19: Warren Greshes, the legendary sales pro, award-winning speaker, and author of several books including, The Best Damn Sales Book Ever.

paris_vega: Welcome to the first customers podcast today, I am honored to have Warren Gress on the show. He spent thirty years as a professional speaker, author, podcaster, blogger, and more. He was inducted into the warren greshes: Ah, paris_vega: National Speakers Association Hall of fame in nineteen ninety eight, and one of his books is even considered to be one of the top ten best sales books of all time, And he even owned a minor league baseball team at one point, So Warren, looking forward to this welcome to warren greshes: thanks, paris_vega: the show. warren greshes: Paris. I'm very happy to Here. paris_vega: Let's start off by just telling us how you got your very first warren greshes: My paris_vega: customer. warren greshes: very first customer. Okay, this was paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: my first what I call real job, you know, on where you got to wear a suit and tie. It was nineteen seventy three, July of nineteen seventy three, I was not quite. I was about three months shy of my twenty second birthday, so is still twenty one years old. I had a job working in New York City's infamous garment center. I was working for a dress manufacturing company, and I was a salesman and quote, because that was really more Of a lackey slash train, and every once in a while they let me into the show. whatever, But I used to sit behind this desk in the front of the show room, and we had this particular company, had three different divisions, and in the other division that was right on the other side of our show room, they had a show him. The there was a guy who was one of the top guys in that division And he came over to me one day with a dress that he had, and he said, I want you to Put this in a box. I want you to take a cab over to Diana's stores. There was. It was a changed, big change store at that time, probably way out of business a long time ago, like so many others said. I want you to take it over to this guy, the buyer, whose name I don't remember to this day. Because let's face in Paris. That was fifty years ago. He says he'll give you an order for a hundred of him. I said great. Okay, so I took the box and went over Diana store, So one way on the Side of man, I get there. I show him address this address. I'm supposed to pick up an Aldea. Gives me the order I come back. Guy approaches me again. Same guy from the other division. He happens to be one of the one of the owners, he happens to be his stepson, one of the owners, step sons, He comes to me with address and watch. Take this address. Put it in a box goal for Diana's stores, and see the buyer. He'll give you order for a hundred. I do it again a few weeks later, comes over to me again a third time. Finally, I said to myself, with Clown, I said, You know what I'm going to do. I put his dress in the box and I took one off of my line and I put it in the box and I went over to the Diana stores and I pulled the dress out his dress out. I said, I'm supposed to get an order for a hundred of these, but I got to tell you something. I pulled my dress out. I got one here. That's even better. This is the one you should buy. Guy gives me an order for a hundred of Em of my dress, Not the er. Ess. I come back and I am on cloud nine now. Right after I come To my boss calls me in the office. he says, Shut the door. Shut the door. he says, I'm supposed to yell at you right now, but take my credit card. Go to mass. Buy yourself a shirt and tie on me. Great job, But paris_vega: That's warren greshes: now you've paris_vega: awesome. warren greshes: got to understand something about my boy sale ruse. this guy was. He was like one of the worst bosses of all time he was. But I got to tell you something, I learned more from him than anybody ever. in my entire life, I learned more about sales. I learned more about business. I learned more about dealing with people. I mean, he was just the son of a bitch. I mean, he was the worst. But and he was also cheap as hell. You know how you say, he probably has every dollar he ever earned. Well, This guy paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: took the first dollar and bought a wallet, And if you even jumped off his bank books, he would have broken both of his legs. So I go. I take his credit. Can I go to mass and I buy myself a real nice shirt and tie. Calls him in this off. He says what that you spend? thirty dollars on his shirt, Now thirty dollars on his shirt back in nineteen. seventy three was paris_vega: Right warren greshes: real money. paris_vega: right. warren greshes: he says. I want to see where the thirty dollar shirt works like. Looks like. I mean, this guy was so cheap. He used to wear pants to cast dollar. he once said to me. What do you think my wife got these pants for a book? I think someone's A buck. So and so I started to, sir, but he left. He loved it. He loved what I did, and that's probably I'll never forget that the paris_vega: That's warren greshes: other guy paris_vega: a. warren greshes: wasn't too happy with me, paris_vega: Yeah. warren greshes: But what the D I care? I made a good sale, and that vaulted me right into the role of being a full time salesman. paris_vega: So was that the other guys address? Was that somebody else at your my, like another warren greshes: No, it was the same paris_vega: sales when warren greshes: company paris_vega: you were competing warren greshes: but a different paris_vega: with, warren greshes: division. paris_vega: got a different company. warren greshes: Yeah, paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: in fact, the guy was the step paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: far. He heard the story. He loved it too, because he was that guy and guy he really liked me. He was the owner of the company. In fact, the company was going through some hard times because they were owned by a bunch of. and this is the truth. You never heard the term Philadelphia lawyers. paris_vega: I don't warren greshes: Well, paris_vega: know that warren greshes: it's paris_vega: I have. warren greshes: a term for guys that you know, crawl on their belly. These guys were actual Philadelphia lawyers. The other three guys that owned the company and the company paris_vega: Okay. warren greshes: was in chapter eleven and they decided they were going to cut everybody's salary ten per cent. I went to my bust. I said, What are you kidding me? I said Making two hundred dollars a week, These guys at driving Mercedes Benes and Rolls Royces, What are they gonna do with my twenty bucks? So he said, Talk to Jack. paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: Who was the owner Was? He was the only one that Dress person. He was the owner. Though I went into, I was the only one who ever complained that I went into Messagjack. Come on, what are you gonna do with my twenty books? he said, Your right. he said, You're not getting cut. So yeah, paris_vega: Really, warren greshes: I learned a long time ago Key selling. paris_vega: Huh, warren greshes: If you don't ask, you don't get, and that you know my story, paris_vega: There warren greshes: I paris_vega: we warren greshes: could paris_vega: go. warren greshes: tell you million stories about selling dresses in the garment center That was on. That is one crazy business. paris_vega: Okay. So nineteen seventy warren greshes: Nineteen paris_vega: one warren greshes: seventy paris_vega: Now when warren greshes: three. paris_vega: was warren greshes: That's paris_vega: it warren greshes: when I started. paris_vega: nineteen seventy three? warren greshes: I paris_vega: Okay warren greshes: lasted in that business till paris_vega: and warren greshes: nineteen eighty three. Then I went to work paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: for a small. I decide I couldn't stand it any more. I was really good at it, but paris_vega: M. warren greshes: I was never going to be as great as I wanted to be, because I just didn't like it enough to put in the time. paris_vega: So who were you selling dresses to? That? Those are bulk warren greshes: Department paris_vega: orders. So warren greshes: stores, paris_vega: is it like smaller? warren greshes: mostly paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: department paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: stores, paris_vega: department, warren greshes: You know mass. paris_vega: Not, warren greshes: Most of them are gimbals. I mean, I can you name your city and name your department? Still? it's probably out of business. I sold all over the country. paris_vega: So you guys were addressed warren greshes: We paris_vega: manufacturer warren greshes: manufactured paris_vega: like warren greshes: the dresses. That's correct. paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: Yea, paris_vega: Got you Okay? warren greshes: I paris_vega: So warren greshes: did paris_vega: that's warren greshes: that paris_vega: the warren greshes: for ten years, and paris_vega: ributer? warren greshes: then said I can't do this the rest of my life. I'll just either die of boredom or just kill myself. So I wanted to stay in sales. Got a job as a head of sales and sales marketing for small training consulting company, Worked there two years tripled their business, and in that time in that time and then decided, as I'm going selling all these training seminars, I'm sitting in the back too, Watching him saying myself. That doesn't look very hard. I can do that. I bet you I'd be good at that. I said you know why, And if I could do that, I could start my own business. I said you know, I'm bringing in all the business. I'm getting the short end of the stick. I'm getting the short end of the cut. If I could do that with the I need these guys for. so I quit and started my own company. That was nineteen eighty six. paris_vega: Okay, and what was warren greshes: Well, paris_vega: that warren greshes: that paris_vega: company warren greshes: was my. That's paris_vega: at that? warren greshes: my speaking company Would call it. The name of paris_vega: Okay? warren greshes: it was. the corporate name was Lino Incorporated, But I used to call it Speaking of success, Because that's what paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: I spoke about success. I did a lot. started out mostly paris_vega: All right, warren greshes: doing sales training that eventually evolved