Miscellaneous Marcia

The last few tidbits from my conversation with Marcia Rubin...

Marcia on sponsorships and superstition.

Marcia: I would love to have a sunscreen sponsor! I have such fair skin my mother used to get prescription sunscreen for me as a kid. We're [Bass Pros] are in the sun all day... it would be great exposure for them.

Me: (Asking sarcastically because of the myth about bananas on boats) As long as it's not Banana Boat, right?

Marcia: No I would love that! I eat bananas on my boat! I don't buy into all that!

Sales note: Bananas are believed to be bad luck on fishing boats. Do you have any sales superstitions? A lucky pen? A lucky suit? Something you avoid during sales calls?

Marcia on learning from other anglers.

Me: Which Pro have you learned the most from, and what did they teach you?

Marcia: I'm a total knowledge freak! Anybody I spend time on the boat with I feel like I've learned a little from. So it's not just one person. I've learned at least something little from everybody... and it's not about competing with others. It's about figuring out the puzzle of the piece of water you're on.

Sales note: The sale shouldn't be about beating a competitor, it should be about figuring out the puzzle of the sale you're working on... which pieces are necessary to keep moving it forward.

Battery Issues Fail to Zap Marcia's Positive Energy

Above: Marcia Rubin, Reelady with Mike Iaconelli a.k.a Ike


When talking to "Reelady" Marcia Rubin earlier this week I had the opportunity to ask her about the boat issues she had prior to last week's Championship. What was believed to be a simple "battery issue" quickly snowballed into an electronics nightmare, which threatened to sideline Marcia for her practice day... or even worse, the entire Championship!

Have you ever had that happen to a sale? Maybe one issue cropped up, and then another... and before you know it the entire sale seems like it's a catastrophe!

But the issues didn't alarm Marcia. "I'm a very optimistic person. You never know what can happen, and if you give up you will never know. If there's a hurdle I will find a way around it."

It turns out that the issue was simply a loose wire. "I knew it would all work out," Marcia asserted, "it always does and I become a better person for the experience."

This incredibly optimistic attitude isn't unique to Marcia. I've found that most of the top Pros have that mentality. It seems like such a little thing, but it can make a world of difference on and off the boat.

Salespeople should embrace that same positive attitude. Similar to bass fishing, there are a million things out of our control that can go wrong before, during or after a sale. Whenever any "crisis" hits us there are really only two options; stay positive and look for an opportunity to make it better, OR get frustrated and close yourself to any opportunities such as Michael Iaconelli did in the 2006 Classic- going into an angry tirade when he found his fish dying in his livewell.

I can't tell you the number of times in my sales career that I felt like Iaconelli (Ike) did during that Classic. I think I'm having a great sales day (week, month), and then something totally unforeseen starts killing my sales! I just want to go crazy! Experience has taught me, however, that going crazy doesn't accomplish anything productive- as Ike will tell you. I should note, for my non bass fishing enthusiasts, that Ike refocused himself after that incident and won the 2006 Angler of the Year!

So whether you're the eternal optimist like Marcia, or the emotional guy like Ike, one thing is certain; When a crisis happens (and it will, that's life) the best course is to stay positive and optimistic about what will happen. Maybe that big sale you just lost will lead you to an even bigger opportunity!

How Well Does Your Network?

Above: Net, not working but about to.

As I continued my conversation with Marcia Rubin I asked her how she went about attracting sponsors. She admitted that getting in front of the decision makers was the biggest challenge, but insisted "you need to network!" That's easy for Marcia to say, since she's a born networker, or so I thought...

She acknowledged that she's now "blessed with the gift of gab, but I was a shy kid, and a tomboy. I was really curious, so I spent a lot of time outdoors, by myself, exploring." It wasn't until she graduated as a cosmetologist and started working as a hair dresser in Coventry that she acquired the gift of gab. "It's such an intimate experience, cutting someones hair, so I learned how to make conversation with all types of people." She credits that life experience for her ability to network now.

In my estimation not much has changed from Marcia's childhood, she is still uber-curious, but now that curiosity is fueled with the gift of gab. What a deadly networking combination. She's curious about new sponsorship opportunities, bass fishing techniques, the great outdoors... and her ability to talk to anybody seems to be opening doors for her.

I also noticed that she is a natural networker. I can't tell you the number of questions she asked me while I was interviewing her! Have you seen this web site? Have you been on bassboatcentral.com in the forums? Have you fished in this spot? Have you seen that site? She wanted to make sure that I was aware of all of these opportunities, and she did it so naturally. It gave me the feeling that she really cared about me. She was so excited to talk about all of it.

