My goal today is to briefly share two separate thoughts.

First, I would like to draw attention to a blog I have been reading for a few weeks now… www.FirstThingMonday.net is authored by Bruce Richardson, Chief Research Officer for AMR Research. Incidentally, Bruce was also kind enough to feature an interview with Zebra Jeff on November 18 entitled, “10 Questions with Sales Expert Jeffrey Koser.”

Item #2: When evaluating the strength of your current sales pipeline, are you asking yourself the truly tough questions of the prospects you are entering into it? The three most important questions to ask yourself of each prospect before you enter it into your pipeline are:

1. Will this prospect buy anything?

2. Will this prospect buy from me?

3. Will this prospect buy now?

If you can’t answer these three questions to the affirmative, then what you thought was a prospect to enter into your pipeline, may not be a prospect at all!

According to Zebra Jeff, “It’s especially important, when times are tough, for sales managers and sale people to sell value – so that prospects clearly know what they can expect before they allow you through their door.”

To address this issue we offer a ten step sales process to sales managers to ensure their sales people stay focused and productive despite the economic uncertainty… The process is detailed in a recent press release authored by our very own Zebra Jeff featured here: “Ten Step Sales Process to Help Sell Above the Financial Noise.”

The press release features a lot of information to digest in one sitting, but if you break it down step by step, this is a very effective approach towards achieving sales success when the odds seem to be stacked against you.

…instead, PURSUE EVERYTHING WITH THE ENTHUSIASM OF A LABRADOR!

Have you ever noticed how dogs, Labradors and other retrievers in particular, always do everything to 100% of their ability, with every ounce of passion and enthusiasm in their being? They give it their all until they have nothing left, and then it’s time to rest.

This is a metaphor I try to use every day in my own life, be it in business/sales, family activities, yard work, play, etc. In particular, here are a few of the advantages to pursuing sales with Labrador-like enthusiasm:

1. You always know your target, aka Zebra… When that tennis ball gets thrown, Labradors have a singular focus on fetching and retrieving it. They don’t let distractions get in the way. Pursue your Zebra relentlessly, and don’t stop to chase other targets. Your resources are limited, so make sure you’re using them as efficiently as possible to accomplish your goal.

2. Balance. Labradors play/work, eat, sleep, and repeat. It’s good to have a routine, and make sure it includes time to balance other activities in your life that are important to you (family, friends, hobbies), and leave your work at work. Take time to rest. If you form a balanced routine for yourself, you will find that you become more effective and efficient in every aspect in your life, your sales career included.

3. Most importantly, find a way to love what you do. It’s the only way to ever be truly successful. That’s where that “enthusiasm” part is critical. You can work as hard as you want to, “like a dog,” but if you’re not enjoying your self, there’s no real enthusiasm driving your efforts. If you can’t find a way to love the type of sales that you’re in, find a new niche or pursue a different career path altogether.

Thank you to my Chocolate Labrador Retriever, Winnie Connie Wonder (pictured above), for teaching me these important lessons, and inspiring this blog post.