A doctor at a local
asylum for stressed out sales professionals, had decided to take his
patients out on a road trip to a baseball game.
For weeks in
advance, he coached his patients to respond to his commands. When the
day of the game arrived, everything went quite well.
As the National Anthem started, the doctor yelled, "Up Nuts," and the patients complied by standing up.
After the anthem, he yelled, "Down Nuts," and they all sat back down in their seats.
After a home run was hit, the doctor yelled, "Cheer Nuts". They all broke out into applause and cheered.
When the umpire made
a particularly bad call against the star of the home team, the Doctor
yelled, "Booooo Nuts," and they all started booing and cat calling.
Comfortable with
their response, the doctor decided to go get a beer and a hot dog,
leaving his assistant in charge. When he returned, there was a riot in
progress.
Finding his tizzied assistant, the doctor asked, "What in the world happened?"
The assistant replied, "Well everything was going just fine until this guy walked by and yelled, "PEANUTS!"
Moral of the
story. True sales professionals know that in all situations to never
blindly follow orders. To be truly successful you have to break away
from the pack and strike out on your own. If you simply blindly follow
everyone else, the best results you can hope for are mediocre at best!
So have the courage today to 'strike out' on your own and boldly move
forward. Today will not be the day for you to have a yellow streak down
your back!
"There are three
types of baseball players: those who make it happen, those who watch it
happen and those who wonder what happens." - Tommy Lasorda
At long last the good-humored sales manager felt compelled to call his top salesman, Juan, into his office.
"It has not escaped my attention," the sales manager pointed out
gently, "that every time the Los Angeles Dodgers have a big home game,
you have to take your aunt to the doctor."
"You know, you are right, sir," exclaimed Juan. "I hadn't realized. You don't suppose she's faking now, do you?"
Moral of the story. It's that time of year again. Baseball season has just started. Sales professionals know, that rather than
attempting to "steal" the afternoon off to go watch the game and risk
getting "caught" and "thrown out" of the company; it's a far "safer"
play to "tag" your boss on the shoulder and invite him or her along for a
"double steal" that afternoon. It will give you a great opportunity to
know your boss as an individual, when he or she doesn't have the home
field advantage of their office to stifle any personal bonding that
might take place. If it's a great game and your boss happens to be a
fan, it could mean a "home run" for your career. Make it an afternoon
game and the two of you will be able to "slide safely into home" just in
time for dinner. If your boss has young kids, make sure to pick them
up some souvenirs so your boss has something to give them when he or she
gets home. Make a hero out of your boss, in the eyes of his or her
kids, and you've just hit a "grand slam." So take yourself and your
boss out to the ball game and put some "juice" back into your sales
career! Play ball!
"Do what you love to do and give it your very best. Whether it's business or baseball, or the theater, or any field. If you don't love what you're doing and you can't give it your best, get out of it. Life is too short. You'll be an old man before you know it." - Al Lopez
A salesman and his wife were at the second half of a
double-header baseball game. Through the darkness, they spotted a pair
of young lovers caressing each other passionately.
"I don't know whether to watch them or watch the game!" remarked the salesman.
"Watch them," advised his wife. "You already know how to play baseball."
Moral of the story. True sales professionals know that in order to
succeed in sales, sometimes it pays to watch the other guy. If one rep
on your team keeps closing deals while every one else just seems to be
sitting there in the dark; observe him or her closely to see how they
are doing it. Constant observation and adaptation will always keep
your sales game lit up.
"Baseball is a lot like life. It's a day-to-day existence, full of
ups and downs. You make the most of your opportunities in baseball as
you do in life." - Ernie Harwell
