Selling @ MindSay 
moving
So I did. It was like selling my college days, seriously. So many of these old punk CDs I'd bought in the Village, especially the crap I picked up at the little whole in the wall shops that no longer exist. We're talking about CDs, used, for under $1 here. I was sorry to say goodbye to some of them, I used to play them until I thought the CDs would melt, but I honestly just don't even listen to them anymore. The guy looking them over even commented that they hadn't been touched by human hands in a long time due to the amount of dust on some of them. But they were in mint condition.
However, I figured the $50 estimate was out when he called the store owner and told him he needed to come down here and see some of this stuff.
Apparently some of my CDs were not only out of print but rare. Some of the shit I dug up in the Village had sat in those bins so damn long that they made it through various reprintings and I somehow landed me the original first productions. Like The Stooges CD. And I had two Clash albums I'd never even taken out of the wrapper. Same goes for a Television CD. All first runs. He wanted the owner to come down and see this stuff because he didn't want to cut the wrappers. One of the Clash CDs brought me $25 alone. And the guy was going nuts seeing some of the bands I had in there. Crass, Subhumanz, Balzac, Left Over Crack, The Vibrators, Rise Against. Apparently these are bands that aren't fashionable enough in the south, but people are looking for them. And while you can dig that stuff up in the Village you can't dig it up anywhere down here. So the guy hasn't even given me the values yet before he starts calling customers to tell them this shit had come in and they needed to get down there.
The owner comes in and looks at the CDs, sees some of these older than dirt first productions, and says, "How the hell old are you?"
"27."
"Oh my God. How did you get your hands on this stuff? Did someone leave you their collection or something?"
"No. I dug through bargain bins in NY."
He had a good laugh about one that roped me $20 and I'd only paid 69 cents for it originally in a bargain bin in some shit hole in the Village. So I ended up telling him stories about the little shit holes up there, Generation Records, and the little place Phil took me to that was run by skinheads. That's where I got all that shit. And I honestly thought... hey. I was a bit weird growing up. I liked snagging shit no one had, wanted, or cared about. So when I went to sell them I figured they wouldn't be worth anything. Was I ever wrong!
I told him about some stuff I'd left home, explaining my CD collection had quickly struck the 4000 mark, possibly higher. I have CD wracks all over my bedroom. He wants to see some more. Some of it I can't part with. My Misfits CDs, Speed Crazy, the Ramones, T.S.O.L., Dead Kennedys, the old metal I listened to in high school. I just couldn't do it when I was weeding through. And I'll be honest, it still brought a tear to my eye to let go of the CDs I did bring him. Hell, that Vibrators album was the shit! LOL! Rise Against, The Clash, Crass... I loved those CDs! I just thought maybe it was time to wipe off the four inches of dust and let them make someone else happy now.
He didn't take everything. He took all the rare shit, I can tell you that. And I know he wants my Speed Crazy CDs, but he isn't getting them. He showed interest in a bunch of other punk CDs I have, but I have to think about it. I still like them too much. I guess he took about 60 CDs and I brought home $250 in cash. Which isn't bad for 60 CDs. He took 120 last time and I got $35 for them.
I had no idea how many punk CDs I had. LOL! Dude, I still have well over 1500 punk CDs. The rest are mostly metal, new age, and other weird shit.
But the $250 covered the $250 I spent on those two knives this weekend. I'm calling the second guy tomorrow to tell him I have the cash. I want to pay him off as soon as possible. The rest is going in my gun fund. So that's $175 towards my G21SF. I am so thrilled. I really thought $50 would be it and I was coming to terms with the fact that I may need to sell one of my guitars again. I was leaning towards my Fender bass. Well, fuck that. I don't play the guitar or the bass anymore, but they were my firsts and I love them like old friends. It hurt too much to sell that Jackson Kelly, I don't know if I can do it again. So this was perfect!
