Enthusiasm

Okay Learfielders, starting tomorrow I want you to arise 15-minutes earlier than normal.  Go to your bathroom mirror and do these things:

• smile real big
• say out loud:  "I feel healthy, I feel happy, I feel terrific!
• make some funny faces at the guy/gal in the mirror.
• laugh
• jump up and down a few times and say out loud:  "this is going to be the best day of my life."
• Then repeat out loud:  "I feel healthy, I feel happy, I feel terrific.

Recently I loaned my copy of Frank Bettger's How I raised Myself From Failure to Success in Selling to an intern.  This is a great, out-of-print, book that has lots of lessons.  Primary among them is the importance of enthusiasm in selling and in life.  This routine and others have been a part of my day for 43 years!!  Seriously.   Because I know this:

Act enthusiastic and you will be enthusiastic.

Friends, you've got to be enthusiastic.  That is critical in everything you do. It is a major key to your success.  But sometimes we don't feel enthusiastic, do we?  Okay.  Change that by acting enthusiastic.  Just acting that way, will cause you to BE that way.  Say to yourself--and out loud--throughout the day, "boy I sure feel enthusiastic".  This is true for all of us: salesmen, engineers, broadcasters, and accountants. 

If you're a sales executive, on telephone calls to clients and customers, smile and act enthusiastic.  No one wants to talk with Mr. Sleepy, do they?  On sales calls almost run to the door.  Bust into that lobby smiling.  When you're in front of the client aggressively shake hands; don't sit right down, instead comment on a picture on the wall or credenza.  Then say:  I'm so excited to be here today; I've really been looking forward to being with you.  It's okay to be a little silly or weird.  We're just ad salesmen after all.  Not a big deal.  Laugh at yourself.  Have fun.  Don't take yourself--or Learfield--so seriously. We've got the best job in the nation!  We're helping connect products with customers, and we're damn good.  Go get 'em enthusiastically.   

--clyde

Comments

[Kay Henderson]

I subscribe to some of the stuff in the self-fulfilling prophecy handbook. For example, I (almost) never respond to someone who asks: “How are you?” with a tame: “Fine.” (I never say: “O.K.” That’s almost redundant in my case.)

When I first started at Radio Iowa, my standard response was “peachy” and I remember a former congressman who’s now a stuffy old professor at Harvard actually giggling and chatting with me about being peachy once For just a few years after that I was “fabulous” (I believe it had something to do with Fran Drescher’s character on television) but currently I am “grand.” This gets a chuckle from nearly every candidate I’ve ever interviewed who begins their telephone conversation with: “How are you today?”

[Jason Jett]

Let's be enthusiastic in a bold and courageous way, lest we not forget what we learned last year. Look, a Bar!! Wahr?!? Over Dar!!

[clyde]

One of our young, bright, sales execs wrote me today: "I found the book in the Biz section of our local bookstore. I remembered the Dale Carnegie training from our Minnesota AE Academy back in July 06. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone, no matter their level" It's a little out of date--but lots of lessons

--clyde