Author: David Matney

As we approach Thanksgiving next week, our minds turn to a celebration of family, friends, and food. It’s a moment to pause and give a nod to all the good things in our lives… and, yes, to double up on the mashed potatoes.

But the real history of Thanksgiving is a bit more complicated than turkey, dressing, and pumpkin pies. In fact, it has many layers of spectacle, entrepreneurial spirit, economic recovery, and, naturally, feasting.

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering why we celebrate Thanksgiving, or where some of our seemingly obscure traditions come from, read on!

From the Home Office in Harveston, Ohio,

Here are the Top 10 Surprising Facts You Never Knew About Thanksgiving

10. A woman named Sarah Josepha Hale lobbied Congress for years to make it an official holiday. If it wasn’t for this determined woman, Thanksgiving might not exist today. Hale’s allegiance to the holiday began in 1827 and was based in national pride; she hoped to make it “permanently, an American custom and institution.” It wasn’t until 1863 that President Lincoln finally declared Thanksgiving a national holiday. Seeing as he did this in the throes of the Civil War, some consider it an attempt to bring some peace back to the country.

9. Originally, Thanksgiving may not have been in November at all. There isn’t clear historical information on the actual date of the first Thanksgiving, but some historians suggest it may have taken place in mid-October. President Lincoln assigned the holiday to the last Thursday in November, possibly to coincide with the date the Pilgrims first landed the Mayflower in New England.

8. In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving one week earlier. FDR hoped that a lengthened holiday shopping season would increase spending and alleviate the effects of the Great Depression. This resulted in two consecutive years of conflicting Thanksgiving Day celebrations, as some states refused to recognize the change. By 1941, FDR gave in and signed a bill making the fourth Thursday in November the official date nationwide.

7. The first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade featured animals from the Central Park Zoo. In 1924, New York City went all out for what newspapers called “a marathon of mirth.” Notably, there were none of the balloons the parade is known for today. Instead, the parade featured live bears, elephants, camels, and monkeys from the Central Park Zoo, alongside floats, puppets, celebrities, and Santa Claus.

6. Thanksgiving leftovers led to the first-ever TV dinner. In 1953, the food corporation Swanson overestimated how much turkey would be consumed on Thanksgiving and had to get creative with 260 tons of leftover poultry. Using 5,000 aluminum trays, they created a Thanksgiving-inspired meal of turkey, cornbread dressing, gravy, peas, and sweet potatoes. The dish sold for 98 cents, and they sold ten million in the first year, birthing the frozen meal industry.

5. Benjamin Franklin was very pro-turkey. It wasn’t just that Franklin thought the bird was delicious; he admired its qualities. Surprisingly, Franklin thought the turkey, not the bald eagle, should be the United States’ official bird. “I wish the bald eagle had not been chosen as the representative of our country; he is a bird of bad moral character,” he once wrote, noting the turkey was a “much more respectable bird.”

4. The first Thanksgiving menu in 1621 likely included lobster, seal, and swans. No, turkey did not RSVP to the first Thanksgiving. The feast between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Native Americans lasted for three days. While records are scarce, it’s known the Pilgrims hunted for local fowl (swans included) and the Wampanoag brought five deer. It’s thought that lobster and seal were likely involved, due to their availability.

3. Pumpkin pie has been beloved for a long time—but it isn’t America’s favorite. Records show people have been baking pumpkin pies since the 1600s! Pumpkins were likely at the first Thanksgiving, though not in pie form. The dessert has been a staple since the 1700s—one Connecticut town even postponed the holiday in 1705 due to a molasses shortage. However, according to the American Pie Council, apple pie is America’s favorite, with pumpkin coming in second.

2. The “pardoning” of a turkey is an annual White House tradition… but no one is sure who started it. (This fact seems to be missing its conclusion in the original, but the tradition itself is the surprising fact!)

And the #1 Surprising Fact You Never Knew About Thanksgiving is…

1. FOOTBALL! Thanksgiving Day football games began in the 1870s. Turkey Day football began long before TV. In fact, football wasn’t even a professional sport when the tradition took hold. In 1876, Yale played Princeton in the first-ever Thanksgiving Day match. When the NFL was founded in 1920, it immediately began hosting games on the holiday.

A Bonus Fun Fact

The day after Thanksgiving is especially busy for plumbers. This sounds like the beginning of a joke, but it’s true. According to plumbing company Roto-Rooter, the day after Thanksgiving is “far and away the busiest day of the year.” They warn to be extra careful with turkey grease, potato peels, rice, and stuffing, which can clog drains and overwork garbage disposals.

So kick back, get ready for next week, and save some of these fun facts for after the turkey dinner.

Have a great weekend,

David

Allow me to get real with you for a minute. This might be one of those posts that actually shifts the direction of your entire career if you let it sink in.

Most people in this industry have goals. But most people have the wrong goals—which is exactly why they never hit them, leaving them stuck in a cycle of inconsistent commission checks and burnout.