into key note speeches. paris_vega: All right. So how did you get your customers warren greshes: Well, my paris_vega: for that warren greshes: first paris_vega: business warren greshes: sale paris_vega: when you started warren greshes: in that business. I had this great idea. Now it's nineteen eighty six, so it's really no internet. Nobody's using it to nothings online. paris_vega: M. warren greshes: I said I'm trying to get. I'm trying to get into companies with sales people so I can train them. so I decided I'm going to go to the Help Wanted section of the New York Times on Sundays, because there's a separate section for sales Help Wanted, and I'm figuring if companies need sales are hiring sales people, they're going to need to Trained. And the best thing about the Help wanted. The sales help wanted ads. They gave you the phone number and they gave you the manager's name, so I would call up. Manager paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: would answer the paris_vega: that's warren greshes: phone, paris_vega: your lead. warren greshes: and and not answer the phone company. someone would answer the phone. I'd say I'm calling to speak to you, Joe Smith. What's this? in reference to its reference to the ad in the newspaper in the Sunday Times, They put me right through. Get on the phone. I said Listen, paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: I'm not looking for a job, but let me tell you what I do. I know you're hiring People need to be trained. I can train you sales people we should get, and I asked him for a point that we should get together house next Tuesday at three, So I got an appointment with a guy from Metropolitan Life sales manager of agency in Brooklyn, and I went to meet him. I went into Brooklyn to meet him. I sat down them and I said, which I knew. The. I don't ask a lot of questions unless I know the answer to them ahead of time. I said I'm figuring Uf sales meetings on Friday. he said Well, you know all of people have to pay for their own Training, so I said Okay, That makes sense, and back then in the old agency system life insurance agents were asked to pay for their own training. I said This is what I'm going to do for you. he said, If you can get them to pay for it, you can come back and speak. I said Okay, You got Friday meetings right, he said, Yeah, cause I'll come in Friday. I'll do fifteen minutes, I said Then, after fifteen minutes I'm going to pass the pad around and find out how many guys are interested. If I can get twenty guys to each. Give me twenty five dollars. I said, I'll be back the next Friday and I'll do two hours for you. He said, Okay and that's what I do. I come in. I do fifteen minutes. I used to do this routine where I take a dollar bill on a business card from everybody in the audience. I had no idea why the whole exercise was. They don't give me money and never ask why, and walk away with their money, And then I'd stop and I say how do I get this? Nd They said you asked. I said. That's it. You don't ask you, Don't get they on. Sign up for the next week. I'd come back the next Friday. and that's what happened here. I came back Next Friday. They gave me five hundred dollars. most of it in cash, which is great. Don't tell the government that, and paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: my speeches and then from there it got easier because I'd say to the manager that you know, here's a lot of me life offices in this Tri State area. I said you got three other friends who are managers, so you could refer me to you. gave me three other names from there. Then I'd start to hit the Prodential offices from there, Then finally one guy, a prudential, gives me a a directory. He gave me a freak in directory, and he circled The guys he knew who were managers and who I should call and use his name. Next thing I know, I'm all over New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. I get a call from Boston from the vice president of the entire North East. He said, Who the hell are you? I said. Who the hell are you said? I'm vice president The whole North East, My agency is supposed to pay the Northeast office for training, he said, But they've given you all that money. I said, Maybe I'm better than you are. I said you know, I'll fly up to Boston. Let's meet. I flew up to Boston. We met. He hired To train every agency in the entire North East, and then from there my name got around, and next thing I know, I'm key noting Big insurance conference, So you know, you got to be a little creative and you got to ask for paris_vega: Yeah. warren greshes: refers, But you got to ask to begin with. paris_vega: So what? What led you to the idea for just taking their money? Like taking warren greshes: I've seen paris_vega: the one warren greshes: someone paris_vega: dollar in the warren greshes: do paris_vega: business warren greshes: it years paris_vega: card? warren greshes: ago, paris_vega: Was that just warren greshes: but I took paris_vega: okay? warren greshes: it to a whole new level. I did it in front of audiences as big as three thousand people. I was in Singapore. This was nineteen ninety one. I'm in Singapore. I paris_vega: Excel? warren greshes: got three thousand people in my audience. Now they have dollars, and not Us dollars, but the Singapore dollars. So I start off my Keno Keno in this big, the Asia Pacific Life Insurance Congress, Three thousand people there from all of South East Ation, As everybody before we start, everybody, take out of P. A paper, a business car, piece of paper, a pencil, business car, the dollar bill, and they all do. I said No, you know no coins, no subway tokens, Blablablah, And then I started speaking about twenty minutes and I said You know what? Before we talk about that, just pass up the business cads the dollar bills. Now I can't get everybody fast enough, but I got people volunteering to help me. I said you, you take the group on the right, you take the group on the left, you take the up level. There, you take the bottom level in the middle and I'll just stand up here and you pile it in front of me. Well, they piled up thousands and thousands All S in front of me and well, because I asked. In fact, what I used to do was after collecting a lot of money. I'd say If you want it back, you can get it when I'm done. please take your money back. I don't keep it, but if you don't want it back, we can give it to the charity of your choice, and in fact, we ended up buying a mine van for an orphanage with that money in single port. Yeah, paris_vega: Oh, that's warren greshes: so paris_vega: awesome. warren greshes: it was it was. I used it all over the world. I did that thing all over the world. I did one where where this was a One, I walk into a room and it took place in my walking. and the problem was I would. I had been there before half the room had seen me speak before, half the room had never seen me speak. The half the room that had seen me speak before before they even sit down. They wiping out dollar bills and business cards because they knew the routine, they knew they'd get it back so they're already ready. They're wiping it out. The other half is looking at them. That's that's too easy. This must be a catch, so half the room stops, half the room stops. I'm dead man, so I do So All right, let me try something. I walked up to the first guy. said, You want to, in or out? he said, I want to give me a twenty, me a twenty dollar bill. I walked up to the next guy. said, You want to in or out? he said, I want to give me a twenty And you know the twenty dolabowent to the third guy. that in, Er, out, he said I'm out. Get it. you know what? All you're out? he said No, No, please. I walked away. said no. please come back. I want in. He. give me another twenty at sixty dollars Extra. Had no idea what inner out meant either, but you got to ask and there was another good lesson because it just shows if you want to get bigger sales, you got to ask for bigger Sales. I mean, the first time I ever paris_vega: M. warren greshes: spoke in the U. K. I was doing working with a promoter over there and on the phone with him and I'm telling him what I'm going to do is again around nineteen ninety one, and I said, Listen, this is what I'm goin a do. I'm going to ask everybody to take out a piece of paper, a pencil of business card, and one pound note passed up to business cards in the one pound notes. he said, No, you're not. I said. What do you mean I'm not? He said You can't so. wha yo, an I can't. this is my thing. I'm known all over the world for this, he said, No, No, you don't understand. We know Longer, have one pound notes. I paris_vega: Oh, warren greshes: said. paris_vega: wow. warren greshes: What do you hate? He says we got coins. I said coins, My hands are small hat. Am I gonna do with all these coins? I said, What's the next thing? He said, We got five pound notes and now I got to decide Do I have the guts? I did so I asked him, everybody taking out a five pound note. Let me tell you, Paris. I was getting five tens twenties. One guy holds up a hundred pound note. He says, All I got is a hundred. That's okay. Just give it a right in my hand. Had paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: no idea why I was asking for it. So just If you don't ask, you don't get. and that's now that sales paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: in a nutshell There's there's two things you've got to do. You got to throw enough crap against the wall until something sticks. and you got to ask. And if if you keep doing that, then you're gonna. you're going to do fine. You know the sale. The people that don't that don't succeed in sales. don't talk to enough people. That's it. they just don't talk to because they're afraid someone is going to say no. And the other lesson I would teach people is when I was taking the dollar bill, There was always people in the audience that wouldn't give me, so I just go right past myself and then I just go to the next one and I say What did I do when people not give me a dollar bill? they said, Just kept moving on. I said right because you don't argue with someone who's saying no, because all the time if I was arguing with someone would give me a dollar bills all the time I'm losing when I just got a picked up dollar bills that were waiting for me, So you don't argue with people who saying, paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: just move on. go to. It's a numbers game paris_vega: That's good. So simple when you