To be successful in business or your personal life, you have to understand your “Why?”. Why do you want to reach your goal? Why is it important to you?
John C Maxwell says ,
“When I found my why, I found my way.
When I found my why, I found my will.
When I found my why, I found my wings.”
The last few weeks many of my friends and relatives have asked me why? Why would I leave a good job that I have been at for 24 years? Why would I give up that security at my age? The answer to those questions is because I found my “Why”. Are you confused yet? The answer to the question why is because I found my “Why”.
For over 25 years I have been training and coaching business owners and salespeople. I spent over 20 years as Director of Training for CVS Systems now The Collins Group. I trained over 5000 men and women in not only sales training but also in operations training, as well as specialty trainings such as Increasing revenue and profits. A little over 2 years ago I was asked to take a new position. The company opened a retail company and I was asked to run that company as the Vice President. That company was opened to learn the ins and outs of retail so CVS could better help it’s retailers in running their company in the day to day operations. As Vice President of the company I was initially in charge of all sales and marketing as well as hiring and training the new salespeople. We quickly grew to be one of the largest retailers in the state with 7 locations. We were selling retail in our store front as well as in 6 mall kiosks. We were selling in the largest events in the state including the Indiana State Fair, the Indy Home Show and the Fort Wayne Home Show. When you grow that fast you are hiring and training a lot of people. It quickly became evident that we needed a sales process. That process included everything from the onboarding of salespeople, the initial training, the on the job training, developing a script and presentation that worked at all of our locations as well as a customer follow up program. In developing that sales process we became very good at not only selling but at selling the customer the best products, with a very high closing ratio and very high customer satisfaction. Our sales process was recognized nationally by DISH as being very successful and I was invited to share that process with other retailers at a Training round table at the national convention.
It was that sales process that allowed us to hire new sales people, most without any prior sales experience and develop them into great salespeople in a short time. I soon found myself training nearly every day, often working 10-12 hours a day or more, 6-7 days a week for over a year and loving every minute of it. When we would have a location hit a slump I would throw some clothes in a bag and head to that location and within a few days we would have that location selling like champions again. What did I do different? I would just go in and reinforce our sales process, remind them of what and why they were doing what they were doing and most important, I would help them become positive again. We would make the job fun and I helped the managers and salespeople believe in themselves again. Most of our managers and salespeople were in their early 20’s and most had a few years of college. They were smart young men and women but they would occasionally start losing their confidence in themselves. By having a sales process that I knew worked I could easily get them back on track selling, which quickly helped them regain their self-confidence. You see, they never had a challenge selling, they only had a challenge in believing in themselves, their product, and the company they worked for. My job was to remind them of the “Why”. “Why”, they were doing what they do, “Why”, there was only one way we did it, “Why”, they were working for the company, and “Why”, they were great men and women helping their customer fulfill a need and saving them money. Once they understood the “Why”, everything worked again.
It was during this time, that after 20 plus years of conducting sales training seminars that I realized how important having a sales process is. It was also during this time that I found my “Why”. Of all of the positions I have personally held from Retail owner, Electronic Technician, CVS Branch Manager, Consumer Electronics Manager, National Sales Manager, Vice President of Sales, Vice President of New Customer Development, Vice President of Marketing and Director of Sales to Vice President of the retail company, I most enjoyed the job of re-motivating people. To go into a location where people had quit believing in the product, the company and more importantly in believing in themselves and seeing the turnaround is definitely my “Why”. To see young people who once did well and then began struggling in sales, becoming unhappy with their job, their peers, and the company they worked for, and helping them turn it all back around is very rewarding.
In the past few months, the company decided to scale back to some degree and in doing so, the time I spent training and motivating people declined as well. For the past 10 years or so it had been my plan to retire from CVS at 65 and begin a new career as a Sales Consultant and Speaker. A few months ago I started questioning myself in “Why” I was waiting to do what I loved until I was 65? “Why” was I choosing to not use my God given talent to train and motivate others until I turned 65. “Why” not do it now? After a lot of prayer and the support of my wife and family I decided to resign a great position from a great company like CVS, giving up a 6 figure income, with a car expense, family health insurance and more to pursue my “Why”.
Within hours of making the decision public, I knew it was the right decision. I received hundreds of messages, calls, texts, and emails congratulating me on going after my “Why”. I had many former employees, coworkers, and friends tell me they had always thought I should be a Sales Coach/Consultant and Speaker full time. It has been a few weeks since I made that decision. I am now more confident that I made the right decision then ever more. Doors are opening, people are calling, and I am chasing my dream, my “Why”. I don’t know what the end of the story will be, but I know that I am excited about the opportunity to help others define and develop their “Why”. I know that in sales the only difference in the successful salespeople and companies and those struggling with sales is the development of a Sales Process, the “Why” and “How” to sell your product or service. I am eager to put my 30 years’ experience to use in helping salespeople and companies establish that “Sales Process.” I look forward to speaking to small and large groups and motivating others to be all they are destined to be and help them start the process of finding their “Why”.
I believe we all are looking for our own “Why”. If I can help you find your “Why”, please contact me and let’s talk about it. I am so glad I found my “Why” and that I am now pursuing it every day helping others. Are you ready to find your “Why”?
Jeff Raver is a John Maxwell Certified Speaker, Coach and Trainer and the creator of The Sales Simulator Formula and has been training and coaching Top Performers for over 25 years.
If you are ready to develop a Top Performer Sales Process and/or Leadership Team, you may contact Jeff at Jeff.Raver@BeginToWinNow.com for a FREE Consultation.