Transcription
****Please forgive any and all transcription errors as this was transcribed by Otter.ai.****

[intro music]
Shark 0:16
Welcome back and thank you for joining A Shark's Perspective.

Kenneth Kinney 0:19
I am Kenneth "Shark" Kinney, keynote speaker, strategist and your Chief Shark Officer.

Kenneth Kinney 0:24
From where inside does your energy come from within you. Motivation is important to all of us whether we're in sales or any other field, but it's especially important when considering what gets you up and what keeps you and sustains you what's going to give you that jolt in whatever it is in life that you are selling?

Kenneth Kinney 0:40
Larry Long, Jr. is a speaker, author and the chief energy Officer of LLJR Enterprises.

Kenneth Kinney 0:46
And on this episode, we'll discuss software sales, finding that energy that drives you the failures we've all achieved then we need to admit in our stories, going "free-99" to being a paid speaker, lots of cold calls, how sales leaders have to consider both quotas and caring about their sales reps, ankle surgery and asking the right questions. The rah rah rah style Poet Laureate Billy ocean microphones, baseball and golf terrapins and a lot, lot more.

Kenneth Kinney 1:12
So let's tune into a high energy turtle with a high energy shark on this episode of A Shark's Perspective.

Kenneth Kinney 1:24
Alright, well, Larry, welcome to A Shark's Perspective. Tell us if you will a little bit about your background and your career today.

Larry Long, Jr. 1:29
Oh, goodness shark. I'm happy to be here with you. Thank you so much, Larry long Jr, CEO. And that's chief energy Officer of al l Jr. Enterprises. We focus on providing keynote speeches, coaching training, emceeing, you name it, but my journey has been buried. I spent most of my career in software sales as a sales rep, as well as a sales leader. And then taking it back. I played baseball at University of Maryland. Go turf, so it's been quite the ride quite the adventure, sometimes misadventure to get to where I'm at today.

Kenneth Kinney 2:05
Now, terrapins are turtles, right? That's right. Not exactly a lot of energy.

Larry Long, Jr. 2:12
In the turtle, there you go. We're like the Ninja Turtles, we bring a ton of energy.

Kenneth Kinney 2:17
Exactly. We've gotten to know each other through professional speaking. You got into it a little full time before I did. But what made you make that jump? Was there a message you wanted to tell? Was it the opportunity to speak on stages? share a story? What was it for you?

Larry Long, Jr. 2:34
Yeah, I'll be honest with you, Shark. I've been speaking my whole life. But normally, it got me centered attention. And once I got into corporate America, and I realized that speaking was a form of helping people, and generally I was helping people internal. But then I started to get requests to speak external to sales teams, when you're making 150 cold calls a day. And you can do it with a smile. And then you can help lead a team to do it with a smile and to stay motivated. Even when you're getting beat down. Word gets around, and the opportunities that I had just kept coming. And I never realized that I could get paid for it. I did it for free. 99 for ages. And then I met a coach Dr. Kevin Schneider who said, Larry, respectfully, are you stupid? Or are you dumb? When I do corporate, they write me a check and there's a few zeros at the end. You're just giving it away. So I told him, Hey, that's okay. I got a full time job. But then my wife said, Hey, baby, you need to give him a ring. Because that's where you need to be. That's, that's what you need to be doing. And once he and I connected, that was all she wrote.

Kenneth Kinney 3:45
Well, so your focus is on sales. Tell us a little bit more about your sales background. What kind of software sales were you doing?

