If you could have captured it on video you would ask John Cleese to play the lead. “Are you open for breakfast?” we gently inquired.

The mid stride quick step screeched to an unstable halt. A beady eye assessed us. The eyes narrowed, time stood still and the suspense was hilarious. Finally, our ‘Judge’ gave us the all clear – “Oh go on then but you better be quick.”

We landed, and feasted happily. Thing is, when we were done nobody wanted to give us a bill. Worse, nobody wanted to know. As I have said before, dangerous to ‘confuse urgent with important’

Their tactics were unsophisticated, crude and ill thought out. The Leader had plotted victory by spreading deadly rumours of their competitors’ demise. When that didn’t work the rumours were grown into epic tales of impossible actions and attitudes. That didn’t work either.

Leader had a rethink. It was time for a new approach. Two innocent but clueless foot soldiers were dispatched to enemy territory. Their mission was to meet with a view to ”work together”. The ‘enemy’ are good people with a great business but they met them and even offered warm hospitality with a smile. When their meeting was done they were patient, smiled again, waved and slowly said…. ”Goodbye”.

Lots of people are losing sales and income. There are 3 typical reactions;

(1) Follower - ”I hope it will change soon.”

(2) Panic – “Oh My God, cut, slash, burn.”

(3) Action – “Time to re-imagine and get moving.”

Choice(s) above will create a reaction;

(1) Failure

(2) Failure with huge stress

(3) Survival

Choose carefully!

I recently discovered my school class of photo. We all looked the same. We were in neatly fashioned lines, from left to right and we made 3 tiers. Our size, hair and style all looked the same. Many years later it was hard to see who was who.

One guy, always different, never a follower, stood at the very back row and slightly apart. His stance broke the smooth flawless lines. He stood out from the crowd. I remember him well. I knew who he was.

Make sure you always stand out from the crowd.

If you want to know what to do and how to behave at life’s usual events, ask an expert. If you want to stand out from the crowd, be noticed, don’t.

Followers can advise of past experience.

Leaders will cut new paths

“If only we had more sales.”

“We have no sales.”

“What will we do without more sales?”

“Where will our sales come from?”

“When will the tide turn?”

Heard it all before?

Useful?

No, useless.

Selling is the responsibility of everyone in every company.

New conditions require a new approach.

Abdication is not delegation.

Denial is worse.

Selling is your responsibility.

Today, we must sell and deliver and sell to deliver.

Now what are you going to do next?

Lots of talk about light at the end of the tunnel.

Great, but beware….

People who have that persistent marathon spirit visualise the finish line.

In other words, light at the end of the tunnel.

It keeps them going.

On the other hand, really smart people don’t waste time “seeing the light” where there is none.

Or, worse still, where there never can be any!

Many people confuse publicity with PR.

Good PR is a vehicle that consistently emits your strategic message.

It is an expert skill often practised by unqualified amateurs.

That can destroy your brand, and quickly.

Publicity is just ‘noise’.

Next time you rush to the Press with your story (or is it any story?) ask yourself which is which.

Thing is, ‘noise’ will soon drive people away and the amateurs will still send their bill!

A reduction is not quite a disaster.

A reduction means ‘less’ not ‘the end’.

Careful analysis of those recent reductions in all our lives begs a question;

“Was it a luxury and was it lazy?”

I’m blushing!

The door was locked. The lock had seized.

The ‘bad’ salesman huffed and puffed and still tried to blow it down.

It was never going to give way.

The old was replaced with the new.

The new way would not be the old way.

The wise owls already knew that and had departed in search of fresh opportunity.

These days I am bombarded with paper flyers – they go straight in the bin.

I am assaulted with ezines – they are deleted.

My inbox fills with Spam – it goes where it belongs.

My phone beeps with unsolicited text messages – I get cross and delete.

My private phone rings and starts with “How are you today?” – I decline and hang up.

I buy nothing.

A nice man in a suit with a warm smile greeted me.

He asked how he might help?

I found myself telling him.

He made a sale.

It’s not really ‘the new way’ it is a return to ‘the old way’.

When sales are falling, stop giving money to your printer, mobile phone text service or cyber wordsmith.

Get out, greet, meet, listen, learn, offer, help, solve, smile…. and make a sale.