Why I Write This Blog

This is my 300th blog article.

It is also the 13th anniversary of my client newsletter that morphed into this blog.

I've written before on why I think you should read this blog:

why-read-this-blog

However I've never explained WHY I write this blog.

There are two main reasons.

The first is obvious. In this electronic age I want to stay in touch with you-my clients, prospects, readers, fans- to keep you informed of changes in the industry, ideas that can help your business, and remind you that I'm a resource for you for networking, advice, or resources.

The second reason relates to the pictures in this article. 

I started selling Kirby Vacuum cleaners in 1991. It was my first professional sales job.

Our daily sales meeting started at 8am and my first appointment was at 9am daily.

I averaged 4-5 demonstrations each day. 

Each demonstation was 2-3 hours long by the time I demonstrated (and sold) the vacuum and finished cleaning the carpet as a thank you for watching the demo.

It was not uncommon that my day would end at 10 or 11pm.

I was earning money for college and living at home.

Every night my dad would wait up for me.

He would ask how my day went and would go though each appointment with me.

He was an executive chef who was literally "world famous" as he always traveled for his company.

Turns out he was also a great salesman.

We would go through the appointments and my conversations with the clients and he would explain what I did right and wrong. Being the last of nine kids, my father was already "old" by the time I started playing sports, so we didn't have some of the typical father-son experiences like playing catch.

It was during these talks that I got to know my Dad and he me. It was a great bonding experience and taught me many of my core beliefs on selling and customer service.

There isn't a day that goes by in my sales career that I don't think of his advice and lessons.

Many of them I've talked about in this blog, and with you over the years.

I write these blogs not only to help you and others, but to pass along my Dad's lessons to my son. Even if he doesn't go into sales for a career, the lessons from his Dad and the Grandfather he never met will be out in cyberspace for him to read and to get to know us.

Thank you to all of you for everything you have done for me.

Thank you to everyone who have read, or are reading, this blog or my client emails.

Ev

A Heck of A Nice Guy

Having costume mohawk fun for Halloween at 5

First rainbow trout at 6

First crawling on grass (still one of my favorite pictures)

First time on grass