when I think about making something
happen in the world selling something
getting a donation getting voted for
whatever the transaction is I always
break down that world into sales and
marketing and I think that I spend a lot
of time these days in the marketing
funnel and really helping a lot of my
digital startups and my friends in
digital marketing
oh thank you so much good reaction to
the darkness Jets jersey that makes me
super happy I’m trying to convince a lot
of people go from sales to understand
the value of marketing but I’ll tell you
right now
through and through when I when I pass
away and they opened me up I am a
Salesman through and through and I’ve
been my whole life
big ups to the salespeople so coming to
a sales conference is a lot of fun for
me and I think there should be more of
them in our space because I think the
issue with a lot of my marketing friends
and people is it’s very up in the clouds
and it doesn’t really end up creating
the thing that I think we’re all you
know tied to which is the transaction
what is the KPI like what are we
actually trying to do I’m gonna give you
a little background of where I came from
for the people in here that don’t know
my story because I think it matters and
then I want to talk about what I would
do if I was in this audience I think
what I try to do as the salesman is I
try to reverse-engineer I try to figure
out while on stage who the audience is I
try to figure out what Simon and Seth
have and Arianna and Frederick have
already said because I know there’s
feels really well and and I’m
trying to think about what can I say
that’s different that is gonna actually
bring value and the truth is and I know
those four very well Fredrik I think
isn’t a purebred salesman but I really
do think that I was born very lucky and
then I think my parents are very
opposite and I think I feel very in
kinship with my marketing and with my
sales and so that’s what I want to focus
on because I think a lot of people here
could make a lot more money if they
eliminated two things one laziness to be
very frank and and to idealistic points
of view of how they’ve made their money
in the past I think one of the biggest
concerns I have sitting here in a world
where I’m hungry to get one to two
people three people to get a lot of
value out of this talk is the way you’ve
made your money before is my enemy the
way you’ve been successful yesterday is
my enemy
it is stunning if you understood what
runs through my head every morning on
how little I think anybody should give a
about anything I achieved yesterday
back you’re really only as good as your
last at-bat and the thing that I’m most
passionate about I think many of you
guys and gals can agree with me on this
is the landscape of sales and all of
communication in our society has had a
fundamental shift over the last decade
because of technology and there’s just a
lot of people that are doing things that
are not bringing them real value for
their actions my my religion in sales is
attention before I even think about how
to sell you my SAS product because it’s
better than the one that you’re using or
my wine or why you should use
vaynermedia and my agency or new pair of
sneakers or whatever you’re selling in
this room mid market enterprise small
startup the one thing that connects us
is the end person’s attention and this
is what I want to focus on at first my
career of being obsessed around
attention started when I was six and I’m
not kidding this is an interesting story
I was born in the Soviet Union I came
here as a kid my dad eventually got a
job as a stock boy in a liquor store in
New Jersey I originally lived in Queens
then I grew up in Edison New Jersey in
Edison when I was six and seven years
old I tricked manipulated sold I sold I
sold my friends on the idea of standing
behind a lemonade stand all day and so
when I was six years old I had a six
lemonade stand franchise and
Edison New Jersey how many of you
remember big wheels those little bikes
guys remember I still ride my big wheels
at the end of the day every summer and
pick up my cash like I was little Tony
Soprano or something so I was a Salesman
early on but it’s funny
it wasn’t the reason my friends were
behind the register selling the lemonade
and I wasn’t it wasn’t cuz I was fancy
it wasn’t because I didn’t want to do
the work it’s because and this is me now
realizing this years later it was
because I was obsessed with attention
while my homies stood behind the
lemonade stands I walked up and down the
street by the way for a lot of the
youngsters in here this was the 80s when
kids just went outside and did random
so I would walk I would I would
walk up and down the streets and
literally this sounds sick I am I would
sit at the cross-sections of streets
tinguely Lane in New Jersey in minute
Avenue in New Jersey I would sit there
and I would watch people I would sit in
for an hour I’m seven six seven eight
years old I would sit there for hours
and I would watch cars drive by and I
would try to see if I could see their
faces and I could figure out which three
or pull to put the lemonade stand sign
on because that would be the better one
because they would see it and buy
lemonade at early it was intuitive to me
that’s such a ridiculous age that the
number one asset was the attention and
then what I had to say is what mattered
that the creative that the product that
the copy’ was the variable that the
thing I said on the other side of the
phone was the variable but before I
could say it no matter how good my game
was did I actually have their attention
or was I speaking to somebody that
wasn’t paying attention I believe that
the far majority of this room has become
disconnected with the reality of the end
consumers attention that we have taken
for granted whether through laziness not
being compensated for it or whatever
other variable you are not being good at
what you do I don’t know I believe that
the market of sales has lost its way
it’s just I think it’s the speed of a
tension shift in today’s society I went
on to have a very big baseball card
business when I was 12 and 13 when I was
12 13 I was selling baseball cards in
the malls of New Jersey and I was making
two to three thousand dollars a weekend
as a baseball card salesman I don’t know
about you guys but when you have four
when you’re fourteen and you have
$30,000 in cash under your bed and
you’re not selling weed
you’re a good salesman so that
was good by the way
I plan on buying the New York Jets which
I think projected by the time I’m ready
is gonna cost me between five and eight
billion dollars and I’m convinced that
when I was 13 and had $30,000 of cash it
will be the richest I’ve ever been they
just couldn’t even begin to think about
spending that kind of money when I was
14 my dad ruined my life dragged me into
the liquor store paid me two bucks an
hour to bag ice he now owned his own
store in Springfield New Jersey and I
went from like being my own entrepreneur
and doing my thing
to working in this store called shoppers
discount liquors that I hated because I
bagged ice for 15 hours a day and walked
home with 30 bucks
that was a bad those two or three years
were the dark ages of my professional
career when I was 16 17 I was allowed
upstairs I realized people collected
wine that was interesting to me because
I was into collecting and I embarked on
my career my career took an interesting
turn because I discovered the Internet
and in 1997 I launched one of the first
e-commerce wine businesses in America
called winelibrary.com I grew my dad’s
business from a three to a sixty million
dollar business in five years I did it
through sales and marketing I did it in
two ways one I was out marketing
everybody by buying Google AdWords by
doing email how many people here do
email marketing raise your hands in 1997
I had a two hundred thousand person
email database selling wine that had
91.3% open rates right yeah now it
wasn’t cuz I was such a hero like that
same listen I was like 31.3 it’s because
nobody was doing it and the thing that I
want to talk to you about is the
stunning excuses that my sales men
friends make up for not doing
chat or Facebook or Twitter or Instagram
or LinkedIn content I love my sales
friends or like I do LinkedIn I’m like
no no you don’t do LinkedIn you sit
there and you try to connect
people and you’re a spam bot you
not a Salesman anyway sorry truth truth like I do LinkedIn sales no you
truth like I do LinkedIn sales no you don´t you just click buttons and you
don´t you just click buttons and you hope and pray and you control copy and
hope and pray and you control copy and paste the same message to every
paste the same message to every person because you’re lazy so
person because you’re lazy so anyway
real estate when there’s a new vacation destination or a new town or Hudson
destination or a new town or Hudson Yards is being built right here the
Yards is being built right here the people that buy first if they’re right
people that buy first if they’re right when you don’t get the beachfront
when you don’t get the beachfront property by waiting for years for what’s
property by waiting for years for what’s the value of it I am NOT I believe that
the value of it I am NOT I believe that a purebred salesperson is never crippled
a purebred salesperson is never crippled if her or his actions are not fruitful I
if her or his actions are not fruitful I believe a purebred salesperson
believe a purebred salesperson understands that that’s part of the game
understands that that’s part of the game that that’s part of the hustle that
that that’s part of the hustle that there’s so much upside by doing a new
there’s so much upside by doing a new tactic even if you hit it once out of
tactic even if you hit it once out of every nine times the overall ROI of all
every nine times the overall ROI of all those hours becomes a net positive score
those hours becomes a net positive score and that is why I think I’ve been
and that is why I think I’ve been successful because my career in sales
successful because my career in sales has been predicated of not being
has been predicated of not being crippled by overworking to learn
crippled by overworking to learn something new
something new period it is it is insanity and let me
period it is it is insanity and let me use that word aggressively it is
use that word aggressively it is insanity for you to disrespect all the
insanity for you to disrespect all the social media platforms today and what
social media platforms today and what they can mean for sales for you you have
