How to get ahead of the pack

Sally,

This excerpt from a longer blog post is really important. I want you to think about each of these three points. They remind me of my very talented friend Brian Carle, who has been such a key part in helping Salient Systems go from a little regional company, to a larger national player. Brian has mastered all three of these skills, even though he might not think of himself as a salesman. If you ever saw him in a presentation, you would know that he is a world class salesman!

Here is the longer post: http://bit.ly/tXM21n

The Fortune 500 has been responsible for a net loss in jobs over the last twenty years. All the growth (and your best chance to get hired) is from companies you’ve probably never heard of. And when the hirer is also the owner, the rules are very different.

1. Learn to sell. Everyone has sold something, some time, even if it’s just selling your mom on the need for a nap when you were three years old. A lot of people have decided that they don’t want to sell, can’t sell, won’t sell, but those same people need to understand that they’re probably not going to get a job doing anything but selling.

Small businesses always need people who can sell, because selling pays for itself. It’s not an expense, it’s a profit center.

2. Learn to write. Writing is a form of selling, one step removed. There’s more writing in business today than ever before, and if you can become a persuasive copywriter, you’re practically a salesperson, and even better, your work scales.

3. Learn to produce extraordinary video and multimedia. This is just like writing, but for people who don’t like to read. Even better, be sure to mix this skill with significant tech skills. Yes, you can learn to code. The fact that you don't feel like it is one reason it's a scarce skill.

Think about how you can develop skills in each of these three areas: (1) selling, (2) writing, and (3) video and multimedia. You will be extremely marketable if you do this now. I love your idea of starting a blog, as that is a great way to practice all three of these skills.

Love,

Dad