People, by nature, only care about themselves and their interests. Stop and listen to your co-workers at the coffee pot the next time you take a break at work. Chances are you will hear a self-promoter ranting and raving about their latest and greatest story. If you pay close attention you will find a few people pretending to listen, as they are only tentatively listening for the right opportunity in the conversation to steal the lime light to put them selves at the center of attention.
Sure not all people are this way; there are those who have learned the art of relationships / the art of selling. If you want to be successful with the marketing of your product or idea, or successful at making friends and gaining the respect of others, then you need to develop the ability to create meaningful relationships with the customer, client or friend that you are pursuing/engaged with.
Those clients, customers, co-workers, friends, relatives and associates are all alike: they care about themselves first and foremost. Not you. Not the great golf game you played last week. Not the team you coach. Not the new car you just bought. If you know people love talking about themselves, then shut up and show a genuine interest in what others have to say and you will make friends every where you go. People will be attracted to you like a mosquito in a nudist colony. They will be attracted to you for one simple reason. You care.
People are craving friendship, craving people who will take an interest in them. By taking the focus off of yourself and putting it on other people, you will in fact make more friends and the friends you make will in turn be more receptive to the things that you have to say. They will want to listen. The key thing is that you have to build trust with people first, you have to become their friend and gain their respect before they will listen to you. The easiest way to do this is, again, to simply shut up and listen. God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason. This will enable you to develop a relationship with them and they will gain trust and respect for you because they will see that you truly care.
Without trust or respect no one will care what you have to say or what you have to offer. Your words will go in one ear and out the other and people will be holding their breath anxiously anticipating the moment that you leave the room. The next time you want to make a friend, sell your product or promote your idea, be sure to eliminate you from the equation. Once you do this you will master the art of relationship building and the art of selling.
I can't remember if I told you all this or not but come next summer we are moving back to the home area!
I am so excited! Hubby and I managed to get by our fight. I still didn't get my way on the move dates but I got my way on how we are moving. No more changing of plans cause I might go ballistic and kill the hubby and he is aware of this!
We are going to sell the kids beds (metal bunk beds that can be taken apart) and their dressers. The beds were "painted" on with nail polish by my lovely daughter but anyone who buys them can easily paint them any color they want. The dressers are a hodge podge from rummage sales and give mes. I am actually not selling my son's dresser because it was my grandmother's and an antique officially at 30 years old. My daughter's dressers are actually matching dressers that are about 30 years old and I got them at a rummage sale. I just never got around to refurbising them. Now our bed isn't salvageable. The mattress we rescued from a dump trip. Our rich neighbor's in our first home were going to throw it out after 5 years. We snagged it and now at 13 years the mattress is pretty much shot. We are going to keep the frame because it is the metal twin to queen adjustable frame that I can easily set up in a guest room eventually. My dresser my mom got from a friend when I was in Jr. High and it is actually still a very nice dresser that needs to be refurbised with a mirror. Hubby's dresser is an old style upright that my siste got me at a rummage sale our first year of marriage. And needs a good strip and revarnish and a few handles replaced on it if not all of them. All in good working condition.
We are going to chuck my lazy boy chair because between my rottie and the kids they managed to sheer a few of the bolts and fittings. We are going to sell hubby's closer to the date he is going to bring up the final load. Book cases I doubt I sell because they are wally world cheapos. The kitchen table again I am not selling. It was my great grandmother's and is one of those great steal tables! Thus an antique and one we use! It just needs to be taken apart and sandblasted down and repainted! I will sell my dinning room table and hutch that is currently in storage. I can always buy new eventually or even old and refurbish! Hubby refuses to sell the last of his chain saws because we are moving back to the home area with trees he can clean up! I am willing to sell my tent and raft. The tent isn't what I thought it was going to be and I need a much bigger one or even buy two; one for me and hubby and one for the kids. The raft I have only used 3 times because of our move down south to no close water source and I want a kanoe anyway:D We are also going to sell our stove/oven. We had to buy it when we moved to OK anyway because my stove up in NE sitting in my parent's basement is electric and I needed gas. Now I just have to convience hubby to sell the 36 and the two 27 inch tvs. We might as well since in a few years they are doing away with the old technology! If I had my way I would also sell the xbox that I got hubby 3 years ago that he barely uses. But if I do that then he wants me to get rid of my sewing machine and table. I won't because it took me a year after I bought the sewing machine to find the sewing table that it sits in! I am picky you see and it is an antique from the 70s! Yes folks things from the 70s are now antique! Anything that is 25 years or older is considered antique!