See, “goals” sound nice. “I want to double my income this year.” “I want to build a huge residual portfolio.” Most reps write down these vague, wishful, pie-in-the-sky dreams they hope come true someday.

That’s not a goal—that’s a wish. And the odds of hitting a wish are about the same as a merchant calling you back to say “yes” after ghosting you for three weeks.

It’s not happening.

So for a second, I want you to forget the word “goal” even exists. Let’s talk about destinations and logistics instead.

Step 1: Set Your Destination

A destination isn’t a dream; it’s a specific place you will arrive at on a specific date. In the next 30 days, where do you want to be?

Don’t be vague. Be precise.

• A specific residual or bonus amount deposited in your bank account?
• A certain number of new, approved merchant accounts?
• A piece of equipment for your business (like a new tablet or auto-dialer) paid for in cash?
• A specific dollar amount added to your monthly residual income?

Let’s make it concrete. You decide your destination for the next 30 days is: $5,000 in upfront bonuses earned, 10 new approved deals, and a $3,000 increase in your monthly residual.

That’s not a goal. That’s a destination. It’s a coordinate on a map.

Step 2: Map Your Logistics

Now, how do you get there? This is where 99% of reps fail. They have a destination but no map. The map is your logistics. It’s the simple, “boring” math that guarantees your arrival.

Let’s break down that $5,000 upfront Bonus destination.

• Your average upfront bonus per deal is $500.
• Logistically, to earn $5,000, you need 10 approved deals.
• There are about 20 working days in a month. That means you need to close 3 deals or so each week.

Okay, great. How do you get 3 deals per week? More logistics.

Okay, great. How do you get 3 deals per week? More logistics.

Let’s say you close 15% of the qualified merchants you sit down with. To get 3 “yeses” each week, you need to present to 20 qualified decision-makers per week (3 / 0.15). That breaks down to about 4 appointments per day. How many cold walks or calls does it take to get one qualified appointment? Let’s say it’s 20. Therefore, your daily logistics are to make 80 contacts per day (4 appointments x 20 contacts).

That is your roadmap. The daily, trackable logistics that make the destination inevitable.

Most people have been conditioned to shrug off “goals.” They never write them down, never track them, and never follow through because their “goals” are just fuzzy wishes.

But you understand something deeper now: You don’t need another goal—you need a destination and a map to get there.

The Jim Carrey Method: Setting Your Destination and Trusting the Logistics

I saw an interview Jim Carrey gave before he was a household name, struggling comedian Jim Carrey famously wrote himself a check for $10 million for “acting services rendered” and post-dated it 10 years in the future. He kept that check in his wallet, a constant, tangible reminder of his destination.

Did he know exactly how he would earn that $10 million? No. But he had a clear destination and he put in the logistical work every single day – honing his craft, performing, networking, taking every opportunity. He focused on the daily actions that would lead him there. And just before Thanksgiving in 1995, he learned he would earn $10 million for his role in Dumb and Dumber.

His “goal” wasn’t a vague wish; it was a concrete destination, backed by his daily commitment to the logistics of becoming a successful actor.

Your New Playbook

Here’s how you put this into action starting today:

• Set Weekly and Monthly Destinations. Forget yearly targets for now. They’re too far out to create urgency. Focus on the next 7 and 30 days. Hit your weekly and monthly destinations, and the annual numbers will take care of themselves.
• Define Your Logistics First. Never set a destination without immediately reverse-engineering the daily and weekly logistics required to get there. What is your daily contact number? Your daily appointment number? Your daily closing number?
• Track Your Logistics, Not Just the Destination. Don’t just obsess over the final bonus or residual number. Obsess over hitting your 80 contacts per day. If you nail the logistics, the destination is a guaranteed outcome.

Take this approach in your business and in your life. You’ll watch real, measurable change happen faster than you ever thought possible.

Because in sales and in life, “Logistics” beats “goals” every single time.

Happy Selling,

David

The Experiment: The Missing Post

Today, I ran a little experiment. I intentionally did not send the blog post out at the usual time.

Why? To see who would notice, and more importantly, how long it would take.

As of 10:03 AM Central, I’ve received:

• 1 phone call
• 2 text messages

That’s only three people out of our entire list who recognized a deviation from the established routine and reached out to ask about it.

WWYD Scenario: What Are You Missing?

Normally, Wednesdays are reserved for our “What Would You Do” (WWYD) scenarios. Today’s scenario is less about a tough close and more about a fundamental principle that applies to everything we do: Attention to Detail.

This blog post is silly, yes, but the work we do out in the field is anything but. It’s important. It requires us to be expert intelligence gatherers.

Missing the small details can cost us big money. Let’s look at the kinds of details we should be tracking:

In Your Portfolio & Pipeline

• Are Your Merchants Still Processing? I make it a point to track this every other Monday or on Sunday evenings. Don’t wait until the residual check hits (or doesn’t) to notice they’ve gone dark.
• When was the last time you checked in? A lack of processing volume is a warning sign that your competitor may be in the building.

