Sales is more than just a numbers game...

0 to 60 in less than 5: Salesbarriers odometer spins to 333

As the blog odometer rolls 333 Posts today, I will soon celebrate four years of blog writing – the TypePad account dashboard shows I have been a “Member Since: May 2006”. What an adventure this has been. Although what seemed a rough and rocky start as I tried to learn the medium, the method, and the message (you wanted to hear), I soon began to get a feel for blogging. My thanks goes out to some loyal friends and business associates who encouraged me to continue, and offered their suggestions and ideas; without their cheerleading, I may have (prematurely) pulled the plug on this endeavor.

Initially I found myself writing in an impromptu way, i.e., if I felt it was something worth mention, I’d pen a piece. I soon realized that I would rather use a more disciplined approach, much like we advocate in our NvestNtech business and sales consulting practice, e.g., “It takes a disciplined process to produce an accelerated sales cycle.” I soon adopted a Tuesday and Thursday cycle of writing and posting to the blog.

When we introduced the One Goal - Revenue Generation ® podcast series, audio now became a part of the blog effort. This took more planning and prep time than penning a quick Post, but the results were equally rewarding. Beyond regular downloads by listeners, our podcasts are available on iTunes, Odeo, and Podcast Alley.

As we established a dedicated audience of listeners, we added the One Goal - Revenue Generation ® Group on LinkedIn. After joining the Group, you can discuss your own personal selling situations as they might relate to an individual podcast episode, or in a broader sense of the profession of Sales.

Fast-forward to today and you will find that Posts now happen as topics come my way. Whether the result of a phone call, an interview, a discussion, news item, event, or activity, I now publish a short or long Post most any day of the week, as well as odd hours of the day.

I really enjoy hearing from readers and subscribers; comments that add to the discussion are appreciated, too. Let me take this opportunity to thank you for your support and becoming a loyal subscriber. If you are a more casual visitor, I would encourage you to add the RSS feed to your browser, or opt-in to getting Posts by email. You will find handy links to do this in the blog, or look for the ShareThis icon at the bottom of each Post for more distribution options.

As we move forward into 2010, I am looking at adding a new audio series of personal interviews with business leaders. Look for more information on the new series in the coming months. In the meantime, it’s back to the daily grind and encouraging clients to have One Goal - Revenue Generation ®.

0 to 60 in less than 5: Jeans with a hole in the knee

Cabin fever must be settling in. One of those rare Carolina snowstorms came in on Friday night. Nice to wake up to the white blanket of snow, but it certainly wreaks havoc on getting around town. Born and raised in Chicago, with a brief stint in Western Michigan, in years past I didn’t understand the slowdown that comes with weather like this – it’s certainly mild by Midwestern standards.

We came to North Carolina from California on the premise it would be a mild weather transition. Our first year here in 1993 proved that to be wrong – 17 years later, it still holds true. But, one thing that has not changed in all those years is how an old pair of jeans with a hole in the knee can bring comfort. The hole in the knee is an emblem that often signals the softening of the denim, and the comfortable fit around the waistband, that only time can bring to life.

Working at my desk today, I couldn’t resist putting on a pair that has only begun to show some flesh in one knee – the remnants of white thread add a touch of a pattern not found elsewhere on these pants. To a degree, they are still presentable; it skirts the edge of acceptable business casual. I can’t help but think, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to get away with this more often.

Since heat pumps are loath to put out any significant heat in this cold weather, I spend the waking hours, and later in the evening, near the fireplace. We have an insert that puts out more heat than the pumps, so they are silent while the natural warmth slowly creeps through the house. With laptop engaged, I enjoy the work at hand until signs of above freezing grace the thermometer – then I can go with the pumps again. Nothing like a wireless network to help you greet the outside world, too.

Herein lies the rub for today. The comfort I find in my jeans, and natural warmth of the fireplace, can’t overcome the need to connect via technology to keep business going. Cell phones, wireless networks, laptops, etc. have encroached into my otherwise peaceful setting. Maybe there is a subtle message I have yet to see – could it be that I long for simpler times? Please tell me it’s not just age creeping in.

0 to 60 in less than 5: Crab pots; one door closes, another opens

Well, not exactly. Before you abandon this read, it’s a metaphor of sorts that relates to a business opportunity in a declining market. The title comes from the well-known quote by Helen Keller, “When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.”

With the downturn in blue crab fishing (in North Carolina), so went the need for building crab pots. With the market in decline, if you were making crab pots on a commercial basis, you could scale back. Or, you could look for a new product opportunity and expand your business. Enter “Core Sound Trees” (http://www.crabpottrees.com/index.php).

While reading the morning paper a week ago, I came across the story (http://www.newsobserver.com/business/local_state/story/237203.html) of the crab pot builder that has supplemented his building of crab pots with making artificial trees (http://www.harveyandsons.com/trees/about.htm). These are no ordinary trees; they are artificial Christmas Trees – actually, the tree shape can be used for a variety of seasonal decorations.

The trees are made from the same materials as crab pots and use a clever, patented design to allow them to be stored flat, with the lights affixed to the tree (for Christmas). I read the story with great interest, but even more so when I caught the production figures: from the initial gifting to friends, to over 150,000 nationwide.

While shopping at a local ACE Hardware store (Atlantic Beach, NC), I came upon their advertising sign and trees. That’s where I took note of the give-back (to the community) in this business endeavor: “$1.00 From Every Tree Sale Goes to: North Carolina Watermen United, Preserving the Integrity and Livelihoods of Coastal North Carolina Fishing Communities”.

When I clicked on their Web site, they are “SOLD OUT” in many sizes and light choices. But, you might be lucky and find one at one of their ‘dealers’ – it’s a good sign in business when you need a dealer network to support your sales. Or, if you are interested in becoming a dealer and adding these trees to your product line, there may be an opportunity for you, too (http://www.crabpottrees.com/dealerform.php).