Edelman on Favors

“Don’t wait for, expect,
or rely on favors.
Count on earning them
by hard work and perseverance.”

–Marian Wright Edelman (1939 – )
American activist
founder of the Children’s Defense Fund

In 1899, in one hour after dinner, Elbert Hubbard wrote a 1500-word essay (10-minute read) titled “A Message to Garcia.”

It’s one of our favorites (so much so, we included it in SalesTough).

A true story of the initiative and responsibility of a man named Andrew Rowan, the piece went on to be printed more than 40 million times (it’s still well-known with the big dogs of business and required reading for Marine Corps recruits and Naval Academy students).

Hubbard’s first sales job… selling soap.

Read it online or download a free copy (share it with your team).

Got young kids? Download and read them the children’s version we created (Rowan to the Rescue).
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Horace on Right Now

“Carpe diem. Quam minimum credula postero.”

–Horace (65B.C.–8B.C.)
Roman poet

Sales inspiration…

Tomorrow (Feb. 22), in 1899, in one hour after dinner, Elbert Hubbard wrote a 1500-word essay (10-minute read) titled “A Message to Garcia.”

It’s one of our favorites (so much so, we included it in SalesTough).

A true story of initiative and responsibility, the piece went on to be printed more than 40 million times (it’s still well-known with the big dogs of business and required reading for Marine Corps recruits and Naval Academy students).

Hubbard’s first sales job… selling soap.

Read it online or download a free copy (share it with your team).

Got young kids? Download and read them the children’s version we created (Rowan to the Rescue).

(Here’s the recently produced PBS program on Hubbard. Chapter 8, Hubbard’s Rise, is the segment on the Garcia story.)

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Bradstreet on The Bright Side

“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”

–Anne Bradstreet (1612–1672)
British-American poet

Sales negotiation…

What can you do for me on the price?

A fantastic question when you’re buying. An inevitable inquiry when you’re selling.

How would you and your team respond at this moment?

Many people will respond to the question by immediately giving or implying the possibility of a discounted price. Again – great when you’re buying, a margin killer when you’re selling.

Here are the 2 hard-dollar points to better negotiating (and several sample responses).

Managers: How much more revenue could you add each year by helping your team avoid the immediate jump to a discount?

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Do you have your copy of “A Message to Garcia“? One of our favorites for inspiring initiative and responsibility (and required reading for Marine Corps recruits and at the Naval Academy).

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No going through the motions in 2011… Register for one of this week’s short webinars with Sam (co-founder of JustSell).