SEA VIEWS

The Lost Art of the Thank You Note: Give Honest, Sincere Appreciation (Taken from Dale Carnegie Training)

2012-01-27T10:12:00.001-05:00

Writing a sincere thank you note is one of the professional skills that can make a lasting favorable impression. People like being appreciated. One of Dale Carnegie's fundamental human relation principles is "Give honest, sincere appreciation." When writing a thank you note, use a plain, small card. However, the card is not as important as the effort, so if paper is all that is available, write the note anyway! Use this 6-step formula as a sure-fire method of expressing appreciation in a written note.

1. Greet the Giver: Dear Mr. and Mrs. Smith OR Dear Jamie. It seems like an obvious point, yet many people will begin a note with "Hi" or even omit the greeting.

2. Express Gratitude: Thank you so much for the book. The key is to keep it simple and specific. The point of writing the note is to create an expression of a heartfelt sentiment.

3. Discuss Use: I started to read the book immediately and have found many great ideas already. People like to know that you found their gesture or gift valuable. Sharing how you are using the item or idea makes their effort more meaningful.

4. Another Thank You: Thank them again for the gift. It's not excessive to say thanks again.

5. Complimentary Close: Wrap it up with a close that expresses your final thought: Regards, All the Best, Sincerely, Gratefully, etc. Then sign your name.

6. Send It: Even if your colleagues and acquaintances are not of the note-writing variety, be the one who sets the precedent.

It is the mark of a true professional to become skilled at writing thank you notes in this age of email, voicemail, and text messaging.

Demonstrating business professionalism is not difficult; it just takes effort and focus. Applying simple aspects of business etiquette goes a long way in establishing our professionalism, which builds our confidence and comfort in business settings.

Please feel free to contact me, or your BERN consultant; help is only a phone call or email away!

Allen Rigby CSP
Business Consultant, SEA Program
(705) 792-0989 or 1-866-963-7327

al@selfemploymentassistance.ca

www.selfemploymentassistance.ca

“KNOW WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE”

2012-01-20T12:11:00.002-05:00

Have you written a brief profile of your ideal customer?

Analyze their geographic area, demographic characteristics, social class, and stage in life, their personality, and self-image. List the potential benefits gained from using your product or service (such as convenience, time or money saving, independence from chores, or buying behavior). Identify in what ways you will save them time, money, or hassle.

Also, consider frequency or regularity of purchase, amount of purchase, brand loyalty, and attitudes toward your product or brand, use of cash, check or credit card, or customer's desire for personal relationships with you and your associates.

It helps to develop a customer profile form to identify potential clients. It might list age bracket, approximate income, occupation, etc. Try to identify different types of customers and the benefits they need and want. Let me know if you want help developing one, or I can send you an example.

Determine some basic characteristics of who has purchased similar products in the past, either from you, or other businesses offering comparable products or services.

Consider this imaginary case in point for a business-to-business situation: 80 percent of our clients come from three types of businesses; They average 75 employees per company; Most have been in business 15 years or more; They have at least $1 million in annual revenues; They are all in Simcoe County and Muskoka; They are all suffering because of the increased cost of petroleum.

Then, go where they go, be where they are. For example, if many of your identified target customers belong to the curling club, perhaps you should consider joining that organization, or at least getting involved with it somehow.

Schedule time in your weekly plan for focused sales activities. Discipline yourself to stick with it for a pre-determined time.

Please feel free to contact me, or your BERN consultant; help is only a phone call or email away!

Active Listening

2012-01-13T13:52:00.001-05:00

Active Listening

You have probably noticed by now that I consider ‘active listening’ to be one of the most important sales skills. Here’s a little article from Denis Waitley with his comments on the subject. Take it to heart, apply it, and your own sales will be sure to improve.

This Week's Jump-Start

A great stage director once said, "Acting is reacting. It's done with the ears, not the mouth." Contrary to popular belief, listening is not passive, it's active. How do you get someone's attention? It's not by talking or by making clever remarks or by trying to impress others with yourself. If you want to get people interested in you, talk about what's important to them. The biggest mistake most people make in communicating is talking about me, myself and I: "What I want to sell"... "These are my needs"... "I would like this to happen because I"....

Instead, turn your attention to the other person: "What are your needs?" "How can I help you?" Then listen. Always pivot the conversation around the other person. Talk about people, places and things that are important to him or her.

It's been said that by showing interest in people you can make more friends in twenty minutes than you can in twenty weeks. So be an active listener this week!

—Denis Waitley

If you need help to overcome your fear of ‘selling’, or to know what to say when you call or visit prospects, please feel free to contact me, or your BERN consultant; help is only a phone call or email away!

Year End Thoughts

2012-01-03T10:11:00.000-05:00

During this time of year which is quiet for many of us, it is a good opportunity to stop and reflect on our dreams, goals, and what we are doing to achieve them. Give some thought to what you are offering, who is most likely to benefit from it, and how you are approaching potential customers. Here’s a short article by Denis Waitley which may help you with your thought process.

This Week's Jump-Start
Your success depends on how well you think. You are not paid to collect, sort, store or retrieve information, although you do these things every day. You are paid to interpret that information and create and implement new ideas. Ask yourself:
1) What can I offer that "they" aren't offering? Where’s the niche that hasn’t been developed? How can I add value to the service or products I promote?
2) Where is the market inefficiency? What would make this process more convenient? How can I do this less expensively?
3) What would people pay for that isn’t available now? Which consumer groups and Internet communities are the most likely prospects who want what I provide? What trends will change my and their assumptions about the quality of life?
Breakthrough ideas often occur when you are calmly searching for opportunities. They rarely occur when you are anxious and frustrated. Close your eyes and dream this week! Spend some quality time this week thinking about a breakthrough idea you can apply to your professional life.
—Denis Waitley

Create Sales Opportunities

2011-12-22T09:49:00.001-05:00

Would you like to have more opportunities to increase your revenue? Almost every business owner would! In my current role as the “SEA Sales Doctor”, I’ve identified some common areas where many of you could produce additional income.

It is essential to recognize that YOU must CREATE these opportunities. It is also therefore important to be willing to try out new ideas, to be creative, to get outside your comfort zone. Trying out new ideas gives you experience and allows you to determine what actually works for you and your business. As you try out various techniques, your confidence in your ability to recognize what does work will increase. Increase the number of "at bat" sales opportunities you have so that you can afford to lose a few and still meet your financial commitments.

There are many ways to increase the number of sales opportunities you have. The best way is the simple way. Organize your weekly schedule to prioritize sales activities. Always ‘have your radar up’, be alert and willing to speak about your business constantly. With practice, you can learn to do this without being ‘pushy’. Done effectively (you have a reasonably good list, a good ‘infomercial’, good questions, a variety of simple offers, a little discipline and focus), it should yield results when you stick to it.

Here's how to do it:
Put together a list of at least 200 prospects that fit your ideal customer profile. Then create and know your ‘infomercial’ so you'll be confident of what to say when the opportunity arises. Formulate your offers. Determine various aspects of the prospect's situation that your product or service addresses. Decide ahead of time what kind of questions you can ask to show sincere interest in the individual, and that will draw out information that will help you know what specific problems you can solve.

Set aside time every day for sales activities. Set reasonable goals for the number of prospects you will call or visit. Stick with it. Let nothing interfere with this essential activity. Then, make visits to prospective clients! Go and talk with them! In almost every case, you will need to make yourself do this to have a viable business. They will not come to you. Keep track of what works, and what doesn’t.

Follow up with prospects regularly. Rotate offers. Offer something that will save the prospect time, money, or hassle. Be brief, so they will look forward to hearing from you, rather than viewing you as another annoying sales person.

When you follow the steps above, you will get more sales, period. In summary, remember it’s up to you to WORK YOUR PLAN!

Six Dollars Please

2011-12-16T10:20:00.000-05:00

(I wrote this last year while on vacation – it bears repeating)

It is imperative that you give attention to the highestpossible level of customer service in all aspects of your business, includingall the people involved in it. Everycontact potential clients have with you or your employees is an opportunity tobuild a relationship, or quickly undermine it. Your opening greeting can set the stage for what the ongoingrelationship is going to be like.

Case in point: Yesterday while on vacation in Florida, wedecided to visit DeLeon Springs State Park, which has a unique restaurant,swimming, boating, nature trails, and other ‘touristy’ things. At the front gate we were met by a woman whoobviously had been doing her job far too long. Her opening greeting was “Six dollars, please.” She was asking for the parking fee! How about something like, “Welcome to DeLeonSprings. Have you been here before? We have a number of fun attractions for youand your family. To enter the park, it’ssix dollars for parking…” Then I had to ask for a brochure, map, etc. As a customer service trainer I suppose Icould be accused of being overly sensitive about such things, but can you seehow the experience could, and should, have been much better? More importantly, can you identify ways toensure that YOU are ALWAYS greeting your customers the best possible way?

It doesn’t matter what business you are in. A friendly, caring manner will do yourbusiness far more good than a curt, cold ‘strictly business’ attitude. Make sure you have systems in place to ensure that YOUR customers will always comeback, and recommend you to others. Customerservice involves the entire experience that clients have with your company,including delivery persons, accounting, etc. For example, how do you answer yourphone? Is it friendly, business-like? Do you have a separate phone number forbusiness, or a way of knowing which calls are business calls? Is your family trained to answer businesscalls properly? What is your greetinglike when visiting clients in their home or business, or when they come to yourplace of business? Is it gracious,professional? You don’t need to becomelike the ‘cookie cutter’ employees of large multinational companies with theirmemorized lines. However, it is good tolearn from them. Pay attention to theirmethods, and then use your warm personality to do a far better job of offeringa real personalized approach to business.

So, instead of saying something like, “Six dollars please”when you first meet a potential client, what is YOUR opening line…?

Self-Knowledge: The Key to Preparing for Competition

2011-12-08T14:41:00.002-05:00

Self-knowledge has always been the key to preparing for competition. Knowledge of your attributes, abilities, interests, strengths, weaknesses, and traits is essential to riding the front end of the wave of change into the new century. To fully assess your own talents, realize that studies confirm that what we love and do well as children continues as our latent or manifest talent as adults.

Examination of your weekend or evening interests might reveal a gem of potential you can apply to your vocation. I strongly suggest you don’t unthinkingly relegate what you love to do solely to hobbies. You might make it, or at least integrate it into, your life’s work.

The acquisition of knowledge, which is the new global power, is a lifelong experience, not a collection of facts or skills. Not long ago, what you learned in school was largely all you needed to learn to secure a career. With knowledge expanding exponentially, this is no longer true. Hundreds of scientific papers are published daily.

