God is strong!

The One Prayer series that we've been experiencing at True North has been really good for me. I have been challenged to rethink some of the ways I consider God and what I really believe about Him. Today's message was no exception. Francis Chan spoke to us on the theme "God is Strong!" This follows "God is Love" ... "God is Able" ... and simply "God is"...

Today I was challenged to consider God's strength and reminded of His awesome power! The question was thrown out ... "why are we always so afraid to... ___________" ... to talk to someone, to help someone, to give to someone? Do we not believe that God can handle things?
Reminder: He is STRONG!

Psalm 115:3 ... "But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases!"

Second reminder: the very power that raised Christ from the dead lives within you... if you believe and follow Christ!

What's there to be afraid of? The Creator is on our side!

sales philosophy...

Last week I wrote about the simple meaning of sales... Hard Work!

Now ... how you think about, feel about, and live the philosophy of how you sell will set the stage for your success. Thinking, feeling, and living your philosophy makes you a better salesperson ... and a better person too. What is your philosophy?

My sales philosophy is simple... here it is:

1. Bring value to the table from the start... offer value from the word go!
2. Find a way to help others.
3. Do my very best... love what I'm doing!
4. Ask lots of questions.
5. Develop long-term relationships that lead to loyalty and trust.
6. Have fun!

the meaning of sales...

there is no fastest, easiest, best way to make a sale...
there is no list ready for you of all those who want to buy your product and services...

here's something I heard once and have used it in my sales efforts...

the one-word meaning of sales is WORK!
the two-word meaning of sales is WORK HARD!

can't depend on being lucky... being in the right place and the right time...

success comes from WORK... insane success comes from WORKING HARD!

thank you...

One to one interaction with your kids can be phenomenal at times. Luke and I were engaged in a conversation on the way to Columbia SC. He decided to just come hang with me for a couple of nights while I am out of town on business. We were discussing the uncertainties in the lives of so many people we know... the kinds of things that lead to people choosing to end life, choosing to leave their marriage, choosing to not pursue their dreams, choosing to not follow Christ, and so on...
We talked about what is means to follow Jesus and lean on His unchangingness (don't really know if that's a word... but we both understood each other)...

then there was a short pause and then Luke says... "Dad, Thank you... (pause again)... for living that way!" Can't tell you what it meant to me to hear him say that to me! There's no one else I rather demonstrate that lifestyle to than my kids! Sometimes I forget they are watching me.

This made me think of when Peter (with John) said to the lame beggar in Acts 3... "look at us..."

Are we living lives that we want others to look at...?

birthday party day 2

Nate's birthday party this weekend spilled over into Sunday... the two friends spent the night with us, went to church at True North with us on Sunday morning, and then came the fun-filled afternoon...

We played putt-putt, rode go-carts, and played nearly everything the arcade had to offer...

What a birthday!

Persuasion in sales... do it the right way!

Explain what, why and how!

Explain what's in it for them and their business!

You must be sincere!

You must be believable!

Ask good questions!

Communicate! Don't dodge the issues!

Paint a visionary picture!

Your reputation precedes you! Is your exceptional? or less than that?

Your history is success... or it's not!



want to get your way in sales? want to be able to be really persuasive?

Conquer this action list!

great day for a birthday party!

I have to say that I can't believe 8 years have gone by so quick... Nate's birthday isn't actually until Tuesday of next week but he had two friends over today and they have partied hard all evening (still going!)... You have three kids and then the fourth comes along and you don't know how you will love them as much as the others, but Nate is one that steals your heart... he's exciting and witty and just lots of fun... love you Nate-dog!

Today was filled with much excitement... Alexis and Atlas are the two friends that have joined us for the evening... The party started with one hour of slip-n-slide with suds! Amazing how slippery a little soap can make things... races, dives, football catches were all a part of the slip-n-slide fun...

After a little clean up the boys sat with Nate has he opened presents... the party was a Hot Wheels theme and he got lots of cars... 31 Hot Wheels to be exact! He got a model car and a remote control car! Too much fun! You can see his excitement in the pictures.

After pizza for dinner there was the lemon cake from heaven that Grandma makes... that is what Nate said he wanted and she brought over this morning! Comment from Atlas... "Nate, your grandma makes the best cake in the whole wide world!" ... that statement made while licking the lemon icing off his fingers...

Now there settled in watching a movie... CARS! You had to know it!

Oh yeah... there was Hot Wheels Wii for a while... too fast for me!

as stated... great day for a birthday party!

sales week...

What a week of sales meetings and travels... busy is good right now though... I haven't felt great physically this week but have really enjoyed my work... I am really excited about the new reps and consultant on my team... really feel like they're going to do good things for SEED COMM.

Week consisted of assisting one of our young Va Beach sales reps with developing strategy that significantly helped him, spending time with a manufacturer's rep on Tues and learning about some really cool products to put in my team's tool bag, sales team development in Charlotte for a full day on Wed (all the new team members... discussions about overcoming challenges, stepping out of comfort zones, exploring new sales markets... great day!), sales presentation for over 30 administrative decision makers for an entire school district, and then today working with a loyal customer and exploring opportunities to get them further training and future implementation that impacts their stated purpose...

that's a lot ... but a really great week!

Bible Basketball Draft Board?

We had an interesting conversation over lunch on Sunday... I have been meaning to put this out because it was kind of fun... I haven't really had time this week but I am up tonight and can't go to sleep so I thought I'd let you in on the fun...