In the Wild (Everyday Observation)

When you are out and about, are you actively scouting?

• POS System Check: When you’re out to dinner, do you clock what POS system is being used? I do. It’s become a running joke with my wife—she’ll ask, “What system are they using?” before we even sit down or get back in the car. It’s almost unconscious now. This should be you!
• Service Flow: Do you notice if the waitstaff is using a modern tablet, or walking back and forth to a terminal?
• Kitchen Setup: Do you notice a missing kitchen printer? Is everything handwritten?
• Body Language: Do you pay attention to your prospects’ body language during a pitch? Are they leaning in? Checking their watch?

Specialized Observation

• Mobile Services: How are specialized businesses taking payments?
  • How do wrecker services take your card?
  • Are they calling the payment in?
  • Are they using a clunky, old-school wireless terminal?

The Takeaway

The same lack of detail that kept you from noticing a missing 6:00 AM email is the same lack of detail that will cause you to:

1. Miss a critical red flag on a merchant’s statement.
2. Overlook a key operational pain point that your solution could fix.
3. Fail to notice a competitor’s new terminal being installed in your top restaurant account.
4. Drive right past a prime prospecting opportunity that has a terrible, outdated POS system.

Our success is in the minutiae. Train yourself to see the details, not just the big picture. Start with your inbox, and then apply that razor-sharp focus to the field.

Pay attention. It pays.

Happy Selling,

David

I’ve seen several posts on this on LinkedIn , Facebook groups already in the last couple of days, and I admit after reading this my brain felt like a squirrel trying to do calculus.

It’s a massive SEC filing, and it’s dense. But after digging i, (also letting an attorney friend read and explain it to me) I realized this isn’t just noise—it’s a seismic shock to our industry, and it’s almost entirely in the merchant’s favor.

We all know the common objections. “Rates only ever go up.” “I’m tired of complex rules.” “I feel like I have no control.”

Well, this settlement gives you a direct answer to every single one of them. It’s a powerful new story for you to tell.

So, How Did We Get Here? (The Backstory)

This didn’t just happen overnight. This is the result of a legal battle that has been raging for decades.

• The Fight Started in 2005: The first class-action complaint was filed way back on June 22, 2005.
• It Became a Massive Lawsuit: That case was eventually consolidated with several others into a giant case in New York, which you’ve probably heard of: In re Payment Card Interchange Fee and Merchant Discount Antitrust Litigation.
• There Was an Earlier Settlement: You might even remember a big settlement that was reached back in 2012. However, that one was thrown out by an appeals court in 2016, and the fight started all over again.
• This Is the “Rules” Part: This specific settlement is the result of years of negotiations, mediations, and the prospect of even more litigation. It specifically settles the merchants’ claims for “injunctive relief”—which is just a fancy legal term for changing the rules of card acceptance, rather than just getting a cash payout.

Now, after all that fighting, here’s what the merchants finally won.

What’s in the Settlement? (The “What”)

This SEC filing outlines a massive class-action settlement between Visa/Mastercard and a class of merchants. While it’s not final until the court approves it (which the document expects in late 2026 or early 2027), these are the changes coming to our industry:

1. Interchange Rate Reduction: You read that right. The networks have agreed to a 10 basis point (0.10%) reduction in the average systemwide effective interchange rate on U.S.-issued consumer and commercial credit transactions.
2. A Five-Year Rate Cap: That interchange reduction will be locked in and serve as a cap for five years.
3. Simplified Surcharging: The complex, scary rules around surcharging are being replaced with a “simplified approach” that gives merchants “more optionality”. This includes the ability to surcharge at either the “Brand Level” (e.g., all Visa cards) or the “Product Level” (e.g., just Visa Signature cards).
4. More Acceptance Flexibility: The old “Honor All Cards” rule is being relaxed. Merchants will get new flexibility to independently choose whether to accept consumer credit vs. commercial credit cards, and even “standard” vs. “premium” rewards consumer cards.

How This Benefits Our Merchants

This is the “what’s in it for me” that our clients want to know. This settlement hands them direct, tangible value. (If, and when it happens)

• Direct, Hard-Dollar Savings: The 10-basis-point drop is a direct reduction in their underlying cost, straight from the card brands themselves.
• Unprecedented Predictability: The 5-year rate cap is huge. For the first time, merchants can actually budget for their processing costs without fearing the constant, creeping interchange hikes from Visa and Mastercard. I’m sure ISO’s will find creative ways to get this money back.
• Surcharging/ Dual pricing is No Longer a Headache: For every merchant who has been too intimidated to start a surcharge/ dual pricing program, this is your opener. “The rules are about to get much simpler, allowing you to easily offset your processing costs. Let me show you how to prepare for it.” I know it sounds much the same as we say now but If it works Don’t try and fix it.
• They Finally Get Control: While most merchants have no clue they pay more for commercial or rewards card they are no longer forced to accept a high-cost commercial or premium rewards card just to accept a regular card. They get to decide if that high-cost card is worth the sale.

