Be the Author of Your Own Success Story in Sales with Brian K. Wright - Ep. 28

What’s up you guys, it’s your boy, Drewbie, and I can’t WAIT for you to hear what I’ve got for you today.  My friend, Brian K. Wright, the force behind Success Profiles Radio and Authorpreneur Live Magazine, joins us in this brand new episode of Call the Damn Leads. Brian is no ordinary guest—his wild story with a, uh, shall we say, shitty situation discovered in a call center break room will have you rolling. 

It’s not all fun and games though as Brian hits us with what he calls his sales superpower: follow-up. He elaborates on the importance of persistence and personal connections, sharing valuable tips to help you continuously come up with the sale. Through listening to clients and leveraging their preferences, success is inevitable. From navigating client relationships to crafting effective sales strategies, this conversation is packed with wisdom for anyone in sales and entrepreneurship.

Key Moments:

-Brian’s wild sales story - you’ll never believe it!

-The follow-up is the most simple, yet effective sales superpower.

-Not everyone is going to buy from you, and that’s okay!

-Learn how to raise your rates confidently.

-If you actually listen…they will tell you what they need.

 

 CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS VIDEO ON YOUTUBE!

TRANSCRIPT:

Drewbie Wilson (00:02:55):
What's up everybody? Welcome back to Call the Damn Leads, the show by sales professionals for sales professionals. I'm your host, Drewbie Wilson. With more than two decades in sales, I've seen it all, lived through it all, and now I'm bringing it to you, my favorite people on the planet, the sales community. Sales is literally the greatest job on earth. It gives us the opportunity to create the life we want, have amazing experiences, make crazy money, and hear some crazy stories. Today's guest has some stories that will probably blow your mind. He is the owner of Success Profiles Radio and a host and writer for Ultimate Achievers Magazine. Welcome my friend, Brian K. Wright.

Brian K Wright (01:01:52):
Drewbie, how are you?

Drewbie Wilson (01:04:15):
I am crushing the day, my friend, as always. I'm very excited to have you on. You help people write their books, have magazines, host shows, and have been on the radio for so long. I'm excited to hear some of your stories today, brother.

Brian K Wright (01:18:06):
Yep, my 12-year anniversary on Success Profiles Radio is coming up soon, and I've been publishing Ultimate Achievers Magazine for six years. You mentioned Entrepreneur Magazine; that's a work in progress that's going to happen soon. Lots of exciting projects are coming to fruition.

Drewbie Wilson (01:39:64):
That's fantastic, man.

Brian K Wright (01:53:12):
Lots of goodness happening over here. I'm happy and grateful for it all.

Drewbie Wilson (01:58:67):
I absolutely love that, man. I'm grateful for you being here with us. I know you're very busy, running your business and helping people share their messages. But we have to hear that crazy sales story. I know it's not necessarily sales directly, but it's so wild I had to bring it on the show.

Brian K Wright (02:19:10):
Right. You made a post on Facebook about some of the craziest things that have ever happened in your workplace. I messaged you, saying I don't think I should share this in the group, but I want to tell you privately, and you can decide whether to share it or not. Here we are. So, I was a trainer in a call center. One day, I showed up at 10 a.m. instead of 6 a.m. because I wasn't training a class that week. I worked in the Quality Assurance department. As I went through the break room to get to my desk, I noticed something unusual. There were three tables in the break room, and on the middle table, someone had left a giant deuce. I'm not kidding.

Drewbie Wilson (03:19:91):
Oh, come on!

Brian K Wright (03:23:38):
Instead of going to my desk, I walked over to the HR manager's office. I knocked on the door, she said, "Come in," and I said, "Kathy, can I talk to you for a minute?" She said, "Yeah, what's up?" I said, "Did someone get fired today?" She said, "Yeah, why?" I told her what had happened and she couldn't believe it. There was a surveillance camera in the break room, so I showed her the footage. It was still there. She asked who would do something like that, and I said, "I don't know if you want to do a DNA test, but I have no idea who did it." I went to my desk and started my day, not saying a word to anyone about it.

Drewbie Wilson (04:33:76):
Did they ever find the mystery pooper?

Brian K Wright (04:42:20):
I have no idea. That's way beyond my pay grade. I did not eat at that table for lunch that day, and I didn't tell anyone all day long. People ate at that table without knowing what happened an hour ago.

