Blog Archives
Have A Laugh Fridays – Best Golf Putt EVER!!!
If you are a golfer, click on this link! It will be the best 12 seconds of your day. If you are not, you will still appreciate the skill involved!
Have a great weekend everyone!
Tim
Do You Need A “Super Happy Fun Day?”
I have enjoyed the work of Dean Jackson and John Reese from the internet marketing space for close to three years now. I needed a kick in the butt a couple of weeks ago, so I replayed one of my favourite audio interviews from John Reese and Tony Robbins.
Hang on… I am not going to go in to a long-winded technically explanation of internet marketing theory. Rather, I want to tell you about an incredible concept called “Super Happy Fun Days”.
John and Tony started to speak about this on the audio interview, and Tony wanted all the details. Dean Jackson created the concept, and John Reese would take part in these events when possible. They are good friends. The “rules” are as follows (to the best of my memory):
- The event was at least 9 hours long
- Two major activities had to be completed (ie a golf game and/or a movie were typically included)
- Two meals had to be consumed
- Other fun activities were completed (to fill in the extra time)
I can “hear the comments” now coming off the page as your read this. Everyone is busy, running like chicken’s with their head’s cut off. 9 hours of fun is impossible!
It is if you want it to be!
- How often could you pencil in “Super Happy Fun Days” throughout the year?
- If nine-hour blocks of time were not always possible, how much time could you commit to?
- When you look back on your life, will look fondly remember all the work that you did, or the fun, kinship and laughter that you had along the way?
Always remember, if you don’t block off time to do these activities, they won’t get done. Treat them like a business meeting in your calendar. You wouldn’t skip those right 🙂
Raw Talent vs. Passion – And The Winner Is…
I went to a Van Halen concert last spring. It was a huge letdown after waiting 28 years to see the first incarnation of the band, and I won’t be seeing them again, EVER! If you are not a Van Halen fan that is ok, this is a broader message than just about their music. I have wanted to see The Van Halen brothers with David Lee Roth since I first heard of them as an eleven year old in 1984. I am still not sure how I was able to convince my parents to buy me a cassette tape with a baby smoking on the cover!
The show did not come close to meeting my expectations. Would they have been incredible if I had seen them in late 1984 or early 1985 before they broke up? I have a hunch it would have been amazing. But this is 2012, and it seemed like a job to them, and they “had to be there”. There was no chemistry between David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen, and they seemed to be going through the motions.
The hastily introduced “Jump” as the last song and did not even come out for an encore! News broke a week later that they had cancelled their summer tour. “Allegedly” there is serious infighting within the band. Other reports are now saying that fatigue has been an issue for band members, and the tour will take up to two years. They are taking precautions not to burn out.
Rewind to 2004 when Van Halen was touring with Sammy Hagar once again, and Michael Anthony was still playing bass. It was my birthday, and I had an incredible time. The band was in synch, they were having a great time, and Sammy was signing autographs for the fans in the front row. There were already rumours surfacing that Sammy and Ed were not getting along, but I did not get that sense that fall evening in Edmonton, Canada.
Eddie Van Halen is one of the greatest guitarists ever, but I have never gotten a warm and fuzzy off him. Sammy is not a guitar playing or singing virtuoso, but is an above average musician and vocalist. What he lacks in raw talent, he more than makes up for with passion and love for his “career”, and the fans that have supported him for over 40 years.
Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony have formed a new band named Chickenfoot with Joe Satriani and Chad Smith (from the Red Hot Chili Peppers), and their shows are electric. They are having the time of their lives, and care deeply for those they are performing for.
I had a chance to see the band in Vancouver when my friend was working for them, and I did not go. I am still kicking myself. I hope to see them again in the future. If I had a choice to see Sammy Hagar/Michael Anthony or Eddie Van Halen/David Lee Roth perform one more time in my life, hands down it would be Sammy and Mike. Eddie may play the guitar like no other, but raw talent is not the only criteria where I will spend my hard-earned dollars on. It is on my bucket list to go see Sammy Hagar play in Cabo in Mexico at his birthday bash one year. And that WILL happen. I can’t wait!
How does this all relate to business? You don’t need an “off-the-charts” IQ, or raw talent to achieve massive success. You need to show up regularly though. You have to care about those paying for your products and/or services, and be willing to go “that extra mile” when they need you the most.
The passion that you exude for your audience/customers, the depth that you are willing to go to help them get to where they want, will pay dividends in the long run. I needed Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth to “knock it out of the park”, and they let me down.
- What band’s concert have you attended, or company have you “dealt with” that just blew you away?
- On the flip side, what band let you down at their live show, or company disappointed you, and you will never “deal” with them again?
7 Blogs For 7 Days
Susan Wright-Boucher and I have been following each other’s content and corresponding for quite some time now. She is a fellow Canadian and has a very cool blog. She recently did a post titled “7 Blogs For 7 Days”.
I was lucky enough to be one of the blogs featured on this fantastic post! Stop by and check it out when you have a sec…
The Numbers Don’t Lie! I’m Not Lying…
If you are sales representative, own a business or even write a blog; analyzing your sales figures and other key data is imperative for success.
DON”T WORRY!
You don’t have to do it every day, especially if you are not “a number’s person“!