How This Affects You and me.

This is where we shine. These changes move us from being “rate sellers” to “expert consultants,” which is exactly where we want to be.

• We Are Now the Experts: Merchants may be confused by this. The salesperson who can confidently and simply explain these new rules for surcharging and card acceptance is the one who will earn their trust—and their business.
• Surcharging/ dual pricing is a Massive Door-Opener: This is your new icebreaker. “Are you aware of the new, simplified surcharging rules coming from Visa and Mastercard? Let’s do a free analysis to see how much you could save by implementing a program.”
• Destroy the “Rates Only Go Up” Objection: This is your silver bullet. When a merchant says all processors are the same and fees just keep climbing, you can say: “Actually, we’re entering a new era. Visa and Mastercard are set to reduce interchange rates and cap them for five years. My job is to make sure you’re set up to get every cent of those savings.”
• The “Cost Control” Pitch: Your new pitch isn’t just about a low rate; it’s about cost control. You can now offer them a multi-pronged strategy:
  1. We’ll ensure you get the full benefit of the coming interchange reduction.
  2. We’ll analyze your transactions to see if it makes sense to use the new “acceptance flexibility” rules to decline costly card types.
  3. We’ll walk you through the new simple dual pricing or surcharging rules to help you offset your remaining costs.

This isn’t just an update; it’s a whole new playbook. Start familiarizing yourself with these changes now. The salespeople who master this message first will be the ones who dominate the market when these rules go live.

Source Document: You can read the full, (very) confusing SEC filing here: Source Document:

You can read the full SEC filing here: CLICK

Let’s get ready.

Happy Selling,

David

The alarm goes off. It’s Monday. For most of the world, this is a signal to groan, roll over, and mourn the end of the weekend. But you’re not most people. You’re a sales professional. And in our world, Monday isn’t the end of something; it’s the beginning of everything.

Monday is the clean slate. It’s the fresh start. It’s the day you set the tone for the entire week and decide whether you’ll be chasing your tail or closing your next big deal.

The difference between a top performer and an average rep is how they treat the first 3 hours of their Monday. So, grab your coffee, and let’s talk about how we’re going to win this week. It comes down to three things: Goals, Action, and Money.

1. The Goal: Reset Your Scoreboard

Whatever happened last week—good or bad—is in the past. A monster week doesn’t guarantee future success, and a tough week doesn’t have to define this one. Today, your scoreboard is reset to zero. This is your chance to set clear, aggressive, and achievable goals for the next five days.

Don’t just think about your monthly quota. Break it down. What do you need to accomplish by Friday to be on track?

• Be Specific: Instead of “I want to make more sales,” define it. “I will get 10 new qualified leads,” “I will run 5 POS demos,” or “I will get 3 signed applications in the pipeline by EOD Friday.”
• Write It Down: Put your weekly goals on a sticky note and stick it to your monitor. Write it on a whiteboard. Put it somewhere you can’t ignore it. A goal that isn’t written down is just a wish.
• Identify Your Key Target: What’s the one deal in your pipeline that, if you closed it this week, would be a game-changer? Make that your #1 priority.

Monday is for strategy. It’s the moment you look at the map before you start driving. A few minutes of planning now will save you hours of wasted effort later.

2. The First Step: Ignite Your Momentum

Goals are worthless without immediate action. The biggest mistake reps make on Monday is easing into the week. They spend an hour on internal emails, shuffle papers, and “get organized.” That’s a losing strategy.

Your first 90 minutes on Monday morning are sacred. This is your “Power Hour.” It’s when your energy is highest and your focus should be sharpest. Use this time exclusively for revenue-generating activities.

• Pick Up the Phone: Don’t warm up with emails. Your first action of the week should be prospecting. Make 10 cold calls before you do anything else. Get a “NO” out of the way. Get a conversation started. The hardest call is always the first one.
• Follow Up on Last Week’s Heat: Did a merchant say “Call me next week”? Guess what? It’s next week. Your first call should be to that warm lead you cultivated last Thursday. Show them you’re punctual, professional, and hungry.
• Get Out the Door: Pull the door handle and get out in the field. Make your first stop of the week at that new business park you’ve been meaning to hit, or the restaurant that just had its grand opening. Be the first face they see this week.

Momentum is everything in sales. A small win on Monday morning—a scheduled appointment, a great conversation, a request for a statement analysis—creates a ripple effect that will carry you through the entire week.

3. The Money: Connect Every Action to Your Commission

Let’s be honest. We’re in this business to help merchants, but we’re also here to build a great life for ourselves. Every dial, every door we open, and every meeting is a step towards your next commission check.

Your Monday mindset should be wired directly to your wallet.

