How to be a Success Champion Book excerpt: Chapter 10

Chapter 10 Learning The Hard Way

Success Champions Magazine

By Donnie Boivin

As I started selling commercial printing, they gave me a desk, a computer, and a phone and told me to go sell. My boss Jane often said, “If you need anything from me let me know, but go sell!” She hired me because the current sales team would not focus on the new style of printing the company had started. They wanted to stay with the old style, traditional printing.

There was a complete sales department with ten or twelve people and a VP of sales. But I reported to Jane. This really pissed off the VP of sales. It was a tough spot to be in; trying to learn something new but being caught up in company politics. But it was a great crash course. I had no clue where to start.

I called my brother who’d been a successful salesperson for many years and said, “What the hell do I do?” He laughed and walked me through what prospecting was and gave me a general idea of a how a cold call should go down, but really wasn’t a lot of help. Love ya bro.

Later in life, he helped me figure out networking. In his field, he was known as one of the top go-to guys for anything, and most companies he worked for hired him for his connections. I called my uncle who was the self-proclaimed patriarch of the family and had had a successful career in banking for years.

He was a cold, direct guy who talked at you, never with you. “You’re crazy to get into sales Donnie. Go get a real job,” he said. That wasn’t any help either.

He did help me with my career later in life but it took him a while to see me as a professional instead of the punk kid he watched grow up.

I had to figure out the sales thing on my own. I hit the internet to see what I could find and I started researching everything I could to learn about sales.

There are a lot of idiots out there that talk about their sales skills. Most of it is bullshit and doesn’t work for a multitude of reasons. But mainly they just want to sell you their shit.

Sales is just a conversation with an outcome.

You either get to a yes, or you get to a no. And both answers are right. Stop overcomplicating things with too many processes and systems.

Find your own unique style and process. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. Find one that focuses on you and your mental fortitude and helps you get out of your own way. If that way only teaches tactics, look for something else.

You need something that helps you get out of your own head and focused on success.

I’ve spent a lot of money on training, seminars, webinars, and classes. I’ve heard and seen it all. What I know now is you need to find your own process. More on that later.

During all this training I started mapping out a sales process and trying to put a game plan together and build my sales. I had no idea what I was doing so I was trying everything.

While researching I stumbled on the idea of business networking. It was a completely foreign concept to me. Most things I read about sales talked about cold calling, doing walk-ins, or tricks to closing out deals.

The idea of going to events and meeting people or going to group meetings and talking about my company was crazy to me. It didn’t sound like sales at all and I didn’t really know how it would grow my business or more importantly, my commissions.

The groups sounded like an AA meeting and the after-hours activities sounded like a party. The kind of party I liked but AA-style which is not so much my thing.

Everything is worth trying once so I found a local networking group, made a phone call and decided to go check them out.

If you’ve never done networking let me walk you through what not to do. If you’re familiar with networking I hope you enjoy my complete amateur introduction to networking. I don’t know if you’ve made mistakes in networking but I made some good ones. Learning from those mistakes is how I created the process I use now.

The morning before the event I put on my best suit. I’d had it dry-cleaned the day before. I had new socks and a crisp shirt and a brand-new tie. My pockets were filled with business cards and brochures.

I had index cards with my sales pitch written on them and key talking points, both of which I practiced on the drive to the event. I turned on my favorite motivational audiobook to help with my nerves and began psyching myself up while I drove to the event.

I pulled into the parking lot of a local community center that was like a small convention center. The place had rooms rented out for meetings and could be converted into a large ballroom that held a couple of hundred people.

With my best smile, sales pitch ready, I walked in and found a nice lady sitting at the reception desk. She looked very busy talking into her headset and typing into her computer.

Walking up clearing my throat I said, “Um, I’m Donnie. I sell commercial printing. Who do I talk to about printing business cards or brochures or anything like that?”

Just like I was on a sales call, I was fired up. She was not. She smiled (maybe scowled) but wasn’t rude. She just said, “You must be here for the networking group.” And with a knowing smile, she pointed down a hallway.

As I turned to walk down the hall, I heard her say into her headset. “Oh boy, they are going to love him.”

I got excited. I thought she meant it as a compliment.

Down the hallway, I found a couple of ladies in business attire sitting behind a folding table covered with a white tablecloth. They were collecting business cards in a clear fishbowl and signing people in, smiling the whole time.

