"The Genius of 'Common Sense'"

What most refer to as common sense is actually a form of genius. I define it as 'the ability to take a complex situation or idea and reduce it to it's simplest form'. People who possess this quality are known as being assertive and being the type of person who gets things done. 

As an illustration of this, take a man with an apple tree. This man has two sons. The oldest son is known to be "book smart". The younger has what is referred to as "common sense". The apple tree is ugly and useless, producing terrible fruit. The man complains year after year about how the fruit is terrible and falls to the ground and rots. Finally, he commands his sons to fix the problem.

The older son makes a plan. He thinks through the best way to pick up the rotten fruit, sorting through scores of options and tools to make it efficient. He then tries to think of a way to prevent the tree from producing fruit. He cannot, so he fashions a long-term plan to pick up the fruit every year. When he finished his plan, he went out to the tree.

When he arrived, he was surprised at what he saw. Where the tree used to be, were his younger brother, a chainsaw, and a trailer full of limbs. You see, instead of complicating the issue, the younger brother reduced the situation to its simplest form. He immediately identified the tree as the source of the rotten fruit, and removed the tree. It was quick, efficient, and permanent. One of these brothers is a genius, I'll let you decide which one it is.

-M.W.

I have never met a useless man that had the ability to quickly find and eliminate the root of a problem. In the words of Ross Perot…”Whoever finds the snake, kills the snake.”

Hunting And Farming

ARE YOU A HUNTER OR A FARMER?

Before you answer that, allow me to explain my question by giving my own definition to the terms. Keep in mind, these are not associated with Noah Webster or any other credible source, just me.

hunt·er  

noun

In reference to the sales profession:

1.     A sales professional who is always in the act of seeking out the closing of his or her next deal.

2.    A sales professional who thrives on and receives satisfaction primarily from "the kill" (closing the deal), given that they are offering goods or services that genuinely help the customer.

3.    A sales professional who wants their success to ride on their shoulders because they are confident that their income will be significantly higher than it would be if it did not.

4.    A sales professional who understands that they will constantly be met with rejection and are not paralyzed by this reality. This reality is a product of the fact that by nature, hunters seek out potential customers who may or may not realize they have a need for the product or service the hunter offers.

farm·er

noun

In reference to the sales profession:

1.    A sales professional who spends the majority of his or her time nurturing existing relationships.

2.    A sales professional who thrives on and receives satisfaction primarily from the social interaction and familiarity that arises from a route sales environment, given that they are offering

goods or services that genuinely help the customer.

3.    A sales professional who may enjoy recognition for excellence, but wants their success to be determined heavily upon satisfactory performance and meeting or slightly exceeding minimum requirements. They realize they will likely make less monetarily than the hunter, but are happy to exchange unlimited income for the sense of security.

4.    A sales professional who understands that there is a possibility of rejection, but readily accepts this possibility because it is infrequent and usually polite. This is a product of the fact that by nature, farmers deal primarily with an existing customer base and established relationships. Again, this is the nature of the route sales environment.

Now, please keep in mind that I am in no way suggesting that these are the only two choices, that they are mutually exclusive, that there are no hybrids, or that one is better than the other. These are just the observations of a recruiter in the sales industry.

That being said, pause. Consider for a moment who you are... Ok, the moment is over. While both the hunter and the farmer have their place, I am looking for hunters. I work for a company that promotes hunting and offers hunters everything they are looking for in a career. I work for a company that rewards hunters with the unlimited possibility that comes with upfront bonuses, lifetime residuals, and portfolio equity that follows you wherever you go. I work for Heartland Payment Systems, and if this describes you, give me call.

The "Commission Only Doesn't Work" Myth

I can't tell you the number of articles I've read recently claiming how commission only employees, and the employers who hire them, are doomed to fail.  I also can't tell you all the reasons these articles are wrong... I just don't have enough paper.

I'll start with this; the articles are right to a very limited extent. There are many people who can not and will not succeed in a commission only job. I grew up in a small town where security and hard work were virtues. Growing up, we all gravitated towards secure, decent paying jobs.  For example, many of us (including myself) pursued government jobs such as firefighting.  In my nine year stent as a firefighter for a large department, I enjoyed the security of knowing exactly how much money I would make regardless of my performance.  Being a firefighter was very rewarding in many other ways too, but in many instances, salaried positions breed mediocrity and complacency. However, over the years I began to notice something that had somehow been a secret to me.

After leaving my small hometown, I became friends with young professionals who, although my age, seemed to have substantially more income than I did. I soon realized that they were in the "commission only" sales business.  My immediate reaction was that I may not make as much, but I am secure, while their financial situation was completely dependent upon luck.

It took several years of being in a relationship with these new friends for me to realize one simple truth; these men were not lucky, they chose to be in a profession that rewards them based on their effort and performance.  These rewards weren't "guaranteed" like mine had been as a firefighter, but they were uncapped and extremely substantial.  I also noticed that they didn't have to spend twenty four hour shifts away from their families; instead, they built their career around their families.  However, I still clung to my security blanket no matter how green the grass looked on the other side.  That is, until my best friend showed me that if I took the time and learned to be good at my job, I would always have security. His reasoning was that if you become proficient at sales and are confident in your abilities, you will always be able to make money. Not to mention the fact that my friends had far more financial "security" than I ever had because they were able to build wealth while acquiring an income (something I could never do with my salary cap).

In short, commission only jobs really aren't for everyone in every situation. However; for those who are good at what they do, a career that rewards excellence is a great fit.  In fact, look how the majority of the world's wealthiest people achieved their wealth.  By and large, wealthy people are people who gravitated towards jobs that pay based on performance. Good employers are willing to pay great money for results.

For some people, a base salary is a fantastic opportunity. The security and predictability it offers fits their personality well.  For people who want to separate themselves by proving their worth, have the ability to build wealth, and create their own schedules, then commissions are definitely the way to go. However; before you consider a commission only job, you have to decide which person you are.

Not A Job Salesman

Sometimes to accurately describe what something is, it is helpful to start with what it is not. I am not a job salesman…I’m a recruiter. My job is not to waste your time or ours to “sell you” on a job in which you cannot be successful.  I’m not interested in warm bodies to throw out to the wolves. What I am interested in, however, is finding and acquiring talented people who want to shape their career around their life by working flexible hours. I’m interested in people who want to be an advocate for local merchants in their community. I’m interested in people who want the opportunity to build wealth while generating income by using the support and tools you need to succeed. In short, I’m interested in people who share our values.  If you think this may describe you, Heartland Payment Systems could be the career you’ve been looking for.  Contact me anytime to find out, or visit our careers site.

Matt Wilkerson

matthew.wilkerson@e-hps.com