As a Salesman I have been part of many formal networking groups, most of which have been really lame. Why? Because everyone in there is only interested in getting business for themselves. Gradually, over the years, I have developed a more natural network of business colleagues who are genuinely interested in what I do, and vice versa. I can talk to these people easily and am truly curious about what is going on for them personally, in their industries, etc. Oh, and I didn't need to pay a several hundred dollar membership fee for their referrals- the occasional lunch will suffice!

Natural networking is based on the old saying:

“Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.”
-Theodore Roosevelt

So go find some people you genuinely care about, ask them about their business (be curious), and sooner or later you will have your own network and some doors will start opening for you!

Caffeinated Conversation with Marcia Rubin, Cleveland's Own Bass Pro

I had the privilege of talking to "Reelady" Marcia Rubin yesterday about bass fishing as well as the business- and sales- side of her occupation as a professional angler. She was most gracious with her time, spending well over an hour talking to this no-name blogger about all of her passions from bass fishing to coffee. At the end of our conversation I can honestly say she sold me! I am a huge fan now, and wish her much success!

[FYI- coming soon ... more posts from my conversation with Marcia]


When I think about what Marcia does off the boat, she is in constant sales mode; she's selling herself to potential sponsors, selling the sport of bass fishing, and in particular she's selling the sport to women. But there's nothing "salesy" about her- she's just truly passionate about what she does, and her enthusiasm is contagious. That is often the key to success in sales. If you have that passion and belief about what you're doing, you're going to be able to generate excitement for your product (service, sport, etc.) naturally.

During our conversation she sold me on both her sponsors (Lake Fork Trophy Lures, Gamma Fishing Line, G Loomis, BountyFishing.com) and non-sponsors products and services. Her most recent "catch" was BountyFishing.com, a Canadian based company hosting online fishing tournaments. Participants pay a small entry fee and then fish from their own location- no boat necessary- and send in photos of their catch. Forensic software is used to detect the actual length and legitimacy of their catch, and the winners are awarded the prize money! I was both amazed and really excited by this opportunity to fish competitively without a boat! Thanks Marcia, sign me up!!! She was able to close the deal with BountyFishing.com and convince them to fly down to the Classic last week to see their potential US audience. Obviously impressed by her passion they agreed to sponsor her! One down, more to go...

Since professional bass fishing hasn't reached the popularity of many other sports (like NASCAR) there aren't many Agents well versed in representing anglers- she said they're too focused on fishing products, which is such a narrow segment. Marcia, therefore, represents herself which she admits can be challenging. Her goal is to "focus on non-endemic sponsorships... not just rods and reels [but] marketing everything we use or do... cameras, cell phones, computers..." She also wants sponsorship from products that she's passionate about, "like Dunkin' Donuts Coffee! I would love to have my boat wrapped by Dunkin' Donuts!!! I love their coffee... it's so smooth and velvety! Everyone knows Marcia always has her Dunkin' Donuts coffee. I bring my own coffee pot to tournaments and brew my own Dunkin' Donuts blend. I've got heated thermoses in my truck that plug into the lighters. Isn't it the best coffee, so smooth and velvety?"

Umm, Dunkin' Donuts, if your reading this will you PLEASE sponsor Marcia!? How perfect would that be? A Bass Pro that gets up at 3:00 AM to drive to the boat launch, needs to stay warm all morning with her cup of coffee, and then drives all through the night to get back home. Talk about "America Runs on Dunkin' Donuts!"

She continued to talk about how "velvety and smooth" the coffee was, and how much she enjoyed drinking a cup of it when catching up with her sister. Okay my mouth is watering now- I must get coffee soon!

In my mind, this is how every sale should be... a great conversation infused with energy and passion... and maybe a little caffeine too! She had nothing to gain by talking to me about Dunkin' Donuts, but that is honestly all I have thought about since our conversation! Well that and Bounty Fishing:) If you can't get excited about what you're selling it's an uphill battle.

So go grab a cup of java and get excited about what you're selling!

Pictured left to right: Jim (McDonald's Coffee), Me with Dunkin' Donuts- of course, Jeff and Mike heading out on a bitter cold November morning.

Below: 2 out of 4 Anglers prefer Dunkin' Donuts Coffee.

Limits, Quotas and Goals- One Step at a Time

The Bassmaster Classic has concluded and Texas angler Alton Jones is the winner. So what did this pro do to stay focused while pressure was mounting in the final day?