they can mean for sales for you you have to understand if one person execute
to understand if one person execute transactions through it then you can –
transactions through it then you can – the problem is it’s hard the problem is
the problem is it’s hard the problem is it takes time the problem is there’s a
it takes time the problem is there’s a lot of easier ways to do it today but
lot of easier ways to do it today but those things go away anybody here that’s
those things go away anybody here that’s been doing email sales for 15 years
been doing email sales for 15 years knows what I’m about to say which was 10
knows what I’m about to say which was 10 and 15 years ago it worked better
and 15 years ago it worked better right it worked better because we play
right it worked better because we play in one game my friends all of us you’re
in one game my friends all of us you’re trying to reach that person on the other
trying to reach that person on the other end we play in b2b arbitrage of
end we play in b2b arbitrage of attention
attention it’s just supply and demand how many
it’s just supply and demand how many people by show of hands it’s actually
people by show of hands it’s actually interesting let’s start with this let’s
interesting let’s start with this let’s look establish that lying is the devil
look establish that lying is the devil and I have no interest in your head nods
and I have no interest in your head nods I want full hands ok here we go
I want full hands ok here we go how many people here now in 2016
how many people here now in 2016 actually actually hate it when another
actually actually hate it when another person another human being
person another human being calls them raise your hand raise it high
calls them raise your hand raise it high I want people look around look around
I want people look around look around raise it higher just real high please
raise it higher just real high please these are human beings our fellow human
these are human beings our fellow human beings who actually hate when another
beings who actually hate when another human being caused them let me tell you
human being caused them let me tell you why and then let me tell you why it’s
why and then let me tell you why it’s important for this conversation
important for this conversation the reason they hate it is because time
the reason they hate it is because time has become the number one asset to every
has become the number one asset to every person in this room the emerging pillar
person in this room the emerging pillar in our society besides the health and
in our society besides the health and wellness of our family and money the
wellness of our family and money the number one emerging pillar of value to
number one emerging pillar of value to everybody in this room and everybody in
everybody in this room and everybody in this conference and everybody outside is
this conference and everybody outside is time and calling somebody when they
time and calling somebody when they weren’t expecting it has now become
weren’t expecting it has now become stealing ones time because we have the
stealing ones time because we have the alternative of when that person calls
alternative of when that person calls you can say just text me just email me I
you can say just text me just email me I will call you back on my time it is my
will call you back on my time it is my belief that when I audit the sales
belief that when I audit the sales ecosystem and all the startups I’m
ecosystem and all the startups I’m involved with and all the businesses I’m
involved with and all the businesses I’m involved with that salespeople steal
involved with that salespeople steal their clients time for their vested
their clients time for their vested interests instead of reverse engineering
interests instead of reverse engineering the value of that person’s time it is in
the value of that person’s time it is in our best vested interest to send that
our best vested interest to send that email it is in our best vested interest
email it is in our best vested interest to make that phone call
to make that phone call we are not reverse engineering the fact
we are not reverse engineering the fact that these people have become busy now
that these people have become busy now another thing that’s extremely
another thing that’s extremely fascinating for me being in this room is
fascinating for me being in this room is I grew up and b2c my whole life right
I grew up and b2c my whole life right only seven years ago when I started
only seven years ago when I started vaynermedia did I
vaynermedia did I into the b2b world just for the people
into the b2b world just for the people that don’t know here I have a 650 person
that don’t know here I have a 650 person social digital agency that have grown in
social digital agency that have grown in the last four years from a three to a
the last four years from a three to a 100 million dollar business in sales not
100 million dollar business in sales not valuation and by the way that’s
valuation and by the way that’s another conversation for another
another conversation for another day and I think the thing that will be
day and I think the thing that will be interesting to a lot of people here is
interesting to a lot of people here is I’ve done that mainly on not selling
I’ve done that mainly on not selling like we don’t really do RFPs
like we don’t really do RFPs I’m not interested in selling somebody
I’m not interested in selling somebody who I would tell you my number like if
who I would tell you my number like if somebody said what’s your most religious
somebody said what’s your most religious sales tactic it is not to try to sell to
sales tactic it is not to try to sell to somebody who’s unsellable I think one of
somebody who’s unsellable I think one of the most fascinating things that I
the most fascinating things that I bought it when I look at the sales
bought it when I look at the sales ecosystem is how much people take time
ecosystem is how much people take time trying to convert somebody who’s
trying to convert somebody who’s uncomfortable yes your product might be
uncomfortable yes your product might be eight thousand times better but if that
eight thousand times better but if that bosses boss is best friend homeys with
bosses boss is best friend homeys with the alternative legacy software you
the alternative legacy software you lost and then I watch people
lost and then I watch people think that they’re gonna convert it on
think that they’re gonna convert it on merit
merit there’s no merit there’s just
there’s no merit there’s just human beings making human decisions and
human beings making human decisions and I think we need to get a lot less
I think we need to get a lot less romantic about that and start being much
romantic about that and start being much more practical about the ecosystem let
more practical about the ecosystem let me tell you another way that I’ve grown
me tell you another way that I’ve grown that business that I think as instead of
that business that I think as instead of pontificating and cursing up here let me
pontificating and cursing up here let me give you a direct tactic that I think a
give you a direct tactic that I think a lot of you guys can use a couple of
lot of you guys can use a couple of books ago because I decided to write
books ago because I decided to write those kind of things I wrote a book
those kind of things I wrote a book called the Thank You economy super
called the Thank You economy super interesting to me it’s the notion of if
interesting to me it’s the notion of if you provide so much upfront value to an
you provide so much upfront value to an individual can you actually guilt them
individual can you actually guilt them into buying especially if all your
into buying especially if all your actions are predicated on not expecting
actions are predicated on not expecting them to buy it that’s the big part when
them to buy it that’s the big part when the energy of your tactics is to convert
the energy of your tactics is to convert you will lose when your energy is to
you will lose when your energy is to disproportionally bring value and let
disproportionally bring value and let the chips fall where they may you will
the chips fall where they may you will win it will change your behavior it will
win it will change your behavior it will change the energy of the execution let
change the energy of the execution let me give you a story vaynermedia there
me give you a story vaynermedia there was a certain CMO that I really wanted
was a certain CMO that I really wanted to get to because I wanted their
to get to because I wanted their business right I don’t like doing rfp’s
business right I don’t like doing rfp’s because it’s a crap
because it’s a crap shoot and we’re not very good at him
shoot and we’re not very good at him right and I have the fortune nature of
right and I have the fortune nature of having a brand so a lot of business
having a brand so a lot of business comes to me but this one wasn’t and I
comes to me but this one wasn’t and I wanted it so I decided to follow and
wanted it so I decided to follow and this is my number one number one tactic
this is my number one number one tactic for every person this room that I am
for every person this room that I am positive that if you actually put in the
positive that if you actually put in the work and do it that you will email me
work and do it that you will email me and this is really the reason I’m giving
and this is really the reason I’m giving this is because I want you to email me
this is because I want you to email me in four months to be like hey bran I saw
in four months to be like hey bran I saw you New York at the sales machine
you New York at the sales machine conference I figured a little bit
conference I figured a little bit ridiculous but I did this thing and it
ridiculous but I did this thing and it actually worked
actually worked cool thanks that’s it that’s what I want
cool thanks that’s it that’s what I want and here’s the tactic how many people
and here’s the tactic how many people here are b2b sales raise your hand
here are b2b sales raise your hand awesome
awesome coming from B to C and now being in b2b
coming from B to C and now being in b2b and being part of companies like Buddy
and being part of companies like Buddy Media and percolated and wildfire that
Media and percolated and wildfire that we’ve had successful exits in and
we’ve had successful exits in and watching the landscape of sales in that
