David Obbee's Blog

The A-Team and the Vicious Circle of Marketing

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 21:05:52 -0700

I have been looking forward to this weekend for years because today is opening day for the A-Team movie! The tv series went off the air in 1987, so I have had to wait more than 2 decades to see a new adventure with my favorite characters.

I refuse to read any reviews for the film. Not so much to keep an open mind- at this point, I would still see it if it got zero stars- but just to know as little as possible beforehand. I want to experience the excitement and surprise I felt when I watched the show as a kid. I know it's not high-brow material, but to me that's not the point. It will be nostalgic and fun!

My wife, always a pragmatist, however, informed me the movie did not fare well with the critics. I'm not deterred, but I know there are folks who won't see it due to bad reviews. My wife's pronouncement made me think about marketing in general. It takes a lot of advertising to overcome anything negative someone tells us about a product or service. Usually, we have to be saturated with images and promises in order for us to be willing to try something after we've heard bad things about it.

In many respects, then, marketing is critical in proportion to the lack of negative reviews. That is, heading off negative comments should be a crucial part of any marketing campaign; less bad press means fewer resources have to be allocated to advertising. Those resources can then be devoted to actually having a better product or service, which should (hopefully) mean less negative comments. Integrating this philosophy into marketing means being aware of the tipping point (one way or the other) between being devoted to delivering satisfaction... or only delivering the image of it.

Obbee is devoted to offering the best sales leads in the industry. Using the internet, we provide cutting-edge prospect lists to realtors, mortgage brokers, insurance agents (home & health) and debt settlement/ loan modification consultants. We can even match up clients with professionals in real time. No fist fights or exploding cars, though- for those, I'm off to the movie theater! :)

- Dave

The Ice Cream Man

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 18:05:06 -0700

It starts as a not-so-faint song in the distance, the mechanical notes endlessly repeating some asinine tune through a mobile, blaring speaker... As the first strains reach my home, my children react as if they have been injected with an industrial stimulant. They sit erect, their eyes widen, their pupils dilate, their pulses quicken and their faces instinctively turn to the front window as they utter the magical words: "The ice cream man!"

If my daughters are allowed to go outside and wait for the ice cream man, as his truck slowly rolls through our neighborhood, oh, such is their joy! To be denied, however, is to enter an abyss of melancholy, dwelling on the unfairness of childhood. Such is the power the ice cream man holds over the young denizens of suburbia.

It's funny, really- The ice cream man sells the same desserts you can get at the grocer's except he charges 4 or 5 times what they cost at the store. And yet, his allure cannot be denied. Is it the music? Does it have a hypnotic, Pied Piper effect? I think it's the novelty of delivery. Kids can't drive themselves to the market, so in their world, they're dependent on the ice cream man to bring the goodies to them. The music's just loud so it can be heard above tv's, video games, or whatever else is competing for our children's attention.

In a lot of ways, the internet has become the "ice cream man" for grown-ups. I love bookstores very much, for example, but I make most of my purchases online- same with Christmas shopping, now. I enjoy the saved time and the convenience. For any service or product, the novelty of delivery may well be the difference between success and failure as our society becomes more, well, child-like in its expectancy of immediate gratification and entertaining content.

Obbee is an internet-based company. In our case, we use the World Wide Web to deliver sales leads to professionals in the real estate, insurance (home & health), mortgage, debt settlement and loan modification fields. We can even match up prospects with salespeople in real time... No annoying music, though- I promise! :)

- Dave

How to Use Liquid Soap

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 11:20:09 -0700

Yesterday I was washing my hands at home and happened to glance at the back of the liquid soap bottle when I set it on the sink. The bottle actually had printed instructions on the label! They said: "DIRECTIONS: Pump desired amount of product into hands. Work into a refreshing lather then rinse."

I was flabbergasted. A few questions ran through my mind. First: What kind of person would need directions to use liquid soap? Are there really folks who would mess it up without the instructions? Second: Could it be part of some legal disclaimer? Is the company afraid it would be sued if it didn't explicitly tell people how to use the product? Third: Is it a cleverly disguised marketing ploy? The directions did say to work the soap into a "refreshing" lather, which implies, of course, that it feels really nice.

I don't have the answers. The third question, though, made me think there may be ways to use instructions and disclaimers (in any business) as a supplementary marketing tool. The first sentence of Obbee's website disclaimer, for example, is: "By using this website and/or purchasing goods or services from Obbee, you are bound by these Terms of Use and Agreement." Maybe this would be a better introduction?: "By visiting this wonderful website and/or purchasing Obbee's excellent goods or services..." I'm being a little facetious, but the point is that directions and disclaimers are usually only treated as an afterthought, or just some necessary legal mumbo-jumbo. With a little tweaking, however, they could easily help promote your services or products.

At Obbee we do strive to provide excellent goods and services- In our case, we provide sales leads to the real estate, mortgage, insurance (home & health), debt settlement and loan modification industries. Using the internet to procure prospects, we can even match up clients and professionals in real time. We don't give you instructions, however- closing the deal is still up to you! :)

- Dave

Field Trip Observations

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 13:07:00 -0700

Yesterday I had the pleasure (or misfortune, depending on your viewpoint) of accompanying my daughter and her 4th-grade class on a trip to the state capital. We visited the capital building and a museum of the state's history. What an interesting day! And not just from an educational standpoint.