Every thirty seconds, some new technological company produces yet another innovation. Your formal education has a very short shelf life. Lifelong learning, once a luxury for the few, has become absolutely vital to continued success. Continue gaining expertise and avoid thinking like an expert.

Action Idea: An excellent benchmarking exercise is to spend a weekend with key associates or family members and dust off your childhood memories. Remember what you really enjoyed and wanted to do most as a child. The next activity in assessing your interests is considering your current ones. What do you most enjoy after work? What do you most want to do on weekends and vacations? What are your hobbies? Can you bring more of what you enjoy into your business life?

Action Step: Increase your reading, writing and vocabulary proficiency. One of the most important qualities of successful leaders is an ability to express thoughts and knowledge. Research by management and human resource experts confirms that no matter what the field of employment, people with large vocabularies—those able to speak clearly and concisely, using simple as well as descriptive words—are best at accomplishing their goals. Well chosen, carefully considered words can close the sale, negotiate the raise, enhance relationships, and change destinies.

In a world of e-mail, fax dispersal, voice mail, sound bites, concise reports, business plans, and meeting briefs, the individuals who can articulate their goals, substantiate their claims, and support their visions, will own the future. In the 21st century, literacy will be the major difference between the haves and have-nots.

Why do fewer than 10 percent of the public buy and read nonfiction books? One reason is that many would rather get home than get ahead. They are motivated to get by and get pulled along by the company, the economy, or the government.

Another reason is that many individuals believe that information found in books, computer programs, and training sessions has no value in the business world. How self-deluding!

As the new tools of productivity become the Internet, the Digital Versatile Disc, direct digital download of text, audio and video, and the combination of the interactive computer with telecommunications, the people who know how to control the new technologies will acquire power, while those who thought that education ends with the diploma are destined for low-paying, low-satisfaction jobs. In almost the blink of an eye, our society has passed from the Industrial Age to the knowledge era.

Increase your reading by 100 percent. Decrease your television watching, and that of any children in your family, by 50 percent. Surf the Internet and subscribe to book summaries, or download free chapters from different sources. By reading book summaries, you can gain the essence of all the top business books in a very brief period of time.

Action Idea: Read at least one book each month, and listen to at least one additional audio book or education series during commute or downtime.

Knowledge is the new power. And literacy is the door to knowledge. Hopefully, listening to the “Psychology of Winning” program will be one of the keys that will open the door to your future for you.

8 Secret Time-Wasters and How to Overcome Them

2011-11-30T13:28:00.000-05:00

Written by Shelby Skrhak on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 11:10

There’s a reason we send Seeds of SUCCESS at 2 p.m., CT, and not first thing in the morning. We follow the mantra of time management: Tackle your most important or difficult task first thing in the morning. So if you’re reading this newsletter to avoid doing something else more important on your to-do list, we’re on to you.

“The most common time-waster is procrastination,” says author Paul J. Meyer. “People who are masters of time organization wear success blinders. They do not look to the left or the right.”

The most productive folks always look straight ahead to complete their most important tasks for the day and larger overreaching goals.
Productivity coach Cynthia Kersey highlights these procrastinating behaviors and offers ways to spur you into action:

Time-Wasters
Talking too long on the phone
Too frequently browsing social media sites
Incessantly preparing and not taking action
Failing to say no to unrelated tasks
Failing to ask for help or follow directions
Waiting until late in the day to do tasks
Having a disorganized office
Focusing on smaller, less important tasks

Action-Makers
Schedule phone calls with end times when possible
Set a time limit for non-task-related Internet browsing
Map or outline your most pressing task
Make a short daily to-do list and say no to tasks not on that list
Set deadlines and alarms for you to complete tasks
Close your Internet browser or unrelated windows to avoid distraction
Set your Chat status to “Busy” or go offline
Place your phone on “Do Not Disturb”

Make the Extra Effort to Acquire Sales Skills

2011-11-17T14:08:00.000-05:00

Are you content to just “be in the game?” Or are you like the sports team that that ‘shows up’ every game? Those are the ones who usually win the championships! In your case, although you have competitors, your sole purpose is not to ‘beat’ them, but to carve out a decent living for yourself. However, there are good reasons to cultivate an attitude of excellence in what you do, including your sales efforts.

A winning athlete simply cannot afford to settle for mediocrity, and you shouldn’t either. How do these contestants become so good at what they do? They have even more than grit and determination – they make the extra effort to acquire the skills to excel at their game. With concentrated effort, YOU can attain the skills to be effective in sales.

Most people admire accomplished athletes who achieve success. What we often fail to understand is the effort they have put into it. They have worked long and hard to get to where they are. They have given careful attention to developing ability. With similar resolve, you can acquire sales skills. When you are ready and willing to put forth the effort, you can learn effective sales skills.

Here are some questions to consider if you want to be successful:
- Do you know exactly what you want to achieve (S.M.A.R.T. sales goals)?
- Do you know what it will take to achieve these goals?
- Are you willing to put in extra effort to achieve your goals?
- Do you read books or listen to tapes/CDs that will help you become better at sales?
- Do you attend workshops that will help you improve your skills?
- Do you practice or apply new information as you learn it?
- Are you applying what we talk about during one-on-one discussions?
- Are you persistent and do you refuse to give up?
- Do you experiment with new ideas?
- Do you evaluate your performance and progress regularly and make changes accordingly?

If you were unable to respond positively to all of these questions, you have now identified an action you can take that will help you achieve more. The trip to the ‘winner’s circle’ is not easy and we should never assume otherwise. Remember, anything worth getting is worth making the extra effort for. Isn’t fulfilling your dream worth the effort?

In summary, learn from the discipline and training, and the skills developed by winning athletes. Apply it to your sales efforts, and your business will attain a high degree of success. Go for the gold!

Use Questions to Uncover Needs

2011-11-11T17:00:00.001-05:00

We have all been victims of sales people who were so intenton convincing us to buy their product that they completely failed to find outwhat we really wanted. Many sales repshave not learned that the customer’s concerns are far more important than alist of reasons why people should buy, or perhaps the methods some so-calledsales manager said he or she should use.

Developing good questioning skills is the primary way tohave success in sales. It’s simple; tofind out what is important to your prospects, ASK THEM! A recent study of top sales achieversuncovered this fact: Top salespeople listen more than talk on sales calls. Theyinvest most of their time in the needs analysis stage, discussing buyer needs,wants and concerns.

It’s important to know what questions to ask. Many people will just start probing; randomly asking whatever comesimmediately to mind. You can have somesuccess winging it like this, but the real power of questioning happens whenyou are very focused with a plan or a flow of questions you want to ask. This does not mean that you go the otherextreme and ‘give them the third degree’. It does mean that you should at least give some thought to the types ofquestions that are most likely to elicit information that will assist you toassess their needs. Then you will beable to provide a real, practical solution that they will spend money on.

Here are some hypothetical examples. Inapplying them in your business, it will be important to not use them verbatim,but to employ the ideas in a conversational style as you seek ways to helpprospects:

- What is the single most important thing you want from a supplier?
- What is the one thing that keeps you awake at night?
- What can we do to make your life easier?
- If you were in my business, what would you offer customers like yourself thatno one does?
- What is most critical to you in this project?
- Considering your needs, how would you describe the ideal supplier?
- What would you like to be able to do tomorrow that you cannot do today?

You'll notice that the focus of these questions is on the customer. None aretrial closes like: If we did this would you be interested? They are designed tohelp the customer express where they need the most help. Effective questions require the customer tothink. Theyfoster involvement. They encourage the other person to share more informationand become more involved in the sales process.

Demonstrate your expertise by asking effective questions.

"A Place for Everything and Everything in its Place"

2011-11-03T11:11:00.001-04:00

That enduring reminder often aimed at kids -- "a place for everything and everything in its place" -- can also find a target in the lives of plenty of adults, business training coach Kimberly Medlock believes.
And practicing that time-honored adage can make a big difference for small-business owners who frequently find their days filled with more tasks to complete than time allows, Medlock said recently.
Medlock said the first step is realizing that perfect organizational systems don't exist. So, instead of waiting for one to be invented, dive in and start taking care of business now.
"The busier you are, the more organized you have to be," Medlock said. "There's not enough time to do everything, so decide what's important to your business and find a system that works for you."
Steps include making "to do" lists every day (toss out the old ones and start fresh every morning), clearing clutter from work stations (piles of papers signal postponed decisions) and turning off those pesky mail alerts.
"What if you got ten pieces of mail every day and the postman delivered them to you one piece at a time? Think how disruptive that would be to your efficiency and productivity," Medlock said. "Most of the time, just because you get an e-mail, it doesn't mean that you have to acknowledge it right away. It's the same with the phone. It's OK to let voice mail pick up if you're busy working on something else."
Taking time to plan and organize each day's actions should be first on the agenda for every small-business owner.
"If you're not focused on the most important things, then it's easy to get bogged down by minor issues".
You may want to consider engaging the services of a professional organizer. The stress relief, and cost savings in personal productivity often more than compensate for the minimal financial investment.

Mentally Tough by Ron White

2011-10-27T10:02:00.001-04:00

One of the least talked about factors of success is being mentally tough. Mental toughness will allow you to endure adversity, hardship and setbacks, and ultimately achieve success.
The next question is: What does it mean to be mentally tough?

It means when trouble and heartaches head your way, you are not permanently knocked off the bicycle of life.

It means when your plan is not going exactly the way you planned, you press on.

It means when others criticize, you refuse to allow someone else to dictate your thoughts or direction.

It means you know who you are.

It means you accept 100% responsibility for every action you have ever taken.

Now, if being mentally tough is so crucial to success, how do you become mentally tough?

Some of the most mentally tough people I have ever known are ones that I have served next to in the military. They are mentally tough because the military forces—and I mean forces—you to adopt three behaviors. In the military you will never be allowed to blame someone else, you will be required to be physically fit and you will be given daily goals and you will accomplish them!

The first key to being mentally tough is refusing to be a victim and accepting 100% responsibility for your actions. It is not your parents’ fault, your boss’s fault, the fault of the government or someone you knew when you were a teenager. How in the world can you be mentally tough when you blame others for your lot in life? It is empowering to accept responsibility for your fate.

When you consciously or subconsciously blame another (government, economy, family, etc.) for the outcome of your life, you are significantly reducing the chances of a happy life. This is true because you have given someone else the power to control your thoughts and actions.

Next, become mentally tough by becoming physically tough. Yes, there is a confidence that you will have when your muscles are toned and a walk on the beach does not exhaust you. Now, when I am 85 years old, do I expect to bench press 225 pounds and run four miles a day? Absolutely not! However, I do expect myself to put forth the maximum effort all the time so when I am 35, 45, 55 or 85 I am in the best possible shape for a 35-, 45-, 55- or 85-year-old.

