Hello, the heat is on. I can see that across the country the temps are hot. So with so much heat I'm staying inside as much as possible. While 'Climbing To The Top!' the book, is in the refining stages. Much to do with spelling and grammer. So with that I'll be inside most of this weekend doing just that.
Somtimes in the sales world we find ourselves on the outside looking in. This week I find myself in that position. The company that I worked for released from working there this week. Was it age? Was it health? Was it not doing things exactly the way they wanted? Beleive it or not it was all of these things combined.
The next couple of weeks I'll concertrate on how to find a new place to use your selling skills.
The first and most important is to network. When I say network, I mean that when you are in the market selling and servicing your customers and there are other sales and sales management people there doing there thing, even if they are the direct competition, you need to befriend them. You know the old saying, "Keep your friends close, keep your enimies closer." Well that is true for you in the sales world. Get to know everyone that is selling around you. Collect business cards. Load phone numbers. Get e-mail adresses. Make your direct competitors your friends. After all competition breeds business.
I learned the hard way and as long as I have been in this business you would have thought that I would have done all of these things. I did to some extent but not as much as I should have.
Remember the days and times that you would see some of those people in the market. Return and visit with them. Networking face to face.
Call on old contacts, customers and former supervisors. You will find that they are willing to help. Customers will know more about the other sales companies and who needs help. Some former supervisors are willing to help, espesially if you nidn't burn that bridge when you left them before.
So with all of that said. It's time to network. With all of these things executing these things should mean that you will be out in the cold for only a short time.