The last of the selling issues is books. Specifically my books. Most of hubby's books are IT, Electrical, Mechanical, Electronic and Instuctional books. My books are a hodge podge from fiction to non fiction to antique books. I have a rather expensive but small antique collection ranging from music to history to the first edition published Black Beauty book. The next items are my records:D Yes, a soon to be 30 year old woman has records! I managed to inherite the majority of my youngest uncle's records and half of my parent's collection. My sister got the really old records that are played on phonographs because her husband found one and repaired it! But I did offer to sell my wedidng dress. Hubby is the one that got pist off about that. I figured it wasn't really my style to begin with and when we renew our vows I am not wearing it. Randy wants me to keep it to give to our duaghter or offer to our son's bride. He didn't like me going well I sure as hell didn't wear my mother's dress even though she had it! And I don't expect the kids to wear mine! It's western! Do you think our kids are going to be into that shit? I highly doubt it. The only things I liked about my wedding gear was my shoes and my veil!:D I had heeled wedding shit kickers and a western hat veil:D I was a nice bride and let hubby have input on his wedding. He wanted western and I was preggie and didn't want to deal with shit so I said just pick a fucking idea and let me know.
Anyway the cats know something is gong on because I started cleanign out closets. Mine is going to take forever because I have rummage sale items, scrap book items, photo items, all of our files, the majoity of my shoes, and my various sporting equipment in it! Hubby's has the linines and pillows. Not to mention his various tools but thankfully they are in cases:D
The kids won't take that long it is basially their clothes and their closets full of toys. But now we can do our after holdiay toy clean out and just take care of that!:D
My trainign is boring as hell but hey it's easy money. I only have 2 days left. And then I can map out a clear schedule of my days.
That is it for now.
I work at the Good Guys. We sell all sorts of stuff. Toasters, LCDs, fridges. When I first started working there I was just glad to get the job and an income for my life and for my education. There were times when I really wanted to punch people in the face, and even now customers can really deserve a punch in the face. I mean, really. One lady once asked for us to beat the price on a kettle. I mean, a kettle.
Lately I have caught myself feeling differently about work and about myself in regards to it. Work at the Good Guys has changed me. This is differant from when I worked at a petrol station. That hardened me and left me jaded. Work has made me stronger and more outgoing. I will talk to strangers where before I would shit myself at the prospect. If a customer says some smart arse comment I won't turn around and retort out of spite I use it to create more oppurtunities to sell. It's not perfect, I can still lose the sail but it becomes easier. It's not to say I still don't get frustrated or utterly perplexed, but I don't care as much. If a customer walks out it is no longer the end of the world.
The best part are the customers that I like; the ones I see more than once. The ones who know my name and tell me they trust my advice. That makes it worth it. Did you hear that? That's me taking pride in my work.
The scariest part, is the fact that I have given some thought to doing it full-time. And not just for a while. Ideas of becoming a department manager and possibly a rep have crept into my head. I never thought I could be a good salesperson, but I do more than okay. My monthly sales figures were higher than a few other people's, and I am part-time. Right now my income is the highest that it has ever been. Ever! I work part-time and live out of home and I still save money. Is it because I am thrifty? Read tight arse?...Maybe. But you guys know what I mean.
Like I said, life can take you by surprise. The biggest surprises are the ones that come from within.
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