Carson V. Heady's Blog, page 76
October 27, 2014
Sunset Overdrive Midnight Launch
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Awesomepocalypse Now
Midnight Launch
Microsoft St. Louis Galleria
October 27th, 10PM-12AM
Parkour your way through a post-apocalyptic playground full of hilarious possibilities. Come join us at the Microsoft retail store in your best cosplay costumer for the launch of Sunset Overdrive! Free and Early Game Play kicks off at 10pm on Monday, October 27. Be one of the first customers to pick up your copy of Sunset Overdrive to receive exclusive SWAG, giveaways and more!
Play Sunset Overdrive in store starting at 10 P.M.
Enjoy food and play games to receive a raffle ticket to score additional prizes – one lucky winner will receive an exclusive Sunset Overdrive bundle and other awesome prizes
Get your copy at midnight
The first 50 people to pick up their pre-order will get an exclusive Sunset Overdrive shirt*
*Limited offer. Valid 10/27/2014 – 10/28/2014 only for first 100 customers who purchase per select location (Bellevue Square, The Streets at Southpoint, Century City, Dadeland Mall, Mall of America, Metropolis at Metrotown) and 50 customers per remaining Full Line store and 25 customers per Specialty Store. Available in select Microsoft retail stores in US (including Puerto Rico) and Canada. Valid with purchase of Sunset Overdrive for Xbox One October 27 (or for customers show proof of purchase from the Microsoft retail store 10/27-10/28). Not combinable with other offers. Price discount does not include taxes, shipping or other fees. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Microsoft reserves the right to modify or discontinue offers at any time. Limit 1 per customer with proof of purchase.
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June 28, 2014
5 Things Your Job Search Can’t Afford to be Missing
Do any of these sound familiar?
“I applied to a job I’d be perfect for, but I haven’t heard back!”
“I’ve applied to a ton of jobs online, but haven’t gotten any interviews!”
“I did great in that interview – why didn’t I get a call back?”
If they do, you are not alone.
No matter how hard you try to avoid it, you will likely face the daunting job search at some point in your career – often through no fault of your own. With the new age of ever-changing and evolving company landscapes, the likelihood of staying with one company your entire career is about that of your favorite athlete sticking with one team for theirs. It’s possible, however unlikely.
That said, there are steps you can take to enhance your chances of success.
1.) Realize that many others are applying to the same job you are. Stand out! It’s a process of elimination and survival of the fittest, and the folks in human resources simply do not have the chance to call or invite in all 1,000 people who applied. They have a system to weed out resumes that do not feature the exact specifications they are looking for. No offense, but you won’t make the cut for every job – not even the ones that sound perfect for you to you. Make a video resume. Make your resume sparkle with actual numbers and results so a potential employer reads it and says, “Hey, I want them working for me!” No resume will get to every decision-maker, but you can increase your odds right out of the gates by being ahead of the curve. Send “thank you’s” every single time. Follow up after a handful of days to reiterate your interest. Be the best one in all areas and you give yourself the best shot.
2.) Rather than leave your fate in the hands of the HR system’s shredders, focus on networking with those who actually make the final decisions. Not all jobs are posted, and not all decision-makers see your resume; in this day and age, with mediums like LinkedIn or with referrals in the company you are targeting or with networking events, you can actually connect with the powers that be. Do not leave your destiny up to anyone other than the person calling the shots – that’s the one you want to dazzle. And don’t go straight for the sale of getting an interview; request a meeting or call whereby you can gain advice on where you could fit in their business. If they like you after this respectful approach, it could very well become the interview you seek.
3.) Play the numbers’ game. Far too often, I’ve heard folks say, “I applied to three jobs but haven’t heard anything!” No kidding! Your odds of landing a job – specifically one you applied for online – could be roughly 1 in 1,000 or worse. That isn’t meant to sound discouraging; it’s meant to convince you to do everything you can to up your probability of landing one. Apply to as many as you can, with the best resume possible and with the best networking mechanisms at your disposal.
4.) Be patient. You will likely get interviews or offers for jobs you do not want. If it isn’t what you want to be doing for the foreseeable future, don’t commit to it. Taking a massive hit to your income now when you could keep searching and find the right fit will just wind you right back at the beginning. Trust me; I’ve never compromised in my search and I’ve always been rewarded for following the right process.
5.) Do not discriminate against any potential opportunities or methods of applying to jobs. If you restrict your search to strictly one online career board, you are missing out on so many others. A simple online search will yield multiple other ways to search. Furthermore, just because a job does not necessarily pique your interest up front doesn’t mean that further investigation of that role or company or the people you can meet will not bear later fruit. Check out everything: if it’s not a way to improve yourself, move on. But it very well could be.
