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99 Tiny Stories to Make You Think, Smile and Cry:Today, it’s been ten years since my abusive ex-fiancé sold my favorite guitar. He sold it on the day I left him. When I went to claim my belongings, he was proud that he had sold it to a pawn shop. Luckily, I managed to track down the guy who bought it from the pawn shop. He was really sweet, and gave it back to me for free, on the condition that I accompany him on his front porch for an hour to play guitar with him. He grabbed a second guitar and we ended up sitting there on his porch for the rest of the afternoon playing music, talking, and smiling. He’s been my husband for nine years now. MMTToday would have been the 127th day in a row that I visited her at the hospital as she rested in a coma. But last night I had a dream that she died, and I woke up in tears this morning and couldn’t bring myself to drive to the hospital to see her lying there like that. So I stayed in bed, staring at the ceiling, and thinking of how I was going to have to learn to live without her for the rest of my life. And then my phone rang, and it was her. MMTToday, about an hour after I lost my wallet, a man showed up at my front door with it. Everything was intact including the $200 in cash. As I expressed my gratitude, he explained to me that he hopes doing the right thing pays off for him. “Oddly enough, I lost my wallet sometime this morning too,” he said. “I had about the same amount of cash in there that you have and all my cards and IDs.” Without thinking about it, I pulled out $100 and handed it to him. “Take this, I insist,” I said. “Just in case you don’t find your wallet, we’ll split the cash.” He gratefully accepted the money and left. This evening he knocked on my door again. “Here’s your $100 back,” he said. “A woman found my wallet and returned it and all my cash about an hour ago.” MMTToday, while I was browsing in a secondhand bookshop, I found a copy of a book that had been stolen from me when I was a kid. I opened it and saw, on the first page, in familiar hand writing, my own name. It had been a gift from my (now late) grandfather. Next to my name my grandfather wrote, “I hope you rediscover this book someday when you’re older, and it makes you think about the important things in life.” MMTToday, a week after I donated three bags of clothes to a local homeless shelter, I saw a homeless woman sitting on a park bench wearing a tye-dyeshirt I made when I was a teenager. I walked by her and said, “I love your shirt!” She smiled and said, “Thank you! I really do too!” MMTToday at 7AM, I pulled over on my way to work to help a lady change a flat tire. At 4PM, she saved my life when she randomly saw me downtown and yanked me backward out of a crosswalk as a car ran the red light. MMTToday, it’s been five years since my mom was in a car accident that resulted in her losing all of her long-term memory from before the crash. When I was little, my mom and I used to quote a ‘Winnie the Pooh’ book as an inside joke. One of us would ask, “Have you ever seen a dragon fly?” And the other would reply, “I have, I have seen a dragon fly!” This evening I was sitting with her while we were watching TV and I randomly asked, “Have you ever seen a dragon fly?” And she responded with, “I have, I have seen a dragon fly!” We stared at each other for a prolonged moment, and then she jumped out of her seat and exclaimed, “Oh my god, I remember!” MMTToday, I have a disorder which frequently makes me faint for a few seconds, making it hard for me to be independent and hold down a steady job. I used to be really depressed about it, but my family and friends turned my illness into a game, seeing who could make me laugh the hardest when I returned to consciousness. They have also turned catching me into a sport. Believe it or not, I haven’t hit the floor once in the past two years. Someone has always been there to catch me. MMTToday was my first day back on the job after more than a year on disability leave due to a freak explosion in the plant that, among other injuries, left me legally deaf in both ears. When I walked into the plant this morning several of my colleagues signed me phrases like “Great to see you,” “Welcome back,” and “We missed you.” It turns out that nine of my colleagues got together and took a sign language course, just like I did, over the last several months. They did this so they could easily communicate with me when I returned. Their compassion MMT.Today, I am an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran. Upon arriving home three years ago from my final tour to Afghanistan I found out that my wife had been cheating on me and had spent/stole almost all of our money. I had nowhere to stay and no phone and was suffering from severe anxiety problems. One of my close friends from high school, Shawn, and his wife, seeing that I was in need of help, took me in and let me live with their family of five. They helped me deal with my divorce and get my life together. Since then, I’ve moved into my own place, opened a fairly successful diner, and my friend’s kids call my Uncle Jay when they see me. The way they adopted me into their family in my desperate time of need will always MMT.Today, I have been a counselor for foster care children for almost 15 years. This afternoon I ran into one of my previous foster children I hadn’t seen in over 5 years. About 10 years ago, on a day he was really upset and mad at life, I drew him a sketch of a superhero and wrote him a note on an index card about how he is a superhero and that superheroes always rise up and win in the end. I saw him today as I walked past the local fire station. He’s now a fire fighter. He recognized me as I walked by and ran up to me. We talked for about a half hour, and then before we parted ways he took his wallet out of his pocket and pulled out the superhero index card I made for him when he was a kid. MMTToday, I have diabetes. Two years ago, after my mom passed away, I inherited her cat, Kita. At 3AM this morning Kita woke me up by sitting at the foot of the bed and meowing VERY loud over and over again. I had never heard her sound that way, so I sat up in bed to see what was wrong. As soon as I did, I realized I felt extremely lightheaded and weak. I grabbed my glucose meter and tested myself. My level was down to 53. Normal, according to my doctor, is between 70 and 120. My doctor told me that had Kita not awakened me, I may have never awakened at all. MMTToday, we live in a lower-middle-class neighborhood. My wife was just diagnosed with breast cancer, so my 14-year-old son decided that he wanted to raise money to help pay for some of her miscellaneous medical expenses. His idea was to go door to door around the neighborhood with battery operated hair clippers and let people shave a part of his head for a small donation of their choosing. He asked me whether a $100 goal would be too much. I told him not to get his hopes up. He came back home ten minutes ago with a totally bald head and $1,223. Two people gave him $100 bills. MMTToday, it’s been ten years since my best friend became ill and needed a kidney transplant. As I was a fitting donor, I chose to donate one of my healthy kidneys to her even after doctors said her chance of survival was only 30%, and that there would be inherent risks to my health as well. But here I am at 10AM, getting ready to drive to her wedding venue where, in just a few short hours, I will be her maid of honor as she marries the love of her life who she happened to meet at the hospital ten years ago. MMTToday, I was buying food at the grocery store for my family, but at the checkout counter my debit card came back declined for over-withdrawal. (I’ve been laid off from work for awhile now and am barely making ends meet.) As I quickly explained myself to the cashier and started putting back some of the food I had picked out, the man in line behind me stepped forward and paid for all my groceries. I thanked him, and he said, “Someone did the same thing for me several years ago. This is my opportunity to pay it forward. I hope you can do the same someday.” MMTToday, exactly 10 months after suffering from a severe stroke that nearly killed him, my dad got up from his wheelchair without any help for the first time, and slow danced with me during the father/daughter dance at my wedding. MMTToday, a big stray dog randomly followed me from the subway on my walk home. For about six blocks he followed just a few paces behind me. And just as this began to freak me out, a guy came out of nowhere, held a knife up to my face, and yelled, “Give me your purse!” Before I had a chance to react, the stray dog lunged at the man and bit his leg. He dropped the knife and fell to the ground as I ran away. I am now at home, safely, because of that dog. MMTToday my son, who I adopted eight months ago at the age of seven, called me ‘mom’ for the very first time. MMTToday, I’m a police officer stationed at the state court house. This afternoon the judge finalized a case in which a 3-year-old boy was officially adopted by his late mom’s best friend two years after the boy’s parents and grandparents died in a car accident. The boy has been living with his mom’s best friend ever since the accident, and he treats her as if she is his real mom. Once the adoption was approved, everyone in the courtroom was smiling. But before the judge had a chance to slam the gavel and dismiss everyone, the boy ran up to the judge and asked if he could do it. The judge laughed and nodded yes. So, smiling ear to ear, the boy sat on the judge’s lap, looked up at everyone in the courtroom, slammed the gavel, and finalized his own adoption. MMTToday, my 17 year old autistic brother, Kevin, played guitar and sang every single word, flawlessly, to the Lifehouse song ‘Hanging by a Moment’ for his girlfriend (who is also autistic) on their one year anniversary. His girlfriend’s smile lit up the room. Although he struggles with a severe speech impediment, he has been practicing for this every single day since they first started dating. MMTToday, at the local convenience store where I work an elderly man with a guide dog came in, went to the aisle with the greetings cards, picked up a card, held it up extremely close to his face, and struggled to read it. Just as I was about to walk over to help him, a big truck driver asked him if he needed assistance reading, and then proceeded to read him almost every single greeting card out loud until the elderly man smiled and said, “That’s perfect! My wife will love that one!” MMTToday, when I landed at J.F.K. for a business trip, I turned on my phone and was inundated with several voicemails and text messages from family and close friends back in Seattle. “Call home. Your mom had a severe stroke and is currently in intensive care,” read the first text message to pop-up on my phone. My boss was with me, told me she’d handle things herself, and insisted that I catch the next flight back home. As I stood in line at the ticket counter, talking to my brother about my mother’s condition, crying, and explaining that I was going to try to make a flight that leaves in 30 minutes, the twelve people in line in front of me overheard my conversation and let me skip to the front. Then after the Delta rep quickly issued me a ticket, she walked around the counter, handled me a box of tissues, and before I had a chance to react, gave me a big hug. I made my flight. And my mom is now in stable condition. MMTToday, a deaf-mute child I have been caring for 5 days a week for the last 4 years looked up at me this afternoon after I fed him his favorite lunch and spoke aloud to me for the first time. He said, “Thank you, Monica. I love you.” MMTToday, the man that saved my life 28 years ago when he singlehandedly fought off three other men who were trying to rape me, walks with a cane due to the leg injury he suffered by doing so. And he looked so proud today when he put down his cane and slowly walked our daughter down the aisle. MMTToday, outside the doctor’s office, approximately 15 minutes after we received the discouraging news about my incurable cancer, she got down on one knee and asked me to marry her. MMTToday, my dad is the best dad I could ask for. He’s a loving husband to my mom (always making her laugh), he’s been to every one of my soccer games since I was 5 (I’m 17 now), and he provides for our family as a construction foreman. This morning when I was searching through my dad’s toolbox for a pliers, I found a dirty folded up paper at the bottom. It was an old journal entry in my dad’s handwriting dated exactly one month before the day I was born. It reads, “I am eighteen years old, an alcoholic who is failing out of college, a past cutter, and a child abuse victim with a criminal record of auto theft. And next month, ‘teen father’ will be added to the list. But, I swear I will make things right for my little girl. I will be the dad I never had.” And I don’t know how he did it, but he did it. MMTToday, I have an elderly patient who is suffering from a severe case of Alzheimer’s. He can rarely remember his own name, and he often forgets where he is and what he said just a few minutes beforehand. But by the stretch of some miracle (perhaps the miracle of love), he remembers who his wife is every morning when she shows up to spend a few hours with him. He usually greets her by saying, “Hello my beautiful Kate.” MMTToday, I’m a teacher in a low income neighborhood in greater Detroit. Because their parents don’t have enough money, some of my students come to school without lunch, or without money for lunch. So I lend them a few dollars here and there to buy a school lunch when they are short on cash. I’ve been doing this for several years, and other teachers think I’m crazy. But of the few hundred dollars I’ve lent students over the years, I have received every single cent back. Sometimes it takes them a few weeks, but every one of my students has paid me back without me asking. MMTToday, when my wife showed up to do a 5K walk in support of her breast cancer, over 200 of her current and past students (she’s a high school English teacher) and several of her colleagues showed up, unexpectedly, wearing pink shirts with her photo and a caption that read, “We’re going to beat this together.” I’ve never seen my wife so overwhelmed with joy before in my life. MMTToday, my cat got out of my downtown condo and got lost. I was sad because I figured I’d never see her again. About 24 hours after I posted flyers on telephone poles in the city I received a call from a man who found my cat. It turned out the man was homeless and used 50 cents to call me from a payphone. He was insanely nice and even bought a can of food for my cat. I gave the man all the cash I had on me as a reward. MMTToday, my brother spends most of his free time at school hanging out with the football team – he’s actually been working out with the team and everything. My brother has a mild case of autism. About a year ago my mom was ready to pull my brother out of school and have him home schooled due to excessive teasing from peers. One of the popular football players, who had stood up for him in the past, heard about this, explained the situation to his teammates and friends, and stood by his side until the teasing stopped. Now, a year later, he’s just ‘one of the guys.’ MMTToday, almost 5 years after I stopped volunteering at the suicide prevention hotline, the new manager gave me a call. She said this afternoon they received a $25,000 anonymous donation to help fund the support line. Along with the donation they received an email that read, “Thank you Claire. You saved my life.” Apparently, I’m the only Claire who ever volunteered there. MMTToday, a homeless man whom I recognize from around the neighborhood came into my bakery and purchased a large birthday cake (I gave him a 40% discount). I curiously watched as he walked the cake across the street to another homeless man. The other man started laughing and then the two men hugged. MMTToday, I watched a teenage boy help an elderly woman with a cane onto the city bus I was riding. He was so careful with her, assisting her every step of the way. The woman had the biggest smile on her face. They both sat directly across from me, and just as I was about to compliment her on having a wonderful grandson, the boy looked at her and said, “My name is Chris. What’s your name, ma’am?” MMTToday, I stopped on the side of the road to help an elderly man who was struggling with changing a flat tire. It turns out he was the firefighter who pulled my mom and me out of our burning apartment when I was a kid. Even though I hadn’t seen him in 30 years, it only took me a few seconds to recognize him. We chatted about it for awhile, and then as soon as I had the spare tire secured to his car, we looked at each other, shook hands and said, “Thank you,” simultaneously. MMTToday, my grandmother and grandfather, who were both in their early 90’s and married for 72 years, both died of natural causes approximately one hour apart from each other. MMTToday, my father had a serious heart attack in the waiting room at the hospital as my wife was giving birth to our first child. My father was waiting to welcome his first grandchild into the world. The doctors say he likely would have died if he wasn’t already at the hospital with medical care a few seconds away. But based on the lucky circumstances, he’s expected to make a full recovery. MMTToday, I witnessed a bad car accident at an intersection. An older drunk male with no headlights ran a light and hit a teenager’s car. The drunk driver’s car caught fire. Then the teenager, covered in blood, struggled out of his car, jogged to the burning vehicle and pulled the drunk driver to safety just before the cab of the vehicle burst into flames. MMTToday, I texted my supervisor to tell him I wouldn’t be able to come into work today due to the fact that I’m in the emergency room with my dad after he had a heart attack. I got a response saying I had the wrong number. But then a few minutes later the person called me, told me her prayers are with me and my dad, and then told me a story about how her dad made a full recovery from a heart attack last year. We spoke for a half hour and she made me feel better. People like her who convey unrelenting compassion and goodwill MMT.Today, after my daughter’s funeral I was going through my phone deleting all the condolence messages. There were so many of them that I simply selected ‘delete all,’ but one message didn’t delete. It was the last message my daughter left me before she passed and it was marked as ‘new.’ Sometimes my voicemail forces me to listen to messages before I can delete them, so played it. She said, “Hey dad, I just wanted to let you know I’m okay and I’m home now.” MMTToday, I walked up to the door of my office (I’m a florist) at 7AM to find a uniformed Army soldier standing out front waiting. He was on his way to the airport to go overseas for a year. He said, “I usually bring home a bouquet of flowers for my wife every Friday and I don’t want to let her down when I’m away.” He then placed an order for 52 Friday afternoon deliveries of flowers to his wife’s office and asked me to schedule one for each week until he returns. I gave him a 50% discount because it made my day to see something so sweet. MMTToday, my high school boyfriend, who I thought I’d never see again, showed me the pictures of the two of us he kept in his Army helmet while he was overseas for the last 8 years. MMTToday, a 9-year-old patient of mine will be undergoing her 14th surgery in the past 2 years to combat a rare form of cancer. Even after all the surgeries I’ve never seen her frown. She’s still 100% sure she’ll survive. And I’m certain her attitude is the primary reason she has survived to this point. She still laughs and plays with her friends and family. She has intelligent goals for the future. A kid like her who can go through everything she’s been through and come out smiling MMT.Today, during a fire evacuation at school, I ran outside to find one of the thugs at our school, who is notorious for being a tough guy, holding my little sister’s hand (she’s a special needs student) and telling her, “You’re okay. You’re safe,” and calming her down as she slowly stopped crying. MMTToday, in the background over the phone, I heard my 7-year-old son ask my wife, “If daddy’s job is going so well, how come he’s never home here with us?” MMTToday, when the chief ordered the firefighters to evacuate the building due to “extremely hazardous conditions,” I began to panic even more. My daughter was still trapped inside. But one fire fighter didn’t listen to the orders. Instead he ran around to another apartment unit that borders the other side of our unit, went out onto the balcony, jumped over to our balcony, smashed through the sliding glass door with an axe, and brought my daughter out alive. MMTToday, I was one of the paramedics on the scene where a professional skydiving instructor died due to a parachute failure. As we loaded the man’s body into the back of the ambulance, I noticed his t-shirt. It said, “I died doing what I love.” MMTToday, six months after his passing, I flew from Austin, Texas to Melbourne, Australia to clean out my brother’s overseas condo and finalize its sale. As you might imagine, the entire experience was a sad one. But one thing that jumped out at me was my brother’s desk planner. Two weeks before he passed he crossed out a 9-day vacation on his calendar with a note saying, “Not enough time, maybe next month.” MMTToday, as my grandpa rested in his hospital bed, desperately fighting pancreatic cancer, he squeezed my hand tight and said, “Promise me, no matter how good or bad you have it, you will wake up every morning thankful for your life. Because every morning you wake up, someone somewhere else will be desperately fighting for theirs.” MMTToday, after an 11 month tour of duty in the Army, my husband has been home from Afghanistan for 9 days. During a heavy rain storm this morning at 4AM, following a loud crack of thunder, my husband jumped out of bed, half asleep, and onto the floor and screamed, “Get down! Get down!” MMTToday, I told my 18 year old grandson that nobody asked me to prom when I was in high school, so I didn’t attend. He showed up at my house this evening dressed in a tuxedo and took me as his date to his prom. MMTToday, I watched in horror through the kitchen window as my 2-year-old slipped and fell head first into the pool. But before I could get to her, our Labrador Retriever, Rex, jumped in after her, grabbed her by her shirt collar and pulled her to the shallow steps where she could stand. MMTToday I turned 10. Yes I was born on 9-11-2001. My mom worked in the World Trade Center but wasn’t at work that day because she was giving birth to me. MMTToday, after several kids teased a less fortunate girl (who lives in a poorer neighborhood) this morning for always wearing the same clothes, seven students in my class went home at lunch time, emptied their drawers and closets and brought this girl 16 pristine and beautiful outfits to wear. I found out about this after I asked her why she changed her clothes after lunch today. MMTToday, I was sitting on the steps of a church waiting for a bus when I saw an old Catholic nun being assisted up the steps by a young man wearing a Muslim turban. Once they were at the top, the nun turned to the young man and said, “I can see both of our gods raise beautiful children. Thank you.” The young man smiled and nodded. MMTToday, our high school basketball team has a senior player who uses a wheelchair. He lost both of his legs from the knee down in a car crash when he was a sophomore. He was one of the best basketball players on the team at the time, so the coach insisted that he stay on the team to help coach the other players. He’s now the assistant coach, but he’s also the designated free throw shooter for injured players. When a player gets injured during a foul and can’t immediately shoot the foul shots, he rolls out to the foul line and takes the shots for the injured player. I’ve never missed a home game, and I’ve never seen him miss a shot. MMTToday, I paid my landlord back in full. Ten months ago I lost my job and couldn’t cover my rent for two months. Instead of putting my son and I on the streets, my landlord said, “You’ve been a good tenant for ten years and I know times are tough. Take your time, find another job, and pay me back as soon as you can.” MMTToday at 5AM, I asked an elderly man in the city where the nearest train stop was. He walked me to it and then waited next to me for 15 minutes. When the train finally arrived, he smiled and said, “Be safe out there, miss.” and then walked away without boarding the train. MMTToday, I was in a taxi on my way to work in Chicago when my blood glucose level suddenly dropped and I passed out. The taxi driver used all the tricks of his trade to get me to the hospital as quickly as possible. Apparently, he cut through a small park and drove over a median to get me there before it was too late. I know this because after I woke up, my nurse told me that my taxi driver “saved my life” and “physically carried me into the emergency room waiting area,” followed by a police officer who was after him for the said traffic violations. But then, my nurse said, “After the taxi driver explained himself, the police officer shook his hand and left.” MMTToday, two Orphan children (a boy and a girl) I used to care for years ago when they were teenagers are now married, are the owners of a successful marketing firm, own the home across the street from me, and have two beautiful children. And although I never officially adopted them, their two children call me ‘Grandma.’ MMTToday, I re-read the suicide letter I wrote on the afternoon of September 2nd 1996 about two minutes before my girlfriend showed up at my door and told me, “I’m pregnant.” She was honestly the only reason I didn’t follow through with it. Suddenly I felt I had a reason to live. Today she’s my wife. We’ve been happily married for 14 years. And my daughter, who is almost 15 now, has two younger brothers. I re-read my suicide letter from time to time as a reminder to be thankful – I am thankful I got a second chance. MMTToday, and every day for the last two months since I returned to school with burn scars on my face after being hospitalized for nearly a month for injuries I sustained in a house fire, a red rose was taped to my locker when I got to school in the morning. I have no clue who is getting to school early and leaving me these roses. I’ve even arrived early myself a few times to try to figure it out, but each time the rose was already there. MMTToday, as we were eating lunch at a diner my boyfriend leaned over and gave me a kiss on the cheek every few minutes when someone walked by. When I noticed what he was doing, I asked why. He said, “I want them to know you’re my girl.” We’re both in our mid-70’s and lost our spouses to cancer about 10 years ago. Second chances at love MMT.Today, my sister, who has Down Syndrome, followed through with her plan to sing at the school talent show. She’s been practicing her song diligently every afternoon for the last month, but it still worried me. I was terrified by the thought of how the students in the audience would respond to her. I just felt like there was a strong chance they would be mean. But they weren’t. In fact, she was the only act that received a standing ovation the entire night. MMTToday, two years after I was told I would never walk again, I got up out of my wheelchair and took my first few unassisted steps into my wife’s arms. MMTToday, one of my regular customers, an elderly man who has been eating in our diner every morning for the better part of 5 years, left me $500 in cash for his $7 breakfast. With the money, he left a small note that said, “Thank you, Cheryl. Your smile and hospitable service over the years gave me something to look forward to every morning after my wife passed. I’m moving to Long Island this evening to live with my son and his family. May the rest of your life be magical.” MMTToday, I unbuckled my seatbelt (I’m passionate about wearing my seatbelt) for two seconds so I could reach a printed map and directions sitting on the other side of the passenger seat. Just as I leaned over to grab it, I hit a big bump in the road and then my windshield shattered as a steel pipe that was hanging