1/15/2024-On this Day: Martin Luther King, Jr.

There’s a lot in common between a preacher and a seller: both are passionate about influencing the minds of others. Follow Martin Luther King Jr.’s lead and focus on what is best for your customers.

Martin Luther King Jr. was born on this day in 1929. Born Michael King Jr., he was an American Baptist minister, activist, and political philosopher who was one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement until his assassination in 1968.

Why is this important to you on this U.S.A. holiday named after King?

Take another gander at the quote of the day…while King was thinking broader than sellers like you, his comment reminds you the customer is always number one.

As the mantra goes, take care of your customers, and they’ll take care of you! King wouldn’t want you to mess with that order.

Whether you’re working today or taking it easy, it’s a good habit to frequently pause and think about what you can do to put your customers first.

In honor of King, use these three questions to focus your energies:
1. What are the unexpected things you can do this month for key customers?
2. What could you do for your customers that could be defined as above and beyond?
3. Who needs special attention amongst your client base?

The pressure on you to deliver your number is immense, and that weight sometimes can blur your vision about putting customers first.

Martin Luther King., Jr. was a selfless man. Model him.

The campaign for a federal holiday in King’s honor began soon after his assassination in 1968. President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed three years later on January 20, 1986, and officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000.

There’s a lot in common between a preacher and a seller: both are passionate about influencing the minds of others. And yet, referring to King and one who sells professional services in the same sentence feels contrived. Either way, focus on what King emphasized: who are you trying to help? …and why?

No doubt King had moments when he questioned his convictions and purpose, and that might be the same with you.

Stick to the basics…focus on your beliefs and let them drive your actions.

Again…who are you trying to help? Why? And, who besides you can better serve your customers?

While capturing MLK’s life in a 4-minute video is impossible, this video is as good as it gets.

To further your appreciation for King, learn more about this incredibly brave and principled man who always acted with integrity and honor.

Big dreams move mountains, and King definitely had a big dream to transform the United States’ understanding of racial inequality and his campaign for equal treatment under the law.