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Fortune Finds Those Who Look for It

I always find it refreshing to talk to ISOs and Individual Sales Representatives about what is happening on the street from their perspective.
This is one of the reasons that I like to do several days of proactive phone interviews each year, in addition to the calls that I regularly receive.

One thing that strikes me with every conversation is that it takes a special breed of individual to be a sales person. Those who are really successful make their own breaks.

Sales, of course, is not for everyone. Not all who calls themselves salespeople actually are. Some people in sales act like sparrows sitting in the nest with their mouths open, squealing and waiting for the next handout. That's okay for baby sparrows, because they are babies and they're helpless.

But for the life time player, those that know what it means to be a professional Salesperson, know handouts are not exactly a strategy designed to create success. (Certainly not long term success!)

I like the old story about the mother who was having difficulty getting her son out of bed in the morning.

"Mom," he was crying, "why do I have to go to school today?" The mother replied, "For three reasons: First because it's Monday, second because I said so and third because you're the principal."

Not a hilariously funny yarn, but what humor there is in it stems from the fact that this is not a little kid acting like a little kid, it's a grown up.

Unfortunately, it's a lot less funny when you think of the number of people in the business world who have the same attitude as that school principal lying in bed in the morning.


There comes a time in the growing process when you're no longer a sparrow in the nest or a little kid fighting against the sandman.

The secret of success in sales ó and one of the secrets of achieving happiness and peace of mind in your life ó is to do what you can and all you can for yourself. In other words, make your own breaks.


Do more than what is expected of you by others. Do more than your job demands. Don't depend on others. Don't depend on the company that you represent to do things for you, albeit go on the leads you're given. Support is a wonderful thing, but when it becomes a way of life, success (that is, long term personal achievement) can easily decline.

Winning in sales always results from the same simple process, hard work. Referrals or leads are nice, and interested prospects that call you out of the blue can make your day, but they are seldom a steady diet.


Regardless of whether you are knocking on doors or smiling and dialing, nothing replaces the hard work of starting all over again tomorrow, and remember SW, SW, SW, N!.

SW, SW, SW, N!

Good Selling!^SM

Paul H. Green

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