SAM I WAS

Over a year ago, 10/13/11 to be exact, I wrote about my Brother-In-Laws father SAM who to me was the consummate salesman. At the time Sam was 93 (I thought 94, does a year really matter at this point?) year’s young and going strong. However after his wonderful wife of over 70 years (again, I thought they were married 60+ but found out it was 70) passed away, Sam’s own health started to decline.

On December 15^th we lost Sam.

I say we, including everyone who will read this post, because when a lifelong salesman dies a little of each of dies along with him. I know that sounds so cliché, but in this case it is true. You see, as I said before, Sam was a salesman salesman. He was from the old school, he had the ethics of the old school, he had the persistence of the old school, he had the self-drive of the old school and most of all he had the LOVE for selling of the old school.

It was men and women like Sam that gave sales people a GOOD name. He was the kind of salesman that believed whatever he was selling, from Diamonds to his own artwork, it was not only the best but that everyone needed it and had reasons to back up his beliefs.

Unlike so many of the so called salespeople of today ho are nothing but order takers, Sam knew all the steps that it took to get the sale. He always built VALUE in his product and showed how ownership would benefit the customer and he made sure the product would meet the needs AND the wants of the customer.

Sam was selling right up until the end, he always had a piece of his artwork with him and would do his best, even from a wheelchair being pushed by one of his wonderful and dedicated caretakers, to find a prospect and go into his well-practiced and professionally delivered sales pitch. It may have been another patient, the nurse, or the doctor, but Sam always found a prospect.

As you can imagine at 94 years old he had patience. Along with his patience he also had the persistence of a Pit Bull. He knew that you may not say yes today, but if he could repeatedly show you the value and how his artwork would better your life you would eventually say yes.

WE lost a GREAT salesman. Our jobs just got a little more difficult because there is one less salesman doing it right and each of us needs to work a little harder to make up the difference. In Sam’s case we each need to work A LOT harder because the hole left by his passing is big one.

A final story about Sam. At the funeral Jeff, my Brother-in-Law spoke about his father. Sam was an artist and sold his own artwork. He had portraits of sports figures, famous people from all walks of life, and some religious portraits as well. Jeff said, “I can see my father now standing at the gates of heaven looking into G-Ds face and saying, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU NEED? A BEAUTIFUL PORTRAIT OF YOUR SON HANGING ON THE WALL, LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT I HAVE”

Goodbye Sam, Good Selling.

Lorin