This isn’t a real post

I haven’t had the time to write recently, and for that I apologize.

Over the last ten days or so, I have received a number of emails related to this and another blog that I write, asking me to begin writing again.  I have sincerely appreciated the encouragement, and am looking forward to getting back to writing more frequently.

For now – this is not a real post.  Just a note from me to you letting you know that I am coming back this weekend.

I have a lot of sales information to share, and hopefully it will help you get a deal this week.

Thanks!

 

Cory Howerton

President / Georgia Force Arena Football

Fifty-One

Fifty one.

It started with just one. One single sale on a day fifty one days ago.

Since that day my sales team has sold a half season plan or better to a person who had not previously held a ticket package with our team.

More important than moving seats and generating revenue was the transformation that happened within the walls of our office. Perhaps the most satisfying moments of my professional career occurred over the last 51 days, and we really haven’t accomplished anything yet.

It was a team of people coming together – at times during the last hour of the day – vowing that the streak would continue. That same group of people who have been brought together over the last 90 days, with a few holdovers from last years staff, made up of individuals from diverse backgrounds coming together to make a team.

It’s funny the things that unite us. For the Gladiators, it was a common goal of rebuilding the team brand in the market, exposing our product (the most exciting in sports) to as many people as we can, and a belief in a plan from a new general manager with some ideas that people may think are a little crazy.

As a new manager, I brought a new game plan to the table, in a scenario where change was needed. We made necessary personnel changes, and brought in a group of young, coachable and aggressive people, led by a sales director who has by his own accord grown into his role almost perfectly. We have a long way to go, and a short time to get there, but if these last 51 days are any indication, the arena football league spotlight will be shined directly on Cleveland all season.

I have been in this business for a long time, and I have worked for some amazing owners and a few who have no business operating the public trust that are sports teams. In Cleveland, our owner is committed to not only the sport of arena football, but the Cleveland market. When he and I first met, I shared my game plan, our goals and overall objectives. These ideas, met by other owners with skepticism and doubt, were embraced by our owner and as it turns out, they work. We are selling tickets at a record clip, while other teams are worried about their long-term survival.

I have had another streak like this in my career – just a few years ago, with a baseball team, we had a streak of 64 days of selling a ten game plan or better to a new customer. That year, we had a 59% increase in attendance – the largest in all of minor league baseball, en route to record setting attendance.

What I learned from that streak was taught in this one. Being a member of a team accomplishing so much was more important than any one person. Our group is unified, hard working, coachable and ready, and they are making a difference in sports and entertainment in our market. These young kids who are selling our tickets now are the future directors and vice presidents at the major league level, and I know the things they are learning with us today will be lessons they will carry with them for the rest of their careers.

I am proud to be their leader, but more importantly I am more proud of who they are and how they are developing. After all, we are in the career development business too.

The other thing I learned from the streak with the baseball team – another streak starts tomorrow.

Go Sell Something.

Cory Howerton
Chief Operating Officer / General Manager
Cleveland Gladiators

How Firm A Foundation

There is a “get it” factor in our business. No matter how many times you tell people, some just don’t get it. No matter how long you have been in the industry, or no matter how much success you have had, sometimes your staff, or your owner just won’t listen.

I arrived in Cleveland just a few weeks ago, and what I found was extremely refreshing.

I found a group of people who completely understood the need to sell tickets first, who are willing to put in the extra work to make sure it happens, that are coachable, and have a level of professionalism needed for this type of work.

All they needed was some training.

In our business, nothing happens until someone sells a ticket. During training, we explain it as follows:

In Egypt, the pyramids have stood the test of time because of one thing. They have a strong foundation or base.

Think about your own business. What is the one thing that is your base or foundation? For me, it’s tickets.

Tickets are the foundation for which all other success comes. Without ticket sales, sponsorships are worthless. If there are no tickets sold, nobody is paying to park, buying merchandise, food and beverages are not consumed and likely, there will be no television revenue – after all, if they are not coming to your arena, they are probably not watching on television.

I had an owner once that could not get past the fact that tickets were the most important -the most critical – inventory that we needed to sell. He saw the large dollar values associated with corporate partnerships, and thought that was the fastest way to bring down the significant deficit the team had enjoyed for years.

The problem with that logic is simple; you can sell a million dollars in sponsorship for one year, and if there is nobody in the arena to watch the games, you will never get that million dollars back. It’s not rocket science, but for some reason people just don’t get it.

When I finally sit down and finish my book one day, that chapter will be titled “don’t let this happen to you.”

As a business owner or manager, you must decide what your foundation is. Only you know what you can build your pyramid on, and then you must become the best at building that foundation. Better than your competition, better than anyone else. Only you know what that is.

As for me, our sales team and I have tickets to sell, a lot of tickets. We are building the best ticket sales team in the world, and nobody is going to stop us.