Many times when were out the three boys (Luke, Noah and Nate) create their own sports draft and take turns drafting various players to see who can create the best and most talented team. Their strategies and ideas can often times be hilarious and this time was no different.

Since we had just left church (True North... great place by the way!) they decide to draft the all-time Bible Basketball team and here's what the board looked like at the end...

Luke's picks:
Moses (he's a great leader... he could raise the ball the split the defense and drive right down the lane)... you see where this is going?
John the Baptist?
Job (can take all the punishment you can dish out... BRING IT ON!)
Thomas (that's the name of the best 10 year old AAU player we've ever seen... so take him)
Timothy (Timothy Duncan, of course)

Noah's picks:
Paul (Chris Paul, of course)
Shadrach
Meshach
Abednego (they have to be a good choice... according to Jon that morning... it's impossible to burn these guys!)
James (that's the King... Lebron James)

Nate's picks:
Peter
David
Esau (with a name like that he's got to be a good pick)
Nathaneal (his namesake... the best player in the world... YOU KNOW IT!)
Pharoah (he owns the courts!)

Hope's picks:
Noah (not because she thinks her little brother is good)
Daniel
Esther (she can distract the King ... you know Lebron that is!)
Ruth ?
Cain (he's killer!)

Angela's picks:
Enoch (he walked with God... so if God is the referee, isn't he going to call travelling on Big E?)
Abraham
Silas
Rahab?
Caleb (fearless)

my picks:
Joshua (he'll run circles around your defense?)
Luke (my boy is a pretty good shooter?)
Joseph (must be athletic... he served in Pharaoh's courts... must have played tennis?)
Goliath (need a big man in the middle)
Michael (the archangel Jordan!)


so who would you pick? what would be your creative team?

persuasion or manipulation?

Is there a difference? I think so... at least in my sales approach and the model I am trying to teach my sales team...

Manipulation is a high-pressured style of convincing. It is typically short-term and a quick way to get what you want. I hear phases such as this... "the sales guy is just playing on my emotions" ... "that sales rep is just too pushy" ... "she just won't take no for an answer"... These phrases are results of sales tactics or techniques. Manipulation will only get you what you want for a moment.

Proper persuasion on the other hand will get you what you want repeatedly over and over again... Proper persuasion comes when you create harmony between yourself and the ones you are trying to convince. The reality is you persuade them to trust you... you continue to persuade them with proven ability (you produce confidence)... you continue to persuade them with integrity.

Manipulate and make a sale. Persuade and make a fortune.

comfort zone...

I had a sales meeting in Charlotte today with three new employees of our company. I'm really excited to have them on the team... they each are going to do great things! I like to challenge or motivate my sales team any opportunity I get... Today we talked about the familiar comfort zone. Everyone has heard someone say "you need to get out of your comfort zone" ... so this morning in Charlotte we explored the reasons WHY? we should do just that...

We can't live out on the edge every second of every single day... so maybe there are sometimes the comfort zone isn't so bad after all... here's what I think - we were created to be resilient and resourceful... in and out of the comfort zone...

In the comfort zone...

Most of the game is played. We must learn to play well in the middle of the field as well as working hard to score at the end of the field.

People often lose interest. There is great need for change and challenge... without it people get bored and settle into a rut. We must exit the comfort zone and create some adventurous experience.

Mistakes are not as costly. The comfort zone is a great place to practice, because mistakes in this area don't have to seem so permanent or detrimental. We can learn in the comfort zone.

Victory can't be achieved. There's actually no guarantee to win outside the comfort zone, but it's almost definite that you'll never win without working hard, doing what doesn't fell natural, or stretching yourself beyond normal abilities.

So ... like I am trying to motivate my sales team to do... let's learn to live full and work hard in and out of our comfort zones.

move

I am so excited about the conference that Luke went to a week ago now. He returned home with a new excitement about following God and putting Him first in his life... according to him even before basketball. He was challenged while there to remain passionate about the talents and gifts that God has given him and use them for His purposes... I can't remember a time when Luke has been so emotional and expressive about wanting to follow God... it makes a Dad excited!

He received a challenge at the conference to find a way to build a playground in an area of need in our community. He had lunch with me and Jon (pastor at True North Church) and his friend Jordan a couple of days ago and started putting some ideas together... Pray for him and those that will join to help me follow his passion!

Psalm 119:32... "I'll run the course you lay out for me if you'll just show me how..." the Message

the essence of selling yourself...

I'm currently doing some sales enhancement reading and I'm continuosly being reminded of this concept of selling myself... "they buy you first"... It's all about credibility... that is your credibility... What effort are you putting into your image and your presentation? You have to work as hard at selling you as you do at selling your products and services. With several new sales and consultant employees I am putting more and more emphasis on this right now...

If you sell YOU then your products and services have a chance... if you can't see YOU then your products and services have absolutely no chance!

Some stuff is OK ... and some stuff is not OK...
it's OK to be real ... it's OK to be excited ... it's OK to believe in yourself and sell YOU!
it's not OK to be fake... it's not OK to be boring... it's not OK to be unprepared and make excuses!

happy selling today!

date nights with daughters

Hope and I went to see a movie last night over in Cary. We saw "Night at the Museum" and it was funny. The movie time at White Oak was changed during the day and we missed the start time and Hope was devistated. It told me though how much she was looking forward to spending some time with me. Fortunately it was showing later at Crossroads in Cary. It wasn't really even about the movie though for me. Just spending some quality time with my daughter just hanging out (nothing serious) was really cool! I am going to do it more often. She's a pretty cool girl!
Dads... if it has been a while since you took your daughter out on a date... give it a try!