Ep. 249 INTERVIEW – Dan Jourdan

“Smiling Will Make You Money”  – INTERVIEW with Dan Jourdan, author of three books including the best seller “Sales Proverbs”. He has coached, mentored and helped thousands of salespeople worldwide. He figure’s out a way for clients to Double Triple or quadruple. Success rate is 100%.

Transcript
Voice over:

Get ready for an unfair advantage over your competition. This is The Sales Edge podcast. Where globally recognized sales expert and trainer Joe Pici helps you sharpen your skills for booking more appointments and closing more deals. And now here’s your host Joe Pici.

(JP):

Welcome to the sales. This is podcast number 249. And today. This is another shop, talk sales, top truck to Old Sage sales Guys, just kind of, you know, drinking a cup of coffee talking straight about sales. Let me tell you about our guests. But before he came about, I guess, let me tell you about our sponsors. We want to thank them as Pici and Pici, which is a speaking coaching training consulting. Firm. We specialize in helping our clients recapture lost Revenue in front of that Target Market, close more deals, get to be experts on the phone and sell more virtually.com. That’s our membership platform, every Thursday night. I’m out there live doing a group coaching training e-courses, downloads, We want you to check that out. But today, we’ve got a special guest, you know, Dan Jourdan, but we call them to Deeds because he special, he’s one of those I called them Salty Dog’s, which means he’s been selling forever. He’s seen it all and done it all but I’m gonna give you a little bio on him, you know, Dan host? The pitch man dot live on Amazon and Zone podcast, DJ live, He’s the author of three books including the best seller sales Proverbs. He has coached mentored and helped thousands of sales people worldwide and how to live a profitable sales life, through these programs, and keynote speeches. Dan himself, has started built and sold. Six businesses ranging from a deli brokerage firm, staffing companies and consulting firm. He lost it all twice. Yes, but still managed to keep his wonderful wife of 25 years and sometimes his children still like him. Hey, Dan. Welcome.

Dan Jourdan (DJ):

Yeah, I said, today is not one of those days that they children like me because, hey, here’s the thing. So my daughter, 19, she’s a she wants to stay here and the boyfriend is here, and we’re supposed to go to the lake, but I decided to stay home. And so now she’s ticked off at me.

(JP):

Well, you know, that’s part of life, ain’t it? We’re going to get to know you better, but I’m gonna throw some heat for you. I’m gonna throw some pictures over because this, this shop talk is about real sales. And so we’re going to pick your brain today and I’m going to talk about motivation when you. And I were talking you were talking about three aspects of motivation. I’m going to tell you what they are Turn. You Loose and let you go. One is what to do, what not to do and what you should never do.

(DJ):

Well, you know what? It’s the philosophy of a salesperson people, you know, the they act, the practicing sales is the act of practicing personal development. And so if you’re not in that zone, it’s like if you’re not thinking, man, I gotta get a little better every day. If you’re, if you’re asking a this to questions, you can ask, you know, why am I not getting new business and you’ll come up with an answer, or how can I get more business? And then, you’ll come up with an answer. If you start asking the first question. too often, you’re going to immediately. Demotivate yourself because you’re actively forcing yourself to figure out the reasons. Why things don’t work in process. You’re doing that. So what you should never do, I’ll start with the last one. What you should never do is ask yourself the wrong questions. When things are going wrong. Don’t say, why are they going wrong? You know, and your why is this happening to me? Because I promise you, the rest of the day. That’s what you’re going to think about and you as a human being. You’re so smart and creative. You’re going to figure out all the things that don’t work and by golly, go ahead and do them. It’s mostly a motivating thing. What you, what you should do is a each morning when you wake up. I have a morning routine and it’s changed. Its changed everything. I mean, everybody has the problems. You wake up, my dad, it one day. I was telling my was having a bad day. I was 13 years old. I lay and my dad was from like, war-torn France and so family in the Holocaust, the whole thing. And so, you know, he got to America. He never told me any stories that happened in concentrate. Never said anything about it. But when I was 13, I was saying I’m having a bad day. My dad says me. Let me tell you about a bad day and he unloaded on me with, like the craziest things you’ve ever heard, and You know, I decided and he says, he says, it’s a Danny. It’s a choice. It’s a choice, you could, you could, you could be the light when you walk into the room or you could be the light when you walk out of it. And so it’s your job to go ahead and do that. And so protect what you allowed to come into your head. And so, the way to motivate yourself, this to start your morning routine with something positive. Something exciting, something you could learn something. Thing new, you know, watch the sunrise you know, I read what you can read to do that, but in lieu of that, listen to tapes, listen to things that you’ve done, but that’s not enough. That’s half of it. The other thing is you have to remove all the garbage that comes into you and so shut off the damn news to shut it off. I’ve always, I don’t know what the heck is going on. I mean, I’m so clueless. It’s delicious. I wake up in the morning. I have like, no, no, wait on me whatsoever. It’s the Greatest thing ever.