The job search can be a time of reassessing our career and finding something we can really sink into. When we struggle in the search is when we lose sight of the aforementioned process that works – do not let anything deter you from making the right moves so you land in the right place.
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Carson V. Heady has written a sales/leadership book within a gripping business conspiracy novel entitled “Birth of a Salesman” with a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be.
If you would like to strengthen your sales, leadership and career skills, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICRVMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_yGXKtb0G28TWF
Are these 3 Things Preventing Your Growth and Success?
We typically have the best of intentions. So how and why do things go awry?
Whether it’s re-dedicating ourselves to health and fitness on January 1 or re-focusing in our career, many of us wind up off track relatively quickly. We start making excuses, we tell ourselves it isn’t that big of a deal and we remain mired in mediocrity.
But it can be prevented.
Lack of clear focus and priorities – No journey can begin without a destination, lest we wind up wandering around aimlessly. Integral to the mission is formulation of a specific, targeted goal for which you can map a plot and consistently charge toward the desired result.
Your goal should revolve around needs and wants, be it in career path, health and wellness or personal relationships. It should lie heavily rooted in something you strongly desire, because that desire must keep burning no matter what comes along to fan its flames. No matter how strong your desire or resolve, it will be challenged many times by unforeseen forces and you must want this badly enough to fend them all off and endure.
Over-thinking and second-guessing – Doubt and self consciousness and worry and wondering if we can accomplish our goals and are doing the right things will plague us along the way. It’s normal, but little can really prepare you for these brick walls you will encounter along the way. Typically, after setting a goal, your sheer will propels you through those first days and potentially weeks unfettered. Nevertheless, after that initial burst, you will start to encounter roadblocks of various natures, and you have to plow through them one by one; your passion, your strength of commitment, your character and your discipline are the only things that can ensure you do.
Thinking too much or wondering if your goals are realistic have no place here; you already set the goal for a reason, right? Did you really want or need it, or not? Once you have committed to a viable, vital goal, you must revisit your commitment in times of doubt and re-commit yourself; sometimes many times over.
Negative outside forces – Your lack of focus can also be attributed to people who do not understand your drive and determination, who are jealous of it, who do not want to see you successful, who want to keep you on their level of mediocrity or misery. Don’t let them! Those who really care for you and your journey will emerge just as those who have no place in your life will set themselves apart. When you recognize negativity in thoughts and other people, dismiss and expunge it from your consciousness and life as rapidly as possible. There is no place for this in your life and these forces and people will only keep you down.
Setting attainable goals, accomplishing benchmarks along the way and committing to excellence all while enduring the setbacks along the way is the only way to achieve happiness and success. Whatever your brand of those results, you will reach them once you can effectively control these three greatest hindrances.
Success and happiness are there – you just have to go after them and keep going after them until they are yours.
*****************************************************************************************
Carson V. Heady has written a sales/leadership book within a gripping business conspiracy novel entitled “Birth of a Salesman” with a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be.
If you would like to strengthen your sales, leadership and career skills, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICRVMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_yGXKtb0G28TWF
June 7, 2014
Originally posted on 
May 30, 2014
I’m not in the saving business. I don’t wear a uniform or...
I’m not in the saving business. I don’t wear a uniform or a cape.
So why do they expect me to be their escape?
All the glory-seeking, ego and showboating, I’m past.
So why can’t I find a peace that will last?
Pain is nearly constant; the damage has been great.
All the sacrifices, the heartache and drama… is this my fate?
Resist as I might, life is swallowing me whole.
My willpower gone, energy shot and I’m circling the bowl.
Its constant barrage of punches knocked me down to the mat.
Yet for some reason, I’m too stupid to stay where I’m at.
So persevere and endure and pray for strength I must.
I won’t need, can’t think, don’t trust.
Faith in all but God is at zero.
Who saves the reluctant hero?
March 27, 2014
For a limited time, BIRTH OF A SALESMAN is 99 CENTS!
For a limited time only, the original BIRTH OF A SALESMAN is just 99 CENTS on Kindle!
February 27, 2014
Want to Grow Your Business?
What if I told you could take your business to the next level of success this year? That you can achieve the big results you want for yourself and your company.
No more struggle, or frustration or defeat…rather, measured growth, focused results and more money in your bank account.
