– Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–1968)
American civil rights leader
Nobel Peace Prize winner

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Sales inspiration…

What if…

John and Abigail Adams had been more concerned with themselves and work/life balance than creating a democracy (if you’ve not seen the HBO miniseries – great stuff)?

What if… Abraham Lincoln (born on 2/12… coincidence?) had quit trying after having a business go under and losing his first local legislative race (and then 3 congressional races and 2 senatorial races)?

What if… Martin Luther King didn’t have a dream and played it safe (and didn’t travel over 6 million miles giving more than 2500 speeches). What if he thought he was too young to have an impact (he did everything he did in a life of only 39 years)?

What if… Gandhi, Teresa, Roosevelt, Ford, Disney, Walton, Gates, Winfrey, Jobs, Stewart, and Ash hadn’t stepped up and worked hard. (What if the thousands of people who supported them hadn’t?) What if your police, military, firefighters didn’t?

What if… No one pushed it, risked it, and pushed it again (and again)?

Be obligated to your world (your customers, your people).

Be SalesTough.

(53 salesdays remain in the first quarter. Printable calendars here.
SalesDays here.)
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Today’s quote is from one of my favorite books by Martin Luther King called "Strength to Love." Heavy reading. Wonderful thinking. The complete thought is…

We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope. Only in this way shall we live without the fatigue of bitterness and the drain of resentment.

The longer printable of the quote is below.

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– Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–1968)
American civil rights leader
Nobel Peace Prize winner

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Sales value…

On a Friday before Christmas a few years ago, someone said to me, "No one’s working today."

"Some people are," I answered.

"I mean a lot of the people I know aren’t.

I asked where that was and the person said it was at one of our local media companies in Richmond.

"How’s the news being produced?" I asked.

"Well, some people are working. I was really talking about the nonessentials."

I hadn’t heard that phrase in a while. I remember hearing it on big snow days in the Washington D.C. area when I was growing up – an area that hosts a large number of government employees.

"You don’t wish you were nonessential… do you?" I asked.

• essential (adjective): of the utmost importance
• nonessential (adjective): not essential

Last year we lost some big contributors.

I love the year-end lists of the people we lost… the "notable" people… the "remarkable" people. It’s great reflection stuff.

One of my favorites is Inc.com’s "Entrepreneurs We Lost". The slideshow version is even more enjoyable. This year’s isn’t available yet but 2010′s is here.

What occurred to me as I finished watching and reading was that there were likely a number of people who contributed to the success of those "remarkable" people. No one does it on their own. Big contribution to this world requires the help of others. And while those people behind the people may not have made the lists, you can bet there were several people who the “notables” knew to be “remarkable.”

So what I’m getting to is this…

We all have a choice. We can be the notable leader or a remarkable supporter but we’re only "nonessential" if we forget to serve (or choose not to).

Everyone can be essential. It’s a matter of becoming important to someone else (whether it’s behind the scenes or out in front). And that happens by making good things happen for other people.

"You’re gonna have to serve somebody."
–Bob Dylan (1941 – )
American music artist

We wish you the best for an exciting and meaningful Two-Twelve (and a safe weekend)!
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One of my all-time favorites for remembering that life is about living and bringing our verse to the world… The classic scene from the film Dead Poet’s Society (1989). Let it pump you up for the New Sales Year.
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In 1994, Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act, establishing the King Day of Service – a nationwide effort to change the holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr. from a day ‘off’ (from work or school) to a day ‘on’, doing community service projects and helping others – more Dr. King’s style.

It’s on January 16th (about two weeks from now).

Is there something you or your team can do in your community?

Connect with Sam (guy behind this stuff)…

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– Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–1968)
American civil rights leader
Nobel Peace Prize winner

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Sales thoughts…

Sometimes, if we don’t have success after repeated attempts to do something, we can lose confidence and eventually give up trying. It’s called "learned helplessness" (we learn to be helpless).

Sales check: Any areas where you and your team have stopped trying (or try, but with little commitment) because prior repeated failures and/ or a perceived inability to succeed has trained you not to try? In prospecting and customer contact efforts? In motivating and improving team attitudes and cooperation? With customer care improvement initiatives?

If so, what can you start doing today to minimize any "learned helplessness" that may have set in? (Maybe have a Cross The Line discussion.)

To see (6-minute video) an interesting take on the concept from a class at Penn State Erie and to learn a little more about the person behind it… click here.

Another thought on embracing the objections of your prospects and customers…

Right now and over the next several weeks, position in your mind the regular objections you hear as not only an inevitable step to bringing in more business, but also a positive step. Objections confirm a level of need or desire for your product or service and help you better determine the next steps you should take in a sales process. For the prospect, it’s your responses to the objections that help validate or support their buying decision.

This is the reason the responses to your top objections (those you and your team hear most often) must be planned and prepared with a professional’s level of attention.

The keys… Appreciate. Validate. Be direct.

Learn more and get 3 starter ideas for objection responses.
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When you need a well-earned break, enjoy Al Pacino’s half-time speech (4.5 minutes) in the 1999 film "Any Given Sunday." Focus and turn up your speakers a bit to get the full feel with the background music.

It’s all about the 212 difference. (What’s 212?)

CAUTION: If curse words bother you, you should skip it.

Connect with Sam (guy behind this stuff)…

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–Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–1968)
American civil rights leader
Nobel Peace Prize winner

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Sales reminder…

Take action.

Make the call (contact).
Ask the (real) questions.
Seek out the objections (the truth).
Close.

Don’t waste a moment going through the motions. (no gomos)

You’re in sales. Everyone depends on you.
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Martin Luther King lived for just over 39 years.

He traveled over six million miles, spoke on over 2500 occasions, became an icon for civil rights, was the youngest Time magazine Man of the Year (35), and won the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize.

When you have some time (outside the money hours or on a well-earned break), enjoy his "I Have a Dream" speech, read his Nobel Prize acceptance, or listen to this quick audio clip (love this) from his Drum Major Instinct sermon for a little inspiration (full text of the speech).

(Sunday is the 48th anniversary of King’s delivery of "I Have a Dream" at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. The dedication of his memorial – between the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials – is scheduled for the same day).
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If you’re a fan of King, I highly recommend his book "Strength to Love" – powerful and inspiring.

Connect with Sam (guy behind this stuff)…

Facebook | LinkedIn | Google+ | Twitter

–Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–1968)
American civil rights leader
Nobel Peace Prize winner

Email this quote

Sales evaluation…

Do your actions…

1. create a positive buzz about you and your work?
2. make others want you as a part of their team?
3. make your employer cringe at the thought of losing you to a competitor?
4. make your customers excited about referring you to their colleagues?

You want your actions to scream value without the need for you to say a word. This is where you want to be – with those in your company and industry – and with those to whom you’re selling.

This is what creates true economic and job security – the value you and your team create for others.

This is care (what it’s all about).

When you have the opportunity over the next few days, set a reminder to review these four questions at the end of each month. Then, give yourself a little (objective) attention by reviewing them and creating an action plan to improve in each area where you feel you should.

Easier said than done… still needs to be done.

Dig deeper and learn the 6 fundamentals of sales value (SalesTough #8).
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