Early on in my sales career I came across a quote by Jeffrey Gitomer that states, "If you make a sale, you can earn a commission. If you make a friend, you can earn a fortune." Its too bad this philosophy is rarely used in sales. Those who employ it, like my friend Lee White who works at Mainscape (commerical landscaping/snow removal), are the top performers and the top paid salespeople.
Lee builds genuine relationships. He doesn't worry about his quota. Lee concentrates on the value he provides to his customers and the potential orders that follow these connections. He doesn't win on price, Lee wins sales on friendship. I'm glad I've had the chance to shadow and watch people like Lee build wealth the right way. And oh by the way did I mention that Lee White doesn't cold call. How many life long friends have you made cold calling?
I believe his mantra goes like this, "make friends before you start, or don't start at all. Fortunately Lee has built an army of personal ambassadors who have a vested interest in seeing him succeed no matter what. How did he do this? I'll tell you, by "giving" first and then building genuine relationships. I'm sure there's a Lee White out there in your network who might be willing to share a few trade secrets, why not take the time and reach out.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Four Things Employees Need From Leaders
My wife has an uncanny ability to discover worthwhile content via Twitter. Her "re-tweet" included a link by Dr. Cleve Stevens about transformational leadership and its importance. Check out the four things employees need from leaders.
1. The need to love and be loved - We usually think of love as beyond the pale in the work-a-day world, but the transformational leader vividly understands that tough-minded caring is essential to leading and developing a powerful, full expressed workforce.
2. The need to grow - The only alternative to growth is death and decay. By creating a culture that allows our people (and ourselves) to grow, we are expanding our capacities as leaders, as employees, and as human beings.
3. The need to contribute - When we are contributing in a significant way we have a preace of mind. We know we belong. The simple pricincple at work here goes something like this: life works when we forget about ourselves and contribute to others. to feel fulfilled and empowered, employees must know they are contributing to the whole.
4. The need for meaning - We are meaning-seeking creatures. If our lives lack a clear sense of meaning, if we are not engaged in some larger purpose, we will not be fully satisfied, regardless of whatever else we may have.
1. The need to love and be loved - We usually think of love as beyond the pale in the work-a-day world, but the transformational leader vividly understands that tough-minded caring is essential to leading and developing a powerful, full expressed workforce.
2. The need to grow - The only alternative to growth is death and decay. By creating a culture that allows our people (and ourselves) to grow, we are expanding our capacities as leaders, as employees, and as human beings.
3. The need to contribute - When we are contributing in a significant way we have a preace of mind. We know we belong. The simple pricincple at work here goes something like this: life works when we forget about ourselves and contribute to others. to feel fulfilled and empowered, employees must know they are contributing to the whole.
4. The need for meaning - We are meaning-seeking creatures. If our lives lack a clear sense of meaning, if we are not engaged in some larger purpose, we will not be fully satisfied, regardless of whatever else we may have.
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