One of the things that I have learned

Good morning,I always hope that everyday that goes by in all my experiences that I learn something new, that I have the chance to impact another human being. That I can bring some semblance of joy. I have learned, indeed learned many things, and the funny thing is I am not even close….at least to where I think I am supposed to be. But this week have brought a few new /old experiences. I say old because they do not happen often and old because although I have experienced them, there are sometimes years and years in between each one.
This week was interesting from the standpoint that each experience was remarkable from my position because I realized 2 things.
1. You can never make everyone happy. No atter how you try!….and
2. There is always a small percentage of the population that will never be satisfied, no matter what you do.
What made these 2 experiences so remarkable was that both of them shared both of the above statements all at once.
My Dad used to say that,…. “Nice guys finished last”. That was always a little cynical in my view, but as I have gotten older, I have seen many occasions where being nice is not always seen as merely a random act of kindness, but sometimes an opportunity to take advantage of that person or a particular situation….And, the reality is we don’t always know which person we are going to encounter. The compassionate side of me always tells me that most people are good. That when someone wakes up, they don’t say they are going to be a jerk that day.
My sensible side says that all sorts of things have impact on people and we have no way of knowing what those circumstances are. People are people and they are subjected to the same trials and tribulations as the rest of us. And it is not our place to assign a moniker or judgment to them, but to acknowledge their human-ness and their frailty.
So next time someone starts working a little outside of their boundaries, be tolerant and try to walk in their footsteps….and if that doesn’t work then lick ’em…Just kidding!
Seriously, if that happens then ignore them, say a prayer and walk away.
Stay Sharp, good luck and be well!

Until next time,

BH

Going Fishing…lessons in sales

“Give a man a fish; you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish; and you feed him for a lifetime”—Author unknown

This is one of the most simple and foundational principles of sales and also life…. yet it is easily one of the most difficult for sales people to accomplish, let alone even comprehend. We live in a “what have you done for me lately” society of instant gratification. Okay, okay, I know….this is way over used and has even become a little cliche. But the fact remains, most sales people do not get it. The funny thing is that if you really look at the underlying principles and how they work, it really is pretty simple, not easy, but simple….and the cool thing is most of us already do it in one way or another….It is a social phenomenon in which every living creature participates……we find people that we have things in common (common ground) and we build our relationships from that…..very simple!

The Problem!.…………

So why is this concept lost in sales? My theory is people are afraid, they fear rejection, they fear failure, they are lazy or worst of all, a combination of these. They are afraid of what might happen if they put themselves out there. If you couple that with the work that one has to commit to make themselves successful and the lack of mentors that truly know what it takes…..then voila! A road map for mediocrity.

The Prescription!……..

The good news is the basic principles are already in place and is it is never to late to learn. Here is where to start….no matter what you are doing, always and I mean always strive to be the absolute best. Don’t just be an expert, be the best expert. Be the authority for all others to follow. Each and everyone of us are truly blessed with individual and unique talents. When a talent is identified and locked in, it is part of the foundation from which all success is built. The problem is a lot people put the wrong value on their talents. They put too much emphasis on the financial rewards and not the unselfish desire to be of service to others (okay, I am getting a little off track ~ sorry).

Pick One thing!……..

Having said that and experiencing it first hand, we can truly only be good at ONE THING AT A TIME. In all of my experience, too many people and sometimes business spend too much of their time trying to be everything to everybody. It is nearly impossible to do and have the simultaneous objective of having any lasting impact. Wouldn’t it be really cool to be the definitive expert in your area and particular market, so when someone thought of something in that particular field, they think of you first? Pick one line of work, whatever it is and then immerse yourself in it. 

Analogy….…..

Think about this for a second…..Remember when Michael Jordan played baseball? Although he was a phenomenal NBA star, perhaps even the greatest and a giant among men, he was not that good at baseball, In fact he couldn’t get [ast AA (Birmingham Barons) and not even half as effective as he was in the NBA (I love analogy)…..Borrowing that example, why do people insist on being everything to everyone?

….Pick one thing!…….Be the best….Period!

After this is accomplished, then begins the hard and tedious process of marketing to that particular area of expertise and building a network of influence within and around this field.
I will pick up on that topic later in a future blog…..Stay tuned!

Stay Sharp and thanks for stopping by,

Your business development and relationship management expert

Listen more speak less

Hi all, when I started my sales career many, many years ago after college and probably even before, I had a manager that used to say, “you have one mouth and two ears and they should be used in that proportion”. And so, here is the funny thing, at 45 I am still trying to be a better listener.

The thing is that listening, as easy as it sounds is really, really, really hard. Particularly if you wnat to do it well. In sales, most of us want to talk and talk and talk and then at the end of the day, we want to talk some more……What’s up with that anyway? One of my biggest pet peeves is someone that talks too much. So since I have that irritation and acknowledge it’s existence, then why in world do I still do it. Especially behind the veil of trying to be a good listener.

You see, it not about hearing what someone says, but listening to the message and the words and emotions and feelings in between and when that is the intention (to really understand) then we can say we have attained empathy and true compassion.

Stay Sharp, good luck and be well!

Until next time,

Bo Hussung

phone ~ 615-438-7300

email me ~ bhussung@comcast.com

web ~ http://www.bohussung.com

Are you a tiger for your clients?

Clients always deserve the best

Bo Hussung

You have my permission to quote that statement, anytime……LOL!

All kidding aside, do you really lookout for your clients best interest?

The answer of course should always be an emphatic…….YES! As conscientious sales people we should always take the position of a client advocate. The other question is do you do it with finesse within your current partnerships or are you a bully and worst of all, do you let the client fend for themselves?

This is a dicey situation because we do not want to appear as “A” types and overbearing control freaks, but we also don’t want our clients to fend for themselves and end up getting a raw deal. The current setup within the industry typically allows services to be parsed out to up to 3 different companies within a category. Let’s look at title services (what did you think I was going to suggest?). In this case, usually it is the relationship that drives the placement. Rarely does a consumer have the ability to pick their own, but it is also one of the most misunderstood part of the transaction. In fact, for any of the services that are required to complete a transaction, most of time it is the relationship that drives it. That is why the relationship is so important, right? Of course it is!

So the next question is……..

Are you making sure the borrower is receiving the best deal and we are not JUST talking about expense. The best deal has many definitions. A great deal is relative to the service provided. So, it is a careful balance that we each have to negotiate. Giving the absolute best service at the absolute best price with the absolute best results and flawless delivery. And it has to be done ALL the time. No pressure……..right? Not if you are already good at what you do!

My advice?

Keep your options open. Have a minimum of 2, I think 3, in your “go to” arsenal for ancillary services and support. Study the players and make sure your borrower is aware of why you have chosen them. Spread it out and make sure they are all even and consistent. This will meet all the industry compliance standards and scrutiny and give your customer the best possible options. It also insures that your vendors are competitive and fair.

There are literally hundreds of options on Active Rain to begin your research. If you already have vendors that you are using, I challenge you to compare them on a regular basis in order to keep your options open. Try someone new occasionally. As fast as the landscape is changing and evolving, we all need to make sure we are not only top of those changes, but that our partners are as well. The worst thing that could happen is you develop new relationships…..that’s not so bad.

Ask the questions, do the research and keep striving for the best for all your clients needs. Ultimately , everybody wins.

Stay Sharp!

To your success and until next time my friends

BH