Larry Long, Jr. 3:51
Oh goodness, I've sold I started off selling to CPA Certified Public Accountants, and they get paid based off of time. If you meet with your accountant, they're sending you an invoice for their time, I was cold calling CPA offices, to get their attention to look at this software program that helped turn the numbers from the income statement the balance sheet into a written narrative to help accountants have conversations and really help their business owners now tell you making 150 cold calls a day when I first started. I think I had one sign up in my first 770 Plus calls. So that was the biggest slump that I've ever experienced. That's a lot of strikeouts. And what I figured what I learned is that when I told my story of being a failed small business owner, I used to own an indoor baseball and softball academy that went under because we didn't understand the numbers that mattered we we knew batting averages and home runs RBIs stolen bases, but the income statement the balance sheet, the debits the credits, the statement of cash flows. Oh that was like free pinch, and no Polly vous Francais on this side. So being able to share my story with accountants, they got it. Hey, do you ever work with small business owners whose eyes glaze over? When you start going through the financial statements? They're like course, well, would you like to connect with those dummies? I mean, those clients to help them better understand, of course, because those are now billable hours. So what I learned is by sharing my story, it really captured their chin like, I can relate. Hmm, I can see the opportunity to add more value and therefore make more money. Tell me more. So it was just intriguing to see how nose and plenty of nose I had one guy say, Larry, here goes what I want you to do, put on a pair of concrete shoes and jump off a bridge. I said, Oh, that's savage. It wasn't in our manual, how to overcome that objection. So I said, the first thing that came to mind, God bless you too. But being able to go through those experiences of failure, failure, failure, and keeping the keeping the enthusiasm, keeping the inner belief, it really drove me in being able to share that with others to help them. That's all you can ask for.

Kenneth Kinney 6:17
Yeah, Tony Robbins tells that story all the time are used to about Colonel Sanders go into a bunch of different places trying to sell the recipe there. You know, for us fried chicken. It was like 95 knows, before he got to a yes. That's like before noon on a Tuesday for software sales. So where do you translate that from your sales experience into what you're speaking about today? What lessons do you imbue to help teams get motivated and help improve their sales and revenue.

Larry Long, Jr. 6:47
So my core messages really revolve around energy. And I don't know if you can tell, but I bring a little bit, there's a reason why they call me the chief energy officer. If you don't have energy, if you don't have inner belief, if you don't have that drive, to help people to serve people to find out what are their pains, what are their goals, their, their their aspirations, then you're going to have a very tough time selling anything. If you don't care, you don't communicate, you're not committed, it's tough. So that's really where my message revolves. And it really starts with number one, personal development, you can't help other people. If you haven't helped yourself, at least not in the long run. From my experience, you can kind of fake it till you make it in the short run. But to have long term success, you've really got to be really good and solid internally. So I focus on personal growth, transition into professional growth, really making sure that you understand your why you understand your purpose, your mission, your vision, what problem do you solve? And working with software sales teams, it's always changing, which I love what worked yesterday, probably won't work today. So are you making those adjustments? And when you talk about adjustments and being flexible, that's baseball, from one at bat to another, you've got to adapt? If you if you're used to hitting fast balls. Well, now I'm going to give you curveballs can you adjust. It's the same thing in sales, which I love to share that message with sales professionals and more importantly, sales leaders who are really there, their job is to help get the best and help their reps their their individual contributors progress their career. So I absolutely love having that opportunity.

Kenneth Kinney 8:46
Well, how do you take that energy then? Because a lot of that is looking at yourself in the mirror, which obviously they need to do, but how do they take that to help benefit the customer? I think part of that translation can sometimes get lost, you build yourself up. But where do you close that gap for the people that you serve?

Larry Long, Jr. 9:04
Yeah, well, that really comes down to once you take care of yourself, once you get your oxygen on, now you can start to serve. And in order to serve, it comes down to questions. If you just go in, it's like going to the doctor and the doctor saying hey, thanks, shark. We're gonna give you ankle surgery. Whoa, hold on. Wait a minute, Doc, you you haven't asked me any questions. It's, it's my shoulder. That's hurt. Nope. Don't give me an ankle surgery when you haven't even you can't give me a diagnosis without asking the questions. So I encourage sales reps to do what's called a soap note. If you go to a doctor, they do a subjective, objective, assessment and plan. So they asked you Why are you here today? Same thing in sales. Why are we talking what's going on? Tell me a little bit about your situation. They do the objective. I've seen this before. Yeah, let me go and do an assessment. Let's go ahead and do an x ray MRI. Let's take that tongue depressor out. Ah, let's go ahead and run the tests. And after I do the assessment, now I can do a plan, I can give you the prescription, take two of these shark and call me in the morning. And then we can do a follow up to make sure that we were able to hit all of those pains, all of those ills, we can help you with your challenges. So that's really where the translation comes from, I take care of myself, then I find out how can I best address the issues, the challenges, the pains, the goals of my prospects and my clients?

