This document outlines a self-defense course for CEOs on improving sales performance. It discusses 5 steps CEOs can take: 1) Be teachable and humble; 2) Be a true leader who inspires others; 3) Set ambitious goals and expand operations to achieve them; 4) Only hire sales experts who are willing to demonstrate their skills; 5) Get rid of or retrain non-producing salespeople. The overall message is that CEOs need to spend more time focused on sales to solve problems and dramatically increase profits.

1. Self Defense Course for C E O’s

2. Are you committing treason by giving up sales control?

3. The biggest problems CEO’s face today is the quality and performance of people selling their products. Most CEO’s spend less than 1% of their time in an area, which brings in 100% of their income.

4. Einstein:"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."

5. We confuse activity with accomplishment. We’re busy building factories, dealing with sub-trades, cash flow projections, mistakes in the field, looking for new products, meetings, working on investments and spend zero time in sales because it’s normally an area most CEO’s & CPA’s know little about.

6. Most salespeople are closing a small fraction of the customers they meet.1/4

7. Foster Cathcartformer V. P. of DuPont Corporation: On a plant tour I took the plant manager aside and asked, ‘What do you think of the corner of the plant?’ The manager responded, “it looks o.k.”, Foster replied “clean it up before it looks o.k. to me too.”

8. In order to identify problems, we need to be aware of them. We need an outside set of eyes to evaluate our companies because we build scotomas, blind spots. We become unaware and loose our objectivity. It makes my blood boil to see the mediocrity that permeates in sales offices.

9. You need to see the vision of what can be accomplished. Master the Art of Leadership, which must be caught, not taught.

10. The following 5 steps if adhered to properly will increase effectiveness and profits beyond your wildest expectations.5

11. 1Be smart enough to know that you don’t know everything. Pride is self-destruction, only a humble person can be teachable. CEO’s who are wrapped up in themselves make very small packages.

12. 1The greatest battle of life is fought within one’s own mind and heart. To be a master of yourself is the best guarantee that you will be master of the situation. The crown of character is self-control.

13. 2Be a leader. A leader has a passion for equality. We think of great generals like David and Alexander who shared their beans and water with their men, called them by name, marched along with them in the heat, slept out on the ground with them, and were first over the wall.

14. 2True leaders are inspiring because they are inspired, caught up in a higher purpose, devoid of personal ambition, idealistic, and incorruptible. No one ever managed anyone in battle, they lead them.

15. 3Set a proper goal for your company. The conversations I’ve had with CEO’s goes like this: “How many units are you planning to sell over the next 12 months?” Answer: “About X.”

16. 3The killer question is this. “If sales were not a problem, how many units could you manufacture over the next 12 months?” In all cases, CEO’s quadrupled their goal.X4

17. 3If that is your new goal, what would you have to do differently than what you are doing now to achieve it?” Answer: “I’d have to hire more salespeople, train them, increase advertising and marketing dollars, and expand my operation.”

18. 3Take the limitations off and be creative. Once you have the vision, then you can create a plan and show others. It has to start from the top, it has to start with you. The leader being the one whosets the highest example.

19. 4Be careful of experts. Do not hire anyone as a sales manager or trainer who is not willing to take a client walking in the door and make a sale, or will not pick up a telephone in front of your team and cold call.

20. 4Your company motto should be ‘Don’t tell me what to do, if you’re not going to show me.’ We need more player coaches in all industries.

21. 5Get rid of non-producers or retrain them. A salesperson’s best performance is when they are making excuses why they did not sell. The meta-message is, it’s not my fault, ads didn’t work, not enough traffic, too sunny, too cold, too hot, too rainy, too dry, too wet, not the season, wrong floor plan, etc.

22. Professor Lou PrincipeConsulted for Fortune 100 Companies, Government Agencies, Universities and they are using his programs.

23. Professor Lou PrincipeSales“I will increase your sales beyond your wildest expectations. I get paid on results,not promises!”

24. Professor Lou Principe251-367-7953Lou@LouPrincipe.comwww.LouPrincipe.com