BB King Sings Success

I am not a big concert guy, but I have always wanted to see BB King live. He just looks cool... look at the man. If you've ever heard his music then you know that he puts everything in to what he does. Sometimes he has to sit down on stage, he's giving it that much.

He's got this tune I happened to listen to recently that actually gives some solid advice for success in selling, business in general and in fact, life. The name of the song is "Better Not Look Down" and it's a winner. Check it out at iTunes and you can own it for a mere 99 cents!

Anyway, BB starts out "I've been around and I've seen some things. People moving faster than the speed of sound. Faster than the speeding bullet, people living like Superman. All day and all night."

If you are really pursuing success I bet you can relate. Between all of the responsibilities we each have at work, at home and at any number of other places, we all move pretty fast. Add to that the challenges that can come with the selling industry (slumps, territory changes, new managers, new owners, new team members) and stress can manifest itself quick!

BB is the man... he's got the the answer for everyone who is pushing 110% "all day and all night."

Here it is, in the chorus of the song:

"Better not look down, if you want to keep on flying. Put the hammer down, keep it full speed ahead."

It sounds like BB is saying is keep moving, don't give up, don't think too long about what you've done that you can't change - just keep pushing forward at full speed. I like it. I really like "put the hammer down." The only thing that will kill you is sitting around and doing nothing. Floor it man.

Some day I'll see this guy...







TK

The S Word...

This is the letter "S" and in sales (it doesn't stand for sales) if you want to be truly successful you've got to work on your "S" until you are extremely proficient at using it.

Of course the "S" word is script and most sales people use the other "S" word when managers talk about creating a script, working on a script, following a script or saying we sound like we're reading a script! Interestingly enough, the graphic I used for this entry has an "S" that's sort of hidden inside a bunch of other lines going in all different directions.

That's what your sales presentation can sound like when you don't have your script down, and the person you are presenting to can't understand what you're trying to tell them or what you want them to do. It doesn't matter if you are in a simple or complex selling environment, or if you work on the phone or work in the field. You have to sound confident and natural when you speak to clients.

If you think that creating, following and eventually internalizing a script is for low level performers - tell that to Al Pachino, Robert Duvall or any other top actor. They learn their lines and practice them over and over again before they deliver them on camera. When you see them, you believe what they say and they also convince you they really are a doctor or a cowboy or a Godfather.

How do they do that!?

It is simple, but it is not easy. They are dedicated to their craft. They work HARD and they know their lines and they know how to deliver them with passion when called upon to do so. It's not uncommon to hear an actor talk about the research they did when they preparing for a role. They beleive in what they do, even if it's only for the short time of working on a particular film.

Let me ask, what do you do to prepare for your role as a sales professional for your company?

TK