on the work truck driving in front of me shot, like a missile, through my windshield and directly into the center of the driver’s seat. I slammed on the brakes and crawled out of the passenger door. The cops that arrived at the scene couldn’t believe it either – there was an 8 foot steel pipe embedded into the driver’s seat, and it didn’t touch me. MMTToday, one of the football players at our school (who stands about 6’5) broke out in tears of joy and exclaimed, “Dad!” as he ran into his father’s arms in the middle of our Algebra II class. His father just returned home from Afghanistan early and came over to the school to surprise his son. MMTToday, I am a corporate accountant for a privately held chain of restaurants in the mid west. Our company employs several hundred people. The economic downturn has had a noticeable effect on the number of customers eating in our restaurants, but not a single employee has been laid off. But what our employees don’t know is that the owner hasn’t written himself a paycheck in six straight months. MMTToday, I was sitting on a park bench eating a sandwich I made myself for lunch when an elderly couple pulled their car up under a nearby oak tree. They rolled down the windows and turned up some jazz music on the radio. Then the man got out of the car, walked around to the passenger side, opened the door for the woman, took her hand and helped her out of her seat, guided her about ten feet away from the car, and they slow danced for the next half hour under the oak tree. MMTToday, I took a cab ride 16 blocks in Manhattan and when I got to my destination I realized I forgot my wallet at home. As I fumbled through my purse, trying to explain things to the cab driver and scrounge up enough cash, a man walked up behind me and handed me a $50 bill. “Thank you!” I said. “Let me have your address. I will pay you back.” He reached into his pocket, pulled out an old receipt and wrote down an address. “You can drop off my money here,” he said. This afternoon I went to the address he gave me and found myself standing in front of a soup kitchen that had a sign out front that said, “Accepting cash donations to feed the hungry.” I walked in and donated the $50. MMTToday, I’m a 3rd shift IT guy for a finance company in NYC. This evening I was updating our VPN server at 3AM when I noticed an employee was actively logged in. I got suspicious and I accessed their account on the backend to see what they were doing. They had just sent a suicide note in an email entitled “Thank you and goodbye.” I immediately looked up their home address in our corporate directory and called 911. This person’s son called me at 7AM, just before I got off my shift, to thank me and inform me that his mother is in stable condition in the hospital. MMTToday was the 10 year anniversary of my dad’s passing. When I was a kid he used to hum a short melody to me as I was going to sleep. When I was 18, as he rested in his hospital bed fighting cancer, the roles were reversed and I hummed the melody to him. I haven’t heard that melody since and almost completely forgot about it until last night. My fiancé and I were lying in bed. We were turned on our sides looking at each other when he started humming the melody to me. He said his mom used to hum it to him when he was a kid. MMTToday, after my dad ran out of options to come up with enough money to pay our mortgage he decided to sell his pristine 1969 Camaro that he restored and has babied for as long as I can remember. A wealthy local collector came to look at it this afternoon. When he realized how passionate my dad was about the car, he asked, “Why are you selling it?” My dad told him and then the collector handed my dad cash for the car and said, “Here’s $5k in cash. I have the rest in my trunk. I’ll be right back.” The collector walked out our front door, got in his car and drove away. MMTToday, my little brother’s internet start-up was purchased for $12,000,000. My brother is 17 years younger than me. Our parent’s passed away in a car accident while I was babysitting him 17 years ago. I was 18 at the time and he was 1. I took legal guardianship of him and worked two jobs for 16 years to make sure he had every opportunity in the world. He started his company at 18 just after he graduated high school. It took off like wildfire. This evening, he transferred $1,000,000 into my retirement savings account. MMTToday, a young teenage boy was in line in front of me at Target. He used a gift card to buy two video games. The cashier, an older woman probably in her late 60’s, rang him up and informed him that he had $12 remaining on his gift card. “Oh, wait then,” he said as he ran two isles over and grabbed a $10 bouquet of flowers. As the cashier added the flowers to his order the boy handed them to her and said, “These are for you.” The cashier could not wipe the smile off her face, even after he left. MMTToday, it’s been almost four months since my son’s seven-year-old dog, Grover, got lost at a crowded fair on the outskirts of Orlando, Florida. We were on a family vacation visiting my husband’s parents. We searched for him everywhere, put up flyers all over the city - the whole nine yards. Nothing. My son was devastated. This afternoon, Grover showed up at our front door in Austin, Texas all by himself. MMTToday, a woman in my line at McDonald’s noticed the uniformed Marine in line behind her, and when she handed me $20 to pay for her meal, she said, “Keep the extra $12 and use it to pay for the Marine’s meal.” When the Marine got up to the counter and ordered his food, I informed him that it was already paid for by another customer. He stared at me for a second, then turned his head and glanced out the front window, handed me his cash anyway and said, “Okay, make it two #4 meals then.” On the way out of the restaurant he handed the second meal to a homeless man who was resting on the sidewalk. MMTToday, losing my infant son was the worst pain I have ever felt. But the phone call I just received from the doctor telling me my baby’s organs instantly saved two other baby’s lives MMT.Today, my father found my little sister alive, chained up in a barn. She was abducted near Mexico City almost 5 months ago. Authorities stopped actively searching for her a few weeks later. My mother and I laid her soul to rest. We even had a funeral for her last month. All of our family and friends attended the ceremony except my father. He swore she was still alive. He looked for her all day, every day since she disappeared. And she’s back home now because he never gave up. MMTToday, I walked my daughter down the aisle. Ten years ago I pulled a 14 year old boy out of his mom’s fire-engulfed SUV after a serious accident. Doctors initially said he would never walk again. My daughter came with me several times to visit him at the hospital. Then she started going on her own. Today, seeing him defy the odds and smile widely, standing on his own two feet at the altar as he placed a ring on my daughter’s finger MMT.Today, due to Alzheimer’s and dementia, my grandfather usually can’t remember who my grandmother is when he wakes up in the morning. It bothered my grandmother a year ago when it first happened, but now she’s fully supportive of his condition. In fact, she plays a game every day in which she tries to get my grandfather to ask her to re-marry him before dinnertime. She hasn’t failed yet. MMTToday, at 4PM I pulled over to help a man (who turned out to be a paramedic) push his car out of the road. After looking under the hood for a few minutes we both agreed his radiator needed to be replaced. He told me he was running late to work, so I used my AAA card to get him a free tow and ride to a repair shop next to the hospital. Exactly an hour later I called 911 when my son’s best friend fainted and stopped breathing after an asthma attack. The same paramedic, Jake, showed up at my house, performed CPR on my son’s friend until he was breathing again, and took him to the hospital. MMTToday, it’s been 10 years that our office janitor/maintenance man has been working at our company. Ever since he started, even as our small company grew from 12 people (when I started) to 118, he has given a small gift and card to every single one of his coworkers on their birthday. I actually just received my 10th gift and card from him last week. Today, for his birthday, the owner and CEO gave him a $25,000 bonus and threw him an after-work party. MMT“Today is your funeral,” my mother said to me over the phone as she cried hysterically from joy. I’ve been MIA overseas for the last few months after a mission I can’t speak about backfired. I was rescued this morning – the day of my funeral. MMTToday, I came across a Facebook page with 89 fans that’s dedicated to making fun of a kid at my school. It made me sick to my stomach. So I wrote this on the page’s wall: “Read your cruel words, and then get up and look in the mirror, all of you! And say, ‘I like torturing others! I am proud of myself!’” I just checked the Facebook page again, about 7 hours later. No one responded to my post. But the page now has 26 fans. MMTToday, I was sitting on the subway, exhausted, in a horrible mood. Lately I just haven’t been happy. I’ve been struggling with my weight, my job, and life in general. About 15 minutes into the subway ride, the elderly lady across from me got up, moved next to me, and said, “You’re beautiful. I’m not joking. I was thinking it, and I wanted you to know.” I smiled, thanked her and asked, “Do you usually complement strangers?” “When I was your age, a woman my age sat next to me on a train. Her compliments saved me from doing something stupid. And today, I’m returning the favor.” MMTToday, I operated on a little girl that was in a car accident. She desperately needed O- blood, which is a bit rare. We didn’t have any available, but her twin brother was at the hospital who had O- blood. I explained to him that it was a matter of life and death – that his sister needed his blood. He sat quietly for a moment, and then said goodbye to his parents. I didn’t think anything of it until after we took the blood we needed and he asked, “So when will I die?” He thought he was giving his life for hers. Thankfully, they’ll both be fine. MMTToday at the beach, I ran into my old boyfriend from high school who I haven’t seen in 8 years. We broke up because his dad was in the military and had to move to the east coast. They moved away during our junior year in high school, and we kept in touch for awhile, but eventually lost touch. I recognized him from a distance because he was wearing a tye-dye shirt we made together for a summer beach party when we were sophomores. The kicker: I was wearing my matching tye-dye shirt, which I haven’t worn in years. We hung out the entire day and have a date this evening. MMTToday, my son turned 7 and I turned 23. Yes, I had him on the day I turned 16. The choices I made when I was a teenager were foolish, and sometimes I get worried I’m bringing my son up wrong. But today I took him to the park to celebrate our birthdays. He played for hours with a girl who has burn scars that cover most of her face. When my son took a break to eat, he pointed to her and said, “She’s so pretty and cool!” Which left me thinking, “I must be doing something right as a mom.” MMTToday at 1AM, my grandma, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s, got up, got into my dad’s car and drove off. We contacted the police. But before the police could find her, two college kids pulled into our driveway with my grandma. One was driving my dad’s car and the other was following in their car. They said they overheard her crying about being lost at an empty gas station 10 miles away. My grandma couldn’t remember our address, but gave the kids her first and last name. They looked her up online, found our address, and drove her home. MMTToday, a young woman and her toddler knocked on my door. The woman stared at me in silence for a second and then smiled and said, “I was just visiting the area and I couldn’t help but look-up your address. Your son carried me out of the World Trade Center on 9/11/2001 before he went back inside to save others. I think about you and your family almost every single day.” MMTToday, I met the prettiest woman on an airplane. After some small talk, and under the assumption that I wouldn’t see her again after we made our connections in Atlanta, I told her how pretty I thought she was. She gave me the most sincere smile and said, “Nobody has said that to me in 10 years.” It turns out we’re both in our mid-30’s, never married, no kids, and we live about 5 miles away from each other in Dallas. We have a date set for next Saturday after we return home. MMTToday, the only reason I’m alive is because of my little brother. 7 years ago I swallowed a bottle of prescription pain killers. No more than 30 seconds later my brother called me from Iraq and told me how much he hates it there and that the only thing keeping him going is knowing that in a few months he’ll be back home hanging with his favorite person – me. I vomited up the pills and never told a soul. My brother and I are now roommates. MMTToday, because of my older brother, I’m a high school grad, I’m healthy and I’m alive. I’m 18 and my brother is 29. When we were 7 and 18, he got an apartment of his own on the good side of town and moved us out of the crack house our late drug addicted mother was living in. He worked 2 jobs to pay the bills and always made sure I was safe, fed and at school on time. He basically saved my life. MMTToday, as I was sleeping, I woke up to my daughter calling my name. I was sleeping in a sofa chair in her hospital room. I opened my eyes to her beautiful smile. My daughter has been in a coma for 98 days. MMTToday, through extensive charity work, we helped move a street family that has never lived in a house or slept on a clean bed into a house of their own. As he stared around his new bedroom in awe, the youngest boy in the family exclaimed, “I have a bed! My own bed! My very own bed!” MMTToday, at 8AM this morning, after four months of lifelessness in her hospital bed, we took my mom off life support. And her heart continued beating on its own. And she continued breathing on her own. Then this evening, when I squeezed her hand three times, she squeezed back three times. MMTToday, my 8-year-old son hugged me and said, “You are the best mom in the whole entire world!” I smiled and sarcastically replied, “How do you know that? You haven’t met every mom in the whole entire world.” My son squeezed me tighter and said, “Yes I have. You are my world.” MMTSource: 99 Tiny Stories to Make You Think, Smile and Cry