And and the second benefit to that is, it gives other people the opportunity to try to tell you all that’s going on in all the batteries and the other reason they feel good when they’re giving you this information. And so if you say, oh really really really all of a sudden they like you there’s you’re in for a for a sales call, right there. Let them teach you

(DJ):

I am 100% you and I think alike because I won’t watch the news. I won’t entertain it, you know, because Here’s the thing. If you and I go down, there’s a lot of miles that don’t get fed.

(DJ):

Amen, the salespeople are the most important part of the sale says, Ziggler is the salesperson you talk about old school sell. That’s what it is. So I, you know, part of my I have a little Mantra I’d lead not follow. I believe knocked out. I create not destroy. Make the news. I don’t watch the news. But the number four is I make the news. I don’t watch the news, right?

(JP):

Exactly. So I’m gonna throw you another pitch. Salty Dog. To. Salty, dog. You’ve seen them come and go. You said the Splash in the pan. So why do 90% of outside salespeople Quit? What’s the failure? What happens?

(DJ):

Well, you know, you there has not the right place but you you’re a perfect example of why one could succeed. Let’s, let’s there. Why would one succeed? And like Jim Rohn said a million years ago. It’s simple, The definition of success. Simple little disciplines practiced every day. You told me what number is this 200 249. That’s what and you know, if you listen to a bunch of early ones that are probably a bunch of garbage, but you just keep on doing it you keep on doing that. The reason the people have a very limited specially salespeople have a very limited view of what they can do today. They don’t think they can do a lot today. And it just like a magnified view of what they think they can do in 10 years, but they’re focusing on today. And when you’re just focusing on today, and there’s too much jab at at you this too. If you think about it, a salesperson, you gotta deal with 90% failure on a regular basis. Not what I would call a failure. I’ll call it rejection. 90% rejection on a daily basis. So the successful people have the ability to look long term, right? And, and, and the unsuccessful just don’t have that. They can’t get out of their own way.

(JP):

So you’re sitting across from some business owners that have to sell or some salespeople and there they came. See you the sage and you got them in a round table and they’re asking this question. So what’s it going to take? What are the things? I need to master? What do I need to get better at? What’s it going to take other than mind set to be successful at growing my business or selling?

(DJ):

Yeah, well, you know, I’m going to I’m going to give you a this might or may or may not be controversial. But there’s been a big movement to find your why these days and they think that’s the big motivating factor enough with the why. I know your, why, your why is the same as everybody else’s? Why stop thinking about your day? Why your, why is that the end of your life? You’re going to go up there to heaven and gods going to welcome. You. You done. Well, my good and faithful servant. Very good. Come on in you done. That’s everybody’s why, you know, If you want to make a lot of money so you can provide for your family, your body, you want to provide for your family because that’s the right thing to do. And why is it the right thing to do? So what I get up to heaven, they’re going to say hey, come on in my good one. I know your why, what? People don’t enforce it, what people don’t look forward to is there. What? And if you know, you’re what have some people call those what’s goals. I just called him once. What do you want? If you just ask somebody, if you want your in a room that Roundtable that you’re in and you go to those people and say, hey, what do you guys really want? half the people won’t know what to say. And the other people are just going to say something that they think other people want to say, know what your want is, even if it’s outrageous know what you’re what I want to earn a million dollars this year. And so I can buy this boat or whatever. I know what your what is and then the they desire and your creativity and it will figure out and get it. So, number one thing besides your mindset, Is knowing what your goal is, knowing what your, what is? Because once you have that, we can backtrack it. I’ll give the example. I had a real estate guy. I was working with and the real estate guy wanted to earn a million dollars a year on commissions and to earn these million dollars a year in Commissions in the Atlanta area. You got to basically work that you need three listings a month. Do you see three listings a month? And so, our goal is not to make a million dollars. Now dollar goal is three listings a month, okay? So that you know, that’s our what right now we need three listings a month. So, how are we going to get three listing them up? We found out if he knocks on 50 doors a day 7 days, a week after the first month. He’s getting three listings a month and then you study any more listings a month, because they know the people call back whatever. So he just doesn’t. But he does it seven days a week at the beginning, the first year 7 days a week. 50, knocks a day under hey, the call to see if you might be interested in selling, your house is a might be just like that.