watching the landscape of sales in that environment I’ve done very well most
environment I’ve done very well most might be to be investments I am stunned
might be to be investments I am stunned how much easier it is to be a b2b
how much easier it is to be a b2b salesman than a b2c salesman you
salesman than a b2c salesman you literally know the name of the
literally know the name of the person you’re selling to this is a big
person you’re selling to this is a big deal this is a big deal because by
deal this is a big deal because by knowing the name in 2016 you have the
knowing the name in 2016 you have the opportunity to use big data in your
opportunity to use big data in your advantage on a micro level to create the
advantage on a micro level to create the world that you want – let me explain
world that you want – let me explain I found the CMO that I wanted on Twitter
I found the CMO that I wanted on Twitter some of the people that you’re trying to
some of the people that you’re trying to get to won’t be on Twitter they may be
get to won’t be on Twitter they may be on LinkedIn they may be on Facebook they
on LinkedIn they may be on Facebook they may be on Instagram but the fun part is
may be on Instagram but the fun part is 60 to 70 percent of your prospects are
60 to 70 percent of your prospects are on one of these platforms and putting
on one of these platforms and putting out data publicly on what they like and
out data publicly on what they like and what they’re into I follow this
what they’re into I follow this individual and I noticed that he was a
individual and I noticed that he was a humongous st. Louis Cardinals baseball
humongous st. Louis Cardinals baseball fan this is what my plan went into
fan this is what my plan went into action I started watching everything he
action I started watching everything he was tweeting about ironically I would
was tweeting about ironically I would you know I’m like a cobra in the grass
you know I’m like a cobra in the grass I’ll tell you the number one thing that
I’ll tell you the number one thing that I think really separates good
I think really separates good salespeople
salespeople from bad salespeople is patience I’m
from bad salespeople is patience I’m patient as right so I was staying
patient as right so I was staying in the grass just waiting
in the grass just waiting collecting content being patient really
collecting content being patient really mapping what he’s into paying attention
mapping what he’s into paying attention ironically it coincided with my fantasy
ironically it coincided with my fantasy baseball league right so I’m in my
baseball league right so I’m in my fantasy baseball draft I’ve got the team
fantasy baseball draft I’ve got the team I want I’ve got a couple of empty slots
I want I’ve got a couple of empty slots on the reserve thing I’m like you know
on the reserve thing I’m like you know what I’m gonna draft this up-and-coming
what I’m gonna draft this up-and-coming rookie Cardinals player for many other
rookie Cardinals player for many other reasons than just winning my fantasy
reasons than just winning my fantasy baseball team so I drafted got anybody
baseball team so I drafted got anybody any Cardinals fans in here any couple
any Cardinals fans in here any couple maybe two or three I drafted a guy by
maybe two or three I drafted a guy by name of kolten Wong infielder for the
name of kolten Wong infielder for the st. Louis Cardinals before he was even
st. Louis Cardinals before he was even in Major League Baseball and so then I
in Major League Baseball and so then I wait and I wait for kolten Wong to get
wait and I wait for kolten Wong to get up to the major leagues and I wait for
up to the major leagues and I wait for kolten Wong to do something good and
kolten Wong to do something good and then I see what I needed to him tweeting
then I see what I needed to him tweeting about kolten Wong which allowed me to
about kolten Wong which allowed me to jump into that tween say hey I’m kolten
jump into that tween say hey I’m kolten Wong that my fantasy team isn’t he
Wong that my fantasy team isn’t he awesome and he replied yeah he’s awesome
awesome and he replied yeah he’s awesome that’s it patience remember don’t close
that’s it patience remember don’t close on the first date all right so we
on the first date all right so we interact a little bit more about the
interact a little bit more about the Cardinals they’re making their playoff
Cardinals they’re making their playoff run and somewhere about three weeks
run and somewhere about three weeks later he tweets me back and says hey I
later he tweets me back and says hey I see that you’re a CEO of a digital
see that you’re a CEO of a digital agency we’re thinking about you know
agency we’re thinking about you know maybe changing up our roster a little
maybe changing up our roster a little bit is this something we could talk
bit is this something we could talk about with sure head
about with sure head [Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music] I want to give you real data here less
I want to give you real data here less than an hour of work being patient
than an hour of work being patient spread off of probably about four months
spread off of probably about four months I was able to convert that strategy into
I was able to convert that strategy into a three point six million dollar paying
a three point six million dollar paying client write sales sales but sales not
client write sales sales but sales not that look like here’s a blank email that
that look like here’s a blank email that I’m gonna blast everybody is obsessed
I’m gonna blast everybody is obsessed with scalability everybody is obsessed
with scalability everybody is obsessed with scalability and all the action and
with scalability and all the action and sales is scaling the unscalable I
sales is scaling the unscalable I believe that sales even in today’s
believe that sales even in today’s environment is still a very face-to-face
environment is still a very face-to-face game right I think a lot of us agree
game right I think a lot of us agree with that I think the biggest disconnect
with that I think the biggest disconnect from the people that just heard that in
from the people that just heard that in this room that have done that their
this room that have done that their whole lives that were like yeah hell
whole lives that were like yeah hell yeah is that they don’t realize that
yeah is that they don’t realize that technology is now the scaleable gateway
technology is now the scaleable gateway drug to the human interactions I sell
drug to the human interactions I sell I’m going to Cleveland right now after
I’m going to Cleveland right now after this there’s a basketball game I want to
this there’s a basketball game I want to see and I’m gonna sell on that plane on
see and I’m gonna sell on that plane on the way there because I’m using
the way there because I’m using technology Twitter Facebook LinkedIn and
technology Twitter Facebook LinkedIn and these platforms as a gateway drug to
these platforms as a gateway drug to create an interpersonal relationship
create an interpersonal relationship there are people I know very well that
there are people I know very well that I’ve spent very little time with in real
I’ve spent very little time with in real life but I do that through those
life but I do that through those channels and then when we see each other
channels and then when we see each other there’s a total different feeling I have
there’s a total different feeling I have for these three individuals these are
for these three individuals these are people I could never even have a
people I could never even have a relationship with without this
relationship with without this technology these are people that I
technology these are people that I haven’t met more than once I feel
haven’t met more than once I feel enormous kinship towards them and the
enormous kinship towards them and the dude with the jet Jersey because because
dude with the jet Jersey because because I’ve put in this sales work why do you
I’ve put in this sales work why do you go golfing with a client why do you eat
go golfing with a client why do you eat a steak with a client
a steak with a client why didn’t go to networking events you
why didn’t go to networking events you do it to create context at scale you do
do it to create context at scale you do it to create context the absolute closer
it to create context the absolute closer and the enabler and the jabbing and the
and the enabler and the jabbing and the flirter and the bad essence of energy is
flirter and the bad essence of energy is con
con next right if you know that girls you
next right if you know that girls you know boyfriend if you know their
know boyfriend if you know their interest in the Cardinals you have a leg
interest in the Cardinals you have a leg up on the competition it’s why you spent
up on the competition it’s why you spent time with your clients and the decision
time with your clients and the decision makers and the influencers of the
makers and the influencers of the decision makers because you are building
decision makers because you are building context what technology today does and
context what technology today does and these five or six platforms that are in
these five or six platforms that are in the current state of social media do all
the current state of social media do all at the fingertip of your phone when
at the fingertip of your phone when you’re going to take a piss or fly in a
you’re going to take a piss or fly in a Cleveland or whenever you want
Cleveland or whenever you want ultimately scalable you can do it any
ultimately scalable you can do it any time 6 p.m. 1 a.m. whenever you want
time 6 p.m. 1 a.m. whenever you want however you roll you get up early you
however you roll you get up early you get up late you can hustle in these
get up late you can hustle in these platforms and create context and the
platforms and create context and the fact of the matter is and almost nobody
fact of the matter is and almost nobody does it nobody does it because they lack
does it nobody does it because they lack patience they should you know how many
patience they should you know how many of you in this room have a point of view
of you in this room have a point of view on what Facebook or LinkedIn or Twitter
on what Facebook or LinkedIn or Twitter can do for your business and you’ve
can do for your business and you’ve never used the product it’s real