"Jones said he kept repeating out loud three mantras to himself all day: 1) Catch the next bass; 2) Make every cast count; and 3) Back to the basics. When he didn't get a bite in his first two areas, he tried to focus on just catching one, and not think about catching a limit."
- www.bassmaster.com

When I think about how much I need to sell annually (or monthly) to meet my personal goals or the company quotas expected of me it can seem daunting, just like it may feel to need a limit of bass on the last day of a tournament. But limits, quotas and goals are achieved one step at a time. Jones' mantras are a great reminder to us to stay focused when pressure is mounting. In our sales world we could rework the mantras:

1) Close the next prospect
2) Make every call count
3) Back to basics (applies the same to selling and bass fishing) ... focus on closing just one sale, and not all that you need to meet your goal.

Bass fishing, though more physical than most initially think, is primarily a mental game. In this case, Yogi, 100% of the game is half mental! The same goes for sales. It's easy for our minds to get cluttered with information or thoughts that interfere with our focus. That's when our mind starts telling us you can't catch that many bass today... how are you ever going to sell that much... too hard... too much... impossible.

We then have two options: Buy into the doubt, or ward it off with a mantra and get focused on accomplishing our goal.

So go out there and don't worry about catching five fish, just focus on catching the next one... you may end up with your limit and a $500,000.00 check at the end of the day! Congrats Alton!

Don't Let Mistakes Get in the Way of Your Success

For those of you non Bass Fisherman reading this I should tell you that the Bassmaster Classic started today. This is the "Super Bowl of Bass Fishing." Check it out on ESPN/ESPN2 if you are interested.

Since it is such a big week in the sport of bass fishing I have been jonesing for as much BASS information as possible, so you can imagine my delight when my crisp copy of Bassmaster Magazine arrived in today's mail:) On the cover it read 10 Mistakes You Are Making Now.

I immediately turned to page 44 to learn exactly why I'm not catching any fish! Not all 10 related to our success as Salesmen, but a couple definitely popped out at me.

#8 They Don't Fish Their Strengths on New Water. The article goes on to quote BASS Pro Greg Hackney, and he advises that we not listen too much to "dock talk" (i.e. the stuff all of the locals are yapping about... lake trends... what they're biting, etc.). Instead he encourages us to focus on fishing to our strengths.

I couldn't agree more! I remember a few years ago, before I really got into artificial baits and competitive bass fishing, I was desperate to find some really big craw dads. So I walked into this bait shop, and I asked the guy behind the counter for some craw dads. Well he hands me the tiniest craw dads I have ever seen, and then goes on to tell me that they're not biting on craw dads, try minnows... and you got to go deep for them. I could have bought those horrible craw dads and some minnows and then fished at 40 feet all day, but that's not what I was feeling. I loved throwing a huge craw dad in shallow water- without even using a sinker. So I went to another bait shop, where they let me hand pick the fattest craw dads they had, and guess what I did? I found some shallow water (maybe 5 feet), and I plopped those big craw dads on my line and I started annihilating the smallies! It was awesome! Maybe he was right... maybe I could have caught some bass deep with minnows, but that wasn't my strength at the time.

The same thing happens in sales. Everybody has their own personality, and their own strengths. Occasionally I will hear a colleague talking about how they closed a sale, or what their tactics are for finding new business. Sometimes it sounds great, and other times it doesn't play into my strengths. If you're great at setting appointments over the phone- and it's working for you- don't listen to the guy in the next cube who dismisses telemarketing for face-to-face cold calling. If you prefer giving a presentation with PowerPoint, don't worry about the guys who are doing something different. If your strengths are working for you, ignore the dock talk!


#10 They Overlook the Obvious. This was great too. Hackney describes how oftentimes some Pros might catch bass in really obvious places, like an obvious-looking area near the boat launch, and then others will pass that spot by assuming that it's been over fished because it's so obvious!

Guilty! Especially when it comes to sales. I will constantly assume that particular prospects have been bombarded by everyone in the industry, so I won't call them. Or if they are with a competitor of mine I will assume they have all of the services they need. Or maybe I talked to them last year and nothing happened. I get so focused on finding less obvious prospects that I won't bother making the obvious calls, and as a result could potentially be losing money!

Don't outsmart yourselves. If your passing by an obvious spot, take a few seconds to throw your line in. It may just be that easy!


I could elaborate more on the eight additional mistakes, but I need to go catch up on the Classic and WBT coverage! My personal #1 Mistake is watching ESPN BASS all day when I should be out selling something! Cut me some slack... this is the Super Bowl of bass fishing!

The Zen Master Says Practice to Get in the Zone

Is this man crazy? Just look at that Jack Nicholson-esque eyebrow raise. This is Bass Pro Rick Clunn, a.k.a. the Zen Master, who was recently voted as one of the best anglers of all time.