Think about it:

• That extra hour of prospecting you do today could uncover the deal that pays for your next vacation.
• The disciplined follow-up you execute on a lukewarm lead could turn into the sale that hits your goal you’ve been shooting for.
• The positive attitude you bring into the office sets a standard and creates an environment where success is inevitable.

Every Monday, you have a choice. You can let the week happen to you, or you can happen to the week. You can be reactive, or you can be proactive.

So, the choice is yours. Are you going to treat today like just another Monday? Or are you going to treat it like the first step toward your most profitable week of the year?

The scoreboard is clean. Your pipeline is waiting.

Now, go make it happen.

Happy selling,

David

With Thanksgiving only a couple of weeks away, it’s that time of year when gratitude is top of mind—and not just for family, friends, and health. We in the sales world have our own unique set of things to be thankful for.

Personally, I’m unbelievably thankful for that first drink of Dr. pepper Zero in the morning that has just enough caffeine to get me through my first cold call of the day. It’s the little things, right?

But whether you’re prospecting in Turkey, Texas, or closing deals in Sandwich, Illinois, our industry gives us plenty of reasons to give thanks. So, I put together a list of the top 10 things every merchant services pro can be thankful for this season.

From The Home Office in Cranberry, Pennsylvania, Here are the

Top 10 Things a Merchant Services Pro is Thankful For

10. The “Easy-to-Read” Competitive Statement That glorious moment when you get a statement that isn’t 40 pages long, encrypted, or missing the effective rate. It’s clean, simple, and makes your savings analysis a breeze.

9. A Smooth Installation & Activation When the terminal arrives on time, the new POS system integrates flawlessly, and the batch settles perfectly the first time. No panicked “it’s not working!” calls from the merchant.

8. Quick Underwriting Approvals Submitting an application and getting that “Approved” email back in hours, not days. No extra stipulations, no “we need six more documents” requests. Just a clean approval that lets you keep the momentum going.

7. A Solid Referral Partner That banker, accountant, or B2B peer who understands your value and consistently sends you warm, qualified leads. They are an extension of your sales team, and they’re worth their weight in gold.

6. The “Yes” After Five “No’s” Sales is a numbers game. That “yes” feels good, but the “yes” that comes right after a string of rejections—the one that breaks the slump and proves your persistence—feels incredible.

5. A Strong Support Team Knowing you have a dedicated relationship manager, a savvy technical support agent, or an accessible sales director you can call when things get complicated. You aren’t alone, and that support helps you save deals.

4. The Client Who Actually Reads Their Emails The merchant who sees your update about a new product, a compliance change, or a software update and doesn’t call you six months later complaining they never knew.

3. Technology That Just Works A reliable gateway with no downtime. A smart terminal that’s intuitive. A virtual terminal that’s fast. When the tech you sell is stable, your portfolio is stable.

2. The Long-Term, Loyal Client The business owner you signed 10 years ago. They’ve weathered recessions, they trust your advice, they send you referrals, and they never, ever pick up the phone when a competitor cold-calls them. They are the bedrock of your portfolio.

And the # 1 Thing a Merchant Services Pro is Thankful For is …

1. That Beautiful, Compounding, Lifetime Residual Stream This is it. The holy grail of merchant services. The direct reward for all the “no’s,” the bad statements, and the tough installations. It’s the “mailbox money” that builds every single month, representing the trust you’ve earned and the foundation of your entire business.

That’s the list! It’s a tough, grinding business, but the rewards—both personal and financial—are absolutely worth it. Take a moment this month to reflect on what you’re thankful for in your own sales journey.

Have a great weekend everyone.

David

Okay, so who else has noticed this “6-7 craze” that’s been going around the last few months? Maybe your kids or even your grandkids are doing it! It’s been everywhere, right?

If you’ve been on TikTok or Instagram Reels, you couldn’t escape the bizarre scenarios all ending with a cryptic “6-7.” It’s one of those fleeting internet things that’s here today, gone tomorrow.

It’s ironic, though. Because while “6-7” is just a random punchline on the internet, that exact number is the secret sauce for closing deals in the world of merchant services. For us, “6-7” isn’t a meme; it’s a methodology. It represents the number of follow-ups it often takes to turn a prospect into a partner.

My “1-2” Failure in a “6-7” World

I remember vividly back in my early days. I was a “1-2” salesperson. I’d make a great initial call (Touch #1). I’d send a thoughtful email right after (Touch #2). And then… I’d wait. If I didn’t hear back in a few days, I’d assume they weren’t interested and move on. My pipeline was a graveyard of “great first calls” that never went anywhere.

I was treating sales like a viral moment. I expected that one great interaction to be enough to spark a deal. I never got close to the 6th or 7th touchpoint, which, as I learned the hard way, is where the real trust is built and the deals are actually made.

The Revelation: The Real Power of 6-7

It took a mentor looking at my dismal closing rate to spell it out for me. “You’re giving up at the starting line,” he said. “The pros don’t even get warmed up until the fourth or fifth touch. The deals are won on follow-ups 6 and 7.”

