The Pete Primeau Show

No BS Sales Ep 30 - Pete Primeau’s Confession “I Never Wanted To Be A Salesman”

I never wanted to be a salesman. My game plan in high school and college was to be a pro football player. Ask anyone that I went to high school or college with if they ever thought of me as a candidate to be a salesman.

Those of you who know me as a salesman are shocked by the title of this article. I can hear you say, "Pete, you love to sell. You love us!" You are right. I do love selling but more importantly I love to help my store owners and salespeople to sell more and to make more money. I love to see the smiles on your faces as you achieve success. 

I can hear you now so, "Pete, what is up with the title of this podcast?" It's true that I didn't want to be a salesman. Why? Because I thought salespeople were slimy selfish people who hounded people into buying products that they didn't need. I also believed that some salespeople were so good that they could magically hypnotize a person into buying a product that they didn't need. Are there horrible people with no morals? Yep. And some of those people are in sales. In my experience these people don't last very long in the furniture and mattress industry.

Here is what I've learned in the past thirty four years of selling. The very best salespeople are also the very best people. Customers can smell a phony a mile away. The very best salespeople are committed to continuous self improvement. They don't miss an opportunity to improve themselves. They read books and articles. They listen to CDs and podcasts like this one.

The very best salespeople Love people. They sell to help improve their customer's lives! I do too! Here is to your success today. For more tips on sales and business go to peteprimeau.com.

If You enjoyed this podcast please rate, review, and subscribe to our podcast. Just Click Here Now https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/no-bs-sales-marketing-more/id975006328.

Wishing You Success!

Pete

PS. I would love to from you please leave a comment or email me at peteprimeau@ameritech.net.

No BS Sales Ep 29 - Pete Primeau and Doug Stewart Talk About Dale Carnegie Courses

One of my favorite books is Dale Carnegie’s “How To Win Friends & Influence People” I first read it in high school and when I graduated from college my Dad gave me his copy of it that was printed in 1964 when I was just four years old. I often refer back to this book. In this episode I interview my co-host and friend who is a certified Dale Carnegie Instructor about Dale Carnegie courses,

Doug’s first Dale Carnegie book was “Stop Worrying & Start Living” In 2011 Doug took a Dale Carnegie course to help out a friend who did not want to go alone. Little did he know this favor he did for a friend was about to change his life. Even though the course didn’t contain any new knowledge, it helped Doug to implement solid principles into his business and everyday living. He took up the instructor of the course to become a graduate assistant. Doug became a fixture at Dale Carnegie as a graduate assistant to the point he needed to take the next step and that step was to become a certified Dale Carnegie instructor.

It was a two year process to become a certified Dale Carnegie instructor. After listening to this interview you are interested in Dale Carnegie courses Just Click Here http://www.dalecarnegie.com. If you are in the Raleigh, North Carolina area and want to connect with Doug Stewart Just Click Here doug-stewart.com. If you want to contact me Just Click Here peteprimeau.com. Thank You for listening to our podcast! If you liked what you heard Please Subscribe, Rate, and Comment right here by clicking here https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/no-bs-sales-marketing-more/id975006328. 

Sell A Million!

Pete Primeau

No BS Sales Ep 28 - Doug Stewart Teaches Pete Primeau Some Time Saving Tips On Evernote.

I just upgraded to premium on Evernote so I asked my friend, co-host, and millennial Doug Stewart to help this fifty five year old man get the most out of Evernote. Doug’s tips and step by step instruction in this audio lesson were so fun and so easy that I was able to complete them while we recorded this episode.

Want to get more organized? Want to save a few hours a week using Evernote? Evernote is an app that will sync across platforms. Whatever I do on my iPhone will be transferred to my iPad and my MacBook Pro lap top whenever I open the app automatically.  You can save emails into Evernote. You can save handwritten notes into Evernote. There is a free version that you can do everything that we did in this episode with.

I with Doug’s expert instruction save a business card into Evernote. It was a simple as opening my Evernote App on my phone up and snapping a picture. Evernote then asked me what to do with the pic. I chose save to contact and it automatically saves all the information from the card to a contact card. The phone number and email are clickable directly in Evernote. 

Doug walked me through making an audio recording which was easy. One of the coolest things about Evernote is everything in Evernote can be accessed through a link that is easily created so you can share that information to teammates or business associates. Evernote creates a link that permits the user access to only that information and nothing else. 

Here is the link to create an online course directly in Evernote. Just Click Here https://www.evernote.com/shard/s85/sh/5436fd39-69ed-46b0-88db-0bca9da0048d/ca16216b177b6bd2?inf_contact_key=5d42604111580ec47184b91761436db273c2963e224b54511e441f650d31b078. Thank Steve Dotto for this great free information. Here is another free course from Steve Dotto called Evernote Made Easy Just Click Here http://www.dottotech.com/evernote-made-easy/?inf_contact_key=d7575186b04d4ea4089dfaba94175e1a613dcac042d4f86e28370452c38e11a0.

