Weekly Quote

"You are today where your thoughts ave brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you." James Allen

This quote is taken from the inspirational, motivational classic "As a man thinketh." In spite of the archaic language in the title and the fact that this book is more than a century old (It has never been out of print) it offers a lot to us living in the second decade of the 21st century. Scientists and psychologists studying human behavior and brain physiology have found that Allen's philosophies are supported by their research. We should get in the habit of listening to what we say and thinking about what we are thinking. This is known as "meta-cognition". This practice is important because it is so easy to slip into negative thought patterns that can cripple your efforts. We can not control what goes on in the outside world but we can control what goes on inside our heads.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

As a lover of quotations I am always on the look out for old books of quotes. I picked up a little book called "All of are looking for success" for 50 cents and found this quote:

The most honest self-made man was the one we heard say "I got to the top the hard way--fighting my own laziness and ignorance every step of the way."--James Thom

This quote really made me think. There is a temptation to think of highly successful people as different from the rest of us, as almost super human. The truth is that achievers are just like us and that they face the same temptations that vex everyone else.. They differ from us in the discipline to overcome them and push on.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

"You will never 'find' time for anything. If you want time, you must make it." Charles Bruxton

Have you ever wondered why some people get so much more done than others. As Mr. Bruxton says above, productive people make time to get things done. How do you make time? What raw material do you need to make time? Time is made by stripping away all the waste from your schedule. Time is made by recyling the time normally devoted to unimportant activites and using it for activites which help you to close sales. Be a time maker.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

"Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself."
Abraham Joshua Heschel

This is a quote to print out and post above your desk and/or keep a copy in your day timer. Read it every time you are tempted to take the easy route. Use it to keep your nose to the proverbial grindstone. The difference between success and failure in any endeavor is the ability to discipline yourself to do the right thing rather than the easy thing. Not only will you get more done, but you will extract greater pleasure from your accomplishments. Knowing that you took the high road rather than surrendering to your temptations sweetens everything that you do.

Have a great week.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

"If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."

Dr. Wayne Dyer

I have seen the effect described by Dr. Dyer's statement above many times in my life. I have seen it when a new rep takes over a territory. Where one rep focused on the challenges in their area, the other looked for opportunities. Consequently the first rep ran into nothing but problems, while the other was constantly discovering new business opportunities. We all look at the world through glasses colored by our life's experiences and attitudes. When we change our "glasses", we change the way the world looks. I choose to look at my world with a positive attitude.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

In America we love winners. We idolize the best actors, musicians and athletes. Our media shows us almost everything about our heroes lives; their homes, love lives and foibles. What we aren't shown is how hard these people work to become leaders in their chosen field. Sure, sometimes people get lucky and become an overnight sensation, but these people usually come and go quickly. The people who stay at the top of their field have done their homework. This is nothing new, here is a quote from the painter of the Sistine Chapel that proves this point:

"If people know how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful after all" Michelangelo

For a modern scientific take on this subject I highly recommend Geof Colvin's book Talent Is Overrated.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

I learned this week's quote from my Grandmother. She was full of amazing folk wisdom learned in a long hard life. Whenever I would complain, as kids are prone to do, about how "life wasn't fair" or told her that other people had things that I didn't she would tell me:

"Bloom where you're planted"

In life we can not always control our situation but we can always control how we respond to our situation. Life goes much smoother if we elect to "Bloom" wherever we find ourselves. Keep Smiling, Keep Selling! Thanks Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

The original model for the successful American entrepreneur is Benjamin Franklin. His autobiography still offers some very good advice for business people. He was completely self-made and self educated. He had very little formal education but became one of the most respected thinkers of his time. Here is some of his enduring wisdom:

"Let the new year find you a better man*."

Take this advice to heart, schedule time for study and to take classes and seminars. By starting today to improve your knowledge and skills, 2012 will find you a better person.

*My apologies to my female readers, Franklin lived in a much less enlightened time. I believe if he were writing today he would have used "better person."

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Of course, I am very fond of the turkey dinner with all the trimmings, but I truly embrace the spirit of the day. I am acutely aware of all the kindnesses, large and small, that have blessed my life. Each day I make a concerted effort to thank the people who help me along my path. "Thank you" are two words that can never be overused. I thank you all for reading my blog and for all the support the people in our industry have given me. Here is a quote that I feel expresses the true spirit of the holiday.

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."

William Arthur Ward.

