Sunday, November 11, 2012

Remember Our/Your Veterans

Today is the day to remember those that have served. Can you ever see a picture of Arlington and not have a lump in your throat?


 I choose to remember my dad-Ken Nottingham, my uncles-Sam McCoy, John and Danny Shadrick and my cousins-Rex and David McCoy. I remember as a boy wearing my dad's old uniform and playing with my Uncle Danny's mess kit. I am thankful for every young soldier,sailor,airmen and marine that loaded a bus and headed off to boot camp. I myself made that bus ride, but due to faulty genetics was unable to pass the physical. I can assure you that climbing on that bus is both scary and exciting. To say nothing of the ride I never took, to hop on a plane that will land in some godforsaken land, and I do mean godforsaken, like Vietnam or Iraq or Afghanistan.

We have been sending our best and brightest since before this country was a country. We sent them to fight a superior force in the British. We sent them to save the world from Hitler and to "kill some Nazi's". We sent them off to Vietnam and Cambodia to slop around in disease-infested rice paddies. Now, we send them into deserts and tell them not to shoot until their heads are blown off and that the people shooting at them represent a religion of peace.

Our young men have freed countless millions from oppression and cruelty and although some despise the military, I choose to honor them. I honor everyone of them that have been shot at, that have helped a fallen brother, that gave food to child that one day would enter the conflict on the other side and most of all have given their lives for flag, country and fellow soldier.

I won't address this here and now, but comments must be made about politicians that use our best and brightest as pawns in their stupid silly Washington games.

My parting thought is I love the scenes of soldiers showing up to surprise their kids at school. I always cry, and I don't know how this could not affect you whether you support the military or not, or you believe in these wars or not. Think about climbing on a plane and being dropped in a desert for a year, think of all you could miss if you missed a year of your families lives. Kids born, hearts broken, home runs and touchdowns, first kisses, drivers tests...I could go on and on. They do this to keep us free. Conservatives and Liberals Free. Democrats and Republicans. Free. Christians, Jews, Muslims and Atheists. Free.

Think of them. Thank them. Honor them. And one more thing...HOORAH!

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

FOLLOW UP. FOLLOW THROUGH.

FOLLOW UP. FOLLOW THROUGH. that was the sign that was over my friend Chris's desk. That sign burned into my memory. Every time I found a contract that wasn't signed, but they never said...NO. FOLLOW UP. FOLLOW THROUGH. Every time I cleaned out my desk and found a zip lock bag of cards that never made it to my CRM. FOLLOW UP. FOLLOW THROUGH. Every time I found a scrap of paper with a name I intended to call or a place I intended to prospect, you guessed it...FOLLOW UP. FOLLOW THROUGH.

I don't think a lot of sales people fail because they won't prospect or don't want to succeed, we fail because we don't finish nearly as well as we start. I've read a lot about follow up and finishing lately. I've also seen this guy in the mirror that needs to finish better. Why? Because we all can finish more. better. stronger. So like the guy in the movie said "coffee is for closers, and finishers". Alec didn't say that but he should have.

I read an article that said that salespeople can only work on 1 or 2 behavior changes at a time, more than that and we fail at all of them. I choose to FINISH. I'd rather finish 50 tasks than have 500 tasks only started. Hey! What do you need to FINISH. I suggest you choose finishing as one of your two behaviors to work on.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Who should we blame?

If you are pest control salesmen (person) out there and you feel like you have been commoditized, look to the companies that subjugate level of service to profits.

I have worked in our industry for almost ten years. I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly. It seems we're always trying to convince people that we are not like the other guy. The best way to show that we are not like the other guy, is by not being like THE OTHER GUY.

If you say you use green products- then use green products. If you say you have the best training in the industry-then have the best training in the industry (most that say that don't). And if you say you care-then by all means CARE. Maybe it's just me, but I don't think caring about profit more than people is the same thing as caring...I'm just saying.