– George Cecil (1891–1970)
American advertising copywriter

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Sales risk…

Comfort. Risk. Both are enjoyable.

One we strive to create. One we try to minimize.

One can make us lazy. One can make us stronger.

When did you last risk failure? When did you last leave your comfort zone?

212 challenge… Step out of your comfort zone once more each week and create over 50 additional opportunities for excitement, challenge and possibility each year. This is what life’s about.

It’s been said that youth is wasted on the young. By taking risks, we assure life isn’t wasted on the living.

212 commitment… Risk. Attempt. Fail. Succeed. Once more each week.

(from the book, 212° the extra degree® – what’s 212?)
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Q1 printable JustSell calendars for Two-Twelve (one less syllable… and a year long reminder to give it that extra degree of effort).

Area code and state abbreviation charts are here.
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Today’s quotation is from a correspondence school advertisement in 1921. George Cecil was writing as William Lawrence.

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– Irish proverb

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Sales goals…

19 salesdays remain in the year.

If you’ve not already gotten started on setting your goals for 2012, now’s the time.

Here’s our guide for your downloading pleasure. Let it be your framework.
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Remember… Companies and people will buy this month and people will make decisions for 2012. Use every salesday completely.

Even if people don’t take action now, seeds will be planted.

Don’t waste a salesmoment and don’t let anyone (including yourself) sell you on anything else. Be SalesTough.
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New Q1 printable JustSell calendars are up for the year Two-Twelve (one less syllable… and a yearlong reminder to give it that extra degree of effort).

Area code and state abbreviation charts are here.

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– Unknown

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Sales luck…

"Diligence is the mother of good luck."

- Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790)
American statesman, scientist, and printer

luck: noun: a force that makes things happen

You want more luck? Be the force that makes it happen…

1. Prepare. Work hard to be ready for the opportunities that are important to you. Research. Practice. Perfect.
2. Be awake. Pay attention to the people, events, and things around you. Evaluate logically and trust your gut instinct.
3. Take action. Put yourself out there. Explore. Be vulnerable. Make contact with people. Take risks.
4. Expect positive results. Optimism improves your chances. If (when) you fail, embrace the lesson and continue on, smarter.

That’s it. Now go be lucky (and sell something).

(inspire someone with a Push Your Luck pocket card or wristband)
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I can’t stand how good this 1 minute is from Nike. I’ve seen it over 50 times and it still gets me. A great weekly boost and reminder of what it takes to get lucky (hint: it’s work).

If you haven’t seen this little guy, maybe he can help you get rolling (1 minute).

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– Albert Einstein (1879–1955)
Swiss physicist

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Sales kick off…

This week, focus on giving more for the dollars you earn (with your effort, with your product/ service) and you’ll find more will come your way. It may not always happen as quickly as you’d like, but it’s the better bet in the long run.

(pace your expectations… give more… enjoy more… just sell)
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What can you do for me on the price?

A fantastic question when you’re buying. An inevitable inquiry when you’re selling.

How would you and your team respond at this moment? Here are 2 solid thoughts on negotiating.
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So many great quotes are hidden within even greater thoughts and passages. Here’s Einstein’s complete thought from above…

For a successful man is he who receives a great deal from his fellowmen, usually incomparably more than corresponds to his service to them. The value of a man, however, should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive.

It’s from his book, "Out of My Later Years." Print the whole thought below.
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Sometimes we get feedback from people who feel Einstein was German or American.

Here’s what we know… He was born in Germany and moved to Switzerland at the age of 17. Five years later (1901), he acquired his Swiss citizenship. Apparently in 1914, he became a German citizen but "renounced his citizenship for political reasons and emigrated to America." In 1940, he became a U.S. citizen. (according to the Nobel Foundation).

That combined with the following quotation in a letter he wrote to Alfred Kneser in 1918 had us believing he would much prefer being referred to as Swiss rather than German.

"I am by heritage a Jew, by citizenship a Swiss, and by makeup a human being, and only a human being, without any special attachment to any state or national entity whatsoever."

