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Make a friend
Submitted by:
Bert Wisner
Many years ago I watched a 19 year old young man take the honors as top salesperson of the year for "Thousand Trails" a campground membership offered throughout the United States at 40 differnet locations with hundreds of salespeople and top closers employed. He won a whole bunch of bonus money and a Lincoln Continental to drive for a year. Of course he made so much money doing this, he all ready had a 280Z (great car at the time) and let some of the old guys drive the Lincoln. Naturally, as one of the "old guys" driving his car, I got him alone at a corner table at the local closers watering hole and asked him his secret. Here it is:
"Bert, it is really simple. Every morning on my way to work I get excited about being able to show folks our new club house and fishing hole stocked with fish. I never was able to do any camping growing up (this guy is 19 years old) so having these folks show me their motor homes and campers and listening to all the wonderful places they have been is so rewarding I just cannot stop asking questions. Our program is so darn simple to explain, I don't spend a lot of time with that. By the time we get done with the tour I simply ask my new friends if the money fit would they like to stay in campgrounds like this all over the US? Most of them ask how much does it cost and I call in one of the managers to fit it into their budget. That is it. I wish there was a secret so I could help others out, but that is it."
When the campground business went south, I headed South into Mexico. As a Sales Manager and Project Director for 20 years in Mazatlan, Acupulco and Cozumel, I never forgot that day in the bar. All of my training revolved around making a friend. Find out what your folks like and let them tell you what is important to them.
We have two ears and one mouth. Listen to your folks and then show them how the program benefits them. Make a friend and they will trust you to help them get involved. Think about it. Do you trust your real friends? Do you take their advice when it is offered in a positive manner? Just follow Greg, of Thousand Trails fame, and help your friends get involved.