He challenged me to stop chasing one-call closes and start building a real follow-up system designed to hit that magic number and beyond. Here’s what that system looks like in practice:

• Touch #1: The Initial Call/Meeting. This is your foot in the door. The discovery phase.
• Touch #2: The Immediate “Thank You” Text, Email. (Within an hour). Reiterate a key point and thank them for their time. Professionalism matters.
• Touch #3: The “Value Add” Follow-up. (24-48 hours later). Send them a relevant article, a case study, or an idea specific to their business. You’re a resource, not just a salesperson.
• Touch #4: The “Quick Check-in” Call. (3-5 days later). A low-pressure call. “Just circling back to see if any questions came up from our chat.”
• Touch #5: The “Problem Solver” Email/text (1 week later). Offer a deeper dive. “I was thinking about your concern with batch fees. I could run a specific analysis for you if you’d like.”
• Touch #6: The “Second Attempt” Call. (Week 2). You’re showing polite, professional persistence. You are not a pest; you are a partner trying to connect.
• Touch #7: The “Final Value” or “Breakup” text/Email. (Week 3). A final offer of help or a polite “closing the file for now” email. You’d be amazed how often this one gets a response.

Right there, that’s seven distinct, valuable touchpoints. That’s the zone where “maybe” turns into “let’s do this.”

Why the “6-7” Rule is Unbeatable

This isn’t just about being persistent; it’s about strategy. Merchant services is a major business decision, not an impulse buy.

• It Cuts Through the Noise: Your prospect is busy. The first call gets lost. The second email gets buried. By the 6th or 7th time they hear from you, you’ve proven you’re serious and have earned their attention.
• It Builds Familiarity and Trust: Each touchpoint is a chance to build rapport and demonstrate your expertise. By the time you hit that 7th follow-up, you’re not a cold caller anymore; you’re a familiar, credible professional.
• It Aligns With Their Timeline, Not Yours: You might have caught them at the wrong time initially. Your steady follow-up ensures you’re top-of-mind when their need becomes urgent.

So, while the “6-7” meme will fade away by next season, the principle behind it in our industry is timeless. Don’t be a one-hit-wonder salesperson. Embrace the real power of the 6-7 follow-up. It’s not a joke; it’s your roadmap to a closed deal.

What’s your go-to follow-up that helps you get to that magic number? Let me know in the comments.

Happy Selling,

David

Welcome back to WWYD Wednesday, the series where we tackle the tough, ambiguous, and all-too-real situations that merchant services professionals face every day.

In our industry, we’re part-strategist, part-consultant, and part-psychologist. We’re used to navigating complex conversations. But every now and then, you’re faced with a choice that isn’t just about strategy—it’s about character.

This week’s scenario is a high-stakes ethical dilemma. Let’s set the scene.

The Scenario

You’re in a meeting with a high-volume restaurant owner who is unhappy with their current provider. They’re frustrated and want to show you exactly why.

“Look at this,” they say, sliding their most recent merchant statement across the desk.

You immediately recognize the statement format—it’s from your biggest local competitor.

As you pick it up to do your analysis, you see a second piece of paper stapled to the back of it, face down. Curious, you turn it over.

Your stomach drops.

It’s a full, detailed proposal from another competitor. It outlines their entire pricing structure, recommended equipment, and their complete strategy to win this exact account.

You look at the merchant. They’re busy complaining about their current rates and clearly have no idea it’s there. You’re holding the entire game plan to win this deal.

So, What do you do?

The Dilemma

Your brain is racing. This single piece of paper holds all the answers. You know their “best and final,” what they’re leading with, and what they think this merchant’s hot buttons are.

You could create a proposal that beats them by a few basis points, just enough to win the deal while maximizing your own profit. It’s a massive, unearned advantage, served up on a silver platter.

No one would ever know. Or would they?

Let’s break down the options.

Option 1: Read It. (The “Win at All Costs” Approach)

You discreetly scan the entire proposal. You absorb the pricing, the equipment notes, and the proposed solution. You then slide the statement back, “forgetting” to mention the paper on the back.

• The Pro: You gain an almost unfair competitive advantage. You know exactly what you need to do to win. You can perfectly position your solution against theirs and guarantee your pricing is sharper. In the short term, your odds of closing this lucrative account just went way up.
• The Con: This is the definition of a bad-faith negotiation. You’ve started the most critical part of a business relationship—the foundation of trust—with a lie of omission. What if the merchant sees you? You’re done. Instantly. But even if they don’t, you’ve set a precedent for yourself. Is this how you want to build your portfolio?

Option 2: Ignore It. (The “Pretend You Saw Nothing” Approach)

You see the proposal, and you immediately turn it back over. You ignore it. You proceed with your analysis of the statement as if you never saw the second page. You try to put it out of your mind.