He is definitely quirky, but he's one of my absolute favorite guys to watch and read about because he's so passionate about bass fishing. His fishing game has evolved over the past three decades to a metaphysical level, and many of the sport's finest are taking note. I've read several columns this past week- leading up the the Bssmaster Classic- and many of last year's successful Pros have mentioned working on the mental aspect of the sport so they can achieve the heights of success Rick Clunn has. It would be the equivalent of basketball players trying the elevate their game to a Magic Johnson or Michael Jordan level. But the only thing Rick Clunn has in common with Michael Jordan is Phil Jackson... both Rick and Phil are a little out there... or are they?

One of the things Rick repeatedly talks about is being in the zone like a basketball player just shooting, knowing the ball's going in!

For me casting is much the same as shooting a basketball was in my younger high school days. I enjoy watching even the best college and pro basketball players artistic ability with the ball. Most great shooters shoot the best when little conscious thought appears to be involved. Pure shooters or casters seem to work best when working from a level free of conscious thought where they achieve a perfect rhythm between mechanics and intuitive action. Conscious though for most is an unwelcome intruder, which disturbs that perfect rhythm, that perfect stroke, or perfect cast.

He goes on to emphasize the importance of practicing:


There are many ways to improve mechanics. Practice certainly is one of the most important. Hours of practice allow casting to become intuitive, much the same as running your trollmotor when you operate it without thinking. Allowing casting to be an automatic process should be ones goal. When I am casting at my best I achieve a perfect rhythm between mind and body. Over the years I have learned to minimize everything that can interrupt this rhythm.

I recall the first time I used a trolling motor while casting. Ugly! I was so focused on steering the boat with my left foot, I could hardly send any brain signals to my right hand to cast! Of course practice made things better, as Rick suggests.

I always thought sales was a very spontaneous, ad-lib, type of event. Of course I would think that, since I was told to go into sales simply because I had a good personality. Surely such a profession would be free of practice! To make matters worse there was no sales training in my first sales job, so I oftentimes found myself clumsily trying to handle prospect objections while managing the process. Let's just say I was very, very far away from the zone! It wasn't until I moved on to other organizations with in-depth sales training that I learned the value of practice in sales.

There are several things I have practiced for my sales jobs from rehearsing cold calling scripts and elevator pitches to practicing demonstrations and overcoming common objections. I've role played sales calls with managers and peers. I've delivered presentations to myself in the mirror. At first I thought a lot of this stuff was over-the-top and unnecessary, but over time I have realized the benefit of it all. Practice puts us in position to enter the zone.

These practice sessions have allowed me to experience the zone. Maybe I don't get in the zone during every single sales call, but there are great days when- without even thinking about it- I'm rattling off answers to technical questions, booking appointments and closing sales and feeling completely confident about everything.

Maybe you have had formal sales training that focused on practicing or rehearsing certain things, but if you haven't you should heed the advise of the Zen Master, Rick Clunn. Practice! Practice all of the mechanical things you can, so when you're on a call you can do them without even thinking about it. It will make you a better salesman for sure.

Stay in Motion...Moving Targets Get the Hits!

My Mom and Dad had this Norman Rockwell Gone Fishing print in their house years ago when I was a child (I'm not sure if it made the move to the new house- perhaps it's buried in the basement with my 1987 Topps baseball card collection). When I tell people that I enjoy fishing I believe that they conjure up an image not too different than the one Mr. Rockwell painted.

Depicted is a passive angler (so passive he's asleep) with a bunch of lines in the water, motionless and presumably baited with worms that have been nibbled away by small panfish.

I've actually had days at the office that felt like this painting. I wasn't really sure which prospects to move along the sales cycle, so I passively sat at my desk and sent some letters and e-mails, and made some phone calls to assure my prospect that I was still there, dangling in front of them like a worm. And do you want to know how many deals I close on days like that? Probably one for every fish that old guy in the painting caught that hazy summer day. None.

Bass fishing, for the record, is nothing like the painting. It is an incredibly active, and sometimes exhausting sport. I don't have all of the Bass Pro statistics memorized, but I'm confident no one has ever caught a winning fish while sleeping. So while everyone may have an image in their heads of what fishing is... or what selling is (isn't it relaxing days on the golf course schmoozing clients?) the true professionals are in constant motion actively leading their prospects through the process.

Bass are not only visual feeders, but rely on motion detection as well.

