Alea Living

It takes something special to sell in a down economy. Unless sales people are properly equipped, it’s easy for them to get discouraged and give up, perhaps before they even get started. When salespeople stop selling, falling revenues eventually cause pain for all employees and can threaten the very existence of the business. That’s why it’s in everybody’s best interest to ensure that every salesperson has the one thing that will keep them producing sales in a down economy. Clue Me Down First, how can we be sure we’re experiencing a down economy? Here are some headlines that appeared in newspapers over the last 30 days: — Home foreclosure rate soars in 2007 — State’s unemployment rate jumps — Bankruptcy filings up 24% in Georgia Statistics like that could easily discourage any sales person. The changing environment means they’ll soon be facing unfamiliar selling chall employment law services enges they are not confident they can handle. Any salesperson could righteously proclaim, “The economy is killing me!” If that were true, I should already be dead. Leggo My Ego As I share this story from my past, please don’t discount it as self-serving ego aggrandizement. I offer it to give perspective. Besides, facts are facts, and these are the facts. I started my direct selling career in 1979. In 1981 and 1982, I was an award-winning sales leader at my company (ask me, and I’ll show you my diamond ring, earned through an incentive program. Actually, I earned two diamonds; my wife claimed the bigger one). Here are some indicators of how the economy of 1981 compared to 2007: 2007: — 6.34% = Mortgage Interest Rate — 4.61% = Unemployment Rate — 2.85% = Inflation Rate 1981: — 16.63% = Mortgage Interest Rate — 7.62% = Unemployment Rate — 10.