Negative Words (PITCH)

One thing that can help us or kill us as salespeople (and everyone is a salesperson whether you want to admit it or not) is words. The words that we select when we are presenting ourselves or our product can make or break us. Now it's fairly easy when we are talking to friends and family to not be too concerned about the words we us but it is then when we need to be most cautious of all. Because that's when our guard is down. I'm going to discuss, over the next few blogs, negative words that we use that may not even seem negative to us but may have an impact on our production and every day lives.

The first word I'm going to discuss is a pet peeve of mine and is most often used in the words of a person who is in the sales industry. That word is PITCH. I'm sure, even if your not in sales, you have heard a salesperson use this word. "Let me give you my pitch." "After she finished her pitch." "We can discuss your questions in more detail after I am finished with my pitch." The problem with this word is, even in the last 3 statements I wrote, it just sounds negative. How do you feel when you hear this word? If someone is giving you their "PITCH" do you feel good about that person or do you feel their trying to pull something over on you.

Let's think about a pitch from the baseball standpoint. When a pitcher throws a pitch is he looking for the batter to hit it or to miss? AH! So when a salesperson gives a pitch are they looking for you to strike out or to hit a home run? I guess that would depend on what YOUR opinion of a home run would be. If a home run is buying their product (which it usually isn't, they are trying to give you the benefits of buying their product, you are trying to figure how to keep the money in you pocket) then they do want you to hit a home run. If, on the other hand, your home run is listening to his PITCH and getting out of there (a strike out in their eyes) than that's not a good thing for the salesperson.

So, what do we do? How do we get rid of this negative word and replace it with something positive. Very easy! Let's take pitch out of our vocabulary (unless it's a tent or you really are playing baseball) and replace it with the nice positive word of PRESENTATION. "Let me give you my presentation." "After she finished her presentation." "We can discuss your questions in more detail after I am finished with my presentation." How do you feel after you read these statements? Is it as negative as it was when the word was ....... WAIT ..... we're taking that out of our vocabulary. Isn't PRESENTATION a much better word? It sounds like your doing your job, not trying to pull something over on someone. It sounds much more professional and, best of all, let's the customer feel at ease. I will always let have time to listen to someones presentation but will always be apprehensive with a salesperson's (dare I say) pitch.

Cleveland Fight Poem

The last time Cleveland won it all
I really can't remember
The fact that I was only 4
(My birthday's in December)

They beat a team from Baltimore
By scoring 27
The Colts were blanked and Collins ruled
(I'll bet that game was heaven)

Since 19 hundred 64
We've never won the biggie
It's not because our teams have stunk
(I wonder what it could be?)

I do not want to downplay
The soccer team we had
Who won 3 championships
In the 90's which wasn't bad

But We don't follow soccer
Our games are the big 3
That's baseball, football, basketball
(I'm sure you will agree)

We've had many chances
Let's talk first about the Tribe
Who, back in the mid 90's
Gave us a real good vibe.

With names like Thome and Vizquel
And pitchers that excelled
We should have won the series
But in the end we yelled!

"Curse you Jose Mesa,
You should have closed the game."
But now instead of series champs
the outcome was the same.

Turning now to basketball
As you all ready know
Some superstar named Jordan
Could not be blocked by Craig Ehlo.

The shot it rang though out the land
And famous still today
We sunk our heads in agony
While Bulls fans yelled "Hooray!"

And even when a young LeBron
With a pretty good team
Got us to the finals for once
In the end they just lost steam.

The Browns in all their glory
Had great games on the field
"The Fumble, The Drive" and Elway
Made sure their fate was sealed.

Why do we put ourselves through this?
What is a REAL fan?
The person who still will back their team
Since losing first began.

The teams still fight and play their best
So why not do the same?
Unless you are fair weather fans
(and I think that's just lame!)

So cheer all Cleveland Sports fans
One day we'll win it all
Because we fought the good fight
(Words of Apostle Paul)

So keep on fighting Cleveland Cavs
and Browns and Indians too
We'll back you till the day we die
(or till our face turns blue)

Sports Fan

Why is it that the people that never played sports are some of the biggest sports fans? Is it because they fantasize about being out there on the court of the field playing the big game making the big plays? Are they envious? Are they jealous? Or is it just the fact that they get a warm feeling inside when their team wins (which is a whole 2 times for us Browns fans this year! But hey, the last one was the Steelers! YIPEE!!) Well, being one of those who never played in any organized capacity, I think it's the last thing I said. No, not YIPEE!! The warm feeling. That toasty, warm, fantastic feeling when my team wins. It's great to see excellent plays but when the score is in my favor at the end of the game, I absolutely love it!