If you have lost the phone and recovery email access then the last method is using recovery question. I referred the following Google Blog to get the information, you can check them [1].The recovery options available may include any of the following questions or actions, and possibly others not listed or pictured below:Enter the last password you rememberGet a verification code by text or phone call at <number> (it doesn't always offer both options)Confirm the phone number you provided in our security settingsGoogle will send an e-mail containing a one time verification code to <e-mail>Get a prompt on your <phone> and tap Yes to sign inAnswer the security question you added to your accountWhen did you create this Google account?If you can, briefly tell us why you can't access your accountThe majority of the options are based on pre-configured information setup in the account prior to losing access. So if an option (like a recovery e-mail address) was never configured that option will not be offered. If you do have a pre-configured e-mail or phone number and select that option, you will be sent a six-digit code to enter. Entering the correct code may take you to a page to reset the password. Answering enough of the other questions correctly might also take you directly to that page.It's also possible that even with a pre-configured phone number or e-mail, and after receiving a code, the process may ask you additional questions. This can happen when Google has noted suspicious activity on the account and needs additional proof of ownership before returning the account.If you can't use or answer a given option, click the "Try a different question" link for the next option. Of course if you skip too many of the questions you will not be able to prove ownership of the account. If you aren't given the option to reset the password, the last question will typically ask for a contact address where Google can e-mail you.Like above, a six-digit code will be sent to that address which you will then enter. But unlike above, receiving this code does not mean you will be allowed to reset the password. This step is to verify that you have a valid, working e-mail account that you can access. The answers you provided on the previous pages will determine if you are given the option to reset the password, or if your request is denied. The message attempts to be clear that the contact email was verified, but that ownership of the account has not been proven (verified).If you can't use any of the options or fail to prove ownership of the account, you then will receive a message that "Google couldn't verify this account belongs to you". You can of course try again if you have additional or more accurate information to provide, but if you can't prove ownership of the account, it is lost. There are no other ways to recover a lost account.Lost Account NameIf you clicked the "Find my account" link on the first page you will be directed to a series of steps were you will provide: a previously configured e-mail or phone, the real name on the account, and a verification code. If you are successful, you will the receive a list of accounts that match that information and you can proceed to sign in. You must know both the e-mail/phone and the name on the account. If you also don't know the account password, then you will use the above process to attempt to recover it.Accounts With 2-Step Verification EnabledTwo-step verification adds an extra level of protection to accounts by requiring a second action or code in addition to the password to sign into an account. As such, recovery for an account with 2-step verification enabled is a bit more strict. This can work against the owner if the account has been compromised and 2-step enabled by the hacker.When 2-step verification is enabled you will see a third screen after providing your account name and password were you need to provide the 2-step verification code via the default method you have configured on the account. If you are unable to provide the 2-step response, the page has a "Try another way to sign in" link. It will then list all the options previously configured for the account (this list could be very short if no backup options were configured). Clicking the last "Ask Google for help..." box leads to another screen listing all the options again along with a few more.Yes, the above account does have a lot of 2-step verification options configured as I have no intention of getting locked out of my own account.At the very bottom of the second screen is a link to "Request Google's help". At this point you will be in the regular account recover process although there may be additional questions available based on options you had configured on your account. For example:If insufficient proof of ownership was provided the "Google couldn't verify.." message will be displayed similar to the standard recover process above. If sufficient information was provided for Google to investigate further the "Thanks! We're on it." message will be displayed.When Google concludes it's investigation, which can take 3-5 business days (a week real-time), you will be notified at the contact address you provided.If your request is denied the only option is to repeat the process providing more answers to the questions, or more accurate answers than provided previously. Simply repeating the process with the same answers will not help. You must provide more proof of ownership or Google will not return the account.Google Apps accountsGoogle Apps accounts (those not ending in @Gmail) can not be recovered using the standard Gmail recovery procedures. One must contact the Google Apps administrator for the domain who can reset the password allowing you to regain access.Additional Recovery Information,Details About the Account Recovery ProcessThis section contains information and hints that can greatly improve your chances for a successful account recovery. It's probably a good idea to read this part carefully.The account recovery process is composed of a set of factors that Google uses to determine the legitimate owner of an account. Some you have limited control over, and some you do not. But understanding them is important to getting through the process successfully.Factors you can control before the account is lost - presumably you're reading this article because you've already lost access to an account, so it's a little late for these items. Still, keeping these in mind for the recovered account and any other accounts you have may prevent you from needing to visit this article again in the future.Account password - write it down and keep it someplace safe. Everyone thinks they'll remember their password, but many are wrong. If you keep records of your password a lost account is easily fixed by just looking it up.Recovery options - configure the options available (e-mail and phone) for all your accounts. And most importantly, keep them up-to-date. https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/183723Creation date - one of the current questions in account recovery is when the account was created. Simply printing or forwarding one of the original "welcome to Gmail" messages to another account for safe-keeping gives you a way to always look it up.Factors you can control during account recovery - details about the questions asked and how to answer them.Past password - this should be the most recent password you can accurately remember for the account. Google does not store a readable version of passwords, so any password you provide must be 100% correct or when encrypted it won't match any entries in the account's password history.Security question - security questions are no longer supported meaning you can not add or modify them (only delete). But if you do happen to have one on the account you may have the chance to answer it. Assume the answer must be accurate (not just close).Creation date - the account creation date does not have to be perfect. You can be off by days or perhaps a few weeks, but not by months or years. Assume plus/minus one month from the actual date will be close enough. If you don't know your creation date, you may be able to figure it out with some thought.Finding the account creation verification e-mail which would have been sent to another account you owned at the time.Associating the creation of the account with some life event, like graduation, moving, a change in ISP, etc.If it was created as part of a new mobile device setup, check the date on the sales receipt for the device.If the account was created for starting mobile device service, check the start date of your mobile contract.Asking contacts if they saved a change-of-email message sent from the new Gmail account or any other e-mail you sent when the account was new.Checking the creation date of any other accounts opened at the same time, like: PayPal, eBay, Facebook, Amazon, etc.If you still have access to the account (perhaps from a mobile device still signed in) check the All Mail label for the original account creation e-mail or the oldest messages you still have saved."If you can, briefly tell us why you can't access your account" - this is not where you submit facts to prove ownership of the account. This is where you describe what happened when you lost the account. If it matches the information Google has about what happened to the account it may act as one more bit of proof that it is your account.Known access type - Google has made it clear that doing account recovery in the same way the account was normally accessed will help a lot with recovery. Google hasn't clearly documented what all they use, but empirical evidence suggests it's some or all of the following:Browser (perhaps related to saved cookies).The physical computer or mobile device. If you use an e-mail app/client, then use a browser on that same physical device to attempt recovery.Physical location. If you always accessed the account from a specific location (home, work, etc) then do recovery from that same physical location.IP address. Similar to the physical location, although clearly IP addresses can and do change regularly.Factors you can NOT control - Google has a lot of information on the e-mail servers about accounts that can be used to help validate an ownership claim on a account. Google doesn't document any of this but it's possible to guess what some of them probably are.Locations where the account has been accessed in the past.Devices, computers, browsers, clients, and apps used to access the account.They types of account access used including: web, IMAP, POP3, mobile, etc.The history of account recovery claims made on the account, when and where they were made, what computer/device/location/browser they were made from. This includes if someone else is also trying to recover the same account.Current access types and usage of the account (if it was compromised and being used by a hacker).And no doubt many more.The point is that Google knows a lot more about the account than you may realize, and they use that information when an account recovery request is made.Logistical issues with account recovery - there are a number of other things to keep in mind when doing account recoveryIt’s not about the number of times you repeat the account recovery process, it’s about providing more and better answers with each attempt. If your submission is rejected, you must work hard to provide more answers, and make the answers more accurate in subsequent submissions. There is no point in repeating the process if you don't have anything new to add.Wait for a response before each new submission. If you are told 1-3 hours, I'd suggest waiting until the next day. If you are told 3-5 business days (which is a full week real time) give it an extra day or two.If you are not receiving a response, check your Spam or Junk folder on the account you specified for replies. Also make sure you are checking the correct account, the one you verified with a code in the last step of the process. If you provided multiple accounts during different attempts, check them all.Duplicate submissions, or submissions without waiting for a reply can trigger a submission lock forcing you to wait a few days to try again.Guessing at answers (like the creation date) are probably obvious to Google and can cause the process to stop asking that question.Finally, there may be one other option for simple password recovery if your account wasn’t compromised and you simply forgot your password. If you have your browser setup to remember your account information you may be able to view your saved password. Both Firefox and Chrome allow saved passwords to be viewed in plain-text. If you use another browser that does not permit this, then you can use/install Firefox or Chrome, import your settings, and then check to see if the saved password is accessible. Again, this only works for people who forgot their password due to relying on the browser’s auto-fill function, but if it applies it might be an easier than the above procedures.FAQ About Account RecoveryQ. Why can’t I tell someone private information about my account that they could look up to verify my claim?A. Account privacy rules are very strict within Google, and allowing employees to look at the contents of an account would be a serious breach of privacy. You may know enough about the contents of the account to prove ownership, but no one at Google can verify that information.Q. Why isn’t there a comments section in account recovery where I could add additional information to prove my claim?A. Like above, it would be a violation of account privacy for an employee to look in the account to verify any additional information supplied.Q. Why can’t I simply talk to somebody about this?A. Unfortunately, Google does not offer live support for the free Gmail product (see:http://mail.google.com/support/bin/request.py?contact_type=contact_policy). You must use the recovery methods provided. There is also the fact that even if you could talk to someone, you would still have to answer the same questions to prove ownership of the account.Q. Why can’t Google lock the account to protect it from any more damage or outgoing spam.A. Google may disable an account if they notice suspicious usage or if the account is being used to send out spam. But again, privacy concerns would prevent them from simply locking an account because someone claims it’s theirs and is compromised. In addition, since there is no live support, there is no one to even make such a request to.Q. I had a really long password of random strings that would be impossible to guess. How was my account compromised?A. Google (as most e-mail providers) have blocks to prevent trying lots of passwords to guess the correct one (brute-force attacks). Most accounts are compromised by harvesting passwords other ways. While a secure password is important, it’s only one in a long list of things needed to keep any online account secure. This article has more information on this topic: http://gmail-tips.blogspot.com/2012/01/how-not-to-get-hacked.htmlQ. But I’m very careful with my password. I don’t give it to anyone except an official request from Gmail.A. Unfortunately if you provided your password in response to any e-mail (even claiming to be from Google/Gmail) then your password was harvested by phishing. It’s very common, and can trick even the most careful people.Q. I'm not getting any reply after submitting my account recovery information.A. First, make sure you are using a valid, working contact e-mail address that you check regularly for any replies. Also, check the junk/spam label in case any reply was miss-filtered. Then try again. You might also try a different contact e-mail address.Q. My contacts were deleted by the hacker, how do I recover them?A. Deleted contacts can now be restored to any point in the last thirty-days:https://support.google.com/mail/answer/1069522Q. My e-mail history was deleted by the hacker, how do I recover it?A. Have you looked in All Mail and Trash for the missing information? Have you used Search to try and find it? Unfortunately, messages deleted from Trash or Spam can not be recovered. If you would like to request Google attempt to recovery messages deleted by a hacker, see:https://support.google.com/mail/troubleshooter/4530113Q. My account was deleted by the hacker, can I recover it?A. The account recovery process can sometimes restore a recently deleted account. That is your only option in this case. But if you are told that "This account was deleted and is no longer recoverable" then the account is lost.Q. I don’t care about the account, can I just get the e-mail history or the contacts from it.A. Unfortunately, you have to be able to access the account in order to transfer any information out of it. This means you need to try and recover the account first.Q. I don’t care about the contents, I just need the e-mail address back because I have other things linked to that address.A. Account names are never re-used, so you can’t re-create the account. So to get the name back you will have to try and recover the account.Q. Can I find out who did this? Can anyone prosecute them?A. About the only information you have available is the list of the last 10 IPs to access your account (see the Details link below the Inbox). But given how easy it is to fake IPs, and how inaccurate they are, it’s unlikely that more than a general location can be determined. In general, law enforcement is not interested in a simple compromised account, and Google is not a law enforcement agency. Bottom line is: one’s energy is better spent on recovery and re-securing the account.Q. Isn’t what the person did illegal? Can I sue them or get them arrested?A. Any legal questions should be asked of local law enforcement or an attorney. Google is neither of those and can not advise you on any actions.Q. Can I find out what they did in my account while they had access.A. There are no account activity logs available, so you can’t find out for sure. If there is spam in your Sent Mail, they you know they used the account for that. But there’s no way to know if or what messages they may have looked at, so take appropriate precautions.Q. How was my account compromised?A. There are many ways passwords can be harvested and account compromised, but the most common ones include:Using the same password on multiple web-sites. A less secure site is hacked and they get the user database (e-mail and password) and then just try them all. If the person did not use a unique password, the hacker gains access to the e-mail account.Phishing e-mails that ask for account information or direct you to a phishing web-site. Don’t dismiss this because the messages are a lot more convincing that you would imagine, often using text copied from actual Google e-mails or on-line forms.Use of a computer that is infected with a key-logger or other malware (most common for public computers like at a school or library) which records your login information.For more information about how accounts can be compromised see the article: http://gmail-tips.blogspot.com/2012/01/how-not-to-get-hacked.htmlWhen You Reclaim Your Account,How To Secure Your AccountThe process of re-securing an account actually consists of two parts: (1) securing your Gmail account, and (2) securing the Google account that holds your Gmail account. Both parts must be completed or changes made by someone else may be missed allowing the account to be compromised or accessed again.1. Google has created the Gmail Security Checklist which can be used to check your Gmail account and some other related security settings: https://support.google.com/mail/checklist/2986618?rd=12. Google has also created and Account Security Checkup which performs a similar function at the account level: https://security.google.com/settings/security/secureaccountWhat follows are some of the more important parts of the above who items. This is not a replacement for doing them both, but may be helpful to address the most critical items quickly allowing you to perform the above two checks at a later time (just don't forget).Getting StartedBegin by scrolling to the bottom of your Gmail page and see if there are any other sessions signed into your account (“This account is open in 1 other location”). Then click the word “Details” where it says “Last account activity” (lower/right) and then “Sign out all other sessions”.Now change your password to anything reasonable but without worrying too much about how secure it is because you are going to change it again. See the first section in Account Securitybelow. Next check all the following items and verify that they are set correctly.Note: in the following “Settings” is accessed using the Gear icon in the upper/right of the Gmail window. If you using the Basic html version of Gmail, then “Settings” will be one of the choices along the top.Note: in the following pictures "Filters" will probably be "Filters and Blocked Addresses" since Gmail now has a blocking function.Note: in the following pictures "Accounts and Import" may be just "Accounts" in some cases.Also note that you may have to scroll down on each specific page to find the referenced setting.Potential SpamSettings that could result in spam being attached to outgoing e-mail.Settings -> General -> SignatureMake sure nothing as been added, and be sure to scroll down in case additions aren't visible.Settings -> General -> Vacation Responder (or Out Of Office Reply)Make sure it's disabled and empty.E-mail TheftSettings that could result in the theft of e-mail (perhaps without any indication that it is happening).Settings -> Forwarding and POP/IMAP -> POP DownloadIt is best to disable it unless there is a clear need for it.Settings -> Forwarding and POP/IMAP -> IMAP AccessIt is best to disable it unless there is a clear need for it.Settings -> Forwarding and POP/IMAP -> ForwardingForwarding should be disabled or verified that the forwarding addresses are correct.Settings -> FiltersNo filters defined, or at least no filters that forward or delete e-mail.Settings -> Accounts and Import -> Send mail asMake sure it is using your correct e-mail address, and delete any unrecognized entries. Also click the "edit info" link on the right and verify each entry you have (including the default one) do not have a reply-to address set to an account you do not own.Account SecuritySettings that improve the security of the account as well as make it easier to recovery a lost account.Please note that the path used below (Settings -> Accounts and Import -> Change account settings -> Other Google Account settings [new page]) to get to account settings can be accessed directly by using the direct link to account settings: https://myaccount.google.comSettings -> Accounts and Import -> Change account settings -> Change passwordPick a new secure password.Direct link: https://myaccount.google.com/security/signinoptions/passwordSettings -> Accounts and Import -> Change account settings -> Change password recovery optionsVerify mobile phone number, recovery e-mail address, and secret question/answer (if available).Direct link: https://accounts.google.com/b/0/UpdateAccountRecoveryOptions?hl=en&service=mailSettings -> Accounts and Import -> Change account settings -> Other Google Account settings [new page] Personal info & privacy -> Your personal infoVerify your name and other settings.Direct link: https://myaccount.google.com/privacy#personalinfoSettings -> Accounts and Import -> Change account settings -> Other Google Account settings [new page] Sign in & security -> Connected sites & apps -> Apps connected to your account -> MANAGE APPSRevoke Access to any sites listed that aren't recognized or absolutely needed.Direct link: https://security.google.com/settings/security/permissionsSettings -> Accounts and Import -> Change account settings -> Other Google Account settings [new page] Sign in & security -> Signing into Google -> 2-step verificationFor additional account security, enable 2-step verification, and be sure to save a set of backup codes as instructed during setup.Direct link: https://accounts.google.com/b/0/SmsAuthSettings#devicesNow that your account is secure, check again for other sessions logged in. If there is still another session on the account, repeat the above until you successfully get everything secured while no one else is logged in. Now that the account is fully secured and you've verified no one else is logged in, you may want to change the password one last time.And don't forget the Gmail Security Checklist and Account Security Checkup mentioned above.

Opening StatementHi________ (state their name)?(Prospect: Yes.)(Your name)___________ here from _____________(Company name). Do you have a quick minute?Great! ________, I'm sure you are a busy and want to respect your time, so I'll be brief. The reason for my call is this. We specialize in (working with small business owners, salespeople, managers, etc.) so that you/they can:State Your Compelling Reason - (The End Result Of The Benefit You Offer)Well, Mr./Mrs... Smith, depending on what you are currently doing, I don't know whether you have a need or an interest in our services. But with your permission, I was hoping to ask you a few questions and see if there is anything we are doing that you could benefit from. Would you be comfortable spending just a few minutes with me if I stick to my timetable?Needs Analysis:If you could create the ideal solution for (XXX), what about your current product/service would you like to improve or change?If you could magically eliminate three of your biggest problems, headaches or stresses what would they be?How do these challenges affect you/your business (bottom line)?Summarize and Confirm:1. "For my own understanding, what you are truly saying is...(Recap what the prospect shared with you; their problems, challenges, and objectives.)Is that accurate/correct?2. Would it be safe to say that if there was a way for you to:Restate biggest obstacle. (Example: Overcome the challenge/obstacle/problem of..)Restate their most important goal or objective they shared with you.It would be worth exploring/discussing in more detail?3. Schedule Next Step:"Then lets get together for (state timeline. Ex: twenty minutes) to see if there's a fit. I will answer your questions, share with you several options as well as demonstrate how our product/service will specifically address your challenges/objectives. Mr./Mrs.________, do you have your calendar handy? What day would be good for you, towards the beginning or the end of the week?"Do mornings or afternoons work better for you?"Fantastic. I'm looking forward to meeting with you on ____at ____.