President's Message: I Get To

Successful people don’t have different problems, they have different solutions. And one of the best solutions is to make sure your worldview is a positive one.

Think about it… when you wake up each day, and take a look at what’s ahead of you, do you find yourself saying things like… I have to go to the store, I have to get the car serviced, I need to go to the doctor, I need to drop the kids off at school, etc.? Well you’re not alone, many people go about their days saying all sorts of things like this.

But over the years, I’ve learned that sometimes it’s the little things that make the difference, not just in what we do, but in how we view the things we do.

So now, replace the words “have” and “need” with “get” and see how you feel about all the things in your life. I get to take on a new day. I get to go to work today. I get to see my kids band concert. I get to spend time with my spouse. I get to mow my lawn. A little different feel there, isn’t it?

The replacement of one simple word in the way we approach the world changes everything. The perspective of gratitude and appreciation is certainly a much more positive way to approach our lives than “having” to and “needing” to.

Let’s be real for a second. If you haven’t seen the numbers for the proof, you’ve probably at least been feeling the pinch of the market this year. Our SCOPE data trends are pretty clear, things are down a bit, in pretty much all sectors of the industry. The tariff situation at a national level is also creating all sorts of confusion and certainly plenty of consternation. Many questions, not a lot of solid answers.

The uncertainty around international tariffs (which are now on a short pause, except for Chinese imports) has created an interesting situation for manufacturers who aren’t sure if they can even get the raw materials they need to make products. For distributors, especially those who import a number of products from overseas, it’s put a lot question marks in their inventory capabilities, and for retailers and consumers, it’s challenging them with just what products are they going to be able to put on store shelves or bring home and put in the gun safe. The entire industry is weathering yet another challenge in what was already a soft, if not down, market.

It’s pretty easy to get frustrated and start signing the song of the “have to” and “need to” pity party fairly quickly. But I hope you can view it from a more positive position and talk to your team about the opportunities out there as well.

Here are a few things that might help as you look inside your company to continue focusing on the fact that you “get” to deal with these challenges and opportunities.

• Focus on what value your company brings to the marketplace, and tell that story. If you’re really good at something, don’t be afraid to make sure your customers can count on you at this more challenging time.
• Think about ways you can improve or enhance your customer service right now. Take this time to better understand your customers needs and try to work with them to problem solve and find solutions that benefit you both.
• Work on building your relationships. Often we take our sales relationships for granted. But in tough markets, it’s even more important to shore those up, because customers who aren’t feeling the love, will likely try to seek assistance in other ways.
• Utilize data-driven decision making. Nothing gives you a better understanding of what you’re facing than looking at the hard facts of data. It can help you enhance or optimize your sales strategies and will help you focus your efforts on those most likely to give you the best returns.

Kenyon Gleason
NASGW President