Here is the link to Michael Hyatt’s How To Get The Most Out Of Evernote; Just Click Here http://michaelhyatt.com/season-4-episode-05-getting-the-most-out-of-evernote.html. If you want to take Doug Stewart’s Free Evernote Course “How To Get More Sales Out Of Your Salespeople”  just email Doug at dougstewart44@gmail.com. It’s for sales managers and business owners. Please leave a comment on this blog if you enjoyed this audio lesson/blog post right here at peteprimeau.com. 

Thanks,

Pete

No BS Sales Ep 27 - Pete Primeau And Doug Stewart Talk About “Death of the Salesman”

This audio lesson is a discussion between Doug Stewart and myself about Tuft & Needle’s article “Death of the Salesman” My friend and co-host Doug Stewart lit a fire underneath me about a week ago when he posted an article that Tuft & Needle posted named “Death of the Salesman” in our closed Facebook called the “No BS Sales School For Furniture & Mattress Store Salespeople” It’s only closed to the public. If you sell furniture or mattresses you are most welcome to join our group. It’s a great group of sales professionals who educate, support, and motivate each other. Just Click Here https://www.facebook.com/groups/571859249526559/. 

I’ve included the link to the article so you can read it for yourself and make your own judgements about the veracity of the information put forth. Warning before you read Tuft & Needle’s article “Death of the Salesman” take your blood pressure medicine. Click Here to read Tuft & Needle’s work of fiction https://m.tuftandneedle.com/death-of-the-salesman-4b27a5b14b94#.duyg9resh. Can you tell what I think about it? Just click on the player up above to hear the outrage in my voice.

Instead of rehashing the conversation between Doug and me, I will simply let my words speak for themselves. Doug asked some very good questions that we as an industry must answer with actions. If you want to check out Doug, Just Click Here http://doug-stewart.com. If want to check out me Just Click Here peteprimeau.com.  Just press play on the player at the top of this post and put your seat belts on! I am in rare form but I meant every word I said. Please share your thoughts with me below. 

Thanks!

Pete

No BS Sales Ep 26 - Pete Primeau Discusses Resources to Help You Have Your Best Year Ever With Doug Stewart

I interview Doug Stewart regarding his favorite resources to have a great year. Doug participated and attended more conferences last year in years past. He plans on doing more this year. Doug enjoys the networking and educational opportunities at conferences. 

Doug is planning on being very intentional with his social media this year and encourages us to do the same. He took the Dale Carnegie course “High Impact” last year. Doug encourages anyone who communicates at work to take this course. 

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip & Dan Heath was a book that Doug enjoyed. He also recommends The Artisan Soul: Crafting Your Life Into A Work Of Art By Erwin Raphael McManus for those who want to tap into their creative side. 

Doug encourages everyone to invest in themselves like Jeff Giagnocavo does. Jeff is constantly upgrading his marketing education by buying courses, attending conferences, and participating in masterminds. Jeff’s store Gardner’s Mattress & More has one of the highest AUSP in the industry! Be like Jeff! 

He also recommend Pat Flyn’s Smart Passive Income Podcast. Just Click Here www.smartpassiveincome.com/category/podcast. The best part is it’s free! If you are considering doing a podcast Pat has a tremendous course which is free. Just Click Here www.smartpassiveincome.com/how-to-start-a-podcast-pod… Doug also recommends Andy Stanley Leadership Podcast. Just Click Here itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/andy-stanley….

Doug encourages owners, RSAs or reps who spend a lot of time in their cars to get a subscription to audible. I did a couple years ago and because I drive twenty or more hours a week it helps me to stay on top of the best business practices and best advertising and marketing ideas so I can help my dealers grow their business. He just took a great online course with Seth go den called Start Up School. Doug believes that success this year will 100% predicted by one’s desire. You can reach more of Doug’s thoughts right here, Just Click Here http://doug-stewart.com. For Shownotes go to peteprimeau.com

No BS Sales Ep 25 - Pete Primeau and Doug Stewart Discuss What They Learned Last Year

Doug and I discuss what we learned from last year. Doug learned the value of preparation at Furniture Today’s Future Leaders Conference. He was impressed by how well organized the event was. Doug and I both learned how to co-host a podcast last year. We learned how to moderate our two closed Facebook groups for the industry which are The No BS Sales School For Furniture & Mattress Salespeople and The No BS Business School For Furniture & Mattress Stores.