(Confirm all decision makers.)Thanks. Have a great day!Hello, is __________ there?Hello, my name is _________, calling from _______________ How are you today? (Customer’s first name)I see that you filled out a survey form and expressed interest in a Hawaii vacation.Our company has just released our VIP Invitations for vacations to Hawaii and your name is on that list!I am calling to make sure you want to take advantage of this discounted Hawaii vacation offer. Mr/Ms_______________________what do you think?If you have pen and paper,I'll give you all my information so you can startplanning.Again,my name is ________ and this is through _____________________________.This Hawaii vacation package is for 4 days and 3 nights on Maui. Your airline will be _____________________________ . You will be staying at the Hotel__________________ for 4 days and 3 nights. If you need other airline arrangements we are a full service travel agency and we would be happy to search for another airline fare.I know that we do not pay your personal expenses or any taxes and no service fees are paid. The last time I went, I believe I paid not more than $25.00 and I paid that at the hotel check-in.I only have 11 vacation packages to Hawaii and I do have other calls to make to lucky people. Are you ready to buy this great vacation today?The cost is $698.00 for two adults and must be taken within 6 months from today. As long as both of you are over 21 years of age, you are on your way to sunny Hawaii!Do you have your credit card ready or do you need to discuss this with someone before you buy?I'm only offering this one package today so you would need to buy today, but then again, take up to 6 months before you run off for a fabulous vacation!Oh no, Ma'am, there are no hidden fees or charges. But now that you mention it, there is one thing that I would ask you to do. Once you get home, would you drop me a line and tell me what was the most exciting, the most beautiful or the most fun about this Hawaii vacation?Yes,you can enclose a snap shot if you would like.If you are ready to buy right now, I'm ready to take your credit card and get you are all set up.Yes, ma'am, please read the numbers on your card.I'll read that back to you.Now if you would verify your address I'll get your things into the mail.Wonderful! Now write down my name and phone number so I can answer any questions for you.My Ticket Registrations department might give you a call to verify the spelling on your name or some other detail, I hope that is not a bother for you.Okay, we are all set.I know you will enjoy that fabulous sun, sand and sea! Aloha!The scheme of the conversation will differ depending on many factors (with whom the conversation is conducted, how much the person is set up for communication, etc.).The most popular scenario looks like this:1)A small introductory welcome speech.2)Introducing yourself and your company.3) Information about the purpose of the call and offer.4)Questions.5)Competent answers to objections.6)Ending the conversation.Let’s take a closer look at each item from the scenario and figure out how to effectively apply it in practice.You: “Good morning <Customer Name>, I’m the Chief Editor of "Build for ages" magazine, my name is John. Our magazine is engaged in supporting young British construction companies . I am trying to fix an appointment with you to explain in detail what we are working on?”Customer: “ I have no time ”You: “ I'm calling to arrange an appointment only.The thing is that the topic of our next issue will be (///)? And we would like to invite you as an expert in this matter to participate in the section of (///)”Customer: “ There is no opportunity to meet” You: “ I understand you. With whom except for you can I talk about this issue? “Customer: “Only with me. I dont believe in advertising”You : ‘Honestly, many said so, until they had the opportunity to see the benefits they received from cooperation with our magazine”Сustomer: “Tell me more about it”You : “Of course. Let's meet on Wednesday at 3:00 pm “End the conversation and express your thanks for customer attention.First, don’t think of it as a fixed “script.” Think of it as a guide.That’s because an effective cold call is a conversation. If it’s just you (the telemarketer/teleprospector) talking 90% of the time, while the other person says, “Uh-huh,” “Hmm,” and “No, thanks,” then it’s NOT effective.Calls can go in many different ways, and you have to be flexible. You have to be ready for objections and nuances in the situation of each prospect.Here’s the basic, and (in my experience) most effective guide for structuring a cold call. (#1 and #5 are pretty much set in stone, but the middle depends on how the call goes.)1.Introduce yourself. “Good morning/afternoon/evening, my name is X, and I’m calling on behalf of Company X. We provide product/service for the people in area/region.” After that, the goal of the intro is to get on the good side of the prospect. What else should you say? Thank them for taking your call. Mention if you’ve had previous contact or transactions with them (that info should be in your company database, if you have Computer Telephony Integration software or similar tech).2.State your purpose. Whatever you’re offering, frame it in a way that reflects the needs/interests of your prospect.3.Ask and answer questions. Give them space to speak. If they say no, ask why. If they hesitate, ask them questions such as, “What do you think, are you on board with this?” Most large companies will equip callers with a list of the most common objections, and how to address them, so you can just customize your responses.4.Share the benefits. And (if necessary) features. This ties in with #3. Better to focus on benefits (how your product helps the customer) than on features (which often makes the caller sound too scripted and sales-y).5.Affirm commitments. Whatever you’ve gotten them to agree to (a demo, a meeting, a consultation), reaffirm it. Schedule specific days and times so you can follow up.Remember, while it’s important to know what to do, it’s also important to know what NOT to do.A good sales call structure that works for you is one that you have perfected over multiple calls; however, in my experience, they tend to follow some similar patterns:1.Research, research, researchNot really a part of the call itself, but it’s so important to the success of the call, that I felt it merited including here.There is nothing more important than preparation when it comes to making your interaction with a prospect successful. First and foremost, you have to know everything about your product - the ins and outs, facts and figures, what benefits its provides, what pain-points it addresses, use cases, case studies, etc. It’s important to also have a list outlining common concerns and your answers to them (more on this later). This should go without saying, but I have seen so many instances where a sales person stumbles on a product-question, and instantly, loses all credibility.After that, you need to know everything there is to know about your prospect. Dive in to the company, of course, but also in to the prospect you are emailing. Look through his social media, his personal website, etc., in order to fully flesh out your mental picture of him. Understand his pain points and the pain points of his company (the two aren’t necessarily the same), and connect it with your solution’s benefits.2.Briefly introduce yourselfNow that you’ve made the call, the first thing to do is make sure that you introduce yourself quickly and clearly. There’s no point in starting your pitch when the prospect has no idea who you are - he’s just going to stop you and have you restart, and you’ll have already annoyed him. A simple one-line statement stating your name and company, followed by making sure that it is a good time to speak, is usually good enough for this.3.Qualify the prospectAt this stage, your aim is to make sure that your research matches up. Ask as many questions as you can to try and understand what their current process is and what are the pain points he’s facing. Try to find out if there have been any changes in their situation, or if your information is outdated in any way. It’s best you find this out as soon as possible in order to be able to adjust your pitch accordingly.Here’s a pro-tip: there might be times when the prospect can’t clearly define his pain-points, and might say something vague, like “increasing revenue”. This is good for you, because you can then use your experience and your understanding of the industry to suggest tangible pain-points that would address those concerns (which should already be part of your research material) and ask them if that holds true for them. This not only helps the prospect understand the problem, but also sets up your solution very nicely.4.Wow them with your pitchYour pitch needs to be laser-focused and present a compelling benefit in one or two sentences. These benefits should be clearly targeted at achieving the objective of the call. This could be either a follow-up call, or a demonstration, or a meeting, or maybe even a close; the point is, you need to be clear about the objective, and your pitch should be designed to achieve that.Also, remember that concerns list? This is where it comes in handy. When discussing your solution, it’s very likely that the prospect will have some objections or concers. Truth be told, he could object at any point of time, but if you’re prepared with well-thought-out rebuttals, you can keep the conversation going. If the objections are related to your solution especially, remember to empathize first, then toss in the “but…”5.End with purposeBe sure to end the conversation with a specific plan of action: When can you call them back to follow up? Can we schedule a meeting? Can I help present it to your team? This will vary depending on who you’re speaking with, and what your objective is, but the aim is to get a clear understanding of what to do next, and when. Also, make sure to follow through - if it’s agreed that you’ll follow up on Wednesday, then make sure to follow up on Wednesday.Here’s another pro-tip for you: whenever we end a conversation with the prospect, we make sure to send them an email with some useful and interesting content that’s relevant to our solution using our platform, Paperflite. Why? Because when you use Paperflite, you can send multiple files without the deadweight of attachments, and track how the prospect engages with them.The content gets included as eye-catching thumbnails, boosting clickthroughs considerably. We can then track their interaction with the content in real-time to better understand how they’re thinking, and find out who they are re-sharing the content with. This helps us understand how to contextualize our follow-up conversation, as well as identify the other decision-makers and influencers involved in the process. This has allowed us, and our clients, speed up the sales cycle considerably, and helped our sales team be more effective in their efforts.The above outline should hopefully give you a good idea of how you can develop your own structure, and with practice, I’m sure you’ll be able to crack that perfect formula that works for you. All the best!Ever had the safe feeling of using sales scripts, which can support you throughout a cold call? There are plenty of them, and thousands of different structures you can use.But what if you could take a step back, lay down the often-sounding robotic voice that comes out when using a script? Imagine if there were an easy to use framework, which let you build a structure easily depending on the prospect.What is important when building a framework for yourself, is to have a couple key elements that will help you through each call. But remember, always involve them as you speak with them - they are people just like you.Introduction- Name and company, keep this short-Mention someone within the industry or a colleague, that you spoke to- if someone referred you, mention them aswell- Speak directly about the project/product or service you want to sell onWhy- Speak about the problem you are solving for them- Industry issues should be mentioned in this context- You their jargon, illustrate their problemWhat- What can you offer, that will help them- Set yourself in their positionQuestioning round: if you get this far and there is an actual conversation going, you can start involving them with questions. Specifically there is one type of questions that works very well.·Need QuestionsReason why they work so well, is that your prospect will be justifying why your product is good for them. In my case because I sell marketing products, I fmro questions like:oHow do you feel this theme will help you?oIs there any other way this could help you?oWould it help if this increased your ROI of marketing?oIs marketing important in terms of branding, or actually driving sales?·Furthermore you haveoProblem questionsoImplication questionsoSituation questions§Personally I have not measured these enough, to give you any good insight. But if you read Spin Selling by N. Rackham - he will give you great insight.If you are also interested in a 7-part free sales course, you can visit my blog: Sales and product development where you will also find other helpful articles.Hope all is wellBelow a simple cold call script structure:1.Raise curiosity (who is this? why should I care?)2.Give context (elevator pitch)3.Ask for permission to continue4.Ask questions. Learn about their needs. Define if they are a fit5.Test close: Price sensitivity, Timeline, etc6.Schedule next steps#1 Opening:Hi, my name is___________. I'm calling some startups in the area to find out if they are a good fit for our product/service/beta program.#2What we do in a sentence is we provide the companies with xyz.#3Does this in general sound interesting to you?#4Qualifying:● What is your current xyz process?● Who are your customers? How do you currently solve xyz?● Etc.#5Test Closing:● We would want to start in X weeks - does this work for you?● The beta program is heavily discounted. It’s going to be $X/day per.● What is the decision making process in your company?● Etc.#6Great. Sounds like this could be a good fit. Let me send you our brochure and schedule a time next week to discuss all your questions etc.What's the best email to send you information and the cal invite?What's a good time to chat next week?I find the following process works:1. Identify if you know the prospects pain point or problem - if so, use a specific benefit system.