The confidence that comes from being fit is one that can't be found anywhere else. Watch what you eat and exercise. It is crucial to being mentally tough.

Set goals and then accomplish them! How many times do people make New Year’s resolutions only to break them by January 20? This is a much bigger deal than you may think. It is a big deal because subconsciously you are telling your mind, "I can't even keep a New Year’s resolution!" When you tell yourself this subconsciously, you then begin to lose confidence in yourself and every aspect of your life is affected. When someone compliments you, it makes you feel awkward because deep down you think, "Gee, if they only knew that I can't even keep a New Year’s resolution."

Conversely, if you set a small goal of reading a book a month and you accomplish it, your self-confidence begins to build. Subconsciously you are telling yourself, “I am valuable—I am worth it—I can hit my goals—I am successful.” When you see yourself this way, you are well on the way to becoming mentally tough. In military boot camp, you are given a daily goal of folding your underwear in a set pattern and making your bed in a prescribed way. When you accomplish this goal day after day, even though it is so small, it is making a mental deposit into your self-esteem bank account that says you can accomplish goals and are valuable.

Being mentally tough is often the last piece of the puzzle to focus on for success. Yet I know very few successful people who are not mentally tough. It is easier to get there than you think. Become responsible for your life, stay in shape and set and accomplish your goals. When you do, you will exit your own personal boot camp with a confidence to rival that of a Navy SEAL!
—Ron White

When They Keep Saying “No”

2011-10-21T13:54:00.000-04:00

We sure don’t like it when potential customers don’t agree to buy from us. Most people don’t like rejection; it’s hard not to take it personally.

The first step to coping with this is to simply be aware of reality. As few as 4% of prospects will say “yes”. If you were expecting more, knowing this may be discouraging. However, let it encourage you, in that if people keep saying no to your offer, it may not be entirely your fault. However, knowing some of the reasons why they say no can help you to develop strategies to improve your results.

You need to have a complete list of prospects. The more people you call on, the more people will say yes, even if you don’t change the percentages of those who say yes.

Are you targeting the right customers? Have you clearly identified “Jack and Diane”? If you are business to business, have you identified the right person within the company? Determine early in your conversation if the person you are meeting with actually has the authority to make a decision; you may want to ask something like, “Who else in your organization will have an impact on any decisions made today?”

Have you taken the time to understand the prospect’s unique situation, and did you then communicate the value you bring – how you can help them avoid pain or acquire something that will make their lives better? This, of course, is done by asking open-ended questions at the beginning of the conversation, getting them to open up, share their concerns. Ask things like, “Where does it hurt?”; “What would you like to see happen?” Or was your discussion really more of a dissertation about all your many years of experience, or how you have this amazing technical know-how or special tools - without any solid connection to the client’s individual needs? Did you talk too much? It’s critical for you to focus on the prospect’s needs rather than your own.

Did you bring all the right ‘sales tools’? (Samples, testimonials, photos, price lists, etc.). Usually when a prospect says no, it’s because they don’t have enough information to make a good decision. They are afraid of making a wrong decision, so they say no because it’s easier.

Near the end of your meeting, how did you ask? Don’t come across as a pushy sales person, but you need to actually ask for the order! Once you have clearly identified their needs, and communicated how your product or service meets those requirements, ask something like, “Do you like what I've shown you?” “Does this make sense to you, so far?”; then “It looks like we have a good fit between what you need and what I do, so would you like us to begin work on Thursday the 12^th or Tuesday the 17^th ?”; “Which colour (size, style, etc.) is preferred?”; “How many would you like…?”; If you simply ask “Do you want to go ahead?” you will usually get “No.” One of my favourite questions that can lead to a ‘yes’ is “Where do we go from here?” When you ask this question, and wait for the answer, it gives you the opportunity to see if you’ve missed something, and / or identify how they want to go ahead.

In summary, target the right kinds of potential clients, ask the right questions to determine needs, clearly communicate your unique selling proposition, then ask for the order, and keep trying!

"It's Cool to be a Tortoise!"

2011-10-13T13:39:00.002-04:00

(This was part of "a special message from Darren Hardy" promoting his program The Compound Effect. The message is value in itself)

"It's cool to be a tortoise!" That is what my friend's son said.

"That's neat," I replied. My friend quickly corrected me, "No, it goes beyond neat. Let me explain. Dillan is constantly seeking shortcuts. If he doesn't see results almost immediately, he gets frustrated, bored and usually gives up. I believe The Compound Effect changed a critical and fundamental philosophy that will alter his future, in my opinion." I admitted, "You are right, that's way more than 'neat'!"

How many times have you been like Dillan...or the hare? How many diet books, programs, creams, or pills have you bought that promised overnight results with little effort? How many Internet riches, day-trading, get rich quick books have you bought? Do you leap to a fast start but quickly get distracted and off track, if not even drop out of the race entirely?

The tortoise always win. Why? Because he or she is relentlessly consistent. It's not how fast you start; it's how long you endure. Consistency is one fo the core fundamentals of success. So then, how do you keep yourself constantly motivated and steadfastly consistent?

Close your eyes. You are at the starting line; the gun is about to sound. Decide now: tortoise or hare?

Identify Sales Activities That Lead to Profitable Results

2011-10-06T10:41:00.002-04:00

Hopefully you are coming to grips with your "new reality" - that is, you realize that you must be proactive and exercise considerable effort to generate income. By identifying which activities lead to profitable results, you will minimize frustration, and start making money sooner. To illustrate, if you want to lose weight, recognizing the need, and hoping for it, won't produce results. Certain activities are necessary, such as exercise and diet. 'Sales' is much the same: certain activities, behaviours, actions are necessary in order to produce results. Do you know what those activities are? And, more importantly, are you doing them?

Your "SEA Monthly Progress Report" identifies basic sales activities. Under "Progress Report" is "Sales Activities during Month". They are: # of new clients, # of repeat clients (new business), # of meetings held, # of telephone calls, contact emails, letters sent and followed-up, # of new, qualified prospects, # of networking events attended. In harmony with the S.M.A.R.T. priniciple, start setting daily, weekly, and monthly goals in each of these categories. Do so because you recognize that it is necessary activity for you to have a successful business.

Yes, this requires discipline and structure. However, with diligence, managing the right sales activities can become a constructive work habit. You will find that if you establish set times for key sales activities, your new business will be more productive.

Of course, identifying sales activities only helps when you DO them. Structure your week to optimize sales effectiveness. To increase the likelihood of success, there are certain times of the day and certain days of the week when prospecting calls, sales appointments, meetings with potential centers of influence, etc. should be scheduled. Likewise, there are more appropriate times to accomplish administrative tasks, develop proposals, return phone calls, and a myriad of other activities. Successful business owners monitor these actions to see if they are on course to reach their goals. They know that by tracking their activities, they can ensure they are completing the necessary daily tasks that will make them successful.

Sales are ACTIVITY-led! You want more sales? Where's the activity?!

Plan Every Sales Call

2011-09-29T14:05:00.002-04:00

Many salespeople go into most of their sales calls with very little, if any, prior planning. Zig Ziglar and others have been quoted as saying "If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time." This principle applies to individual sales visits. Preparation results in better use of your time, and increases your opportunity for success. Isn't that what you want?

So, what's involved in planning a sales call? Before meeting with a potential client, determine your objective, and develop strategies. Do research - Statistics Canada, business directories, chamber of commerce, existing customers, competitors, trade shows, etc. If you are business to business targeting a large company, read their Annual Report, check out their website. Is the company (or homeowner) growing, making money? Are they ready for change, or cutting back? Would I invest in this company? Are revenues and profits increasing or decreasing? What recent news impacts their company/lives? What are the top two trends or issues faced by companies in their industry? (Or people like them). What are their competitors?

Determine what questions you need to ask. What are three ways your product or service helps the customer? Design your approach specifically for the market segment, and specific customer you are contacting. Determine your priorities for the call. You want to avoid appearing overly 'structured' in front of your prospect; but it is good to have, at least in your own mind, somewhat of an agenda. Make sure you have all of your 'sales tools' in order, and in good shape. Think about potential 'next steps' the customer can take as a result of your discussion.

Decide what should happen for you to consider the sales call a success. For example, it could be making the sale, actually signing the contract, or booking the work. Or it might be arranging for a follow up meeting, where you will present the results of further research on their particular situation.

Does this sound like a lot of work? You're right! Will it be worth it? Absolutely! It is the kind of practice that the most successful professional salespeople employ. Consistent, disciplined behaviour - that's what separates the best from the rest.

Turn and Face the Strange Ch-ch-changes

2011-09-22T08:35:00.002-04:00

(Taken from "Seeds of Success")

Benjamin Franklin once said, "Don't confuse motion with action." If you are frantically busy but not getting any closer to your goals, it might be time to ditch your routine and try these life-changing tips from the experts.

Use the rule of five, says Jack Canfield, co-founder of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. Everyone has a breakthrough goal - a goal that you have always wanted to reach or one that could change your life. List five actions you could take today on your breakthrough goal and then do them. Repeat the same steps every day until you break through.

Get up one hour earlier than the rest of your household. Gain clarity on your priorities and start your day empowered. "Use the time as an inspirational hour - reconnect with your mission, core values and review your goals," says Robin Sharma, motivational expert and author of The Leader Who Had No Title. "This will build deep focus against distractions as you move through your day." Or spend your hour meditating, visualizing achieving what's most important to you, writing in a journal, listening to music, reciting affirmations or exercising.

Confront fear. Andy Andrews, best-selling author of The Traveler's Gift, says people need to identify where fear has hindered their progress. "List five ways fear held you back, and for each one, write down the actions you are committed to taking on a consistent basis to make your fears irrelevant."

Push through snags. Lots of people get stuck or procrastinate when they don't know how to do the next step on a goal, but there's always a solution. Talk to someone who has done it before, brainstorm with other people or ask for help. Sandra Felton and Marsha Sims, authors of Organizing Your Day, suggest taking a break, changing your scenery or taking a walk.

Getting Outside of Our Comfort Zone

2011-09-14T14:04:00.002-04:00

We are comfortable when we are in familiar territory, when we feel secure. The selling part of being self employed usually takes us out of that familiar territory, even though we recognize that revenue is not going to come in by serendipity (chance, luck, fate, destiny, or coincidence).

