You Are Who You Hang Out With
CHAMPION STRATEGIS
Strategies for customer centered selling success
July 31, 2010 Newsletter # 1516
You Are Who You Hang Out With
Congratulations to the National Walk Around winners and all who took the time to come to Atlanta to give your performances. You helped raise the consistency of everyone back at your dealerships with application of our sales and service processes. Next year we will make it bigger and better. We are working on ideas to show you more of Atlanta and possibly doing the competition, dinner, and a musical show away from the dealership just for the Asbury employees and their spouse or guest.
After earning my stripes at Brenner Dodge, the largest Dodge truck dealership in central Pennsylvania, Chrysler Corporation came knocking at my door. They liked my work ethic and thought that I would be a good fit as a Regional Sales Manager in Detroit.
I arrived two hours early on that first day. My boss told me there was a manager’s meeting at 8 A.M. He suggested I go across the street to a restaurant, have a cup of coffee, and meet some of my new co-workers.
So off I went. Full of high hopes as an official, full-blown employee of a company so big its stock was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. I was feeling good. I stood in line to pay and was soon greeted by the man in front of me. A fellow employee! I was invited to sit at his table. I couldn’t wait.
John asked, “Is today your first day?”
“Yes, sir,” I answered.
His next words threw me. “Why in the world would you want to come to work for a company like this?”
“What do you mean?” By now I was nervous and my ears were filled.
It was soon time to go back in and talk with my new boss. I sat in his office waiting and wondering if this new position was going to be a great kickoff to a new career or the biggest downer of my life.
He had barely sat when I blurted, “I think I may have made a mistake in accepting this job.”
“You just came to work this morning. Why do you say that?” he asked.
“Well, you see, over coffee across the street, I met a man by the name of…”
“John?” he asked before I could get it out of my mouth.
“Yes. How did you know?”
“I can’t believe the first person you met on your first day was John. He is the most negative person in my sales department.” My boss assured me I had not made a bad decision. “I hope you’ll believe me that the problems John have at being successful here are caused by his work ethic, or lack of it, not by the job itself.”
Turns out they had dozens of managers who were very happy and performed quite well. His advice to me? “Stay as far away from John as you possibly can.” From that point forward, I did just as he said and my experiences with that company turned out quite well. But what if I had listened to John from that point forward? How many “Johns” do you meet at work?
Lesson number one: Stay away from negative people. How can you identify a negative person? What do they usually talk about? They have the dirt on everyone and are happy to share it. They think the company they work for is the worst and are happy to tell you why. They think they are being held down by “The Man” and are happy to tell you how little money they are making. Nothing is ever their fault and they are the smartest thing ever to walk through that door if only anyone would listen, blah, blah, blah.
In other words, they love to bump their gums, but their feet sure don’t move them toward profitable action. You, on the other hand, will read positive materials and work your brain harder than you work your job.
Lesson number two: Commissions and bonuses of those who are always negative are usually among the lowest. I assume you want to earn more, yes? Then ask yourself this: Who do you hang out with?
Lesson number three: Hang out with those who are better than you. Make friends with those who know more about selling than you do and are people you can learn from. Observe the habits of the positive and imitate these to your heart’s content. Then become a role model for new sales consultants who join your fine company.
Lesson number four: Escape ASAP. When the conversation turns negative about the company that issues your paycheck, run. Yes, run to the ones that can turn it around for you and put you back on track. Observe the habits of the negative and avoid these at all costs.
Lesson number five: Do a favor. Yes, do favors for your customers and coworkers without asking for anything in return.
“The difficult we do immediately. The impossible takes a little longer.” Good luck selling this week. I hope you hit your forecast goals for the month. There’s business out there and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Make It A Champion Day!
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