Some of you may recall the time – when work life was still very new – after a sales call I walked back to my car, only it wasn’t mine.
It made great entertainment for the retired old men sitting outside at a café nearby.
Despite all that humiliation, I didn’t close the deal.
I didn’t give up, though. Every time I drove by that particular office, I’d remind myself that the timing just wasn’t right.
So, off I went closing other deals as well as dealing with other rejections.
Dem be the nature of sales.
Wednesday morning proved that timing was everything.
As it happened, I was back in conversation with said potential client.
Emailing back and forth to lock in a time to meet, he hadn’t replied to my last email suggesting a 10:30am meeting.
It was back to being a dud opportunity.
Never mind, I’d just have extra time to work from home until my next appointment at noon.
Or so I thought.
Still getting the hang of possessing two mobiles, at exactly 9:15am – with screaming kids who were nowhere near ready for daycare – instinct told me to check my work phone.
And yup, there was a message from said potential client, confirming we were on for 10:30am and in fact, could we make it earlier, say, 10:15??
Panic stations.
I called him back apologizing that my phone had been recharging…ahem. But yes, of course, I could be there in an hour.
I was still in my PJ’s. His office was at least half an hour away.
Miraculously, I made it – with a minute to spare.
He had no inkling to the madness I had just gone through to get there.
Sales rule #2,567 – fake it till you make it.
My client suggested we have our discussion next door at The Majestic – a once roller skating rink turned theatre turned café/restaurant/grocer and soon to include a wine bar and restaurant.
Over the best Italian coffee I’ve ever had in a long time and the fluffiest and lightest of Portuguese custard tarts, I closed the deal.
In fact, we did 2 rounds of coffee and tarts. You know, to really celebrate.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get a change to take photos of the little pastry pieces of heaven. You’re just going to have to take my word for it.
I even went back that afternoon to buy some for take away but they had sold out.
That’s how awesome these babies are.
And that my friends, is what makes persistence worth it.
The Portuguese custard tarts.
Have you ever tried one? Did you have a foodgasm too? When has persistence paid off for you?
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My mantra in achieving big goals like that is “patient persistence”.
I like the idea of “persistence brings Portuguese custard tarts” as well …
I love custard.
Now you’ve got my pre-breakfast belly doing excited somersaults
Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit recently posted..Day 2102 – When appliances bite
PS Congrats on sealing the deal!
Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit recently posted..Day 2102 – When appliances bite
Congrats on sealing the deal. (I’m salivating at the idea of coffee and custard tarts – might be time for breakfast!)
Amanda @ cooker and a looker recently posted..the chocolate cake that says thank you
After experiencing rejection it’s easy to slip into discouragement but a positive mindset, and awareness of opportunities when to try again is so important! Congratulations in sealing the deal, with Portuguese custard tarts at that!
Ingrid @ fabulous and fun life recently posted..Luxcurly Lux Natural – My Holy Grail of Curling Irons!
You know dealing with rejection is tough, but you seem to have found a way to rise above it time and time again, that be strength my friend! I want a tart, a custard one of course x
Emily @ Have A Laugh On Me recently posted..10 drivers we all love to hate.
Portugese Custard Tarts are the new carrots on sticks! I love that your persistence paid off and that there was a sweet reward for all your hard work. The last foodgasm I had was nutella cheesecake… in a jar, and it was so kind of wonderful. So tell me where can I find the Majestic and these awesome Portugese Tarts that you speak of, I need some of them in my life!
Portuguese custard tarts are the bomb! They must have been the icing on the cake when you closed your deal- well done!
Amy @ handbagmafia recently posted..Driving: The Code of the Road
Congrats on the deal! I love Portuguese tarts…do tell me where this place is! Although on second thoughts, not knowing is probably good as I’m starting a healthy eating regime from Monday.
Sanch @ living my IMPERFECT life recently posted..Go back to where you came from
Persistance pays.. and you have proven it. I want to try that tart too… it’s break and I’ve just done a gym work out.
natalie @ Our Parallel Connection recently posted..Living with a child with Epilepsy
I know that feeling well….and now I want to check out the Majestic
Lydia C. Lee recently posted..My, what big fears you have, my dear!
Nice work on closing the deal and I’m very impressed you made it there with such little notice. Sounds like you deserved the deal AND the tarts xxx
Lauren @ The Thud recently posted..The first 12 weeks…
Yay! Congrats! The timing was certainly right in the end. Just think if you’d closed the deal the first time you would have missed out on the tarts!!!
Lucy @ Bake Play Smile recently posted..Fabulous Foodie Fridays #59
A big congratulations to you Grace – for sealing the deal and for getting there is record breaking time whilst wrangling twinions! I have been dieting so I’ll pretend I didn’t hear the words TARTS! *sigh* 😉 x
Min@WriteoftheMiddle recently posted..(Tassie Trip) Day 5 – Cape Tourville
Wow getting 2 kids out the door, dropped at daycare then arriving at a meeting on time deserves more than a custard tart if you ask me, you deserve CHAMPAGNE!!
Mumma McD recently posted..Loving me, through them
I used to work as a sales rep for a radio station in Sydney many years ago and gosh it was hard. It was basically selling thin air. I moved on to working for a hotel chain which was a lot easier because it was more ‘flag waving’ than having to close a deal. When I worked for the radio it was Paul Keating days and we were encouraged to take clients out to lunch to restaurants all the time. I put on soooo much weight! Congrats on your sale, Grace x
Pinky Poinker recently posted..Does Your Husband Like Shopping?
i am finding it with my writing at the moment (though the only pay off is the writing and drafting itself).