'Sales' is only successful when you identify, and then do the necessary activity. Unfortunately, many of us simply don't like the activity. It's outside of our comfort zone. What we do enjoy is the 'technician' part of our business, doing what we are good at. We sometimes use the expression "Do what you do best, and outsource the rest". This is often true with something like bookkeeping. Some feel that it would be better to hire some one else to do sales for them. However, believe it or not, YOU are almost always the best person to do most of the sales, especially now, in the infancy of your new enterprise. Even in the case where you would eventually hire a salesperson, you need to 'learn the ropes' first, so that you can effectively manage the function. As you have probably heard me say before, one of the biggest obstacles to our success in sales is our own view of what 'sales' is. I assure you that the most successful professional sales reps are NOT the ones who are good at manipulative verbal arm-twisting. They are like you; honest, hard working, passionate and knowledgeable, with a genuine concern for helping other peopole, their customers.

So, in order for your venture to succeed, it is essential to get outside your comfort zone and engage in sales activities. How do you do that? Many will admit that it isn't easy. I compare it to when I was young, and we used to spend a lot of time at the local municipal swimming pool. I was 'scared to death' of jumping off the high diving board (to this day I am still afraid of heights!). Yet, due to peer pressure, and an unwillingness to accept defeat, I made myself do it. Once I had climbed up the ladder, there was no turning back. I had faced my fear. I had placed myself when I almost HAD to proceed. In your sales efforts, do the same thing. Discipline yourself to put aside certain times for sales activities. Place yourself in a position where you will HAVE TO do what now makes you feel uncomfortable. Also, force yourself to think about the rewards: financial, self-esteem, and that sales activity will produce the opportunity for you to do what you really enjoy. Associate with others who have already faced these fears, and those who will positively encourage you. Recognize that you will often fail, but eventually your efforts will pay off. Get some help and practical suggestions from your BERN consultant.

In summary, when you allow yourself to get outside your comfort zone, you not only generate revenue, but you will also feel pretty good about yourself! And, believe it or not, you may come to enjoy what you used to dread!

Plan Your Sales Calls

2011-09-08T09:44:00.002-04:00

Many salespeople go into most of their sales calls with very little, if any, prior planning. Zig Ziglar and others have been quoted as saying "If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time." This principle applies to individual sales visits. Preparation results in better use of your time, and increases your opportunity for success. Isn't that what you want?

So, what's involved in planning a sales call? Before meeting with a potential client, determine your objective, and develop strategies. Do research - Statistics Canada, business directories, chamber of comerce, existing customers, competitors, trade shows, etc. If you are business to business targeting a large company, read their Annual Report, check out their website. Is the company (or homeowner) growing, making money? Are they ready for change, or cutting back? Would I invest in this company? Are revenues and profites increasing or decreasing? What recent news impacts their company/lives? What are the top two trends or issues faced by companies in their industry? (Or people like them). Who are their competitors?

Determine what questions you need to ask. What are three ways your product or service helps the customer? Design your approach specifically for the market segment, and specific customer you are contacting. Determine your priorities for the call. You want to avoid appearing overly 'structured' in front of your prospect; but it is good to have, at least in your own mind, somewhat of an agenda. Make sure you have all of your 'sales tools' in order, and in good shape. Think about potential "next steps" the customer can take as a result of your discussion.

Decide what should happen for you to consider the sales call a success. For example, it could be making the sale, actually signing the contract, or booking the work. Or it might be arranging for a follow up meeting, where you will present the results of further research on their particular situation.

Does this sound like a lot of work? You're right! Will it be worth it? Absolutely! It is the kind of practice that the most successful professional salespeople employ. Consistent, disciplined behaviour - that's what separates the best from the rest.

King Kong or Rin Tin Tin?

2011-09-01T09:20:00.002-04:00

By Debbie Ouellet, Chief Idea Officer, Echelon One Consulting (a local successful SEA alumnus)

When you write to a client about your business, do you approach it like King Kong or Rin Tin Tin?

We've all seen the King Kong approach to writing. "Me big. Me the best. Me the cheapest. Me the smartest. Me. Me. ME!" Businesses thump their literary chests and shout about their achievements from every rooftop.

While all that noise might catch a person's attention, it certainly doesn't engage them. Or make them want to buy from you.

Remember that great dog, Rin Tin Tin? Little Jimmy would be drowning in a river full of crocodiles. Rin Tin Tin would dash to the rescue and pull him to safety.

That's what a potential client wants you to be...Rin Tin Tin saving them from that problem that feels like a river full of crocodiles.

Great business writing isn't about you and what you can do. It's about what your clients need, the problems that keep them awake at night - and how you can help clients solve them.

Put Yourself in Your Client's Shoes: If you want to use the Rin Tin Tin approach for your business message, first put yourself in your client's shoes.

What burning problems do they need help with?

How can you help them?

What makes them say "yes" when they're deciding to purchase?

How do your products or service stack up?

If you don't know the answers to those questions, ask. You'll be amazed at how focused and clear you'll become once you know the answers. Then write your message in a way that speaks to your client, never at them.

Sales is a "Win-Win"

2011-08-26T09:07:00.002-04:00

“I have found no greater satisfaction than achieving success through honest dealing and strict adherence to the view that, for you to gain, those you deal with should gain as well." - Alan Greenspan, Former Chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve

If you’ve been reading these weekly tips, no doubt you’ve noticed that professional sales is not about “jamming” the prospect with so much information about you and your company that they will eventually be persuaded to buy. It’s about discovering how what you do matches with what the client desires, or, how you can “delight” the person. In other words, it should be a “win-win”. Your client “wins” in that they receive solutions, real benefit, and excellent value. You “win” in that you generate revenue for your business and for your family.

This should be a relief to those not experienced in sales; a reminder to those who already understand the consultative sales process; and perhaps a refreshing new perspective to those who have used the old aggressive methods, but are willing to consider a more progressive view. I’ve found that the more I treat clients with dignity, the better my success rate. What works best is exploring together with clients ways that your product or service might solve their problems.

For example, the common format for sales presentations often goes something like this:

1. Warm up - about 10% of the call time
2. Presentation - about 40%
3. Closing - about 50%

Let’s make clear that this is the undesirable old pushy format. A better approach would be to spend much more time doing a “needs analysis”. I often compare this to what a medical doctor does in diagnosing your condition before prescribing a suitable remedy.

Your sales presentation should be structured more like this:

1. Warm up (Build rapport, establish your credibility, etc.) - about 10%
2. Diagnosis through open-ended questions - about 50%
3. Presentation of your solution based on uncovered needs (The "treatment plan") - about 25%
4. Closing - about 15%

When you actually care about your clients, your emphasis shifts from “trying to sell something” to “how can I help you?” Your sales efforts will then be more productive. Spend time learning as much as you can about the person’s unique situation, so that you will be able to offer an appealing, customized solution. During the discussion, your showing genuine personal interest is likely to create a strong desire for your product or service. Then the “close” will more often be something like “It sounds like our solution is what you are looking for, so when would you like to get started?” or “So, where do we go from here?” or “Would you like the red one or the blue one?” (Note: these are strictly hypothetical – please use the ideas to ask questions in your own words)

Look for the “win-win”’ in every business situation and you will be far more successful in the long run.

As always, when you need personalized help implementing any of these suggestions, contact me.

- Al

Sales is NOT a Contest

2011-08-18T10:05:00.002-04:00

Many people seem to think that the whole sales process is some kind of 'contest', where you need to 'win' the business through clever manipulative techniques. There are still far too many so-called sales reps, sales managers, and sales trainers who advocate this kind of thinking. However, nothing could be further from the truth.

A proper business relationship is just that - a positive relationship, a 'win-win' situation, not a circumstance where one party triumphs over the other. Every business deal should be good for both parties. Although when you put together an important business arrangement you might rightly feel like celebrating, as if you just won the Stanley Cup or some other sports trophy, selling is very different; it's not where only one team wins. When you are the 'seller', you get paid for what you do; whereas the client receives good value for their money, the benefits of your product or service. In virtually every case, at the conclusion of the transaction you should be able to confidently seek the opportunity to do more business with that client, and ask for referrals.

In a conversational way, simply follow the four step process that you have learned on the SEA program. By far the most important step is step two - the 'Questioning' stage, the needs analysis phase. Seek to find ways to assist the prospect to save or improve their situation in some unique way. The demonstrate how you can save them time, money or hassle - make their lives easier somehow. Then you will be able to confidently ask for their business, or rather, form a relationship that benefits both parties.

In summary, don't try to 'win' anything, other than their confidence and trust. As a result, you will build a more solid, long-lasting profitable business.

Be Yourself

2011-08-12T09:01:00.000-04:00

Don’t try to be a ‘salesperson’. Be sincere, BE YOURSELF! Although true professional sales representatives are generally highly valued by their appreciative clients, the common perception of the greedy, self-absorbed salesperson is often justified. So, by simply ‘being yourself’, you will come across as refreshingly different.

We’ve helped you learn the four step process of how your sales visits should be ‘structured’. However, it is important to do this in a conversational way. Even in a formal business-to-business setting, it is usually best to cultivate an atmosphere of informal professionalism. One of the definitions of the word “extemporaneous’ is “Prepared in advance but delivered without notes.” If you do public speaking, it means doing so in a manner that is characterized by spontaneous word choice as well as careful preparation of ideas; the same is true with a sales ‘presentation’.

A significant advantage of a conversational style is that you will be using the down-to-earth manner to which people most readily respond. This allows you to have maximum visual contact with your prospects, which improves your communication with them. Since you do not rely on notes for the wording of every sentence, your prospects will be more inclined to feel that you have their interests at heart. It also allows for flexibility.

In preparation for your meeting, mentally review each main point separately. During the conversation, however, instead of being overly concerned about exact wording, emphasize ideas and principles, especially as to how they relate to solving the potential client’s unique situation. Use your prepared points as a guide to conversation, rather than as a pushy sales pitch. You are very familiar with your product or service; you know how it can benefit your potential customers, so concentrate on how you can help companies or individuals save time, money, or hassle; how you can ‘delight’ them with whatever you do!

When you are conversational during a sales call, you can be more effective. When you do so, then impromptu opportunities to talk about your business will also be easier.

In summary, when you are ‘yourself’, you will be more likely to hold the attention of prospects and touch their ‘hot buttons’, which will produce more profitable revenue.

Characteristics of Great Sales Negotiators by Kelly Robertson

2011-08-04T13:37:00.002-04:00

Virtually everyone in sales is required to negotiate. Over the years, I have come across some great sales negotiators and have noticed that they share some common characteristics:

Understanding of the negotiating process
Highly effective negotiators recognize that negotiating is a process, not just something that is done when discussing the terms and conditions of a solution. Negotiating is much more than haggling about price. It requires an understanding of the dynamics that affect the process and influence the behavior of people. Great negotiators invest time learning different tactics and strategies and how each technique contributes to the overall outcome.