(GBS) General Benefit Statement or (SBS) Specific Benefit Statement:Stage 1: Address a market problem1. Introduction to yourself, company and reason for calling2. State a problem in the market that the end-user can identify with3. Explain how your product/service has a Feature/Advantage to alleviate that problem (using FAB – Feature, Advantage and Benefit)Stage 2: Provide a Net Benefit to the user forfurthering a Discovery Meeting1.Express in one sentence how this product/service is acomplete Benefita. Save Timeb. Mitigate Riskc. Save Money/Increase RevenuesStage 3: Convert to “Time Sales”1. Engage prospect with an open-ended question about “what is most important to them”2. Solve that problem with an example (net Benefit) from the product/service3. Make a “scheduling meeting in your area” statement – with exact dates and times4. Ask the user to “open is calendar to check availability”5. Close by stating is competitors/or himself “are/shouldarm themselves with the information to make the right/informed decision”.Stage 4: Schedule Meeting and send a follow-up email1. Confirm dates and times2. Send a meeting invite that will date stamp into the users calendar3. Send a follow-up email with materials and up-to Three (3) BANT Questions:BANT:B = BudgetA = AuthorityN = NeedT = TimelineDo you think you could just wing it? Well, I don’t!Honestly, cold calling is one aspect of sales that I dread the most. And, who will not be? Calling someone who does not know you always leave a gut feeling in the pit of my stomach. Aside from the fact that the recipient does not expect you, you have to weave a magic to keep them in the call for at least 10 seconds.All it takes is 10 seconds.I agree, 10 seconds goes by very swiftly. And it is a very critical 10 seconds where you have to grab the attention of your prospect. You should make a very strong impression enough that would carry you through the next level.That being said, “winging it” just won’t cut it. We have to be real, we have to be prepared. Before you pick up the phone, it would be easier if you do enough preparation. Arm yourself with information on your prospect, think about your positioning, prepare a winning script, and PRACTICE.Just like an award winning movie script, having a winning sales script can get you spotlighted and awarded a SALE. Here is what makes a good prospecting script:·Identify yourself immediatelyState your name and company or product you are associated with. By introducing yourself immediately people will think twice from hanging up on you. Your product or the name your company alone might pique their interest.·Communicate why you are callingGo direct to the point and tell your prospect the reason of your call. Be professional, avoid making small talks. Let them know the services and what value you could bring or why you think you could help them. Build a bridge, provide example of what you have done for other clients. This will help in opening the line and engaging them to talk about what they want.·Use your keywordsUsing correct words and phrases will give strength to your script. Use words or terms that are familiar to the prospect and are commonly used in his/her industry. Moreover, nothing beats power words to express courtesy and sincerity like “please”, “thank you”, or words that makes them feel that his or her opinions are highly regarded such as “you are right” and “good to know”.·Keep it shortDo not overtalk. Do not make your prospect feel that you are wasting their time. Be brief and straightforward as possible. Do not go into details, reserve that in your follow up call when your prospect already expressed an interest.·Say what you want and shut upAsk for what you want. State your desire to schedule a meeting or follow up call. Politely suggest a specified time and place that would be convenient for them. By giving them control, it increases your chance of getting that meeting or follow up call set up.·Practice makes perfectJust like how actors rehearsed to make their lines perfect, you should try practicing longer, preferably with colleagues, until it no longer sounds like a script. Practice until the words will come out naturally.Finally, it is important not to read the script verbatim. Have fun, let it flow just like what a normal conversation would be like. With a good script you have prepared, you should be able to say, What DREAD!Good luck!OpeningYou have 10 seconds to grab your lead’s attention. Identify yourself and your company, and convince them of a reason why they should care.“Hi [Lead Name], this is [Your Name] with [Company. The reason I am calling is we help sales teams in [Lead’s industry] avoid wasting hours talking with unqualified leads. I’d like to ask you a few quick questions to to identify if you are in a similar boat.”QualifyingThe goal here is to understand the lead’s situation so you can determine how your product/service can be of help.·"How do you currently handle [process]?"·“Who are your customers?”·“How does the decision process work with this sort of purchase?”……Closing (Call goal)Verify they don’t need anything more from you and ask directly for a time frame, so you know when to take your next steps.“Great. I will send you some content and will go ahead and schedule a time next week to answer in detail all your questions.·"Do you have time Tuesday or Thursday around 10 a.m. EST?"·"What’s the best email to send the calendar invite to?"Once your script is defined, it doesn’t end there. You need to test it out, evaluate the outcome, and optimize it until you get one that really works and maximizes your conversions.Extra: Here are some more script examples/templates that you can use at every stage of the buying journey.Good Calling!I'll cover some scripts, but I think it's also important to start with strategy and processes before moving to tactics.With that said, let’s dive right into the good stuff. In this post, we’re going to talk about magic words and phrases for cold calling, the power of non-verbals, scripts and frameworks along with examples, how to scientifically test scripts, the best method for coaching and improving, and finally the best tools and resources to help you become a cold calling pro.How to Have Quality Conversations Every TimeThe Power of Persuasion with Non-VerbalsThe moment you speak your first word, the prospect is making snap judgments about you. This is based on many delivery factors, such as the tone, speed, pitch, and volume, which is why you need to pay close attention to each.You can think of tone as the mood, such as happy, sad, fearful, etc. The tone that you want to aim for is casual and confident. I also recommend a tone that is slightly informal. However, it does not give you permission to be unprofessional or disrespectful. Speed is pretty straightforward, but the important thing to note is to slow down! Chances are you’re speaking much quicker than you think you are. If you’re still new to cold calling, the adrenaline will be pumping, which results in talking fast. Pitch is another tricky aspect. If your pitch is too high, you sound too bubbly, too low and you sound grumpy. Aim for right down the middle.Volume is also relatively straightforward. You only have to worry about it if friends and family are always telling you to speak up. If people tell you that you’re too loud, you’ve got nothing to worry about.The quick fix any of these vocal elements is to record your calls, pay attention to your voice, get feedback and adjust. I’m a huge fan of recording and listening to calls for many other reasons too, which we’ll touch on later.Another way to hone your non-verbals is to listen to professional speakers, late-night talk show hosts, and product pitchmen. If you want to learn how to control a conversation and captivate your audience, these people are the best at it. Speaking from the stage is incredibly difficult, so draw inspiration from Jim Rohn, Tony Robbins, and Zig Ziglar. And don’t forget some of the most popular TED talks. For unscripted brilliance, tune into Conan, Jimmy Fallon or Jimmy Kimmel. Lastly, you can learn immensely from product pitches, like Steve Jobs introducing the Mac, iPhone or iTunes.The Most Powerful Tool at Your DisposalAfter you hear what it is, do you promise not to skip this section? Ok, good. It’s… role-playing. Were you hoping I was going to leave this out? I know, nobody likes it, and as much as I hate it, I can’t deny it’s power. If you’re truly committed to becoming a better cold caller, it’s time to suck it up and do it!If you want to avoid role-playing embarrassment, here’s what you can do. Being by role playing with yourself. Think of any and every question, objection and circumstance that can arise, then prepare a response for each. Now, go over them in our head. Of course, you won’t be able to come up with every scenario because prospect can come up the most ridiculous objections, but this is one of the most valuable exercises you can do before cold calling.Next is one-on-one roleplay. Do this with a trusted colleague, friend, or your manager. Let them know that it’s your first time, and though you want to grow and be challenged, don’t go too hard on you yet.Now, the next step is the dreaded group role-play. The only way to get more comfortable at this is to do it. I encourage reps to get here as soon as possible. It’s the most uncomfortable, but also will offer the most growth. If you really want to take it to the next level, ask to roleplay with a “challenging prospect.” For whatever reason, people are more than happy to play the role of the challenging prospect.Immediately Before Your Power Hour/Time BlockBefore we get into the magic phrases, scripts and call frameworks, let’s prepare for the call. These are things you can do right now to get you the in the zone before your next cold calling power hour.Wake yourself up. Coffee. ‘Nuff said.Pump yourself up. There’s no better pick me up than your favorite song or album. Put your headphones and blast your get-up music for 5 to 10 minutes to get yourself in the zone.Push yourself up. I know reps who like to get their blood flowing with a few dozen push-ups at their desks. The extra adrenaline always helps.Lock yourself up. The new open office environment is great for collaboration but terrible for cold calls. There are few things worse than knowing all your colleagues are listening to your calls, especially if you’re new or they’re not salespeople. Having a conference room or dedicated call rooms alleviate pressure, letting you really focus on the call at hand.Magic Words and Phrases That Open the Door and Build TrustSo far, the tips in this guide have been on the theoretical, high-level and strategic side. Let’s get to some of the nitty-gritty details. In his book New Sales. Simplified., Mike Weinberg encourages incorporating 3 magic words into your calls: visit, fit, and value.·Visit: Stay casual and relatively informal. Which is more casual: “I’d like to visit with you” or “May we please set up an appointment”?·Fit: This word is non-threatening and demonstrates you’re not in it just to close a deal and make money. Say something along the lines of, “Let’s get together and see if we’d be a good fit to work together.”·Value: Ultimately, this is what a prospect is looking for: value. If you can prove the value, you’re golden. Execution could look like: “I’d love to see if we can bring some value to what you’re already doing…”If you can use all three together, it could be a home run: “John, I understand that you’re not currently in the market for a few outbound platform, but visit with me anyway. I promise you’ll get value and ideas from our time together, even if our product ends up not being a perfect fit.”Here are some other phrases I’ve picked up over the years. I don’t remember exactly where they can from (apologies to the original source), but they got me some great results.“I’m not sure if this is the right fit for you, but I’d love to see if we can help.” Use this after you’ve asked a few discovery questions. I love this phrase because it removes the sense of desperation that most salespeople give off. Furthermore, what people can’t have, they want more, which means they could even start selling you. Prospects“Based on what you’ve told me, the next steps is for us to set up another call so we can…” Again, this phrase comes into play after you’ve asked a few discovery questions. This implies to the prospect that this is an individualized process, and you’re not just pushing product on them. Much of the time, people want to be lead by others who know what they’re doing, and that’s what this verbiage implies.In a Cardone Zone podcast from late 2015, Grant offers some great phrases you can use after you deliver your value proposition. If your prospect doesn’t bite or shows hesitation, you can say:“Even if ½ of what I was telling you was true, would that be worth your time?”“What % of what I just shared with you do you believe?”A Cold Calling Framework From Jeb BlountI’ve referenced Jeb’s book Fanatical Prospecting a few times in part II, and here it is again because it’s that good. Prospects will only give you time if you offered them value, which could be emotional and/or logical value. Here’s Jeb’s framework along with an example of how I’ve adapted it to sell PersistIQ.1) Get their attention by using their name. Start off my saying “Hi, {{first name}},” in a warm and welcoming tone, then proceed directly to Step 2. Notice I didn’t say, “Hi, {{first name}}, how are you today?” or “how are you today?” because it gives your prospect a chance to jump in and disrupt your flow. Cold calls are all about taking control from the very start.2) Identify yourself. “My name is Brandon with PersistIQ.” This is pretty straightforward — you need to tell them who you are.3) Tell them why you’re calling. “The reason I’m calling is to get some time on your calendar.” Diving right in demonstrates that you’re a professional. Save the small talk for your follow-up calls after you’ve already built the relationship.4) Build a bridge. This statement connects the reason you’re calling with why they should care. “I just noticed on your site that you’re hiring 10 new sales reps this quarter. Several companies in the {{your prospect’s industry}} are already using PersistIQ to help their current sales development team double conversations started and meetings booked. They are also able to cut new rep ramp time in half.”5) Ask for what you want and shut up. “I thought the best place to start is to schedule a meeting to learn about your outbound sales challenges and goals. Do you have time Wednesday or Thursday afternoon around 10 a.m.?” Ultimately, our goal is to set meetings with prospects because we’re calling on a more targeted list. However, if you’re calling on a less qualified list, then your ask may be for a piece of information that qualifies the lead.This should last no longer than 20-30 seconds. Research reveals that the brain can only process and hold new chunks of info for only about 30 seconds or less. Don’t overwhelm prospects because once they get to that point, they’ll completely tune you out. Say what you need to say and no more, then make the ask.A Cold Calling Framework From Mike WeinbergAnother powerful and effective calling framework comes from Mike Weinberg in his book New Sales. Simplified. This is another book that I’ve referenced frequently so if you haven’t already, go buy it! Mike doesn’t explicitly