So youtre telling me therets a chancerrr

"He only buys from...

"He always buys from the other guy."

"They're always too cheap."

"I never sell this guy."

"They'll hang up if I say that."

"He'll never pay that price."

We don't live in reality as salespeople,we create it. We cannot let our own negative attitudes or those of others affect how we sell. We are always positive, even in the face of what can seem to be insurmountable odds.

fu rHe MovtE Dumb and Dumber, Jim Carrey plays ll-loyd, a kind-hearted yet obtuse limo driver who falls instantly, madly in love with a passenger he drops off at the airport. Lloyd drives across country to reunite with Mary.

She is confused by his attention and behavior, and wants to let him down easily, but-really-there's no way.

Lloyd: I like you, Mary. 1 like you a lot.I want to ask you a question, straight out, flat out, and I want you to give me an honest answer. What do you think the chances are of a guy like you and a girl like me, ending up together?

Mary: Well, Lloyd, that's difficult to say,I... we really don't...

Lloyd: Hit me with it! Just give it to me straight. I came a long way just to see you, Mary. The least you can do is level with me. What are my chances?

Mary: Not good.

You mean like not good like one out of a hun-

Mary: I'd say more like one in a million.

Lloyd: (Pause) So you're telling me there's a chance. (Pause) Yeah! (Pause, giving Mary a conspiratorial look) I read ya.

When we talk with customers there will be objections. We must maintain Lloyd's innocence and sense of the possible; too many of us are so tied to our perceived reality that we get in our own way.

When I traded lumber, we would sometimes get offers that seemed ridiculous. Buyers would often say, "I can't take that to my mill. They won't take that number." Our response was, "Don't say no for the sawmill." More often than not, the deal was made.

Similar negative conversations can play out in our heads as salespeople:

"This guy hates me."

When I traded at Forest City, we had Silver and Gold Circle traders. I remember like yesterday the first year I made Silver. Ray Haroldson, my boss, called me into his office. I was expecting a pat on the back and warm congratulations. Instead, Ray said, "You know, James, if you had put a couple more bucks a thousand (+$2/MBF) on everything you sold this year you would have gone Gold instead of Silver."

I left Ray's office feeling he was the most unappreciative SOB I had ever met in my life. I was mad at him for weeks. My thought was, "You have no idea how hard I work just to get the prices I am getting !"

I started thinking about what he had told me. I started to add a couple bucks over our list price to everything I promoted. And surprise of surprises, I started to get higher prices! (Unappreciative? Ray was just a great motivator!) My reality was tied to Cascade Empire's list price (reality), when I should have made my own list price (reality).

Is selling tough? Yes. Thank goodness! If it weren't tough, we wouldn't get paid great money to do it. lt would also be deathly boring. Can selling make us crazy? If the great salespeople I know are any indication, yes. Embrace the insanityl

We've already got enough reality. lt's even on TV now-ushl What we need is more imagination, innocence and perseverance. Like our friend Lloyd. So the next time someone (especially usl) begins to fill our heads with (supposed and negative) reality, let's shout the battle cry of great salespeople: So you're telling me there's a chance!

James Olsen Reality Sales Training (so3) s44-3572 james@ reality-salestraining.com