This week I am attending one of our two sales meetings of 2020 in Pella Iowa. For me it is my second meeting as a member on this team and I really look forward to seeing the new people in my sales family as we come off the best sales year historically for Thunder Creek.
Even before my career change, I enjoyed and looked forward to the two sales meetings I would attend with Jasper every year and I'm very happy that I'm with this smaller company and they have a similar bi-annual program with the sales meetings. These are the kind of things as a sales representative that I really look forward too. Believe me when I say that it's not all fun and games! There is a lot of information packed into three, very full, days of meetings that involve everything from new product knowledge, sales training, and this year, a town hall meeting with the entire company.
We are now on night two, one day in. Today was a full, informational day on new products we will release in the next month. It is always a strong feature of the meetings when you get to learn about new products. I like hearing the excitement in the voices of my manager, the engineers, the production team, and the ownership when they share the features of new, innovative pieces of equipment we get to bring to the market in the coming weeks and months. And here, at this little ol' company of 93-95 people, building and producing a high end, highest of quality fuel trailers and service and lube trailers that are truly changing the way farmers and off highway/fleet companies handle fuel and maintenance. Of the new items we will soon be coming to market with, our people behind this have put in over 18,000 hours into the research, development, engineering, and the production to make this all a reality. Impressive? Yes! Motivating? Beyond words! Now its our turn to go sell it!
The fact that we are all fortunate enough to be brought together like this a few times a year is a blessing in itself, but what we all can come away with is so important and often, I feel, taken for granted. It's this time together. After hour activities bring us all together and give us a chance to 'let our hair down' and I know it gave me a chance to see my co-workers, management, and owners, as the real people they are outside of the work atmosphere. In the end we are all here to grow personally and as a company with great things on our horizon. I truly am in a great place and work with some great people.
My post tonight isn't going to be real riveting, but it is a reminder of the importance of getting a bunch of people together, share ideas, and work towards a common goal. It is by no means perfect here, I don't feel it is anywhere, but if you're looking for opportunity, with a group of people who want to see everyone succeed, and have a product line that is just starting to 'scratch the surface' of it's full potential....exciting!
I hope all other reps that sell another product our service have the opportunity to experience this same feeling. Can you ask for more when you build a product that is helping several industries be more efficient and in the end helping more people, and helping the people that build it? Do you need to be more motivated knowing your efforts and hard work can keep a company moving forward and growing and feeding the future for everyone that builds your product or service? Its Sales!! What a great place to be! You have control of your destiny...it is truly in your hands, you control your future and the hard work, long hours, and persistence pays off. That is fun.
Man, I am ready to out, right now, and make calls! Two more days to go!
Good selling everyone.