Focus on win-win
Win-win means that both parties feel good about the outcome of the negotiating process. Some experts believe win-win solutions are not possible in business negotiating; someone usually gives away more than they should and the outcome becomes a win-lose situation. Great negotiators don't believe that. They help their customer try and solve problems and look for opportunities to give as much value as possible. They also know how and when to limit their concessions, give-aways, and discounts so they can work out an agreement that is equitable for both parties.

Patience
Too many salespeople search for the quick fix trying to close the sale as fast as possible so they can move on the next prospect. Great sales negotiators recognize that patience is a virtue and that rushing the process often leads to an undesirable outcome. They don't hurry to reach an agreement. Instead, they take time to gather the necessary information. They think carefully about possible solutions. They take their time during the entire process. Major mistakes can be made when you try to reach an agreement too quickly. By rushing through the process, not giving the other person's offer ample attention, you can end up with a win-lose outcome, just because you were in a hurry.

Creativity
Most great negotiators are also very creative. They use their problem-solving skills to determine the best solution and look for unique ways to achieve their goal. A friend of mine was once embroiled in a bitter lawsuit with a company and after months of negotiation, he came up with a solution that ended the suit. He stretched out beyond the normal answers and developed an alternative that was accepted by the other party. In other words, he got creative.

Willingness to experiment
Negotiating is a very dynamic process because no two people are alike. What works extremely well in one situation can backfire in another. That's why great negotiators practice using a variety of concepts and techniques. They experiment with different strategies, solutions, and tactics. A small failure does not prevent them from experimenting with new ideas in the future.

Confidence
Great negotiators are confident when they enter a negotiation. They aren't arrogant or rude or cocky. They are simly confident. They've developed a high belief in their ability to reach a win-win agreement. They're confident that they can handle anything that comes their way in a negotiation. This confidence comes from experience. Great negotiators evaluate themselves regularly, learning from their mistakes and victories. They focus on improving their skills. They develop an internal confidence that is unshakable.

Keen listening skills
People will tell you virtually everything you need to know IF you ask the right questions AND listen carefully to their answers. I personally believe that this one attribute is the most important skill in selling and negotiating. I remember my wife talking to a prospect on the telephone. At one point the conversation she sensed that he had more to say. She waited patiently and listened carefully and the other person eventually gave her valuable information that helped her close the sale. Unfortunately, too many salespeople simply wait for their turn to talk, or even worse, interrupt their prospect. This lack of listening means they often miss hearing key information that will assist them in the negotiations.

Negotiating is not a skill that is easily acquired. It takes time, effort and energy. If you want to improve your negotiating ability you must be willing to work at it. You must invest the time necessary to learn the dynamics and science of negotiating. You must be prepared to push yourself out of your comfort zone.

- Kelly Robertson

The Invitational Close by Brian Tracy

2011-07-28T15:47:00.000-04:00

The Invitational Close is simple, low-key, classy and powerful. You use it at the end of a sales conversation to conclude the transaction. It is preceded by a Trial Close such as: "Mr. Prospect, do you have any questions or concerns that I haven't covered up to now?" Or, "Mr. Prospect, does this make sense to you, so far?"

Probe for Lingering Objections
You ask these questions to be doubly sure that the prospect has no final objections lurking in the back of his mind that would block the closing of the sales process. You then invite the customer to make a buying decision by saying, "If you like what I've shown you, why don't you give it a try?"

Invite the Customer to Buy
Inviting the customer to buy is very powerful. This is a gentle way of nudging the customer into taking action. "Why don't you give it a try?" If you are selling services, you can ask, "Why don't you give us a try?" If you want to be more bold and direct, you can simply ask, "Why don't you take it?"

Change Your Wording
One of my seminar graduates doubled his sales by changing his words in the endgame of selling. After his sales presentation he would ask the prospect if he had any additional questions or concerns. If the prospect said "no," he would then ask, "Well, if you like it, why don't you take it?"

He was amazed to find that many prospects could not think of a good reason not to go ahead with his offering immediately. Both his closing ratio and his income soared.

Action Exercises
Here is something you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

The next time you complete your sales presentation, simply issue an invitation to the customer to make a decision. “Why don’t you give it a try?”

You may be surprised at your success.

Work Life Balance: Three Tips to Help Small Businesses Work Smarter, Not Harder

2011-07-21T13:18:00.002-04:00

MISSISSAUGA, ON, July 13, 2011/CNW/ - Small business owners walk the work-life balance tightrope differently than the rest of us. Because their working lives are spent on their own business, they're more likely to put in extra hours and still feel they've got more balance than a typical employee. Intuit Canada, makers of QuickBooks accounting software, have released the findings of a national pool on work-life balance among small business owners and is offering expert tips to help them make the most of the time they spend on their business.

The recent national survey commissioned by Intuit found 88 per cent of the small business owners said they were satisfied with the balance between their personal and professional pursuits. The majority (84%) also feel they have a better balance than if they worked for someone else.

"Small business owners have told us before, work-life balance is as important to them as finding and keeping customers," said Barb Anderson, QuickBooks product marketing leader. "Through QuickBooks, we help them carve out time for balance by providing tools that help organize and manage their business finances easily and more efficiently."

Accomplishment Plus Control Equals Satisfaction

Work-life balance is often measured by comparing the amount of time spent on the job against time spent on personal pursuits. However, 97 per cent of small business owners and their view differs from the norm.

"Even though nearly half of respondents (46%) said they work beyond 40 hours a week, it's the sense of ownership over the work they do, the ability to set their own schedule and do what they want when they want that contributes to their sense of balance," said Anderson.

Three Tips to Find Balance Through Finances

"Working smarter, not harder is the key to making the most of the time small business owners choose to devote their work and personal lives," said Anderson. "We talk to entrepreneurs every day and invariably, those who embraced the right tools and strategies are better able to balance their schedules."

To help small busines owners improve their work-life balance, Anderson offered the following tips to help save time when managing finances:

Get organized: Having your financial records scattered among a host of file folders or different programs on your laptop is inefficient. Financial management software provides a one-stop snapshot of money coming in and going out of your business so you always know where you stand.

Stop stuffing envelopes: Send invoices through email and eliminate the time it takes to print, prepare and post them. In addition to cutting out the trip to the mail box, it gets invoices in the hands of your customers immediately.

Save time with your accountant: Don't pay your accountant to spend time sorting through your shoe box of receipts. You'll make the most of your meetings by getting organized ahead of time, and getting the strategic advice you need to move your business forward.

For more information about the time-saving benefits of QuickBooks accounting software, visit quickbooks.ca

Elements of Change by Chris Widener

2011-07-14T14:29:00.002-04:00

The key to achieving more than you currently are, no matter which area of your life or work you are focusing on now, is change. The old saying rings true: If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you've already got. If you keep eating and exercising the way you currently are, you will weigh the same a year from now. If you continue to sell to the same people on the same schedule, you will make the same amount of money next year. In order to move forward, we must change.

As I have worked with people, both in a professional setting and on a personal basis, I have found two things to be true about change. One, it is simple. Two, it is not easy. That is, the concept of change is simple to grasp. People or organizations are quick to say, "Oh, I know we need to change." Simple.

But where the problem starts, and why most people and organizations do not change, is because it is not easy to change. But, I believe, if the process is well thought out, and if we have the guts and determination to carry it out, change can happen, and we can move on to more fulfilled lives.

With that said, let me give you what I consider the elements of change.

Discontentment with your current state. The first step in the process of change is not want to be where you currently are. You must be discontent with it. If you are overweight, you must say, "I will not accept this anymore." If you are in debit, you must say, "I cannot tolerate this any longer." If you have broken relationships, you must say, "I will not live with this." This is a decision to change and not accept the status quo.

The picture of your preferred outcome. What is it that you want to change to? It absolutely is not enough to say "I need to change." It must be: "I am going to change to ..." This becomes the goal. I would encourage you to get a mental picture of it formulated in your mind. Get a real picture of it if it is that tangible. Perhaps write yourself a short essay, extolling the virtures of what life will be like when you get to the changed state.

New associations with the two states. You must begin to associate your current state you are in with pain, and the state you want to be in with pleasure. Let's take weight for example. We tend to think of ice cream, mounds of it, with pleasure. I know that I do. Especially chocolate chip mint. One night we went to a friend's house and we had some ice cream. Normal portions. I don't like to eat normal portions. I like huge portions of ice cream. There is an association of pleasure there. But what I did to overcome the urge to eat scoop after scoop was to associate huge portions ot being overweight, not the pleasure of the taste. I also associated not eating the ice cream with feeling better about myself. Then when it comes to exercise, I work on associating the exercise and weight-lifting with the pleasure of fitting into my clothes rather than the pain my muscles feel every time I do it. This helped me win the battle of the mind.

Develop a plan of short, simple steps. "I am going to lose fifty pounds in two months." "I will sell 500% more next month." These are examples of change that are good goals to have long term, but too big for the time allotted - and this plays havoc on change! If your goals are too big in too short of time, you will fail and become discouraged. Then you will quit and decide change can't be accomplished. Instead, you must have short, workable, attainable goals if you are going to see real change happen and stay. "I am going to lose give pounds a month for ten months." "We are going to sell 6% more each month this year." These are the size steps you need to take. Then you will build victory after victory.

Discipline yourself. Sorry, but this is where it is up to you. At the heart of change is the ability to discipline ourselves. I cannot lose your weight. Your mom cannot go out and make sales calls for you. The only real obstacle standing between your current state and your desired outcome is you! So do everything you can to get yourself motivated to change! Force yourself to get out of bed and get to work on your goals! Discipline yourself. Choose to make the right decision.

Reward yourself when you have made the change. That's right: reward yourself. You have worked hard and exerted a lot of self-discipline to get there! You deserve it!

How to Lose the Sale

2011-07-08T12:14:00.001-04:00

You want to ‘win’ new customers, not lose them! So, let’s discuss some common habits of small business owners that should be avoided.

1. Spend most of the time talking about you and your company. Most salespeople from various industries begin their presentation by telling all about their company, their background, and wonderful qualifications. Most of this is irrelevant to your prospect. You are actually wasting the person’s time. It is more important to invest time in learning about their unique situation, by using open-ended questions. Then respond with a customized solution as to how you can save them time, money, or hassle.

