My grandmother’s favorite pastime was sizing up people’s wardrobe, their vocabulary and those with whom they associated. In the South, we use the term “sizing up” because “judging” has become passé.

She often looked at someone—especially a young woman—pursed her lips, shook her head slowly, and said, “Bless her heart. I guess her mama never taught her. Not surprising, though. They aren’t PLUs.” When I asked what a PLU was, she smiled and said, “Honey, that’s People Like Us.”

She warned me to stay away from non-PLUs, as they would lead me into all sorts of temptation and evil-doing. Years later, I heard Brian Tracy ask, “What kind of organization would my organization be if everybody in it was just like me?” My grandmother’s words came back to me, so I’m inviting you inside my head.

What if everybody on your team was a PLU? I don’t mean they’d like the same movies you do, and I’m not talking about physical attributes. You’re not internet dating.

I’m talking about attitude, work ethic, love of the game. On a scale from 1-10, where would you rate yourself in those areas? Notice, I’m not asking if everybody closed deals like you. I’ve known people who sold whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. The problem was they only wanted to when their bookie started calling the office.

What if everybody on your team had your attitude? What if they displayed your level of passion? What if they were as organized as you? What if they made cold calls like you? Would your team be a top-producing team or would your company go out of business?

I believe if you work hard and have passion for what you do, you’ll attract quality people and quality business. Success in sales is not something you catch. It’s something you attract.

Here’s an interesting—and telling—little experiment: Does your business stay on the books, or do you constantly fight no-pay issues? If you’re a manager, does your team rise to the occasion, or do they consistently leave you disappointed during sales contests?

Now consider this. Whether on purpose or by accident, you’ve attracted that business and those agents because of the person you’ve become. So the question of the day is, “Is the person I’ve become the person I want to be?”

Instant Insights /

Who finds you attractive?

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