Hidden Secrets of Sales Master Finally Revealed

I've been tagged! In this new version of the game, the person who becomes IT, must reveal five hitherto unknown facts about his/her life. So as a good competitor, I'll play. But first, a big thanks to Ardath, Michael & Jim who forced me to reveal my deepest secrets. 

1. I never wanted to be in sales. In fact, I detested the profession and felt that all sellers were slimy manipulative sleaze balls. I was a high school teacher at that time and really unhappy with my job. Several friends and I wanted out, but we were young and pretty unqualified for most jobs. So we decided to create a company. After a year of researching, we came up with a great idea and pulled together a business plan.

For our next step, we took it to the Service Corp of Retired Executives (SCORE) - a group that offered free support for emerging businesses. Our counselor was impressed and thought we had a winner. Then he said, "Now which one of you will be doing the selling?"

We were shocked. Stunned. No one answered. It never dawned on us that customers wouldn't flock to us begging to use our services. So we said we'd get back to him on that. After the meeting, we had a serious discussion on this topic. I became the sales designee. Why? Because I was the least resistant. Which I guess proves the point that anyone can succeed in sales.

2. I was suspended for wearing pants to high school. In those days, girls were expected to wear appropriate feminine attire which was defined as skirts or dresses. But a combination of factors including mini-skirts & ice cold  Minnesota winters where wind chill temperatures of -20 below were not uncommon.

So I organized my first act of civil disobedience - on a specific date in January, all 175 senior girls were going to wear pants to protest this archaic rule. Only 3 of us did. We were promptly escorted to the principal's office, sent home to change and given after school detention for our  delinquent behaviors.

3. I suffer from ARD*. This serious condition, also know as Addictive Reading Disorder, has been impacting my life for years. There were times I had to swear off fiction books for months at a time because I had too much to do. You see, once I start reading a good book, it's virtually impossible for me to stop. Nothing else matters.

I stay up to the wee hours of the morning, even if I have a breakfast meeting.  When my kids were little it took every effort I could muster to break away for long enough to make a PB&J sandwich. More than once, I called prospective clients to tell them my earlier meeting had run over and I'd be 10-15 minutes late - all because I needed to finish a chapter before I made my sales call.

4. I'm a Founding Mother of Awesome Women - an organization committed to strengthening women's voices, sharing women's stories and celebrating women's achievements. We started this group several years ago and plan to really expand our reach in 2007 by doing much more via the internet.

If you're interested in joining us on this journey, check out our website and sign up for our newsletter. (Girls Only!)

5. I failed miserably in predicting my future. In 6th grade I had to write a report on what I wanted to be when I grew up. I couldn't decide between three possible professions - an interpreter at the United Nations, the first woman on Mars, or a senator from the great state of Minnesota.

Then when I was a senior in high school, my classmates voted me as the girl in the class who was "Most Likely to Succeed." The verdict is still out on that one!

In this game, we only have to share 5 things people don't know about us. But just in case you weren't reading this blog last November, I shared another deep dark secret then. Here it is ...

6. I fainted on a sales call from sheer terror. You can read all about it in this article called Sales is Not for the Faint of Heart. Have a good laugh on me!

Now I get to tag some people. So here goes. Tag! You're it!

Katie Konrath, Does Your Major Matter?
Steve Gershik, The Innovative Marketer
Mary Clare Hunt, In Women We Trust
Lori Richardson, Score More Sales

* P.S. There is no such disease as ARD. I just made it up so it would sound official and I could have an excuse for my atrocious behavior.

Comments

[Michael Stelzner]

Jill - I suffer from ARB (always reading blogs). Thanks for responding to the tag!

Nice to hear I am not the only one who failed at predicting my future. I was convinced I would be a computer programmer.

Mike

[Phil Gerbyshak]

If ARD really were a disease, I would think it would be one we'd ALL want to catch.

And you never thought you'd be in sales? WOW! Given your book and blog are so helpful and powerful, you'd have thought you were born for sales.

Thanks for sharing a bit more about you and keeping this meme alive!