Name: Sean Ream
Position: Rapids VP/Ticket Sales & Service
Age: 33
Where I’m from: Pittsburgh
Where I call home: Denver
Focusing on right now: Tonight's MLS All-Star Game at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
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Ream is preparing for the MLS All-Star Game
tonight in Colorado |
Best advice: You make your own luck. In a world where everybody’s trying to get to the top, it’s really important to understand that your dedication to achieving a goal is what allows you to succeed.
Exec I admire the most: While with the Coyotes, I had the privilege to work with TOM GARRITY (currently Founder & CEO of Quan Sports Marketing LLC). What always struck me about Tom was his ability to connect with every employee. There wasn't a single person that wouldn't run through a brick wall for Tom.
Must for a new hire: Somebody who can set a goal and is willing to do anything to achieve that goal. I’m looking for intangibles that can’t be taught -- hard work, a positive attitude and an openness to learning.
Best book I’ve read: "The Challenger Sale," by MATTHEW DIXON and BRENT ADAMSON. It's put out by the Corporate Exec Board. What’s really intriguing to me, especially as a former sales trainer, is this concept that a sales person should be a great teacher and great at debate, and that those who are good at those things typically succeed more in a complex sales environment.
First thing in the morning: I have two-and-a-half month old twins -- TUCKER and HARPER -- so usually the first thing is somebody crying and getting up to feed them. But as I go through the morning, I try to set a goal for the one or two things that at the end of the day I will feel successful for having accomplished. I’ve found that if you write something down, put it in your pocket and pull it out at the end of the day, it really allows you to take a step back and find out if you were successful or if you need to go back and reassess how to attack your day.
Talking tech: When I was with the MLS' national sales center, we used call-recording to actively grade our sales reps’ phone calls. We were able to break down the play-by-play of their approach. But now Kroenke Sports & Entertainment is working with Avaya's voice-analytics system, and it can literally tell you if the phrase “not renewing” is being said over and over again. Because the system is recognizing that those words are coming from clientele, I can flag those accounts and target them with a different approach. It’s in the very early stages.
Must have music: I can’t live without PEARL JAM. That’s the band I’ll throw on if I want to brighten up my day. I’ve probably listened to the album “TEN” well over 1,000 times. Their last show here in Denver was probably one of the best shows I’ve ever seen.
Food for thought: The best part of being in Denver is there’s a great food scene, and I have a wife who can’t sit still and is constantly trying to find a new place. One of the places here that I really enjoy is called LINGER.
How I unwind: A glass of bourbon on the porch with my iPod right before I hit the sack is probably the time where I’m most at ease and oftentimes the place where I get my best ideas.
Day in the life: Denver is a very event-based town, and I think there will be a lot of people attracted to the MLS All-Star Game that maybe have never seen a Rapids game in the past. Everything you do with an event like this, you ask "Can the All-Star Game enhance your sales strategy?" Another big thing for us is the data capture both through ticket sales and through surveys and enter-to-wins to get data on people at the game itself that will allow us to then proactively reach out to invite them to future games. The biggest challenge is managing both your goals and expectations for the Rapids and the All-Star Game at the same time.