It was fascinating to watch how 9 & 10-year-olds get through an 8-hour field trip. Some kids were great all day. Some were attentive in the morning, but loopy by the afternoon. Some paid attention without guidance, others needed reminders and a few paid almost no attention at all. Some students were always at the front of every line and some at the back. Some kids stared vacantly during lectures but came alive whenever there was anything interactive to do. In short, the day was a chance to observe a collective microcosm of disparate personalities in action.

I noticed the techniques the teachers used for "crowd control" worked better for some students than others, although all the kids made it through the day. I have to believe, though, that the students who either remained focused on their own or were actually able to respond positively to the teachers' reminders to pay attention derived more from the trip than their peers. It made me think about the workplace... Some employees work just fine without supervision, some only work well with it, and some just plain won't work. The question becomes whether the employees are inherently bad or whether the employers aren't using the right supervisory tools.

Kids don't generally know any better. As adults, however, we know if we have internal motivation or whether we need an environment that provides it externally. Open, honest conversations with bosses, coworkers and employees can help prevent misunderstanding and can increase communication and harmony in the office. As "grown-ups" we have more flexibility than 4th-grade teachers to accomodate different personalities to achieve a common (successful) goal. More power to the teachers, though- By the time I got home last night, I was exhausted- and ready for work today!

At Obbee, we're always ready to provide the best sales leads in the industry to realtors, insurance agents (home & health), mortgage brokers and debt settlement/ loan modification consultants. We use the internet to provide cutting-edge prospect lists, and we can even match up clients with professionals in real time. That way no matter how or when you like to work, you can increase your business.

- Dave

From Catfish to Cat-Fight

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 09:49:13 -0700

Yesterday my wife set out some catfish fillets to thaw on the counter, leading me to look forward to a nice meal after work. However, by the time I got home, my poor spouse had experienced a stressful day between clients, the kids, the dog barking too much... She needed a break. So, I was informed dinner was up to me. My never having made catfish before was not a deterrent- I was told to look up recipes on the internet.

I did, finding one after a few minutes of searching. It wasn't too hard, either. It involved breading the fillets in an Italian dressing/egg mixture, with parmesan cheese, pepper and garlic powder mixed in with the bread crumbs (then bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes). The recipe said to put aluminum foil on the baking pan, so I did. When it was coming out of the oven, my wife came down from her respite and immediately asked me about the foil: "Why did you use foil? I never use foil- have you ever seen me use foil?" I became a bit defensive, explaining that the recipe said to use foil. I was directed never to use foil again, prompting an argument. Ultimately, though, my wife had to concede the fish turned out great.

The lesson I derived from that incident was the importance of "letting go" if you're going to delegate without specific instructions. We all have our own ways of accomplishing our duties, and- to us- our ways are the best. When you tell an employee or coworker (or anyone else) to undertake a task, however, you have to decide if you're really only worried about the end result. If you're concerned with how the task is performed, then you need to be up-front and clear in your wishes. Otherwise, you cannot expect that everyone will perform functions in the same sequence and manner that you do. Maybe, by not being specific, you can even learn a new (better) way to do the jobs you've always done.

At Obbee, we only have one job: providing internet-based sales leads to the real estate, mortgage, insurance (home & health), debt settlement and loan modification industries. We can even match up prospects with professionals in real time. Our methods are proprietary, but the end results are terrific... and do not ever involve aluminum foil. :)

- Dave

Riding an Elephant

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 13:16:01 -0700

At dinner the other night, my older daughter was talking about class trips at her elementary school (She's visiting the state capital next week). My wife and I chipped in with memories of class trips from our student days.

The one that stood out to me was a trip to the Milwaukee Zoo when I was in junior high school (I grew up in Illinois). We were given pretty free reign to explore the zoo, and a bunch of my classmates and I walked past an exhibit with a young elephant. As part of the exhibit, you could pay $10 to ride the pachyderm around an enclosed circle. It was a similar concept to the pony rides for young children you see at fairs and carnivals. Indeed, the line to ride was made up almost entirely of boys and girls who appeared to be no older than 7 or 8. Much to the amusement of my friends, however, I got in line too.

My peers teased and jeered at me as I slowly rode on the elephant's back. Probably so as not to scare the watching toddlers, its pace was a step below sluggish. We trudged around a couple of plodding times and it was over. My classmates started to rib me about the event, kidding me about how "lame" it was, when I said to them: "For the rest of my life, I'll be able to say I rode an elephant.... Will you?" The joking stopped, and a few of my friends quietly got in line.

As I related that memory to my daughter, I explained it stands out to me because I stood up to derision, and I took a chance. In a lot of ways, that made the incident far more important than actually riding the elephant. By going against the "popular tide", I got to do something I never did before (or since), and I'm proud of that.

In business, there are a lot of elephants to be ridden. So many people tell us what we can't accomplish, or are quick to point out the disasters that await us if we take risks and fail. And yet, if we don't take certain chances, we'll never achieve higher levels of success. Believe me, on the back of even a small elephant, the view is better than on the ground.

At Obbee, our sights are on the internet. We use web-based tools to provide cutting-edge sales leads for realtors, mortgage brokers, insurance agents (home & health) and debt settlement/ loan modification consultants. We can even match up clients with professionals in real time. If you're looking to increase sales with better prospects, climb on up! :)

- Dave

"In the Potential"

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:49:07 -0700

Yesterday on the way home from work I was listening to NPR (National Public Radio). In the "All Things Considered" segment, there was an interview with the actor, Robert Duvall, who was talking about his career and current plans. It was an entertaining piece, but one quote stood out in particular. Mr. Duvall said, "I always want to think of myself in the potential."