never used the product it’s real thanks for that one clap I liked it
and so we live in 2016 in a world where the majority of you when you live like a
the majority of you when you live like a normal human being and don’t put on your
normal human being and don’t put on your sales outfit for the day would never
sales outfit for the day would never convert on the actions that you take as
convert on the actions that you take as a salesperson during the work day the
a salesperson during the work day the amount of you that delete every
amount of you that delete every email that you get that is a bulk email
email that you get that is a bulk email the amount of you that will never answer
the amount of you that will never answer that phone the amount of you that would
that phone the amount of you that would net who here is super fired up to go
net who here is super fired up to go home and go through their direct mail
home and go through their direct mail carefully and so I’m fascinated by the
carefully and so I’m fascinated by the disconnect of who you are as a human
disconnect of who you are as a human being and how you act when it’s in your
being and how you act when it’s in your vested financial interest for another
vested financial interest for another human being to act the way you want
human being to act the way you want because it’s more convenient for you
because it’s more convenient for you that is the arbitrage and that will
that is the arbitrage and that will always be the arbitrage forever so many
always be the arbitrage forever so many of you have done business because of
of you have done business because of word-of-mouth right how many people here
word-of-mouth right how many people here have landed more business because of
have landed more business because of word-of-mouth from a prior transaction
word-of-mouth from a prior transaction raise your hands if you didn’t raise
raise your hands if you didn’t raise your hand you just don’t
your hand you just don’t understand or you’re lazy and that’s
understand or you’re lazy and that’s interesting too
when I think about social media all I think about it as is as the plumbing of
think about it as is as the plumbing of word-of-mouth in our society I’m
word-of-mouth in our society I’m fascinated by how much business I do
fascinated by how much business I do with somebody after I actually sell them
with somebody after I actually sell them and what I do with them to create that
and what I do with them to create that word-of-mouth versus what I did to get
word-of-mouth versus what I did to get them in the first place the enormous
them in the first place the enormous amount of energy that we all deploy as
amount of energy that we all deploy as salespeople to get the business versus
salespeople to get the business versus what we do with that business even if
what we do with that business even if it’s handed off to an account person if
it’s handed off to an account person if you were that point of reference your
you were that point of reference your ability to stay in that ecosystem and
ability to stay in that ecosystem and bring value is incredible and again I
bring value is incredible and again I implore you to understand the value of
implore you to understand the value of public data let me give you a b2c
public data let me give you a b2c scenario but you can deploy this in your
scenario but you can deploy this in your old-world wine library before Thank You
old-world wine library before Thank You economy I wanted an example for my
economy I wanted an example for my keynotes about how I was doing the Thank
keynotes about how I was doing the Thank You economy so it was very passionate
You economy so it was very passionate about having somebody buy something
about having somebody buy something online library that was inexpensive and
online library that was inexpensive and then overwhelming them with a gift
then overwhelming them with a gift based on their big data I love sports so
based on their big data I love sports so no question this is another sports story
no question this is another sports story the AI buys a case of Pinot Grigio for
the AI buys a case of Pinot Grigio for $111 we made 17 bucks
$111 we made 17 bucks on the case
on the case we had to find people with unusual names
we had to find people with unusual names because we had to find them on Twitter
because we had to find them on Twitter and this was still 2011 so finally we
and this was still 2011 so finally we found one they were having a tough time
found one they were having a tough time finding people on Twitter that were
finding people on Twitter that were buying wine for the first time I wanted
buying wine for the first time I wanted a first time customer guy buys case of
a first time customer guy buys case of Pinot Grigio in Chicago we made 11 bucks
Pinot Grigio in Chicago we made 11 bucks they find them yes they show lame like
they find them yes they show lame like Vaynerchuk you know we find them it’s
Vaynerchuk you know we find them it’s definitely him and we looked at we find
definitely him and we looked at we find his Twitter his whole Twitter stream is
his Twitter his whole Twitter stream is about Jay Cutler the quarterback of the
about Jay Cutler the quarterback of the Chicago Bears just tons of Jay Cutler I
Chicago Bears just tons of Jay Cutler I love you Jay Cutler there’s another
love you Jay Cutler there’s another great I tell the Thank You Department
great I tell the Thank You Department which is something we have at Wine
which is something we have at Wine Library which is not customer service
Library which is not customer service its offense customer services defense
its offense customer services defense Thank You Department kicks in
Thank You Department kicks in and we go and buy him a $350 Jersey
and we go and buy him a $350 Jersey signed by Jay Cutler and we send it in
signed by Jay Cutler and we send it in roi negative on that transaction I think
roi negative on that transaction I think we can all agree
we can all agree and so now I’m pumped we finally found
and so now I’m pumped we finally found somebody we sent it um you know my
somebody we sent it um you know my keynotes are coming up I’m gonna have a
keynotes are coming up I’m gonna have a great case studies gonna buy a lot of
great case studies gonna buy a lot of wine he’s gonna do something it’s gonna
wine he’s gonna do something it’s gonna be unbelievable I can’t wait to tell all
be unbelievable I can’t wait to tell all of you three weeks go by
of you three weeks go by didn’t get back to us son like what the
I’m grateful asshole so nothing I’m like
calling four times today I’m like you
sure like I know it’s in spam like get
the IT department I’m like this is
impossible nothing I’m boarding a plane
to Orlando I get a phone call Gary like
yeah they’re like we got something I’m
like finally I’m like what did he do
better look okay better they’re like
listen to this I’m like okay we just got
an order from Plano Texas
I’m like okay for $6,000 worth of red
burgundy I’m like great now that’s great
but wait to hear the note in the order
like cool dear why my brain first of all
what a great red burgundy selection you
have make sure you don’t ship this it’s
hot here hold it for a while
ship it when it’s cooler next PS you
sent my friend John a Bears Jersey the
other day when he bought some wine from
you
PSS I’m a huge Bruce Springsteen fan
for very little money
and for a solid amount of effort you
could go home from this conference and
go through your entire rolodex of
everybody that you sold something to in
the last year go on social media look at
their data and do something that shows
effort let me tell you what’s not effort
the at scale handwritten note that
wasn’t handwritten it was just a tactic
to fake effort what about actual effort
what about actually sending me something
about the Jets or root beer or Lionel
Richie because it’s very easy to figure
out I like those three things what
people are under estimating is the
word-of-mouth ecosystem that we actually
live in because this thing has changed
our behavior I don’t know if you’ve
noticed but we now have all defaulted
into this amazing notion that we should
tell the world everything about
everything always about all everything
it’s what we do for some reason
everybody needs to know our two cents on
the game last night on one of the
world’s going this is what we do we
share now you may not like it it’s the
reality of the marketplace and one thing
that people share more than anything is
when they are caught off guard or that
they can feel that somebody gave them
more effort than the market my belief is
that the greatest version of a person in
the world is a purebred salesperson let
me tell you why my definition one man’s
definition of a purebred salesperson is
one that is obsessed with providing more
value to the other person than they ask
for in return when you make that mental
shift and more importantly when your
actions start speaking that things start
to massively unlock I have built both my
very large businesses on one backbone
which is I want to know what this
person’s gonna say at my funeral I have
no interest in selling in something I
don’t believe I know for a fact that
there is a staggering percentage of
people here as they be
come educated in the market they sell in
that they actually do not believe that
their product is the best I could not
function in that environment I’m not
judging you we all have our different
paths and different things loans
mortgages respect not trying to go there
but I would tell you that when you fully
believe in what you sell through and
through it gets a hell of a lot easier
when you actually give a about the
other person more than you
it gets triple easy it gets triple easy
my friends and so I implore all of you
to understand that we are living through
a marketplace now where our consumers
have more information than ever you’re
not going to win a deal on inefficiency
of information of our consumer and so I
implore you to start producing two
things one leading with the heart and
reverse engineering what your end
consumer whether they bought from you or
their your prospect what makes them tick
above and beyond being the decision
maker of your product and number
two start thinking about the people
you’ve sold to after you’ve sold to them
and understand what they can mean to
your business by you actually caring
about them as well because they’re still
valuable to you even though you hooked up got it
