@merrynick13 I think the nothing brand headphones are great budget options. I like my AirPods a lot more, but they cost over twice as much as I paid for the nothings I still have around.
Someone asked me why I have chose to openly share “private” information going on in my life.
And the answer is simple.
I believe in the power of prayer.
And inviting others to pray I know is a wonderful tool and a favor I know I can call upon friends.
“We’ve sold two.”
Those were devastating words to hear.
That was the answer I got in April when I asked a store manager how many copies of my new games they had sold so far that year.
Two copies total.
Across all six of the new games I’d released.
I tried to sound optimistic on the phone, but after I hung up, I felt embarrassed and defeated. I wallowed in that feeling for the rest of the afternoon and evening.
Then that night, as I lay awake with that all-too-familiar prickle of anxiety crawling across my skin, I decided I needed to do something about it.
The next day, I called the store manager back and pitched an idea.
“Let’s do a sales contest. If your employees can sell 60 games in May, I’ll let each of them buy one of my games at 50% off. If they get to 90, they can buy one at 75% off. And if they hit 120, I’ll give a free game to all 30 of them.”
He loved the idea.
So did his employees.
In the first 10 days, they had sold 12 games.
When I heard the underwhelming result, I fought back the tinge of panic I felt, and then suggested that he teach the employees a couple of the games during their next store meeting. He did.
By the 20th of the month, they had sold just over 30 games. I answered questions, gave encouragement, and continued to hope for the best.
By the end of May, they had reached 85. They were close enough that I offered to extend the contest another 10 days with the same incentives in place.
A few days later, they hit 120.
When I delivered the free games the employees had earned, I was thrilled to see my games displayed in three different spots around the store. The employees were excited about their prizes, and they were still selling more of my games than any of the other 40 stores.
Part way through the month, I learned that the store manager is also a regional manager over a few other locations.
Next month, we’re repeating the same contest in his other stores.
I’m still a long way from success.
But I’m going to sit idle and worry. I'm going to keep pushing forward while hoping for the best.