warren greshes: It paris_vega: put it warren greshes: is, paris_vega: like that. warren greshes: but it's not brain surgery. paris_vega: Oh, warren greshes: If it was, I wouldn't have been doing it. paris_vega: All right, let's talk a little bit about about you now. I mean, you're like a whole force of sales warren greshes: Oh, paris_vega: on your own just as a person personality. Um, but let's back up as a kid. Where did you grow up and did you have any sales experience Like you know, fund raisers door to door of type stuff that kids do. sometimes. warren greshes: Not really. not really. paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: You know, I'd run a few baseball pools and stuff like that, and paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: I was always pretty slick with my mouth. You know, paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: as I said when I played ball, I'm slow, but I'm small and so you know, I couldn't outrun everybody. So you know I had, I had to be able to talk my way out of things, and I was really good at that, you know, as a friend of mine once said, he said, You're amazing at being able to convince people you're right, even when they absolutely positively know you're wrong. And so you know, I grew up in Brooklyn, and I always had a ability to get people to do what I wanted them to do for me. And and you know I was that way, I got through college because I was a fast talker. I didn't get through paris_vega: Really, warren greshes: college because I was trying very hard. I can tell you that, but yeah, well, Listen, I was not very good. I was determined to show I had this plan that I could get through four years of school without going to summer school and never going extra. Just just four years period. No summer school, and without doing a damn thing, and I did, and like an council once said to me in college, she said You're never getting out of her. I said nuts. I said I only I getting out of. I'm getting out here in four years, and I'm not going to summer school because summer school goes against everything I believe in And I did. In fact, I learned how to game the system. I was really good at that. You know, you know, it's funny. The only, the only course I ever got in A In that I earned the other courses I got as once. Here's a good story about asking. I took a course of educational psychology and never showed up the class. I never bought the text book. During the final example, I just sat there during courtoons on the page as we're handing in our papers. For the final example. Professor had the professor saying. What do you think you deserving this course? People have given him answers. And my friend is in front of me is a nice guy, but he was dumb as a rock and you know he tried to be slick. Well, you know I didn't work my hardest. I probably, you know only deserve see. Got to see comes to me next. he said, What you think? deserving this question? I said, I think I deserve an. He gave me an. I mean, if he would have said no, what would I have done? I go for a B. C. but I'm figured listening. if he's paris_vega: Right, warren greshes: dumb enough to give it to me, I'm dumb enough to ask for it, so you know, And but the only course I ever earned the A was public speaking, which is kind of ironic because I had no idea paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: I would be in that business some day and I just had a knack for it. I had no fear and never had paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: any fear, And the professor loved me. She even exempted me from the final and so, But this is always something I was good at and when I found it finally it was. it was like. you know, the whole world opened up to me. You know, there's nothing like really enjoying what you do. you. paris_vega: For warren greshes: If you paris_vega: sure. warren greshes: don't love what you do, then find something else to do Because then it becomes work. paris_vega: So when did you? So you started the speaking warren greshes: Nineteen eighty paris_vega: business? warren greshes: six, paris_vega: Okay, and then you're training different insurance warren greshes: I was, paris_vega: company warren greshes: I was doing paris_vega: sales warren greshes: a lot paris_vega: people. warren greshes: of sales training courses and then eventually I started to get the key. No big meetings, And so I switched my marketing and sales efforts towards Key notes. Speak, and I like that a lot more Now. paris_vega: So you say you said Key note speaking, So describe what's the difference there? warren greshes: Okay, paris_vega: What warren greshes: you're paris_vega: is? warren greshes: training seminal. paris_vega: What do warren greshes: Come paris_vega: you mean by warren greshes: in. paris_vega: that? warren greshes: you usually get you know, maybe twenty thirty forty people. A knot speech is a big conference. You know how companies have big sales conference paris_vega: Okay? warren greshes: or paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: big incentive paris_vega: yeah, warren greshes: conferences. I did a lot. Most of my. Most of my clients are the big corporations or big associations. Big associations have their annual members meetings. Big companies have either a big sales meeting, a big management meeting, or if they sell through a dealer network to have a big dealer and distributors meeting. And that's what I did. That's what I love the most you fly in. You speak for anywhere from forty five minutes to an hour and a half, and you're out of there and you're on stage paris_vega: Wow, warren greshes: and I love big audiences. I'm am, I love big audiences. The bigger the audience, the better I just love it and you know you can. Really, when you got a big audience, you can just blow the energy out of the building and I just love doing that. so that's what my business evolved into, you know, aside from books and other pro Cause, you know, I had audiocasets at one time, audiocaset albums and videos, and then C, des, and then on line products and stuff like that. paris_vega: Is that are those things you were just launching like as soon as you got into the speaking warren greshes: Well paris_vega: business, warren greshes: I paris_vega: Or warren greshes: started paris_vega: how long before warren greshes: to. paris_vega: we warren greshes: that's paris_vega: started warren greshes: that's paris_vega: the warren greshes: another paris_vega: document? warren greshes: interesting first sale. The first product I ever made was an old video tape. you know, Like a paris_vega: Yeah, old v h. s. warren greshes: tape. it was on telephone prospecting. paris_vega: h. warren greshes: it was called, Don't count the yeses, Count the nose. I'm a big believer in getting more people paris_vega: M. warren greshes: to say. If you get more people to say no to you than anybody else, does you'll get more people to say Yes. It's a numbers game. And so I approached this insurance company up in Hartford. I forget which in This company it was and I said, Listen, I've got this great program. I want to make a video because I want to make a video out of it, but I can't afford to produce the video on my own. This is early in my career. I said if you produce the video, I'll give you the master and you can use it, but you can only use it in house. I get the sub master and I'm allowed to sell it to the rest of the world. They said great, so they took care of all the costs of productions. Gave me a beautiful master from for myself and I started selling that video. In fact, that program is, now that program has evolved to the point where it's now on Ou to me as an online video paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: program called Super Charged prospecting, And so paris_vega: Awesome, super warren greshes: super paris_vega: charged warren greshes: charge prospecting. paris_vega: prospective. warren greshes: It's on to my, and it sells paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: all over the world. I've got countries from. I got people from all over the world buying that program. but yeh, so that was paris_vega: Okay, we'll put a link to that in the show notes. warren greshes: great. Okay and so you know, it's yeah, You got to be creative with these things sometimes and that's how I got my first product. I got my next product by paris_vega: M. warren greshes: up from my promoter in England. He said, We got to approach one of these Like a Nightingale Conant, or back then with something called Dart paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: Nell, And he approached them in Chicago, and they agreed to do me on audio cost. so they made an audio cousin album. And then I said, You know you should really do it live. I'm a live show. So they recorded it live in front of an audience in Chicago, and then turned it into a five video series called Quest to be the best. It's old, you know, but it's amazing. super charged paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: selling is still on. It's on Audible dot com As an E book, as as an audio book, and paris_vega: Okay, yeah, warren greshes: by the way, all my audio books, even the ones that I wrote that were in print there all recorded in my voice. That's when when paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: I was approached to buy paris_vega: awesome, warren greshes: my, They approach me to buy my audio writes. I said, I'll only do it if you'll let me record it in my voice, because my stuff is me. paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: When people paris_vega: yeah, that makes it warren greshes: right paris_vega: so much warren greshes: when paris_vega: better warren greshes: people paris_vega: too, when warren greshes: read paris_vega: it's warren greshes: my paris_vega: the warren greshes: books, paris_vega: author. warren greshes: they hear my voice even though it's in print, so I insisted on that That was fun too, so I enjoyed that paris_vega: Yeah, I'm definitely on to check those out, and well put links to all those in warren greshes: Great. paris_vega: the show warren greshes: Thank paris_vega: notes. warren greshes: you. paris_vega: To warren greshes: That's paris_vega: make warren greshes: great. paris_vega: sure you warren greshes: I paris_vega: can warren greshes: appreciate paris_vega: look those up about those books. So looking back at like the seventies eighties nineties, it seems like almost like a like a golden age of that like sales