks you what you do. I bet is is "sales." Too bad.

Good selling,

Steve

Four Bad Words

I remember being asked what the words that sales people hate hearing. (They are the ones who say it!) At that time, I said that it was "I'll think about it." Recently I have changed my mind about the words, and their meaning.

I was in London last week, as you know. I was in a Starbucks, waiting for a meeting to begin. In the corner there were four people having an animated discussion. It was obvious to me that three of them were trying to sell the fourth.

The meeting went on for awhile, and I stayed since I could hear the conversation, and frankly I wanted to know what it was about.,

It finally ended, and the women, facing the fourth, said to him "Well, thanks for your honesty." She was not being difficult. She realized that what ever they were selling, it was over. I thought about those words later, and hope that I never have to say them to anyone.

There is no question, that when you utter that phrase you have been told NO, and it time to move on. But, we all are sorry to hear that, and we all really want to say "What don't you get? Which word don't you understand.

Good Selling,

Steve

MONDAY

I am back from a week of travel. I closed several deals on the West Coast and gave four days of speeches, so it was a good week for me.

I thought about how one gets bored with the same thing over and over again. The fact is, as sales people we do not have to let that happen.

We are meeting new people and new companies everyday, and if we stay focused we can over come the boredom factor. But that means that you have to work! There is an element of surprise in that. In order to move ahead we have to "work" or we lose our identity. That may not be true for everyone, but for many it is. Keep on plugging away and have fun. You will never be bored in sales.

Good Selling,

Steve

FRIDAY 10AM

It is now Friday at 10 am, but you can tell that by the title of the this blog. I was very busy this week with sales calls and speeches. Everything went really well, and we had one of the most productive weeks ever.

Then I get this call from a person who is upset with me, after reading one of the books. It's like she tried nothing, but still blames me for her being fired from her job. At first I thought she was joking, but then I relaized that she was a nut case.

I get about 5 calls a week, but not from crazy people; most of the time they ask sales related questions, but this tops them all.

Tomorrow I leave for LA and then Tampa for meetings and some speaking that I am scheduled to do. Yesterday we closed a bank and a small program that we will do in a week or so.

By the way, did I tell you that the Russian deal is set, going there the end of January.

Good selling, Steve

SNOW

It's snowing here. The first snow fall of the season, and I must tell you beautiful. Have a great Sunday.

Good Selling ( and resting today),

BTW: the new book will be entitled: :Stephan Schiffman's Essentials for Sales".

Steve

Underwear

How many sales people do you know that now work from their homes. The whole idea of telecommuting real make sense for sales people, after all, where they should they be; out! They should no ever have to go to the office.

I spend time writing in a place that I have in the mountains of PA. Here is can sit and type to my heart's content, and no one will bother me. The office is great, too, but I cannot write there in the same way that can here.

You are asking your self, where the hell is he going with that. And you might even ask yourself is he in his underwear or worse!!!

The answer is NO, and this brings up the way that you work when you are home.

My feeling is to get up, I do at 4 45, and get my coffee, get DRESSED. It then, and only then, that I feel that I am ready to go to the day. I want to know what you do. How do you approach your day.

Good selling,

Steve