Is Success The Key Or The Lock

Success is an elusive concept. Defined differently for each person, the word alone stirs in some, vivid imagery and in others, absolute frustration. Here are a few definitions; 

• the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like
• a successful performance or achievement.

For those to have a vivid imagination and can see success in the most favorable conditions, then wealth, position, or honors might play into your thoughts, actions, and habits. You see yourself being successful, so you do the things that successful people do to achieve, attain, or realize success.

 

For those who land on the absolute frustration, perhaps you have attempted success in some areas of your life and your actions did not result in wealth, position, or honors. The performance or achievement did not succeed, in some ways, you saw failure.

 

For the readers who land in the first camp (vivid imagery) you might see success as the key. In fact, you have collected many keys in your life. Keys which have opened locks that lead to success. Athletics, academics, relationships, finance, business, ministry, teaching, coaching, parenting, these all require something…that elusive mixture of nature and nurture. You have discovered the keys which open the locks. With the opening, you are presented with more options, more experiences, and more chances. As you progress, you store up historical success and apply that experience and confidence to the next series of “life locks” which require keys.

 

For the readers who land in the second camp, absolute frustration, success can be represented by the lock. A physical representation of “do not enter.” Perhaps you tried to open these locks in the past and you had the wrong keys. Sure these keys have been designed to open OTHER locks, just not the ones you have in front of you. Sports might not have been your thing. Academics; difficult. Relationships; even more challenging that sports or academics. You tried the other areas where successful people opened the locks and determined that you should just play it safe and keep those life locks…LOCKED.

 

The challenge here is in a one dimensional paradigm of success/failure. Take a piece of paper and draw a horizontal line. On the left side write the word FAILURE, on the right side, SUCCESS. You see, many people define their lives by the single dimension of Failure and Success. Success can be elusive. It can be an addictive drug until itself. Once you succeed in one area, you demand success again and again in other areas, perhaps ALL areas. Success becomes the destination and requires more and more destinations.

 

Failure on the left hand side is also a measurable point on the horizontal dimension. Failure in one area does not mean failure in all areas. What if you could redefine the word failure? Take Thomas Edison and his ability to redefine failure. When he attempted to create the electric light bulb, he said he did not fail, he discovered 1000 ways it does not work. You see the approach to failure and success is not one dimensional. Do not let these two words prevent you from moving forward.

 

In the movie; Meet The Robinsons, there is a great scene where the automated peanut butter/jelly mixer does not work. Young Lewis the frustrated inventor volunteers to fit it. Everyone at the dinner table gets excited and offers encouragement. Lewis, confident he has solved the problem, tells them to let’er rip. The machine fails and Lewis is crushed. The Robinson family celebrates Lewis’s failure due to the excitement of trying again and perhaps getting better and better and making it work. Great lesson here about creating an environment where people can attempt and fail, only to be encouraged to try, try, try again!

 

So, you have a choice. You can view success as the key or the lock. I have attempted both and I choose to collect keys to open locks. If one key does not work, I will find another. I choose to redefine failure as just an event, not the end game.

 

Acting On A Prompting – Reflections From The 2009 Sendoutcards Conference

A few weeks ago I traveled to Salt Lake City for the 2009 Sendoutcards “United We Send” conference. About 2,400 other people showed up as well. All this because Kody Bateman, the founder of Sendoutcards, wanted a way to act on a prompting.

What is a prompting? A prompting is your inner voice, that message you hear when you think; “I really need to _______.” Whatever that need is that inner prompting is you thinking about doing something. Examples would be to write that thought down, take the time to say Thank You to someone who just popped in your mind, email someone about a memory you just had, etc. There are two parts of the prompting; one is your inner voice communicating that, and the other is the action you take based on the compelling nature of that prompting.