2. Don’t listen to the prospect. Don’t waste time asking questions if you aren't going to listen to the responses. Cultivate a sincere desire to help the person, rather than ‘lying in wait’ to do your ‘presentation’. The best salespeople take written notes, ask probing questions and clarify their understanding of the client’s needs at the conclusion of each meeting. This enables them to create a proposal or deliver a presentation that addresses their customer’s concerns, issues and situation. Don’t dominate the conversation. Professional salespeople understand the importance of silence and have learned to become comfortable with it. Unfortunately, too many people talk far too much. You can actually talk yourself out of a sale.

3. Make exaggerated claims about your product or service. Under-promise and over-deliver. While this sounds simple, unfortunately the tendency of too many salespeople is to stretch the truth in order to close a sale. Unfortunately, this will usually come back to haunt them at a later date. Long-term relationships are more important to maintain their loyalty.

You may think this is pretty basic. Why not pay attention to your behavior during the sales process. Track how much of the time you are talking, and how much time you are actually listening. Avoid these costly mistakes. By knowing how to lose the sale, you can easily gain a competitive advantage by employing the opposite techniques.

Need some assistance in knowing how this applies to your situation? We can help! Contact me.

- Al

Allen Rigby CSP
Business Consultant, SEA Program
(705) 792-0989 or 1-866-963-7327

al@selfemploymentassistance.ca

www.selfemploymentassistance.ca

Acting On Your Dreams

2011-06-29T10:27:00.002-04:00

"Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe, and enthusiastically act upon must inevitably come to pass." - Paul J. Meyer

Paul Meyer started LMI (Leadership Management International) and is a leading expert on personal development.

Although you absolutely need your individual skills, and the kind of business information you are receiving with the SEA program, it is also essential to allow yourself to cultivate the kind of determination that Meyer refers to. If you want something badly enough, within reason, you will find a way to make it happen. Meyer also makes clear that action, or targeted activity, is required on our part.

The SEA/SEB program provides a framework for you to accomplish this. We help you to determine what kind of 'targeted activity' will be most beneficial for you. Again, you are self employed - it is up to you to take the information, and apply it to your individual situation. When you need help in doing so, please ask any one of the BERN team. It is our sincere desire to help you realize the fulfillment of your dream!

Allowing Setbacks to Spur You On

2011-06-24T14:25:00.002-04:00

Many times, we look at high achievers and assume they had a string of lucky breaks or made it without much effort. Usually, the opposite is true, and the so-called superstar had an incredibly rough time before he or she attained any lasting success.

It may motivate you more toward your own goals to know that some of the most famous and well-known people in modern times had to overcome as difficult obstacles as anyone before they finally reached the top. It takes persistence and total commitment to your goals, but it’s possible!

You may not know the background of a certain laundry worker who earned sixty dollars a week at his job but had the burning desire to be a writer. His wife worked nights, and he spent nights and weekends typing manuscripts to send to publishers and agents. Each one was rejected with a form letter that gave him no assurance that his manuscripts had even been read. I’ve received a few of those special valentines myself through the years, and I can tell you firsthand that they’re not the greatest self-esteem builders.

But finally, a warm, more personal rejection letter came in the mail to the laundry worker, stating that although his work was not good enough at this point to warrant publishing, he had promise as a writer and he should keep trying.

He forwarded two more manuscripts to the same friendly-yet-rejecting publisher over the next eighteen months, and as before, he struck out with both of them too. Finances got so tight for the young couple that they had to disconnect their telephone to pay for medicine for their baby.

Feeling totally discouraged, he threw his latest manuscript into the garbage. His wife, totally committed to his life goals and believing in his talent, took the manuscript out of the trash and sent it back to Doubleday, the publisher who had sent the friendly rejections. The book, titled Carrie, sold over five million copies, and as a movie, became one of the top-grossing films in 1976. The laundry worker, of course, was Stephen King.

The main message: believe in your ability to turn obstacles into opportunities. Too often people try to storm their obstacles as if they’re forts that need to be taken. It’s better to step back and ask yourself: “Did I cause this obstacle by my own actions or lack of them? Did someone else cause this obstacle? Is this obstacle one that grew out of the natural progression of circumstances?”

This last question may seem complex, but it holds a secret to the way you can set and reach your goals and achieve your destiny! - Denis Waitley

The Motivation to Achieve

2011-06-15T15:50:00.002-04:00

Years ago, a young mother about to go out with her husband prepared to feed their baby before they left. The husband became impatient as she started her daily routine of mashing vegetables through a strainer. Tired of him standing over her with the car keys in one hand and the other hand on the door knob, she turned the task over to him. Within a few minutes, the strainer, peas, carrots and bowl ended up in his lap. As he changed clothes, he reasoned that there must be a better way to prepare baby food and that there must be alot of frustrated parents who didn't enjoy the monotomy of straining fruit and vegetables three times a day. Soon, they began discussing the idea of designing machinery to strain the food in a factory and sell it already prepared.

Fortunately, the young father and his dad owned a small canning plant, but it was difficult to sell the older man on the concept. One mistake that harmed a child would destroy everything it had taken them a lifetime to build.

And what about the expense of marketing surveys, developing and financing new machinery, packaging, getting stores to accept the products, and getting parents to buy something totally new at a price that would be both affordable and profitable? You've been through this in your own organization or family when someone comes up with an idea that colors outside the lines! I see you're nodding affirmatively.

The risk was enormous, but in the end, they went forward with their idea because it filled a need they understood firsthand. They had the skills and experience. And the market was so vast that the positive benefits far outweighed the negative factors. One year after Dan Gerber dumped the strainer of cooked vegetables into his lap, the Gerber Products Company introduced its first five baby foods to the market. The point of the story is that, so often, an idea becomes a goal when we realize it meets a need in our own lives and the lives of others. Our motivation to achieve this goal is dependent upon how strong our need is and whether or not we have the determination, optimism and toughness to follow through and bring our ideas to fruition. - Denis Waitley

What Do I Do That is Unique!

2011-06-09T13:53:00.002-04:00

In most industries, there are a lot of choices for consumers of products and services. So, what do you offer that sets you apart from other businesses chasing the same dollars? What solid reasons can you give for prospects to make the choice to use your company? What do you do that is extraordinatry, that no one else does, or does in your distinctive way? What do you do to enhance the customer experience? How do you communicate your distinctive offering to your potential clients?

For example, Donald Cooper, currently a well known busines speaker, sometimes refers to some of the things he used to do as a women's clothing retailer. In the change rooms, they installed four hooks, instead of the usual two or three. They had an area for the husbands and boyfriends to relax, and read or watch television. When I had my paint store, we always had a play area for the kids, so that mom and/or dad could concentrate on putting together their decorating scheme. Image the impact on the customers! Seemingly simple things can make a huge difference in establishing great customer relations, and encouraging repeat business.

How do you determine what YOUR unique offering is? Whatever your business, how do you make the customer experience special? Constantly think, not about what you do, but about what your product or service actually does for the customer, and how it is an improvement on ways clients currently obtain similar services. To borrow from Ivan Misner's line of reasoning, you don't buy newspapers...you buy news... you don't buy eyeglasses...you buy vision...you don't buy awnings...you buy shade...you don't buy a lamp...you buy illumination. Get the idea? Once you establish that, then constantly strive to NOT be a "me too". Again, to draw on my own experience as an independent retailer, I relentlessly endeavored to stock high quality products that the "big box" stores did not have. I learned how to sell value, not price. We made a concerted effort to be knowledgeable about the differences, and talk about these distinctions in our advertising, and during our sales presentations. We would always carry the product out to the car for the customer. Oh, how I enjoyed doing that on cold winter days! Although these examples are from retail, what can YOU do that is unique?

When you complete a job, where appropriate, say thank you in some special way, perhaps with a gift basket or something similar. If you are a contractor, for example, what little extras could you do that don't cost too much money or time, but would really make the customer happy (and lead to more business)? I remember years ago when we had a cedar deck built. The contractor did far more than nail together a bunch of lumber. I remember watching him take a few minutes to do things like slightly round the edges of the railings. It was like watching a cabinet maker! It didn't take him very long, but we sure appreciated it! We ended up using him later for a major kitchen renewal, completely renovating the attic and lots more.

"Break the rules, not the law!" "Think outside the box!"

In summary, take the time to figure out what you do different or special. Then, keep talking about it.

Closing the Sale Starts at the Beginning

2011-06-02T09:11:00.002-04:00

A great deal has been written about effective ways to successfully conclude sales presentations, or "close" the deal. Hundreds of books have been written on this subject, with titles such as "Ten Powerhouse Closes". Althought there are techniques you need to use at this point, closing the sale starts at the beginning of the call, not at the end!

When you establish trust, competency, credibility and rapport right from the beginning, the potential client is much more likely to listen to, and believe, your presentation. During the introduction part of your meeting, don't try to sell. Engage in enough 'small talk' to begun building a relationship. Flash your credentials, and briefly explain your background, qualifications, experience, and any professional designations. Let them know that you are there, not to push your product or service on them, but to learn more about their situation, to assess the extent to which you may be able to assist them.

Then, when you take the time to ask questions to discover how you can help the person, your solution will be customized. This, of course, will be much more acceptable to the prospective purchaser.

When you display a sincere interest in helping the other person, you will be viewed as a consultant, rather than a salesperson.

Then when it comes time to actually ask for the business, it will come as a natural progression of your conversation, rather than a battle you are trying to win. Your natural question will then be something like "Where do we go from here?" Their response will tell you how to proceed.

In summary, establish your relationship right at the beginning, build on it, then 'closing' will come naturally.

Enthusiasm by Tony Alessandra

2011-05-26T09:18:00.000-04:00

You generally wear your positivity on the “inside.” But your enthusiasm is how you show it to the world by your face, your voice, and your gestures. Sometimes we feel enthusiastic about our ideas but we’re afraid to show it. But I think the people who influence us the most are those who are able to express on the outside what they’re feeling on the inside.

A friend of mine remembers touring a client’s office and seeing “cute” signs with negative messages plastered everywhere: “It’s hard to soar like an eagle when you’re surrounded by turkeys,” “Even a bad day on vacation is better than a good day at work,” and the like. Every message that every employee saw every day was negative. No wonder, my friend later concluded, morale there was so low.

Most people like to be around those who radiate joy and interest, whether at work or at play. What’s more, enthusiasm is infectious. It spreads. But so does the lack of it. The choice is yours.

We’ve probably all worked with people who were negative about the job, the firm, their colleagues, the environment, the world itself, and then were further upset when—surprise!—they didn’t get the big promotion. They chose to be problems, not problem-solvers. So was it any wonder that the boss would pick someone who was more positive and enthusiastic?