Doug points out how forming a sense of community in our closed Facebook groups helped some of our dealers avoid tragic mistakes as well as finding new ways to succeed. I learned the value of an action review for the week when I was struggling to finish my first book. It is a handwritten checklist. 

Doug learned not to use his iPhone for scheduling. He now schedules everything by hand. I concur with Doug that all my scheduling is now done by hand. I tried to convert all my scheduling years ago to digital and too many things fell through the cracks. So I went back to a paper planner and I hand write all my scheduling. I also handwrite all my content creation. Doug created a journal in Evernote so he wouldn’t lose ideas. 

I learned that I don't have the right to prejudge. I tell the story of how I recently prejudged that a dealer would not buy my mattress line and they bought it despite my best efforts not to sell it. I’ve learned that lesson more than once in my life. Doug tells a great story from his grandfather further illustrating my point. 

No BS Sales Ep 24 - Pete Primeau Interviews Doug Stewart About His Presentation at The Furniture Today's Future Leader's Conference

I interview my co-host Doug Stewart about his talk at Furniture Today’s Future Leader’s Conference. Doug’s talk was three talks in one. He spoke about succession, leadership, and mentorship. 

Doug points out the pitfalls of a bad hand-off in a family business. If you will be transitioning a business soon, don’t miss this! He dives deep into several types of bad hand-offs that can all be avoided with awareness. Many owners and soon to be owners share personality traits that help make them successful. Those same traits can make a good hand-off almost impossible unless both parties come to the table armed with understanding and awareness.

I point out the need for all stores to fully develop their unique selling proposition to maximize their stores potential. Doug defines leadership in a new and different way. 

He shares a lesson that he learned while taking his daughter Kendall skating. Doug shares his formula for responsibility for the mentoring relationships in your life. He shares the 5.5 mentors that we all should have. Don’t miss this episode. Don’t miss Doug’s metaphor about swinging Kendall at the playground. To continue the conversation with Doug just click here http://furnishingresults.com. 

Wishing You Success!

Pete

No BS Sales Ep 23 - Pete Primeau Interviews John Kolencik On How To Hire The Next Great Salesperson

I interview John Kolencik who owns Matrix Impact about how to hire the next great salesperson. John encourages us to use simulations in our interviews to improve our hiring process. 

John’s first recommendation is make the simulation as real as possible. He insists that the interview must be taped. We are trying to determine if this candidate is coachable. Multiple simulations should be used to determine coachability and aptitude. 

Here are John’s Top 3 Items to focus on in the interview.

1 Learn what the candidate thinks the most important thing in selling is. The three A answers that John is looking for are:

                                                         1 Listening

                                                         2 Questioning

                                                         3 Building Relationships

2 What is their commitment to customer satisfaction? Is it in sync with yours? 

3 Find out about their work ethic. There is no one question for this. There are many layers to the questions and they are peppered throughout the interview. Here are some of the questions:

                          1 Tell me about high school and what activities were you in?

                          2 Did you have a job in high school?

                          3 If they went to college ask them how did you pay for college?

                          4 What activities were you in college?

                          5 Can you tell me about your first job?

I talk about my old boss from Serta’s favorite question to ask in an interview. John shares a story about how one of his customers almost hires a professional bass fisherman who was gone eight to ten weeks a year! 

I ask John, “How do we get our salespeople off to a good start?” John’s answers are enlightening and at times surprising. Don’t miss this interview! If you have questions for John call him at 216-347-6729 or go to his website at matriximpact.com.

Wishing You Success!

Pete

No BS Sales Ep 22 - Doug Interviews Pete Primeau about his new book "Sell A Million"

Doug Stewart Interviews me about my new book “Sell A Million” which despite it’s title is not a sales book but rather it is a marketing book written for furniture and mattress stores but it’s principles and techniques could be applied to any business.

Doug points out that the book is a philosophy book as much as a marketing book that has my philosophy of doing the right thing written into every chapter. There are over 101 tips to help furniture and mattress store owners to sell another million dollars or more this year. Doug asks me why he wrote the book. Doug asks what one thing if a store was only going to do one they should do. As always Doug and I have lots of laughs. 

I mentioned Doug, Jeff Giagnocavo, and Simon Aronowitz as people who have had an influence on this book. The best way to order the book “Sell A Million” is to Just Click Here https://www.createspace.com/5979471?ref=1147694&utm_id=6026.

Sell A Million!

Pete

No BS Sales Ep 21 - Pete Primeau Tells You Why You Shouldn't Quit!

Don’t quit! I go back to 1980 to tell you about a time in my life when I decided to quit. What I didn’t know is that I achieved what I sought out to achieve I just didn’t know it yet. This audio lesson will light a fire that won’t easily be put out. 

Wishing You Success!

Pete