I just saw some pics of The Majestic on facebook yesterday. It looks lovely. When I first moved to Sydney from Melbourne, hardly knowing Sydney at all, I moved to Petersham, sight unseen (my now husband found a teeny studio apartment for me). I loved that it was the Portugese section. I do recall trying a tart or two. Yum x
Dani @ sand has no home recently posted..Roads of Words
Good on you for making the meeting and getting a result – I can only imagine your panic when you realised you only had an hour to get ready, drop off the twinions and be prepared to seal the deal. You totally deserved those custard tarts – go you!
Kirsty @ My Home Truths recently posted..Never play chicken with your toilet
haha I’d love to see you tell a client “wait, let me take a photo of my food first for my blog!” 😛 Congrats on closing the deal!! Your hard work, and yes timing, certainly paid off!!
Ai Sakura recently posted..Prepping for P1: Our School Registration Experience
Haha, I’m like you when it comes to grappling with phones… it’s always when the most important calls come in that I have inexplicably turned the ringer off or set it to Do Not Disturb without even knowing how you actually do that! Props to you for getting out the door and to the meeting on time, and better yet, sealing the deal! I think anything would taste good after that, but Portuguese custard tarts… well, yes. Foodgasm indeed!
Zoe Meunier recently posted..Genius uses for all your kitchen gadgets
Nice work, yay for persistence and those Portuguese Tarts…. yep, I’d run a million miles for those.
Love them like crazy!
Have a fab weekend winner! x
sarah@tomfo recently posted..DIY Pallet Shoe Rack
Congratulations on sealing the deal. What a way to celebrate!
Raych aka Mystery Case recently posted..Finding My Style on a Budget
Thank ou for the inspiration to keep on plugging along. What ever your obstacle with time and perseverance it will come. Oh and if the sales gods are with you 😉
Sally@Toddlers on Tour recently posted..My Favourite Family Acitivites in Perth with Kids
Oh my gosh, I would have been so panicked! Well done getting your shit together to get there on time, that is a mammoth achievement and yay for persistence and sealing the deal! Woot!
Haidee recently posted..A Tale Of Two Uffy’s
Oh, well done Grace!
As for the tarts… I’ve been to Portugal and lived in a Portuguese speaking (and influenced) African country but had never come across the pastries until I lived in East Timor in 1999-2001. And they were delicious! Thankfully it was before my coeliac diagnosis so I got to enjoy them!
Well done again on closing the deal!
Deborah recently posted..Are you a bed maker?
‘Fake it till you make it” is one of my favourite sayings. This was a fabulously uplifting post to read on a Friday morning, Thanks, Grace. Well done you. And well done to those Portugese tarts!
Fairlie recently posted..Memorable Moment: Sake in Tokyo
Amazing wha you can manage with almost time with that bit of persistence. Congrats on making it happy. Pastry treats well deserved!
Holly recently posted..No Butter Oreo Brownies
mmmm custard tart….my favourite and weakness …haven’t had a Portugese one though. Well done on the good old “fake”, something us Mums are great at I think!
Mandy Barbie Bieber and Beyond recently posted..Slow Cooker Chilli Recipe
Well done on closing the deal – you totally deserve those pastry treats! My husband is in sales and it can be a really hard gig at times. I think it takes a certain person with plenty of passion and persistence. Sounds like you’re doing really well!
Erika @ EVER-CHANGING life of a mUm recently posted..Hello yoga, my good friend
Congratulations! What a way to celebrate. I love all things custard. xx
I am not a custard person but I do enjoy a portuguese tart..when they are fresh, slightly warm and with a slightly burnt crust..Glad work ‘worked’ out ! D x
Denyse Whelan recently posted..Make Today Count! 191/365.
Yay for getting your sale!
Also yay for custard tarts! Not that they are my thing, but I’m pretty happy to celebrate dessert as a general rule.
EssentiallyJess recently posted..Why Rewriting is Fun. #WordNerdAlert
Small white 4WD cars all look alike. I thought my button was broken one day as I tried to open a door …lucky the alarm didn’t go off.
Trish recently posted..10 on 10 – July 2015
I don’t know how the Portuguese ones differ from the regular tarts? I’m not a big fan of regular ones. But that grocery cafe looks adorable.
Peachy Keen Mumma – Jess recently posted..3 Times You Should Put a Leash on Your Kid
OH PS. YAY on getting the sale. It’s amazing how we make it to things on time at all as mothers!
Peachy Keen Mumma – Jess recently posted..3 Times You Should Put a Leash on Your Kid
You deal with rejection so much better than me Grace. I was in sale but in my store so I never had to set up client meetings. I think I’d be a mess if I set up a meeting and drove out there and then got rejected as opposed to people in the shop not wanting things. But alas you get the benefit of tarts and coffee which I never had lol.
Toni @ Finding Myself Young recently posted..Dreambaby® ladybug night light review + giveaway
Well done Grace. How good is it to close a deal after a bit of persistence. Hope you have a great weekend! Xx
Bec @ The Plumbette recently posted..31 Things I Know
Congratulations! Sometimes the road to yes is paved with nos. Persistence is definitely key.
Robyna | the Mummy and the Minx recently posted..The healing power of creativity
Mmm.. you have me thinking of Portuguese Custard Tarts… way to go on the deal!
Kaz @ Melting Moments recently posted..Weekly Wrap Up – Refreshed
I remember that too well from my sales days. There is nothing like feeling of finally closing the deal though. Although my boss was never excited until they paid their first invoice. He said a deal wasn’t a deal until the money was in his bank account. Which I totally get, but it never stopped me from doing a little happy dance in private!
Kylie Purtell – A Study in Contradictions recently posted..One Perfect Moment {In sickness & health} | Life