RIP
I was extremely sorry to hear about the passing of Howard Konrad. Howard was the proud founder of Lahaina Scrimshaw and Jessica’s Gems. He was always happy to remind me that he was my very first client when I started Success Dynamics in 1991. He also prided himself to be the first to pay me every month with a handwritten check. We shared a lot of good times these past 20 years as well as weathering some storms. In spite of some of the tough times, Howard never backed off when it came to providing his team a sit down breakfast on the 2nd Thursday of the month which included $100 and $50 bills for top salespeople, and drawing winners.
Howard is survived by his ever supportive wife Cheryl and daughter Jessica whom Jessica’s Gems was named after.
Howard was loved by all of his employees.
We will all miss you Howie.

Really?
One of the services I provide to a few of my clients is recruiting salespeople. I run ads on Craigslist, communicate a few times via e-mail to screen out those just trying to maintain their unemployment, and then arrange an interview with those who seem serious.
Sometimes I am shocked. I wonder if “Interviewing for a Job” is taught in school. I try to remain as objective as I can prior to scheduling an interview.

Your Resume:
Here are some of the things to avoid if you truly want an interview.
.  Blank Subject Lines
.  Poor use of English
.  No resume
.  Misspelled words
.  Failure to list hobbies and interests
.  No dates for past positions
.  Lack of References

Your Interview
I am often appalled by how people appear for the interview.
Some Recent Examples:
.  Wearing t-shirts, shorts, and slippers
.  Sloppy or poor grooming
.  Flaunting of tattoos and facial jewelry
.  When I interview people with potential, I ask them if they would be willing to “lose” the facial jewelry while on the job. Most say that they would, and I think, “Why didn’t you lose it for the interview?” I had one this week with a swollen and bleeding lip piercing. I mentioned it and she said, “I just got it.” I thought, “Why would you do that just before interviewing for a job?”
.   Another turn off at the interview is people who trash their previous employer or manager as the reason for leaving or being fired.  And there are those who show up late for the interview, or even worse, don’t show up at all, and then send an e-mail later with some excuse and asking for another appointment time.

Tips for your Interview:
Obvious as these things should be, if you really want to get the job:
.  Dress up your resume with a short meaningful cover letter.
.  Spell-check before e-mailing.
.  Arrive dressed as you would if you already had the job.

Who Am I Talking To?
ATTENTION: Salespeople, customer service personnel, receptionists, telephone operators, Waiters, Waitresses, anyone that talks to customers: “LISTEN!”

“With Room For Cream Please”
When ordering a cup of coffee I always announce clearly, “…with room for cream please.” Invariably I wind up pouring some coffee into the waste can. Not only is this wasteful, but it’s a clear indication that my wish is not their command.

Where there’s a will…

It was mid-December (2007) when I contacted Budget Rent-a-Car saying that I needed a car on Maui on Christmas Day. “No way,” or something like that was the response. I had to understand, since Christmas Day begins the busiest week of the year here in Hawaii.
One week later I was on a plane to Maui and got into a discussion with the guy next to me. He turned out to be a VP of National Car Rental. I explained my Christmas Day dilemma and he said, “If I can get you a car, can we have your business?” I said, “You can for that trip, for sure. Where we go from there we will have to see; I have been loyal to Budget for more than 25 years.”
He gave me his card saying, “E-mail me your flight information and I will see what I can do.” I did, and when I arrived on Maui on Christmas Day, there was a driver waiting for me with a brand new car.
Well that was four years ago, and I have not been back to Budget since.
It pays to be willing to go the extra mile to get (and or keep) business.

It’s Healthy
When I encourage people to compete, I often hear negative responses. I have heard that (in sales) competition brings out the worst in people. I guess in some cases that’s true, but not in most.

You do NOT have to be #1 to Win
When you compete you win. When a group of people race to the finish line, only ONE of them gets there first, but ALL of them get there faster than they would if they were not racing.

Team Competition
A great example of positive competitive spirit can be seen at The Olympics. Every country that is represented competes fiercely with the athletes from other countries. But, they also compete with their own team members.

Going for the Gold
While each member of every team would like to be #1, there’s only one Gold Medal. There’s also a lot of fame and fortune in the future of that Gold Medal winner. In spite of all that’s at stake, they cheer their team mates on, and they celebrate with the winner. The competition never gets ugly. I have heard it said that you cannot pay a nice person enough money to be mean or nasty. It’s not about the prize or the money, it’s about who you are.