happen in the world selling something
getting a donation getting voted for
whatever the transaction is I always
break down that world into sales and
marketing and I think that I spend a lot
of time these days in the marketing
funnel and really helping a lot of my
digital startups and my friends in
digital marketing
oh thank you so much good reaction to
the darkness Jets jersey that makes me
super happy I’m trying to convince a lot
of people go from sales to understand
the value of marketing but I’ll tell you
right now
through and through when I when I pass
away and they opened me up I am a
Salesman through and through and I’ve
been my whole life
big ups to the salespeople so coming to
a sales conference is a lot of fun for
me and I think there should be more of
them in our space because I think the
issue with a lot of my marketing friends
and people is it’s very up in the clouds
and it doesn’t really end up creating
the thing that I think we’re all you
know tied to which is the transaction
what is the KPI like what are we
actually trying to do I’m gonna give you
a little background of where I came from
for the people in here that don’t know
my story because I think it matters and
then I want to talk about what I would
do if I was in this audience I think
what I try to do as the salesman is I
try to reverse-engineer I try to figure
out while on stage who the audience is I
try to figure out what Simon and Seth
have and Arianna and Frederick have
already said because I know there’s
feels really well and and I’m
trying to think about what can I say
that’s different that is gonna actually
bring value and the truth is and I know
those four very well Fredrik I think
isn’t a purebred salesman but I really
do think that I was born very lucky and
then I think my parents are very
opposite and I think I feel very in
kinship with my marketing and with my
sales and so that’s what I want to focus
on because I think a lot of people here
could make a lot more money if they
eliminated two things one laziness to be
very frank and and to idealistic points
of view of how they’ve made their money
in the past I think one of the biggest
concerns I have sitting here in a world
where I’m hungry to get one to two
people three people to get a lot of
value out of this talk is the way you’ve
made your money before is my enemy the
way you’ve been successful yesterday is
my enemy
it is stunning if you understood what
runs through my head every morning on
how little I think anybody should give a
about anything I achieved yesterday
back you’re really only as good as your
last at-bat and the thing that I’m most
passionate about I think many of you
guys and gals can agree with me on this
is the landscape of sales and all of
communication in our society has had a
fundamental shift over the last decade
because of technology and there’s just a
lot of people that are doing things that
are not bringing them real value for
their actions my my religion in sales is
attention before I even think about how
to sell you my SAS product because it’s
better than the one that you’re using or
my wine or why you should use
vaynermedia and my agency or new pair of
sneakers or whatever you’re selling in
this room mid market enterprise small
startup the one thing that connects us
is the end person’s attention and this
is what I want to focus on at first my
career of being obsessed around
attention started when I was six and I’m
not kidding this is an interesting story
I was born in the Soviet Union I came
here as a kid my dad eventually got a
job as a stock boy in a liquor store in
New Jersey I originally lived in Queens
then I grew up in Edison New Jersey in
Edison when I was six and seven years
old I tricked manipulated sold I sold I
sold my friends on the idea of standing
behind a lemonade stand all day and so
when I was six years old I had a six
lemonade stand franchise and
Edison New Jersey how many of you
remember big wheels those little bikes
guys remember I still ride my big wheels
at the end of the day every summer and
pick up my cash like I was little Tony
Soprano or something so I was a Salesman
early on but it’s funny
it wasn’t the reason my friends were
behind the register selling the lemonade
and I wasn’t it wasn’t cuz I was fancy
it wasn’t because I didn’t want to do
the work it’s because and this is me now
realizing this years later it was
because I was obsessed with attention
while my homies stood behind the
lemonade stands I walked up and down the
street by the way for a lot of the
youngsters in here this was the 80s when
kids just went outside and did random
so I would walk I would I would
walk up and down the streets and
literally this sounds sick I am I would
sit at the cross-sections of streets
tinguely Lane in New Jersey in minute
Avenue in New Jersey I would sit there
and I would watch people I would sit in
for an hour I’m seven six seven eight
years old I would sit there for hours
and I would watch cars drive by and I
would try to see if I could see their
faces and I could figure out which three
or pull to put the lemonade stand sign
on because that would be the better one
because they would see it and buy
lemonade at early it was intuitive to me
that’s such a ridiculous age that the
number one asset was the attention and
then what I had to say is what mattered
that the creative that the product that
the copy’ was the variable that the
thing I said on the other side of the
phone was the variable but before I
could say it no matter how good my game
was did I actually have their attention
or was I speaking to somebody that
wasn’t paying attention I believe that
the far majority of this room has become
disconnected with the reality of the end
consumers attention that we have taken
for granted whether through laziness not
being compensated for it or whatever
other variable you are not being good at
what you do I don’t know I believe that
the market of sales has lost its way
it’s just I think it’s the speed of a
tension shift in today’s society I went
on to have a very big baseball card
business when I was 12 and 13 when I was
12 13 I was selling baseball cards in
the malls of New Jersey and I was making
two to three thousand dollars a weekend
as a baseball card salesman I don’t know
about you guys but when you have four
when you’re fourteen and you have
$30,000 in cash under your bed and
you’re not selling weed
you’re a good salesman so that
was good by the way
I plan on buying the New York Jets which
I think projected by the time I’m ready
is gonna cost me between five and eight
billion dollars and I’m convinced that
when I was 13 and had $30,000 of cash it
will be the richest I’ve ever been they
just couldn’t even begin to think about
spending that kind of money when I was
14 my dad ruined my life dragged me into
the liquor store paid me two bucks an
hour to bag ice he now owned his own
store in Springfield New Jersey and I
went from like being my own entrepreneur
and doing my thing
to working in this store called shoppers
discount liquors that I hated because I
bagged ice for 15 hours a day and walked
home with 30 bucks
that was a bad those two or three years
were the dark ages of my professional
career when I was 16 17 I was allowed
upstairs I realized people collected
wine that was interesting to me because
I was into collecting and I embarked on
my career my career took an interesting
turn because I discovered the Internet
and in 1997 I launched one of the first
e-commerce wine businesses in America
called winelibrary.com I grew my dad’s
business from a three to a sixty million
dollar business in five years I did it
through sales and marketing I did it in
two ways one I was out marketing
everybody by buying Google AdWords by
doing email how many people here do
email marketing raise your hands in 1997
I had a two hundred thousand person
email database selling wine that had
91.3% open rates right yeah now it
wasn’t cuz I was such a hero like that
same listen I was like 31.3 it’s because
nobody was doing it and the thing that I
want to talk to you about is the
stunning excuses that my sales men
friends make up for not doing
chat or Facebook or Twitter or Instagram
or LinkedIn content I love my sales
friends or like I do LinkedIn I’m like
no no you don’t do LinkedIn you sit
there and you try to connect
people and you’re a spam bot you
not a Salesman anyway sorry truth truth like I do LinkedIn sales no you
truth like I do LinkedIn sales no you don´t you just click buttons and you
don´t you just click buttons and you hope and pray and you control copy and
hope and pray and you control copy and paste the same message to every
paste the same message to every person because you’re lazy so
person because you’re lazy so anyway
real estate when there’s a new vacation destination or a new town or Hudson
destination or a new town or Hudson Yards is being built right here the
Yards is being built right here the people that buy first if they’re right
people that buy first if they’re right when you don’t get the beachfront
when you don’t get the beachfront property by waiting for years for what’s
property by waiting for years for what’s the value of it I am NOT I believe that
the value of it I am NOT I believe that a purebred salesperson is never crippled
a purebred salesperson is never crippled if her or his actions are not fruitful I
if her or his actions are not fruitful I believe a purebred salesperson
believe a purebred salesperson understands that that’s part of the game
understands that that’s part of the game that that’s part of the hustle that
that that’s part of the hustle that there’s so much upside by doing a new
there’s so much upside by doing a new tactic even if you hit it once out of
tactic even if you hit it once out of every nine times the overall ROI of all
every nine times the overall ROI of all those hours becomes a net positive score
those hours becomes a net positive score and that is why I think I’ve been
and that is why I think I’ve been successful because my career in sales
successful because my career in sales has been predicated of not being
has been predicated of not being crippled by overworking to learn
crippled by overworking to learn something new
something new period it is it is insanity and let me
period it is it is insanity and let me use that word aggressively it is
use that word aggressively it is insanity for you to disrespect all the
insanity for you to disrespect all the social media platforms today and what
social media platforms today and what they can mean for sales for you you have