The challenge with most of us today is that we are just too busy to even consider that we’re hearing those inner voices. We are too busy to reflect on something internal that should be acted upon, that needs to be acted upon. For Kody, a tragedy in his life resulted in a lifelong quest to enable himself and others to act on promptings. Thus, Sendoutcards was created approximately 6 years ago as a vehicle for people to act; to take physical action when a prompting is heard or felt. That physical action is sending a card, something so simple that it is easy not to do. Sendoutcards make it easy by allowing users of their system to log into their site, select a card or create your own, write the emotion which was the origin of your prompting, then hit SEND. The rest is taken care of by Sendoutcards. They print the card, address the envelop, stuff the envelop, place a stamp , and deliver it to the post office. A few days later, your inner prompting arrives as the action, the message, the written word in the hands and hearts of the intended party. Now, how cool is that!

United We Send was the 2009 theme for Sendoutcards. Listening for your inner prompting and then acting on is does not have a racial or cultural barrier. Each of us, regardless of race, creed, or color, can act on our inner prompting. We UNITE over a common theme; we bring the world together using the vehicle of a gesture, expressed in a greeting card. For me, I enjoyed meeting people who share the same goals and dreams I have. We all found Sendoutcards in a unique way and we all want to pass along this powerful tool to more and more people.

Most of you who know me or read my posts know that I have a background in Sales and Motivation. Sendoutcards can be the most powerful tool in the sales professional’s toolbox. It can be used to communicate a genuine, heartfelt Thank You. I can be used to reach out and touch both prospects and customers/clients. It can be used as a powerful business promotional tool. Like any powerful tool, it has to be used. Having it laying around the office or in the trunk of your car is 100% useless.

What about Motivation? What I have learned in my 2 years of using Sendoutcards is that I am fine tuning my ears to hear my inner promptings. Too many times I get bogged down in the drama and trauma of life. I lose my focus and shut out the inner promptings which I should act on. Now, I am Consciously Competent to listen and act. Often, I am Unconsciously Competent; I act without even thinking about it. Like tying your shoes or driving through traffic, you do it without thinking. As a professional Motivational speaker there are times when you have to listen and act on a prompting. Sometimes it is the client I am with, the way I need to customize and deliver a specific message; sometimes it is more listening instead of talking. It is my inner promptings that lead me to successful outcomes.

What will be in store for the 2010 Sendoutcards conference? I am sure of one thing; more and more people will attend due to the success of this business. More people will want to identify with what Sendotucards has done for their lives and the lives of others. More people will collect the stories in their minds and make them the stories of their lives (Kody Bateman). I know, I will be there.

3 Areas Of Self Management

Sales professionals today are required to perform at levels that have not been defined in previous decades. Technology and fierce competition are driving our sales teams to rely more on their own strengths and resources. To that extent, they need to manage "self" with more efficiency. Described below are three areas where self-management can be seen as a standard that sets the professional apart from the pack.

1. Self-Managed Skills - The difference between selling a product and selling a process can make or break a sales person. The sales professional understands selling is a process where need are discovered, problems are defined, and solutions are offered that meet or exceed these discovered needs and problems. The trouble is we are taught to sell the product and not the process, leaving the customer with a feeling that we really know our product, yet we do not know our prospect/client/customer. Self-managed skills means that sales professionals need to improve our game, need to enhance our skills, need to work hard on understanding and practicing the selling process. We cannot expect the company to do this for us. We cannot expect to strive for excellence without the need of self-discipline and study, to become a master of our craft.

2. Self-Managed Accounts - As sales professionals, we are the front lines to our accounts. Resources needed to close the deal are coordinated through us when the time is right. Our accounts want to be cared for, respected, and made to feel important. That is our responsibility as a professional. To improve on this, we need to understand the makeup and complexity of our accounts. Is this a complex sale with many decision makers? Are we required to interact with the technical buyers, the economic buyers, and the users? Do we have a coach inside this account able to assist us in winning? We self-manage by inserting ourselves and insuring a tighter relationship with our accounts based on our desire to manage them with care and satisfaction.

3. Self-Managed Time - Technology is available today in the form of Contact Management software, PDA devices, wireless communication, and Internet access to assist the self-managed time professional to be efficient in their time allocation. Stephen Covey covered most of this in his four-quadrant illustration of time management, from Urgent Important to Non-urgent Unimportant.

