Sales Joke of the Day (December 12) Venison.

The salesman's family was given some venison from a friend of the family who was a skilled hunter.  That night the salesman's wife cooked up some deer steaks and served them for dinner.


"What is this?" asked the salesman's young daughter.  "Is it beef?"


"No, it's not beef," replied the salesman.


"Is it pork?" asked the salesman's son.


"No, it's not pork," replied the salesman.  "I'll give you a clue.  It's what your mother sometimes calls me."


"Spit it out sis!  Quick!  Spit it out!" yelled the salesman's son.  "I didn't think they'd get this big, but we must be eating bass turds!"


Moral of the story.  True sales professionals know that in order to be successful at sales, you need to be likeable.  People like to do business with people they like.  Chances are if your prospects or customers are calling you by other names behind your back, they are not going to be doing business with you much longer.   How do you know if they are calling you names?   Well in the majority of cases you'll never know.  The only thing you can do, is to do your best not to give them any reasons to call you names to begin with.   Never over promise and under deliver.   Never gouge a customer on price.  Never sell something to someone unless they absolutely need it.  Last, if a customer or prospect, asks you for something that you don't have, or can't deliver, simply tell them you can't and provide them with a referral to someone else who can help them out with their issues right now.   That's being of service.   That's what real customer service, rather than mere lip service, is all about.


"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."   
                                                                                                -   Mahatma Gandhi

Sales Joke of the Day (November 16) The Hunt.

A salesman took his wife deer hunting for her first time.  He explained that the most important thing was to claim your kill immediately, before anyone else could.  After the instructions they each went off to their own hunting boxes and waited for deer.  Soon the salesman heard his wife's gun go off.  Keen to make sure she staked her claim to the kill, he rushed outside and found her involved in a bitter argument with another man.


"This is my kill," insisted the salesman's wife.  "I can prove I shot this animal!"


"Okay, lady," said the other man, realizing she wasn't going to back down.  "But do you mind if I take my saddle off your deer before you haul it away!"


Moral of the story.  True sales professionals know that in order to succeed at sales they must know exactly what they are hunting.  Losing focus and taking aim at random targets won't help you bag your quota.


"Searching is half the fun: life is much more manageable when thought of as a scavenger hunt as opposed to a surprise party."                       -      Jimmy Buffett