I know, you’ve heard these promise before from people who haven’t always lived up to your expectations. But this is different. Very different. In fact, it’s extraordinary.
Because I’ve got just the ticket for you to truly catapult your ability to be a “Business Growth Rock Star” in 2014.
Really?
So…what’s the catch?
Well it’s simple. To be even more successful, you simply MUST know a handful of game-changing strategies that can be implemented immediately with an eye toward greater profitability.
That’s why I’m thrilled to tell you that I, along with 21 other highly-sought after guest experts are revealing ALL of the business growth secrets that are working in 2014 in a 100% FREE VIRTUAL TELE-SUMMIT.
Grab your FREE Ticket right here: http://bit.ly/1jPPk2Q
Join me and renowned experts Patty Farmer, Kevin Eikenberry, Libby Gill, Richard Krawczyk, Steve Sipress, Arvee Robinson, David Hancock, Sheri Kay Hoff, Jim Elgin, Daniel Brusilovksy and many more for:
************
THE ULTIMATE BUSINESS GROWTH SUMMIT – THE ART AND SCIENCE OF EXTRAORDINARY BUSINESS GROWTH
March 4 – March 19, 2014
Hosted by my friend and colleague, Jean Oursler
Grab your FREE PASS here: http://bit.ly/1jPPk2Q
**********
Here’s just a sneak peek at what we’re going to be covering:
• The 3 keys to attracting a non-stop flood of ideal clients
• What are the most valuable activities to growing your business
• Decoding Online Marketing to increase sales
• What 3 speeches every Business Owner and Entrepreneur need to have to attract more business
• What are the vital steps to make sure our sales are heading in the right direction.
• How to harness the power of belief, behavior and accountability to double income
• What is the blueprint to successful marketing your business
• How to align the energy of your business to maximize impact and profits
This teleconference is equivalent to a $100,000 mentor mastermind, and it’s yours for free. We’re putting our money where our month is and giving our time and expert advice.
And not only do you get free access to all of the trainings, each speaker has a FREE RESOURCE/GIFT for you too — filled with real actionable information and insights to produce results FAST.
Register here: http://bit.ly/1jPPk2Q
I urge you to join the thousands around the world for this one-of-a kind virtual telesummit. You won’t be disappointed!
Carson
P.S. If you know me at all, you know that I only participate in the highest caliber events and trainings.
You owe it to yourself to just take a look at the incredible line-up of speakers and the never-before secrets and strategies they’ll be revealing about dynamic business growth for you and your company.
December 13, 2013
Sales: The Real Oldest Profession (Introductory Chapter to “The Salesman Against the World”)
In the annals of history, one common philosophy, one common thread and one common attribute binds together multiple facets of all professions, walks of life and means of communication. That commonality, pulsating through every vein of humankind is the psychology of sales.
While the pushy and the unethical in the trade give the love a bad name, “sales” itself is a necessary trait in communication – business and personal – and its characteristics are woven deeply into the very fabric of our existences.
Sales is the oldest profession in the world because it is in who we are, what we do, how we act and how we go about our daily lives.
Basic communication in business and personal relationships boils down to listening, asking specific questions, and learning how we can cure what ails those who come into our lives. Whether we are teaching or being taught, providing a customer service or receiving one, or we are enjoying some of the finest things in life, sales is involved – be it out in the open or behind the scenes.
To teach others, in whatever setting, the audience must be considered – what do they need? How can I meet those needs? From there, follow-up is required – is the curriculum taking care of the clientele in the best means possible?
To provide a service – hotel, restaurant, automobile – the potential customer is the central figure of the universe. What are they looking for in accommodations, amenities or appetizers?
Then, the “selling body” – be it a university, a hotel chain, restaurant chain, major corporation or a Mom and Pop store – must show that potential customer that they are the winning choice. They have to prove themselves to be the best fit for that need.
Supply and demand has been around since the dawn of time. The gathering and hunting, bartering and trading, negotiations amongst peoples – these are common themes in all eras of mankind. Sales tactics and techniques, listening, communicating and putting the “customer” at ease that we have their best interests at heart, understand their situation and are the answer when it comes to satisfaction of said needs go hand in hand.
Whatever profession you are in, whatever relationships you are a part of and whatever your daily routine, these same principles will be utilized regularly. You may think you want to distance yourself from the sales game, but that is where you are wrong; the day will never arrive where we are no longer called upon to sell something to someone. It could be selling your significant other on the restaurant for the evening, your child on using the potty as opposed to his/her diaper to do their business, or dazzling a potential employer to hire you – face it: that is sales.
