Observations From The Road

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In my travels over the past couple of months, there have been some notable events and moments that I’d like to share with you – and which you may be able to apply to your own life.

Much Loved...and Unbroken

No matter your challenges, your struggles, your pitfalls, there’s a really good chance you will never have to overcome life’s challenges like Louie Zamperini did to achieve what is, by anybody’s standards, true success and happiness. Louie Zamperini died on July 2. In 1940, he was on pace to break the prestigious 4-minute mile, possibly by the time of that year’s Olympics in Tokyo. As we know, those Olympics were interrupted by WW2. What 47 days on a life raft in the Pacific Ocean could not do; what spending two years in Japanese prison camps could not do; what alcoholism could not do; only ammonia could do at the age of 97, grounding Louie once and for all.

Louie’s story has been well chronicled throughout his life and especially by Laura Hildebrand, who wrote the book Unbroken detailing Louie’s life in a best-selling fashion. One of Angelina Jolie’s personal missions has been to bring Louie’s story to the big screen, and that will happen on Christmas Day of this year. I really thought Louie would see his movie -- which was one of his long-term goals -- before he died.

Louie’s mantra was “Just don’t give up.” When the days are long and you’re going through your struggles in life, Louie’s story is there for us, to realize that no matter how bad it gets, giving up is not an option. Changing course, like Louie did when he found Christ, was his option after WW2 helped him on his path to success and happiness. I’m sure you will love Unbroken the movie on Christmas Day.

2024 Goal-Setting

I left for Kansas City, Missouri to speak to the management team at Eagle Communication, Inc. I left Houston early that morning so I could attend the Eagle manager’s goal- and strategic-planning sessions that afternoon.

The following day I gave the Liquid Fire management seminar to the Eagle management team. What impressed me the most was that here was a company looking at their next year goals.

Gary Shorman is the president and CEO of Eagle Communications, Inc. which owns cable, radio stations, and Internet properties in Kansas and Nebraska. Eagle is an employee-owned company with an exceptional ESOP (Employee Shareholder Program). You could really tell with the managers’ presentations on that Thursday that this was a different company.

The managers owned their numbers. I loved their passion during their presentations. Not many companies set goals that far ahead. How about our personal lives? Where are we going to be in 2024? Have you set your personal goals for 2024? It made me look real close at where I want to be in 2024. Bravo Eagle Communications, Inc.! 

Revenue Numbers for Radio

When recent quarter numbers were posted for radio stations, there were some declining revenue numbers for some of the major radio station groups. Some were rather significant declines. I like to have fun in my sales seminars, although sales training is very serious and I take it very seriously.

I love seeing sales reps take home new ideas so they can make more sales. Radio still has one of the biggest sales forces in the country. Not all recent radio numbers are bad. One of the clients we work with posted a 19 percent local direct sales increase in the 2nd quarter. They use basic fundamentals such as the “7 Steps On an Opening Call” and “7 Steps of a Closing Call.” Basics. Do you still train the basics? Sometimes I think the biggest challenge for the radio industry is just training the basics along with good in-field coaching by the sales managers.

Congratulations on a great life Louie Zamperini! Great work on goal setting Eagle Communications! It’s time to turn up the heat in sales training!

Sean Luce is the Head National Instructor for the Luce Performance Group International and can be reached atsean@luceperformancegroup.com or www.luceperformancegroup.com. Sean’s new book The Liquid Fire can be found on Amazon.com.