Selling is like sex!

A younger salesman asked a successful older salesperson, "Sir! Although you are much older than me, more clients like to deal with you and not me. Can you tell me what are your secrets of your success?"

The older colleagues replied, "Selling is like sex. The older you are, the more skillful you would be!" The young man was not sure, "Sir could you enlighten me further."

He was disturbed, "Aiyah! Why are you such a stoop! At your age, your sex plays can be strong and active but you lack skill and experiences to last the distance, and to satisfy your deserving partner. However when you are much older, you would definitely acquire better skill and know how to perform fantastically well on bed. Selling is the same. The longer you work, the more you refine yourself."

Morale of it: " Selling & sex, both need to have the experiences & the magical touch."

Purchasing Condoms

Today I am not going to share wisdom but rather share a little laughter to make a beautiful Sunday for my readers. This joke could have read by some but is still a good one to giggle in your heart.

A young man goes into a drug store to buy condoms. The pharmacist says the condoms come in packs of 3, 9 or 12 and asks which the young man wants. "Well," he said, "I've been seeing this girl for a while and she's really hot. I want the condoms because I think tonight's "the" night. We're having dinner with her parents, and then we're going out. And I've got a feeling I'm gonna get lucky after that. Once she's had me, she'll want me all the time, so you'd better give me the 12 pack." The young man makes his purchase and leaves. Later that evening, he sits down to dinner with his girlfriend and her parents. He asks if he might give the blessing and they agree. He begins the prayer, but continues praying for several minutes. The girl leans over to him and says, "You never told me that you were such a religious person." The boy leans over to her and whispers, "You never told me that your father is a pharmacist."

Birthday is our sweetest day of the year

The happiest day of the year is most likely our Birthday. One can forget any day of the year but we seldom forget our own birthday. That is one day that has so much of sweetness and meaning to oneself.

I have developed an interest of remembering friends' birthday since 35 years ago. I was lucky to have worked in a trading company, which was the main distributor for 'Hallmark Cards.' Hallmark is the best available greeting cards in the world. Their slogan, "The Card That Cares, When U Want To Sent The Very Best." The American spend millions to create the best design with the most meaningful wording before each card is marketed to the rest of the world. My job was to pick and systemically ordered stocks from The State. I had the opportunity to read and admire the flowering words and meaning of those beautiful cards. Words are powerful. They could create a sense of joy, pride and happiness. If is written negatively, it creates a sense of sorrowfulness and sadness too.

The only card that I love sending is birthday card and not festival or seasonal cards. I believe seasonal cards are too commercialised, which have little meaning to the recipients. All seasonal cards look quite similar with simple words and design. In fact those who received them, read and throw them away later, without even bordering to appreciate the cards. It is a real waste of money!

I designed my cards and had them printed. I picked the right words and meaning. Pink is for the ladies and light yellow is for the gentlemen. Every year, my friends, including children and sometimes grand parents, received different cards from me. My wordings depict their background and personality. I always tried to send cards that had meaning to them. The cards must inspire and encourage them. Like I said, words are powerful.

I was so surprised, I have friends who kept and treasured my cards for years. One lady doctor whom I have known for 25 years, has 25 different birthday cards, all kept in her personal drawer. I had unintentionally created jealousy within husband and wife for receiving my cards, because they had forgotten their birthdays themselves. However, I know they still love to receive cards from me. The best birthday card isn't the one that you buy over the counter or the one you got it printed, but the one written on a piece of plain paper written with our sincere heart.

This was one birthday note, written to one of my friend's daughter many years ago;
My dear Sin Yin,
Happy birthday to you today. Time passes so fast and here I am again. You were telling me last year was a bad one, bcos you didn't do well in your study. Now you are in Std 6. You have to work even more harder for this coming year end exam . Please try and do well. Do you know, your dad & mum always have high hope on you. Dad works very hard as well. He told me, he works for the sake of you. He wants to give you the best education. He wants to fulfill your dreams. They really love you a lot my dear. I know you would do well bcoz you are smart to me.
Signed..Uncle Robert.

I never knew that simple birthday note was so inspiring to this little girl then. Although her family was poor, Sin Yin managed to complete her accountancy degree and working successfully today to support their parents. She still keeps my note and proud to show it to most of her friends. See! Words could inspire.

Most people think that sending birthday cards are just routine work. If you were to send for the sake of sending, you would not do it for long. On the hand, if you did it out of joy and satisfaction, you would do it for life. Sincerity and kindness could be felt. I love sending birthday cards because at least once a year, my heart could reach each and every of my friends. Be they, the young or the old one.

I can't be doing big things like these people. My Boss, the CEO of Prudential has to lead a number One insurance company. Like my friend, Dr Hanjeet medical researcher cum doctor who saves lives. Like my friend, Hizam a financial consultant who handles millions of fund. My son, Alvin who works in Shanghai who manages a Chinese Corporation of few hundred employees. My friend, Abdul Rahim, an Engineering Consultant who provides advices to the industries. Sathurutheen, my friend, an IT engineer who represented a reputable IT company.