warren greshes: Right. paris_vega: training and that kind of era because you had like zig zigler like some of warren greshes: Tony paris_vega: those big warren greshes: Robins paris_vega: names, and warren greshes: was paris_vega: then eventually warren greshes: first, then paris_vega: yeah, Tony Robins came up. I warren greshes: Denis paris_vega: guess the nineties warren greshes: Waihtley paris_vega: or whatever. warren greshes: was big. Back then. Yeah, ran into all these guys. In fact, one of the reasons I left the dress business to go into the sales training business, But as a sales person was, it was the early eighties and the economy was changing. It was changing over from a manufacturing based economy to a service based economy, and I figured with all these new paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: industries paris_vega: yeah, warren greshes: popping up is goin, All these new sales people popping up, and sales training was going to become a very, very important service, And I was right, Sales training exploded during the started to explode during the eighties, and I got in right at the right time. So and it really did, And now you know a lot of stuff is going online and I've done my share of paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: online stuff and I enjoyed doing that too. I'd rather be on stay In person, but I enjoy doing it too. paris_vega: Yeah, It definitely helps you get a whole lot of reach. What reached way more people than you could have in an warren greshes: No, paris_vega: individual warren greshes: no paris_vega: event warren greshes: question paris_vega: even warren greshes: about paris_vega: though warren greshes: it, no question paris_vega: different energy. warren greshes: about it paris_vega: Yeah, all right, So then eventually you got into the speaker's warren greshes: Right. paris_vega: hall of fame. Talk a litle bit about that, warren greshes: Well, I remember the National Speakers Association stock. as soon as I started my business, I joined the National Speakers Association Nineteen eighty paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: six, If you want to, you know, succeed in the speaking business. It's a good organization to join that because it's going to get you business. That's not the purpose, but you're going to be able to network with other people who were doing what you do. Other people who have been successful in what you want to do. And so it's a unique opportunity to network and learn from people who have done or are doing what you Self would love to do. And I got to meet a lot of good people in that business and learn a lot from them and really help me to grow my business, and and you know and become better what I do. It's more. it's not so much about. They're going to teach you how to be a better speaker, although there's some of that, but they're going to teach you how to succeed in a speaking, business, and speaking and training business. And that's important because a lot of people can give a speech, but then a lot of people can run a business or succeed in Business. You know, I can shake a paris_vega: Right, warren greshes: tree. I can find fifty people who can give a speech, but I shake that tree and I find maybe a couple of people who can actually go out and get a client. It's a lot harder to get. You know. The toughest part of speaking is finding the client. You know, the easy part is doing the speech. I can fall out of bed. I can start. I can go right now and do three hours for you. paris_vega: Yeah, That's good. all right now. Somehow, along the way, you ended up with a minor league baseball warren greshes: Well, that was paris_vega: team. warren greshes: when I paris_vega: You warren greshes: first paris_vega: said warren greshes: started out. Yeah, I got involved in paris_vega: okay, warren greshes: starting a minor league baseball. That was a little bit ahead of my time, Minor league baseball, as I think I thought it was going to explode and it has, But I got in and out pretty quick. I got into this league where they came up with an interesting idea. Was it was a small league where they're going to have four teams in the Connecticut area and but all play out of one ball park. so there being no travel expenses Because that's one of the biggest expenses for minor league baseball owners was an independ League. We weren't. We weren't getting any major league affiliation, so we'd have to pay the players paris_vega: Hm. warren greshes: and I made a good deal. The other owners. I said, Listen, let me do the sales and marketing for the league. Let me promote it, because that's my strength and they paris_vega: Sure, warren greshes: did, and while I was promoting it, I was going around the state of Connecticut, talking to companies and organizations and what not? I was also promoting my speaking business, And and the league did paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: all right for a while, then when Billy up, but when I went belly up, I went back to all these I said, Remember me, you know, you Ut ads in the program sponsor ships, and all that stuff Like you know, I do sales training. I got a ton of big. You know, I got Southern New England telephone, which was one of the baby bells. At the time I got. I got one of the big banks in Cannetiti. Get high. A number of companies in Connettiget hired me. I was doing so much business in Connecticut. I don't know how many miles I put on my car, driving back and forth from Manhattan to Connecticut all the time. But you know you take lemons and you make lemonade. You know you know, sucks paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: Stuff doesn't work. but it leads to other things you know, you know. And it did I got. I met a lot of people who became clients, And so the minor league baseball team was a fun thing to do. I walked away with money because they paid me to promote the league and and I walked away with a ton of clients who made me even more money. So it was a good experience and I love baseball. paris_vega: Yeah, so that brings you to a question. I want to get your feedback on Kind of this, the theory of how to get your first customers. that I'm kind of learning warren greshes: Okay, paris_vega: and developing as I'm doing this podcast and talking to diferent people and trying to find patterns about how different entrepreneurs or sales people are marketing people approach getting those first customers. and so far just tell you kind of my overall view, and then love to get your feedback on it. warren greshes: Oh, paris_vega: so it seems like, Regardless of the type of business or the type of industry, the most successful people that I've seen, they build some kind of connection with their target audience that they're going to be selling to warren greshes: M, paris_vega: whether they they would like to serve with their new business or their new job or whatever, and the ones that have that best warren greshes: Ah, paris_vega: connection, whether it's through physical events or even social online connection or something. but it seems like those ones that have the that, spend the most time talking to their target Audience have the most success getting those very first sales warren greshes: Hm, paris_vega: because they've already built up relationships beforehand instead of the first time the customers seeing them is when they're asking them for warren greshes: Hm, paris_vega: money. You know, Um, but I just like to hear kind of your thoughts on that idea of how important is it like defining your target warren greshes: No, paris_vega: audience warren greshes: it's very important. paris_vega: like warren greshes: You don't know paris_vega: that warren greshes: who paris_vega: relationship? warren greshes: your customer is. How do you formulate a plan to sell them? You know you, just you know. I do, you know I'm retired now, but I do a lot of volunteer work and one of I volunteer to organization is one of the organization S I volunteer at is an organization that helps people to start their own business, People who don't have a lot of money and have no training to start and grow their own businesses, paris_vega: Yeah, that's awesome, warren greshes: And you know, so I work with these people and not only count So then, but I do some classes for them and whatever, And you know we go over who's your customer? Said Well, anybody can buy my what I'm selling. paris_vega: Right, warren greshes: Yeah, that's paris_vega: right, warren greshes: great. but how do paris_vega: Everybody warren greshes: you? How paris_vega: is warren greshes: do paris_vega: my warren greshes: you? paris_vega: customer warren greshes: How do you have? How do you put together a marketing plan of sales plan for anybody? It's like If I said to your paris_vega: Right. warren greshes: Paris, you know, it's like when when you ask for refers, you ask for specific amount of refers. I always ask for three. I say you know, I always say you know if I was selling to you, I'd say Do you know three other plots As hers? I could talk to who might be interested in my product. I wouldn't say. it's like I said Paris. Can you name me everybody? you know? You couldn't do that I said. But cause you name me a three best friends that you can do. It's the same thing when you're deciding who you who. Yes, anybody could buy it, paris_vega: That's warren greshes: but you paris_vega: good. warren greshes: can't sell to anybody. you can't sell to everybody. You need to find your niche. you need to find who you look. I started with life insurance companies, and that's who I targeted. Now I didn't start making. There was no intind that that then, So I wasn't doing social Met That. I'm a guy that picks up the phone and makes calls Okay and listen, don't don't get me wrong. Social media I think is great. Social media is great. Email is great, but let me tell you something about social media and email. Social media and email are not selling there. Marketing and there's a big difference. Social media is great to find the people you need to sell to, but it's not selling its marketing. Now. A lot of a lot of salespeopl. Love social media and love email. Why? Because you never actually hear someone say no, there's no rejection, but you rarely hear someone say yes. Now If you, you use the social media correctly in the email correctly, A again, marketing like, I used my podcast and I used my block. that was marketing, But once they got interested you got to pick up the phone and talk to