Kenneth Kinney 10:32
So how do you recommend go about sustaining that energy? Because it's one thing, especially in software sales, that cycle can be pretty long. It's not going up with the Colonel Sanders recipe to a financer or restaurant and doing a quick will you do this? Yes, no, software sales can have a very long tail. Sustaining that energy can be really tough. What's your recommendation on how people can sustain that energy?

Larry Long, Jr. 10:56
It's funny, you asked, I've got a chapter in my book that's coming out in a few months called Motivation. Where do you find yours? Everyone's motivation is different for me, Shark mine comes from my family, my beautiful wife and my kids. Well, what about the sales rep that lives by themselves in an 800 square foot apartment? Where does their motivation comes from? So it's really individual on how you keep that energy up, I'll give you an example. One of the reps that I managed, essentially, his motivation was being able to buy a house, that was his sole motivator. So it's, Hey, Jake, the more people that you serve, and the more people that you help, the faster and the quicker and the more likely you're going to be able to buy a house. So what I had is all of my reps wrote a business plan, personal and professional. Why are you doing what you do? It's, it is tough. And if you don't have a solid, why, guess what, when the going gets tough, it is tough to just give up to just throw in the towel. But if you have a strong why a strong motivation. For me, nothing gets stronger than my family, I'm going to run through every brick wall, I'ma find a way over, I'm gonna find a way around, I'm gonna find a way under. And if I have to, I'm gonna go ahead and put my hard head down, boom, I'm going right through it. So it's really each individual has to find that right there. What's in your heart, the heart connects to the mind, the mind connects to the mouth, the mouth connects to your actions. What do you do on a daily basis? When you get all those knows, no survey says that? How do you fight on and press on?

Kenneth Kinney 12:39
We need to really figure out a way to get a Fitbit that works to track the movement you have while sitting down. Larry, it's, you've gotten them more steps than anybody sitting in a seat for 20 minutes than I know. But in the words of the poet Billy ocean, when the going gets tough, the tough gets going. So you know you work with a lot of the teams that you speak to that you're doing sales, motivation and leadership training. Where do you see what most leaders are not doing today that manage sales teams?

Larry Long, Jr. 13:09
Yeah, my observation, a lot of sales quote unquote, leaders, I use that term loosely. They're stuck in the spreadsheet. So they're looking at the deals and the deal flow. We're in the people game shark. You've got to do internal selling. And there's a saying I think it's Sam mechanics show me that you know, me, I'm not going to run through a brick wall. If you don't care about me shark if you're my manager, you're my leader. But you don't know anything about me. I'm gonna do it for myself, but I'm not gonna run through any brick walls for you. A lot of leaders from what from my observation, they're losing, they're missing out on that human touch a shark? How is your family doing? Hey, Shark Wow, you got five inches of snow? Yes, I know, we got business, we got to keep the lights on. We got to keep the sales coming in. But I care about you as a person. For me, my three I had three goals, very simple. Number one, hit targets in sales, you have goals, I want to hit goals. Number two, I want to make sure my reps are learning and growing. I want to make sure that it's kind of like that seed. They're getting watered. They're getting sunlight. Sometimes I've got to roll up my sleeves and put down that funky fertilizer, the stinky manure to make sure that they're grown. Number three, have fun. If you're doing one and two, if people are growing, they're getting challenged. They're learning something new. Oh, chances are they're going to be with you. They're going to be rocking and rolling. But you've got to show them that you care. My wife says Hey, baby, you're telling me that you love me. But go ahead and show me go ahead and do those dishes. Go ahead and follow those clothes even though you don't follow them right. Make the effort to show me that you care because essentially Talk is cheap. It's the same thing with sales leaders. Oh, I care about my reps. Well, when was the last time And then you actually had a conversation with them about how they're feeling outside of the four walls or outside of the virtual walls. Tell me something about their family tell me something about what they're trying to accomplish professionally and personally. A lot of leaders, I don't know

Kenneth Kinney 15:18
what so you manage reps, how would those reps describe you as a leader?