Simply put, bass are virtually obligate motion detectors. To a bass, motion signals life and hence the possibility of food. Motionless objects are quickly classified as non-living and ignored.
- Knowing Bass, Keith A. Jones, PhD

That's why the pros are, themselves, in constant motion. Casting, reeling, casting, reeling. In the water the bass see motion and follow the opportunity. The lures, with each ripple through the strike zone, are taunting the bass... "hey, I'm a tasty live treat. I have so much to offer you. Come a little further this way..." Meanwhile the bass is thinking I better get a move on it or I'm going to miss this great opportunity. The whole time the pro is angling the fish toward the boat and is in control of his own tempo.

I've learned that the best sales people do the same thing. They present an opportunity and then begin directing (reeling) it back into the close. They control the timing and the tempo. Essentially they say to the prospect "I've got something of value for you and the time to act is now, so come a little further this way." They have created a sense of urgency.

Think about what motivates you to buy something. If you know that car you want is always going to be at zero percent financing do you jump right away? Heck no! But if that's the car you want and the zero percent financing ends this weekend you're going to get a move on it!

So instead of just making your sales pitch and leaving it in the prospects hands, find a reason to continually keep them moving toward the close. And if they don't budge, you can reel in and cast to another prospect! If you're not in constant motion you're going to end up with as many fish as the old man.

Order Taker or Salesman; How Well Can You Arouse the Sleeping Giant?

I have this recurring fantasy that I'm sitting on the beach in a recliner drinking margaritas and my BlackBerry is exploding with calls and e-mails for new orders. Everybody wants what I'm selling, and they're coming to me! Later, in the same fantasy, I leave the beach to go to an inland lake for some bass fishing. While cruising out to my first spot I notice, on my fish finder, a school of bass following me... and as soon as I cut the engine and drop the trolling motor they start literally jumping in my boat! Five and Ten pounders just flopping right in!!!

Reality check. That's not how selling or fishing usually occurs.

Why not? Simple. Bass and prospects don't move around in a constant state of hunger. We know how easy it is to sell to somebody who is actively looking for our services- perhaps they called us, and we merely take their order. Likewise, when bass are feeding we can enjoy a great day of angling. But after the bass eats his fill he's no longer hunting for food.

... bass don't stay in a constant state of visual alertness. They are not always actively scanning their surroundings. Sometimes they are more in what might be politely called a mental fog.
- Knowing Bass, Keith A Jones, PhD

So what is our job? "Stage 1: Arousing the sleeping giant," as Dr. Jones outlines in Knowing Bass. His research shows that even in this mental fog, since they are opportunistic predators, bass will become aroused by bait that crosses their path... and if it's enticing enough the bass will launch an active search for that prey, run some taste tests, and ultimately strike or turn away.

Wow, is this sounding familiar! Though I would never say my prospects were in a mental fog- at least not publicly! Seriously though, most of my prospects have already acquired the service I provide, so they are not actively looking for it. They are usually in a status quo mode, or hunting for some other business (or personal) need they have. Rarely do I call on someone who is waiting for me, ready to do business.

More often than not, I have to find a way to arouse the prospect, so they will actively engage in the rest of the sales process with me. So how is that accomplished? First- you have to get close enough. If a bass is not actively hunting he's not going to care about a lure that's hundreds of yards away. Do whatever you can to get in front of your decision maker. Once you're in front of him or her you have to offer enough of a value proposition to get them engaged. If the bass isn't excited by the movement, color or odor of the bait he will simply slip back into that inactive state.

Remember what links us to bass and to our prospects: we are all opportunistic predators! If a great deal comes swimming right under our nose we will check it out.

So two things I have worked on- and constantly tweak- are my strategies for getting directly in front of decision makers, and what I can tell/show them immediately that will engage them. If the fish and the prospects aren't biting, it's probably you, not them! Do something to arouse them.

I was recreationally fishing Lake Ontario with Rhett and Chris a few summers back when I put my pole down and declared that the fish weren't biting. Rhett, in his infinite wisdom, quipped "the fish don't stop biting, John. The fishermen stop fishing."

Knowing now what I know about bass, Rhett's remarks are even more profound. Rhett, I guess what I meant is that the bass weren't actively feeding!

So I say to you: the prospects don't stop buying, the salesmen stop selling.

The PD's D'Arcy Egan talks to Local "Reel Lady" Bass Pro

Lady on the water

Chagrin Falls' Marcia Rubin earns shot at bass fishing greatness




www.reelady.com

Talking with Clients is a Drag, so Keep a Tight Line of Communication

There are many aspects of bass fishing and selling that can be taught (no pun intended... tight lines, taught... I digress.), but much of the finesse must be learned through experience. Perhaps the most critical aspect of fishing and selling- reeling the prospect in after he's hooked- is one of those things that can only be learned through experience. That finesse is learned through trial and error, and a lot of heartbreaking tales of the one that got away.

