Numbers do not lie

Here is an old story about an owner of a small deli who was being questioned by an IRS agent about his tax return.

He had reported a net profit of $80,000 for the year. “Why don’t you people leave me alone?” the deli owner said. “I work like a dog, everyone in my family helps out, and the place is only closed three days a year. And you want to know how I made $80,000?”

“It’s not your income that bothers us,” the agent said. “It’s these deductions. You listed six trips to Bermuda for you and your wife.”

“Oh, that,” the owner said smiling. “I forgot to tell you – we also deliver.”

Numbers reveal facts don’t they?

I was invited to do a two and a half hour talk to the heads of an industry leader in the direct marketing business a month ago. I had a great time with them and have been invited to do more similar talks with the other divisions of their company later this year.

This gives me a lot of joy and fulfillment not only because I get more sales but also because any repeat business is a validation that clients appreciate the service and is satisfied enough to invite me back.

I have always maintained that there is no truth to the adage that “There is no business unless there is a sale.” What is true however is that “There is no business unless you have repeat sales.” You can sell just once and never get invited back and that spells the end of a business.

No two learning sessions of mine would ever be the same simply because the needs and the profile of the audience are never the same. Most of my audience appreciates this while a very few would want a more structured approach to the lesson, meaning that what I share should correspond to what is found in the manual in which they do have a point.

Some people find it difficult to catch up with things that are said because they are more visual and they appreciate following written items that would help guide them to learn better. Others are auditory and would love to listen and take notes without being interrupted by detailed slides presentation or rigidly following the printed stuff on their manuals.

As a trainer I need to balance both. And this is the wonderful thing about training. I actually learn so much from my audiences. They tell me how to improve my craft and I appreciate their feedback.

One of the dramatic lessons I have learned from doing this talk with the leaders of this industry is what they have shared with me prior to the talk itself.

One of the leaders said, “In our industry, it is very common to have people with all the fire and passion as they start doing business but once they earn money, they cool down, they coast and get lazy because of their residual income.”

I understand this perfectly and I nodded my head in agreement but I laughed so hard when this leader said, “they still pretend to be successful but in all actuality they are losing their business. Their success remain in their past and the only success you see in their business is what they post on their Facebook pages. They pretend to be successful, they boast about their numbers and make wild promises about how they can increase their business but the truth is that the numbers do not show it.”

This got me thinking. People who are successful do not need to brag and make false promises. They allow the numbers to tell the story for them because numbers do not lie.

Sure, you can choke the numbers and subject it for a false confession or you can window dress the numbers but eventually the truth will surface.

Numbers are objective. Numbers are cold and unfeeling. Numbers do not care about your past conquests and it is not interested with the future you promise but they just faithfully project reality.

A. A. Latimer defined “budget as a mathematical confirmation of your suspicions.” I get nervous when the numbers do not add up and you should too. So beyond the hype of the “successes” posted in social media and underneath the over confident claims of how business will pick up soon…let the numbers show the real picture and you will have the real picture.

By the way, what are your numbers saying and not just showing?

(Experience two inspiring days with Francis Kong learning leadership and life skills in his widely acclaimed Level Up Leadership on May 25-26 at the brand new Shangri-La Hotel at the Fort. For further inquiries contact April at +639285591798 or Success Options at 7270291 / 7275692 or register online at www.levelupleadership.ph)