After the interview ended, I turned down the volume and thought about that idea for a while: "I always want to think of myself in the potential." The more I mused on it, the more I became enamored with all that statement entails. Always thinking of what you can accomplish means never settling. It means never allowing yourself to be held back by your own limitations... because you envision yourself without them. It means a life of possibilities and open-ended success. I think I want to live "in the potential" too!

Obbee explores the potential of matching prospects with sales professionals in real time. Using web-based tools and methodologies, we provide cutting-edge sales leads to the real estate, mortgage, insurance (home & health), debt settlement and loan modification industries. When it comes to increasing business (ours and yours), the possibilities are unlimited!

- Dave

Wheelbarrow or the Puggle?

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 14:46:33 -0700

My Memorial Day weekend wasn't very relaxing- In some respects I'm glad to be back at the office! My wife and I cleaned, straightened, gardened... and I moved 8 yards of dirt with a shovel and a wheelbarrow. At one point, I gave my sore and sunburned body a break, and sat down inside with my puggle. Of course, the puggle immediately wanted to play!

He had a chew-toy with which he was trying to "tempt" me, so I played along and grabbed it, hid it for a few seconds, then tossed it across the room. He immediately ran to get the toy, brought it back and then chewed it within reach, just in case I wanted to grab it again- which I did... over and over for about 1/2 an hour. After a while, going back outside to work didn't seem so bad.

My dog loved the play-time, though, and not just for the attention. For him, the repetitive actions were a game- a very fun game. I thought about playing with the toy while I was trudging loads of dirt around my lawn, thinking of a way to turn wheelbarrow-hauling into entertainment of some sort. I couldn't come up with anything, and ended up just listening to my ipod to avert the monotony, but I still liked the idea.

In any job there will be times when we're faced with monotonous tasks. Sales, in particular, has some repetitive aspects, from cold calls to stuffing envelopes to mass e-mails. When boredom sets in, our enthusiasm and energy levels tank. However, if there is a way to inject some fun into the actions, then they're not so dreary. Some offices have contests. Some have other means of adding variety. Whatever you can come up with, turning something routine into a game can keep spirits up and productivity high.

At Obbee we're enthusiastic about sales leads. We provide cutting-edge leads for professionals in the real estate, mortgage, insurance (home & health), debt settlement and loan modification industries. Using proprietary internet tools, we can even match up prospects and salespeople in real time. Better clients lead to better revenue- and making money is never boring!

- Dave :)

One Block at a Time

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Fri, 28 May 2010 10:17:50 -0700

Well, I bought a new pair of running shoes, and yesterday I officially launched my new exercise routine by going for my first jog of the year. Wow, am I out of shape! I think I cramped up within a couple blocks and, just going around my neighborhood, I had to alternate walking and running so I wouldn't hyperventilate. It was a bit humbling.

What I found is something I've experienced in the past: When starting a new routine, it's important to introduce it incrementally. I knew that, I guess, but in my enthusisam (I had new shoes, after all!) I thought I would simply exit the front door and blaze off a mile or two. Sadly, I was wrong. So, today after work I will start off with a slower pace and try to jog yesterday's route without stopping. In a couple days I'll add a few blocks, working my way up until I really can run a couple miles without an ambulance following me for good measure.

New routines are implemented in business all the time: New call scripts, software, program incentives, compliance procedures... The office landscape is rarely static. Sometimes the new routines are individual: "I will commit myself to making 50 contacts today!" Maybe such plans are realistic and maybe not. However, executing them on a gradually increasing scale will allow for a greater chance of success, as you gain familiarity and experience. It is a lot like getting in shape. More practice each day will build up the endurance needed to succeed, and will prevent the workplace equivalent of an aching side and shortness of breath.

At Obbee we've got our routine down pat, providing the freshest sales leads in the industry for realtors, mortgage brokers, insurance agents (home & health) and debt settlement/ loan modification consultants. We use the internet to compile motivated prospect lists, capable of matching up clients and sales professionals in real time. Thankfully no heavy lifting is involved. :)

- Dave

Running to Success

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Thu, 27 May 2010 11:44:50 -0700

All winter long, I kept thinking (and even occasionally announcing) that I would start a new exercise regimen once spring rolled around and the weather got nicer. I decided my main approach would be to run. I would also work in biking and roller-blading on off-days to give my knees a break and get some benefit from "cross-training." All I needed was a new pair of sneakers.

Thinking about a plan is one thing. Last night, however, I took an action step (pun intended) and I bought a good pair of running shoes. Today I will run! In order for me to take the plunge, I had to eliminate my last excuse (1: weather; 2: lack of shoes). That's what was necessary for me to get over the mental hump keeping me from succeeding.

In sales, there are an endless number of excuses not to succeed: Not enough time in the day, bad economy, stale leads, poor training, saturated market, too much competition... You can wear yourself into a depression before you even have your morning coffee! But like an exercise regimen, you have to dive in and just start "doing it." You have to call the prospects, man the phones, work the e-mails, make the appointments. If there's one major obstacle (like my lack of shoes) then overcome it. Need a new phone or computer? Buy it. Whatever it is, eliminate that excuse and use its elimination as a springboard to recommit yourself to success. As Yogi Berra said, "Ninety percent of the game is half mental."