The best at it can create a lot of opportunities in his/her life, so, no matter what your calling, station in life or aspirations, you should never stop striving to learn and conquer the selling game.
At its core, like the world we live in, sales is an honorable domain – a psychology and human understanding so intertwined with our daily lives that its essence is evident in many of the things we do and say.
While the world is full of evil elements and decay, you can put the windows down and drive south on the interstate with the sunlight beating down and the wind in your hair and all of those things go away – if even for a moment. There is enough beauty in the world to keep ourselves waking up every day. There is enough beauty in sales to keep us waking up to it every day as well; sometimes we just have to look a little harder to find it in the people we work with, the lessons we’ve learned and successes we’ve achieved.
Capitalism in its purest, utopian form makes our world function monetarily; supply and demand, meeting customer needs and servicing the customer effectively and with care keep the machine finely tuned. However, just like the world, when the seven deadly sins – namely greed – enter the picture, anything can take a turn for the worst.
It is our duty, as noble knights of the selling profession, to keep honor in the game. True salespeople are not cheaters, not liars, and not human manipulators; they are listeners, they are givers and they are more concerned with putting the needs of the many in front of their own. Unfortunately, there are a lot of unscrupulous salespeople, managers and above in the selling game. Our prime directive, however, is to maintain discipline and integrity and ethics in what is a sometimes dirty game.
Just as the world is not inherently bad or evil, neither is sales. A few bad apples give the orchard a lousy name. Always remember: we have a holy trinity of sales to satisfy on every transaction – be it a solitary call or visit, a negotiation or a long-lasting relationship. The customer, the company and the salesperson must be satisfied on every deal; short-change any of those three and the result is an unhealthy sales balance. Someone unnecessarily suffers.
Many companies talk out of both sides of their mouths; they dismiss shady selling out of one side, but on the other they promote it by doing nothing about it or commending great performances that were brought about unethically. Stay strong. Find ways to creatively weave everything into your arsenal without crossing the line. Once you cross, there is no going back. And superior, ethical sales can be accomplished.
Remember: we are compensated to make money for our company. This does involve knowing all of the nooks and crannies and idiosyncrasies of the playing field. It can involve manipulation of the playing field – but never manipulation of the customer or company.
Much of sales can be the words we choose to use, handling sales objections, overcoming fear and usage of statistics to further our cause of satisfying that holy trinity. However, when you start skipping steps, when you bend the rules, fudge the numbers, tell half-truths and slick your way to the sale, no one wins.
Think about it: sure, you may get to mark that stick tally on the board today and ring the bell. You may get that pat on the back from your boss. But when the product or service fails to deliver for the customer, who wins? When you or your company or your goods get a bad name because of that failure, who wins? What will be the potential fallout in the black eye of a faulty reputation?
The best salespeople see the big picture of all of their words, actions and strategies. And, in the end, no one wins (least of all the honor of the selling game) if you or anyone else gives sales a bad name.
Treat the selling game well and it will reciprocate.
December 9, 2013
TRAINING – The Biggest Miss in the Selling Game
We can be great at sales, strong at leadership and have the best of intentions. Yet if we fail to properly train and – more importantly – follow up to ensure the material sinks in and is consistently executed upon into the future, we fail as individuals, as teams and businesses.
We have seen it dozens of times: a new initiative is unleashed, we undertake continuation training on a component of our business or we embark on initial training in an organization… and the ball is dropped. This can take multiple forms: unorganized curriculum, hapless material, lack of engagement from trainer or the presentation and failure to track successes, follow up and ensure longterm success.
Let’s begin with initial training, as it is typically chronologically first in the cycle.
Always remember that training – at any stage in the game – is an investment in your people. It is necessary we take the needed time, invest the proper resources and ensure success for it – every step of the way.
When you train your workforce for the first time, they are in many ways a blank canvas. You can never assume your team knows anything about the business you want them to master, the customer base they will be satisfying and the tools needed with which to accomplish that goal. Training needs to be comprehensive and informative, but it must also be engaging, enlightening and hopefully entertaining.
There are stark contrasts in the spectrum; some training classes are arduous and strictly academic, with reading through text and mechanically going through the motions of the material. Other training sessions include games, skits and humor. Neither are completely right or wrong; finding a mix of the two is ideal to grab the attention of your audience, keep it and fill their minds with knowledge that you want them to retain.