Bass fishing pundits can tell you where to fish, which lure to use, how to cast and how to set the hook, but nobody can tell you exactly how to set your drag, when to reel in or when to let the fish run with the line... and that's the most important part of landing the fish successfully. That fishing line is the only think connecting you and your fish, and a lot can go wrong on the way to the boat.

Similarly in sales, my boss can tell me where to go, which presentation to give, and which close to try, but the real fun(again, no pun intended... real fun, reel fun) begins after the prospect says yes! A lot can go wrong on the way to delivering that product or service.

This truly is the most crucial aspect of selling and fishing, but it is also the most fun! Bass are consistently voted as one of the most fun species to sport fish for. Why? Because pound-for-pound they give the best, most exhilarating fight. What's better than reeling in a lunker bass that shoots out of the water like a missile and has the raw strength to run away with your line... or break it? That exchange of give-and-take is exactly why I love bass fishing! I'm actually getting pumped up just writing about it now!!!

Likewise, what's more rewarding than finally landing that stubborn prospect that said "yes," but then fought you like hell on the contract specs, price, or some other element of the sale? Many of my clients have exhausted me through that process, but at the end of the day, they are my clients!

Set your drag and keep a tight line.

The drag is a device on the fishing reel that, depending on the type of line used, allows the fish to run with the line. Too little drag and the fish may run the line a mile away and wrap it around a tree stump. Too much drag and the line may snap as soon as the fish starts bolting. Again, the perfect amount of drag is deduced over time.

Your line and drag are your communication after the hook has been set.

Have you ever had too little drag after a sale?

One time I closed a sale, and was immediately bombarded with a thousand questions and request. "Yes, John, we would love to do business with you... BUT can we see this spec? Can you send us that report? Is it possible for it to be delivered in this manner?" I didn't know how to reel them back in. They ran so far with the line. The danger is that the farther the line goes without being reeled back in the greater the chance of losing the sale, which is exactly what happened.

I've also had too much drag.

After seeing how a sale was lost by not taking control of the post-closing process I took a hard line stance with some future prospects. Yes, John, we would like to do business with you... BUT...
"Great," I interrupted "I'll just have you sign right here and we'll start the first of the month."
But we're a little concerned about...
"We'll make sure that's all addressed after we deliver the service."
We want to make sure...

By being to hard and fast at the beginning you risk breaking the line and losing the sale... which is exactly what happened.

Undoubtedly there needs to be a strong, tight line of communication post-close. Occasionally the prospect will run off on some tangent, and the salesman has to allow them to run- only so far- and then reel them back with strong communication... assurances... answers to their questions, etc.

The bottom line (seriously, I did not intend that pun at all) is that the art of fishing and selling is all about finessing that line of communication. It cannot be taught in a class or seminar. It's developed over time, so in the mean time enjoy the process of learning which techniques help you best land more fish. And enjoy the fight- it's the most exciting part of the process!

Fall in Love, Success is Sure to Follow...

I haven't forgotten that this is a blog about bass fishing and selling, but cut me some slack here- it's Valentine's Day- so we have to talk about love! And believe or not it is one of the most relevant themes in bass fishing and selling, or any other career for that matter. Notice I said career, not job. The people who love what they do are the most successful.

This is one of my favorite quotes of all time:

"Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way.

What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings, how you will spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.

Fall in love, stay in love and it will decide everything."

Attributed to Pedro Arrupe, S.J. (1907-1991)
Superior General of the Society of Jesus 1961-1984

To me that is one of the most complete definitions of love. Father Arrupe's definition drives into the very core of what we are supposed to be, as defined by what we are in love with. And according to him, this is even greater that finding God! How very cool... and eerily self-enlightening.

So what are you in love with? What gets you out of bed in the morning? How do you spend your weekends? What do you read? What breaks your heart...

So where am I going with all of this mush? It's no secret that the Bass Pros love what they do! They have to. It's not about the money- especially at first. There are a handful of guys making "good" money on the Tours, but the rest of them are pursuing a passion! They are spending weekends and evenings traveling across the country... getting up at 3:00 AM to launch their boats. It's what they read... it's who they know. And when they win... or lose by a single ounce, it's what amazes them with joy and gratitude... or breaks their hearts. The guys who don't truly love it never reach the top level of success, because it's too grueling to do for any length of time if you don't have a passion for it, if you don't love it.

The same rule of love applies to our careers as salespeople. Those of us who love our companies, products, jobs, etc. achieve the highest levels of success and personal satisfaction... personal fulfillment.

I'm a lucky guy because I love my wife and daughter, my family, my career, bass fishing and a long list of other things I won't bore you with, but they define me nonetheless.