they can mean for sales for you you have to understand if one person execute
to understand if one person execute transactions through it then you can –
transactions through it then you can – the problem is it’s hard the problem is
the problem is it’s hard the problem is it takes time the problem is there’s a
it takes time the problem is there’s a lot of easier ways to do it today but
lot of easier ways to do it today but those things go away anybody here that’s
those things go away anybody here that’s been doing email sales for 15 years
been doing email sales for 15 years knows what I’m about to say which was 10
knows what I’m about to say which was 10 and 15 years ago it worked better
and 15 years ago it worked better right it worked better because we play
right it worked better because we play in one game my friends all of us you’re
in one game my friends all of us you’re trying to reach that person on the other
trying to reach that person on the other end we play in b2b arbitrage of
end we play in b2b arbitrage of attention
attention it’s just supply and demand how many
it’s just supply and demand how many people by show of hands it’s actually
people by show of hands it’s actually interesting let’s start with this let’s
interesting let’s start with this let’s look establish that lying is the devil
look establish that lying is the devil and I have no interest in your head nods
and I have no interest in your head nods I want full hands ok here we go
I want full hands ok here we go how many people here now in 2016
how many people here now in 2016 actually actually hate it when another
actually actually hate it when another person another human being
person another human being calls them raise your hand raise it high
calls them raise your hand raise it high I want people look around look around
I want people look around look around raise it higher just real high please
raise it higher just real high please these are human beings our fellow human
these are human beings our fellow human beings who actually hate when another
beings who actually hate when another human being caused them let me tell you
human being caused them let me tell you why and then let me tell you why it’s
why and then let me tell you why it’s important for this conversation
important for this conversation the reason they hate it is because time
the reason they hate it is because time has become the number one asset to every
has become the number one asset to every person in this room the emerging pillar
person in this room the emerging pillar in our society besides the health and
in our society besides the health and wellness of our family and money the
wellness of our family and money the number one emerging pillar of value to
number one emerging pillar of value to everybody in this room and everybody in
everybody in this room and everybody in this conference and everybody outside is
this conference and everybody outside is time and calling somebody when they
time and calling somebody when they weren’t expecting it has now become
weren’t expecting it has now become stealing ones time because we have the
stealing ones time because we have the alternative of when that person calls
alternative of when that person calls you can say just text me just email me I
you can say just text me just email me I will call you back on my time it is my
will call you back on my time it is my belief that when I audit the sales
belief that when I audit the sales ecosystem and all the startups I’m
ecosystem and all the startups I’m involved with and all the businesses I’m
involved with and all the businesses I’m involved with that salespeople steal
involved with that salespeople steal their clients time for their vested
their clients time for their vested interests instead of reverse engineering
interests instead of reverse engineering the value of that person’s time it is in
the value of that person’s time it is in our best vested interest to send that
our best vested interest to send that email it is in our best vested interest
email it is in our best vested interest to make that phone call
to make that phone call we are not reverse engineering the fact
we are not reverse engineering the fact that these people have become busy now
that these people have become busy now another thing that’s extremely
another thing that’s extremely fascinating for me being in this room is
fascinating for me being in this room is I grew up and b2c my whole life right
I grew up and b2c my whole life right only seven years ago when I started
only seven years ago when I started vaynermedia did I
vaynermedia did I into the b2b world just for the people
into the b2b world just for the people that don’t know here I have a 650 person
that don’t know here I have a 650 person social digital agency that have grown in
social digital agency that have grown in the last four years from a three to a
the last four years from a three to a 100 million dollar business in sales not
100 million dollar business in sales not valuation and by the way that’s
valuation and by the way that’s another conversation for another
another conversation for another day and I think the thing that will be
day and I think the thing that will be interesting to a lot of people here is
interesting to a lot of people here is I’ve done that mainly on not selling
I’ve done that mainly on not selling like we don’t really do RFPs
like we don’t really do RFPs I’m not interested in selling somebody
I’m not interested in selling somebody who I would tell you my number like if
who I would tell you my number like if somebody said what’s your most religious
somebody said what’s your most religious sales tactic it is not to try to sell to
sales tactic it is not to try to sell to somebody who’s unsellable I think one of
somebody who’s unsellable I think one of the most fascinating things that I
the most fascinating things that I bought it when I look at the sales
bought it when I look at the sales ecosystem is how much people take time
ecosystem is how much people take time trying to convert somebody who’s
trying to convert somebody who’s uncomfortable yes your product might be
uncomfortable yes your product might be eight thousand times better but if that
eight thousand times better but if that bosses boss is best friend homeys with
bosses boss is best friend homeys with the alternative legacy software you
the alternative legacy software you lost and then I watch people
lost and then I watch people think that they’re gonna convert it on
think that they’re gonna convert it on merit
merit there’s no merit there’s just
there’s no merit there’s just human beings making human decisions and
human beings making human decisions and I think we need to get a lot less
I think we need to get a lot less romantic about that and start being much
romantic about that and start being much more practical about the ecosystem let
more practical about the ecosystem let me tell you another way that I’ve grown
me tell you another way that I’ve grown that business that I think as instead of
that business that I think as instead of pontificating and cursing up here let me
pontificating and cursing up here let me give you a direct tactic that I think a
give you a direct tactic that I think a lot of you guys can use a couple of
lot of you guys can use a couple of books ago because I decided to write
books ago because I decided to write those kind of things I wrote a book
those kind of things I wrote a book called the Thank You economy super
called the Thank You economy super interesting to me it’s the notion of if
interesting to me it’s the notion of if you provide so much upfront value to an
you provide so much upfront value to an individual can you actually guilt them
individual can you actually guilt them into buying especially if all your
into buying especially if all your actions are predicated on not expecting
actions are predicated on not expecting them to buy it that’s the big part when
them to buy it that’s the big part when the energy of your tactics is to convert
the energy of your tactics is to convert you will lose when your energy is to
you will lose when your energy is to disproportionally bring value and let
disproportionally bring value and let the chips fall where they may you will
the chips fall where they may you will win it will change your behavior it will
win it will change your behavior it will change the energy of the execution let
change the energy of the execution let me give you a story vaynermedia there
me give you a story vaynermedia there was a certain CMO that I really wanted
was a certain CMO that I really wanted to get to because I wanted their
to get to because I wanted their business right I don’t like doing rfp’s
business right I don’t like doing rfp’s because it’s a crap
because it’s a crap shoot and we’re not very good at him
shoot and we’re not very good at him right and I have the fortune nature of
right and I have the fortune nature of having a brand so a lot of business
having a brand so a lot of business comes to me but this one wasn’t and I
comes to me but this one wasn’t and I wanted it so I decided to follow and
wanted it so I decided to follow and this is my number one number one tactic
this is my number one number one tactic for every person this room that I am
for every person this room that I am positive that if you actually put in the
positive that if you actually put in the work and do it that you will email me
work and do it that you will email me and this is really the reason I’m giving
and this is really the reason I’m giving this is because I want you to email me
this is because I want you to email me in four months to be like hey bran I saw
in four months to be like hey bran I saw you New York at the sales machine
you New York at the sales machine conference I figured a little bit
conference I figured a little bit ridiculous but I did this thing and it
ridiculous but I did this thing and it actually worked
actually worked cool thanks that’s it that’s what I want
cool thanks that’s it that’s what I want and here’s the tactic how many people
and here’s the tactic how many people here are b2b sales raise your hand
here are b2b sales raise your hand awesome
awesome coming from B to C and now being in b2b
coming from B to C and now being in b2b and being part of companies like Buddy
and being part of companies like Buddy Media and percolated and wildfire that
Media and percolated and wildfire that we’ve had successful exits in and
we’ve had successful exits in and watching the landscape of sales in that