Obbee is running full-steam ahead in the sales lead industry. We provide cutting-edge leads to realtors, mortgage brokers, insurance agents (home & health), and debt settlement/ loan modification consultants. Using proprietary internet tools, we can even match up clients with professionals in real-time. Unfortunately we still wear dress shoes to work- the new sneakers will have to wait until later! :)

- Dave

The A-Team: "I'm on the Jazz!"

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Wed, 26 May 2010 10:10:43 -0700

I'm seeing more and more commercials on tv lately for the new A-Team movie, which opens on June 11th... and I am so excited! Even as a "purist" fan who watched every episode on NBC when I was in elementary and junior high school, I can't wait to see the film.

Sure, it was corny. Thousands of rounds of ammunition were expended, multiple cars blew up, and usually a few structures exploded for good measure in each show without anyone ever getting hurt. Nowadays, though, it would be refreshing to see an action series where people weren't being killed on a regular basis.

The real charm, though, to me, was the fun the characters had doing their jobs. They each brought different skill-sets to the operations, recognized and appreciated each other's contributions without lamenting their own limitations, and genuinely enjoyed working with each other to complete their missions. They really did exemplify a team.

No matter how silly you might think the A-Team is, there is a lot to model based on the characters' interactions. We can accomplish so much when we focus on our own talents and surround ourselves with people who are talented in the areas in which we're not (and whom we in turn may complement). We can derive great pleasure from working with people we like, and we can experience tremendous satisfaction when we work in concert to achieve our goals. We don't have to rescue hostages or take down extortion rings- There is plenty of job satisfaction from a sold house or a closed deal.

At Obbee we try to be part of your "team" by providing you with quality sales leads. Using proprietary web-based tools, we gather prospect lists for the real estate, mortgage, insurance (home & health), debt settlement and loan modification industries. We can even match up clients with sales professionals in real time. Nothing would make us happier than to hear you say, "I love it when a plan comes together!" :)

- Dave

Feeding Batfish

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Tue, 25 May 2010 12:23:29 -0700

A while back, my daughters won one of those dollar goldfish at a carnival- the kind that comes in a plastic bowl and usually dies within a day or two. Well, I bought some colored gravel and a little castle for the bowl, and three years later he's still alive and kicking. I named him "Batfish" and I call his castle "Wayne Manor" (I'm a comic book fan).

Traditionally, I have fed Batfish in the mornings. Recently, though, my older daughter has expressed interest in feeding him too. I absolutely welcome any attempt to be more helpful around the house, but her assistance has caused a bit of confusion. Since neither one of us is sure whether the other one fed Batfish, there are days when he doesn't get fed until late, if at all. Other days he accidentally gets a "double dose" of his fish flakes, which isn't good for him either. I am now faced with coming up with a system to be monitored, delegating the task outright or keeping the task completely to myself.

That's a lot of thought just for a goldfish! I was thinking about it in the context of business and clients. The concept really isn't that different, if you look at it as an analogy. When prospects call, e-mail or even drop by, someone has to follow up. When that happens, your business has three choices, too. You can have a process whereby leads get disbursed systematically and responses are monitored (to ensure they took place), you can delegate the duty of responding to specific personnel, or you can handle all of the responses yourself. If you do nothing, the prospect may never get contacted (i.e. the lead starves) or the prospect may get multiple responses and become confused or turned off (i.e. the lead becomes bloated). Doing nothing isn't helping my fish... and it won't help you.

Obbee is a sales lead company. We use the internet to introduce you to clients. We provide cutting-edge leads for realtors, insurance agents (home & health), mortgage brokers and debt settlement/ loan modification consultants, and we can even match you up in real-time. We don't close your deals for you; I guess you could say we bait the hook and it's up to you to reel them in. Once you get a bite, hopefully you have a plan!

- Dave

Wow, I'm Excited to Meet You!

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Mon, 24 May 2010 17:18:44 -0700

Yesterday my wife and I took our puggle for a walk around the neighborhood, as we often do. It's especially important lately, as his penchant for "Chef Michael's Chicken Rotisserie" dog food is making him a little pudgy around the middle (Of course, I can use the exercise, too!).

One thing I always find interesting is how excited my puggle and other dogs are to see each other. It doesn't matter if it's his pal Simba, the toy poodle from down the street, or a complete stranger-dog he's never met before; his response is always the same: unbridled enthusiasm. He wags his tail like a jackhammer, strains at the leash, whimpers with urgent anticipation... It's as if every canine he eyes is his potential next best friend, and he can't wait to say hello!

Imagine if we greeted each other with such warm feeling... Imagine if we made every prospect feel we were incredibly excited just to meet them, let alone offer them our professional services. I think we would find we'd have a much higher closing ratio, a much more loyal customer base, and probably a much more satisfying day. Genuinely looking forward to meeting people and getting to know them is the surest way to have an immediate impact on your bottom line- and a lot of fun.

