3 Sales Lessons from The Airport TSA Agent
I just spent the last 5 days in southern California recruiting agents, training existing agents and selling a few policies. (9 in fact, for a measly $7,142 in annual premium). Anyway, my return flight out of the Long Beach airport is usually smooth but after traffic and my inability to locate a freaking gas station (to fill up the rental car so Budget doesn’t charge me $15 a gallon) my time was pressed.
Upon arriving at the airport 1 hour before my departure I arrived at the security check line to find a WAVE of inpatient travelers all looking to clear as quickly as possible. What took place in the next 20 minutes paralleled 3 sales lessons to NEVER forget!
The line for the security check had to have 75-100 people in it. All trying to make the same flights. I was near the back of the line with the other boneheads who didn’t budget their time wisely. After impatiently waiting several minutes and checking my watch every 30 second, I wondered if I would make my flight.
The TSA agent in the front yelled, “There are two lines, move ahead.” Every person in front of me looked at each other and did nothing! The agent repeated and added,”There are two lines. Move ahead. If the person in front of you doesn’t move… go around them.” Still… nothing.
You didn’t have to tell me three times. I grabbed by bags and passed nearly the entire line. My actions automatically gave the people behind me permission to do the same and a small group made their way to the front of the second line.
Some passengers got angry and vocally complained to the TSA agent but all the agent said was, “I told you to fill the other line and you didn’t listen. You chose not to and it’s not my problem.”
Lesson #1: Do what the expert tells you to do.
If somebody is more experienced and knowledgeable than you about how to accomplish your goals, listen to them. The TSA agent knows better than anybody in that line the quickest way from point A to point B. Why in the world would you second guess him? Sales are no different. If the best guy in your industry knows more than you about the sale… do what he/she says or get stuck at the back of the line with the rest of the loser who didn’t make the flights (SALE).
Lesson #2: Ground hogs lose and LIONS win
In all fairness to the passengers who didn’t move, it was kind of scary. There were lots of people and if they weren’t moving, maybe you should move either. What if… you misunderstood the agent and you get to the front of the line and they tell you to get lost? What if somebody in front of you got angry? What if?... What if?
You can’t be scared of what might or might not happen. Sometimes you just have to go for it even when it feels a little uncomfortable. Compare groundhogs and lions for example. Groundhogs spend their lives afraid of every movement, triggering their retreat to their dark cave below the ground. Lions however, are assertive kings (larger in stature of course but you get the point.) They go into the jungle kill what they want and feast.
Be a lion… not a ground hog.
Lesson #3: Be prepared
All the security line drama could have been avoided had passengers planned ahead. Some took the initiative to fix the problem while others were late and missed their flights. Some looked to place blame on other, while some took responsibility. In the end, YOU are responsible to make the flight (or sale) with nobody left to blame but yourself. Prepare NOW so there is no unnecessary drama.
Upon arriving at the airport 1 hour before my departure I arrived at the security check line to find a WAVE of inpatient travelers all looking to clear as quickly as possible. What took place in the next 20 minutes paralleled 3 sales lessons to NEVER forget!
The line for the security check had to have 75-100 people in it. All trying to make the same flights. I was near the back of the line with the other boneheads who didn’t budget their time wisely. After impatiently waiting several minutes and checking my watch every 30 second, I wondered if I would make my flight.
The TSA agent in the front yelled, “There are two lines, move ahead.” Every person in front of me looked at each other and did nothing! The agent repeated and added,”There are two lines. Move ahead. If the person in front of you doesn’t move… go around them.” Still… nothing.
You didn’t have to tell me three times. I grabbed by bags and passed nearly the entire line. My actions automatically gave the people behind me permission to do the same and a small group made their way to the front of the second line.
Some passengers got angry and vocally complained to the TSA agent but all the agent said was, “I told you to fill the other line and you didn’t listen. You chose not to and it’s not my problem.”
Lesson #1: Do what the expert tells you to do.
If somebody is more experienced and knowledgeable than you about how to accomplish your goals, listen to them. The TSA agent knows better than anybody in that line the quickest way from point A to point B. Why in the world would you second guess him? Sales are no different. If the best guy in your industry knows more than you about the sale… do what he/she says or get stuck at the back of the line with the rest of the loser who didn’t make the flights (SALE).
Lesson #2: Ground hogs lose and LIONS win
In all fairness to the passengers who didn’t move, it was kind of scary. There were lots of people and if they weren’t moving, maybe you should move either. What if… you misunderstood the agent and you get to the front of the line and they tell you to get lost? What if somebody in front of you got angry? What if?... What if?
You can’t be scared of what might or might not happen. Sometimes you just have to go for it even when it feels a little uncomfortable. Compare groundhogs and lions for example. Groundhogs spend their lives afraid of every movement, triggering their retreat to their dark cave below the ground. Lions however, are assertive kings (larger in stature of course but you get the point.) They go into the jungle kill what they want and feast.
Be a lion… not a ground hog.
Lesson #3: Be prepared
All the security line drama could have been avoided had passengers planned ahead. Some took the initiative to fix the problem while others were late and missed their flights. Some looked to place blame on other, while some took responsibility. In the end, YOU are responsible to make the flight (or sale) with nobody left to blame but yourself. Prepare NOW so there is no unnecessary drama.