There are also multiple schools of thought on the duration of training; do not skimp this initial investment into your team. Research and workforce surveys reveal that lack of training is often one of the largest complaints across occupations. We are certainly in a rush to get our teams out into battle, but failing to arm them with the arsenal necessary to join the front lines will not bode well.
What are the most important ingredients to your future team’s success? What must they know? Like raising children, we can never give them everything they will encounter; their best learning comes in the field. Nevertheless, it is our duty to prepare them for the experiences they will face.
Make the itinerary first. Map out your syllabus with an approach conducive to adding pieces to the arsenal in an order that makes sense and increases the likelihood of retention. Like anything, build a strong foundation.
Your team needs to know about the company they have enlisted in. They need to understand the innovation of the products and services, the target audience and why people need what you provide. They need to know the benefits of the products and services. They need to know what they will face – scenarios, examples of types of situations they will encounter, and mixing in field work with a partner already in the field can greatly enhance their learning.
We often see training curriculums that are either too long or too short; avoid those pitfalls by mapping out a learning plan which sticks to exactly what is needed. Arm your team with the essentials of knowledge about the business, the products and services, the customer base and their responsibilities. Make it fun. Give some down time to digest the information; provide breaks in the action so they can take a step away and not be overwhelmed.
Selecting the trainer is another core ingredient in this mix; finding someone conducive to deliver this message who has credibility in the field is vital to the success – especially in initial training. Companies will often bring in someone they deem to be an effective trainer because they have trained in other environments, however this can have poor results if they themselves are not properly adapted and assimilated into the new material. Training the trainer is just as important if not moreso than training the team; this is the face and general who will be prepping new recruits for battle in the weeks, months and years to come. Make that choice wisely and prepare them fully for that responsibility.
No matter what business you are in, continuation training will prove to be necessary at many times along the path. We are constantly evolving, new products are introduced to the marketplace and our consumers’ needs change. Our people are also often on different places in the learning curve and we need them adept at fielding queries and proactively promoting everything in our product line. Continuation training enhances existing knowledge with your workforce, is an investment into future results with that knowledge and also helps build longterm growth and success.
Continuation training can take many forms. It can be a one-day crash course pulse check seeing where your team’s knowledge is and apprising them of what’s new in the hot topic. It can be a week-long event that drastically shapes their knowledge on your hot topic. Or it can be a daily or weekly meeting or conference call, regular correspondence and communication with your workforce and following up to make sure you are getting the desired results.
I am a firm believer in over-communication; it goes hand-in-hand with the fact you never take for granted what your team knows, remembers or how they would approach a new situation. It is the job of a leader or trainer to prepare the team, anticipate obstacles and bestow the knowledge necessary to barrel through or jump over those hurdles. When we painstakingly communicate these things regularly, find new ways of talking about the same vital things and we inspect the results to ensure it is working, we manage to plug gaps in the knowledge and savvy of our teams.
Ladies and gentlemen: the biggest miss in effective training is tracking the results and following up to ensure the process is consistent and the knowledge is retained.
To what level are we holding our trainings and trainers accountable? On the flip side, are we putting too much on their shoulders and putting them to task for things way outside their jurisdiction?
No matter how well we prepare our teams or cover the material, things will change. Important nuggets of information will get lost in the shuffle of the daily minutiae. More new things will come to the table to further compound our mission.
Also, the needs of our workers will change; perhaps we tweak our training to make sure it is up-to-date in its quest to adequately satisfy the people it serves. Perhaps we examine the employee retention of a training class to make sure we have prepared people appropriately. We survey our trainees and teams to utilize their first-hand knowledge and experience as we reform our training curriculum. We use exit interviews to get further feedback on where training and continuation training can fit more and more into the job.
In short, we examine the needs of our people and audience and equip them with everything they need to follow the process; when it changes, we once again bring them back to the table, re-equip and regroup.
What results are our people having after leaving these training courses? How are we tracking this? Look at the results of the performers for the first quarter after leaving training. Look at the sample group’s results in the weeks following a training day or week and examine those results versus those in preceding days in the same metrics. The digital age has made it all the easier to keep account of every possible result and component of the job and our employees’ performances. Use this information to hold yourself accountable to provide the best training – and follow-up – possible.
Evaluation and holding trainers and yourself accountable to deliver the best possible training will up the accountability and results. Actually planning the curriculum, and doing so around the pressing needs of your organization and teams will keep the material relevant to the task at hand. Making sure the course is illuminating and entertaining at the same time will keep the atmosphere light yet focused on absorption. Re-convening with the team regularly to revisit the topics and study realtime results will make sure the effects of training last for a long, long time.
