ECSLDC

So in learning about Blogs at ECSLDC over the weekend one of the things they said is they work best when they are updated so here goes.

ECSCLDC stands for the East Coast Sales Leadership Development Conference. We held it this year at the Executive Park Marriott in Charlotte, NC http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/cltnc-charlotte-marriott-executive-park/ . The past couple of years it had been held closer to my territory in the Northeast but we tend to move it around. It was a good event.

I flew down on American Airlines Friday withouth the wife and kids. They went to her parents house so I missed a trip to the in-laws. Our company has deals with Marriot and American so they get to save the money but I get the full points, it is a good deal.

Friday night was a cocktail party reception as everyone was just pulling into town. All the different Sales Reps and some of the support staff from the East Coast were there. The National Sales team from corporate was there. It is a great team. Made sure to not go crazy on the first night but there was this local microbrew that the hotel bar had that was pretty damn good. I spent most of the night talking to Mike Curtis who does sales in the De-Mar-Va region. He is a good guy. I would love to pick up some of his territiory or at least figure out ways that we can work together.

The next day was filled with Seminars and Breakouts. There was the usual bs about how to treat customers and what they are looking for now. Trust me, I would not be third in the country in growth in 2006 if I did not already know that.

Then there was the Blog talk. I really did not know how many people were doing this blog thing but now I am one of them.

The breakouts were pretty boring. Barbara Harris who is in charge of accounting spoke about the invoicing process blah blah blah. I was sitting next to Jim Petterson from the South East Region, he cracks me up.

Gil Miller from Corporate sppoke. I really admire him. He started out in Customer Service and now is VP of National Accounts. He is not like the other sons of bitches in corporate but most of those people are not in sales.

That night we went to a great BBQ dinner at the Richard Petty Museum. Sadly none of us got to drive and Richard Petty was not there but he has some cool memorabilia and stuff. It was a good old Southern BBQ. That good southern microbrew was not on tap there but there was plenty to drink. I got to talk to Gil Miller and that was great. He told me he was impressed with the growth my region had seen and wanted big things from me. I also met Kevin Jenkins who is in sales from the UK. That guy was a riot.

After the busses took us back to the Marriott a few of us went to a local sports bar. Petterson, Curtis and a few other guys went out. Everyone bought a couple of rounds, lets hope the receipts don't get kicked back from accounting.

Sunday was the golf outing. I woke up and as Petterson predicted, I was "Hurtin for Certain". I had just bought a new Nike Sasquatch driver http://www.golfsmith.com/products/NK790?PHPSESSID=e790986a296717d17791786f490c47fd in May. I was having a golf outing with a bunch of college buddies and figured it would be good for this trip also. Luckily a gatorade and the breakfast buffett at the Marriott sobered me up and I was ok on the golf course. Shot a 93 but considering the hangover and it was a new course I was fine with it. I came third in the Long Drive contest. Curtis, who never plays, won the closest to the pin on the 16th. He got a $400 gift certificate at Golfsmith.

After the golf outing there was a luncheon and then it was off to the airport and back on the 4:58. I made good time from the airport to my house considering it was Sunday and all the traffic from the shore was heading home too.