Drewbie Wilson (06:15:10):
Oh, Brian, that's hilarious.

Brian K Wright (06:17:86):
I was channeling the Beatles, "Let it be."

Drewbie Wilson (06:22:09):
Now, that's a hell of a story.

Brian K Wright (06:25:47):
Yeah, it was a magical mystery tour I'll never forget.

Drewbie Wilson (06:31:57):
Not only are you hilarious, but you're also very punny. That's one of the things I love about you, Brian. You have a unique entrepreneurial journey and approach to sales and service. I'm glad we were able to get you on the show because what you're doing is really helping professionals get their stories out and untangle the webs they have so they can get their message across.

Brian K Wright (07:14:63):
Probably.

Drewbie Wilson (07:28:56):
Getting those tactics, trainings, and strategies out there, especially when you're writing a book or creating SOPs, is crucial. I'd love to know from you, what would you say is your secret weapon or sales superpower?

Brian K Wright (07:44:33):
Follow-up. Follow-up is my superpower. People thank me for following up because I help busy and established business owners get their message out to the world. They don't have time to do it themselves. I keep it relational. When I follow up, I say something like, "Hey, I hope you're having a great day, been a while, love to reconnect soon." They probably know what it's about, but I don't hit them over the head with it. I often tell them that the longer they wait to share their message, the longer someone who really needs them doesn't get to experience their brilliance.

Drewbie Wilson (09:35:14):
Ooo, that's powerful.

Brian K Wright (09:37:94):
I had someone today who I've had ongoing conversations with for four years, and he still hasn't hired me. He says he fully intends to. After four years, do I believe him? I'm not sure. But I posted something about writing a book back in December, and we hadn't talked in two years. He responded, saying we should talk about the book again. We talked, and it became clear that his wife makes all the important decisions. I realized I didn't want to deal with that energy, so I didn't follow up. Today, he said they have some things going on, and I replied, "I appreciate that. Those are important things, but something will always come up. I look forward to working with you when you're ready." He then suggested I talk about his topic on my show. I said, "I'd be glad to have you on my show after we get your book done." He gave me a thumbs-up emoji. I probably won't bother him again for a long time.

Drewbie Wilson (11:24:89):
Come on.

Brian K Wright (11:33:15):
If you haven't pulled the trigger after four years, you probably aren't going to. I also told him the rate I quoted four years ago is not my current rate. He was afraid of that. You think I'm going to honor that rate?

Drewbie Wilson (11:33:52):
You know...

Brian K Wright (11:50:88):
No.

Drewbie Wilson (11:51:29):
There's a fine line. That's what I love about follow-up. Certain individuals need to make the decision to move forward. It's hard for salespeople to understand that not everybody's going to buy from you. He hasn't been able to sell his wife on why he needs to write this book for himself. That's a different conversation for another day. The follow-up is key because you're continuing to be a good person and be there when the time is right. He's going to have to make a decision to commit and pay your rate, whatever it is.

Brian K Wright (12:01:02):
Yep.

Drewbie Wilson (12:19:74):
So follow-up is king.

Brian K Wright (12:25:22):
Absolutely. I am not afraid to fire a client if I have to. I've only had to do it twice. One time, I wrote a book for a friend who didn't have a lot of money, so I gave him a discount. A couple of years later, he referred a friend who was also broke. I quoted my full rate, and he agreed but wanted monthly payments. He paid me two installments, then lost his job. He got a new job 30 days later but didn't resume payments. He got angry, asking where his book was. I said, "Where's my money?" He started talking about how much he hated my work, so I let him go. Another client wanted weekly meetings, which was unnecessary. I don't need to be micromanaged. This is why I love sales; it allows you to create the life you want.

Drewbie Wilson (14:51:69):
Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Brian K Wright (15:03:18):
I've worked with many amazing clients, some of whom you and I both know. I love helping people spread their messages through their books, magazines, and my show. People who work with me get to be on my radio show too. I don't take every pitch I get. I know what a good pitch is and what isn't. Don't say you're a fan of my show unless you can prove it.

Drewbie Wilson (15:36:76):
Mm-hmm.

Brian K Wright (15:53:09):
When people ask if they should write a book, I ask them to think about the questions they get asked all the time. If you get the same questions over and over, how powerful is it to say, "Just read my book"? It's all there. I'll sign it for you.

Drewbie Wilson (17:29:80):
That's a great point.