Larry Long, Jr. 15:24
Oh, goodness gracious I, I've got it right here. I don't know if you've ever done a brand exercise. But in the words of my reps, you can see the big word energy, competitive, energetic. And then there's also areas of opportunity he puts

Kenneth Kinney 15:41
your test is that your testimonials you put your just for people that aren't seeing this, but you put your testimonials in a word cloud,

Larry Long, Jr. 15:48
it's a brand exercise where essentially, what what comes to mind when the word Larry long Junior presents to you. And we did this with one of our teams in London, as well as one of our American teams. And the words that are bigger are the words that were repeated more More times than not. And it's just an excellent way. So you'll also see one here cares, cares for the team success. Focus, the fishing commit, I mean, enthusiastic, it doesn't surprise you. But also what you'll see is, hey, Larry, calm down. My style doesn't work. So I've got to be flexible. There's some reps that don't appreciate the rah rah rah. And that's my style was rah, rah rah. So when working with them, I've got to slow down. I've got to calm down. I've got to quiet down and talk to them on their level. I can't expect them to meet me on my level. I've got to make that change. So that's my coaching style.

Kenneth Kinney 16:47
Just got a once in a while switch you to decaf, so

Larry Long, Jr. 16:51
I don't drink coffee. I'm a kool aid kid. I don't like to taste the coffee, believe it or not.

Kenneth Kinney 16:57
Oh, no. All right. Well, Larry, I asked this of all my guests. So I gotta ask you, what is your favorite kind of shark and why?

Larry Long, Jr. 17:03
Oh, good. It's got to be the hammerhead. Oh, wait, just the uniqueness. The diversity the differentiation of a hammerhead shark? Oh, they got the eyeball. I can see you. I love the hammerhead shark. Actually, I don't like any sharks because sharks like dark meat and I don't want to be a snack. But if I had to pick up the Hammerhead,

Kenneth Kinney 17:25
Okay, I can't say that because I'd get canceled. But I was gonna say that the Carolinas has some great shark diving, especially on the shipwrecks. They have a ton of sand tiger sharks that keep coming back to the shipwrecks so great area. But anyway. Well, Larry, it's a special time in the show. Are you ready for the five most interesting and important questions that you're going to be asked today?

Larry Long, Jr. 17:45
I was born ready. Let's roll.

Kenneth Kinney 17:30
All right, buddy. Number one. We'll start there. handheld microphone or lavalier

Larry Long, Jr. 17:53
Oh, goodness, it's got to be the Lavalier i i got to be able to use my hands even though don't don't let the three mics for you. I like to use my hands. So anytime that I can go hands free. We're good to go.

Kenneth Kinney 18:06
Perfect. For those that didn't see that Larry was holding up a golden microphone that I see him in with in every picture. Alright, number two, because I know you love to golf and your goal is to hit every state. So number two is California's Pebble Beach or the Carolinas Pinehurst?

Larry Long, Jr. 18:22
Oh as easy Pebble Beach Pebble Beach. I've already played on earth not number two, but I've already been there done that. I'm trying to get the pebble we're we're trying to take it to Pebble Beach now.

Kenneth Kinney 18:32
Alright, number three, because I know you love both baseball or golf.

Larry Long, Jr. 18:39
That's a tough one. Oh my goodness. Oh, that is so tough. I'm gonna have to go with golf. Baseball. That was a past life. Um, Tiger Woods, his cousin right now Larry, hit it in the woods, but don't vote.