I was rehearsing my sales pitch in my head while I moved up in line. With a welcoming smile, they greeted me. And I hit them with my prepared sales pitch of the benefits of printing with my company and why we were the best in town and how we could handle all of their print needs. condescending way only southern women can pull off, “It doesn’t work that way. Please sign in and give us a couple of business cards.”

If you haven’t seen that kind of look before, picture a mother looking down her nose at you like you’re a dumbass, while patting you on your head like a puppy and saying “Bless your heart.”

“Bless your heart” in the south is a polite way of saying you’re a freaking idiot

I handed over two business cards and two brochures about my company. Both ladies were rolling their eyes as they told me to go in the main room and that someone would meet me there.

What the hell was their problem, I thought.

I heard snickers as I walked away into the main ballroom. It was laid out with tables in a large U shape with chairs along the outside. People were mingling and talking and no one really seemed interested in me. I had this gut feeling this wasn’t going to be good.

I found a chair I assumed was okay to sit in (it was the only one without a name card on it). As I started setting my stuff down to work the room a tall gentleman with dark hair walked up and introduced himself.

I felt a little relieved thinking this person was going to show me the ropes and tell me what I was supposed to do. He stuck out his hand and went on the offensive.

“Do you own your own home?” He asked. “Who is your electric provider?” He continued. “Do you know what your current rate is?

He went into a pitch about my home electricity and how I could save money and make money in residential electricity. He handed me a business card, took one of mine, and said, “I’ll call you and we’ll go have coffee.”

I was bewildered and overwhelmed. I wasn’t was sure what had just happened. I put his card in my pocket and no sooner had electricity guy walked off than another gentleman walked up and he started in the same way.

Yeah, he was that guy; old suit that didn’t match, disheveled hair, big toothy grin. Sticking out his hand he said, “I’m a financial advisor. We should have lunch. Do you have a 401k set up yet?”

Another gentleman walked up who was short in stature but had an air of authority around him. He said to the financial advisor, “Leave the boy alone.”

Looking at me he told me his name then asked if I owned my own home and/or needed insurance on it.

It seemed like everyone I was meeting was trying to sell me something. Here I was thinking I was supposed to pitch them and they were out pitching me. I was so out of my element. You’re going to have to up your game, I thought.

Grabbing my confidence, I was ready to turn the tables on these guys. The leader of the group hit a gavel on the table and everyone took their seats.

The leader was an older gentleman with a comb-over, wire-rim glasses, and a crooked smile that made him look like he was trying to hide something.

He introduced a lady to his right and she began reading off the rules and policies of the group. What was funny to me was all the rules were merely suggestions because no one was following them.

They then went around the room and each person stood (like an AA meeting). It was the exact thing I was fearing. They introduced themselves with a clever tagline finish that almost sounded like a commercial jingle. I was nervous I didn’t have a tagline and had no freaking clue what the Hell I was going say or talk about. All I had was my prepared sales pitch and I was ready to use it.

As it got close to being my turn the butterflies began and I got nervous. Was my pitch going to be enough? Could I fit it in in sixty seconds? I began sweating under my jacket and my heart started pounding.

Then when the person beside me stopped their introduction I took a deep breath and started to stand.

As I stood the leader banged his gavel and immediately said, “Please sit back down. Guests go later.”

It was embarrassing. I didn’t know the stupid freaking protocol. Frustrated I could feel my temper starting to rise as I sat back down.

When the last member finished, they came back to me and asked me to stand. At this point, I was fuming inside. Every part of me was about to explode.

I started to say my pitch when the gavel clanked again and the leader told me that I was only allowed to say my name and the name of my company.

What the Hell is this? I’m not in the Marine Corps anymore, I thought. I think everyone noticed because the room got eerily quiet. Trying to maintain some sense of corporate politeness but still pissed off I went ahead with my pitch.

I wanted to say more. Everyone else gave a damn pitch. I was going to too.

Ignoring his order I began to tell more about my business and he banged the gavel again and he quickly reminded me, “Please just give your name and company name.”

He then went on to explain that telling more about my company was a privilege of membership. Part of me understood this and it made sense. This was going to be part

This group was about helping each other of their sales pitch for new members. The other part of me was red in the face and contemplating walking out.

The meeting went on and I was convinced it was a complete waste of time. Why in the world were these people sitting in this room every week not following their own rules and taking time out of their sales day? What was the point? Everything was ritualistic and everyone seemed to be saying the same thing while trying to sell each other. It made no sense.

