revisiting the Craft

“Every sale has five basic obstacles, no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust” 

Zig Ziglar

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As “practitioners” these obstacles should always be pillars we remind ourself of daily.

The problem with sales professionals is that the majority are Not sales and Not professionals

Order takers when the brand does its work to drive demand thats all.

but isn’t the real “Practitioner” component about much more?

I am not referring to product knowledge- although understanding your value proposition is very important

I want to extend that the real value proposition is not the tangible product but rather the “Sales Practitioner”

why? How?

more to come but again I will say

1>0

Question to ask yourself today- Am I visiting my accounts with a plan of Action? Am I delivering something of potential value? Am I leaving my home with the greatest preparation to bring value to my stores and my brand?

If you cannot say yes- keep the car parked

you are wasting your gas

you are wasting the stores time

you are wasting the brands resources

now- lets start Delivering!

the PRO

What does it mean to be a PRO?

the PRO is a Practitioner of his/her craft

the PRO understands that success or failure day to day is not ultimately controlled

the PRO understands that they can only Show Up Everyday and do good work

the PRO doesn’t fall in line with the kool aide drinking crowd

the PRO is not afraid to fail

the PRO starts often

the PRO doesn’t need your praise

the PRO knows their value

the PRO seeks “Hell Yeah” opportunities

oh, and the PRO gets paid

in this modern era the PRO must remind him/her self that they do not need to prove themselves for free

they are a PRO, they show up and #work

MORE

It is NEVER about more “Things”

It is ALWAYS about more “details, care, mattering, conversation, attention, help, love”

feel stretched? overshoot your means? tighten down and give MORE

#MORE yes #MORE

avoid the reflections…

Identify the GOAL

no right or wrong answer only our personal answer, so what is yours?

the age of sensory overload makes it easy to be overwhelmed with choices

understand and accept

1. your Goal
2. your Strengths
3. your Shortcomings

now, now now

#START

1. Is your Goal to be linked to a highly capitalized business plan? Thats fine , start the work, start the dialogue , educate yourself and #GO

If it is NOT, then this is for YOU

2.Is it a #Bootstrapper situation? With the equity leveraged being #SweatEquity ? Yes? Start Today, anyway possible, just start.

Realize the money is a Excuse and a Story we will begin to realize that being Bootstrapped many times is a distinct advantage especially early on.

So many times highly capitalized start ups have no true communication with the very people that they are attempting to become important to.A sledgehammer approach. Sure it may catch the Tribes glances at first, after all its the loudest in the room and very shiny! Inevitably they lose out because the devil is Always in the details and the little things matter.Sooner or later  we will know!

The Bootstrapped on the other hand,  they have genuine communication, genuinely care and hold a deep desire to matter to their Tribe. They may not be able to show up as loudly or as shimmeringly adorned but they care. They do great work and the do it everyday. They know the lingo and all the secret handshakes because the are in the club and when we realize that we embrace them and look past their flaws.  Because after all, “People like US, we do things like THIS” , what else we do is help our own get to the finish line because they CARE. As a Small, Niche, Bootstrapper brand we can be very nimble and iterate on the fly.

The most difficult aspect is once a Goal is established and a plan has been set it is time to choose the vehicle…and Buckle IN.

In my humble opinion exhausting Choices are what torment a wide eyed Freelancer or Entrepreneur. Don’t be doomed to the fate such as befell Narcissus;

“Nemesis, the goddess of retribution and revenge, learned what had happened and decided to punish Narcissus for his behaviour. She led him to a pool; there, the man saw his reflection in the water and fell in love with it. Although he did not realise in the beginning that it was just a reflection, when he understood it, he fell in despair that his love could not materialise and committed suicide.”

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When their is no wrong answer

Society tells me what success “looks like”

Society tells me how a successful entrepreneur dresses

Society tells me how a successful entrepreneur lives

what he drives

what occupies his free time and pursuits

The internal narrative that is our true DNA is in a lifelong struggle

the battle between what our self wants and what it believes we need

many many times these do not sync

For me , a wide eyed dreamer this has become very obvious

Obvious in setting goals, in what my laser focus is locked in on

for me it is not about material items, possessions

for me it is about Freedom, Experiences, Passion

the problem is that does not always fit the hole of what is reality

So what to do? Soldier on? Hustle? well to Hustle for something that does not contain the potential to dyanmicaly bring me closer to DREAMS is futile isn’t it?