All you guys and many not mentioned, could do great things whom I admire and respect. As for me, I could only do small little things. Like touching and reaching to people I know. Sincerely I try to make them happy. At the same times, applying the facts of life to encourage them to go for an extra mile to succeed in life.

My total belief; "The beauty of life does not depend on how happy you are, but on how happy others can be because of you!

Ethics and Attitude for successful selling

"Shoddy work could be the tip of iceberg," said Tan Sri Ramon Navarathnam. The recent collapse at three new government buildings is symptomatic of the state of deterioration in standards, quality, productivity and efficiency in our country. There's too much concern to make quick buck and too little attention given to professionalism.

These news are frightening and could be bad for our developing nation. Everyone of us has intention to make quick bucks, including my profession. Most life insurance agents who came into this career, have the desire to succeed by the fastest ways. Their attitude is wrong because nothing is easy in the making, unless you are prepared to work hard and to learn at the same times. When they first came into this profession, money was the main drive to work. Many could have been carried away with the initial glamour and recognition. Without passion and understanding, they later realised it was difficult to continue. Most dropped out from the second years onwards or could be struggling. Sometimes greed leads to unprofessional practises in their selling, which could tarnish our industry. All insurance companies are professional in their undertaking but is only the unprofessional and unethical agents who professed wrongly in our industry.

Perhaps relating a true story would explain a clearer picture. Three years ago, one rookie agent who was at his mid-twenty then, joined our industry. He was excited with this new career. He was promised a bright future plus quick and easy bucks. The glamour and incentives were too tempting for him to resist. He resigned from his bank executive job to become an insurance agent. After knowing him, it was very thoughtful of him to text message me with these meaningful words, "The Beauty of life does not depend on how happy you are, but on how happy others can be..because of you." I was so inspired by his understanding of life, thinking that this young man could be the future bright star for his company. However, three years later on one public holiday, I accidentally met him in one coffee shop. He told me he no longer works as full time but rather as part-time in selling life insurance now. He claimed the first year was a fruitful and a productive year for him, but gradually he found selling insurance was extremely difficult. He had forgotten the "Beauty of Life" which he had sent to me. He had lost the warmness and passion of knowing people. During these three short years, he was influenced with glamour rather than sacrifices. Instead of being encouraged to offer 'care and concern' to his clients, he was persuaded to bring back more sales. Instead of preaching 'love and understanding', he was motivated by recognition and incentives. Perhaps, greed was the root of his failure, when I thought he could be The True Star for his company.

When I came home, I managed to retrieve his old text message. Pondering what I should do, I sent him this message; "Young man, I would like to return this proverb to you. I think you need it more than me now. I had benefited abundantly from it. Thank you for sending such meaningful words 3 years ago. I returned herewith...'The Beauty of life does not depend on how happy you are, but on how happy others can be because of you."

Tan Sri Ramon was right, shoddy work would never stay. In order to be professional, we need to have the right ethics and attitude in all our doing. More so for our growing and developing country, Malaysia.

Are you proud to be a salesperson?

I have been selling life insurance for the past 25 years. During this period, I had seen countless of agents recruited into this industry but most failed to last and stayed permanently. Life insurance is a noble product which is accepted but should be sold in the proper manner by our agents. Hopefully by adding some advices on my blog, my fellow colleagues can have a better chance to survive in this profession.

Insurance agent is basically a salesperson. Most people are not proud to be addressed as a salesman. Once you have that negative thought, you would find difficulties to sell and approach people. Many prefer to name themselves as Financial Advisor or Consultant, but they would never introduce themselves as an insurance salesman or saleslady. I think they considered salesperson as the lowest profession of all careers. Not me! I tell the whole world that I am only a salesman selling life insurance. For I am proud to be one. The 40 years of selling, rewarded me with respect from my clients. Not once, did my clients degraded me but rather they are so proud that I am an insurance salesman.

The biggest mistake of our agents is; "they are very well verse in knowledge pertaining to insurances but they are the least knowledgeable in selling themselves." If you are knowledgeable in the insurance product, I would term you as an insurance personnel. Those from the management, like the CEO to the lowest office executives are all considered as insurance personnel too. They are equally knowledgeable in insurances but just that they don't sell like an agent.

The first duty of an agent is not to sell his product but rather to know, how to sell himself to others. Selling to friends and relatives are not considered as selling. They buy merely to help you. Those easy sales are transacted more like orders taking and not true needs.

A professional sale person has a skill, who can market himself to everyone he encounter. The minute he meets a new prospect, he can create excitement, humour and a sense of confidence. He reflects a charismatic charm towards his new approach who automatically likes his confident personality. Within a shortest time, he can build trust and liking, when the new friend shall feel the sincerity in him. Once he can reach this level, the prospect would be too eager to listen further. This is what I called, "Do you know how to sell and market yourself before you sell your company's products?"

Is easy to be an insurance agent but isn't easy to be an insurance salesperson. If you are interested to be an effective sale person, please don't hesitate to write to me. I would be too happy to further highlight this subject.

