Larry Alford

• Vice President of Sales at Axis Promotions (asi/128263) in Burlington, MA
• 30 years of industry experience
• 2017 Advantages Distributor Salesperson of the Year finalist

What I Wish I Knew When I Started …
You don’t always have to re-create the wheel to solve the problem.

What Frustrates Me the Most …
Factories tend to give different answers to different people on the same team often for the same question.

I’ll Never Do That Again …
Skydive! Trust me, I want to badly, but my wife and kids say it’s one and done. However, truth be told, my 15-year-old wants to when she is 18, and I wouldn’t be a good dad if I didn’t chaperone.

If I Were King of the Industry …
I wouldn’t want that. I like who I am.

What I Wish I Could Say to a Client …
“That’s silly, you don’t need other bids. I got you!”

Best Advice I Received …
“Be honest and admit that mistakes happen.” We are creative solution providers and we work in a fast environment with lots of moving parts and elements. If a mistake happens and you don’t admit it right away and start working on the solution, you’re not being honest in the work you do. Ultimately, you’re creating a bigger issue to dance around. It’s amazing how people reward honesty.

[At left] Larry starts each day with a 4:20 a.m. bike ride; [At right] Larry attending a holiday party at which men were required to wear a jacket and tie, no jeans. 

Worst Advice …
“Blame the factory.” The factory is not a scapegoat.

My Never-Fail Product Recommendation …
I used to say the $1 Advalite flashlight – people tend to hold on to safety things. I do have a few never-fail case histories I can adapt easily for many clients’ needs, and in a new business presentation, they always come through. The funny thing is that most often they’re not ordered. What they do produce for me is a relationship with the client – the client realizes I don’t approach what we do the same way as some competitors.

The Most Important Quality for Being Successful at Sales …
I really don’t have just one. When I hire, I look for the following as critical elements in a candidate’s persona, in no particular order: passion, accountability, resourcefulness, honesty and compassion. On resumes I go to the bottom first and under other interests I look for volunteer work. It’s critical that I’m around people who understand the value of giving back. Oh, and if you’re spending that much time with me, a sense of humor is critical.