Good morning!
I
am
bored.
Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored.
I am writing this Short Attention Span Sales Tip on Tuesday, Sept. 7. It’s my first day back from the long weekend, one where I golfed and played tennis and watched tennis and worked in the yard and did everything but sales-related tasks.
I’m having a tough time getting going again.
Why?
BECAUSE I’M BORED!!! My job has hit a rut. It’s static and redundant.
I woke up this morning and emitted a sound similar to the low groan that comes from Tina, the cartoon character from the brilliant Bob's Burgers show: Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh …
Funny, though …
Allison and I sat outside by the fire last night and talked about how much I despise redundancy and routine. On the plus side, it keeps me innovative and things come from it like The Sales Vault.
The downside happens on days like today when I can’t get myself motivated. But, after I thought about it a bit, I figured it’d be an interesting sales tip.
So….
While I enjoyed a predawn cup of coffee, today’s Wall Street Journal had an article on the subject of overcoming work boredom. I instantly had one of those, “My HomePod is listening to me” moments.
I believe salespeople are — by nature and by definition — entrepreneurial. I think there is something within us all that serves as motivation and pushes us higher and higher. We are driven towards positives like rewards and away from negatives like fear and boredom.
The point of the WSJ article was to start your post-Labor Day life by challenging the various parts of your life and shake things up. Keeping it fresh keeps you going.
For you and me, we need to do the same going into the fall.
Hey, if you’re happy with the track you’re on, keep at it.
However…
If you can relate to this feeling I am having right now in any way, shape, or form, here are some ideas:
- Call three friends you haven’t spoken to in a while;
- Can’t do that? Connect/introduce three friends a week;
- Make a list of your top three priorities for today;
- Listen to a podcast having to do with business or sales;
- Take in something from Tony Robbins. Anything;
- Send someone a handwritten note of support. Chances are, someone in your life is down and could use it;
- Rearrange your office: clean and move your desk. Change the pictures on the wall. Buy yourself a new office chair;
- Scan your email inbox. I bet there is a pearl in there somewhere; some opportunity you’ve forgotten about or should follow up on;
- Start a Christmas list;
- Check out the Events page from your local print or sign affiliate;
- And finally, get yourself physically organized. I have no idea why, but there is something incredibly motivating about the clean workspace and an up-to-date list of tasks.
As for me, having done many of those things on that list already (spoke with my brother first thing, had my priorities identified, wrote a note, planned my office shake-up, and actually started my Christmas list last week), my go-to is to reread something on my bookshelf or my iPad. (This was Allison’s suggestion and one that will no doubt make her smile when she proofreads this SASS tip before it goes out!).
Then, freshly motivated, I will push forward for as long as this new wind fills my sales (see what I did there?).
Need some wind for your sales? Check out The Sales Vault at BillFarquharson.com or call Bill at 781-934-7036.
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- Business Management - Marketing/Sales
Bill Farquharson is a respected industry expert and highly sought after speaker known for his energetic and entertaining presentations. Bill engages his audiences with wit and wisdom earned as a 40-year print sales veteran while teaching new ideas for solving classic sales challenges. Email him at bill@salesvault.pro or call (781) 934-7036. Bill’s two books, The 25 Best Print Sales Tips Ever and Who’s Making Money at Digital/Inkjet Printing…and How? as well as information on his new subscription-based website, The Sales Vault, are available at salesvault.pro.