I took a liitle trip a couple of weeks ago and
stopped in to visit a very successful friend of
mine while I was there. He ushered me right
into his office while in the middle of a phone
call. He was talking to a friend in San Fransisco
that had 1500 42 inch Plasma TV's he wanted
to sell right away.
My friend hung up with him and said, "We'll
go to lunch, but first I have to sell these televisions."
He pulled down a Rolodex, and it was huge,
maybe the biggest I have ever seen. He
laughed, and said, "I have four of these, and
over 23,000 contacts. I have a card or
information on every person I have ever
dealt with, and I make a quarter million in
mundo on the side just referring, or selling
stuff like this without ever touching the
merchandise. This deal should take about
five minutes."
He pulled out a card, laid it on the desk, and
started dialing. "I haven't talked to this guy in
3 years," he said.
"Mr.Chang please," he said.
"Whose is calling please?" came the reply.
"Mr.Bean Sprouts."
"One moment please."
"Chang."
"Two order stir fry pork and tofu with black
bean sauce, and make it snappy!"
Then there was a lot of laughter, how you
beens, and then, "What you got?"
"1500 Plasma screen TV's. All or nothing. Here's
the price, including shipping. Still using American
Express? Okay. They ship today. Always a pleasure
to do business with you. And work on the eggrolls
will you, they were a little greasy. Sayonara."
"Now that's what I like," he said. "Now I can take
you somewhere nice, and maybe we'll get a
massage after."
Over lunch he told me that in his first sales job
he was taught by a 76 year old veteran of door
to door sales. One of the things he taught him
was to make a friend of everyone he ever talked
to, and get their contact information, even if he
didn't make a sale. The old guy taught him that
if he made a friend, he would be able to sell them
something else down the road.
Over the last 20 years, my friend estimates
that that piece of advice, which he implemented
and took to heart has made him over $4 million
dollars. This money is over and above what he
makes in his job, which is considerable.
He calls it his slush fund, which he uses however
he wants to. All his job money goes to the family.
This is his fun bucket, and he uses it for recreation,
like our lunch and massage. And by the way the
massage was great! I need to do that more often
myself.
This fun bucket was created solely out of
networking. Not to mention all the regular income
it helps generate.
Contacts are like good blood cells. The more
you have, the more you make. Lose your
contacts, or fail to develop some, and you
won't be in the sales game long.
Somebody always needs something. And sooner rather than later.
From the big saddle,
Jim Whelan
The Chairman of the Board
P.S. Football kicked off last night, and not a minute too soon.
thejamesrwhelanagency.com
206 407 3124
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