So, it's Valentine's Day for crying out loud, go out there and "fall in love, stay in love and it will decide everything."

Trust Me, I Wouldn't Lie About This

...of all the liars among mankind, the fisherman is the most trustworthy. ~William Sherwood Fox, Silken Lines and Silver Hooks, 1954

Why is it that fishermen and salesmen have a reputation for, shall we say, stretching the truth? Well it's not without merit, that's for sure. The difference is that fishermen lie about the past whereas salesmen lie about the future.

Disclaimer: These stories may or may not be things I have actually said in the past:

That bass had to be 10 lbs! He broke my line, jumped out of the water, smirked at me and swam away! Past.

I fought this lunker for 30 minutes before landing him. Then nearly flopped off of the boat, but I grabbed him with one hand. Past.

Absolutely Mr. Prospect, I guarantee that you won't have any problems whatsoever with our product. Future.

Yes Boss, I will be turning in paperwork for 4 sales by the end of the day. Future.

The lesson here is simple. If the salesman desires to earn the title of "most trustworthy" of the liars, then he needs to stop lying about the future. Go ahead and swap war stories with your colleagues about the one that got away, or your end of the sale heroics, but don't oversell (i.e. lie) to your prospect or your boss. The true professionals in fishing and sales have, over time, earned trust and respect, and it pays huge dividends!

Shut up and Show Me

I'm a salesman, so I am notorious for talking a lot. Sometimes too much! I think this must be a problem for a lot of us (i.e. salesmen) because almost every sales seminar I have ever attended has a session on listening and I have yet to see one on talking. So what does the bass have to teach the salesman?

Sight is more important than sound. Bass are visual feeders. Why? Probably because there's so much background noise, and their hearing is limited. Keith A. Jones, PhD, author of Knowing Bass, discusses this in great detail. Essentially all of the background noise from boats, waves, and other marine inhabitants creates an environment that is not favorable for the bass to make feeding decisions based on hearing. Sound familiar? Think about all of the background noise we hear as consumers? Or all that our prospects must hear? We're bombarded every day with internet, TV and radio ads... telephone solicitations, and so on. It creates a lot of background noise, so prospects must make buying decisions based on something other than what they hear.

So show them what you got! Find a way to demonstrate your product or service, and you will likely increase your chance of getting the prospect to bite.

There's much debate among anglers about what, visually, is most important to bass: size, color, shape, motion, etc. To a degree we can have the same argument about our prospects. What's more important, this feature or that benefit? In a way, it really doesn't matter as long as we're showing them something. The advantage we have with humans is that, while showing them, we can ask them what is most important to them- this is when the afore mentioned listening comes into play... and if need be, we can show them exactly what they want/need.

Seeing is believing for bass and buyers, so quit talking and start showing!

Fish or Cut Bait

Have you ever had a day at the office where you were super busy, but at the end of the day didn't talk to any prospects? I definitely have. It is so easy to think of those as productive days, since we feel busy, and we're probably getting critical things crossed off of our to-do list, but don't be fooled. A Bass Pro would be mortified if he had to waste an entire day on the lake without getting his line in the water.

The philosophies of fishing and selling are identical: spend as much time as possible in front of your prospects, enticing them. In fishing this translates into having your line in the water... In sales this means talking to your prospects, either face-to-face or over the phone. So what can you do to ensure that you're fishing instead of cutting bait?

Get organized, and plan ahead.
This seams obvious, but it is often overlooked. The top professionals, however, take the time to get organized and plan ahead so they can maximize their time on the water. Nothing is left to chance. They categorize their baits by type, size, color and weight. They routinely check their rods, reels and line. And, of course, everything on the boat is checked. When a tournament rolls around they check the specs of the lake and the weather forecast and decide which types of baits they will use, and they rig their rods up ahead of time.

I was so impressed with my boater during my first tournament. He had eight rods (4 spinning and 4 baitcaters) fanned across his bow, already rigged and set to go. I, on the other hand had my rods tangled in a mess next to me rigged with a dried out plastic worms from last season. I really didn't have a plan for the day.

At each spot he quickly picked up has rod and began casting, while I sat there staring at my tackle bag wondering what to tie on. He knew even before we got to the spot what he was going to cast. If his line got snagged he would cut it and immediately throw the next line in. If he had to replace a lure he knew exactly which box it was in and would tie it on within seconds.

The result... as you can imagine he far outfished me that day. Why? Because he maximized his time, and spent most of the eight hour day actually fishing, while I spent most of it trying to figure out what to do next. He did all of the other stuff the day before the tournament.