Another impact, of course, is purchasing quality sales leads. That's where Obbee comes in. We use proprietary internet-based tools to put together qualified, motivated client lists for the real estate, insurance (home & health), mortgage, debt settlement and loan modification industries. We can even match up customers with sales professionals in real time... You should probably just shake hands, though, not greet them the way my puggle greets his friends! :)

- Dave

Variety vs. Consistency

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Fri, 21 May 2010 12:00:07 -0700

Every morning I make coffee at home. I brew a couple of mugs in my kitchen and drink them while I have a bowl of cereal, trying to keep an eye on the kids while they get ready for school. For me, it's not just about saving money (it costs less than a buck a day at home, even for "good" coffee). It's mostly about variety. I almost never buy the same kind of coffee twice. I get coffees from every region of the world in every flavor. In fact, I usually buy 2 or 3 bags at a time, because I can't make up my mind. Right now at home I have some organic french vanilla, Folgers cinnamon, and a bag of some kind of antioxidant "breakfast blend."

Many folks, however, prefer consistency. They want their Tim Horton's coffee every day (for example) because they know there won't be any surprises- The cup this morning will be the same as the cup they got yesterday, and that's ok.

Whether it's coffee, cereal, cars or anything else, the two forces of variety and consistency will always compete for consumers' business. However in the service industries, including sales, consistency is a higher priority because services are based on relationships. People will generally not choose a different realtor every time they want to look at houses. Rather, they want to work with someone they know and trust, in order to feel confident. This means, of course, that in order to maximize success in sales, sales professionals have to maximize their consistency, not their variety. Variety may be good (in fact, necessary) for marketing (to draw in new clients), but service must be consistently excellent to retain existing clients. There really shouldn't be any surprises... except to exceed expectations!

Obbee always strives to exceed expectations when it comes to sales leads. We use proprietary web-based tools and methodologies to create motivated prospect lists for the real estate, insurance (home & health), mortgage, debt settlement and loan modification industries. Our approach is one of consistency- except for the office coffee, of course. :)

- Dave

Rabid Marketing

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Thu, 20 May 2010 22:43:32 -0700

I had an interesting lesson in "hype" this evening. When I pulled in the driveway at home, returning after a day at the office, my older daughter and my puggle were outside waiting to greet me. Both welcomed me in their own way. Then the puggle saw a dog across the street and started barking. The beagle that lives behind us heard our dog barking, so he started barking, too. The newfoundlands a couple doors over heard the beagle, and they started barking. I could hear a cacophonous chain reaction up to a few blocks away.

None of the neighbors' dogs saw what mine did (a white, fluffy canine on a leash), but the beagle heard a dog barking, so he barked, and the next dogs barked, and so on- none of them knowing why, only knowing that a "barkable" event must have occurred. It made me think of "viral" marketing: One person, group or company creating an event that only has to be noticed by one connected person to start a chain reaction capable of reaching a potentially endless number of people. Thinking in that context, every e-mail you send, every update to your website, every blog you post could be the initial lynchpin in an advertising cascade. Since your target audience will probably be more discerning than my neighbor's beagle, however, there is a greater need for creativity, novelty and relevance, but it's still incredibly powerful stuff!

At Obbee, we take the power of the internet very seriously, using it to create qualified prospect lists for the real estate, mortgage, insurance (home & health), debt settlement and loan modification industries. We can even match up clients with sales professionals in real time. Our sales leads may generate a lot of buzz... hopefully not much barking, though! :)

- Dave

Whack-a-Bowl

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Wed, 19 May 2010 12:57:46 -0700

We feed our puggle twice a day: once in the morning, when we get up, and once in the evening around 6 o'clock. At each of his two mealtimes, he gets a small metal bowl filled with dry dog food ("Chef Michaels"- we spoil him). The puggle usually devours his repasts in a matter of nanoseconds. Then he licks the bowl and checks around the floor for any errant pieces he may have knocked out in his haste. Finally, he bats the bowl with his paws.

At first, none of us could figure out why he does this. It's not just an occasional quirk. He hits his bowl after every single meal. I think I solved the riddle, though. He's hoping that somehow, by whacking his little metal bowl with his paw, it will magically fill up with food again. In effect, he's swatting it as if to say "Bad bowl!" and make it do what he wants. It has never worked.

Yet, despite the day-in and day-out failure of this tactic, he has never given up faith. Every morning and every evening he adamantly whacks that bowl with renewed vigor. You could (very easily, of course) view his behavior as an exercise in futility. I prefer to see it as a demonstration of hope and optimism. From what I understand, dogs don't think about the future very well, but our puggle has at least a rudimentary instinct that persistence yields results. Even though Pavlovian behavior would dictate he should have learned to give up by now due to his lack of reward, he has refused to abandon his plan. Of course, if he's ever successful, he'll have the last laugh.

My puggle's an interesting case study in this regard, I think. As sales professionals perhaps we have advertising routines such as e-mails, letters, brochures... even blogs. Maybe they haven't yielded results in some time. At what point should we give up? If you look to my dog as inspiration, you might hold off before you concede defeat. Persistence may not create real magic, but it really does lead to results, and a closed deal seems magical enough.