But he doesn’t earn a million dollars. Now. We aren’t three million dollars a year in commissions, know your want and we can figure out a way to get there.

(JP):

Yep, you know, it’s because our business I’m in all types, all sized companies. I’m at all kind of entrepreneurs and I always handle pain, I sent him to a white board. I give him a marker and I go drop your sales process and tell me and give me a what you think. The skills are going to be that. You need to master and they always give me the dumb look like. When people say, what do you mean? That means they don’t have a sales process and they don’t know the skills. They need to develop. So from a skill standpoint because I know you’re big picture guy. Let’s just drill down a little bit from the skills bait. What skills do they have to master?

(DJ):

I’ll tell you that but I do want to say one of the one thing that’s real important for people in their business, on a tactical measure, Is to is to keep track. I need to know how many dials you’re making. You need to know what your closing ratio is. You need to know all those things and you need to how many people you talk to because, you know, sometimes when you’re cold calling, you know in your head you’ve made 50 calls, but if you look down and you and you’re feeling terrible about myself, I’ve made no sales today. I don’t know what’s going on with you look down. Well, I only spoke to three people. you know it. So it’s just, you gotta keep all those very important. Keeping track is one of those things that nobody does and it’s it’s monstrous. In fact, I don’t even like

Just shows me. But anyway, it’s a different thing.

(JP):

So, here’s something for your sales, people out there, some of the dialers you’re using not all of them, but some of them have a sting to it when you pick the person picks up, and it sounds like a robo call and they hang up. so I know dialers are used by a lot of people but it can appear to be a robocall because here’s a sound that happens when they pick up. And they don’t feel like it’s a real person. So keep an eye on that.

(DJ):

Yes. Yeah, but the the sheer volume of those things. A lot of times overcomes that. But yes, that’s right. So you’re saying the skill. That one that one needs to have?

(JP):

Yeah, in otherwords. You got the big picture and you’ve great job of painting the vision and then you talked about knowing concrete. What do I want? And you talk about Measure everything have metrics for everything you do, but now it’s time to roll up. The Steep sleeves. Let’s skills tactics. Do they have to master to win?

(DJ):

Well, there there’s only a few and they’re all important, but none is more in my opinion, important as this, the ability to create instant Rapport and that, and that is in terms of prospecting. and even and in a speeding selling the biggest mistake people make is when you’re there. They’re on a sales call. It’s to forget that Rapport piece again, even if they’re friendly. Listen, you still say Frank hi to your friends. You know, you still And even if they’re for listen, you still say friend. Hi. Dear friends, you know, you still have a little small talk. When you’re talking to your friends. It’s the same thing. You have to build that little connection with them before you do anything else. And this that easy ways to do it and I think it’s just awful. How about this? I was a I was a years ago. I had. I had a deli. My first business was a deli. It was a butcher shop. I turned it into a deli and Four years later, my friends were coming home from college. I didn’t go to college. They’re coming home from college. Tell me all these stories. That’ll is wild stuff. I’m like, man. I think I miss something. So I had I had to do something that I always want to do. And so I set the store up with a manager and I went hitchhiking around the country to find myself, took no money. I’m telling you Pici. It was freaking awesome. I took no money, just got jobs along the way and the idea was to meet a million people and to Figure out how to get by and I still use those skills today. It’s total skeleton when you’re hitchhiking. You gotta sell to make. If you don’t get picked up your you’re really not a hitchhiker. You’re just a bum on the side of the road with this from hanging. So one of the jobs I got in st. Louis was a beer vendor as a beer vendor in, st. Louis at Busch Stadium. It was, it was Dino. It was great. That was I get big, I’m selling beer throwing stuff. One time. I was yelling peanuts. I Didn’t have any but it’s just want to scream peanut. And so I was so I went to this one section and they did. They wouldn’t, they wouldn’t buy for me. They were waiting for Charlie. I go. God. What are you? Yeah, it’s Budweiser. Yeah, it’s Busch Stadium. This is but it’s the same, we’re waiting for Charlie. And so I had to find this guy. This guy Charlie a big hulking, beautiful, man, and I talked to and Charlie used to make four to five hundred dollars a Game on tips. It says, I gotta find out what’s going on with Charlie. So I hook up with big Charlie and I told him the story, I said, they’re not buying for me. And I said, what do I have to do? And he put his arm around me and never forget his words away said boy, but he said it in such a way that you want to listen. He said, boy, I smile more than you, that was it, you know about this. That was it, that was his thing, and fainted, he told me in, and he said this, he said, smiling Make you money and he was absolutely. Right. So, the quickest way to build instant Rapport. It’s just a rule. Like, if I smile at you, Joe, you see you have to smile back. Yes. That’s the law. And it’s impossible not to be in a good mood. When you’re smiling. I mean if you’re smiling and you think of something bad you immediately stop smiling. So this so what happens is just this is total psychology, but what happens is If they a person Associates that good feeling of happiness, with you. You’ve just gained instant Rapport and the sick thing about it is it works just as well on the phone?