I fell in love with math early on in elementary school, but I would not consider myself to be a “number’s guy”. Some are, some aren’t; and that is ok.
I must admit, I have become a bit of a blogging data addict!
I love to look at my blog stats.
- Unique visitors per day
- Top commenters
- Total views
- A map of the world with all the countries represented by my visitors (my personal favourite)
But I caution you…. don’t become obsessed with the numbers. I have seen it time and time again in the sales profession where reps get caught in to the trap of sitting at their desk most of the day analyzing too many reports.
Don’t get distracted from the key mission which is to SELL and grow your network!
I like to simplify processes in my professional and personal life. Below is an example of how I would spend at least one hour per month analyzing my sales territory numbers:
- Identify where business is up, find out what is working and do more of that!
- Identify where business is flat (no growth), find areas to improve and focus on that
- Identify where business is down, create recovery plans and carry out those strategies ASAP
See – no big deal! This does not have to take hours per week or month staring at paper.
Remember – it is your territory, your business, or even your blog.
If you don’t know what is going on with it, how can you expect to exceed your goals?
Recognizing Other’s Efforts Can Go A Long Way!
I was working at my first job out of university and was having a blast. But it was tough – long hours, cold weather and demanding work. I was on an awesome team and learned a lot every day.
I don’t remember if I received an annual performance review, but I remember being at the office one day thinking,
“I wonder if my boss thinks I am doing a good job?”
Within a few days a co-worker came up to me and said that the manager had mentioned to him that I was doing a great job.
To this day, I still remember the incredible feeling of satisfaction. It was instant validation for all the hard work that I had put in. The funny thing was that it was not even said directly to me!
You can make a difference with your team or coworkers.
- A simple thank you
- A pat on the back
- A special mention at a meeting
- Treat them to lunch or a refreshment after work
- You could even get wild and crazy and let them leave early on a hot summer’s day!
None of this is reinventing the wheel. People just want to be recognized for their efforts. Making them feel appreciate will go along way for them sticking around and having long prosperous careers with your organization.
It’s My First “Blogiversary” Today!
I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for their support of my blog over the past year. When I started this online journey, I had no idea how it was going to go. The first year has exceeded my wildest expectations, and the cool part is I am just warming up.
Every “like”, “share”, personal comment and phone call means the world to me. So let’s keep interacting, learning from each other in year two and beyond. I tweaked my first post below way back from January 23, 2012 if you have not read my bio and want to learn more about me!
If I could ask you to “share the good word” with others in your network that would be awesome. You can also connect with me at:
http://on.fb.me/TuLrxP
(Don’t forget to “like” to stay connected!)
Google+
YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/user/TimMushey
My name is Tim Mushey, and those who know me well call me “Moosh”. I have decided to start this blog with a “Get to Know Me” post so you will be able to understand where the inspiration for this content came from!
I have loved to lead, motivate and inspire others for as long as I can remember. I have often been told that I have the gift of gab, and always have something to say. One of my groomsmen described me best to the guests at my wedding,
“All you have to do is say hi to Tim on the phone or in person, and next thing you know, you have all the updates on the latest TV shows, sporting events, bands and current events. Speaking to him is like flipping channels with a remote control.”
And he’s right! I’m passionate about many things in life – music, sports, my family, friends and work – and I love to share information with everyone! I believe that if I had not battled a stuttering problem all of my life, I would have a career in TV sports broadcasting in some capacity. I often envisioned myself as a sports anchor growing up!
As the son of two teachers, education has always been important to me. I achieved a Bachelor of Commerce Honours degree at the age of 22, and with my first “real job”, was managing a car rental branch by the age of 24. I took a little break after two and a half years in that fast paced business to travel to Australia and New Zealand. I was nervous leaving my family and friends, but a good friend of mine quit his job to do the same thing a few months before, and I thought that was an incredible idea! I ended up travelling for over 7 months, and the experience was better than I could have ever imagined. I made many life long friends from all over the world on that journey, and even managed to squeeze in some work experience selling encyclopedias – true story!
When I returned home in 1999, my career path lead me to outside sales and I have never looked back. It did not matter if I was selling mattresses, credit reports, electrical products, corporate parking programs or photocopiers, there was one commonality – I loved to sell! I had an exciting opportunity to manage a team of 10 reps and support staff with about 40% coverage of Canada in 2007, but changes occurred simultaneously within the organization, and I ended up declining the offer. To this day, I think back to what might have been, but deep down I know I made the right decision for my career and family. Being a Sales Manager was my dream job for many years.
Throughout the years since I completed my degree, I’ve realized that university was just the beginning of my education. So much of my success in sales didn’t come from what I’d read in text books, it has come from what I have learned in the field. Each role, and each account specifically has challenged me to grow each day. I have a wealth of knowledge, tools & systems that I am eager to share with others in sales, and those considering it as their profession in the future.
The internet has provided me with the ability to broadcast all over the world now. If I had affected lives in my own communities over the course of my life, why could I not affect lives everywhere in the future? I have learned to manage my stutter, and even though I still have to work on it daily, I am now ready to get in front of the camera, feel confident, and once and for all lose the words “self-conscious” from my vocabulary!
I hope you enjoy this blog. It truly comes from the heart, and was an absolute pleasure being involved in all aspects of its creation and its ever-changing content going forward!
Sell, Lead, Succeed! 