Every great salesperson was once a beginner

 by Jeffrey Gitomer

“That’s easy for you to say! You’re already a great salesman and a successful author and speaker,” someone yelled from the audience as I was answering a question about how to brand yourself and position yourself to create the law of attraction.
Now the audience was waiting for my answer. It wasn’t a time for humor. Every person was looking for the bridge between where I am and where they are. And not just an answer – a path to get there.
I began by telling them of a book I had just purchased called, Every Great Chess Player Was Once A Beginner. The title rocked my entire thought process. Although it was obvious that everyone starts someplace, it’s hard to imagine A-Rod playing little league, or Bret Favre playing Pop Warner football. Hard to imagine Bill Gates in his dorm room cooking mac and cheese on a hotplate as he struggles with his 128k computer to create the future of software. But they all did.
Then I gave them a glimpse of my beginning and my renaissance.
REALITY: No, it’s not easy for me to say anything, or do anything.
Yes, I’m somewhat successful now, BUT I didn’t start with nine best-selling books. I started by writing one 750-word column. Actually I started studying sales in 1972. And made sales for 35 years. I had no idea I would write. I just loved sales and wanted to be the best salesman in the world. When the opportunity to write about sales appeared, I jumped on it. Now I write about my personal experiences, observations, and thoughts.
When I moved to Charlotte in 1988 I was starting over. Beginning again. I knew no one, and had limited capital (definition: broke). I joined the Charlotte Chamber.
I subscribed to the local business journal. I networked my butt off. And I tried to get business for others. I connected and made connections. I became known as a person of value. I took a leadership position at the Chamber.
Here are the insights that drove me:
As a beginner you have to trust your instincts, and you have to “BE.”
• Be willing to risk.
• Be a constant student.
• Be a consistent performer, even in a losing cause.
• Be a value provider.
• Be friendly and likeable.
• Be passionate about your product or service.
• Be willing to dedicate the time it takes to become great.
And you must BELIEVE you can do it. Your mental strength is more important than your skill and your product knowledge. Mental strength stems from your attitude, your enthusiasm, and your willingness to work hard. It’s a struggle, what’s your point? Struggle is part of greatness. So is hard work. TV is not.
GREAT NEWS: Your earnings in sales and business are only limited by your ability to convince others to buy.
REALITY: You have to read, study, and practice.
EXAMPLE OF PRACTICE: Cold calls are a lousy place to make a sale, but they’re a great place to learn how to sell.
REALITY: Rejection is part of the game – all sports have winners and losers. If you can win 30% of the time, you’ll win awards, make president’s club, and earn a fortune – that means you’ll get rejected seven out of ten times. Get used to it and get over it.
Think of it this way: Every “no” gets you closer to a “yes.” There, that feels better now, doesn’t it?
Where do you “begin” becoming great?
What is your beginning?
Maybe you have already begun.
There are guidelines to consider:
The first is dedication. To yourself, to your excellence, and to your desire to become the best at whatever you do.
Become a product of the product.
Live your outcome and results.
Study the history of your product.
Visit customers often. Work at their place of business for a day, for free.
Yes it’s nice to have natural ability — to be gregarious, humorous, honest, hard working, reliable, and trustworthy, and to have the knack for picking up concepts quickly.
Yes it’s nice to have a past history of success.
Yes it’s nice to have a great reputation.
Yes it’s nice to have a great home environment.
Yes it’s great to have supportive people in your life.
And yes it’s nice to have a solid financial foundation.
But these situations and characteristics are not “musts” for greatness.
If you’re trying to grab the brass ring, it comes from within. Energy, desire, dedication, and passion are integral to making the grade, or should I say the GREAT.
In just 20 years I have become an overnight success.
I wish the same for you.
If you want more beginners’ wisdom, go to www.gitomer.com, register if you’re a first-time visitor, and enter BEGIN in the GitBit box.

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible and The Little Red Book of Selling. President of Charlotte-based Buy Gitomer, he gives seminars, runs annual sales meetings, and conducts Internet training programs on selling and customer loyalty at www.trainone.com. He can be reached at 704/333-1112 or e-mail to salesman@gitomer.com

© 2009 All Rights Reserved - Don’t even think about reproducing this document without written permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer, Inc. • 704/333-1112
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Professional recruiting in the modern world

R.M. Schulte and Associates, Inc. was founded in 1962 by Robert M. Schulte as a contingency and retained search firm.  R.M. Schulte and Associates has always worked very hard to maintain the highest level of quality in its recruiting services.  As with most recruiting firms, we specialize in recruiting talented professionals and executives to fill mid-level to senior management positions in the fields of accounting, banking/finance, sales, human resources, engineering, plant management and manufacturing.  Our philosophy is built upon 3 principles: Technology, Networking and Relationships.

