Grant Cardone's Success Blog

By Grant Cardone, Sales Expert and Author

I met with Howard Shultz, founder and CEO of Starbucks, last week. I flew to Orlando from Los Angeles where Mr. Starbucks was holding small town-hall style meeting to a group of his customers. It is amazing to see a guy like Howard Shultz take the time to meet with, listen to, get feedback, and be open to what his customers like and don't like about going to Starbucks.

What he is doing is further validation of how to expand even during periods of contraction.  You don't retreat during contractions you expand. The media has scared almost everyone into pure retreat without any solutions about what to do! When I speak to management and business owners, the second step I talk about in responding to economic contraction is the one people are not doing effectively.  You must increase your spending of energy, resources and creativity on anything that can potentially create new opportunities to produce revenue.  This is one of the major mistakes people are making today as they become scared and contract (stop) on everything. People in this country haven't just stop spending money; they have stopped spending their energy and creativity on solutions.  People unconsciously started conserving everything, when the reality is you should be spending money, energy and resources on ALL activities that may create new opportunities and new revenue. 

If you notice six months ago Mr. Shultz's first action was to identify stores that weren't producing and shut them down. That is the first step I talk about in my book Sell to Survive. Most of America has already done (overdone) this first step but have not moved on to the more important steps.

After cutting back Mr. Shultz is now moving onto his first expansion action by making contact with those in his powerbase. Notice he is now spending money, energy and resources by reactivating his powerbase.  This exact step is discussed in detail in Sell to Survive.  This step is crucial during all times, but especially during contractions!

If Mr. Shultz, approximate worth of a $1billion, can do this and finds it necessary to do so, then shouldn't you?   He has 166,000 employees and over 4,000 stores in 43 countries.  You think you don't have enough time.  These meetings are being held between 7pm and 10pm making for a very long day for him.  The fact that you are still working the same schedule that you did in the past is ridiculous and non-survival.

The economy we are presently in is a "game changer". If you don't change your behavior and apply the right actions you will be punished.  The economy will discipline and punish all those that don't get their head on right, take the right actions, and then take those actions in the right quantities.  There exists an exact and precise step-by-step formula for surviving economic contractions and you need to know them and use them.

1. Stop all expenditures and activities that are not productive and not driving in revenue
2. Increase the use of money, energy, and resources on ALL activities that may create new opportunities and new revenue
3. Put aside yesterday's successes and the memories of "better times"
4. Realize that the game has changed and it is not "business as usual"
5. Learn everything you can about selling and promotion so that you will be motivated to sell

So stop retreating, and start expanding! Do what successful people like Howard Shultz do, get in the game with these actions, and learn how to expand through economic contraction.

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By Grant Cardone, Sales Expert and Author

Warren Buffett said on his recent CNBC interview, "During times like these the most valuable asset you have is your skills and abilities."  He spent three hours with Beck Quick talking about the economy, his investments, and the future of America. If you haven't seen the interview watch it because he demonstrates a sane approach and solution to the current situation.

I noticed two things about the interview, 1) Mr. Buffett thinks in futures not just in the havoc of the moment and 2) he takes every opportunity to "sell" the products and services as well as enhance the value of the company he owns. 

Warren Buffett knows that without selling products and services his companies become without value. Whether its American Express, Coca Cola, Wells Fargo, See's Candy, Wal-Mart or GE, he takes the time to shamelessly tout each one of them.   Why does a Billionaire continue to promote, market and sell the value of the companies he has major stakes in?  Because even the richest man in the world knows that the financial solvency of a company or household is dependent upon selling the products, services and value of that company.

Every household in America needs to take heed of Mr. Buffett as he embraces selling as a survival skill for creating the future you want.   Selling is innate in every person and not limited to just some, even though the skill may be lost or suppressed, it is there.

America has developed a disdain for selling when this is the one single thing you cannot avoid if you want to have money in the bank!  Every major problem people are having today from job loss to bankruptcy can be traced back to the inability to sell yourself, your products and your services.  Show me a company failing and I will show you a company having difficulty selling their products and services. Like it or not you cannot manage, organize, save or plan your way out of this, you can only sell to survive! 

The tighter the economy gets the more this skill is needed.  Remember what Buffet said, "During times like these the most valuable asset you have is your skills and abilities." The ability to not just create great ideas but to sell them and get them into the market is what made America great and prosperous.  In the 50 and 60's people were proud to be sales people and now the culture turns its nose up at the thought of it. Everyone wants to be a lawyer, doctor, technician or engineer.  The largest legal firm in the country just laid off 20% of their lawyers and I assure you that the ones that got laid off had one thing in common; the inability to bring in revenue (sell).

The art of selling can be learned by anyone and you don't have to change your personality in order to do so. Look at Buffett, he isn't sleazy, high pressure or a fast talker. He is just someone that knows that selling is critical to the survival of individuals and companies.

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By Grant Cardone, Sales Expert and Author

Warren Buffet says, "The best asset you have during tough times is your personal skills and abilities."

If you are the best doctor, chiropractor, car dealer, actor, sales person, manager or whatever you call yourself, and are able to close the deal, you always command a certain percentage of the resources where you live and work!

"Closing" is the final step in the pursuit of ANY goal. This thing called closing is not just something that sales people do but something that applies to every person. Nothing truly happens until you are able to engender the support, energy and resources of others. As harsh as it may seem the close is what separates those who have from those who have from those who don't have. This critically and vital ability is what differentiates the dreamer from the exceptional individual that makes dreams come true.

