Let’s see I entered the industry in 1980 via a State sponsored program to put people to work in the technology industry. I went to copier training school for a good 12 weeks to learn how to become a copier technician and was paid $3.50 per hour. In 12 weeks I graduated and was assisted with getting a job at a local copier dealer as a copier technician.
The copier tech thing didn’t work out, however, I was offered a job to sell copiers and I never stopped. I never was a slacker and had this thought that I was never really good at anything, however, I could be great at selling copiers. Many years later I had this silly notion that I wanted to make my name synonymous with the copier industry as Xerox is to a copy. What a pipe dream.
Now that I’m on the downward trend of my career there are still some things that I’d like to accomplish and maybe some things that I’d like to see happen before I exit (not saying that’s going to happen any time soon). But here’s my list:
- I’d like to have one day of door to door cold calling without seeing a “no soliciting sign” or dealing with a rude gatekeeper.
- I’d like a prospect to tell me this, “we like you, we like your product but we think your price is too low; how about we increase the lease payments by $100 a month if we sign the deal today?”
- I’d like to get a lead a day for the next 30 days with no prospecting involved.
- I’d like to go an entire year where I’ve reached my monthly quota by the second week of every month.
- I’d like to nail my yearly quota by the end of the second quarter every year.
- I’d like every prospect to call me back after the first message I leave for them.
- It would be awesome to tell at least one cheap, tight ass prospect that I don’t want to do business with you.
- For one week, I’d like to make an appointment with every cold call I made that day. Heck, I could have a month’s worth of appointments in one day.
- I’d like to have one month were all my commission reports were correct in my favor.
- Last but not least, I’d like to be able to get an order for 100 systems in one order; heck I’d even take 50, but then I’d want 100.
Enough said. Actually one more item, when I was let go from the copier tech position the owner of the company asked me a parting question as he reached into his pocket and pull out a C note and stated “which would you rather do, work two days for this $100 dollars or would you rather try to talk me out of it?” Now I thought to myself that my mamma did not raise a fool and I answered with, “I’d like to try and talk you out of it.” With that I was offered the job in sales. Hmm, maybe this should happen more often on interviews?
Good selling!
