E-Zine Street
Volume 3, # 11 The Service Professionals Resource - September 12, 2007 - $2.95

Road Map
Ave-A-News
Road Improvements
The Boulevard
End Construction

AVE-A-NEWS
August was a challenge for this 5-foot, 18 and 1/2-inch guy. I spent way too much of the month medicated, in the hospital, or both. I've been home now for almost two weeks and improving every day. You don't have to tell me how important one's health is.
We're still doing the "Cruise to Learn" so come join me in January '08!

Need a career update?

Judi is a career expert and prior to starting VisionQuest, she was a search consultant for 20 years in the contingency and retained markets. She has owned her own recruiting firm and successfully assisted numerous repeat clients in hiring at all levels of management. Judi now educates job seekers on what the candidate selection process is all about, so that they not only learn how to successfully present, package, and sell themselves, but also ensure that they not stepping into a miserable job. Her training has resulted in many of her clients finding their perfect job after long periods of frustration or no activity.

Road Improvements

Will and Ariel Durant were a history-writing team. For 50 years, they dedicated their marriage and working lives to studying and writing about history: Jesus, Napoleon, Caesar (the Roman ruler, not the salad), to name a few. On his seventy-fifth birthday, Will and Ariel asked themselves what a lifetime of research had taught them and wrote an amazing little book entitled Lessons of History. It's also a wonderful exercise to go back over your life and ask the question, "What have I learned so far? What has experience taught me?"

I love what I do. I feel honored and humbled to speak to businesses and associations. My phone now rings a couple of times a week. I am traveling around the world and getting paid for doing what once got me into trouble in high school! The fact that people are investing in my books, products, and monthly e-zine-and I'm receiving feedback every week that they are making a difference in people's lives-fills me with joy. If I can enjoy a 90-percent close ratio, anyone can (more on that later).

As I look back on my experience in sales, I am reminded of an old story about a young salesperson right out of college:

She was anxious to succeed, full of vim and vigor. Walking into her sales manager's office, she said enthusiastically, "I want to be successful like you! What do I need to know?" She had her journal in hand, ready to learn.

Glancing at all the awards on her walls, the sales manager said, "I believe I am qualified to answer that question." Leaning forward and lowering her voice to a whisper, she said, "Good judgment is all you need."

The pupil wrote it down and asked, "How do I get that?"

"Experience," the sales manager replied a little louder.

Pausing for effect, her manager replied, "Bad judgment, now go get 'em!"

What has life or business taught you so far?

Here is my short list in a timeline:

Lesson 1 -
At age 11, I held a "Carnival for Muscular Dystrophy" for Jerry Lewis' kids, and raised $11.32. I mailed the money to the local television kids' show. At Little League practice a week later, Ron Haight (now president of the largest roofing company in Washington State) said, "Hey Mark, they announced your name on the Brakeman Bill Show. You won a $25 box of fireworks!" It was true! I really did win a box of fireworks.

Lesson Learned?
The Law of Compensation is immutable. You cannot serve others without the universe balancing the books in your favor. How can you increase your service to others?

Lesson 2 -
I was 13 and in the eighth grade when I was cut from the junior high school basketball team. One of two things happens when we are pushed to the ground. Either we get back up, get mad and get going, OR we stay on the ground. I got up. I got mad. I got going. I found a mentor and asked his advice. He said, "I practice two hours every day and I go to Bob Houbreg's basketball camp." I followed his advice religiously and guess what? I made the team the next year.

Lesson Learned?
Find a mentor who has done what you want to do and been where you want to go. Learn the patterns and causes of success. Then do all that and a little more. Who can you contact? What do they do that you don't? How can you go the extra mile?

Lesson 3 -
Beginning at age 22, I had a part-time chimney cleaning business from September to March for three years. I amassed a client list of over 1,000 names; most of them were repeat clients. Shortly after I started my business, I entered a four-year HVAC apprenticeship. By the third year of my apprenticeship, I was working over 100 hours a week. So I closed the business down, thinking one day I would resume or sell it. Then we bought a beautiful house with a view of Puget Sound and Mt. Baker.

It had only a small garage, so I threw some boxes away. One of the boxes had a list of 1,000 names in it.

When my wife asked me to clean out the garage and get rid of the chimney caps, fire extinguishers, and other products I used to sell, I put an ad in the local paper. A very successful chimney sweep showed up and said, "I will give you two hundred dollars a name for your client list." I wept openly for a week!

Lesson Learned?
Keep strict accounts (back up your client list, it's a gold mine) and stay in touch with your clients! How much is your gold mine worth?

Now it's your turn. Go back through your own experiences. It's a rich treasure trove, a wealth of ideas and lessons. Reflect on what you have learned so far. Write down at least five things you have learned from the school of hard knocks.

Your Lesson One -
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Lesson Learned?
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Your Lesson Two -
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Lesson Learned?
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Your Lesson Three -
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Lesson Learned?
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The Boulevard
Now just released: 13 Secrets of World-Class Goal Achievers. Click for your fr*e*e copy!

PLANNING TO KEEP YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS? According to Purdue University, and most experts, it's not only important to have written goals, but you must have a plan to reach your goals.

Goals 2006 is the complete program to help you "create a life on purpose". Will 2006 be just another ho-hum year that started with good intentions? Or will it be YOUR Year to lose that weight you're tired of carrying, start that business you've been talking about, get out of debt for good. Are you tired of being stuck in the same gear?

Go see why one program graduate, Lucy O. said, "Breaking through, or at least finally recognizing, what my barrier is with writing goals, is a MAJOR accomplishment - one I've been trying to find for over 15 years! And I finally got it - I GOT IT!"

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