Here's why good ideas are lousy ideas...

TW, you want to know what's crap? All those so-called stats you quoted to 'prove' your negative stance.

I was told, initially, when I went into sales that 'it's all a numbers game'...and I danged near left sales after many failed attempts to follow their mis-guided advice as to how to go about things. Luckily, I came across a gentleman who set me on the correct path.

He explained that this 'numbers game' is a ploy used by the bottom of the barrel, con-mission (sp mine) crap jobs for the uniformed. He gave me some rules to get rid of the negative programming that this type of indoctrination thinking implants in the brain.

l. Stop comparing yourself to everyone else and using their statistics as gospel to make yourself feel and act like a dumbass. Instead chart your own stats and watch the upward curve as you learn new and better ways of selling...which begins (always!) with relating to your potential customer.

2. When you find yourself about to quote stats, make sure of your source and it's REAL value at that point. Oftentimes you'll find the stats aren't what they were made out to be and are of little or no value in the given context.

3. If you must use stats, make a deal with yourself to always use only YOUR OWN STATS. Any time you want to use other people's stats, you must begin right then to create a log of your stats that would be the equivalent to the other stats you were about to quote. Eventually, you'll build your self-esteem right along with your own proven and validated stats to quote from.

4. Learn the difference between phony and genuine...and then opt for genuine every time. Part of the reason I failed initially is because I was trying to be the 'hail fellow well met' as the boss wanted me to be. It just wasn't me. When I broke free and related to people as the genuine, helpful, interested in them, problem-solving person I really am, I found success. I wish the same for you, TW.

Sandi Bowman