Then they got to the section where they gave out referrals to each other.

One person would stand and read off a sheet of paper and hand out referrals for other members. It was like the heavens opened and the angels were singing.

They went around the room and announced how many referrals they had for someone else and how many dollars they were turning in for closed business from referrals from other members of the group.

It was incredible. Hundreds of thousands of dollars where being handed out. These people were doing massive amounts of business. It was ridiculous just how much business they were doing.

The realtor stood and thanked someone for buying a house. The mortgage guy thanked someone for getting their mortgage through. And the title guy repeated the sentiment.

Bam, the group just made almost four hundred K. And I quickly proceeded to forget about all the other stuff that had just happened.

Later I learned that most of it was fabricated, but that story is for another day.

At some point in the meeting, I was asked to step outside so they could tell me about the group. The electricity guy walked me outside and started telling me about his success from the group. “I have six people in a downline and it’s growing,” he boasted.

This group is about helping each other out but he was building a business out of people.

I wanted in so I let him drone until I got tired of him talking to me about joining his business.

I had a job. Why would I want to start a business? “What do I need to do to join this group?” I asked.

He looked disappointed. I wasn’t sure if it was because I wasn’t jumping up and down about selling electricity or what, but he sighed and proceeded to pitch me on the group.

They met once a week. You had to bring so many guests each week to be able to join. And you had to give so many referrals. You also had dues to pay to become a member. The last rule was funny. “Don’t pitch the members of the group while at the meeting.”

The dues committed you to the group and I would not be allowed to participate in any other networking activities outside of the group. No chamber or other networking groups or associations. This was a family and we always referred business to the family.

It made me think of a cult, or like I was making a deal with the mafia.

After the meeting, I ran back to my company and immediately told Jane, “We must do this!” Half frantic, I told her that these people just handed out money.

She asked me a ton of questions, none of which I could answer. All I knew is that we had to do it. I knew I had to be in that room. Reluctantly she gave in and wrote the check and I filled out the application.

The following week I went back with a check in hand. It was game time. This group was filled with all my new customers and I was ready. Or so I thought.

I walked confidently past the receptionist and went straight up to sign in with the ladies behind the table.

They informed me this was the last time I could visit. I would need to join after that or I couldn’t come back.

"I'm joining today" I said, "I can't wait to do all your printing business."

I got an awkward smile and a confused look back. You know that look where your dog tilts its head to the side trying to understand English?

I don’t think I won her over. She took my application and my deposit and ushered me into the room.

I walked in and jumped into my sales pitch. I went on to everyone about printing their business cards and their brochures. “Do you do flyers?” I asked.

I was like a tornado moving around the room handing out business cards and taking theirs.

As I whirled around people started to avoid me, looking at me like I had two heads. I was confused. Weren’t these people supposed to be my new clients?

I filled out the application, paid my damn dues, so now it was time for them to give me their business. I really thought I was buying business by joining this group. These people were going to give me millions.

When the time came to give my pitch (They called it a thirty-second commercial) I was ready. I cleared my throat and in my best voice proceeded to tell the room about how awesome our printing was.

I’d prepared a five-minute speech and had some fantastic closing remarks ready. I was sure they were going to be lining up to do business with me.

Right around thirty second mark, the leader banged his damn gavel. I ignored it and kept going. He banged it again and I got louder. He then went to rapping on the table and glaring at me.

“Would you please not interrupt me,” I said. That went over well. He went so red in the face that spit-dribble was coming out of his mouth as he raised his voice and said, “You’re only allowed thirty seconds!”

I sighed and quickly finished my speech, frustrated it didn’t go over as eloquently as I’d prepared.

I wish I could say this had a happy ending but that didn’t happen. Me and the leader never got along. Especially when I didn’t want to buy his life insurance and he wasn’t going to buy any printing.

Nobody was coaching me on how to network but I was used to learning things on my own. Ultimately, I left the group never making a single sale.

Later I joined another group and found some networking mentors. Taking the knowledge, I learned from group one, I began a very successful career in sales from networking.

Hopefully, you laughed at my folly or said, “Bless his heart.” If you didn’t then it’s most likely that you’re new to networking in general.

That’s how I learned what not to do in networking and it’s why I’m writing this book. I want to take you on my journey of networking and help you find an easier path.