• The Pro: You maintain your personal integrity (mostly). You haven’t used the information, so you can’t be accused of cheating. You avoid a potentially awkward confrontation with the merchant.
• The Con: This is a passive and weak position. The proposal is still right there. The merchant might find it later and wonder if you saw it. You’ll spend the rest of the meeting trying not to think about what was on that paper, which may unconsciously affect your own proposal. You haven’t built trust; you’ve just sidestepped a test.

Option 3: Hand It Back. (The “Integrity Play” Approach)

You stop the conversation. You hold up the stapled-together papers, turn the proposal face-down, and slide it back to the merchant.

You say, calmly, “You probably don’t want me to see this.”

• The Pro: In one 10-second act, you have completely changed the dynamic of the meeting. You have instantly demonstrated that your integrity is not for sale. You’ve just saved the merchant from making a huge mistake (showing their hand to you or, even worse, the next rep who walks in). You’ve moved from “salesperson” to “trusted advisor.”
• The Con: You lose the “easy win.” You give up all that juicy competitive intel. You now have to win this deal on your own merits, your own solution, and your own value proposition.

My Analysis

For me, it’s Option 3, and it’s not even close. It’s also the single best sales strategy.

The second you hand that proposal back, the merchant’s perception of you completely transforms. You’re no longer “the payments guy.” You’re the professional who just looked out for their best interest, even when it was a disadvantage to you.

Trust is the single most valuable currency in our industry. It’s worth more than any single deal.

That act of integrity is more powerful than any rate you can offer. The merchant now knows you’re not there to just “beat a quote.” You’re there to be a partner. They will be more honest with you about their business, more receptive to your solution (even if it’s not the rock-bottom cheapest), and less likely to shop you in the future.

You’re not just winning an account; you’re earning a client. And that’s how you build a long-term, referral-generating business.

What Would You Do?

That’s my take, but this is a tough spot.

• Is winning the deal the top priority, no matter what?
• Is there a middle-ground approach I missed?
• Have you ever been in a similar spot?

Leave a comment below and tell me exactly how you’d handle this. I want to hear your thoughts.

Happy Selling,

David

Have you ever watched this happen?

You meet the new office manager in a building you service. They’re sharp, excited, and genuinely happy with their new role and the pay. You build a little rapport. Six months later, you stop by, and that energy is gone. They seem restless, maybe a little cynical. By nine months, they’re telling you they’re “keeping their options open.” Before the year is out, someone new is at the desk, and the cycle starts all over again.

I’ve seen this exact story play out for years. It’s not just office managers. It’s restaurant managers jumping ship for an extra $2,000 a year. It’s talented servers bouncing from one new “hot” restaurant to the next. I’ve even seen it with accountants and some commission-only sales folks who are, for all intents and purposes, still operating on a W-2 mindset.

They are all chasing the BBD: the Bigger Better Deal.

As a self-employed business owner, it’s a fascinating, and frankly, a foreign way to think. We watch these talented, capable people get stuck in a loop, always looking for someone else to give them a raise, a new title, or a slightly better benefits package.

What they’re doing is outsourcing their own value. They’re waiting for an employer to tell them what they’re worth. And when they get restless, their only solution is to find a new employer to give them a slightly different number.

They’re not betting on themselves. We are.

The Capped Ceiling of the “BBD”

The core of the W-2 mindset is the search for perceived security. The “BBD” is the only lever they feel they can pull to increase their income.

• They get a 3% cost-of-living raise and feel stuck.
• They get restless and start browsing LinkedIn.
• They find a new job that offers them a 7% bump to jump.
• They feel like they “won.”

But what did they win? A new boss, a new set of problems, and a new, slightly-higher-but-still-capped ceiling. The fundamental problem remains: their income is not tied to their direct performance; it’s tied to a line item in someone else’s budget.

This is why the excitement fades. The new-job shine wears off, and they realize they’re in the exact same position, just at a different desk.

The Entrepreneur’s Mindset: We Don’t Find the BBD, We Create It

As merchant services professional, as self-employed business owners, our entire world is different. You and I live by a different code.

We don’t look for a raise; we go out and make one.

• Want a “raise”? You don’t ask a manager. You go out and sign one or two new high-volume accounts.
• Feel restless? You don’t update your resume. You refine your sales process, build a new lead-gen funnel, or find a new strategic partner.
• Want “security”? You don’t hope for a stable company. You build a diversified and sticky residual portfolio that pays you month after month, year after year.

This is what it truly means to bet on yourself.

Your income isn’t capped by a manager’s budget. It’s capped only by your time, your strategy, and your willingness to hunt. When we feel that same restlessness our W-2 friends feel, it doesn’t manifest as “I need a new job.” It manifests as “I need to close a bigger deal.”

Why We Chose This Path

Sure, the W-2 world looks “safe.” A steady paycheck. Paid vacation. Health benefits.

But we see the trade-off. We see that “safety” is an illusion that costs them 100% of their upside. They’ve traded exponential potential for linear, predictable, and ultimately unfulfilling, growth.

We, on the other hand, embrace the risk because we want the reward.