Kenneth Kinney 18:52
Alright, number four golf movies. The Legend of Bagger Vance or Caddy Shack?

Larry Long, Jr. 18:58
Awww, easy, easy peasy. Caddy Shack. Oh, that movie that you're making the crack up just thinking about

Kenneth Kinney 19:05
are the greatest movies of all time. All right, number five. The most important question that you're going to be asked today is biscuits, or cornbread.

Larry Long, Jr. 19:12
Oh, goodness. That's too easy. I just ate at Bojangles yesterday.

Kenneth Kinney 19:16
Nice.

Larry Long, Jr. 19:17
Biscuits. Once we once we get done I'm going down to get a biscuit with some cherry preserves on it. Biscuits all day, every day.

Kenneth Kinney 19:24
One of the greatest restaurants that people don't know about for fried chicken. Fantastic. All right, Larry, where can people find out more about you keep up with what you're doing; see your Motivational Minute on Instagram and LinkedIn; and so forth and more?

Larry Long, Jr. 19:40
I appreciate it. Best way to connect with me is on LinkedIn. Larry Long, Jr. I got a smile for a mile got the gold microphone. But you can also visit me on my website, www dot Larry long jr.com And that's a JR for the Jr.

Kenneth Kinney 19:55
Awesome. Larry, thank you so much. Have a great day and thank you for being with us today on A Shark's Perspective.

Larry Long, Jr. 20:01
Thank you Shark!

Kenneth Kinney 20:10
So there was my conversation with Larry Long, Jr, a speaker, author and the Chief Energy Officer of LLJR Enterprises. Let's take a look at three key takeaways from my conversation with him.

Kenneth Kinney 20:20
First, great lesson and failure. It's something we all go through, but many aren't honest enough to admit it. I love everyone touting their success stories, but love whenever someone truly admits that they like me have failed at something and recovered. But again, a reminder, you've got to know the numbers, keep moving forward and keep believing. Remember, though, that you'll never hit a homerun. If striking out is not a possibility as well. You just have to at least make an attempt to hit the ball.

Kenneth Kinney 20:46
Second, what is your energy? Where does it come from with the audience you serve in sales, you inherently have to have the desire to help others, not just yourself. That's truly missing from a lot of salespeople. Larry reminds us that you can't help other people without helping yourself first. So true. Definitely look inside, so you can help others outside and know your purpose, your mission, your vision, it's great advice. And with that energy, it's just as important to stay motivated as it is to getting motivated in the first place. Identify what drives you, what truly drives you. What is the sustainable spark, that you don't have to reignite for him. It's his family. For me, it's my family as well. And whether you get one no or 1000, it's in the words of Billy Ocean, "when the going gets tough, tough gets going." Trust me friends, that it will get tougher, but you can plow through it, or for me at least swim through it.

Kenneth Kinney 21:37
Third, leaders lose their employees, including sales leaders, when they show that they don't care. We all know lots of people in sales who had bosses that made a difference. And often, that's why they stay working for them even across companies. Yes, you've absolutely got to hit your targets. And if they fail, then it may not be the right job for them. Show them the numbers, help them learn and show you care about your reps as much as you do about the numbers. And measure this if you look closely, then measure what others say about your leadership get stronger and better. This was something that was difficult for me in the past managing reps. But eventually I learned and saw the numbers grow too often it becomes either one or the other numbers versus care, but it should become an if then if you care, then it will help them to become more likely to succeed.

Kenneth Kinney 22:25
Got a question? Send me an email to Kenneth at a shark's perspective.com.

Kenneth Kinney 22:30
Thank you again for the privilege of your time.

Kenneth Kinney 22:32
I am so thankful to everyone who listens.

Kenneth Kinney 22:34
And I ask that you please consider writing a review and let me know your thoughts in the show.

Kenneth Kinney 22:38
And another energy that I failed to mention is you not hundreds or 1000s or anything more than just you. You listening to date continues to give me energy and I appreciate you so much for that. Please join us on the next episode of a shark's perspective.
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