At Obbee, we persistently help realtors, insurance agents, mortgage brokers and debt settlement/ loan modification consultants by providing fresh, qualified sales leads. We use the internet to create motivated prospect lists, available in real-time. No magic involved, but increased business will put more food on your table. :)

- Dave

Chinese to Go... And on the Web

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Tue, 18 May 2010 11:44:45 -0700

Last night before I left the office, my wife asked me to pick up Chinese takeout on the way home. I "Googled" the place by our house to get the number and saw the restaurant had its own website. I clicked on it and was pleasantly surprised to see the entire carryout menu (including the combination numbers and prices) was available. Not only that, there were local news items for happenings nearby (with active links; the news links even had dates, so you could tell the site is updated regularly) as well as videos of the staff you could click on, where they explain how certain dishes are prepared. How neat! For a local restaurant (it's not a chain), they put an incredible amount of thought and detail into their website. Looking at the site and how much care was given to it, I imagine a lot of their customers (myself included) have increased confidence about the care they put into the meals they serve.

Frankly, based on the restaurant, I plan on updating our own company's website. If a small, family-owned Chinese takeout joint can have such a great online presence, what does that say about anyone who doesn't? How many times have you tried to find an attorney, for example, and found only a "splash page", with perhaps an address and a phone number? Or when you've searched for a business, all you got was the generic "White Pages" listing with maybe a small map (if you're lucky)? The bar is being set higher all around us, all the time. If we're going to be successful (and maintain our success) we need to step up our game, or we'll be left behind by our competition.

At Obbee, our entire sales lead business is based on the internet. We use proprietary online-based tools and methodologies to create qualified, motivated prospect lists for the real estate, insurance (home & health), mortgage, debt settlement and loan modification industries. We can even match up clients with sales professionals in real time. With the increased business and the time you'll save, you can order extra takeout, too... I recommend the fried shrimp combo! :)

- Dave

Hotel Hassles

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Mon, 17 May 2010 11:07:22 -0700

Over the weekend, my wife and I stayed at a high-end local hotel, since we had won a one-night "romance package" from a recent charity raffle. It was... ok. It's hard to complain when you win something, but I was less than wowed by our stay. The mini-refrigerator in the room was barely cold, making the Cokes we bought in town only a little better than lukewarm. The tv was small. Our window view was of some exposed duct-work. The bathroom did not have a fan, so after showering, the mirror fogged up and the room got hot. Also, I asked the concierge to break a $20, and it took almost 15 minutes because he had to go get his own change from the valet folks. Finally, when we left, the valet attendant initially brought the wrong car, then left it open and running while he walked down the street to berate some people who were trying to illegally park. It took about 20 minutes before we finally got someone to bring us our car, and only after I found the keys on the rack myself. The wrong car was still there when we drove off.

Whether you view my complaints as outrageous or only nitpicky, the point is that, as a customer, I was less than impressed. Maybe we got that room because it was part of the "package" and management didn't want to put a "paying" customer in there. If we had an excellent experience, though, we would have come back. Not only that, we would have recommended it to any of our friends who were looking for a weekend getaway. By apparently not taking us seriously and not making our stay memorable (in a good way), the hotel missed a strong marketing opportunity.

Our experience highlights how important it is to pay attention to even small details, and to provide a positive experience for everyone with whom you come in contact- whether they are a "paying" client or not... Because everyone is a potential client. Further, everyone is a potential marketing source. Don't you want nice things said about you?

At Obbee we regularly get great feedback on our sales leads. We use proprietary web-based tools and methodologies to provide realtors, mortgage brokers, insurance agents (home & health), and debt settlement & loan modification consultants with fresh, qualified, motivated leads. We can even match up prospects and professionals in real time. With the increase in your business, you can head out for the weekend, too- hopefully you'll have a wonderful time!

- Dave

Raise Your Hands as High as You Can

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Fri, 14 May 2010 10:42:25 -0700

This past school year, I was involved with a local non-profit organization as a mentor to a group of high school students. Yesterday was our last session for the year. The woman who runs the program gave a short farewell talk, and she asked everyone in the room to raise their hands as high as they could. Well, everyone raised their hands high. Then she asked us to raise them higher. Everyone did. Everyone (including me) strained or stretched a bit, or raised themselves up from their chairs.

I was awe-struck. What a great demonstration of giving 100%... and then giving more! At the first request, I don't think anyone in the room consciously refused to raise their hands as high as they could. Rather, everyone raised their hands as high as everyone else did. That is, as high as we could without straining or getting up... we all put in a collectively "socially acceptable" effort. Our sham was exposed after the second request. It made me realize the limits we had all subconsciously agreed to place on our efforts. And it made me think about what other areas of my life in which I might be able to do more.

Work, friendships, my relationship with my wife, parenting... These and other thoughts came to mind. I'd like to think I give 100%, but I also felt, initially, I had raised my hand as high as I could. So, I am going to try to recognize the limits I have placed on my potential and break through them. Can you do the same?

At Obbee, we strive to give 100% and more in our efforts to provide fresh, quality sales leads. We use the internet to garner motivated prospect lists for realtors, mortgage brokers, insurance agents (home & health) and debt settlement/ loan modification consultants. We can even match up sales professionals and clients in real time. With increased business, we hope you'll raise your hands... to give us a high-five! :)

- Dave

Conventional Wisdom

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Thu, 13 May 2010 11:24:09 -0700

I came across a great quote today from Maxine Clark, the founder and CEO of Build-A-Bear, the popular retail chain which allows children to make their own designer stuffed animals. Ms. Clark said, "Conventional wisdom in itself isn't bad. The problem is that following it makes you look like everyone else." I found that to be pretty interesting!