Have a great holiday.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Quote of the week

"People mistakenly assume that their thinking is done by their head; it is actually done by heart which first dictates the conclusion, then commands the head to provide the reasoning that will defend it." Anthony De Mello

Many times I've heard reps say "I gave the prospect all the facts and he still didn't buy an ad." This never surprised me because I knew that customers don't base decisions on facts, they buy with their "gut." People will never buy if you don't engage their emotions. Always keep this in mind when talking to a customer.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Quote of the week

Leo Burnett was one of the most creative advertising men of all time. He was the master of the pithy statement that contained great wisdom. Here is Burnett's twenty word description of advertising:

Advertising says to people, "Here's what we've got. Here's what it will do for you. Here's how to get it."

Think about this simple statement each time you build an ad. Most ads I see have parts 1 & 3 but forget to tell the reader "Here's what it will do for you." Make sure your ads offer a benefit to your readers. Benefits are the thing that makes the ad work.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

Here's one from the queen of good advice, "Dear Abby."

"A bad habit never disappears miraculously; it's an undo-it-yourself project"--Abigail Van Buren

Along with being sound advice this offers a lesson in phrasing a concept. Playing on the common phrase "Do-it-yourself" makes this statement memorable. Simple yet interesting language is the best way to make your ideas stick.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Quote of the week

Well I am back from my vacation in Central Pennsylvania with my wife and my grandson. While in the Lancaster area we stopped at a Mennonite farm stand to buy some peaches. This week's quote comes from a sign I saw in the farm stand:

Today's Special

So is tomorrow!

This sign brought a lot of smiles to the faces of the tourist/shoppers browsing the fruits and veggies. It expresses an outstanding way to see the world.. Everyday is special when we adopt the right attitude. If doesn't matter if you are a Mennonite farmer or an advertising sales rep, it is up to us to live special lives, one day at a time.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Quote of the week

"We may convince others by our arguments, but we can only persuade them by their own." Joseph Joubert

What is the difference between "convincing" and "persuading" others? I believe if you convince them they see the strength of your argument but will not make changes. They are acknowledging that you may be right, but that this fact on little impact on their thinking. When you persuade someone you have changed their thinking and they will take action. The best way to accomplish this is by asking good questions that lead the customer to discover what you want them to know on their own.Your goal is to help them discover their own argument for advertising with you.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

Here is a lesson from baseball pitcher Greg Maddux:

"What has benefited me the most is learning I can't control what happens outside of my pitching."

The only thing we can control is our own activities and behaviors. Wasting our mental energies on things beyond our control scatters our attention and limits our ability to perform. Keep your focus where it will do the most good and everything else will take care of itself.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

This week's quote offers an important bit of wisdom for sales people. In fact, this is good advice for anyone.

"The more you say, the less people remember." Francois Fenelon

Salespeople have a reputation for being great talkers. The truth is that the best sales people actually let the prospect do most of the talking. Good sales people are good listeners. If you pay attention to the customer, only speaking to ask investigative questions and to offer a solution when you have uncovered a problem you will be successful. You should only talk about your product when you are offering it as a solution to a clearly defined problem. Blathering on and on about your product outside of this context will have no effect on the buyer other than boring them.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

In honor of the July 4th holiday, this week's quote comes from one of our founding fathers. Benjamin Franklin was one of America's first self-made men. Starting with nothing, he build a business and became one of the wealthiest men in the colonies. His "Autobiography" was one of the first self help books and was an influence on many successful men. This book has never been out of print since Franklin printed the 1st edition and remains an interesting read even today. Here is the secret to Franklin's success:

"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest"

This advice is as useful today as it was in old Ben's day. Have a great holiday.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

Here is the perfect quote for our industry:

"So long as new ideas are created, sales will continue to reach new highs." Dorthea Brande

This is why my business is called "Ideas and Eyeballs", ideas are critical to our business, People look to us to provide them with ideas to build their business, A great book on the subject of creativity is Roger Von Oech's "A whack on the side of the head". I highly recommend it.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Quote of the week

"Man's search for meaning" by Dr. Viktor E. Frankl is one of the most influential books written in the last half of the 20th century. This book detailed Dr. Frankl's experiences in a Nazi concentration camp. He decided to make the best of a horrible situation by using his imprisonment to study human nature. This book inspired many later motivational writers and speakers. Here is a quote from Dr. Frankl's book:

"Everything can be taken from a person but one thing: the last of human freedoms--to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances."

After reading Frankl's book it is hard to complain about one's lot in life. If he can create a masterwork in a Nazi camp, we can rise above anything life can throw at us. I highly recommend this book.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

"Life is the sum of all our choices"--Albert Camus

I believe this quote could be used as the motto of a successful life. Accepting the fact that our choices determine the direction of our lives puts us in the proverbial driver's seat. Understanding the cause and effect relationship between our choices and outcomes leads us to take more care in making these choices. Better choices = Better Outcomes

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling

Thanks Jim Busch