Describe a moment that caused your longstanding philosophies to change or evolve?
I have mentioned, “Fifty Years Old and Out” a couple of times in my blogs. This is something that many Golf Course Superintendents would say in the 1980’s and 1990’s about when it was time to get out of that role and do something else like sales. We Superintendents would always say, “It’s a young man’s game”, or “I need to have a life’. As I have stated in the past, this is a grueling job both physically and mentally, 24/7.
After melanoma and a heart attack, my mind started to look ahead in my career to the “Fifty Years Old and Out” part. I decided to start planning my change after fourteen years as a Golf Course Superintendent. My sights were set on a sales career, and I had to keep it hush hush. What I didn’t know was it would take me five years to find a job as a salesperson. I started by talking to three close salespeople that I worked with and trusted.
They all started telling me things about sales, but the main discussion was always about “A Book of Business” and I didn’t have one. My favorite salesperson and friend – Brian Finger, finally said one day that he had an interview for me to become a fertilizer salesperson.
I went on the interview and soon heard the words, “He doesn’t have a book of business.” I did not get the job.
Not knowing what I was going to do, I confided in my good friend Mike Gilmore, who at that time owned “growing-solutions-llc.com” and right away he said, “Come sell for me brother!” I left The Elkridge Club just shy of 20 years and was on a scary adventure at 48 years old. My wife was my biggest supporter and cheer leader. My first day in Gilmore’s office he handed me a sell-sheet about aerification and construction, he also handed me a price sheet. I asked him where he wanted me to go to sell and I will never forget his wonderful words that helped me learn about sales and relationships.
He said, “I don’t care where you go or who you see, just sell.” I went and bought road maps for all of Maryland, DC, and Virginia and circled all the golf courses.
I planned out every day with who to see, how to get there etc. (We didn’t have GPS then). To make a long story short, I was doing well at this new job and loving it. The key here for you, or the takeaway would be “Why?” Now, I am going to mention again what I have said many times in these blogs I’ve have been writing – The mountain movers in life, D.I.S.C. Personality Training and Understanding Generations.
I was only with Growing Solutions for 10 months before two friends called me to talk about a Manufacturer Representative job with Syngenta. They told me they already knew who I was and wanted me to please interview. Long story short, I was fortunate enough to get the job and have the Mid-Atlantic territory, BUT WHY?
Most businesses with Sales Divisions know about D.I.S.C. Personalities and how different Generations operate in the world. Most make it part of their training.
I didn’t know anything about this, so why was I hired and why could I do so good at sales?
Relationships! I have a High “I” personality on the D.I.S.C. and have made many relationships in my career and life. Hence my prior blogs mentioning D.I.S.C. and “Networking!” Companies are looking for salespeople who can create great relationships, understand personalities, and build upon helping people. Remember, it’s not the dollars and cents, it’s creating long-lasting friends that you can work together with the rest of your life, have fun with, and help solve problems.
OK, some hints about D.I.S.C. and Different Generations. Read up on D.I.S.C. because it is not just for salespeople, it should be taught in middle school as it’s something that could help everyone’s evolution in life.
There are only 4 personalities in the world, learn them all and how to communicate best with them and your life will be much easier.
Also, generations of people are everchanging and evolving – Learn how they think and be able to have conversations with them. I tell everyone who investigates these “Mountain Movers” that when they go to a party with many people they don’t know, try this test. Walk around the room and have a two-minute conversation with each person that you don’t know.
In that time, you should be able to know each person’s personality and how to communicate best with them. The party will be much more fun, and you may end up being the life of the party!!!
-Mark S. Merrick, CGCS Retired
Introducing ‘Merrick Mondays’, a segment where we hear from Mark Merrick, our resident brand Ambassador, Chief ‘Cool” Officer, and general source of wisdom and secrets of the universe, to spotlight a dose of interview-style content, weekly.