Wow , this is exploding in my mind! Its NOT about jockeying another owners horse to victory

Thats NOT LIFE CHANGING

How many owners can I watch  ruin a tremendous  opportunity?

A business is the creators own Oasis, a Utopia, where all the rules are based upon what I Matters most to the creator. Period.

The business can be spectacularly Small yet incredibly large

I am different I guess however I love the nimbleness of the small, being able to make decisions without a week of worthless meetings, calls arguments

I love personal connection, with all partners on the journey, such a deep connection that leaves a virtual “fingerprint” on everything I do

Just because the connectivity of 2017 can allow us to reach the entire world does not mean we need to matter to the entire world.

not only that it is impossible to appeal to everyone and still be absolutely important as air to “someone”

I believe deeply in what artist Kevin Kelly explained in his blog post that started my stepping out of the Matrix

1,000 True fans

I also cling dearly to Derek Sivers manifesto blog post regarding “Opportunity”

Hell Yeah or NO

I am proud to be part of a community through Seth Godins #AltMBA that truly empowers leaning forward always or as we term it to #SHIP to push past #lizardbrain #theResistance

Nothing Wrong with having standards

so where does that leave me at 45 years young and more motivated than ever?

 

What is Utopia?

Utopia for me is doing work that matters

All things equal my Goals are to afford the ability for my Wife to be able to not work

for us to be able to complete the dreams we have for our happy home,

for my wife to pursue her passions

for me?

to call the shots on my brand that is in everything we do dedicated to someone,

to own a property in the city that houses my personal passion

Cafe Firenze, a place where walking through the threshold transport one to my citta i adore, true #GustoItaliano

my office , a cherry wood booth in the back corner, dimly lit, beautiful yet simplistic.

Utopia is having a business that performs without me.

I am unessential to daily operations

Utopia is traveling with my family back to Italia twice per year

Utopia is clarity to be #selfaware of who exactly I am

not to kid myself

not to be insecure in my shortcomings either

to embrace them,

and to also push all 100% in on my strengths, passionately, tenaciously, lovingly everyday

1>o  and to remember the fact that makes the elderly seem wise

that it is always our #Legacy that matters not the currency

 

Manifesto

I have been in this sort of “Holding pattern” regarding the #Work I really am passionate about doing. I believe partly because its new and I fear looking stupid. I also believe it is due to the #Resistance #Lizardbrain attacking.

I remind myself daily that there is no “Right way” or “Wrong way” ONLY MY WAY to create my #Utopia Company.

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As Derek Sivers wrote

“When you make a business, you get to make a little universe where you control all the laws.”

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Below I am reposting a Blog entry that describes the vision I have. I will print it out today. I will edit, iterate, and I swear to all I will #DO

#MOREMOREMORE Its Time I #ACT and #DO what I know needs to be done….The microphone is collecting dust…Time to #Matter

 

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https://atomic-temporary-63458684.wpcomstaging.com/2016/12/18/what-is-it-for/

#Hateraide oh so good

faith
noun
complete trust or confidence in someone or something

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The greatest attribute possibly

the supporting cast is

-Self awareness

-Being a Practicioner to your craft

Start with a realistic understanding and acceptance of

My Goals

My Strengths and Passions

My weaknesses

From this point is where FAITH matters!

Once we understand WHO we are

Once we understand WHAT we seek

Once we develop a Tenacity to #DO then  we need to BELIEVE , aka have FAITH

ALL CHIPS IN!

Doubt will surely we a frequent visitor

Doubt will come delivered by those we love

Doubt is what we MUST DISMISS

Doubt can only be defeated through a firm “understanding” and “Accepting” WHO WE ARE and WHAT WE WANT

Be ready for the Haters, The doubters and generally all who do not #DO

Its far easier to sabotage for them than to actually #WORK

Guess what- Make that your FUEL

HATORAIDE…..Fuel of the #LINCHPIN

 

Does connection draw us closer

We have never in the history of mankind possesed such ability to connect to every single place on the planet.

