Dear GutsIsKey Reader:

     When I started the daunting task of BEAMing; I knew very little about blogging. I knew I didn’t like the word. But I did like the concept of sharing my personal message, on a regular basis to interested readers. So I changed the name from blog to BEAM and started the task with a ferocity. Thus GUTS was born.

     I started with purely inspirational motives and this inspiration will continue. I included Acrostic Inspirations, lessons from Allegory, Spiritual messages about faith and God, information about personal loves, like my deceased sister Detra;  thoughts about my pursuit of karate……… AND also  POSTS ABOUT SALES. Since sales has been a result of inspiration and personal growth for me; this was all very natural.

     So as I have worked on this project; over 110 BEAMS have emerged and well over 100,000 words. So I have been busy. And at least 1/5 of this productivity has been expressed in the field of sales.  So, It is now very plain to me that this is a direction I must continue to develop and build.  Therefore, look for the sales portion of GUTSISTHEKEY to grow.  I am sure from every angle this is what I am supposed to do.

    Yet as I make this declaration that Sales as a topic will increase; please be assured that devotional and personal aspects of this BEAM will also continue. I know many of you have come to expect inspiration and help from GUTS. You may continue to expect this; EVEN IN MY SALES BEAMS.

     Now with all that introduction out of the way; on to the meat and potatoes of why I write this post? I have had a prolific sales career in many settings, many industries, in many capacities; selling many products and  services.

     I say prolific because my work has always been exemplary and there has been a lot of it. Also, in the course of this experience, I have developed a keen knack, for helping others develop their own sales potential.

     So, I have realized for a long time that I should build a career helping others with their own sales careers. But it seemed like I always felt that I was missing a piece of the puzzle. I was a powerful public speaker; so that wasn’t it. I was a great sales trainer; so that wasn’t it. I succeeded in nearly every sales environment; so that wasn’t it. Then bingo, it Hit Me. The reason for a lack of satisfaction with focusing more of my efforts in the sales venue was philosophical. Yes, that was it. I had to know before I could launch my boat into the sales training marketplace again, that I have my motives straight and my message strong.

     I know some of you career sales pro’s have heard so many teachers of sales technique; that you have a built in “auto-dismiss button;” to sales process teachers. But at the core, what I really want is not just to help you with sales technique but more-so, sales fulfillment. After unleashing this idea in the post “A Student of The Game.” My good friend  @SteveGutzler helped me clarify next steps. He suggested that I turn the one article into two: this one on Passion & Purpose & another yet to come on Goals & Initiative. In 15 minutes, he gave a friend a warehouse of practical insight on how to get his professional motive straight and corresponding message strong. This BEAM is a result.

     Passion & Purpose in the sales game. What’s that all about for me???  I remember when my son TJ was a little boy that he played football in a local flag football league in Florida. I loved to go to practices and watch the boys play. I was always the crazy dad running up and down the sidelines; involved in every play..

     Then at one practice, the coaches didn’t show up. Some guy from the city filled in but he really didn’t have his heart in it. The first game came and the guys got slaughtered. As the season progressed, the coaches rarely showed and when they did, it was with disinterest. Calls of complaining parents only got responses of “you will have to live with it.” As the season progressed, the boys lost every game. Worse than that, they were brow beaten and demoralized. The last game of the season was to be against the league champs and things looked bleak. Especially when the coaches, nor the fill-in didn’t show, at all to help the kids prepare in practice.

     My passionate heart couldn’t take it any more. Even though league officials told me no; I showed up with my tennis shoes and took over the coaching. And my first goal was to make the boys believe that I believed, that they could win. I developed 4 simple offensive and 4 simple defensive strategies that concentrated on the guys strengths. Strategies that I knew that we could learn together in a short time. They were all heart and came to believe not only that I believed but believed for themselves.

     You guessed it! The same team that couldn’t win a game, overwhelmingly beat the best team in the league for their last game. It just took somebody with a little knowledge, believing in them  and coaching them, for that little group of guys to win.

     You would have thought we won the league championship. Celebrating boys and parents had a jubilant display after the game, that I am sure lives on in their minds even today. I know it does, in my mind.

     That exact strategy is what I want to do in the sales coaching field. With a little knowledge and a lot of belief; I want to coach sales people to win. Not only in numerical achievement but in fulfillment, because championships like that last forever and are beyond counting in dollars & cents.

     That is what I care about and what I want to do. It is my passion and purpose.

     In closing, I would like to challenge you to ask yourself the following questions; so that we can grow in this Pursuit of Being a better student of our sales game.

       1- Do you sell with passion & purpose?

       2- Do you have the training to improve your process?

       3- Do you have good resources to inspire you to win?

You Must know the Answers to these questions to Passionately & Persistently win in Sales.

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Stay tuned, the next beam is about Goals & Initiative. How will I pursue developing the mission to help you find more fulfillment, in your sales career?

NOW! GO SELL SOMETHING! 🙂