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August 15, 2008Here's August's sales newsletter!Arguably the greatest President in our nation's history, a recounting of Abraham Lincoln's career leading up to his election illustrates as tale of the utmost persistence. His failures far exceeded his successes. Just look at this timeline of Abe's life:1832 * Lost his job1832 * Defeated in the race for the legislature1833 * Failed in business1834 * Elected to legislature1835 * Sweetheart died1836 * Suffered a nervous breakdown1838 * Defeated for speaker in the legislature1843 * Defeated for nomination for Congress1846 * Elected to Congress1848 * Lost re-nomination to Congress1849 * Rejected for job as land officer1854 * Defeated for Senate1856 * Defeated for nomination for Vice-President1858 * Defeated for Senate1860 * Elected 16th president of the United StatesA truly inspiring story, with almost 30 years of handling crushing disappo ...

July 25, 2008June 2008 NewsletterHere's this month's sales newsletter! I also want to call your attention to some upcoming learning opportunities.1. Join us for a two-day intensive sales skills training course where you will experience an interactive process of evaluating your current sales practices with Tom. You will learn Tom's Sales Success System from prospecting to closing which focuses on accelerating activities that lead to results. It's Thursday and Friday, August 7-8, from 8:30a to 4:30p at the Cool Springs Marriott. The cost is only $750 and includes registration, materials, and continental breakfast.2. In conjunction with the training above, on August 7th, at 6:00p, Tom will be conducting "Doing Business at the Table" at Sunset Grill. During a three-hour, four-course dinner Tom simulates entertaining your clients including: making the right reservation, seating arrangem ...

May 27, 2008Here's this month's sales newsletter! I also want to call your attention to two upcoming learning opportunities.First, an advanced sales course. Learn what's not in the Boxcar Millionaire Selling System. Move your skill set and your income to the next level with me. It's Saturday, August 16, from 8:30a to 4:30p at the Cool Springs Marriott. The cost is only $500 and includes registration, materials, and continental breakfast.Second, John Boyens (http://www.boyens.com/) and I are teaching a one-day sales management course at the Richland Country Club in Nashville on Thursday, September 4, 2008, 8:00a to 5:00p. Here you'll learn recruiting, training and managing techniques that have built several successful sales organizations. If you hire, train, or manage sales people, don't miss this! It's only $500 and space is limited. It includes your registration, all workshop mat ...

April 10, 2008Former "Talk of the Town" and "America's Most Wanted" TV host, Debbie Alan, shares a warm and delightful interview with Chicken Soup for the Soul author, Mark Victor Hansen, as he discusses the American economy, success, and his personal life. If you are in the mood to brighten your outlook and increase your possibilities.Mega Success tickets still available for the event on Thursday, April 17 -- don't miss this fantastic opportunity to invest in yourself! Call 866-518-5244 or visit www.tomblackcenter.com Don't forget to ask about Tom's newsletter recipients' special discount!*************************************************************************II. Find Happiness in the JourneyHere is a great quote I want you to memorize: “Happiness is a way of traveling; not some place you arrive. Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”Unfortunately, ...

March 25, 2008Laying Foundations for a Great Presentation with AttitudeIn past newsletters, we’ve discussed – and I’m sure you agree with – these principles:· You believe in the law of averages.· You’ve set a high and low goal to increase your activity.· You’ve written it down.· You’ve told someone important about your goal.· You’ve set a time frame.· You’ve answered your own excuses.· You’ve committed to a plan to raise your activity with new prospects.Now, it’s time to move to the second pillar of success in the sales saga: The quality of your presentation.Attitude is IrrelevantEvery great performer knows that spectacular performance is always preceded by unspectacular preparation. So there are some foundations that must be laid for a great presentation. The first brick in the foundation is attitude. This may come as a surprise to you, but attitude does not necessarily determine result ...

February 26, 2008Work Smart, Not HardMaybe you don’t make excuses and you work really hard. That’s great, but the problem some salespeople have in maximizing their performance is that they often spin their wheels and never get anywhere. Unless you’re in front of a prospect you can’t get results. That’s why the number of people you see is so critical. The question you have to ask yourself is this” Are you a peak performer or do you work harder and harder and seem to keep “spinning your wheels?”Hamsters run hard, but they never get anywhere. Start focusing on how to maximize the benefits of every situation, and you will find yourself much less frustrated and increase your presentations just by doing a little thinking and planning.The Multiplier EffectAnother thought about increasing activity in regard to the number of presentations you give weekly is this: The more presentations you give, ...

January 25, 2008II. The Power of Controlling Your ScheduleThe third idea for getting in more presentations is to schedule appointments at the best time for you and your calendar. For example, if your schedule allows you to see two prospects in the morning at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., don’t accept an appointment for 10 a.m. Most prospects will fit into your schedule, so try this next time: After a prospect has agreed to an appointment, and the prospect suggests a time that doesn’t work best for you, say something like this:“Would 9 a.m. or 11 a.m. be just as good for you as 10 a.m.?”They’ll agree almost every time. By controlling the times, you set appointments you can see more people!Still More ExcusesOne of my salespeople came up with these reasons why she didn’t have more new appointments set each week:Had lunch with friends (Translation: I think noon-to-1 is a bad time to call).Went to the ...

December 18, 2007Good afternoon!Please remember to check the website, http://tomblackcenter.com, regarding our Mega Success Conference with Tom and author of Chicken Soup for the Soul, Mark Victor Hansen, in Nashville on Thursday, April 21, 2008, at Opryland Hotel. Tickets are going fast – be sure to get yours soon!Also on our website, check out the link to Tom’s video interview, Teaching People A Winning Sales Process, with the founder of Selling Power magazine, Mr. Gerhard Gschwandtner. This is a great opportunity to pick up some important tips and sales techniques.Look for our new books and products coming out in 2008…Happy Holidays to you and yours!***********************************************The Power of the MindNow you have the goal of increasing your number of presentations, but how do you do it? I don’t believe in hocus-pocus or magical spells, but I do believe strongly in the ...

November 28, 2007Good afternoon,Don't forget to check out Tom's interview where he discusses Teaching Salespeople a Winning Process with the Founder & Publisher of Selling Power Magazine, Gerhard Gschwandtner. Click here to see the interview:********************Goals: An Excuse's Worst EnemyNow that you have a base line for what's best is your organization – the average number of presentations for the top two people in your company -- you must now set a goal to increase your own number of presentations. Goal-setting is comprised of some very fundamental elements. We're going to get back to increasing your number of presentations, but an inherent part of increasing your numbers is a clear understanding of goals and how to set them.Goals can be tricky, but they are also essential. They are especially critical in the world of selling. Salespeople have much more autonomy than do most pr ...