somebody. I'll give you a great story. My father in law may rest in peace. He was a sales. I mean, he was a sales guy. He, so he, Charlie Romano, he called himself Charlie the glue guy. He sold glue, but not airplane glue. He sold industrial adhesive. Okay paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: now, Charlie, Charlie died about five. six years ago. he was. He was ninety one when he died and even into his late eighties he was still selling fu. He would. only he lived on long in, And he'd only worked one day a week because he was in his eighties. He didn't. He didn't need the money. Just like doing it. paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: Now you'd only see customers on Long Island. He didn't want to drive too far. Now, Charlie did not have a computer, which was good because he had no idea how to use one. which means he also didn't have an email address. Now he had a cell phone, but it was a flip phone and all he could do was make calls. Now Charlie worked on straight commission, working one day Week in his eighties with no technology, no social media. Because social media was around at this time and just a flip phone, Charlie brought in about a hundred thousand in commissions in a year. Why because he talked to people, because he had relationships paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: with people, He go to a factory and bring bagels and bagels and cream cheese for everybody on the factory floor. My sister in law works in the music business. He'd bring a box. The C. D. S. You like this group? You like that group. He, he made relationships with every everybody neutral, the glue guy and he showed up showing up as any percent of success. So you know I'm not going to tell you, don't I'm telling, do social media and do email. But remember it's marketing. It's not selling. Eventually, you got to talk to somebody and let me tell you something. If you paris_vega: That's warren greshes: keep paris_vega: good. warren greshes: showing up in Welcome to people, you can sell no matter how hard or how good times are. I have been hired paris_vega: Okay. warren greshes: by many companies to talk about selling during the recession Because recessions. sales people love recessions, And you know why sales people love recessions. Because there great excuse to not have to sell. Because If you boys, what Ellis going paris_vega: Blame warren greshes: on, paris_vega: the warren greshes: you haven't paris_vega: economy. warren greshes: brought in any business. you know, recession paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: out there and nobody's buying. Have you ever heard people say that nobody? Nobody's paris_vega: Oh, yeah, warren greshes: buying. paris_vega: I've probably warren greshes: the gross paris_vega: said that. warren greshes: national paris_vega: I know warren greshes: product? paris_vega: I've said warren greshes: United paris_vega: that. warren greshes: States is twenty three billion dollars. If if the economy paris_vega: Yeah. warren greshes: goes down by one percent, people are panicking in the streets yet there'll still be twenty two billion, twenty two trillion. I'm sorry, twenty two trillion dollars worth of business. O. Somebody's buying somethin paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: I love paris_vega: yep, warren greshes: selling in recessions. You know why, Because most of my competition is given up now. while it might not be as much bus, And the sales might not be as big. A lot less people going after those sales because those people are paris_vega: Gotch. warren greshes: hiding in the coffee shop or the bar while I'm out there talking to people and let me tell you something. I just had this conversation with my daughter yesterday. She started a sales job a little over a year ago, and I'm happy to say she's done extremely well and I said she says, You know it's tough. She's in the recruiting business and she works for a head hunter. paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: She said, paris_vega: yeah, warren greshes: You know people aren't hiring this much these days. I said, keep plugging them. Keep doing what you're doing. I said Because you know why, Because if it gets worse, your competition is going to give up. But if you're still out there banging away at that phone and talking to people every day, you're going to get whatever business is out there and I say to people, Understand this. This what I told my daughter yesterday when times are good and business is booming and your customers don't see you. You know what they assume, they assume you're busy. But if times are tough and your customers don't see you, you know what they assume That you're gone, So showing up paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: even is always important to eighty per cent of success. but showing up during tough times is even more important because they'll know you're around and the people that keep showing up at the ones that are going to do the business, and if you keep doing business during a recession or a tough time, your business will grow even more when it turns around and it always turns around. I've been through since nineteen seventy three. I've been through a lot of thought, it selling in a recession. I mean the year I thoughted selling in New York. the city was going broke stuff. So paris_vega: Wow, warren greshes: you know, I've sold through many recessions And you know, if you, if you keep going through those, you'll come out stronger because you've You've created more relationships than your competition has because they're too busy hiding you. The don't want to pick up the phone because they're convinced it's only going to be a complaint And that's there's my story. paris_vega: I'm getting fired up and I'm about to do a cold call warren greshes: There paris_vega: live warren greshes: you paris_vega: on warren greshes: go. paris_vega: the show here. This is awesome. Yeah, I think that's that's huge and that's It's so easy to fall into that These days of you know, going on to linked in or different social media and feeling like Hey, I put in a full day's work warren greshes: It's paris_vega: of sales warren greshes: easy. paris_vega: and you haven't talked warren greshes: It's paris_vega: to warren greshes: a paris_vega: one warren greshes: nice paris_vega: person. warren greshes: easy, comfortable rejection. You don't hear people paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: deleting your email or not returned. not replying to you on Linked in, But you? still? You eventually got to talk to somebody. Eventual, you're gonna have to talk to somebody. And that's that's that's it. You've talked to more people than anybody else and you'll do more business than anybody else. I knew a guy he was. paris_vega: It's a good warren greshes: He paris_vega: mode. warren greshes: worked for metropolitan life. Now, this guy is probably dead by now because when I knew he was really old and his name was made fackazati. paris_vega: It all sounds like warren greshes: I paris_vega: movie warren greshes: met paris_vega: characters warren greshes: this guy paris_vega: that warren greshes: back paris_vega: you keep warren greshes: in the paris_vega: going. warren greshes: nineties. He was an immigrant from I ran. He came to this country in the nineteen fifty. So I met him in the nineties, So you imagine who he was Then came paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: to this country because he wanted to go to law school, but he needed money, so he got a job digging ditches. He really hated that, as he tells the story says, You know, hot in the summer time cold in the winter. I'm dying out here. S terrible. So he's looking for another job. So he looks in the newspaper, and he season had from metropolitan life. it's said Met Life two hundred. It's a week now, back in the fifties, two hundred dollars a week with serious money. That was big time money. A hundred dollars a week was good money, and this is two hundred dollars a week. So he goes to this Met Life office in New Jersey. He sits down with the manager and he says, Listen, I don't want to sell insurance. he said, What do I got? I don't want to sell insurance, Guy says you don't have to sell insurance, he said, Really, I don't want to sell insurance. So okay, he said, You don't have to tell in sell insurance. Here's what you do because you at least talk to people about insurance. He said I could do that, Because this what I want you to do. I want you to go out every day. I want you to talk to people about life insurance, and if you can get ten people to say no to you every single day at the end of the week on Friday afternoon, come here and I'll give you a check for two hundred dollars, he said Alvar. A second. he said, You mean all I got to do is get people to say no to me. he said Yeah, I can do that all day, he said, All right, Go ahead to it, paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: So as he tells the story, So I went to have the first day and I talk to people about insurance and getting people to say To me, And he said I could never get to ten because somebody would always ruin my day and say yes, And this guy ended up the top top agent in the world for Metropolitan life. He made so much money and commissions. He was making more money than the President of Metropolitan Life, or because he tried to get people to say no, and he couldn't do it because they kept saying Yes, Great Thor. paris_vega: That's an interesting way to do it just to flip the logic warren greshes: That's it. paris_vega: on yourself warren greshes: Try to get more paris_vega: to kind of snake warren greshes: if paris_vega: yourself out. warren greshes: I always tell people. And this is. this is what one of my specialties is is prospecting. And as I told you about my program on, but my thing is, paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: my thing is, rejection sucks and if any sales trainer says to you, don't take it personally. It's not personal. Just let it roll off your back. I guarantee you that that sales trainer has never sold a dent In their lives. Okay rejection stinks. I was selling for forty fifty years. I still slam down the phone for somebody. Names. why because I can't rejection Thinks paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: you got to get it, Though you have to get it now. how do you handle rejection? Now? To me, the only way to handle rejection is to know how much rejection you need. In