The same thing should apply to your sales day. Define what constitutes "time on the water," otherwise known as prime selling hours. If that time is 9-5, then do all of your other stuff before or after that. Look at where you are going the next day, and decide how and what you're going to pitch to the prospect, and then prepare it. Make your copies, submit your paperwork, check your e-mails, print your directions, fill your gas tank up... so that you're not doing the next day while someone else is in front of your prospect.

Remember: A productive day of fishing does not entail cutting bait. That should be done some other time.

No Spin, Be Reel to Get In Front of Hard-to-Find Prospects

There's a phenomenon called "fishing pressure" that anglers can often use as their excuse for no, or very few, fish caught. Pressure occurs when a body of water becomes over-fished. Perhaps a small lake, notorious for lunker bass, has hosted weekend tournaments for several consecutive weeks. Suddenly, guys who were catching 5 pounders can't even get a bite. Does this mean all the fish have been caught, or they're just harder to get in front of now? Does this sound like a familiar sales problem? What does a successful angler or salesman do to get in front of prospects in a saturated market?

You have to be willing to go where the other guys won't go, so learn some new tricks and build up your arsenal. I've certainly had to do this professionally, in sales, and I had to do this with my fishing technique too. But be WARNED: Trying something new can be awkward and uncomfortable!

After successfully fishing for years (with a spinning reel) I started fishing in a few BASS tournaments. These tournaments were just little club tournaments on some local lakes, but pressure was a big problem. Some weekends there would be 5 or 10 other club tournaments on the same lake, so the fish became harder to come by. My boater (fishing partner) would start working some shore lines and docks with his baitcasting reel, flipping and pitching. I, meanwhile, began casting out into the lake where everyone else had already cast- that's all I could do with my spinning reel. With great precision he was placing his lure on sunken tree limbs, over rock piles, under docks and just about anywhere you wouldn't want to get your line stuck. But he maneuvered it deftly and caught a limit of bass. He was willing to go where nobody else was able to go, and he had the skill to do it.

Shortly after that I bought a baitcaster and, awkwardly, began practicing with it. It felt like I had to learn to fish all over again- left handed! But I knew that if I could start doing some of the things that my boater had done I would be a multidimensional fisherman, and would be able to catch fish even when others couldn't.

It's easy to blame the market when you can't seem to close a sale, but step outside of your comfort zone and learn some new sales techniques. Who knows, you may find a big fat prospect just waiting for you to close them!

Hunters Need Not Apply; Bass Fisherman Please Send Resumes

While perusing the Help Wanted ads last weekend for sales positions I noticed that a lot of the companies are looking for "hunters." I'm not exactly sure why that would be desirable. If you want someone who would sit in a tree all day and wait for a single prospect to walk by, only then to kill it, then perhaps "hunters" are what your business needs. I would propose that we begin hiring fishermen, Bass Pros in particular. Here's why...

We want someone who will completely scour a territory looking for prospects- speeding to every hot spot and pitching to thousands of prospects. I'm pretty sure that's what these employers would rather have than a hunter stuck up a tree. Once those prospects are caught, we don't want them killed. We want them safely placed in the livewell, brought back to be assessed (weighed), and then released so they can continue growing and multiplying, so we can do it all over again next week, month, year, etc. Clients who have a good experience with their sales reps- and who live to tell about it- spread the word, multiply, and become our greatest endorsement. Clients that end up flayed on the top of our SUV's aren't really good references... and usually become a liability.

So the next time I'm in an interview and someone says they're looking for a "hunter," I'll kindly excuse myself and tell them I'm looking for a more active and lucrative sales position.

Three Thousand Casts a Day; How Many Cold Calls Did You Make?

When I think about how tiring prospecting or cold-calling can be I always try to think about it in terms of fishing. Some of the Bass Pros make over 3000 casts in a tournament day, tirelessly looking for their next strike. Oftentimes you will hear a pro mention that his best fish was caught with the very last cast of the day, right before he sped back to the weigh-in. It's that never-quit attitude that separates the pros from the starving fisherman. Even when they have already caught their limit, they are still trying to land something bigger.

I've found that the same attitude applies toward the truly successful salesmen I know too. Even when they have met their quota for the day (week, month, etc.) they are still perpetually prospecting. The guys who, instead, hit the golf course after they have hit their numbers find themselves on a slippery slope to sales suicide.

I know both feelings. I know what it feels like to want to rest on your laurels, but I also know what it feels like to constantly want more. The next time I feel like taking the afternoon off I will pretend that each cold call is another cast in search of landing Walter. After all, I have made sales on my last call of the day before, and I have caught lunker bass on my last cast. You never know what you can reel in.