The world is filled with people who have grand dreams of new products or ideas that will change the world that never become reality simply because the dreamer couldn't close others on supporting their dream. The world is abundant with grand ideas and big dreams and short on people who can close others on funding, supporting and getting behind them! It is the ability to close that makes a difference more than any other skill you will learn in life!

You think that is an overstatement but the only reason you know the names of people like; Christopher Columbus, Ben Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, John Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Walt Disney, Mother Theresa, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Colonel Sanders, Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama are because they were able to close others on their ideas. They were able to instill support from others so they could get their ideas backed with money, energy and effort.

The art of closing is not confined to sales people but is a needed skill of anyone that wants to move their ideas, dreams, products and services into the marketplace. Closing is vital for anyone that simply wants a job, wants to keep their job, or improve their finances.

My new book, The Closer's Survival Guide, is not a theory of closing the deal, but exactly HOW to close the deal including the 20 major rules of closing and over 120 exact closes that you can use every day!

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AUTO DEALERS CRITICAL TO YOUR CITY'S TAX REVENUE
by Grant Cardone

(The Car-Done Bill, below, has already been viewed by over one million people. Please forward this to every auto dealer you know and your state representatives so that auto dealers are properly represented in Washington.)

Retail auto dealers are critical and vital to the survival of your city, county, and state tax revenues. This country's economy is ultimately more dependent upon the survival of your local auto dealer than even the much publicized auto manufacturers. Without dealers buying and selling product no plan to assist the manufactures will be successful.

Auto dealers generate the much needed revenue to city, county and state budgets with some municipalities receiving as much as 30% of all tax revenue from the tax revenue generated from auto sales. Newspaper, TV and radio advertising are dependent upon the dollars auto dealers spend in order to fill their papers and ad time.

Auto dealers represent main street-middle class America providing over one million managerial, mechanics, technicians and sales positions. These jobs range from minimum wage to very high paying management salaries including bonuses and commissions providing for incomes at the middle-class level that would not be otherwise available.

In 2008, 128 car dealerships closed in the state of California while registrations of new cars and light trucks declined 23%. The much depended upon tax revenue dropped as much as 30% in some of those cities.

If car dealers are unable to purchase new cars from the manufacturers the factories will reduce output, entire industries dependent upon manufactures will fail, more jobs will be lost and more importantly, cities dependent upon that tax revenue will bleed red ink. This will negatively impact those services we all take for granted such as schools, hospitals, police and fire departments, teachers salaries, water systems, utilities and more.

Auto dealers are some of the best and most basic examples of the entrepreneurial spirit in this country and as they succeed or fail so does middle class America and the infrastructure of the cities we live.

'The Car-Done Bill' proposes that Auto Dealers with be provided immediate but temporary federal tax credits for any and all new or used car purchases for the entire year of 2009. Consumers would also be provided with temporary tax credits up to 15,000. These incentives would create a tremendous and practical stimulus, pumping much needed tax dollars into the city and state coffers without costing the American taxpayer a dime. This is not a bail out this is a stimulus. Remember without the tax revenues municipalities around the country will further strain the Federal Government because when communities run out of money they go to the state and when the state runs out they go to the Federal Government. The financial viability of the city and state you live in depend on the financial health of your local retail car dealers.

Grant Cardone, is NOT an Auto Dealer but a Concerned Citizen

CLICK HERE TO SEE Grant Fight for Auto Dealers on Fox TV

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Individual households and businesses have a majority of their attention on how to cut expenses, but that will not IMPROVE their financial situation during a recession. In fact, if you only cut expenses and do nothing else, you will actually get further behind. You MUST find ways to increase revenue for your household and your business as this is the only way to improve your financial situation. The government will not be able to bail out the common man.

It is critical that your money, energy, resources and time be invested in projects that add to the revenue of your household or your company. If there is no potential to add revenue, then DO NOT do it. If it has the potential to drive revenue, sales, or income-- do it and do it over and over again!

Also do NOT pass on any opportunity to drive revenue even if you have to make allowances that you would not have considered in other years. We are in a "new world" and it may require for you to do some things you would not have done in the "old world". This may include the price you are willing to accept for your product or service or even a job you may have to take to keep moving your finances in the right direction. Don't let your pride get in the way of keeping the flow of income moving in the right direction!

Also, you have many resources other than money, and they need to be leveraged. Some of these include time, focus, attitude, willingness, work ethic, creativity, your family, your name, reputation, connections, and more. The recession has not affected your most valuable assets, so you must use them.

In 2009 be willing to do the following:

1) Do those things that other households or businesses are UNWILLING to do. Go where others will not go and do what others refuse to do. Those that do will survive, and those that do not will find themselves in a worsening state of financial affairs. Maybe the kids need to contribute by washing cars or your employees are following people home in order to make "the sale". Be willing to do what others are unwilling to do so that your financial situation doesn't go backwards.

2) Seek out problems to solve. Most people retreat in the face of problems when the reality is that problems are opportunities. Those that solve problems for others in the upcoming year will be rewarded. There is no shortage of problems, which means there is no shortage of opportunities. Let's say you have a vacant foreclosure in your neighborhood. Bring together the other neighbors and create a TIC, (tenant in common), and purchase the house and rent it out. This will protect your neighborhood, the pricing of your real estate, provide all of you with income and position you and your neighbors with the potential for future profits.

3) Keep your attention on what you can do to move yourself, your family and your business forward regardless of what the economy or the government does. You can only cut your budgets so much before you will realize that you have to produce in order to protect yourself. What you focus on is what you get. So stay focused on what you can DO instead of what you should stop doing!!

Grant Cardone, Author of "Sell to Survive". 800-368-5771 // gc@grantcardone.com

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