As we move toward selling teams, and blending sales personalities together, the three areas above can become exponentially more complex. To reduce this, each person on the sales team should know their strengths and challenges contained in these three areas, and know the other individual's strengths and challenges on the team. Full disclosure will assist in interacting and managing the sales team. Understanding and coaching will give the sales team more self-managed wins and less time doing unproductive tasks.

The moment to start is now. Begin by assessing yourself against the measures above. Are there areas where you can improve?

You've Been Cleared To 35,000 Feet

A few weeks ago, I had the chance to fly from Sugar Land, Texas to Charlotte, North Carolina in a private Citation V jet. The best part was that I sat in the Co-Pilot's seat both ways. the Citation V is owned by David Little, the president of DXP Enterprises, here in Houston. We were flying to Charlotte for a sales meeting.  Mr. Little saw the excitement in my eyes to fly on the private jet and saw me staring at all the instruments.  "Hey Curt, why don't you sit in the co-pilot's seat?"  What an invitation

James, our pilot was great.   He explained most of the instruments, answered my questions, filled in the blanks where I wanted to ask a question; yet hesitated.  James is a 20+ year professional pilot who still has the thrill of flying.

Somewhere, between takeoff and landing on our trip from Charlotte to Sugar Land, I took the chance to reflect on my career. James, our pilot has over 20 years of flight time, he knows his airplanes.  I have about 25 years in the selling field; while I think I know, I am open to new ideas, new ways of selling, of understanding buyer behavior, of just about everything. Here are a few nuggets I would like to pass along for those in sales who follow my blog.

• People like to buy, they get annoyed when being sold - DUH! I have been so annoying in my sales career!  There are times when you build trust, understand their needs and wants, identify the challenges, and then present the facts (the solution).  If they get it, they will buy on their time line, not yours.  How many times have I tried to force the issue with cheesy lines, offers, and infomercial techniques "buy wait..there's more!"
• Buyers will be liars.  Yep, they will listen to your presentation, they will show interest, and then, they will not buy.  Sometimes they are just trying to be nice and get you out of their office, sometimes they just do not have the authority to buy, sometimes they are just cruel. They'll lie just to do it.
• There is joy in the selling career - I love it.  I truly love it. Yes, there is a high level of rejection.  Yes, there is a high level of frustration.  Yes, there is a high level of turnover in the sales career.  So what!  We who are in the sales profession know the feeling when you match a challenge with a solution. The excitement of great customer service. The satisfaction when you have earned a reward for a job well done.  If you know what I mean, you might be smiling at this point.
• Continuous Education - In sales, you should always be learning.  I said "should" because not everyone hungers for more education.  I love to read sales books, attend seminars, listen to conference calls, and participate in blogs, interviews, and other venues. Why, because I want to grow, I want to expand my experiences so I can contribute to the next sales call, the next customer question, or the next challenge faced by someone on my team.

"You are cleared for landing..."  Now that is one experience that is different when you are sitting in the very front of the plane!  Lots of work to prepare the plane for landing.  When you hit the runway at 110 knots, and have to stop inside a fixed length, experise is what is required. 

Thank you to David Little for allowing me to travel on his plane.  Thank you to James, our awesome pilot who listened and answered my questions.  Thank you, readers, for allowing me to share my thoughts at 35,000 feet.

Acting On A Prompting

A few weeks ago I attended a Treat ‘Em Right seminar hosted by Sendoutcards. Kody Bateman, the president of Sendoutcards was one of the speakers. What really struck me was his life purpose of “Acting On A Prompting” and using a powerful tool such as Sendoutcards to assist people in doing just that.

What is a prompting? A prompting in an internal “nudge.” Something inside you that tells you “Hey, you ought to do ___________.” Examples of an internal prompting are:

* to call that friend,
* tell that person you appreciated them
* write that card,
* send that someone special a gift

All these examples are simple to do, and simple NOT to do. Kody introduced us (about 350) to the promptings that happen inside us, and then, what we do about these promptings. If we ignore them, they go away, some never to return again. If we make a decision to act on them, they become part of our lives.