At first blush, it almost doesn't make sense- it's counterintuitive to think that acting in a way which is wise could be, well, unwise. However, the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. Ms. Clark isn't advocating abandoning common sense- rather she is encouraging us not to strictly follow traditional modes of business thinking and planning. While there are, I would think, tenets of conventional wisdom which may not be abandoned under any circumstances (If you spend more than you make, you will always have a negative balance sheet. Creativity in this respect is usually illegal!), there are presumably plenty of matters we take for granted which could be altered creatively... Such as the pool from which we draw our clients, or the means we use to attract them. The point is, if you do things the same way as everyone else- even if they're the right things to do- you will have an uphill battle to differentiate yourself from your competitors.

Obbee seeks to stand apart from its competition in the sales lead industry. Proprietary web-based tools and methodologies help us provide the freshest, most qualified leads available. We can even match up prospects with professionals in the real estate, insurance, mortgage, debt settlement and loan modification fields in real time. Conventional wisdom says motivated clients are great clients... We can't argue with that- We just use creative methods to get those clients to you.

- Dave

Eat Your Vegetables!

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Wed, 12 May 2010 10:45:02 -0700

Last night as we ate, my wife and two daughters and I had a frank discussion about our diets, and we acknowledged that none of us eat enough vegetables. We do eat them, of course- we're not that unhealthy- but we don't have enough vegetables with our meals, at least not according to the dieticians and nutritionists who write articles about such things. Hence, the discussion: at least two servings of vegetables with every meal from now on. It was a somber dinner.

It's funny, isn't it? Even my wife and I weren't all that enthusiastic. But we do want to stay healthy, lose weight and live to a happy old age... so, putting it in context, we ought to have welcomed the prospect of more greens on our plates. And yet, we didn't. I suppose it's because no matter how good (some) vegetables may be, other foods just taste better. Even the promise of a slimmer waistline, less-clogged arteries, better digestion and all of the attendant benefits of our leafy friends was not enough to overcome the thought of eating less of the "good" (i.e. "tasty") foods. We definitely need to adjust our attitudes.

I was thinking about it this morning, and I believe my family's negative outlook is the same type of pessimism that keeps a lot of sales professionals from achieving maximum results. We usually know what it takes to be successful in our business: making (cold) calls, timely responding to e-mails and phone messages, dealing with difficult clients and colleagues, researching, networking, marketing... All of these activities take time and effort, and some are a lot more pleasant than others. If we skimp on the less pleasant aspects of work (the "vegetables") and only focus on the amiable aspects (the "tasty food"), we end up with the equivalent of an imbalanced diet. Our customer pipeline (and our bottom line) will not be healthy. So, whether it's our supper or our paycheck, we need to be upbeat and stay well-rounded in our approach.

At Obbee, we're committed to keeping food on your table. We use the internet to provide cutting-edge sales leads for the real estate, insurance (home & health), mortgage, debt settlement and loan modification industries. We can even match up prospects and professionals in real time... so dig in- without any guilt! :)

- Dave

Cashew Juice

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Tue, 11 May 2010 14:58:49 -0700

Yesterday morning, on the way to work I stopped at an organic grocery store to pick up a few things. While I was there I came across something I had never seen before: cashew juice. I always thought cashews were nuts, but they're not; they're seeds, and apparently juice can be made from the fruit. Feeling adventurous, I tried a box of it, and it was pretty good- a bit more tart than orange juice, but definitely palatable.

I told my wife and a few friends about it, but they were dubious. I don't think they believed me that cashew juice doesn't actually taste like liquified cashews... Maybe they'll come around if it becomes a "craze" like pomegranates or MonaVie (acai berries). At this point, though, cashew juice appears to be limited to one obscure, refrigerated row in a specialty store. But I still like the idea of it.

What I like about offerings such as cashew juice are their presentation of something old as something new and inventive. Juice has obviously been around a long time. Cashew juice? I never heard of it until yesterday, and, I must confess, the idea of it would never, ever have occurred to me had I not seen it with my own eyes. So, as someone in sales, products like that give me hope. If a new variation on "juice" can still be found and marketed, it means there is plenty of innovation yet to be discovered in other fields such as real estate, insurance and mortgage products. It's a reinforcement of the proposition that progress is not dead, that growth is always possible. For me, cashew juice was a drink of optimism.

At Obbee, we're optimistic about growing your business. As a provider of cutting-edge sales leads for realtors, insurance agents, mortgage brokers and debt settlement/ loan modification consultants, we match up sales professionals with clients on a daily basis. We use proprietary internet tools to procure qualified prospects. Finding motivated clients may not be a new idea, but the novelty of a satisfied customer never gets old.

- Dave

"...And a Gorilla"

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Mon, 10 May 2010 10:24:57 -0700

Over the weekend, my wife and I were flipping through the channels on cable tv. Our service provider has an "information" button on the remote; if you press it, a little box will pop up with a synopsis of the program you highlighted. My wife hit the button on a movie ("King of the Lost World") that was playing on the SyFy (Science Fiction) channel. The description said something to the following effect: "Plane crash survivors are threatened by dragons, giant scorpions and a gorilla."

Oh, how I laughed! I had tears in my eyes and couldn't breathe, I was laughing so hard. I pictured a group of screenwriters sitting around a table discussing the script. "We can have dragons flying around, breathing fire, and on the ground we'll have giant scorpions with huge poisonous stingers. But what will make this movie really intense?... I know: a gorilla!" Maybe they thought the film's protagonists would try to find refuge from the dragons and giant scorpions behind a door, only to be thwarted because the gorilla has opposable thumbs. I'll never know, because we didn't actually watch it.