American sees Malaysia as Paradise

In the course of my work selling life insurance, I was introduced to an American who has been residing in Malaysia for 28 years. He was then 24 years young, met one of our local pretty Muslim girl of 18 and got married at the first sight. They have three children all grown up. For some reasons unknown to me, he divorced his wife eleven years ago.

I met him through his elder daughter who had intention to purchase insurance for his dad. As I was trying to understand him, I was surprised he has no intention what so ever to return home to America. Although he has been staying here for this long, he was not granted a PR status or a Malaysian citizenship. In fact, he had not returned home for the past seventeen years. Currently he still holds a social immigration passport, which needs him to leave the country every three months. For his convenient, he crosses over to Singapore and re-enter to Malaysia again. He has a simple American Restaurant plus playing Rock music in Malacca.

What really impressed me was, he never complained any inconvenient staying in Malaysia. He loves our country, our environment, our people of the various races and cultures, our great varieties of food, our green landscape and our friendly nation. He could speak some Hokkien and Bahasa was marvellous. He behaves just like a true Malaysian.

Comparing him to many of us who complained and criticised, I felt so shameful of myself. Many young Malaysians who always have these remarks; There are discrimination, opportunities are scarce, education system is rather weak, inefficiency of our country bureaucracy and more.

Would like to relate one example. Mr X is one of my good friend who drives a brand new Mercedes and staying in a fairly up market location in KL. Although he was brought up by a poor family who runs a hawker store, X managed to complete his studies with a diploma. He started as a computer salesman but today he owns an IT company. Married with three lovely children. I considered him to be successful. However when I last met him, he told me that he is preparing to migrate to Canada with his entire family. He expressed his dissatisfaction of being a Malaysian and he wanted to give himself a chance to try from abroad.

I am sure you guys would have heard alot of these similar stories. One thing that really doubts me; "why are you not happy when you are doing even better than you parents in the first place!" Their parents were illiterates but yet they could support them to what they are of today. Whereas today. they are educated and smart, they claimed there are no opportunity for them now.

My beliefs in life are correct; "If one only sees with eyes and mind, perhaps one would be blind. If one could see together with one's heart, eyes and mind, the world would be more beautifully seen."

My friend, The American has no luxury in life, yet he doesn't complain, contented and found Malaysia as a land of paradise. What a funny contrast, he wants to be here but most of us what to be there. Perhaps the other side of the pasture is always greener.

This famous happiness quote by Bette Davis could be the answer for all our dissatisfaction and frustration in life; "You will never be happier than you expect. To change your happiness, change your expectation."

Thai Massage

Quite recently I received a text message from a childhood friend. It was written more like a joke; "Good News! Massage parlour at Old Klang Road where we used to patronize 35 years ago has reopened. But the Bad News! The old lady masseurs are still around lah."

Yes! I had been massaging for the past 35 years and I still love it. Those days, the Old Klang Road would be the most popular location for massage. The parlours would be identified by the dime lighted red lanterns at the front. One would not miss them because they would be spread all over this road. Each parlour would be flocked by dozen of local Chinese women who so called themselves as masseurs. In fact, they hardly knew how to massage comparing to our present standard of professional massaging. They were there to 'cari makan' only and we were too innocent to know what was right or wrong in the first place. Those days the charges was dirt cheap, between RM8 to RM10 per session for one hour.

I had travelled to most part of the world and I am proud to claim that I had almost tried all types of massage. From all Asian to European and to American. Take my words, forget the European and the American. There are some massages that start from your head and end at the legs or some from the legs and end over the head. I think the later is better, because legs are more tiring than the rest of the body. We walk more than the rest of our body parts. Although the Asian is better than the rest of the world, I have to give credit to the Thai as the champion of massage. Thai masseurs are specially trained and they are awarded with their Ministry of Certificate to confirm their competence. They are very successful in this service mainly because they work with passion and dedication. They are proud to be a masseur and they make sure they give the best to their customers.

Massage is an art which has been in existence for centuries. Those old days, massage was meant for the Kings or for the war-lords. They believed it could improve on blood circulation and I agree with them. Today you don't have to be a king to have a good massage. You don't even need to fly over to Thailand to have one because Thai Massage is available all over our land now.

In case you have not tried once, please take some of my following tips before you try. Try to avoid the young pretty masseurs. They are not experience yet. Pretty one always does lousy job because they thought they are always in demand. After all you are not there to khawin them, so pick the older masseurs who have more experiences. Don't judge their face look but rather their hands. The broader their hands and arms, the more they are good at their massaging. Good masseurs should have worked more than 5 years in the trade. A good massage should have some degree of mild pain on your body. Without this mild pleasurable pain, then this is not massaging at all. If you happened to enjoy a good massage, remember to give the deserving lady a tip. You be surprised, your next trip would be even more sensational than the first.

If any of my readers do not know where to have a good massage, please write to me and I would take you to the right place. Of course! It has to be under your account.