For me, a strong internal prompting is to say “thank you” to people who have helped me in some aspect of my life. Teachers, coaches, employers, managers, friends and family. I remember what they did and I want to express gratitude by writing them a note. In doing this, I am not expecting anything in return, I am simply acting on a prompting.

My challenge is that I need to train myself to be more disciplined in the “action phase” of promptings. Actually writing that note, capturing the memory, the gratitude, and the moment and writing that down. Kody’s vision what to have a product/service that would help us all act on our promptings by sending a card in the mail. That little step of using technology such as the Internet to capture the moment, write the note, and then hit the “SEND” button launched a complete new and vibrant company. Once I type the gratitude and hit Send, Sendoutcards prints the card, stuffs the envelop, places a stamp in the upper right hand corner, and then delivers that card to the US Post Office. A few days later, the card appears and the inner prompting gets delivered. How cool is that!

So, if you have read this far, and you know someone that would benefit from your inner prompting, act on it. Write that note, write that card, tell them you are thinking about them and that you appreciate them. Need help; allow me to act on behalf of you. Here is a free Gift Account where you can create your contact info and send a few cards on me.  Now, how cool is that!

Be-Do-Have

Three simple words, right? Yet, they construct the framework of something so much larger than each word; set apart. You see, these three words have helped me improve in areas where improvement is both needed and welcomed.

Here is the extended version - In order for you to BE ___________, you need to DO _______, so you can HAVE _________. Obviously, the blanks are critical here. Let me break it down in a few areas.

If you are in sales, allow me to rephrase this as "To BE successful in Sales, you need to DO the things Successful salespeople do, in order for you to HAVE the things successful salespeople have." What are some of the things successful salespeople do? First, I would ask the, watch them, and take notes. For me, I DO things such as:

• Take Notes
• Appreciation Marketing
• Follow Up Passionately
• Dive into Personal and Professional Development
• Become an Expert in my field

See, when I do these things (above) then I begin to get (HAVE) the closed sales, the increased commissions, the trust and respect of my customers/clients, etc. Yet, first, I had to SEE MYSELF AS A SUCCESSFUL SALES PROFESSIONAL. I had to BE successful FIRST..... It is a "vision thang."

Here is another one - "To BE a 10k runner, I have do DO the things runners do, so I can HAVE the stamina/completed 10K races, etc that runners have." It starts in the mind, in the vision and the belief that YOU ARE A RUNNER, then you would naturally DO THE THINGS RUNNERS DO....so you can have the things runners have. So what are the things runners do? Ask them, watch them, take notes. Here are a few

• Diet - they eat the right foods and the right amount of foods so they can train
• Train - they have a schedule when the run, the distance, speed, routine, etc
• Equipment - they have the shoes, the shorts, the shirt, the whole package
• Enroll in 10K races - they sign up early and often so they can complete for thier personal prize

OK, here is one I am personally working on - "To BE a GREAT HUSBAND, I need to DO the things great husbands do, so I can HAVE a Great Marriage." So what have I learned in this area? First, I have to see (visual again) that I am BECOMING a great husband, so I do:

• Take an honest self-inventory of my strengths and character flaws
• Read books on creating a great marriage
• Network, hang out, ask questions from people who have a great marriage
• Attend classes (when available) on create a great marriage

What is the end result here, a process where my marriage is becoming better. It is not 100% there, it is a work in progress and it is moving in a forward direction. Why, because I made the choice to move / improve.

BE ==> DO ==> HAVE 3 simple words, yet when mixed together, so very powerful for people who are reaching for their goals, their dreams, and their future.

When Do You Brighten A Room?

When Do You Brighten A Room? - Curt Tueffert

It has been said that there are two kinds of people, those who brighten a room when they enter it, and those who brighten a room when they leave. The question is; “Which one are you?”

