More specifically, the IT person's process, not yours.
A post by Jay Rollins over at TechRebublic is very interesting.
The premise is software selection, but the basics apply to anyone approaching the IT folks.
The account is quiet funny - especially, because all the things he went through, we can all see happening.
Thomas the Tank Engine as a tool?
A Pizza Party for ALL THE SUPPORT TEAM?
Oh, and a pushy sales person - no way, can't happen.
The best quote from his post, "...The next time a vendor wants to impose their process on us instead of the other way around, I’ll tell them to take a hike..."
Copiers, printers, Blades, paper, toner, MPS, PM, managed services, paperclips - if you sell, keep selling, sell today, sell in a recession, sell in a depression, sell even though the gov't takes half, never stop.
You sell. You don't run from history.
You make it.
It's tough out here - but here we are.
Thing is, it can always be worse -
Superbowl, 2002. Just months after 911.
The nation was in mourning - we needed something to get ourselves back up. Soldiers were cool again.
Do you remember the Empty Sky's of 9-12? That was scary.
Superbowl, for us, represented something more than a football game - it meant we were still here, the US, we Americans were still standing.
Still here to do what we Americans do: watch football, buy music, dance in the frickin streets, flaunt those who hate us, those who would kill us, and to sell.
We were celebrating life while remembering those who went before us.
It took a few crazy Muslims to tear down the towers.
But a rock band from Ireland, it's lead crooner sporting goofy blue shades, helped us remember who we are and helped us tell the world, we weren't going anywhere.
Let the cube rats play in the dark. Let the sales managers who have forgotten their passion and left their soul somewhere in the corporate cafeteria, try to keep score.
Keep going, no matter who, no matter what gets in your way - don't let them win.
Not the congressmen we elect, not the fat, lazy, bureaucrats, not your covetous neighbors, not the terrorists or that overly pompous PA can keep you down. You know the score.
It can all end tomorrow, for them it will be a period at the end of an empty life.
For us, we who make things out of nothing, we will be complete.
I see that the blogashere is dispatching its share of gloom and doom. And predictably, so is the "mainstream" media - but this time, I don't think that the media is exaggerating the circumstances - it is bad out here.
In the sales world, it seems at every turn, there is another "expert" telling us how to sell in these difficult times, how to save our career in these difficult times, how to find clients in these difficult times, and how to make more money in these difficult times.
In light of all the "difficult economic times..." chatter, I have a question:
Why or how is it that we should be doing things differently now?
Shouldn't our "plans" and strategies, our skills and fortitude allow us to face the stiff winds with our chins out?
I mean, as sales people, shouldn't we be use to idiot managers who have never sold, ding dong owners who demand more, expect more, pay less and maximize their personal financial position over others?
Are not we familiar with "negativity", rejection and "turbulent financial circumstances"?
Who of us has never failed? Which one has never been “let-go” and faced the world without a job?
Are we not the same ones who not so long ago, looked at people who couldn't sell themselves out of a wet paper bag, making bank by writing shady mortgage agreements for anyone with a pulse? Was that fair? Was that the way it should be?
Or as outside Selling Professionals, do we take exception with the “inside order fulfillment” folks claiming to be Sales People and demanding like compensation for filling out an order form? Yet, we continue to pound the pavement, make a sale that helps pay for the inside order takers', kids baseball glove?
The bold, the strong and the steady knew it would not last. The smart (and you didn't need to be all that smart) could see that the boom times were built on paper machete – not bedrock.
These times are trying, and will only get more challenging.
Now the REAL you will come out.
Now we will see REAL Rainmakers.
Where once there was no shade, we create forests.
Now we will see who is really good at doing what’s best for clients, families, companies, and our country.
We make something out of nothing. It is what we do, it is what we love to do; it is what is needed to be done.
This is what it means to Sell.
It's not the Profession, it is the people in the profession - there are lots of layoffs right now, you don't need to be reminded. But layoff a Selling Professional, and he will make things happen bringing shade where there once was none.
Layoff a line worker or a cube rat - and he will make everyone around him miserable, spewing blame in all directions, queuing up for the "stupid persons" bail-out.
It’s easy to be in Sales when times are good – let's see who can walk the walk today.
Well, just the customers who are wrong, and will not take your advice..
I hope good Admiral Farragut is not spinning in his grave over my adulteration of his famous quote - it just seems fitting, especially when sailing through today's torpedo filled, economic seas.
Ken Stewart has a great post, The Customer Is NOT Always Right! where he expresses the need to steer clear of certain customers and sometimes make a few walk the plank.
But that is just the surface subject of his post.
I read the underlying message as "Know thyself, to thy own self, be true..." - yes, I know, I just mixed The Oracle at Delphi and Shakespeare, but you get the point, hopefully.
In order to steer clear bad customers and to fire clients, we must posses a level of confidence gained after knowing what it is that we do best and who we like to "hang around".
Life is short. Why not surround yourself with clients(or friends, or family members)that have the same ideas and ideals as you?
Makes sense, don't it?
Now, Damn The Torpedoes, march into your Sales Manager's office and tell him you are firing the three most irritating customers you have...er...well...ok, wait...before doing that, update your resume...
