HOW I LEARNED TO SELL!

By Jim Loria

My breakthrough in first learning the sales business came at about the lowest point in my life. It was in Minneapolis, MN. The year 1985. I had made a career move to leave my public relations job with the NHL's Washington Capitals and seek a more normal 9-to-5 existence. But after seven months in the Twin Cities, I had no nibbles and was jobless. Not a fun time when you are married and a father of two infant daughters with no income.

After what seemed like hundreds of employment rejections and my savings account now dwindling, I had to make something happened. It didn’t help in that one of my last job interviews, an advertising agency for one of the local Minnesota pro sports teams, boldly told me that my resume showed “I Couldn’t Sell a French Fry!” Yet, I had a resume filled with many accomplishments, including working at the White House in 1984 with President Ronald Reagan on a special USA Olympic Hockey Team promotion, the 1982 NHL All-Star Game, the 1979 Memorial Cup of Canadian Junior Hockey and I even had references from people like CNN’S Larry King promoting my abilities.

Needing instant cash flow for the family reserves, I was desperate and took a job delivering newspapers for the Minneapolis Star & Tribune. Yes, I was now 30-years old and a Paperboy! Remaining positive, I told my wife that I was going to set a goal to somehow break the all-time Tribune "Tips Record” for the coming holidays (didn’t even know if one existed, but it was what drove me through this job!)

Suddenly, a light bulb turned on in my head and I remembered what my Capitals’ boss (Roger Crozier) always preached to me years back… “Jim, if you have fun in your job and You produce, You’ll get Rewarded!” So, the Sunday before I was to start up the job that included 190 home deliveries, I purposely drove my carrier route and did it on a Minnesota Vikings’ football game day when I thought everyone would be home. I knocked on all doors. Those that answered, I introduced myself and asked one specific question: “What was the previous service like?” Most everyone complained loudly and said the same common theme: “The previous person just tossed the paper from his car window driving down the street”. Wherever the paper landed, the customer had to go fetch it regardless of the outdoor weather conditions.

So, I developed a plan. Every morning I would drive two blocks at a time. Park my car. Count the number of houses. Get out and deliver each customer their paper, placing it directly on the doorstep and continue on. (FYI: I also carried quite a few rocks in my coat pocket with me everyday just in case trouble sprung up!)

As I neared the Thanksgiving holiday, I reiterated to my wife that I was going to set the all-time Star & Tribune paperboy “Tips Record!” How? My plan was to buy 190 Greetings Cards and tell each customer how much I appreciated their business and hope that they enjoyed the service we were providing? I delivered the cards to each home the Friday morning after T-Day, which as we all know and agree, is the biggest shopping day in the country. I purposely made sure the customer could read my handwriting, so I printed my name and home address. Soon thereafter, well over $4,000 in tip money came to my home in checks and cash from the mailman deliveries that holiday season! The customers showed their appreciation and almost every one of the 190 households rewarded my efforts!

The motto of this story: We all have to suck it up sometimes in our lives and shove away the ego. Without that newspaper job, I hesitate to think where I'd be today? So, how did I learn the business of sales? I KNOCKED ON DOORS. I ASKED QUESTIONS. I FORMULATED A GAME PLAN. I EXECUTED THE PLAN AND I GOT REWARDED, a method I still employ 32 years later... just like my boss always preached to me!

PS: What also motivated me was seeing that "French Fry" I continually taped up to my car dashboard during the time I was delivering the newspapers!