Southwestern Sales Talk
We just wrapped up the checkout season at The Southwestern Company. After a summer of hard work, hundreds of excited, tired, relieved college students have flooded our corporate headquarters. During one of our debriefing meetings, I was talking about victories, defeats, and why a second summer of selling would be better than the first. 
One young lady from Russia piped up and said [read this in a thick Russian accent], “The second summer would be better than thees one, because, as vee say in my country, ‘The first pancake is always bad.’”
I liked it. Her proverb is true isn’t it?
Anything worth doing, is worth doing badly, at first. The first pancake you create generally is over or undercooked and may not be the best shape either. So it is with the first go-round at Southwestern: over or underdone summers. Sometimes students come out of their first experience in different shapes.
If you’re selling, more than likely it’s going to take some time to master the skills–probably more than one summer! If you’re recruiting, you may blow the initial conversation with a friend. Your first series of phone calls to prospect may be largely crappy. Your first interviews will probably not be ideal. (The first group interview I held, I was 0-5–not the best “closing percentage.”)
Get beyond the first try. Get to the second pancake.
I would love to mandate a two year minimum stint at Southwestern once a student joins the team. Why? Because it takes time to get good at selling! Some students catch on right at the end of the summer–then there’s no time to excel. A second go-round would be better. If you’ve ever re-taken a class, generally you do better the second time. Why? This time you’re familiar with the prof, the class, how he/she grades. Odds are you improve.
So remember, all things are difficult before they are easy. “The first pancake is always bad.”
So true! It takes time to develop the skills necessary to excel in anything, whether it be selling, academics, or just life in general. I remember the first scarf I ever tried to knit–disastrous. Now I can churn out a pretty nice hat and a pair of mittens in a day.
In fact, I would say it’s even more exciting the second time around because you have learned what NOT to do. But I would say a three year minimum is probably better than a two year minimum, so you can get a second go-round at being a student manager. That’s where the real joys of Southwestern come from–helping to develop other people.
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Lee McCroskey Reply:
October 12th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Yes, a three-year minimum for SW dealers! Do I hear four?
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I think the hardest part of deciding to come back for a second summer after my first summer was the taste of the burnt pancake that refused to leave my mouth! It was hard for me to envision ever enjoying pancakes when the only time I had eaten one left that taste. I think it is important for every person to wash out their mouth a little bit back at school, regain some perspective, and talk to people who have done this for multiple summers about what a pancake cooked correctly actually tastes like! Love the blog Lee. Thanks for all that you do.
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Lee McCroskey Reply:
October 12th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Thanks, Aaron! I think we should all head to IHOP to get the full meaning of this blog.
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Logan G Reply:
December 17th, 2010 at 7:56 pm
To continue the analogy, how much easier is it for me to make a second pancake once I realize that I BURNED THE PANCAKE and it was not a result of the skillet “being too hot”?
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I think this is AWESOME!!! I know when I checked out I wanted to come back…no questions asked. I knew I needed to make up for my regrets from this summer. Coming back…I began to excitedly tell my friends and family about my renewed opportunity to go rock it. Some of these people closest to me were (and still are) my biggest skeptics. It was hard to hear them try to convince me to not come back. But I know that I hate the first pancake!!! So reading this restrengthens my resolve. I know I need to come back! thanks Lee
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PS. I was in Jaselyn’s HQ….if coming back means I can be as successful as her…well I am ready to tackle it again…BRING ON THE SYRUP!!
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Lee McCroskey Reply:
October 13th, 2010 at 8:53 am
Hannah: glad this little blog strengthens your resolve…the syrup references, the batter,…have we taken the metaphor far enough?
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I love this analogy. It is a good way to look at things in life that are difficult. Not everything is going to turn out how you expect at first, but if you keep trying it then you’ll figure it out.
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Ha, I love this analogy. I am a pancake lover for sure, and I do usually overcook PK#1 . Burnt pancakes are no better than tar, if you ask me. But I tell you what – the learnings from the blackened Tar-Pancake – guide me straight on through to a perfectly cooked, mindfully-shaped pancake that tastes like MAGIC.
Haley
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It is awesome article, and so true! In the end of the summer when we are really ready to rock the world summer already ends)..so I am really excited for my second summer! and recruiting it’s so interesting! a full new experience.
My first group interview was…..not the best one))
who is interested in Russian ‘The first pancake is always bad.’ is “Первый блин всегда комом” … and one more time it is so true.
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Lee McCroskey Reply:
October 23rd, 2010 at 10:42 am
Thanks for the officials translation of this proverb…it looks better in the original.
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Tangent alert! This blog reminds me of my new favorite band japancakes
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Lee McCroskey Reply:
October 25th, 2010 at 4:22 pm
Yes! Japancakes! When you need to unwind with some eclectic instrumental tones…they fit the bill. Thanks, Nici.
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