Until you see that Amazon's best season, has little to do with books.
AMAZON called its 2008 holiday shopping season "the best ever," despite a series of predictions that even online sales would weaken as US consumers cut back amid the recession.
Amazon said that on its peak day, December 15, it received more than 6.3 million orders, at a record pace of 72.9 items per second.
This is a surprise of sorts, when viewed through the prism of "recession".
Amazon said top-sellers from November 15 through December 19 included Nintendo's Wii, which dominated the videogame category.
According to reports from the Wall Street Journal, Australia: "...Among toys, the best-sellers included Jakks Pacific's Eyeclops night-vision goggles. In the electronics category, Samsung Electronics’ 52-inch LCD High-Definition television and Apple's 8-gigabyte iPod Touch led the gains.
Also a strong seller was Acer's Aspire One 8.9-inch netbook. The devices, which have little processing power, screens between nine and 12 inches wide diagonally and typically cost less than $US500 ($729), have been rising in popularity, according to technology-research firm iSupply.
Among DVDs, Amazon said Wall-E, The Dark Knight for Blu-ray and The Dark Knight sold well. Top sellers in books included The Tales of Beedle the Bard by JK Rowling, and two works by Stephenie Meyer, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn.
Amazon didn't comment on its selling prices or margins for the 2008 holiday season..."
Henry defined the auto industry - his idea to manufacture a product that his employees can afford to buy, was pure genius. And the employment of ex-cons to secure his family, turned into the downfall of his corporate legacy - maybe.
The last remaining American hope in the auto industry is Ford Motor Company - can it be a result of the Ford family beginning to buy back stock years ago?
Family owned.
Perhaps all the money the family saved with the Lions- will come in handy.
Today, Bush ok's a bail out for GM and Chrysler - and Ford said no thanks.
Defiant Ford. Struggling Ford.
Brilliant Ford.
GM and Chrysler are pretty much gone - GM and Chrysler must sell their corporate jets.
Another requirement of the 3 year loan is to secure concessions from the unions - Ford will piggy-back those concessions.
The next 6 months are going to be very interesting.
Ford's next ad campaign should capitalize on this move - the defiant, remaining American automotive dream.
And this just after the F-150 was named the 2009 Truck of the Year - remember last year it was the Toyota Tundra.
"Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something..." Bailouts are not Loans - did you read your mortgage documents? You did? Good, than you know what "ARM" stands for, correct?
There is a great post over at the Caskey blog, here it's about Free Markets, recession and "You, Incorporated."
Bill really got me going on the subject of whining and feeling sorry for yourself and how easy it is to become a "victim".
Granted, everybody wants to help a victim, even if the circumstances are self inflicted. But to be perfectly blunt, and a little cold, "victims" are never "winners". Victims become winners when they overcome their victimization.
The current atmosphere of "bailouts for all of your mistakes..." is nauseating. Because we are now rewarding those who make stupid decisions. We can't call their acts stupid, but we can call them "victims" - and victims are entitled to bailouts.
Problem is, Free Markets change, demand for skilled labor changes and Change is Painful - Do you still use buggy-whips? I imagine there were a few buggy whip manufactures who went out of business when Ford unleashed his Model T; and what about saddle makers, and feed stores?
Yeah, yeah, I know, I know..."that was different..." phut!
Like Bill, I am from the Detroit area - I grew up in suburbia, went to a local university and Ended up living and working in the high-tech industry all over the eastern side of the state. I have had many lunches at the eatery Jimmy Hoffa was last seen.
And I remember the "dark days" of the Seventies when Lee Iaccoca went to Washington for a LOAN not a bailout; a loan that Chrysler paid off early.
The Times, they are different...
But the whining, the "entitlements" and the blame has festered, grown and spread - there are far, far fewer "You, Inc." people today. No more "Rugged Individuals", very few purveyors of Yankee Ingenuity with a Can Do attitude...nope.
Tough Times - Wash Away Flotsam
I have often said, "I don't participate in recessions." I don't.
One shouldn't respond out of fear, but most do - and it isn't the sheep responding that are as bad as those who use this to manipulate the scared into believing they can do nothing without "a little help from my friends..." i.e., "the government".
Tough times build character - if you win a game after losing one the week prior, the victory is so much sweeter. Of course, this assumes you keep score - how many youngsters play football(or any other sport)today and do not keep score, in an effort to save the loser from humiliation? The ultimate bailout. By shielding the loser from the pain of loss, we steal and shame away the joy of winning. And we destroy the opportunity to win with grace or lose with honor.
If it doesn't matter, why should we recover to come back and fight another day?
The Times, they are different...We have all the Americans Gone?
This is a great tribute and yet very sad - I fear the Americans that Byron is talking about have all left. Today's American whines, and paints his nails with clear polish.
Today's American wants to be loved for being "nice" not for being firm.
In Bill's article, he says about the You, Inc. mentality, "...You choose where to live, based on your means. You choose what career to pursue based on your interest and ability. You chose your friends. You choose whether you want to go into massive debt or not..."
I wonder how many "Americans" view these thoughts as elitist...
I wonder how many Americans see these words as treason...