The response you receive from the world is in large measure a reflection of your own attitude. From the beginning to the end of every meeting with another person, you are onstage: You’re being evaluated by that other person, consciously or subconsciously. While I’m not suggesting you put on a phony happy face, I am reminding you to be aware that your every word, gesture, expression, and impression is being watched—especially in initial encounters—and will either help or hinder you in fostering honest, open, and trusting communications.

If your overall approach is cheerful, hopeful, and tolerant of differences, you send out a positive message. On the other hand, if you’re critical, pessimistic, and intolerant of anything unfamiliar, you convey a negative outlook. Guess which attitude gets better results when you’re trying to influence people?

Three Ounces by Ron White

2011-05-19T10:31:00.002-04:00

I love baseball.

I love going to a game alone, with friends or watching it on TV. I can talk baseball for hours, or even reading about it is interesting for me. Therefore, it should be no suprise that I've played on a softball team. I am a decent fielder; however, I take tremendous pride in my hitting. One season there was only one at-bat that I did not get on base. In other words, I either received a walk or made a hit 29 out of 30 at bats. At the risk of sounding boastful, that is an extremely impressive statistic!

However, as sometimes occurs in every aspect of life, I went into a slump the very next season. During this season, I went six consecutive at-bats without a hit or a walk. I even struck out once swinging! It was very frustrating for me. I quickly became the worst hitter on the team. I was embarassed and didn't know what to do and then I remembered Ernie Banks...

Ernie played baseball in the 1950s and he lightened his bat by 3 ounces. He went from hitting 19 home runs to 45 home runs all because of 3 ounces! So I took a cue from Ernie Banks and I lightened my bat by 3 ounces. It was AMAZING! I began clobbering the ball all over the field. I finished the season on a hitting tear.

How much is 3 ounces? Very little...but a lot. Is your life in a slump? If it is, my guess is it's not because you need a major overhaul. Ninety-five percent of the time, dramatic changes can be seen with just minor tweaking. The difference between $50,000 and $500,000 a year may be the result of minor improvements. If you are getting your desired result, ask yourself, "Is there anything that I can change just a little in my daily routine to see dramatic results?" Perhaps, a 20-minute daily workout, better time management, reading a book a week, or some other idea.

Sometimes a small change is all that it takes. You may be surprised how much 3 ounces is!

Mr. Shoaff's Simple Strategies to Success by Jim Rohn

2011-04-28T08:55:00.002-04:00

My first mentor, Mr. Shoaff, over a five-year period of time when I was age 25 to 31, taught me some extraordinarily simple things, before his untimely passing at age 49. He only went through the 9th grade in school. He never finished high school, never went to college, never went to a university. So he put his experiences and ideas in very simple language, which, I think for me - a kid from the farms of Idaho - was so important.

When I would say, "This is all the company pays," Mr. Shoaff would say, "No, that is all they pay you." I thought, "That is a new way to look at it." I told him things cost too much. But he said "No, you can't afford them." Well, that was anew concept for me. He promised that if I would improve, then I would qualify for more money. So I learned that we don't have to work on the company, we have to work on ourselves. Now if it had been technical, I would have missed it. If it had been mystic, I would have backed away. But it was just basic, blunt "a-b-c" stuff that I hadn't thought of before. For me it was the beginning of what he called "personal development."

Mr. Shoaff also taught me that life puts some of the more valuable things on the high shelf so that you can't get to them until you qualify. If you want the things on the high shelf, you must stand on the books you read. With every book you read, you get to stand a little higher.

And the "biggie" that forever had an impact on me: "Success is something you attract by the person you become." That phrase changed my life. Success is not be pursued, but to be attracted by the person you become. Put your energy into becoming a better you, the best you. Learn the skills. Practice the skills. Attract the success.

Those few simple strategies and ideas helped changed my life, forever, for the better. Thank you, once again, Mr. Shoaff.

Sifting for Gold - Powerful Prospecting Tips

2011-04-21T14:31:00.002-04:00

When you think of "prospecting", what comes to mind? Perhaps the old grizzled prospector in the gold rush days hunched over a stream in the Yukon, sifting through pebbles, seeking that valuable nugget. 'Sales' is just like that - you have to sift through many potential buyers of your product or service to find those who will actually part with their money. However, common sense says that you would prospect in the streams known to have more nuggests, and use methods that are more likely to produce what you are in search of.

A well thought out, organized approach to business prospecting will enable you to:
- increase the number of pre-qualified, prioritized prospects;
- increase the effectiveness of initial contacts for new business;
- shorten the time needed to engage high potential prospects and convert them to new clients.

Here's how to narrow your search:
- market research;
- identify target markets;
- profile ideal customers;
- who is most likely to benefit from what you do?
- who is using a similar product now?
- read trade magazines, articles and stories;
- what niches can you fill? (by narrowing the focus, you create more opportunities).

Where do I find prospects?
- family, friends, acquaintances and those they know;
- former business associates, customers;
- hobbies, sports, neighbourhood, children's activities;
- civic clubs, associations;
- self-improvement activities;
- where you do business;
- ask for and use referrals;
- observe (be alert to potential clients)
- speaking engagements;
- lists and directories;
- "drop-by's";
- telephone cold calling;
- conduct a seminar (build your credibility and recognition).

Constantly 'have your radar up'. Learn to see prospects everywhere. EXPECT prospects to enter your life. BELIEVE you have a solution for them? Prospect regularly and consistently. It is important to block-off specific time on your calendar for prospecting activities such as phone calling, emailing and personal visits. Treat your prospecting time with the same respect as you would any other important appointment or it will slip through the cracks.

In summary, know that prospecting is a vital business activity. Develop and use a system. It's how you will discover gold! Make sure that it is part of your regular routine, and constantly strive to improve your productivity.

Avoid Small Business Money Mistakes

2011-04-14T15:37:00.002-04:00

Taken from an article by Cynthia Bunting, Business News Daily Contributor Alex Matjanec's company, My Bank Tracker, helps consumers make good financial decisions by comparing bank interest rates and services. He tells Business New Daily how his experience as an entrepreneur has helped him learn how small businesses can manage their finances better. "As a small business owner, one of the biggest decisions you can make is understanding how you are actually going to make money," Matjanec said. "To ensure you capitalize on your money making product or service, you will need a grasp on things such as pricing, cost control or financial management. Keeping this top of mind will help you create a flourishing company and not one that lives invoice to invoice." Matjanec offers tips on how small businesses can do that. Money vs. mission: While money helps the business grow, it is important to always stay focused on your mission. If you stay focused on what you love (the reason you started the business), you will build a business people love. Have a strong pricing strategy: When the time comes to start charging for your services, having a strong pricing strategy can be the difference between sinking or swimming. Price too high and no one will buy; price too low and you end up losing out on revenue. If you are in a business with comparable competitors, your pricing strategy will be easier to determine. For those in a market that is not as transparent, do what you can to find out what others are charging, but plan to start high with expectations of lowering. By starting high, you can avoid cutting into your profits. If possible, avoid being the lowest price. Don't undersell, this can devalue your product and not only turn consumers off, but also force you to generate so much volume it could put you out of business. Know your real costs: Just because the product or service you are charging costs less than what you charge, does not mean you are making money. It is important to consider every aspect of your business from payroll to the water bill. Knowing what your costs are for every variable in running your business will help you accurately project if you are making money or not. Cash is most important: A common mistake small businesses make is combining cash and profit together. Many companies can be profitable, but if they lack the cash to cover internal costs, they won't be in business for long. During the recession a number of companies had strong profits, but when clients started disappearing they lacked the cash reserves to stay afloat during slow times. Know what your cash flow is, if it is not growing each month you possibly aren't making a sustainable profit.

Enterprise Is Better Than Ease

2011-04-07T14:20:00.002-04:00

(Quoted from Jim Rohn's newsletter) If we are involved in a project, how hard should we work at it? How much time should we put in? Our philosophy about activity and our attitude about hard work will affect the quality of our lives. What we decide about the rightful ratio of labor to rest will establish a certain work ethic. That work ethic - our attitude about the amount of labor we are willing to commit to future fortune - will determine how substantial or how meager that fortune turns out to be. Enterprise is always better than ease. Every time we choose to do less than we could, this error in judgment has an effect on our self-confidence. Repeated every day, we soon find ourselves not only doing less than we should, but also being less than we could. The accumulative effect of this error in judgment can be devastating. Fortunately, it is easy to reverse the process. Any day we choose, we can develop a new discipline of doing rather than neglecting. Every time we choose action over ease or labor over rest, we develop an increasing level of self-worth, self-respect and self-confidence. In the final analysis, it is how we feel about ourselves that provides the greatest reward from any activity. It is not what we get that makes us valuable; it is what we become in the process of doing that brings value into our lives. It is activity that converts human dreams into human reality, and that conversion from idea into actuality gives us a personal value that can come from no other source. So feel free to not only engage in enterprise, but also to enjoy it to its fullest along with all the benefits that are soon to come!

Do the Right Thing

2011-03-31T10:32:00.001-04:00

"I try to do the right thing at the right time. They may just be little things, but usually they make the difference between winning and losing." - Kareem Abdul-Jabar, basketball player Always 'try to do the right thing'. This could involve ethics. For example, you would let your prospect know when the product or service he or she is interested in is really not the best choice, even though you could earn significant revenue. It could also mean following up quickly when your customer is dissatisfied. "Doing the righ thing" might also involve disciplining ourselves with managing our time and other resources. We might enjoy doing research, or working in our shop; but the 'right thing' might be to finish preparing our marketing materials or to get out and make sales calls. As Kareem indicates, pay attention to the little things, the details. Think about which details are important. In sales, it might be introducing yourself with a good firm handshake, or making that one more call, or making sure your clothing is neat, ensuring that you have all your sales materials, or a thousand other things. Your new business is your means of sustaining your family. Don't 'fly by the seat of your pants'. Is it not important to give thought to how you can "do the right thing"?

Getting Results

2011-03-28T09:08:00.001-04:00

"I've always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come. I don't do things half-heartedly. Because I know if I do, then I can expect half-hearted results." - Michael Jordan, basketball player Usually we have to be more patient than we want to be. Results are simply a product of hard work. Once we have identified activity likely to produce results, we need to immerse ourselves in that work. This means hard work on the things that we have determined to be revenue- generating activities. Beyond hard work, Jordan points out the importance of having our heart in what we do. When you figurative "heart" is in it, we will amaze ourselves with what we can do! Are you getting the results you want? Have you identified the activities which lead to sales results? Where do you go for advice and help? Take full advantage of what BERN offers in T2P's, networking lunches, 'Sales at Sunrise', and other events. What books do you read? What events do you attend?