Cory Howerton
Chief Operating Officer / General Manager
Cleveland Gladiators

Work Environment

I have had an opportunity to do a lot of traveling this week (mostly not by choice).  During my time in and out of airports, I spent a lot of time reading.

I was reading a book about X managers and Y managers.  It talked a lot about why employees stay with their companies, and the two different management types that are usually associated with a company.

Certainly, there are hybrid managers out there, but I would bet that the majority of the people in leadership positions within companies fall into these two categories.

The book describes X type managers, that manage out of fear and confusion.  Employees list the “need to work” and “Paychecks” for the reasons they continue to work for those companies.  Those managers do not provide creative freedom, and get exactly what you would expect out of most employees – the minimum.

Can you imagine if Starbucks fostered this type of environment? 

An employee at a Seattle Starbucks store invented the Frappaccino drink by blending coffee and ice in the store.  The freedom to express yourself creatively now accounts for 20% of Starbucks total sales.

X managers see a lot of turnover, do not command the respect that is reserved for managers who have the needs of the employee in mind, and don’t allow for a lot of two way communication.  Think about the X managers in your lives – we have all had them, or have worked with someone like them.  X managers like to take on all of the projects themselves, do not want or care for your input, and will belittle people in public settings – which also accounts for a large number of “hostile work environment” claims against companies.

Y managers allow for creativity.  The set the parameters for work, but then allow each person express themselves individually, and bring their personality to the company.  After all – isn’t that why you hired them?

If you have X managers in your company, you should evaluate how they might be treating your staff.   X managers cause complications and confusion in your company. 

Take a look around your company and decide who you have, and more importantly, is it the right person?

Cory Howerton

Some personal thoughts

I have just written about focus and finding balance.  I am neither focused or have I found balance.

I spent this week learning the job.  16 hour day minimums, it’s 12:15 in the morning, I will be up at 5:45 to start the day, and go into another week of the same.  In between work I will be looking for a house so my family can get here as soon as possible.

I am the father of four wonderful children.  They are behind everything that I do in my life.  They are blessed to have the most amazing mother to be home with them full time.  She is the life balance they get in our family. 

They are used to daddy being at work all the time, and going right back to work after they go to bed.  I only have a couple of hours a night at home with them, but it is two hours with them and nothing else.  It’s a no blackberry time in our home, because my children deserve the best, and I am far from it.

This is the longest I have been apart from my family.  When I used to travel, I would at least make it home on the weekends.  This time is different.  We skype every other night or so, but I don’t get to hold them.  I don’t get to rock my sick baby girl to sleep, or help when she is up in the middle of the night. 

Here’s to a week of focus – a week of finding a house and still making sales.  Here is to reuniting a family who desperately needs each other. 

I do what I do for a living to provide a better life for my children.  Autism is our cause and it gives us purpose.  But we are only good together, and although we are a day closer to being together again, it feels like forever.

I love you guys.  See you soon.

Daddy.

Focus!

With the new job, the new city and learning all of the new responsibilities, it has been hard to focus on our sales platforms during the last week.  That changes tomorrow.

The budget is finished, and we can now turn our focus to selling tickets and sponsorships.  Last week, we managed to move about 15 new full season tickets, and renewed another handful.  We need to double that effort if we are going to hit our numbers.

Like Walt Disney Said, “Doing the Impossible is Fun.”

I don’t believe that hitting our numbers will be impossilbe.  I have been in impossible situations before, and this is definately not that.  We have a focused, determined and coachable staff, a fantastic product in a football town.  It is the perfect storm and I am confident that we will hit the goals that we set as a team last week.

For those of you who haven’t yet – register at www.justsell.com – they have a number of great sales resources.  Don’t forget 212 – the extra degree.

•  At 211 degrees water is hot;
• At 212 degrees it boils;
• With boiling water comes steam;
• With steam, you can power a train!

Be that train this week.  Don’t let things distract you from your goal.  If you allow outside distractions to take away from your ultimate goal, you will have nobody to blame but yourself for your shortcomings in the sales department.  You will want to blame whatever the distraction was – but at the end of the day, you didn’t get the sale.

If there are distractions in your sales environment, ignore them.  If those distractions are people, kindly ask them to get back to doing their job, so you can do yours.

Go sell something – I am going to.

Cory Howerton

Chief Operating Officer/ General Manager

Cleveland Gladiators

Take some time

I have spent a lot of time sharing with people how to sell, engaging groups about the importance of being on the phones, knowing your products, and understanding your customers. 

I have just accepted a position overseeing every department of my company.  I have the best staff I have ever had the pleasure of working with.  We have a group of dedicated, well educated and talented people who want to learn and expand their careers.  Frankly it’s refreshing.

We have an owner who has hired this group of people and is trusting that we will protect his investment and provide the best valued family entertainment in Cleveland.  We are going to do this, and I am excited for the future.

I want to talk today about life balance.  Finding time for yourself – for your family  – for anything other than work.