break it out into six sections like this, but this is the way I think about it to make it a little easier to navigate and digest.1) Introduction. “Hi John, it’s Brandon with PersistIQ. Let me steal a minute.” The phrase “let me steal a minute” is powerful because it’s casual, conversational and different. Rather than asking how they’re doing or if you can have a minute of their time, “steal a minute” acknowledges that you’re interrupting, but does so in a subtle and human way.2) The set-up. “I head up sales development for the US.” Mike explains that the power of this phrase comes in what it will do for your own psyche. Don’t get caught up with your official title. Anyone and everyone can figure out a way to incorporate this because everyone is heading up something at their company.3) Power Statement. “Right now, a lot of sales reps and team managers rely on PersistIQ because they need to 10x their rep’s outbound activity and double their response rates. We’re helping a lot of SaaS companies like {{prospect company}} who are concerned with focusing on the right sales activities that will drive measurable results.”In his book, Mike dedicates an entire chapter to sharpening your sales story and crafting your power statements. It’s imperative that you take time and frame your sales story correctly. Think through who you’re talking to, what issues they’re facing, and why you’ve been able to successfully help other companies in the past.4) Stop. It’s going to be hard to resist the natural instinct to fill the silence, but you need to let the prospect process the information, then respond. Your prospect’s response will dictate your next move.5) Build a bridge. “I noticed on your site that you’re hiring for sales development reps. Our platform has helped countless reps 10x their productivity, which reduces the need for hiring so many new reps, saving your company money and resources.” If the prospect is willing to engage, begin the dialogue with a probing question or share relevant information you discovered on during your pre-call research.6) As for a meeting. Ask again. Ask once more. “Do you have 20 minutes later this week to see if this could be a good fit?” You must be ready to ask three times. Mike explains that prospects are automatically programmed to say no. Don’t take it personally, and don’t give up. You must remain persistent, keep the dialogue open, and ask again. If you don’t get a yes, continue probing and offering value. Once the prospect begins to open up, go for a third ask. Most sales reps will be extremely uncomfortable with this, but once you begin to see the results, you heed this advice every time.You’ll have to do some tweaking and testing, tooling and refining to get these frameworks dialed in for success. But once you do, it’ll become your game changer.The Best Tools, Technology, and Resources for Cold Calling SuccessThe beauty of the current sales landscape is that you have the power to quickly and easily test, measure and improve everything, even something that’s often considered antiquated, like cold calling. This means you can test different frameworks, talking points and approaches so you can become a cold calling pro.First off, you should be using the latest sales technology that allows you to manage all of your outbound sales activities, from calls to emails to social selling in once place. You should also be able to view your performance metrics and drill down to determine which scripts, personas, team members, etc. are performing best.With a robust platform in place, you can begin to A/B test different elements using a 5-step scientific approach. You must become a scientist to be a true modern sales pro. Here’s how you should be thinking about testing different scripts or elements within a script.1) Set Your Goals. For the best results, you’re going to need to be as methodical and scientific as possible.In other words, you need to make your goals SMART – Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Timely. For example, the goal “I want to set more meetings” isn’t a smart goal. Rather saying this would meet the criteria: “In the next three days, I want to increase my meetings set by 10% calling on my CXO segment by testing value proposition A versus value proposition B.”2) Define What You’re Testing. We’ll be using the concept of an A/B test, which essentially compares two things that have one difference (also called variant) between them to determine which performs better.Once you’ve set your goal, you need to define what you’re testing. Change only one element. For example, if you have two different value propositions you’re testing, keeping everything else the same. Don’t change the opening statement or the call to action.3) Test! Randomly split your list into two even groups and use value proposition A with one group and proposition B with the other group. Now call half of them4) Analyze and Make Sense of the Results. At the end of your specified time, crown a winner. If you’re properly logging all of your activities, simply go to your performance reports or dashboard to see the final numbers.5) Iterate and Refine.Always be testing and refining. If you’ve conclusively proven value proposition A beats value proposition B, then move on to testing other elements, like your opening statement or your call to action.When we’re looking at improving the performance of your cold calling efforts, it takes a methodical approach to effect real change. Investing time in scientifically testing your calling technique and messaging will pay off in the long run, but you have to start now. Data is a powerful and beautiful thing.Preparing an Opening Statement for your Introduction (Cold) Call will let you organize your thoughts and have a smooth flow when beginning the call. Over time, it will flow naturally.Here are the 5 components to your opening script:·Find the “bridge” – what is your point of connection.·Personal Introduction – including a greeting and the reason for your call·Company Introduction (Benefit Statement) – what does your company help increase or reduce and why would you be worth talking to·Qualify – are you talking to the right person? Is this company a good fit for you?·Transition – Add a transition to a question to generate dialogue.Let’s begin to break these components down.Find the “Bridge”Before picking up the phone, use online research, LinkedIn (or other sources) to find a common point of connection between you and the person you are about to call. The connection could be similar industry experience, people you both know (business or personal), competitors you have worked with? Etc… The stronger the connection, the faster your audience will trust you.Personal IntroductionLet’s start here. A simple little change we suggest is to say “Hello, it’s _________ calling from _________ ” instead of “Hello, my name is _________ and I am calling from __________ ”.While this may not appear to be a significant change, using this introduction can help put the prospect at ease since it’s more causal and almost appears as though you know him/her. The traditional introduction is very formal and immediately denotes to the receiver that you are a stranger which often leads to a defense response.From here, try use the “bridge” to find common ground quickly.Lastly, in terms of style, honesty is the best policy … so be up front in announcing you don’t formally know each other. They know that, you know that, so just say it. This approach quickly illustrates vulnerabilitythat often triggers people to be less defensive and more empathetic.Here are some examples:Example 1:“Hello, it’s Joe Smith from Focus America.Since we haven’t met before I wanted to call you to make a simple introduction. From what I have read, I understand your organization ______________ (state simply and concisely what you know about them) and based on that, I think our 2 companies may be a good fit because we help companies _________”.Example 2:“Hello, it’s Joe Smith from Focus America.The reason I am calling is because recently we have __________ (state a recent milestone or success your company has had that you feel would be important, relevant and relatable to them) and while I don’t know if you have a need for what we do, given you are/do __________ (state why you thought that the milestones or successes would be relevant/relatable to them – for example, they are in the same industry or use the same technology/equipment), I thought it was important enough to reach out to you to make an introduction”.Company Introduction (Benefit Statement)Most important: This is NOT a pitch. You are not trying to sell your products, services or solutions yet. You are trying to find a business connection, generate curiosity and drive a further conversation.Before you begin asking questions, give a quick snapshot of who you are by telling your contact what you do to help improve or reduce. This statement serves to pique your customer’s interest and desire to listen to more. Here are some tips:·Keep it brief. Nobody wants or has the time to listen to you go on and on about your company.·While your product/service would have dozens of benefits, select the (1) one benefit you feel will register/resonate with that prospect the most – not what you do. Tell them the “what” and the “why” – not the how. For example:“We help companies __________ ” OR “We save our clients __________ ”;“We increase productivity by __________ ”;“We are the largest company for and that means our customers enjoy __________ ”.·Be direct. People are busy. Most will appreciate a more direct approach.Example 1:”I know you get dozens of calls from companies like mine so I am sure you are wondering how are we different. We are different because __________ ”.Example 2: We specialize in working with companies to reduce their overall web design expenses while generating more traffic to their website.Example 3: The reason I am calling is that we may be able to help you cut down on your shipping expenses.The challenge most sales reps have however, is a lack of understanding of what benefits their product or service truly offer. Therefore, to uncover the benefit, start by answering the following questions:·What problems do your products/services solve for customers?·How do these products/services solve the problems?·What impacts/symptoms of these problems would your customers experience?·What result should your customer expect from your product/service as it pertains to their problems?·Why would a customer be better off with your product/service vs. the competitors?·Why would a potential customer not want your service?Before moving on to the third component (Qualify), you need to get them involved in the conversation now that you have introduced yourself, your company, and outlined what you can help them improve and/or reduce. The objective here is to tell them, in order to deliver the potential benefit, you need to get information.Example 1: I have a few ideas that I would like to discuss to see if this would be of any value to you and your company.Example 2: To determine this, I’d like to find out what you are using for…Remember: avoid questions like, “Is now a good time to talk?”QualifyThe next step is to qualify. This is an important step for both you and your prospect to ensure you don’t waste each other’s time.Qualify the Company: If you have not been able to get answers to your qualifiers via your research before you call, now is the time to ask your remaining qualifying questions to ensure this company is a fit for you.Example: For us at Focus, our criteria are:·B2B company·Preferably within the Greater Toronto Area·Owner operated·Between $2M-$30M in sales·Less than 10 people in sales·No one dedicated as the Sales Manager (often President or best sales person is assuming that responsibility as part of their role)REMEMBER: Need or interest at that moment is NOT a qualifier.Qualify the Person: To find out if they are the right person, simply ask them … “what role they play in making decisions regarding your product/service?”. You can also ask them “how are decisions made in their organization regarding your product/service?”.NOTE: Avoid asking them if they are the decision maker. It will often result in a defensive response (see Questioning Skills module).Transition Questions and Next ActionIf you have done your introductions and qualification well, the transition will feel very natural. During this phase, you are simply trying to learn more about them by asking lots of open-ended questions about their current business situation as it pertains to the relevance/appropriateness of your products/services (see the Questioning Skills module on page 34 for more information on Open Questions). Again, leverage off of any information you have researched (I understand you do xyz. Given that, how do you ….”).Unless the prospect wants to have a more in-depth conversation, this is also a point to begin to exit your http://conversation.To exit, ALWAYS start by recapping what your customer just said – especially what is most important to them. Then, introduce a “next action” (something you are going to do next) but be very clear in describing what it is. Are you going to send them something? If so, what are you going to send them, how (email/mail) and when? If you are going to follow up with them, again be very specific about when (see “Scheduling Phone Appointments Instead of Playing Phone Tag” module).General TipsAsk lots of “open” questions – ask 2x’s more questions than they do.Don’t try to sell – just try to “get to know them”Be vulnerable: Be upfront that you don’t know them but you felt it was worthwhile to call to introduce yourself for “x” reason. Be clear on what “x” reason is before you call.Match their style: are they short and direct? Don’t talk about fluffy stuff. Are they social? Listen, share, and note. Do they ask lots of questions? Engage them.Show empathy: Show you understand what is truly happening in their business.Never close the call without a next actionthat you commit to facilitate, no matter how simple it may be. “I will call you soon”, is not a specific-enough next action.Remember, your main goal is to simply build some basic trust and rapport that you can build upon during your next call. Anything more than that is a bonus.