other words, I find out how many times I got a dial the phone in order to get to a decision maker on the. I don't mean a decision maker. How many decision makers do I got to speak to in order to get an appointment? How many appointments do I got to set? And what's my cancellation rate that I can make a presentation? How many presentations do I have to make on average to get to a sale, and what my average sale put in my pocket? If I know that, then it becomes easy, probably with most sales people, as if they did the numbers if they knew the numbers. Like, for instance, if you found out that every two times you do the phone, you got to one person. every five people you spoke to got to an appointment Every Four appointments, you got one. You got twenty five percent cancellation. You saw three people. You got one sale, let's say put thousand dollars in your pocket, so you know, Do the math. You know how many people you got to speak to You know one, three time four. That's twenty. That's you got to make at least you know, forty calls or whatever, to make forty tiles on the phone to make a sale. And oh yeah, okay, whatever, I can't do the math in my head. I'm old. paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: What paris_vega: I got you warren greshes: If you know that you know how many times you got to Dale the phone in order, you know, if if I know, I want to make a hundred thousand dollars, I got to make a hundred sales, which means I make three presentation to get four hundred appointment. Otto, Speak you, now, two paris_vega: Right. warren greshes: thousand people make four thousand calls, whatever it is, and you find out you got to make eight calls a week or whatever it becomes. That's how you know. You know. if I know that if I make Et, say fourteen telephone calls a day, just dials the phone a day. I'm going to get to where I want to be. When I'm done with fourteen. I reached my goal. See, It's not enough to have a sales goal. You gotta have an activity goal because activity drives sales. You know, sales people feel like they failed if they don't make a sale every day, even though they didn't have to make a sale every day. So if you don't have to make a sale every day, why feel like you failed on the day you didn't make a sale, But if you reach your activity goal on those days you succeeded, so the whole paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: thing is reach the activity goal on a daily basis. You can't tell me if you don't. If you reach your activity goal on a daily basis, you Goin to make sales? You've got to be a complete idiot if you can't make sales, and you're reaching your activity goals on a daily basis. paris_vega: Yeah, that. I guess that's a whole different discussion. making sure that you're the right person for this role. warren greshes: Well, paris_vega: If you're hitting warren greshes: but paris_vega: all warren greshes: you paris_vega: the activity warren greshes: know, paris_vega: goals and you're getting zero percent conversion rate warren greshes: Yeah, paris_vega: that warren greshes: but you know paris_vega: there's warren greshes: I've paris_vega: something warren greshes: seen. paris_vega: else going warren greshes: I've seen paris_vega: on? warren greshes: people who were idiots who did a lot of business because they made more close than anybody else. paris_vega: Yeah, No, this is awesome. Um, so all right activity goal focused? Okay, Yeah, that's right. I had a question warren greshes: Go paris_vega: like you're saying that prospecting it's huge. I'm involved with a couple o different businesses. It's a big part of all warren greshes: Absolutely paris_vega: of them trying to figure out how in the world do we you know, figure out all right who the target warren greshes: Right. paris_vega: customer is. Once you figure that out, then who are they? literally as real people? And how do you actually get to them? Because you mentioned Getting to the decision maker. Um, do you have any advice for getting through? You know the gatekeepers, warren greshes: Well, Gatekeeper paris_vega: so warren greshes: is paris_vega: to speak, warren greshes: going to be tough to get through. Let's face it paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: first first thing. paris_vega: because it can burn up a lot of your calls. if you're jus sang. I gotta make fourteen warren greshes: Well, paris_vega: calls warren greshes: that's paris_vega: and you warren greshes: okay. paris_vega: talk to fourteen warren greshes: that's paris_vega: gatekeepers. warren greshes: that's okay. Somebody will call you back, paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: so I'm gonna all you back. You leave a message, but you leave name, rank and serial number. You don't. you do not sell to the gatekeeper, The one thing you don't do, paris_vega: The warren greshes: you do not sell to the gatekeeper, Because what you basically done is you've made the gatekeeper paris_vega: Okay? warren greshes: yourselves for, and the gatekeeper s going in talking to his boss and saying like this, some guy called. I forgot his name. I wrote it down, but he wanted to do this. I thought it sounded good, but I wasn't sure. So paris_vega: Oh warren greshes: that's paris_vega: yeah, warren greshes: what you get. So you paris_vega: So they're doing a worse version of your pitch warren greshes: I want to paris_vega: If warren greshes: speak paris_vega: you, warren greshes: to. paris_vega: if warren greshes: I paris_vega: you warren greshes: want paris_vega: try warren greshes: to speak paris_vega: to sell warren greshes: to Miss paris_vega: to them. warren greshes: Smith, who's calling Paris Vega, From Why corporation? What's this in reference to? They ask me. What's this in reference to? I'd say, speakers for your conference. That's all. I say, speakers for your conference, paris_vega: Yep, warren greshes: And that's A. And that was it and nothing. name rank in serial number. Basically, if they call you and people do call you back, you'll be surprised. people do call you back, but a good thing would be also to you know you go on social media and find out you can find people too on social media. Then you figure out how do you contact them. And so that that's what paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: that's good For. you could also join organizations and clubs where the, if you know who your client face is, go find paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: the organization paris_vega: yeah, warren greshes: and clubs they belong to and join paris_vega: Right, warren greshes: one of them and get active paris_vega: Yeah, because warren greshes: and paris_vega: it's warren greshes: get paris_vega: not warren greshes: active in those organization. Don't just go to net working because that's like you. You might as well throw your paris_vega: All the warren greshes: membership paris_vega: sales eve warren greshes: money down the drains. just pe aple trying to sell them life insurance. But what you want to do paris_vega: Right, warren greshes: is paris_vega: all the sales people warren greshes: you paris_vega: come warren greshes: want paris_vega: together. warren greshes: you want to join an organization. You want to get active in that organization. Want to be import In that organization and then they start coming to you. You know, I did that with the National Speakers Association. I joined it to get business. I joined it to learn how to build my speaking business. But I got very active in the National Speakers association. Next thing I know, I'm on the board of directors of the National Board of Directors and I'm doing big key note speeches at their meetings and my name is getting out there and business is coming through the National Speakers association. So there you paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: go. So you get you know paris_vega: Yeah, that's that tactic of going around gatekeepers because this is something warren greshes: You paris_vega: hat's warren greshes: can paris_vega: come up warren greshes: go paris_vega: in warren greshes: around. paris_vega: our business warren greshes: gatekeepers paris_vega: before we. warren greshes: call when there. If you're looking for business owners called paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: early in light, gatekeepers work paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: nine to five business owners. Don't you know the paris_vega: Right, warren greshes: the standard line about owning your own business? I give all the young entrepretrs owning your own business is easy. You only have to work half a day problem as figuring out which twelve hours to work. So business owners are in early paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: and they're in late executives, too. In paris_vega: Right, warren greshes: early and late gatekeepers work nine to five. paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: You might want to call during lunch. Gate keepers go out for lunch. A lot of business owners in a lot of executives at their desk, so you know, try to call when they're not there, but but the biggest thing is never sell to the gate keeper. If you guys talk to gatekeeper and get friendly with the gatekeeper, always be nice to the gatekeeper because the one thing he paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: has the key, gatekeepers, Gatekeepers can never never ever ever ever have the power to say yes, but they always have the power to say no. So the one thing you don't paris_vega: The warren greshes: want paris_vega: main warren greshes: to do paris_vega: function of their warren greshes: is paris_vega: tub. warren greshes: be eliminated by the gatekeeper. paris_vega: I think something that maybe some younger sales people run into that that I've talked to is thinking that there's rules and what I mean is like they're thinking. Okay, I have to go through this gate keeper or whatever, but doing things like you said, finding out what association or club or sport or whatever the person you're trying to get to is involved with. There's nothing saying. You can't go off hours and meet him at the thing. They're going to the event. whatever, like use all your connections warren greshes: You've got paris_vega: or warren greshes: to paris_vega: or warren greshes: use paris_vega: whatever warren greshes: everything paris_vega: you can. warren greshes: you have at once. drove three, two paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: and a half hours to an appointment. I get in there, guy, paris_vega: M. warren greshes: I say. Like two words, the guys that I'm the wrong person at this company drove two and half hours now. I could have turned turned around and going back, but I didn't know what I said. Who's the right person? He told me the name I said. You know. so Yeah, does work in this building? Yeah, because you introduce me. Yeah, you know why because sometimes the best thing that can happen is someone says no to you, because once someone says no to you, they'll be more than happy to say yes to anything you ask, as long as it doesn't cost them money. Great time to get a referalis when someone just turns you down. Say listen, I understand our service or a product is not for everybody, but you have three people. three other managers you know, or three other business owners you know who you feel might benefit from our service and be more than because they feel bad. They said, No, Be more than happy to give you the name and phone numbers because as long as it's not as to them any money, this guy took me right down the whole to the right person. I give you an other one. I was sitting in a sales coal once with a guy and I was getting nowhere. Absolutely No. This guy was like a blank. He was like. I wanted to put a mirror under his nose to see if he was breathing. But the one thing you always do be observant. I look all around the room. I look at the pictures on the walls. I look at the pictures. See if we can find some common ground and I noticed a garbage can in the corner, and on it was those little basket ball back boards with the little net paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: and it was a New York Giants backboard and I'm a big Giants fan. I said, Oh, you're Giants fan. Yeah, I said, Have season tickets, and I did at the time like to go to a game where that opened up the whole thing. That was. You paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: got to be observant. That's why face to face is so good, So I love face to face. If you can paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: get face to listen, think about it and I always use this analogy. If you were doing fund raising for an organization and you wanted to get a twenty five dollar donation or even a fifty dollar donation. What do you do? You send out an email blast? So you send out a postcard. Why? Because the market for that is huge, thousands and thousands and thousands of people can afford twenty five fifty dollar donations. You send out a postcard. Because if you get one half of one per cent or even one percent return, that's fantastic. But now what if you want to get five hundred dollars donations you want to get thousand dollar donation. S going to send out a postcard on to send at an email. The market for that is shrunk. You can't afford to get paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: half of per cent return. So you start making phone calls Because you figure you got to get at least one out of ten people to say yes. But what if you want to raise fifty thousand dollars? Donations? Were you're going to send the postcard? I mean the market for that's about this big. Send the postcard an email, Even paris_vega: Yeah. warren greshes: a pun. I mean, you can't afford to get one percent or ten per cent. Even you got to get like thirty five to fifty per cent. So what do you do? You go knocking on doors, you go. you get on a plane, you fly to them, and you get paris_vega: Right. warren greshes: in front of people. So now you got to decide what kind of return do you want? You want, one percent return, a half percent return, a ten percent return, or thirty five to fifty per cent Return. That will determine how you go and approach people. paris_vega: So from your opinion, like the higher ticket the sale, the more personal warren greshes: Well, of paris_vega: interaction warren greshes: course, paris_vega: is going warren greshes: absolutely, paris_vega: to take closing warren greshes: the paris_vega: that warren greshes: more paris_vega: sale. warren greshes: time it's going to take to and face to face never hurts. I mean, I've got no airplanes to do it. paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: It was worth it to me. paris_vega: Yeah, we're definitely not doing enough of that Because we're like, and this is probably a lot of companies these days. Uh, depended on the industry rein. Like we're fully remote. warren greshes: Sure paris_vega: The projects I'm involved with, and you know, Pandemic and everything, change the game for a lot of people that had to go remote, And like some companies, we just stayed that way after warren greshes: And that's paris_vega: the fact warren greshes: fine. paris_vega: because warren greshes: I got paris_vega: it was warren greshes: no paris_vega: like warren greshes: problem with that out. paris_vega: we reduced office space, but it does affect things like sales, and that kind of thing, because if you get into that remote lifestyle thinking that you can just do everything over email and video or whatever, it's still not his warren greshes: It's paris_vega: power. warren greshes: not. paris_vega: It's being warren greshes: it's paris_vega: in person. warren greshes: not it, paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: depending on how important the sales is. I mean, you know, I m back in two thousand. It was. I was contracted to speak at the Bridge, Stone Firestone Annual dealers meeting To have it every year in paris_vega: Wow, warren greshes: Las Vegas. Three thousand independent tire dealers show up and they hired me to do the meeting. And this was early in the year they hired me for. Like, I think it was a November meeting. In the summer, I'm in Italy with my family. My wife and my two kids were in Italy And I see this by the International Herald Tribune. There's an article about. I don't know if you remember, but remember the scandal Firestone went through when the tires started blowing up on the cars At happened paris_vega: I warren greshes: in paris_vega: don't warren greshes: two paris_vega: remember warren greshes: thousand, paris_vega: that. No, warren greshes: and I see this, paris_vega: okay, warren greshes: and Oh crap, what happened was left. Retires were blowing up. cars were rolling. the they were rolling over people getting killed. I said. Oh crap, this paris_vega: Thank warren greshes: is paris_vega: you. warren greshes: this is. just. this is terrible. I said. I'm going to get canceled out so I get home from Italy the first thin. I do as I call my client. Now the American headquarters in Nashville. I was living down here at the time. I'm in Durham, North Carolina, and I was in Chapel Hill at the time I said John, I am I done. Am I out? he said No, Why I said. What's going on? I said I was supposed to just speak for fifteen minutes, just getting wrapped up and fired up. He said No, I said what you want me to do. So it's just now do the same thing. I can't do that. So I started to do my research. I flew Nashville, and I started to really do detective work and I talked to them and let me tell you what happened. What happened was every tire that blew up was a left rear tire. every one. paris_vega: M. warren greshes: every tire that blew up, every left retire blew up was on a Ford explorer. Every one and every Ford explorer that rolled over was in a very warm climate, Arizona, Mexico, So and so so more, paris_vega: Okay, warren greshes: Researching this and talking to the people at Firestone and gathering stuff off the Internet. What happened was now. Firestone has been around a long time back to Harvey Firestone, The early nineteen hundreds, Harvey Firestone and Henry Ford were like this, So Firestone and Ford always had a very close relationship, So when this broke, Ford approached Firestone said, Look, we're a lot bigger than you. We can handle the P. R. W. You let us handle it for you. So they said fine, So they handled it And you know what they said to the media. It's not awful. It's the tires And that paris_vega: M. warren greshes: just now at the time, Firestone, Still, it's Bridge, Stone, Fire, Stone song by the Japanese. Well, they went bad crap crazy and they fired a lot of the top people. Firestone U. S. A brought in a new guy, Really good guy, Real sharp guy, and this guy decided we're going a fight back because as it turned out, the problem wasn't the tires. Ford Explorer had a role over problem, But instead of, paris_vega: Right, I warren greshes: instead paris_vega: do remember warren greshes: of paris_vega: that warren greshes: fixing paris_vega: being in the warren greshes: the paris_vega: news warren greshes: role paris_vega: a lot. warren greshes: A problem, they told people to under inflate the tires. Now, if you under inflate tires in a hot climate, they expand and paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: boom. That's what happened paris_vega: Because I guess you're supposed to get more warren greshes: Right paris_vega: traction if they're a little warren greshes: right, paris_vega: inflated. so they're thinking that, warren greshes: right, paris_vega: solve warren greshes: right, paris_vega: it. warren greshes: more more base. let's say it's paris_vega: uh, warren greshes: a little flat or whatever, But paris_vega: yeah, warren greshes: it expanded and blew up. So this guy said we got to fight paris_vega: Wow, warren greshes: back And that's what I decided to do. I decided we're going to fight back and you got. So I got up in front of the audience and I said, Let me ask you a question. Who are the most full of crap people in the entire world, The many people more full of crap An the main stream media. I said No, I said he, and they did a great job. By the way they returned. They took back and reimbursed people for millions of ties, like in like a couple of months, no questions asked. They were getting people returning sets of ties that had fifty eighty thousand miles on them. taking them back, No questions asked. They did a great job. They did. Such a great job was written up in the Havin business Review and so I got up there, Said Listen, folks, How many you have clients out there who have been with you for five, ten, fifteen, twenty years. They'll raise their hands. I said, How many have clients out there? Just walk in your store. They throw their keys on the counter and they leave because they know you'll take care and they'll raise their hand. I said, we know this story. You know