Jim Vogel's Blog (7)

2-10-09 Apex NC... It is creeping again. I pass signs all the time. It is incredibly on the move again... sure it sits awhile, and then it moves again thinking no one notices. It is very sneaky too. It fakes a gentle fall and then rises above the stagnant mark it has been sitting at for days. Yep, you guessed it.... Gas prices are on the move again, regardless of the national climate.



It was wonderful at 1.59 and then the creep began AGAIN. It went up to 1.70 for no reason, sat at… Continue

2-9-09 Apex NC... Coldplay won the song of the year at the Grammy awards last night for VIVA LA VIDA. The band always carries itself well and is noted for its enthusiasm on stage as well as its talent. In fact, enthusiasm is key to their success. Enthusiasm, coupled with a smile and a great attitude gets you whatever you reach for. Think of enthusiasm from the following list...



E...Energy in great amounts is the key to all possibilities.

N...Need is central to sales success.… Continue

2-06-09 Apex, NC... Back in 1977, Bo(Bandit)Darville and Cledus(Snowman)Snow had a job to do. Bring 400 cases of Coors from Texas to Georgia in 28 hours. At the time you could not buy Coors east of the Mississippi, so they were on a mission where speed was critical. They had a goal and an objective. They were persistent and focused on the task. Simply put, they knew what they had to do and nothing else mattered. Defeat was not in the vocabulary. Of course this is a Burt Reynolds and Jerry Reed… Continue

2-5-08 Apex, NC... I had the privilege of listening to Scott Custer, CEO of RBC Bank, yesterday at NC. St. His presentation was part of the Lecture Series in the School of Management. I knew that if I could learn one thing, it would be well worth it.



Here is what he said... There are three reasons for corporate failure. The first is losing touch with your constituents. The second is losing sight of the market and the market conditions. The third is having a complex… Continue

2-3-09, Apex, NC... As I look at you, I see the sniffles and the tears. The end of the retail industry is coming!! Even the President is on the bandwagon about the fact that things are "dark and getting darker" in reference to the current economy. Someone has to yell out that this thing is cyclical. This ain't ROCKET SCIENCE. There is still an unlimited amount of people out my work window, and an unlimited amount of money. If you don't think so, then where is the stimulus money coming from?… Continue

2-2-09 Apex, NC... The key to getting the economy rolling again in the right direction is to get the Consumer Confidence Index back up. Currently it is 37; a year ago it was in the 80's... we have to fix that. I am no economist, but as a sales expert I can honestly say that no one cuts, scrimps, saves, or eliminates their way out of recession. You must GROW your way out. You must spend your way out. Just the strategy of buying what you need will help jump start the economy. People are holding… Continue

2-1-1959... Apex, NC... Why not?... 1959 is the same calendar...This following is so interesting that I just have to share it...



The 2009 calendar is exactly the same as all these years... 1903, 1914, 1925, 1931, 1942, 1953, 1959, 1970, 1981, and 1987.



Unbelievably, these were all challenging years for the U.S. Economy and in particular the Auto Industry, what can this coincidence tell us about 2009?



Recessions(Depressions), WAR, and Change happened in these… Continue