People bring things into the room, into a conversation, into a meeting, into a connection with our customers, vendors and fellow employees. Typically, they bring in an attitude. Attitude is usually the first thing that brightens a room on entering or exiting.

Have you ever been in a meeting where one of the attendees kills the flow with their facial expressions, body language or comments? They walk around like Tigger without his tail, like they just sucked on a lemon. There is a diagnosis for these types of people who brighten rooms when they leave; Emotionally Constipated! You know them; they roll their eyes at any and every positive message. Their sarcasm is cutting and hurtful beyond the light hearted words that are used for humor. The glass is always half empty. They have a world view of scarcity instead of abundance. They are quick with comments of what they cannot do instead of what they can do. If the diagnosis is emotional constipation what is cure? From this writer’s perspective, a good start is ATTITUDE.

Think about the meetings, the sales calls, the phone conversations with someone with a great attitude. It brightens the room when they enter the meeting, makes the sales call more engage, and builds a stronger connection on the phone. The best thing about attitudes is that they can change. The worst think about attitudes is that they can change. The good news is that we can have a powerful impact with the simple change of an attitude. The only person who can control your attitude is you. You get to make the decision; daily as to how you choose your attitude. You get to choose to brighten the room when you enter or when you leave.

One significant question is "Are You Passionate About Customer Service?" Are you? Since we are all in the customer service business, we have a choice. Are you passionate about it? Do you have an attitude that brightens a room when you discuss customer service, or are you so emotionally constipated that just the mention of customer service brings anger, resentment, bad experiences, and apathy? I have connected Customer Service and Attitude and tied it together to make this point; choose today to be the very best customer service advocate with the very best attitude regardless of the circumstances around you. Forget all the emotionally constipated people you meet. You are not responsible for their actions, only your actions and reaction to the situation.

Here is my secret to having a PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) about almost anything. It comes from a speech by Lee Iacocca when Chrysler was in tough times. He addressed the crowd and made the comment “Yesterday ended last night.” Meaning – it really does not matter what happened in the past, today is a new day and a chance to brighten another room, to impact someone with a great, fresh, powerful, positive attitude.

Bring The Solution...Be The Solution

Every now and then, a simple phrase becomes the rally point for people. "Bring The Solution...Be the Solution" is not mine, I am borrowing it from a friend of mine, Rick Veillon. At a recent meeting of Sales Managers, this phrase really caught fire. I am here to further develop this idea into a few target areas


BTS...BTS In Sales: If you are in sales and are looking for a powerful approach to your career, thing about these (6) simple words; BRING The Solution...BE The Solution. In sales, you have to know your product or service inside and out. You have to commit to become an expert at your product and service so you can BRING that solution to prospects, customers, and clients. Stop bringing the same boring stuff all the other sales people bring... their empty selves, cliches, clever Marketing slogans... start bringing the SOLUTION. How? You have to know what your prospects, customers, and clients need, want, and desire. How? ASK! Ask questions. Build enought trust and rapport that they would want to listen to you. Then....BE the solution. You have to beleive enough in your talent, your skills, and your craft. If not, go out and get the skills. Learn the art of having a good conversation. Develop stronger people skills. Get organized... BECOME THE SOLUTION.


BTS...BTS In Management: If you manage people, your job is to BRING solutions to your team and to bring solutions to your upper management. If you are managing people, you need to BE the solution, the best manager you can be so you can assist your team in developing their potential, unlocking their skills to complete the tasks they are assigned. Remember, the opposite can also be true - Bring the PROBLEM...Be the PROBLEM. No need to further develop the difference between a problem and a solution. If you have read this far, you should have figured that out.


BTS...BTS In Relationships: My caveat there is that I am no expert in the art of relationship building. I am a student, I am open to learning more, and I have a lot further to go. To BRING the Solution in a relationship is to offer yourself, 100%, fully engaged. When you are responsible for yourself and your development, then you win others by attraction and not promotion. People want to be with you because your bring something...a gentle word, a kind spirit, encouragement, accountability, etc. BE the Solution is to further develop yourself to become bigger than you are in a good sense. Not egotistical or self centered, the more you concentrate on BE-ing...the more humble you become. Remember, we are Human BEINGS...not Human DOINGS....