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– Cato the Elder (234 BC–149 BC)
Roman statesman and soldier

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Sales thought…

Something important – something very important – a thought on starting and finishing…

Three quick questions…

1. Of the 20 or so sales days each month, how many times do you start earlier than is expected of you?
2. How many times do you work later than is expected of you?
3. How many times are you early for an appointment?

Starting early and going long count. Being prompt matters. The impact on you in terms of how it’s viewed by your executive team, management team, peers, subordinates, prospects, and customers can be tremendous – tremendously positive or tremendously negative.

On time – starting, leaving, or arriving – is simply what’s expected.

To be early and go long sends a message of purpose, commitment, and respect – to others and yourself – and assures better results over time. To be even one minute late, or rarely be challenged ending your day on time, sends a completely different message.

Emerson suggested, "Activity is contagious."

Have an impact on everyone. Enjoy great results.

Embrace the early start and go long. Be SalesTough.

(excerpted from our little book, SalesTough… it’s principle #2 of 8… learn more here)
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Do you have your free copy of our favorite, A Message to Garcia? Written in 1899, it’s a 10-minute read that still inspires us today (download it here).

We also published it in SalesTough (and created a version for kids here).

Also: I know I direct you to this at least once a month, but in the spirit of today’s quote and message, I just had to do it again (plus I love it more than once monthly myself)… 1 minute from Nike to wake you up.

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This is Eric Thomas speaking to a group of students at Michigan State University a few years ago. He calls himself the Hip Hop Preacher.

If you want more, his TGIM series on YouTube rolls. I like Episode 27 in particular – it’s kind of a 212 message (what’s 212?).

Got a favorite? Email us.

–Proverbs 20:13

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Sales time…

Today is 20% of your salesweek.

Two salesdays are 10% of your month. (A salesmonth is made up of roughly 20 days.)

To lose only two salesdays each month to fatigue or a desire to wait for a better day to make the call would be to lose more than a full month of salesdays each year (insane… do you see that?).

Imagine if your income reflected your slow days… and know that in the long run, it probably does.

Including today, roughly 30 salesdays remain in the quarter. Tic toc.

TBIF (too bad it’s Friday – the last salesday of the week)

Who should you remind? Get your printable salesdays for 2011.
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Need time? Get up 15 minutes earlier each day and you’ll add more than 90 waking hours to your year (the equivalent of more than 2 work weeks). Imagine what you could do with that (professionally or personally).

Push it up 5 minutes more and grab another 30 hours.

That’s 212.

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–Thomas Edison (1847–1931)
American inventor and salesman
frequently worked more than 40 hours straight

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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? maybe) 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.

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annoy: (uh-’noi) verb: to disturb or irritate especially by repeated acts

The last thing we want to do is annoy them (our prospects & customers).

It’s never our intent. But our intent doesn’t matter.

What we do matters.

Here are the sales facts… 16 things that annoy our prospects and customers and the 5 things they really want.

(Leaders: Let your team in on this one and be sure to consider the replacement activities.)

–Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931)
Lebanese poet and philosopher

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Sales reminder…

It took a lot to bring in your customers. Make sure you keep them by continually radiating the sales culture internally. When you see an opportunity, seize it (for the good of everyone).

Sales results can be directly affected by the actions of your entire team – your receptionist, your implementation people, the people in collections, your delivery people. In some cases, you may not even know it.

Be the positive spark to others. It’s the right thing to do and it’ll help you sell (and retain) more as a result.

Get 5 ways to start right now.

Love Your People.
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Here’s 1 minute from Nike to kick off your salesweek (my better is better than your better). Tears of inspirational salesjoy. Always gets me.

–Mary Pickford (1892–1979)
Canadian actress, Academy Award® winner
Co-founder of United Artists

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Sales mind…

How are you kicking off your salesday?

Are you preparing your mind with solid thought, information, and support? Are you allowing the right radio or TV personalities to get you ready (are any of them good… share one)? The right news or material? The right people at the office?

Be careful to what you give your attention. It all has an influence on you. (And kicking it is much more fun than mediocrity… or worse.)

Feed your mind well. It’s where action starts.

(♫ you got to smove it, smove it ♫)

Maybe this little guy can help you get started on the right foot (1 minute).