► 2. Show appreciation.
A lot of people think “selling” something is all about “getting” something from others. That’s partly true. But one of the most effective ways to “sell” is to “give appreciation.”
Perhaps no one does it better than legendary football player Peyton Manning. He is truly a man of letter … the handwritten kind. As Manning puts it, “I don’t know who qualifies for a letter, necessarily. It’s probably just somebody I played against for a long time or guys who played the game the right way.”
Former All-Pro safety John Lynch said he treasures the letter he got from Manning upon his retirement in 2008. “I was so touched that the very first letter I got when I retired was from Peyton,” Lynch said. “It was a handwritten note that meant more than the gift ever was. He sent a case full of Silver Oak. It meant so much to me because of the respect I have for him. I still don’t drink it. So there’s a case of Silver Oak in my wine cellar to this day from him.”
Manning said the habit of writing letters, as opposed to relying exclusively on email, is a holdover from childhood. “My mother sent me an article one day on the fact that the handwritten letter was becoming a lost art in the text-messaging and e-mail world,” he said. “My mom said, ‘Hey, just so you know, when sending a thank-you note, if someone hosted you at their home, or sent a wedding gift, or a thank-you gift, an e-mail is not acceptable. A handwritten letter is what you must write. So I’ve got to give credit to her.”
When Manning was in high school, he was flooded with recruiting letters from college coaches. The first thing he would do when he read a hand-signed one was lick his thumb and rub the signature to see if it smeared, checking if the autograph was penned or stamped.
“I remember when I got my first handwritten letter from [former Florida State coach] Bobby Bowden, telling me he really enjoyed watching me play,” he said. “Boy, it had a big impact on me. He took the time to write that letter. I knew it wasn’t his assistant writing it.”
It was the showing of appreciation that “sold” Peyton on joining certain football teams. And it was the showing of appreciation to others in the football industry that “sold” them on Peyton.
Scott Jerabek from the Bayer Crop Service learned that at my Journey-to-the-Extraordinary experience. Scott said, “Thank you for the outstanding experience at your Journey and for the positive changes that I’ve been able to make. By just using one of your techniques, exhibiting an attitude of gratitude, I’ve broken through some barriers in my career as a professional salesperson. And I’ve been able to improve, really improve, two of my tougher customer relationships. On top of all that, your Journey gave me the tools to maintain a positive mental attitude and build my self-esteem. Thank you again.”
Scott learned how to “sell” or “get more cooperation” by giving more appreciation. I invite you to join my next and last public offering of my Journey-to-the-Extraordinary program coming March 31-April 1, 2021. Register during the month of November and save hundreds.
Final Thought: Over the years, the words have changed a bit, but the sentiment hasn’t. I remember my grandparents asking, “What does it take to get a little cooperation around here?” I remember my parents and first boss wondering, “How do I get people to do what I want them to do?” And today we use the more “sophisticated” word of “engagement.”
They all mean pretty much the same thing. It all comes down to “selling” yourself and your ideas. You’ve just learned two more ways to do that.
