Are You Looking OR Waiting for Customers?

Copyright (c) Marion Stearns 2004 - All Rights Reserved

During all economic mood swings and slow seasons, we ALL
must must work a lot harder for smaller returns. Slow times
demand more work hours just to break even. This very real
doom of economic hard times is a group psychological
dilemma. We work in the sales chain where doom and gloom
can really beat up our paycheck! The news media loves to
jerk our emotions with hot AND "negative-angle" stories,
that DO shock people. If a story can be twisted and slanted
to have a political tone, it sells. Interest rates are a
common shock topic.

Can You Really AFFORD to Be Ho-Hum?

No. Our challenge in sales is to find the leaks in this
unrealistic, economic-defense mess. We drive a sledge hammer
into it.... that will eventually crack OPEN new business TO
happen for us. All of this must be accomplished with
accounts that in better economic times, only required a
reminder pitch to make a sale.

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I know the title is a fairly broad subject, and could be covered in nearly every aspect of life.

On August 18th, 2003, my son Charles was involved in a serious accident involving a tractor trailer.

While this may seem too late to write about, it's surprising to me how the legal system and those that partcipate, seem to think.

From what I've been told, the accident happened around a construction zone ... they were working on the two lane, re-topping it.

The tractor trailer was behind another vehicle, most likely, following too close. When the car in front of him slowed down for the construction, the driver of the tractor trailer hit the brakes hard, crossed center, and hit the oncoming car head-on. The passenger in the car was Charles.

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How LOUD Is Your E-Siren?

Copyright (c) Marion Stearns 2004 - All Rights Reserved

E-Marketers who believe themselves to be bullet-proof
usually see things differently in time. Once we think we
have it "all" right, we can absolutely be sure, that's never
the case. You should find ways to balance practicalities and
financial limitations, aside from competitor attacks.

Since no one can be smart enough to do everything right,
other than work as hard as they know how to work, this is
cause for reflection. Stop trying to beat away everything
that falls in your path. Act on your OWN merits. There's
nothing wrong with a temporary break in the action going on,
but being "laid back" is not where it's at, in the world of
sales. Competition CAN be healthy for business. It makes
people sharp. It forces brain power and creativity. It's a
contest of wits.

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I happen to live in the southeastern part of the United States, where the heat and humidty can make one physically & mentally on edge.

As a local truck driver, I tend to notice that my delivery customers seem to be on edge more ... they almost seem to want to pick a verbal fight.

It seems to happen each summer ... and I have also noticed this in the online world.

I had someone email me a rather unusual email ... they were referring to some frustration they experienced from a particular website. Something about the advertisers system didn't think their email address was valid.

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MSN, Hotmail fight spam using Bonded Sender

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/2004-05-04-msoft_x.htm

By Edward C. Baig,
USA TODAY

Microsoft (MSFT) wants spammers to pay a financial penalty for
the junk cluttering up your inbox. The Redmond, Wash., giant
will endorse a plan today that aims to cut down on spam and help
pave the way for legitimate e-mail to get through. Both MSN and
Hotmail have begun implementing the Bonded Sender program from a
privately held San Bruno, Calif., e-mail infrastructure company
called IronPort. Adding the two Microsoft e-mail platforms,
representing more than 170 million active e-mail accounts, is
obviously a major boon for Bonded Sender.

At first reading, this seems like what email users may want. I'd suggest you keep reading.

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