1. I find a quiet place to methodically and with a dedication of purpose:
2. Re-discover my three most essential get-it-done today-priorities.
3. Affirm these three are included in this week’s Big Rocks*.
4. Grade these three in ascending order of importance.
5. Filter each through my S.M.A.R.T. goal-setting acronym.
6. Itemize and handwrite steps necessary to complete each.
7. Set aside time before noon to complete Number One.
8. Assign specific hours in my planner to complete the remaining two.
9. Mute the Sound Settings ringer on my cell phone and laptop.

10.  Begin and complete Number One before noon and, reward my accomplishment!

Easier said than done? Sometimes, even at my age when I should possess the seasoned self-discipline and experience to KNOW what needs to be done during waking moments. Self-discipline born of the experience of the negative consequences of procrastination.  Self-discipline is still the magic bullet. The discipline to focus on what matters and the desire to consistently be on-purpose with time, the marrow of my life.

Like it or not, in our crazy-busy world we are tethered to each other with cell phone and PDA umbilical’s. If we permit these electronic marvels to rule our time, we will continue to procrastinate and fail to complete our self-appointed tasks.

Life is nothing more than choices. Those we choose to own. There is no one to blame but ourselves if we let procrastination interfere with the daily marrow of our lives. OK, your turn. Now, you decide.

*Stephen Covey’s Big Rocks lesson.

Mount Olympus in Greek Mythology  was the mystical domain of the Gods who ruled Ancient Greece.  It is a near perfect analogy  to the Corporate Suite (C-Suite)  domain. The world of CEO, COO, CFO, CIO, CMO (Chiefs) because it is these few senior decision-makers whom we business-to-business (b2b) sales professionals must gain repeated, ethical access to if we are to control our sales destinies inside corporations.

Repeated, ethical access requires learning a specific skill set to be invited back into their domains because we have something of value to add or a significant, unique contribution to make.  Once we earn their trust  (and, earn it we must)  we are approaching the status of a ‘Trusted Advisor’. OK, enough said about ‘Trusted Advisor’ status for now.  I am getting way ahead of myself!

Since beginning this blog in March 2008, my focus has been the tactical aspects of business-to-business  (b2b) sales prospecting. I make no apologies for my posting irregularity. I feel as strongly now about my then-promise of only posting when I have something worthwhile to contribute.

These Rules still apply especially in our congested blogging community. Like many serious peers, I resent time-intrusion techno annoyances, such as Twitter, which interrupt my concentration whether I am working or playing. Twitter, to me, is still an annoying, ringing phone I am too busy to answer!

In June 2009, I ranted about Twitter, in my “Twitter, Twatter, Does It Really Matter?” blog. The overwhelming response to my commentary was from ardent Tweeters who were in favor of hanging my cyber entrails from a pole in the Internet Town Square.  God love them! They are entitled to their opinions but so am I! While Twitter has gained in popularity, it is just too real-time for me and not a technology I choose to embrace at this time.

Technology to me is like a shovel in my tool shed. It is there when I need it. I am still amazed when I see busy executives wearing two or more PDA’s, cell phones or pagers draped on their belts.  They are like newborn infants with their umbilical cords tethered to their mommas.  It’s their choice but not mine!

OK, back to my 2010 topic focus of Exploring the Fascinating World of C-Suite Access. I have received many requests to share effective techniques for gaining repeated, ethical access to C-Suite decision-makers, so this is our 2010 starting point.  I am excited and I hope you will be too with my heavily researched content. Please feel free to post comments, at will.

While you know me as author of this sales prospecting tips blog, you probably aren’t aware I’m also an eBay enthusiast and eBay Consignment Seller who achieved eBay Power Seller status in 2003-2007 by successfully mining a neglected niche market.

Like many eBay consignment sellers, after selling their miscellaneous household items, I was stumped with where to get inventory to fuel my weekly online auctions. Exhausting and frustrating visits to weekly garage sales and consignment shops annoyed me. My peers told me of their nightmare experiences with Drop Shippers. Nope, not for me!

FACT: Where can I get stuff to sell online? Is one of the most popular questions queried online Search Engines. Many of the unemployed, who once poked fun at eBay, are now giving it a serious second look as their day job, especially with Corporate America’s daily announcements of huge layoffs and hiring freezes.

Never one to let a challenge stump me, answering this question became my battle cry. One 2003 February Sunday, while sitting in church, the answer (answers) came to me.

The answers were sitting all around me. The answers were the retired seniors in my church family. Just suppose, I could figure out how to mine the real antiques and collectibles seniors stored in their attics, cellars and garages?  I bet some of them could even use the cash!

I did it and I was very successful at it! So, I wrote an ebook about my detailed marketing plan with all the fixings. Everything that worked for me, why it worked and, how to duplicate my success including free prospect list URLs and working forms are included in this 4 chapter ebook. I held nothing back!

The title of this week’s blog: Making “Real Money” on eBay is the title of the first reader review given my new ebook. I’m thrilled the reviewer saw fit to grade it 5 of 5 possible stars. Also, he placed it in the must-read category for anyone seeking to earn big bucks on eBay as a Consignment Seller.

This is the subject of this blog for these 3 reasons:

• The ebook is a near-perfect example of the marketing maxim: Find a Need and Fill It!
• My patriotic contribution for getting America’s Unemployed back to work.
• Unashamedly, I’d like to sell some ebooks at $18.95 each.

At hundreds of workshops I conducted around this country for 17 years, I always said: finding a need and filling it was the Number 1 Rule of Successful Marketing. Add the right timing of marketplace introduction, a product which solves a contentious problem; and, make it affordable. This is the secret sauce for a marketing success recipe.

Wouldn’t it be great if eBay once again became an American Success Story by putting Unemployed Americans back to work? Like the mythical, Phoenix bird rising from the ashes! What a hoot, if my little ebook had something to do with this happy ending.

To get your FREE Preview peek, downloadable to your PC, cell phone, smart phone, electronic ebook reader or PDA, go to: www.mobipocket.com and type: Gordie into the Search box at the top of the page.

It’s appropriately titled: How to Get Stuff* to Sell on eBay (*an Endless Supply of Real Antiques and Collectibles, NOT Drop Ship) and I think it does the Number 1 Rule of Marketing proud. Do you agree?