Brian K Wright (17:38:06):
If I could, let's talk about quoting a higher rate when you raise your rates. If you're in control of what you charge, here's a clue about when to raise your rates: when someone says, "Oh, that's really reasonable." Quote your rate confidently. The first couple of times I quoted my new rate, I wasn't confident and didn't get the sale. The third time, I got paid in full. If someone is hesitating, use what they tell you. One guy mentioned he loved his Amex card for the points. I suggested paying in full for the points, and he agreed.

Drewbie Wilson (18:39:81):
Creative. I love that.

Brian K Wright (18:48:09):
Use what they tell you. They will tell you how to sell them if you're listening.

Drewbie Wilson (19:14:19):
That's such a great point. In the book, I talk about the calls process: asking specific questions and listening intently. Many sales professionals fumble because they tell the client what they need instead of listening to what they want. When you listen, you can explain how what they want is what they need, and you offer that.

Brian K Wright (20:09:74):
Exactly. It's like playing cards. Play the card you need to play when you need to play it.

Drewbie Wilson (20:20:45):
Is that a Yuka reference?

Brian K Wright (20:25:32):
Answer the question they're asking. Play the card you need to play and then stop. Some people talk their way out of a sale because they want to show how smart they are. Customers want their problems solved, not to know how smart you are. They want to know if you can solve their problem and if they can afford you. They also consider if they want to spend time with you during the fulfillment of the deal.

Drewbie Wilson (20:55:72):
Ain't that the truth?

Brian K Wright (21:23:16):
Back in the 90s, I was a resume writer in a Sears store. During lunch, I walked through the mall and went to a record store. A young salesman assumed I was shopping for myself. He didn't ask who I was shopping for. He started pointing out music he thought I would like. I was on my lunch break, so I could legitimately say I was just looking. I didn't buy anything from him because he didn't ask why I was there. I don't reward incompetence.

Drewbie Wilson (22:27:53):
That's the beauty of sales.

Drewbie Wilson (22:34:02):
You're not alone in that. We all make mistakes by assuming things about our customers. It's important to follow the process. Great sales professionals have a process, and when we deviate from it, things go wrong. You don't have to do business with everyone. It's okay to fire clients and to say no. As professionals, we judge each other's pitches and approaches. Sales is about service and helping. You're always providing value with your content, radio show, and articles. That's why I wanted you on the show, and you had a great story to share.

Brian K Wright (24:17:37):
Thank you, Drewbie. If anyone wants to find me, they can go to writeabookforyou.com or bryankwright.com.

Drewbie Wilson (24:29:75):
I'll put all that in the show notes. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends, family, and favorite sales professionals. Tag us at Call The Damn Leads and let people know we have fun stories here. If you have a story, I'd love to have you on the show to share it. Now, Brian, if someone new to sales is listening, what one piece of advice would you give them?

Brian K Wright (25:22:63):
Don't chase the money. People hate commission breath and can smell it a mile away.

Drewbie Wilson (25:32:75):
That's powerful. When you're truly focused on helping people, the money becomes a byproduct of the number of people you help. Thank you for that advice, Brian. Any last words before we get out of here?

Brian K Wright (26:18:55):
Never miss an opportunity to pet your dog.

Drewbie Wilson (26:25:99):
Fantastic advice. Thank you, Brian. It's been a pleasure. If you enjoyed this episode, share it on social media and tag us at Call The Damn Leads. If you have a crazy sales story, I'd love to bring you on the show to share it. Head over to callthedamnleads.com/podcast, send us your information, and we'll book a time to bring you on to share your story. And as always, this is your reminder to get out there and call the damn leads. See you on the next one.

Connect with Brian:

Brian K. Wright is a writing coach, radio show host, and magazine publisher who helps people share their message with the world and monetize their expertise.

With extensive experience as a college instructor, Brian has created and implemented strategies to help people craft their stories. His bestselling book series “Success Profiles: Conversations With High Achievers” has featured celebrities such as Kevin Harrington, Chris Powell, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Sharon Lechter, Denis Waitley, and many more.

He has been featured on the nationally syndicated TV show The List, as well as Entrepreneur, Authority Magazine, and on numerous business and personal development podcasts.

 

Social Media and Website Links: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brian.k.wright.12/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wright.briank/

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-k-wright-25955b52/

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/188715931992650

Website: https://ultimateachieversmagazine.com/

Website: http://writeabookforyou.com/

 

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