Author Archives: Logan Rivenes

Failure

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There are a couple ways to look at failure.

Fear of failing being the reason we don’t act.

What we glorify as the striving entrepreneur.

It is two extremes. Fear and ambition.

There are two constructive ways to look at this:

Trying something, it not working, then moving on.

Trying something, it not working, then giving up.

In both situations, something did not work. One is learning and one is fear of not trying a second time.

In sales we learn to fail and move on. It happens every time someone says no. In most cases, the more times we fail the more times we are bound to succeed. It is a numbers game.

Giving up is one way to ensure failure. Giving up ensures a lost sale. Every other time it is trying something and it not working.

How often do you fail?

Good luck and good selling!

Buzzwords

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Entrepreneur. Big Data. Virtual Reality. Vertical. Social Selling. DevOps. Diversity. Synergy. Millennial. Exit strategy. Organic growth. Hacking. Growth hacking.

Buzzwords tend to be viewed negatively.

This is most likely because sales and marketing professionals get ahold of them, and then abuse them.

Even if abused, they are extremely useful. Necessary.

Why?

Buzzwords typically have a specific meaning. Yes, some may argue semantics about what they mean, but in general everyone knows what you mean when using a buzzword.

This is useful in communication. Especially when we are not always communicating on a personal level.

I have no problem with buzzwords, and at times I like them.

They are easy to use and everybody knows what you mean.

Good communication is making it easy for the other person to clearly understand your idea.

Good luck and good selling!

Treppenwitz

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Treppenwitz. A German word with the literal translation of “stair joke”.

The use of the word is the clever comeback you get after the moment has already passed.

A thought that comes too late.

There are two ways to look at this:

The thought comes too late, because you were intently engaged and listening to the individual speaking.

Or.

The thought comes too late, because you were thinking about what to say next and the conversation moved on before you participated.

This can occur in business, where we are not listening to our clients. Then we leave the office and realize what we should have added.

Treppenwitz.

Let”s hope treppenwitz occurs because we were intently listening and engaged with our clients.

Good luck and good selling!

Lie to me because I like it

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Lie to me because I like it.

I want to be flattered.

This is why we say the customer is always right. Flatter the customer so they continue to work with us.

We say we want the truth, but the reality is we like to be lied more. The truth may be apparent, but that doesn’t mean we care.

A few lies we enjoy:

  • The customer is always right.
  • We serve the customer.
  • It is easier to find a job when you have a job.
  • Our employees are our greatest asset.
  • Customer service is our competitive advantage.
  • Our price is too high.
  • I’m the decision maker.

Why is the lie better?

It reaffirms our position. It makes us think we are engaging in the correct processes. It confirms we do not need to change.

Sometimes it’s easier to accept the lie than be forced to change.

Does that make it right?

Good luck and good selling!

Certifications

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Certifications provide validity.

In a world of buyer beware, where everyone claims to be an expert, the certification says “I put in the time”.

What if all you have is a certification?

Competing with those who have experience, but no certification. Does this mean your certification makes you more equipped?

Thinking you need a certification is a problem. The problem could cause you not to apply for a role when you want to change career paths. Cause you not to launch a business. Say things like, “I am not certified to talk about this” or “I don’t have the credentials”.

As we continue to have more readily available information, it is becoming easier than ever to certify yourself in a subject.

How do you do this?

If you want to learn a new skill, there are endless resources to do so. Some paid and some free. Resources such as lynda.com, Udemy, or Codecademy. These provide tools to learn new skills.

With these new skills, you can get a customer. Delight the customer, and use them as a referral. This is the new certification.

A piece of paper stating you have completed something is nice. A customer who can explain how you provided them value is better.

At times, even though you have the certification, you still need this customer to prove you can provide value. Quite a predicament. Maybe while achieving the certificate, you find the customer.

The certification does not need to be a traditional school or university to prove you have the experience to provide value. It could be as simple as one person you have helped being a referral.

I think the formal degree, in business, is holding less and less weight. What is desired is the ability to find unique solutions to customer problems. Being able to learn new skills as the market rapidly shifts. Providing value to customers and stakeholders.

These are things a certificate cannot accomplish, but are what is needed. Especially in the sales and marketing departments.

Sorry, your MBA doesn’t give you automatic credibility, so please remove it from your signature.

Good luck and good selling!