watching the landscape of sales in that environment I’ve done very well most
environment I’ve done very well most might be to be investments I am stunned
might be to be investments I am stunned how much easier it is to be a b2b
how much easier it is to be a b2b salesman than a b2c salesman you
salesman than a b2c salesman you literally know the name of the
literally know the name of the person you’re selling to this is a big
person you’re selling to this is a big deal this is a big deal because by
deal this is a big deal because by knowing the name in 2016 you have the
knowing the name in 2016 you have the opportunity to use big data in your
opportunity to use big data in your advantage on a micro level to create the
advantage on a micro level to create the world that you want – let me explain
world that you want – let me explain I found the CMO that I wanted on Twitter
I found the CMO that I wanted on Twitter some of the people that you’re trying to
some of the people that you’re trying to get to won’t be on Twitter they may be
get to won’t be on Twitter they may be on LinkedIn they may be on Facebook they
on LinkedIn they may be on Facebook they may be on Instagram but the fun part is
may be on Instagram but the fun part is 60 to 70 percent of your prospects are
60 to 70 percent of your prospects are on one of these platforms and putting
on one of these platforms and putting out data publicly on what they like and
out data publicly on what they like and what they’re into I follow this
what they’re into I follow this individual and I noticed that he was a
individual and I noticed that he was a humongous st. Louis Cardinals baseball
humongous st. Louis Cardinals baseball fan this is what my plan went into
fan this is what my plan went into action I started watching everything he
action I started watching everything he was tweeting about ironically I would
was tweeting about ironically I would you know I’m like a cobra in the grass
you know I’m like a cobra in the grass I’ll tell you the number one thing that
I’ll tell you the number one thing that I think really separates good
I think really separates good salespeople
salespeople from bad salespeople is patience I’m
from bad salespeople is patience I’m patient as right so I was staying
patient as right so I was staying in the grass just waiting
in the grass just waiting collecting content being patient really
collecting content being patient really mapping what he’s into paying attention
mapping what he’s into paying attention ironically it coincided with my fantasy
ironically it coincided with my fantasy baseball league right so I’m in my
baseball league right so I’m in my fantasy baseball draft I’ve got the team
fantasy baseball draft I’ve got the team I want I’ve got a couple of empty slots
I want I’ve got a couple of empty slots on the reserve thing I’m like you know
on the reserve thing I’m like you know what I’m gonna draft this up-and-coming
what I’m gonna draft this up-and-coming rookie Cardinals player for many other
rookie Cardinals player for many other reasons than just winning my fantasy
reasons than just winning my fantasy baseball team so I drafted got anybody
baseball team so I drafted got anybody any Cardinals fans in here any couple
any Cardinals fans in here any couple maybe two or three I drafted a guy by
maybe two or three I drafted a guy by name of kolten Wong infielder for the
name of kolten Wong infielder for the st. Louis Cardinals before he was even
st. Louis Cardinals before he was even in Major League Baseball and so then I
in Major League Baseball and so then I wait and I wait for kolten Wong to get
wait and I wait for kolten Wong to get up to the major leagues and I wait for
up to the major leagues and I wait for kolten Wong to do something good and
kolten Wong to do something good and then I see what I needed to him tweeting
then I see what I needed to him tweeting about kolten Wong which allowed me to
about kolten Wong which allowed me to jump into that tween say hey I’m kolten
jump into that tween say hey I’m kolten Wong that my fantasy team isn’t he
Wong that my fantasy team isn’t he awesome and he replied yeah he’s awesome
awesome and he replied yeah he’s awesome that’s it patience remember don’t close
that’s it patience remember don’t close on the first date all right so we
on the first date all right so we interact a little bit more about the
interact a little bit more about the Cardinals they’re making their playoff
Cardinals they’re making their playoff run and somewhere about three weeks
run and somewhere about three weeks later he tweets me back and says hey I
later he tweets me back and says hey I see that you’re a CEO of a digital
see that you’re a CEO of a digital agency we’re thinking about you know
agency we’re thinking about you know maybe changing up our roster a little
maybe changing up our roster a little bit is this something we could talk
bit is this something we could talk about with sure head
about with sure head [Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music] I want to give you real data here less
I want to give you real data here less than an hour of work being patient
than an hour of work being patient spread off of probably about four months
spread off of probably about four months I was able to convert that strategy into
I was able to convert that strategy into a three point six million dollar paying
a three point six million dollar paying client write sales sales but sales not
client write sales sales but sales not that look like here’s a blank email that
that look like here’s a blank email that I’m gonna blast everybody is obsessed
I’m gonna blast everybody is obsessed with scalability everybody is obsessed
with scalability everybody is obsessed with scalability and all the action and
with scalability and all the action and sales is scaling the unscalable I
sales is scaling the unscalable I believe that sales even in today’s
believe that sales even in today’s environment is still a very face-to-face
environment is still a very face-to-face game right I think a lot of us agree
game right I think a lot of us agree with that I think the biggest disconnect
with that I think the biggest disconnect from the people that just heard that in
from the people that just heard that in this room that have done that their
this room that have done that their whole lives that were like yeah hell
whole lives that were like yeah hell yeah is that they don’t realize that
yeah is that they don’t realize that technology is now the scaleable gateway
technology is now the scaleable gateway drug to the human interactions I sell
drug to the human interactions I sell I’m going to Cleveland right now after
I’m going to Cleveland right now after this there’s a basketball game I want to
this there’s a basketball game I want to see and I’m gonna sell on that plane on
see and I’m gonna sell on that plane on the way there because I’m using
the way there because I’m using technology Twitter Facebook LinkedIn and
technology Twitter Facebook LinkedIn and these platforms as a gateway drug to
these platforms as a gateway drug to create an interpersonal relationship
create an interpersonal relationship there are people I know very well that
there are people I know very well that I’ve spent very little time with in real
I’ve spent very little time with in real life but I do that through those
life but I do that through those channels and then when we see each other
channels and then when we see each other there’s a total different feeling I have
there’s a total different feeling I have for these three individuals these are
for these three individuals these are people I could never even have a
people I could never even have a relationship with without this
relationship with without this technology these are people that I
technology these are people that I haven’t met more than once I feel
haven’t met more than once I feel enormous kinship towards them and the
enormous kinship towards them and the dude with the jet Jersey because because
dude with the jet Jersey because because I’ve put in this sales work why do you
I’ve put in this sales work why do you go golfing with a client why do you eat
go golfing with a client why do you eat a steak with a client
a steak with a client why didn’t go to networking events you
why didn’t go to networking events you do it to create context at scale you do
do it to create context at scale you do it to create context the absolute closer
it to create context the absolute closer and the enabler and the jabbing and the
and the enabler and the jabbing and the flirter and the bad essence of energy is
flirter and the bad essence of energy is con
con next right if you know that girls you
next right if you know that girls you know boyfriend if you know their
know boyfriend if you know their interest in the Cardinals you have a leg
interest in the Cardinals you have a leg up on the competition it’s why you spent
up on the competition it’s why you spent time with your clients and the decision
time with your clients and the decision makers and the influencers of the
makers and the influencers of the decision makers because you are building
decision makers because you are building context what technology today does and
context what technology today does and these five or six platforms that are in
these five or six platforms that are in the current state of social media do all
the current state of social media do all at the fingertip of your phone when
at the fingertip of your phone when you’re going to take a piss or fly in a
you’re going to take a piss or fly in a Cleveland or whenever you want
Cleveland or whenever you want ultimately scalable you can do it any
ultimately scalable you can do it any time 6 p.m. 1 a.m. whenever you want
time 6 p.m. 1 a.m. whenever you want however you roll you get up early you
however you roll you get up early you get up late you can hustle in these
get up late you can hustle in these platforms and create context and the
platforms and create context and the fact of the matter is and almost nobody
fact of the matter is and almost nobody does it nobody does it because they lack
does it nobody does it because they lack patience they should you know how many
patience they should you know how many of you in this room have a point of view
of you in this room have a point of view on what Facebook or LinkedIn or Twitter
on what Facebook or LinkedIn or Twitter can do for your business and you’ve
can do for your business and you’ve never used the product it’s real
