SOOOOOOO CLOSE

DUE TO SOME COMPUTER PROBLEMS, THIS IS THE POST FOR WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 15TH. TODAYS POST WILL BE ADDED LATER.

I called as friend of mine today to ask how his year was going to end, he started his reply with a sigh (not a good sign) and then said, “Lorin I am sooooooooo (he really strung the word so out this far) close to hitting my numbers.” I got so excited, I told him how awesome that was. He then said he didn’t think he was going to do it. When I asked why, he said well next week is a waste of time and the week between Christmas and New Year was even worse.

I WAS STUNNED! I wasn’t in my car or I could have looked in the rear view mirror to see the expression on my face, but I am sure my mouth hung open and my eyes were as wide as dinner plates. It doesn’t happen often, but I was speechless. I know I was silent for at least 10 seconds and so was he. Finally I regained my composure enough to say to him, “WHAT THE HECK (I actually didn’t say heck) ARE YOU THINKING”? Next week is bad the week after worse, THEY HAVEN’T HAPPENED YET, HOW THE HECK (yeah, I didn’t say heck this time either) DO YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF WEEKS THEY ARE, DO YOU HAVE A  #&@%*%!% (fill in whatever blanks you want, they will come nowhere close to what I said) CRYSTAL BALL”?

Now it was his turn to be silent. After what seemed to be an hour, but was actually about 20 seconds, he said, “Well these weeks have never been good weeks for me”. I understood what he was saying, and I may have even agreed with him had he not told me how close he was to his numbers. I felt it was my duty as his friend, and at least in my mind mentor to get him out of the defeatist frame of mind and at least give it all his effort.

I asked him if he had ever worked the 2 weeks he was talking about, and I said the word worked with force to make my point. He was at least honest and said not really. In his words he kind of skated for these 2 weeks and really didn’t try that hard. I then asked if he had ever made a sale during these 2 weeks. He laughed and said absolutely, but he followed it up with, they were not really good sales.

I knew I had an uphill battle ahead of me; he was convinced that the next 2 weeks were going to be bad and even though he admitted he really hadn’t worked all that hard, he didn’t see himself hitting his numbers for the year. I had to pull out the BIG GUNS for this battle. (This part of the conversation would have been more affective face to face but we were on the phone remember) I asked in a very sincere voice, “Why don’t you want to hit your numbers”? There was no silence now, he barked at me, “What do you mean DON’T WANT TO? I can’t hit my numbers, there isn’t enough time”.

I knew I had him right where I wanted him, he had walked right into my trap. I very slowly said, “NO #^%@ (another good word) you cut your year 2 weeks short”! Once again, deafening silence.

I continued (why let him off the hook, I had him listening) the only difference between the next 2 weeks and the last 2 week, or any other 2 weeks of the year were his attitude toward them. I said I knew that the next 2 weeks may not be the best, they may not be the weeks he looks forward too, they may actually be as bad as he thinks they are, but I can assure him of one thing for sure, IF HE DOESN’T CHANGE THE WAY HE LOOKS AT THEM, AND IF HE DOESN’T GO TO WORK WITH THE SAME ATTITUDE AS THE REST OF THE YEAR, THEY WILL BE BAD WEEKS!

We talked for another 30 minutes or so about the next 2 weeks and what he had to do. When we hung up, I felt confident that he would at least give it his best shot.

Now let’s talk about you. It doesn’t matter if you are SOOOOOOOO CLOSE to your numbers or SOOOOOOOOO FAR from them, the next 2 weeks can either be good or bad and it has nothing to do with Christmas and New Years.

Unless you are taking both weeks off for vacation, and if you are go and enjoy yourself you deserve it, you can end this year on a high note and start next year on a roll. There are a few facts I want to share with you;

#1 – The vast majority of sales reps feel the same way about the next 2 weeks as this rep did and many of them take the next 2 weeks off (some still go to work, but then do everything they can to avoid work).

#2 – The vast majority of your customers are OPEN during these 2 weeks.

#3 – Most businesses are very relaxed (meaning a relaxed atmosphere) for the next 2 weeks.

Here is what these 3 facts mean to you;

#1 – The vast majority of your competition either isn’t working or not really putting in any effort, in these 2 weeks

#2 – There are plenty of places for you to go and customers to call on, in these 2 weeks

#3 – (the most important of all) Because of the relaxed atmosphere, you will be able to get to see decision makers that usually will NOT see you, in these 2 weeks.

The last time I checked (you may want to ask your sales managers this question) your numbers for the year were based on 52 week not 50. Make the next 2 weeks work FOR you not against you.

Lorin

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