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Logistics business: NRF calls for low holiday retail sales projections

WASHINGTON—The domestic economy is still in a prolonged rut. That said, it does not come as a huge surprise that the National Retail Federation said today that for the 2008 holiday season sales are expected to rise only 2.2 percent to $470.4 billion.
The NRF said this estimate would be significantly below the ten-year average of 4.4 percent holiday sales growth and would be the slowest growth for this period since 2002, when holiday sales inched up 1.3 percent. NRF Chief Economist Rosalind Wells said in a statement that current financial pressures and a lack of confidence in the economy will force consumers to be very conservative with holiday spending, adding that they are likely to be less frugal this holiday season and less willing to splurge on discretionary items.
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Railroad antritrust legislation passed by House Judiciary Committee

WASHINGTON—The topic of railroad re-regulation was back on the table this week, as the House Judiciary Committee passed legislation that has the potential to dramatically alter the freight railroad landscape in the United States.
The legislation, entitled, H.R. 1650: The Railroad Enforcement Act of 2007, would create a dual regulatory system for our nation’s railroad industry and retroactively undo agreements, decisions and rulings currently in effect, according to the American Association of Railroads.

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Fortkamp Now Sales Agent for IPB

Sidney, OH – Kevin Fortkamp, who has been an employee of Industrial Property Brokers (IPB) since January, has earned his real estate license from the Ohio Department of Commerce and is now a realtor with the company specializing in commercial real estate.
A native of Sidney, Fortkamp has an extensive knowledge of the area.  He attended the University of Cincinnati and Ohio University where he pursued a marketing and business course of study.

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An employers obligation under the American’s Disability Act

By Anita M. Schoonover

Here’s a quick overview of your obligations under the American’s Disability Act (ADA). It prohibits employers with 15 or more employees from discriminating against qualified disabled individuals. The law defines a “qualified individual with a disability” as a person who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the job. It also requires employers to make “reasonable” efforts to accommodate a disabled individual’s limitations so that the person can perform the job. If a person is not disabled, however, no accommodation is legally required.
So, what constitutes a disability?
The ADA statute defines a disability as:
1. A physical or mental impairment which substantially limits a major life activity
2. A record of having an impairment; or
3. Being regarded as having impairment.
Physical impairments are defined as any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting the body systems. Also, mental impairments are defined as any mental or psychological disorder, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities.

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Food processing company invests $21M+ in Lima

A new company has selected northwest Ohio for the location of a 100,000 square foot manufacturing facility. Kettle Creations – a food processing company that plans to manufacture refrigerated mashed potatoes and sell them to private label distributors, restaurants, and grocery stores – has committed to locating in Lima.
Ohio was in competition with Indiana for the $21 to $25 million Allen County project. According to Marcel Wagner, president, Allen Economic Development Group (AEDG), the overall investment will depend on the equipment chosen for the facility as well as other criteria. For example, the company will decide whether to pre-treat the sewers for the site in Lima or send it somewhere else.

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Winner announced for the Extreme Technology Make Over 2008

The winner and runners up of SMS proTECH’s Extreme Technology MakeOver were announced today during a luncheon at the Sidney facility.  Presentations of the awards were made by Jeff Boate, Vice President and General Manager of SMS proTECH and Jeff Raible, President of the Sidney Chamber of Commerce serving as Chairperson for the Extreme Judging Panel.

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Midwest Electric members donate $13,300 to area charities

Members of Midwest Electric, Inc., recently donated $13,300 to eight west-central Ohio charities and community projects through the cooperative’s Community Connection Fund.
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Simple Steps to Effective Employee Discipline

By Anita Schnoover

Most managers dread disciplining employees and worry about making mistakes that will trigger legal action.  You can relieve some of this stress by establishing clear expectations for employee behavior and by training supervisors to take fair and consistent corrective action.
Inconsistent discipline can lead to lower productivity, poor morale, and the potential for lawsuits.  Employees who feel they have been treated unfairly or inconsistently often file claims ranging from discrimination and retaliation to contract violation.
At the same time, taking no action or sweeping it under the carpet can be equally dangerous if employee behavior problems are consistently ignored. When your managers do not actively address poor performance and misconduct, morale and productivity will suffer.
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