In conclusion: 6 simple words, strung together in a series (BRING the Solution...BE the Solution) can be a start of a brand new day, philosophy, management style, selling style, or relationship. Start today and let me know how it goes. Curt - tueffert@aol.com

I Did It Again

"I did it again." While this is a simple phrase, a sentence that rolls off the tongue, it is also a great motivator, a philosophy for sales and for life. Let me break it down a bit.

Marathon and Triathlon training can be broken down into small training steps which, applied over time, become routines that draw you closer to your goal; getting in shape for the event. I have completed (2) marathons and (2) Triathlons (swim relay portion). I started with small running and swimming goals and applied consistence to it. "I did it again!" was my motto. I ran...again. I swam...again, I ate healthy...again. I had the choice to stop, to make an excuse, or to just give up, yet I did not.

To you the sales professional: Sales is the art and science of applying small principles over and over again to solve the need, wants, desires, and challenges of your prospect, customer, or client. "I did it again" is the pure motivation which successful professionals use.

• I did it again...I prospected a new account, new lead, new location
• I did it again...I asked the hard open-ended question which my competitor did not ask
• I did it again...I provided value by researching my product, the market, the competition, my customer/client
• I did it again...I read another sales or business book, I listened to a tape, I attended a webinar, I read a sales newsletter
• I did it again...I worked harder on myself than on my job. When I work hard on my job, I make a living, when work hard on myself, I make a fortune.
• I did it again...I took the time to thank people along the way who helped me get where I am and where I want to be

In your personal/professional life: the success or failure(s) in your life can be tied to your thoughts, actions, habits, and character which is being built.

• I did it again...I drank too much at the party
• I did it again...I ate too much junk food
• I did it again...I blamed all the people around me for all my failures
• I did it again...I was selfish and greedy
• I did it again...I did not take responsibility for my actions

Sure those are negative, yet there is always a choice

• I did it again...I stopped drinking at my limit and enjoyed myself without the need
• I did it again...I ate 1/2 the portion and focused on the healthy alternatives
• I did it again...I owned my part in the success and/or failure of my actions or inaction's
• I did it again...I was selfless and giving of my time, treasure, and talents
• I did it again...I developed my self improvement plan for my health, finances, friendships, and career

"I did it again!" is more than 4 words strung together, more than a simple phrase. For me, it is a way of life where I can apply small corrective steps to move toward my success goals and away from my failures. I learn, I grow, I risk, and I apply what I gather to make the next move the right move.

YOU DID IT AGAIN!

Now, if you have read this far, you know that I am on your side, I am in your corner, I want you to succeed.

Selling Like Jean Luc Picard

"Tea, Earl Grey, HOT!" These are the famous works from Captain Picard of the Enterprise (Star Trek Next Generation)

I've enjoyed watching the show, simply for the leadership aspects of Captain Picard. Now, how does that apply to your selling career and/or sales management career?

Here are three simple truths, Picard and others know...

1. Picard knows what he wants.
2. He articulates it clearly.
3. He has a system for producing his desired outcome every time.

He Knows What He Wants - Pre-call planning. Knowing the outcome of the sales call before you show up. What are you trying to get from this call, what are your trying to give in this call? Where are you taking the sales call, where is the customer taking you?

He Articulates It Clearly - Using open ended questions, providing samples, taking a tour of your operations, are all ways to clearly articulate what you are trying to pass along when you are selling.

He Has A System - a systematic approach to selling. Using a process, understanding the customer, walking through a checklist, it is all the same, a systematic approach to moving a customer from "here" to "there" without forcing the issue.

Granted, not every call will have a "Captain Jean-Luc Picard" appeal. The point is to strive for more calls with this approach and appeal. What would that look like? What would that sound like? What would the outcomes and results do for you and your family? For your customer?