The puck stops here

I hope you get to meet my wife someday. Great lady. Has put up with me for 38 years this October, not counting the time before that (we were very young when we met -- that's for a different blog). She has changed lately, though. Somehow she has become a rabid hockey fan, Pittsburgh Penguins specifically.  How? Why? The Penguins are the favorite team of our 10-year old grandson; maybe the link starts there. But she is into it, staying up late last night to watch them lose in double overtime to the Bruins in the playoffs. They are down 3-0 in a best of seven and it does not look good. Unhappy wife is never good.

Three brief sales lessons lie therein.

First, people change. Truth be told, they are constantly changing, you included. Interests, likes, dislikes are always in play. That said, take nothing for granted. Do not fall into the trap that long-time customers and vendors are secure within the fold. Even if your competition isn't telling them to switch they may be thinking along those lines. Treat them well, treat them often and listen to their needs.

Second, keep those around you happy. Just like a happy spouse makes a happy house, keeping colleagues and co-workers engaged, enthused and entertained makes the workplace that much more enjoyable and productive. Prevents negative changes from happening (like above).

Third, you are going to go 0-3 with some customers. (If you're not losing some of the sales battles then you're not pitching enough customers and prospects.) It isn't that you lose some, it's what you do when you lose or -- in the case today of the Penguins -- what you do when you're losing. You can pull things out of the fire and/or regroup for the next campaign when you learn from mistakes, repeat behaviors that have proven to be productive and consistently acquire new skills, new prospects and new insight on your competition. That requires a good amount of objective review of how you approach your craft. Ask respected colleagues and managers for help.

Finally, ask us for help -- FCPNY is here to provide all levels of assistance to our member publications and their staffs. Best wishes!