never used the product it’s real thanks for that one clap I liked it
and so we live in 2016 in a world where the majority of you when you live like a
the majority of you when you live like a normal human being and don’t put on your
normal human being and don’t put on your sales outfit for the day would never
sales outfit for the day would never convert on the actions that you take as
convert on the actions that you take as a salesperson during the work day the
a salesperson during the work day the amount of you that delete every
amount of you that delete every email that you get that is a bulk email
email that you get that is a bulk email the amount of you that will never answer
the amount of you that will never answer that phone the amount of you that would
that phone the amount of you that would net who here is super fired up to go
net who here is super fired up to go home and go through their direct mail
home and go through their direct mail carefully and so I’m fascinated by the
carefully and so I’m fascinated by the disconnect of who you are as a human
disconnect of who you are as a human being and how you act when it’s in your
being and how you act when it’s in your vested financial interest for another
vested financial interest for another human being to act the way you want
human being to act the way you want because it’s more convenient for you
because it’s more convenient for you that is the arbitrage and that will
that is the arbitrage and that will always be the arbitrage forever so many
always be the arbitrage forever so many of you have done business because of
of you have done business because of word-of-mouth right how many people here
word-of-mouth right how many people here have landed more business because of
have landed more business because of word-of-mouth from a prior transaction
word-of-mouth from a prior transaction raise your hands if you didn’t raise
raise your hands if you didn’t raise your hand you just don’t
your hand you just don’t understand or you’re lazy and that’s
understand or you’re lazy and that’s interesting too
when I think about social media all I think about it as is as the plumbing of
think about it as is as the plumbing of word-of-mouth in our society I’m
word-of-mouth in our society I’m fascinated by how much business I do
fascinated by how much business I do with somebody after I actually sell them
with somebody after I actually sell them and what I do with them to create that
and what I do with them to create that word-of-mouth versus what I did to get
word-of-mouth versus what I did to get them in the first place the enormous
them in the first place the enormous amount of energy that we all deploy as
amount of energy that we all deploy as salespeople to get the business versus
salespeople to get the business versus what we do with that business even if
what we do with that business even if it’s handed off to an account person if
it’s handed off to an account person if you were that point of reference your
you were that point of reference your ability to stay in that ecosystem and
ability to stay in that ecosystem and bring value is incredible and again I
bring value is incredible and again I implore you to understand the value of
implore you to understand the value of public data let me give you a b2c
public data let me give you a b2c scenario but you can deploy this in your
scenario but you can deploy this in your old-world wine library before Thank You
old-world wine library before Thank You economy I wanted an example for my
economy I wanted an example for my keynotes about how I was doing the Thank
keynotes about how I was doing the Thank You economy so it was very passionate
You economy so it was very passionate about having somebody buy something
about having somebody buy something online library that was inexpensive and
online library that was inexpensive and then overwhelming them with a gift
then overwhelming them with a gift based on their big data I love sports so
based on their big data I love sports so no question this is another sports story
no question this is another sports story the AI buys a case of Pinot Grigio for
the AI buys a case of Pinot Grigio for $111 we made 17 bucks
$111 we made 17 bucks on the case
on the case we had to find people with unusual names
we had to find people with unusual names because we had to find them on Twitter
because we had to find them on Twitter and this was still 2011 so finally we
and this was still 2011 so finally we found one they were having a tough time
found one they were having a tough time finding people on Twitter that were
finding people on Twitter that were buying wine for the first time I wanted
buying wine for the first time I wanted a first time customer guy buys case of
a first time customer guy buys case of Pinot Grigio in Chicago we made 11 bucks
Pinot Grigio in Chicago we made 11 bucks they find them yes they show lame like
they find them yes they show lame like Vaynerchuk you know we find them it’s
Vaynerchuk you know we find them it’s definitely him and we looked at we find
definitely him and we looked at we find his Twitter his whole Twitter stream is
his Twitter his whole Twitter stream is about Jay Cutler the quarterback of the
about Jay Cutler the quarterback of the Chicago Bears just tons of Jay Cutler I
Chicago Bears just tons of Jay Cutler I love you Jay Cutler there’s another
love you Jay Cutler there’s another great I tell the Thank You Department
great I tell the Thank You Department which is something we have at Wine
which is something we have at Wine Library which is not customer service
Library which is not customer service its offense customer services defense
its offense customer services defense Thank You Department kicks in
Thank You Department kicks in and we go and buy him a $350 Jersey
and we go and buy him a $350 Jersey signed by Jay Cutler and we send it in
signed by Jay Cutler and we send it in roi negative on that transaction I think
roi negative on that transaction I think we can all agree
we can all agree and so now I’m pumped we finally found
and so now I’m pumped we finally found somebody we sent it um you know my
somebody we sent it um you know my keynotes are coming up I’m gonna have a
keynotes are coming up I’m gonna have a great case studies gonna buy a lot of
great case studies gonna buy a lot of wine he’s gonna do something it’s gonna
wine he’s gonna do something it’s gonna be unbelievable I can’t wait to tell all
be unbelievable I can’t wait to tell all of you three weeks go by
of you three weeks go by didn’t get back to us son like what the
I’m grateful asshole so nothing I’m like
calling four times today I’m like you
sure like I know it’s in spam like get
the IT department I’m like this is
impossible nothing I’m boarding a plane
to Orlando I get a phone call Gary like
yeah they’re like we got something I’m
like finally I’m like what did he do
better look okay better they’re like
listen to this I’m like okay we just got
an order from Plano Texas
I’m like okay for $6,000 worth of red
burgundy I’m like great now that’s great
but wait to hear the note in the order
like cool dear why my brain first of all
what a great red burgundy selection you
have make sure you don’t ship this it’s
hot here hold it for a while
ship it when it’s cooler next PS you
sent my friend John a Bears Jersey the
other day when he bought some wine from
you
PSS I’m a huge Bruce Springsteen fan
for very little money
and for a solid amount of effort you
could go home from this conference and
go through your entire rolodex of
everybody that you sold something to in
the last year go on social media look at
their data and do something that shows
effort let me tell you what’s not effort
the at scale handwritten note that
wasn’t handwritten it was just a tactic
to fake effort what about actual effort
what about actually sending me something
about the Jets or root beer or Lionel
Richie because it’s very easy to figure
out I like those three things what
people are under estimating is the
word-of-mouth ecosystem that we actually
live in because this thing has changed
our behavior I don’t know if you’ve
noticed but we now have all defaulted
into this amazing notion that we should
tell the world everything about
everything always about all everything
it’s what we do for some reason
everybody needs to know our two cents on
the game last night on one of the
world’s going this is what we do we
share now you may not like it it’s the
reality of the marketplace and one thing
that people share more than anything is
when they are caught off guard or that
they can feel that somebody gave them
more effort than the market my belief is
that the greatest version of a person in
the world is a purebred salesperson let
me tell you why my definition one man’s
definition of a purebred salesperson is
one that is obsessed with providing more
value to the other person than they ask
for in return when you make that mental
shift and more importantly when your
actions start speaking that things start
to massively unlock I have built both my
very large businesses on one backbone
which is I want to know what this
person’s gonna say at my funeral I have
no interest in selling in something I
don’t believe I know for a fact that
there is a staggering percentage of
people here as they be
come educated in the market they sell in
that they actually do not believe that
their product is the best I could not
function in that environment I’m not
judging you we all have our different
paths and different things loans
mortgages respect not trying to go there
but I would tell you that when you fully
believe in what you sell through and
through it gets a hell of a lot easier
when you actually give a about the
other person more than you
it gets triple easy it gets triple easy
my friends and so I implore all of you
to understand that we are living through
a marketplace now where our consumers
have more information than ever you’re
not going to win a deal on inefficiency
of information of our consumer and so I
implore you to start producing two
things one leading with the heart and
reverse engineering what your end
consumer whether they bought from you or
their your prospect what makes them tick
above and beyond being the decision
maker of your product and number
two start thinking about the people
you’ve sold to after you’ve sold to them
and understand what they can mean to
your business by you actually caring
about them as well because they’re still
valuable to you even though you hooked up got it
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