Growing up in the 1980s this would have been laughed at by the majority

and we have it in our hands, on a hand held computer, the smartphone

Intelligence is a swipe or click away at any second through #Google , #Wikipedia and many more

So much Positive and Great things about living in the modern age

shameful that we are forced to view the 2% Bad by media of all forms

Opportunity like Never before

Amazing Beautiful times we live in…

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With all this good opens the doors to the scammer…the manipulator

In what I do, Brand Direction, Strategic development I LIVE/LOVE on the razors edge of #Passion…I get it, Im a total #Anomaly and thats totally perfect FOR ME…but what I want to describe are to polar opposites that are I see in the space I occupy and leave feedback to you…

(Given a Promising opportunity not 100% in their skill set)

1. The #Practitioner: Says YES (Always to great Opportunity ) Learns , Studies, Pushes boundaries to Master the craft- Yes to become a #Practicioner

This is a #linchpin a Risk Taker and a rare find

2. The #Jobber: Says YES ( looking to mystify as long as possibly) Meetings that go no place, creating busy work for everyone to create a illusion of work. As George Costanza famous did in the Seinfeld episode with “The Penskie File”.

This is a leech and by no means a PRO at anything but creating a theatrical illusion 

Unfortunately brands should blame no-one but themselves. 

Why? Because usually I find companies to be Exactly where they deserve to be

Why? Because they want shortcuts, Why? Because they want to live a 9-5 work life, Why? Because they think social media is ok to automate, That they don’t need to have a Direct Relationship of Gratitude to the people who literally keep their lights on! UGH!

They often ACT like they “get It” BUT 99.9% they DO NOT

The moment they get the #Jobber “pitch” the BUY! 

YOU CANNOT FAKE CARING FOR LONG, 

YOU WILL BE FOUND OUT….

 

SO CARE …and if the Story you are being “Pitched” seems too good, too everything to everyone It probably IS

Why I LOVE the edge

The “thing” about what they leave out

the things they avoid telling us

they say things to uplift

they say things to mislead

they live on building false hopes

false hopes that crumble when tested

They tell you you can eat whatever you want and still attain your target body

Not True

They tell you that you can undue years of neglecting your health with a couple capsules

Not True

They tell you a $9.99 juice a day can replace developing a taste for wholesome foods

Not True

They tell you a Organic seal on a fruit from South America means more nutrition inside that that local farms “un certified” fruit

Not True

 

Always telling you what they think will get a short term approval, sale, endorsement, vote

and Unfortunately they leave out the piece, the thing, the magic …WORK…..EFFORT…EXECUTION….INTENSITY…

There is a great way I can personally explain this

In training I have always been a disciple of the Arthur Jones High Intensity school of bodybuilding

The sexy parts you see in magazines, HIT Training- massive muscles in minutes, one set to “Failure”, train for muscle in 30 minutes or less

WOW, 1 set to “failure”

So appealing, since the average person REALLY has a grip on what this entails…They do NOT

What it means, What it looks like, I will video the way it looks

Effort, Intensity, the juicy bits they purposely leave out

Its found in a bucket your puking in because you cannot breathe another breath

Its found in literally not being able to even more that bar another inch

its where the Juicy Bits are

In training

In life

In it all

they leave out what most always Trumps talent- WORK, EXECUTION, TENACITY its nice to talk MED (minimum effective dose)

BUT that only matters once you set the standard of EFFORT

Then its a Force Multiplier

Then is lightning  #BOOM!

DO

“Fuck you are gonna, GO DO” Gary Vaynerchuk

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At some point, Once you see the PRIZE

Put down the books

Stop reading everyones book

and DO

Learn though losing

Let them laugh at you

Let them read

If I told you the #9 start you do will be the ONE how fast would you START DOING?

Once you KNOW

WORK and STOP TALKING ABOUT IT and START DOING  DOING DOING

THIS IS A NOTE TO SELF

TIME FOR BOOKS TO TAKE A BACKSEAT TO ACTION…

COLD CALL, ITERATE, LAUNCH, NETWORK, DO DO DO DO DOOOOOO

and DO

Lets all DO

Thank you @Garyvee Time to stop #Consuming

This SHIT WOKE ME UP

The #Resistance hides in #learning because you will convince yourself you never know enough….need a bit more ….one more #Udemy one more #Kindle one more #seminar

NO- DO, GO DO!

 

Thats it….Time to FUCK UP….See you at the FINISH LINE…GO GET IT!!