(JP):

Oh, You want to know why that is logically, please, my wife was an opera singer. ? And she was second place at the Metropolitan Opera competition. Oh I can occupy this long.

How are you asking how that is the only way you weren’t. But anyway, it lists, when you smile. It lists a soft palate in your in your, on your tongue, in your mouth. And you sound different on the phone. Yes. And so, you know, when they say smiling dial, they thought that was a cliche but there was science behind it.

(DJ):

Yes, and so, you know, so that’s step one, and it’s the easiest thing. I used to play this game in New Jersey where I would I would smile walk down the street. I see somebody I’d smile at them. Say hi. They smile back. I win. I get a point like I was trying to build up points throughout the day and in New Jersey, I never lost. I came down here to Georgia and then I marked the first day. I’m here. I’m walking some, with some gals walking the other way. She smiles at me and says, I am so glad I moved here. I don’t like this place is great. Why would you leave? But yeah, but that’s the, that’s the it’ll change your life. So instant Rapport is very important and how and how to get that instant. Is you smile pay attention to people comment on them? You know, one of the easiest ways to do in a business setting is ask for, someone’s advice. If you just, hey, I wonder if you could get some advice for you as far as working with your company.

(JP):

We’re going to go deeper on that on our next interview, but this is so rich and so good. What I want you to do is tell these people where they can find their books, what your website is. Okay. So how to find you.

(DJ):

Oh, yeah. Well, I’m really into Act. It just it did. You can email me at Dan @ Dan Jourdan.com, but what I’d love for you to do and I’m sure you’ll put a link on this somewhere. Yeah, I put together what it called, the Superhuman salesperson handbook. Okay, and it’s really a tactical, do this, do this, do this, do this, do this. But really my dad used to tell me, you know, in case it would say, Daddy, whenever you give me some good advice, he would say this is that Danny in this country and then he would give me advice. And so, he would say, he’s very pretty said Danny, and this country act, like the person you’d like to become, there you go. And very soon, you’ll see that person in the mirror. The Superhuman salesperson handbook is basically how to be a personal sales leader of yourself and and act like that. And once you have that, maybe you could write your own ticket

(JP):

And we’ll put that out in the link. If you’ll send that to us. We’ll make sure People have it, Dan? Hold off. We’re going to go to interview number two. Hey folks. This has been great. Make sure you move over to sell more virtually.com for interview, two three and four, but right now we want you to take out your phone and go to the text box, put the word sales, edge, one word, text it to five, five, six, seven, eight. It’s going to take you to a Pici and Pici link. That’s going to take you to a splash page, tremendous amount of e-courses.

There’s links to this podcast, there’s downloads. But right now we want you to check out the link to sell more virtually.com and two weeks. We’re going to be launching a complete complete virtual on-demand sales training program, that you’ll be available to you. If this is an asset to you, can you like it? Can you share? Can you post a great comment? Thanks a lot, Dan and let’s move over to the next show

Voice over:

Thanks for listening. New episodes will air each Tuesday and Thursday. So make sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and give us a five star review. The Sales Edge is sponsored by Pici and Pici Incorporated. A firm which provides training, consulting, and keynote presentations. Empowering corporations and individuals to attract and retain quality clients, for higher revenues and growth. Make more money in sales, speak with Joe in person by calling 407 947 2590 or visit www.piciandpici.com