• We eat what we kill.
• We own our losses and our wins.
• We are building equity—in our client book, in our business, in our brand.

Our W-2 friends are building someone else’s equity in exchange for a salary.

So, the next time you see a talented acquaintance jump ship for the third time in two years for a minor bump in pay, just nod. They’re playing a different game. They’re looking for the BBD.

You and I are busy building it.

What about you? When was the moment you realized you had to stop looking for a “BBD” and start building your own? Let me know in the comments.

Happy Selling,

David

The holiday shopping season is about to kick into high gear. For merchant services professionals, this isn’t just a busy time for retailers—it’s the single best opportunity of the year to connect with new prospects and grow your portfolio.

While your prospects (small business owners) are prepping for the sales rush, you should be prepping your sales strategy.

Small Business Saturday is on November 29th. This gives you and I a perfect a two week window to get in the door. While your competition is sending cold emails, you have a warm, relevant, and urgent reason to talk to every merchant on your list.

This post isn’t about how to run a retail store. It’s a strategic guide on how to leverage the “Shop Small” movement to become a trusted advisor and sign more merchants.

Why This Day is Your “IN”

Small Business Saturday is a day when merchants are hyper-focused on one thing: maximizing revenue.

The stats prove it. Last year, shoppers spent a record-breaking $19.8 billion during this one-day event.

This is your “so what”:

• Merchants are thinking about payments. They’re worrying if their POS system can handle the rush, if their terminal is fast enough, and if high credit card fees are eating their profits.
• They are open to solutions. The pain of a slow transaction or a system crash is most acute right before the rush.
• You have a reason to talk. You’re not just “another salesperson”; you’re a consultant dropping by to ensure they’re ready for their biggest sales day.

Your 5-Step Sales Plan for Small Business Saturday

Forget cold calling. Use the next couple weeks to lead with value. Here’s your new playbook.

1. Lead with Value, Not a Pitch

Your opening line for the next 14 days is not “Can I save you money on processing?” It’s “Are you ready for the Small Business Saturday rush?”

Walk in or call with a helpful mindset. Share a simple tip:

“Hi Andy, I’m just stopping by to see how local businesses are prepping for Small Business Saturday. I know a lot of owners are running special ‘Shop Small’ promotions to get extra foot traffic. Have you planned yours?”

You instantly position yourself as a helpful advisor, not a sales rep.

2. Pivot “Experience” to the “Checkout Experience”

This is your most powerful pivot. A merchant’s great customer service can be completely ruined by a bad checkout.

• Ask discovery questions: “Where do your lines bottleneck when you get busy?”
• Highlight the pain: “A great experience can be lost in the last 30 seconds if the payment is slow or clunky.”
• Connect to your solution: “Are you set up to take tap-to-pay and digital wallets like Apple Pay? Shoppers expect that speed now, especially when it’s busy. Our newest terminals process transactions in under 2 seconds.”

3. Use “Online Prep” to Uncover Problems

Last year, 56% of Small Business Saturday shoppers made their purchases online. This is your “in” to talk about their e-commerce gateway.

• Ask about their site: “Are you expecting a lot of online orders, too? Have you stress-tested your online checkout?”
• Identify their frustration: “Nothing’s worse than paying for ads to get people to your site, only to have them abandon the cart because the payment page was slow or didn’t work on their phone.”
• This is a direct line to discuss their online gateway, security (TLS/SSL), and mobile payment optimization.

4. Be a Connector (and Bring a Gift)

This is your “foot in the door” tool. American Express provides free “Shop Small” marketing kits, decals, and tote bags. Use this as your reason to stop by.

“Hi, I’m just dropping off some ‘Shop Small’ resources for local merchants. I wanted to make sure you had the official Amex kit for your storefront.”

While you’re there, you have a perfect, non-threatening opportunity to look at their current setup.

• What terminal are they using? Is it old?
• Is their POS a modern, cloud-based system or a clunky legacy machine?
• Do they have a surcharge or cash discount sign up?

Take note of what you see. This is all intel for your follow-up.

5. Use the Amex Link as Your “Reason to Follow Up”

The link below isn’t for you—it’s for your prospects. Add it to your email signature. Send it as a “helpful” follow-up after a conversation.

This is a high-value, no-cost “leave-behind” that keeps you top-of-mind.

🛍️ Your Prospecting Tool: Free “Shop Small” Supplies

Here is the direct link to the American Express merchant supply page. Email this to prospects or use it to order kits yourself to hand-deliver.

Link: Order Free Merchant Supplies from American Express

Don’t Scrooge It Up!

It’s the season of joy, and for you, it’s the season of prospecting. Small Business Saturday gives you a warm, compelling reason to talk to every business on your route.

Don’t let this opportunity pass. Use this event to be a trusted advisor, solve a real, time-sensitive problem (slow checkout, high fees), and deliver an exceptional experience to your merchants.

Now, go help them prepare and grow your portfolio this holiday season.

Happy Selling,

David