That's How it All Began

It’s the morning… and you’re standing in front of a mirror… dressing for work…

You button up your shirt, straighten your tie, or fasten your earrings.

Then, with a sly grin, you pull on your comfy pants… sweats, yoga pants… or for some brave souls… just boxers.  

Then, you wander down the hall, enter your office, and settle down at your computer.

It’s time for another video conference marathon…

While it might feel like these video meetings are taking over your life…we’re all wondering…

Are video meetings really that much better than phone calls or emails?  

Do video messages deliver better results than just a kind email?

Are video sales pages THAT much more effective?

Well, a musician might have answered all those questions fifty years ago when he decided to write a little song…

I’m Andrew Davis… and this is how it all began…

When was the last time you became inspired?  

Truly inspired with ideas that could make a real impact on your work?

The right strike of inspiration can increase your sales, improve your team dynamics, and solve a problem that has been plaguing your company for far too long.

Inspiration is magic… but… it can be hard to harness.

You can’t just sit down and become inspired.  

It takes the right combination of attitude and preparation to grab hold of the idea before it slips your grasp forever.

So… Do you want my secret for how to find inspiration?  

Well… I’ll gladly share it. But first, I want to tell you about one man who found inspiration in the most unlikely of places.

It starts with a chilling scene on a cold morning…

I’m Andrew Davis, and this is how it all began…

Nicole Kidman once sat down next to me while I was waiting at the airport.

We were in the Admiral’s Lounge in the crowded terminal when she asked to use the outlet located under my seat.

I looked up from my reading and my eyes almost bugged out of my head.  She was politely looking over at me… waiting for my reply.  

After a few speechless moments, I eventually found my voice to say yes.

For salespeople, finding your voice can often be a struggle.

Sure, you might not suddenly be faced with an Oscar-winning actress...

But you are faced with other challenges… products that need improvements… customers who aren’t being well-served … and sales teams that need your leadership.

It’s those salespeople who can find their voice… to speak up for change… who find the most success.  

They’re able to look past paychecks and monthly quotas to find what really matters… doing what’s right for the customer.

Speaking up… raising your voice… that’s where the real magic lies.

My story today isn’t about Nicole Kidman.  In fact, we’re going  far away from the glitz and glam of Hollywood.

We’re going to start at a cocktail party… and then travel farther back in time to meet a young girl who would go to school wearing a potato sack…

I’m Andrew Davis… and this is how it all began.

Have you ever overpromised just to close a deal? 

Or, has a client ever asked you to compromise on your vision? You know… change a detail here or there?

Were the changes you promised so large that… suddenly… it felt like your product wasn’t even yours anymore?

Salespeople everywhere are constantly being asked to conform to the world around them.

So, let me ask you… Are you in danger of losing what makes your product – and your company – special?  Are you in danger of losing your sense of “self?”

Today, I want to share a story of a “tie guy…”  But this tie designer managed to use his designs to change the face of fashion. 

I’m Andrew Davis and this is how it all began...

It was the 1998 NBA finals. The Chicago Bulls were down by one point. And there were just 16 seconds left on the clock.

A Utah Jazz player had the ball when it was suddenly stripped away… by none other than Michael Jordan.

MJ advanced down the court, faced an opponent, dribbled right, cut left...  Then, he saw his moment… and he took it.  

The crowd held its breath… the ball - the last shot ever taken by Jordan - soared through the air and into the net… to clinch the win.  

The Chicago Bulls had won the championship.

You know, there’s something to be said for knowing when to take your shot.  

In business, it takes more than just knowing when the moment is right… Real success is also about having the courage to capture that magic.

Today’s tale… about a risk-taker named Mr. Chabenisky… is a perfect example.

I’m Andrew Davis… and this is how it all began…

What makes your product or service different? How do you stand out from the competition?

It's the answer to those deceivingly simple questions that can help you close more deals faster, more often, and with fewer objections.

Here's the thing: I'm willing to bet what you THINK makes your product or service different is overly complicated, convoluted, and mired down in mumbo-jumbo your prospects don't understand…. (or worse yet, addresses things they don't care about.)

This is why I'd like to introduce you to an extraordinary businesswoman… 

I doubt you've ever heard of her, but I know you've seen her work. What you don't know is that she is full of secrets… and… she has a gift for seeking out the hidden truths that truly differentiate whatever she sells…

So today, I'd like to reveal the marketing and branding world's best-kept secret...

I'm Andrew Davis… and this is how it all began...

Any good salesperson knows how to handle OBJections.

But where's the sales training to help us handle REJections?

Sadly, we're going to hear 'no' far more than we're going to hear yes. And if you're a salesperson who truly cares about your clients and prospects, rejection can feel personal, like we’re being dumped.

Sure, we logically know our prospect has decided to buy elsewhere, but that also means they chose to trust elsewhere…

Now, some salespeople bounce right back. They pick up the phone and start building new relationships right away.

Others take a little more time to analyze what went wrong before trying again.

Either way, successful salespeople need resilience. Your success depends on your ability to bounce back from rejection or failure.

And that's why we could all learn from the fairytale of a saleswoman named Ella, who might be the modern definition of resilience.

I'm Andrew Davis, and This is How it All Began...

How much do you care? Seriously.

Because it's been my personal experience that the sales professionals who care are the ones I buy from. They're the ones who kill their quotas.

So… today, I'm going to tell you the real story behind one of the biggest brands in the world…

And why a man from Brooklyn cared so much, that he traveled across the country...

… and then across the world  

… to change the course of retail history forever.

I'm Andrew Davis… and This is How it All Began.

Only one thing separates a great salesperson from a good one… it's not the hours they put in or how hard they hustle… It's not the number of calls they schedule or demos they deliver… It's not even how good they are at overcoming objections or how slick they are at positioning the competition…

No… the difference between a good salesperson and a great one comes down to one simple thing: their passion for what they sell…

Now, maybe you sell UV light curing glue used in clamshell packaging, or industrial shelving, or insurance, or maybe you sell accounting software… and you're thinking… "Ha! How am I supposed to get passionate about selling something as boring as industrial lubricants?"

Well, today, I’m going to share the fascinating story of one man… one surfer in fact… His career is a lesson in truly understanding the difference between what we sell and what we ACTUALLY sell…

His simple idea went on to take over an entire industry. And, the whole time -- he was stoked about his work.

So let me tell you... how it all began.

In the business of sales, the word “yes” is a driving force.

We seek it out over and over again.

We want to hear “yes” from  our account managers, “yes” from our suppliers, and -- most importantly -- “yes” from our prospects and customers.

We read books with titles like “Getting to YES” and we obsess on ways to overcome any objections our prospects might have.

“Yes” is success.  It represents power and domination in your industry.  

Simply put, “yes” means one thing... more money.

But what about its counterpart?  What about the word “no?”

Now, if you’re like me, you probably started out hating the word “no.”  After all, we all do our best to avoid failure.  We are annoyed when people tell us something can’t be done or they're not interested.

But, is there power in the word “no?”  If given the opportunity, can we actually learn to be immune to its effect? Heck, can we even learn to embrace the word no so it can help us sell more?

Today, I’m going to share the story of one woman who learned to leverage the power of the word “no” to build a business empire.