I can only imagine what it would be like to be one of the players on the team at the end of the day. Their feeling has to be 10 times greater than what I am feeling because they played a part in that win. It's got to feel kind of like winning a poker tournament. And I have to say, that rush makes it all worth it! I'm not a sore winner so I don't like to win for bragging rights (although we do have quite a few months of not hearing the Steeler fans talk about how they always beat us). It's interesting because Sue always says, "I never remember you liking sports like you do now." And she is right. In some ways I'm disappointed that I didn't get into sports at a younger age. Maybe even played. I might not have been good but I think I would have had a better appreciation of sports today.

Ah but alas, I will be content just watching from my couch or at the game. God bless all the players and coaches and everyone that goes in to a sports organization. Keep up the good work so I can, at least every once in a while, get the warm fuzzies from a win. And, unlike some so called fans, I will be dedicated to Cleveland and OSU to the day I die. Win or lose, I'm with you all the way.

Suspect?

Can someone please explain to me why we are refering to Nidal Hasan as a "suspect" in the Fort Hood shootings? Now I wasn't their but are they not sure? Is he just a "person of interest?" Did they not catch him red handed? "Is this the man who was shooting at you?" "Gee, I'm not sure it was all so blury. Ah, maybe?" COME ON! He did it! Quit calling him a "suspect". That's what drives me nuts about this country. They never want to offend anyone. And by trying not to offend, they insult our intellegence. Well, I'm hitting the hay now! Good night all!

The Magic says, "No Mo!"

Orlando Magic, tonight, lost at home against the CAVS the first time in a long time. Mo Williams had a major part in that! I have always been a fan of Mo and I say congrats for the win. Keep up the good work!

Come on already Browns!

As Cleveland Browns fans we are very patient! Honestly, we put ourselves through this every single year and what have we got to show for it? Abuse from the Steeler fans, abuse from our spouses and abuse from all of the morons out there that don't follow sports but decide to make comments about the Browns anyway. If that isn't enough, the Browns hire a coach that has a loosing record and showed last week it is business as usual in the quarterback position. Off the record I want Brady Quinn in as quarterback. Regardless of how he does this year I think we should let him make mistakes, learn from them and get better week after week. Obviously Mangini (did I spell that right?) is not concerned about building a team but just trying to get a win from hit and miss.

I've come to this conclusion, pick a quarterback and stick with him. That's it! Case closed. Choose a quarterback, of course I would like it to be Quinn but if it's Anderson than so be it, but regardless of who it is, stick with them. Let them win, let them lose, let them throw interceptions, let them get used to the offense and let the offense get used to them. Once they do that a funny thing will happen. Receivers will start catching the ball, linesmen will start blocking better and running back will be more comfortable with the handoff. I'm not asking for a Superbowl championship this year, I'm just asking for a quarterback that is going to play the rest of the season, barring no injuries (and maybe a win or 2 against those Steelers!)

I'm sick of following the Browns only to look forward to basketball season after 3 or 4 games. Leadership is the key, unfortunately, I don't see any in the Cleveland Browns organization. Neither do the players. And until they do, we are going to continue to struggle. Why did we get rid of Romeo again? Gee, I can't remember. Or did we even get rid of him? Have you ever seen Mangini and Romeo in the same room together? Me neither. I think Mangini is just Romeo and he painted his face to look like a white guy. Only time will tell with this group of Browns but as of now, it' looking pretty bleak.

I'm so busy!

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe, you never heard her say she was busy, she didn't have time to complain! You know how to spot a busy person? Their the ones working and not talking about "How busy" they are. One thing you can guarantee, if some one tells you "I'm so busy" or "I don't have time", chances are, they are not busy and they have plenty of time. If some one says their busy what they really mean to say is , "I am so unorganized." I have many pet peeves in my life, one is people who tell me how busy they are. It drives me nuts. If you tell me your busy I'm not going to believe you. I have never heard a busy person talk about how busy they are, I'm sorry but I haven't. The only time people have ever said that to me was when they were trying to impress me with how they are so busy, even though they're not. Don't tell me your busy, just get the job done, like the old woman in the shoe. Maybe if you want to know how busy she is you have to ask one of her kids!