the story. I know the story. We all know the real story. I said, But if you don't tell the story, who are your clients going to listen to? they're going to listen to the main stream media, and the main stream media doesn't care about truth. they care about sensationalism, they care about just the story. they care about selling newspapers and raidings on the T V news. I said You tell you, or these people will trust you long before they trust the mainstream media. And if you don't want to tell you a story, here's what I suggest you do when you At home, go to the kitchen. draw open it up. Pull out the sharpest knife you got. put it right over here and just move it right to the other side. Because you're cutting your throat. You might as well do it for real. The place went back crap crazy. They went nuts. It was, in fact, to this day Firestone still says we give you some credit for having helping us turn this around. And what happened was because of that, I got hired by Firestone on retainer basis to go all over us and cattle and speak to all the dealer groups The next couple of years. But there's another lesson. You don't tell people what they want to hear. You tell them what they need to hear. That's how you develop relationships. Because if you tell them what they want to hear and what they want to hear is what, not what they need. The first thing they're going to figure out they don't need is you, So you got to constantly tell in a sales situation and delivery. Anythin, you got to tell people what they need to hear. Now had a very good Friend, who was one of the great sales trainings of all times since Best way, unfortunately, too young, and he used to say, Tell them what they need to hear, Disguise this what they want to hear, but paris_vega: M. warren greshes: couldn't. I wasn't good enough to do. I'd always just I'd tell them what they need to hear, because I had paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: to, because I wanted to be back If paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: I give them what paris_vega: and for you to even figure out what that was, you had to flit Nashville, warren greshes: Listen? paris_vega: do warren greshes: I paris_vega: all warren greshes: did paris_vega: that warren greshes: all paris_vega: research. warren greshes: my Re. you paris_vega: You were heavily warren greshes: listen, paris_vega: invested. warren greshes: I did my research before the internet. I tell people. send me information on your company. Send me information on your customers. send me all the inform. I get stacks of information. I said, I won't read every word, but I'll look through every piece of paper you send me, and when we got to the into that, give me a website. I'll go through every single page on your website. I will learn about your industry. I will learn about your business, the best compliment I could ever get, and I've gotten hundreds of thousands of standing ovations and that Great, but the best compliment I get was when people would come up to me and say you're sure you've never worked in this industry, Because that's that means you did your home work. I think it's important to do your home work. I think it's always important to deliver more than you promised to. paris_vega: And so that goes back to warren greshes: M. paris_vega: like. The more valuable the sale is to you. put more effort warren greshes: Absolutely. paris_vega: into the home warren greshes: I paris_vega: work. warren greshes: mean, you know you know I would come up with, you know. I'd look at the website and I'd come up with phrases for their industry that nobody outside their industry would ever know, But I knew what to say I would go to. if I went to a convention. I was like. Speaking of a convention, A fly in the night before, I'd go to their reception the night before, even though nobody knew who I was At that point I'd go the night before just to pick up stuff. Get a field for the audience. Do do that paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: extra bit. And even if you Usually after I was done, I had to fly out. But if I had some time to wait, I stay and have lunch with them. Why? Because now they know who I am, they like me, And and paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: now is the time paris_vega: yeah, warren greshes: easy to do new business? So you, you paris_vega: Right, warren greshes: got to do more. Then you're contracted for you always got to give them more. paris_vega: Get more than the competition by doing more than the competition. warren greshes: Very. You know you, how easy it is to be the competition when I would get to Avenue. paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: Now, I'm speaking of big conference is, don't forget. First thing I would do is when I get to my hotel room. I call my client just to let them know I'm there. That's it. Just so that's one less than you're putting on a big conference. You've got a million things to worry about. Just that's one less thing They have to worry about. The Keno speaker has arrived. Say, I just want to let you know I'm here Ou know now how many people Thanked me so profusely I'm saying I'm saying myself. You know, the fact that that thanking me so profusely tells me something that I'm one of the few people it's doing that. Come on, it's common courtesy, but these are the little things that you can do to beat out your competition. It's easy to beat out the competition. Most people just not willing to do. You know it goes. It goes beyond being a sales person. You've got to be an expert and advisor of resource in a single point of contact. That's it. Just re Bears a r. s. paris_vega: What's that? warren greshes: Expert advisor, resource and single point of contact. paris_vega: Okay? warren greshes: Most sales people, that just product and price pushers, paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: But you want to sell price. That's great. You're the easiest guy for me to beat out because somebody's eventually going to come along. you know, But if you're selling quality service, convenience and value, if you're selling, If you're being an expert advisor of resource in a single point of contact, who's selling quality services, convenience and value. If you're selling, save me time, make my life easier. Sell digital marketing. You're the save them time paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: and make their lives easier. and you're selling them knowledge experts, and from To an education. If you can sell those ten things, They don't care what your price is, Because go find someone else willing to do that. It just doesn't happen. paris_vega: Yeah, it's interesting that the ears thing that you said it lines up like almost exactly with what Google is trying to do. Like their changing their warren greshes: Oh, paris_vega: algorithm warren greshes: really. paris_vega: or whatever to wear. The way they rank websites is based more on experience, expertise, authority, trust. It's a t. warren greshes: Okay, paris_vega: they call it or it's a t. It's like experience, expertise, authority and trust, And they have these guide lines where People at Google have to go through websites and rank manually. Do you think this website lines up with our warren greshes: Well, paris_vega: Eat warren greshes: that's interesting. paris_vega: standards warren greshes: That's great paris_vega: and then that that kind of influences where people warren greshes: And paris_vega: rank warren greshes: that's important paris_vega: now, and so that? warren greshes: just in this paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: day paris_vega: and warren greshes: age paris_vega: it's it's trying to humanize. Yeah, trying to humanize the searchers. warren greshes: Right. paris_vega: Also make it more accurate. and it's a similar kind of thing. I guess with any relationship. If you somebody has more authority, If you trust warren greshes: Sure, paris_vega: them warren greshes: absolutely, paris_vega: more, they have more expert Tens. Yeah, you're going to do more business with them. Interesting, Warren. this has been amazing. warren greshes: Thank you. paris_vega: Thank you so warren greshes: my paris_vega: much warren greshes: pleasure. paris_vega: for being on the show. Why don't we wrap it up with you? Let people know what books the names of your books, and where they can find your different products warren greshes: Well, paris_vega: and warren greshes: you paris_vega: things warren greshes: can paris_vega: online. warren greshes: find my two books that are in print are called the best dam sales book ever. Sixteen rock solid rules for achieving sales success, and the best management book ever. Nine keys to creating self motivated high achievers, So best damsels book Have the best management book ever. You can find them easily on Amazon. Now, those two books are also audio books on Audible Dot Com, along with four other audio books. And let me see if I can even remember them. one super charged selling when super charged goals Setting one is on time I met and I can't remember what. Hey, I'm seventy one years old. Give me a break, But paris_vega: But they could search warren greshes: They paris_vega: your warren greshes: could go paris_vega: Warren warren greshes: to war. paris_vega: Gress warren greshes: They can go paris_vega: author warren greshes: to Audible paris_vega: name warren greshes: dot paris_vega: on Audible. warren greshes: com and just search war in Gressiosand. I'll give them a list paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: of all my audio books. Also go to U to m, U, d e M. Why you can find my prospecting program called Super Charged prospecting and you'll find that on Ou to me, that's been very successful program for you to me. And so that's where all my stuff is. I do not have a website. You can find my outube page. Also just plug in War in Gressios. I still have a Youtube page and you can see I've got a bat. I don't know. I have done Video on there and more than a decade, but there's about fifty sixty videos on there, easily, short ones, mostly of me, if you want to see it. And so there's plenty of places paris_vega: Yeah, warren greshes: to find me and that's pretty much it. I really enjoyed this, Paris. We should do this again, paris_vega: Definitely, thank you warren greshes: My paris_vega: so warren greshes: pleasure. paris_vega: much and everybody look up, warn stuff, buy it, get better at sales. Get those customers appreciate it.