I thought the "info" description was a good lesson, though, in just how important it is to choose the best descriptive language when you are advertising. Imagine a realtor describing a house in the following manner: "This home has 4 bedrooms, an in-ground pool, and a garbage disposal." Such a description goes too far. While it's obviously nice to have a garbage disposal, such a minor appliance is an odd let-down compared to a large number of bedrooms or a pool. People like to be informed, but too much information can actually be detrimental... Sometimes what you don't say is as (or more) important than what you do say. If you highlight the important benefits to attract clients, then the minor details will come to light on their own. But if you highlight the mundane, clients will be "underwhelmed" and an opportunity will be missed.

At Obbee, we only have one product to highlight: sales leads. We provide cutting-edge, internet-based leads to the real estate, mortgage, insurance (home & health), debt settlement and loan modification industries. Our prospect lists are motivated and qualified, and we can even provide them in real time. No gorillas, though. :)

- Dave

It's Okay to Talk to Strangers

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Fri, 07 May 2010 14:42:28 -0700

Last night my wife and I attended a fundraiser dinner for a local charity. Afterwards, she was saying goodbye to some friends while I waited with some other folks at the valet queue. The couple standing next to me looked vaguely familiar, so I asked them if they had gone to my college. They hadn't, but we ended up chatting for a bit about the event, kids, schools and Disney. My wife joined us and we talked for a few more minutes before our car pulled up.

As we drove away, my wife asked me from where I knew those people. She was surprised to find out I had just met them. "People like me," I teased her. I was thinking about it today, though, and I don't really imagine I am any more likeable than anyone else, but I do have a willingness to engage strangers in conversation.

I don't put much conscious thought into it, so you could say it comes naturally to me. But for a lot of people- including sales professionals- approaching strangers is a daunting proposition. There are a ton of books, videos and websites devoted to helping men and women initiate conversations (e.g. "pick-up lines"). These tips are all within the context of dating. Similarly, there are a slew of instructional aids for "elevator pitches", public speaking and sales, generally. I have found there is not much material available for simple conversational techniques that are not within the scope of some particular activity... and I think that's a shame.

If we offered more training to people on how to communicate generally, in completely non-threatening, non-pressure situations, then when folks did need to "step it up", whether to attract a mate or a client, they would have a solid, functioning base of knowledge and experience from which to operate. Perhaps this lack of foundation is one of the reasons that dating and sales is so hard. Societally, we may take it for granted that we are all comfortable communicating on a basic level. For those of us in the sales industry, in particular, it might be worth a moment of self-assessment to double-check our own communication "foundations." Then, if we're not 100% confident, we can work on ourselves from the ground up. By doing so, we avoid the perhaps mistaken assumption that we can master advanced techniques before we've mastered elementary skills.

At Obbee, we've mastered the fine art of sales leads. We use proprietary internet-based tools to provide prospect lists for salespeople in the real estate, insurance (home & health), mortgage, debt settlement and loan modification fields. We can even match up clients with professionals in real time. And since our leads are qualified and motivated, talking to them will be easy. :)

- Dave

Superheroes Wanted: All Sales Professionals, Please Report

David Obbee (Obbee.com) — Thu, 06 May 2010 15:06:08 -0700

Today marks my 75th blog on Active Rain. I have tried very hard to come up with stories, anecdotes and lessons that are useful for salespeople in any profession, while also implementing the keywords that help promote Obbee. Obbee provides cutting edge sales leads for the real estate, mortgage, insurance, debt settlement and loan modification industries.

Sales, of course, is the wonderful art of helping people buy what they need. All of us need some place to live, for example, and real estate agents provide phenomenal guidance. We all need to pay for that place- and insure it. Thank goodness for mortgage brokers and insurance agents. We need all kinds of things, and salespeople help us make almost all of our decisions.

There are some products and services that do not have enough sales representation, however, including PROTECT. PROTECT is also known as the National Association to Protect Children. Its website can be found at www.protect.org. PROTECT is the first and- sadly- only anti-child abuse lobbyist group in the country. Children don't vote, so unfortunately they have been historically unrepresented by our nation's politicians when it comes to progressive, meaningful legislation.

Before PROTECT, for example, in many states it was a felony to rape a child... but only a misdemeanor if that child was a relative. That's changed now. PROTECT has also worked to strengthen sentencing guidelines for child molesters and increase funding for anti-child pornography initiatives.

Why do I mention all of this? When you need a house, you know to call a realtor. But do you ever think about specifically "buying" safety for children? Probably not, because: 1) You've taken it for granted; and 2) No salesperson has let you know it's something for which you could spend money. And that's the key- The awareness we generate as sales professionals is a powerful force. How many of us use our knowledge and experience to sell anything besides our own products and services? If you think about it, your training gives you a tremendous capacity to "do good", just like a superhero. You know how to attract people, retain their interest, motivate them and help them determine how and where to spend their dollars. The better you become at your job, the better you develop your abilities in other applications. So the older and wiser you get, the more valuable you are to the world at large.

... If you could pick one person, place or organization to help with your "super powers", what would it be? For what bastion of "good" would you become a champion? For me, it's PROTECT. For you, whether it's saving the local historical site or saving the planet's ecology, go forth, and good luck- You are a hero!

- Dave