Tommy Steele 

"America's Favorite Home Improvement Salesperson"

 Contact Tommy Steele here       

Tommy Steele has over twenty years of experience in the area known as direct or in-home sales.

After finishing college with a degree in Soviet studies and a post graduate internship in music marketing,

Tommy concluded that he could best spread the American ideal through promoting Rock and Roll music;

thus deciding to forgo Law school or a career in the intelligence community. Beginning his professional career as a live music talent agent, Tommy rapidly learned how to "open doors" and close sales. Early in the 1980's

prompted by his late night television habits, Tommy became fascinated with an ongoing advertising campaign

for an adjustable bed. "I bet I could sell a lot of those things," he would often say basking in the late night, warm

glow of the TV screen. This desire, coupled with the need for immediate cash for his fledgling talent agency,

compelled Tommy to enter the world of in-home sales.

Here is where this epic journey began. After traveling "all expenses paid" (Tommy paid all the expenses himself!)

Within a 400 mile radius of his home, Tommy quickly learned that there is "no tomorrow" in the world of direct

or in-home sales. This fact coupled with the innate fear and resentment present in the mind of many people

(prospects) gave rise to the methods and theories that Tommy teaches today. Thirteen months after he began

representing a consumer product Tommy learned about one segment of the in-home sales profession where the

unit sale and corresponding commissions were higher: Home Improvements. While this initial fact was indeed

appealing, the amount of technical expertise required mixed with Tommy's Liberal Arts background meant

that he was in for some expensive lessons in the world of commissioned sales. "When I worked with one of

America's leading retailers I learned about charge backs. This is where an adjustment is subsequently made on a commission due to a greater than expected installation cost. Fortunately most of my appointments were in the

evening so I had the time to go out on my installations and actually learn how the products were installed.

This ultimately made me a much less threatening salesperson, since I began to take on the appearance of a polite installer/technician, not the typical high pressure salesperson."

In 1988 Tommy met the person who would serve both as his inspiration and later his mentor. Mr. Dave Yoho .

I'll never forget the day he came to speak to our company. With the amount of charge backs I was experiencing

I felt like I must have absorbed the entire amount of his fee myself! None the less what began as resentment became admiration and inspiration during the course of Mr. Yoho's presentation. While I was impressed with the skills

displayed my associates, Dave Yoho could not only sell in the home but his self made upbringing also enabled to

travel in the company of America's Fortune 500 corporations. Personality, power and polish all in one person.

This is the person who inspired me to speak, write and teach this topic.

Since that fateful day in 1988 Tommy Steele has shared his impassioned, energetic yet sincere demeanor and his sharp witted humor with some of the biggest names in the world of in-home sales, and addressed a variety of audiences from

sales organizations, academic institutions, and government agencies and also in the media (print, radio and television).

For anybody who has ever been told "YOU CAN'T DO THAT" or "NO YOU CAN'T" or "YOU'LL NEVER AMOUNT TO ANYTHING" I would say what my late Grandfather told me "stay in there and pitch boy!" Do not ever give up. Les Brown said "You are not here to make a living but to live your making!" None of this would have happened were it not for the help and inspiration I received from key individuals, family and friends.

Be sure to check out the June 2007 issue of Replacement Contractor Magazine

for the latest article from "America's Favorite Home Improvement Salesperson" Tommy Steele
 

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