I have five children.  Because of my career choice, I haven’t had the opportunity to spend as much time with them as I would like.  I love my children, they are my entire world.  My marriage is perfect, and I have the most understanding wife in the world, who has supported my career.  You see – you don’t get to run a company without amazing support – and I am blessed to have it.

Please take the time to take time.  You will never get this time back.  Work hard and play hard – earn those commissions and then take your family on a great vacation.

I haven’t been that person.  I need more time – and I intend on getting it.  My family is too important, too special, beautiful and amazing. 

now go sell something.  then go somewhere.

Cory Howerton

And, here is the announcement

OK, it’s been out for a few days now, but here is the press release about my new appointment as the COO and general manager of the Cleveland Gladiators.

CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Gladiators have named CORY HOWERTON as Chief Operating Officer and General Manager, the club announced today. Howerton replaces John Adams, who moved on to other opportunities within the Arena Football League. The club also promoted PHIL TESAR to Assistant General Manager, after spending the previous two seasons as the director of communications.

In addition to naming Howerton as COO / GM, the Gladiators are also pleased to announce that 2011 ticket prices have been reduced in most sections.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON TICKET PRICES

“In this tough economy, we want to be able to expose our great product to a broader base of fans and we are excited to get to work providing the most fan-centric experience in the Arena Football League,” Howerton said. “We want our fans to be able to experience Gladiators football again and again and feel like they received a tremendous value for their hard earned dollar.”

Howerton brings nearly 20 years of professional sports experience to Cleveland. He comes to the Gladiators after serving as Vice President of Sales of the Milwaukee Wave of the Major Indoor Soccer League, where he oversaw ticket sales, retention and operations, as well as sponsorship and sales development. Howerton also spent time in minor league baseball, as well as serving as the group sales director with the NBA’s Seattle Supersonics and WNBA’s Seattle Storm.

“Cory is a great fit for our organization,” Gladiators Owner JIM FERRARO said. “He brings energy, enthusiasm and intensity. We want to continue providing our fans with the best experience in the AFL and Cory is committed to doing that.”

Season Ticket prices will range from $10 to $35 per game; compared to 2010 prices that ranged from $10 to $50 per game for season tickets. In 2011, season ticket price categories are $10, $14, $19, $25, $30 and $35. Fans can sit as close as Row 7 for just $350 per seat for the season.

With the AFL expanding to an 18-game schedule, season ticket packages include all nine home games, plus the first home playoff game. That’s 10 exciting games for as little as $100 or as much as $350 per seat! If the Gladiators do not host a home playoff game, fans can receive a credit towards their 2012 season tickets or are entitled to a full refund.

Having added San Jose, Philadelphia, Georgia, Kansas City and Pittsburgh for 2011, the Arena Football League is excited for the 2011 season. Gladiators season tickets are on sale now! For more information, call 216.685.9000 or visit http://www.clevelandgladiators.com. Don’t miss all of the hard-hitting, helmet-popping excitement of arena football!

A renewed Energy

I want to thank all of you for your patience. I have received countless emails asking about increasing the frequency of blog posts, so our managers can apply them weekly to their sales programs.

As I write you tonight, I promise that beginning two weeks from yesterday, I will be posting a weekly sales tip or some type of exercise that can be utilized within your own sales meetings, within your departments or through training sessions.

In the next few days, I will be making an announcement related to my future. This is by far the most excited I have ever been about my career, and I hope that we can use this opportunity to share the ideas from my team to assist you in your specific discipline.

Press Release to come within a week. Stay tuned..

But more importantly –
Go Sell Something!

Mentorship

If you would indulge me for a moment, I want to take some time to recognize my mentor.

Mark Miller was hired as a consultant for a team that I worked for as I was starting my professional sports career.  When Mark met me, I was a punk kid, fresh out of school, thinking I could set the world on fire selling tickets and sponsorships.

Boy was I wrong.

I will never forget the night Mark took me to dinner, where we talked for almost five hours, he followed my career until two years later, when he would hire me, where the real teaching would begin.

Everything I know about sales I learned from Mark.  He took the time to teach me how to assess the prospects needs, build a program that best fits with their current in market presence and show them how to utilize team sports properties to achieve their goals.

Here we are, almost a 90 million dollars later, taking people under my wing and teaching the next generation of sports marketers.

What Mark taught me was more than packaging and sales.  He taught me how to be a better person, a more engaged manager, a friend.  He introduced me to my wife – he had a profound impact on every aspect of my life.

We were not in touch as much as I would have liked in the last few years.  Separated by time and distance, we spoke about every six months just to catch up.  He would never know the impact he had on my life – both personal and professional.

We lost Mark over the weekend to a heart attack.  I miss him dearly, and am not coping with this loss very well.

I hope that I am able to impact the lives of others like Mark impacted mine.

I miss you my friend.  God Be With You Till We Meet Again.

Now – go sell something! (I can still hear him say that).