Continual Self-Improvement

2011-03-17T13:24:00.002-04:00

"The principle is competing against yourself. It's about self-improvement, about being better than you were the day before" - Steve Young, football player

The only effective way to have business success is through constant attention to self-improvement. Continually strive to be better than you were the day before. You will enjoy untold rewards in personal satisfaction, and financial revenue. In most cases, your competitors are not doing this.

Many small business owners avoid seeking improvement, and shun every such opportunity. Some are more comfortable in obsurity. They avoid those who could help them improve. Rather than recognizing the need for constant improvement, we allow our insecurities or our pride to prevent us from benefiting from the assistance that is readily available.

The most successful business people believe that there is always something to learn from someone else, and that people who can coach and mentor them are to be sought after and nurtured. Personally, I receive several sales and business email newsletters every day; I read books and magazines on business and sales; I attend workshops and seminars; I try to associate with those who I can learn from, and who can inspire me. I even watch "Dragon's Den", and "The Apprentice!" That's why this is a best practice - a consistent effort of the best business owners. They make a conscious effort to seek opportunities for self-improvement.

Where do YOU go for advice and help? Take full advantage of what BERN offers in T2P's, networking lunches, 'Sales at Sunrise', and other events. What books do you read? What events do you attend?

Are you better than you were yesterday?

Visualize and Expect Success

2011-03-10T13:00:00.001-05:00

(Taken from Denis Waitley's newsletter)

Our studies of high achievers have shown that no matter how different their personalities, work habits, occupations or gender, the people who accomplish great things in life have visualized and expected success all along. They've had the ability to vividly picture their achievements and to reassure themselves in the face of long odds that they would come through.

To visualize the person you want most to become, set aside some time this week in which you can create an atmosphere conducive to re-affirming your life dreams. You may want to be near the ocean, or a lake, or in a park, in a garden or in the woods. Or you might just sit quietly by yourself in a comfortable lounge or chair. Get yourself in the mood for visualizing. When the left hemisphere of the brain is quiet and relaxed, the mind is most receptive to creative inputs. To facilitate this you may want to use soothing recorded music, preferably slow and inspiring, such as Bach, Handel or Vivaldi if you like classical music, or soft, popular instrumentals from epic movies or other mood music.

Once you're properly relaxed and optimistic, let your mind focus on who you really want to become. Visualize the future in two time frames: five years from now and ten years from now. First, design a day in your life five years from now. Who are you five years from now? Where are you professionally and geographically? On Monday mornings, where do you go?

What are you doing, seeing, feeling and thinking? Who are the people around you? What's different about your life five years from now?

Next, project ahead ten years from today. Picture a film of your life at that time. Who is watching it with you? What dramatic moments are depicted by that film? What personal triumphs are revealed? What obstacles are courageously overcome?

Don't be shy! The purpose of this exercise is to load visualized software in your mental computer. Just as a computer must be configured to accept specific materials, your mind must be prepared to accept the reality of your greater success. By introducing positive images of goal achievement, you're preparing yourself to translate those goals into reality.

I especially like to visualize myself being introduced at a dinner in my honor. Maybe it's the Coaches' Hall of Fame! Don't laugh! It could happen! The emcee comes to the microphone and reads the highlights of my life and adds some insights as to who I really am. What would the emcee be saying about you if such a dinner were held in your honor ten years from now? Devote a page in your journal to describing the things you would want said about you.

This visualization will put you on a path that leads to your future self that you vividly picture today!

Know What They Look Like

2011-03-02T08:45:00.002-05:00

Have you written a brief profile of your ideal customer?

Analyze their geographic area, demographic characteristics, social class, and stage in life, their personality and self-image. List the potential benefits gained from using your product or service (such as convenience, time or money saving, independence from chores, or buying behaviour). Identify in what ways you will save them time, money or hassle.

Also, consider frequency or regularity of purchase, amount of purchase, brand loyalty and attitudes toward your product or brand, use of cash, check or credit card, or customer's desire for personal relationships with you and your associates.

It helps to develop a customer profile form to identify potential clients. It might list age bracket, approximate income, occupation, etc. Try to identify different types of customers and the benefits they need and want. Let me know if you want help developing one, or I can send you an example.

Determine some basic characteristics of who has purchased similar products in the past, either from you, or other businesses offering comparable products or services.

Consider this imaginary case in point for a business-to-business situation: 80 percent of our clients come from three types of businesses: they average 75 employees per company; most have been in business 15 years or more; they have at least $1 million in annual revenues; they are all in Simcoe County and Muskoka; they are all suffering because of the increased cost of petroleum.

Then, go where they go, be where they are. For example, if many of your identified target customers belong to the curling club, perhaps you should consider joining that organization, or at least get involved with it somehow.

Schedule time in your weekly plan for focused sales activities. Discipline yourself to stick with it for a pre-determined time.

No Excuses by Chris Widener

2011-02-24T13:17:00.001-05:00

(Taken from "Your Success Store")

Don't you just hate it when people make excuses for their failures? So do I. But do you know what I hate even more? Finding myself making excuses for my failures! I have a policy that I try to live by: No excuses.

Here are some thoughts on a "No Excuses" policy.

People will respect you...
When you say that there are no excuses, that you blew it, and that you take full responsibility to make the situation right, people will be astounded (since very few people make no excuses) and they will come to have a greater respect for you.

You will find yourself taking greater responsibility...
When you know that your policy is to have no excuses, there will be less room for error because you will be doing everything that you can to make sure the job gets done!

You will become the "go to" person...
When someone wants something done, they will turn to you because they know that they can count on you to perform. And they know they won't get any excuses! This will improve your level of success, and that is exactly what are aiming for, right?

Practice up: "You're right. There is no excuse for that. I will fix it immediately." Refreshing!

5 Minute Creative Exercises

2011-02-17T13:40:00.002-05:00

(Taken from "Seeds of SUCCESS")

It's all in your head, literally. Biologists think our brain's frontal lobe plays the most important part in the creativity, especially idea generation and the temporal lobes for idea editing and evaluation. Here are some tips to get your lobes going, so to speak.

Put on Your Headphones. Music, any music, can get your creative juices flowing. By canceling other noises around you, headphones isolate music, and in turn, isolate your focus on the creative task at hand. It even measurably activates the pleasure circuits in our brain's hypothalamus, which controls numerous body functions and moods. Good mood mean great creativity.

Say Anything. If you're expecting to write War and Peace, no wonder it's hard to render those first words. You're being too hard on yourself. You're expecting the first sentence to be the best one. So, write the seond sentence. Or the second chapter. Anything to get you past your pursuit of perfection and on a roll writing. That momentum will inspire you and help spur new ideas.

Reset. When you're lacking for creativity, hit your reset button. Stand up, stretch your arms and legs, and walk around. Clear the clutter from your desk (the empty Diet Coke cans, cold cups of coffee and such) and create a clean work space. Reward yourself with a small piece of chocolate or playtime with your canine companion. Set a timer for 5 minutes and indulge yourself in your favorite mindless activity - Bejeweled, TMZ, dancing in your living room, whatever moves you. We won't judge.

Oh, and One More. This tip has the SUCCESS editors buzzing: Change your socks. For an unexpected burst of energy and refreshment, slip into a new, clean pair of socks. It's worth a shot.

Ask the Right Questions

2011-02-10T11:53:00.002-05:00

We often use the 'doctor' analogy to illustrate the need for using thought provoking questions to determine the real need of prospects. This puts you in a position to have your product or service offering 'delight' and 'ease the pain' for the client. Wouldn't you soon lose confidence in a doctor who simply prescribed his or her standard treatment without listening to your real concerns? To make the correct diagnosis, they ask open-ended questions. Successful salespeople do exactly the same thing. They listen more than talk. They invest most of their time in the needs analysis stage, discussing buyer needs, wants and concerns.

A simple principle that will help you to formulate the right questions is to think in terms of determining:

What is the current situation?
What is the desired situation?

OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS cannot be answered with a simple 'yes' or 'no'. They encourage the person to give you information you need to make an accurate diagnosis. And one question will lead to another. You can ask open-ended questions almost endlessly, drawing out of the other person everything that he or she has to say on a particular subject.

Here are some ideas for questions that tend to elicit information you will need to generate a business relationship. These are hypothetical; you can use the ideas to create your own questions.

What can we do to make your life easier?
Please tell me what you want to achieve with this...
How are you handling things today? (current situation)
What are your goals and objectives? (desired situation)
What is most critical to your success in this project?
What would you like to be able to do tomorrow that you cannot do today?
What kinds of problems do you experience with...
Where are the major bottlenecks (obstacles)?
What are your concerns about this new program?
What is your biggest headache on this project?
What's keeping you up at night?
What is the one thing you would like to fix that would make your life instantly better?
What is giving you the most grief at this point?
If you could solve just one problem what would it be?

You'll notice that none of this directly relates to a 'sales pitch'. The focus of all these questions is on the customer. They are designed to help the customer express where they need the most help. Your job is to identify pain and then show how you will make it go away with your solution. This happens when you ask the right questions, listen fully to the buyer's answers and fashion a solution that mirrors the buyer's needs.

Get Customers to Sell for You

2011-02-03T12:56:00.002-05:00

This week's tip is from an article written by Brian Tracy.

Why People Buy
Fully 84% of sales...take place as the result of word-of-mouth advertising. Some of the most important sales promotion activities are those that place between customers and prospects, between friends and colleagues, in the form of advice and recommendations on what to buy, or not buy, and who to buy from.

Join the Top 10%
The only way that you can be among the top 10% of salespeople in your industry is by having your existing customers selling for you on every occasion. Because of the importance of mega-credibility in selling, your customers must be happy to open doors to new customers for you wherever they go.

Be Clear About Who You Are
One important point with regard to vision, values and mission statements: be gentle with yourself. It has taken you your whole life to become the person you are today. If you are like everyone else, you are not perfect. You have lots of room to grow and improve. There are many changes that you can make in your character and personality in the course of becoming the excellent human being that you aspire to. But change in your personality will not come easily, and it won't come overnight. You must be patient.

Persist Until You Succeed
The reason that people grow and become better and better over the course of time, is because they persist gently in the direction of their goals and dreams. They don't expect overnight transformations. When they don't see results immediately, they don't get discouraged. They just keep on going. And you must do the same.

Put Your Ideas Into Action
Once you have a clear idea of the person you want to be and the kind of life and career you want to create, just take the first step. Read your mission statements every day as you go about your activities, think of the different ways that you could practice the virtues and qualities that you are in the process of incorporating into your own personality.

Remember, it is only your actions with regard to other people that really demonstrate the kind of person you have become. And if you persist long enough, you will eventually shape yourself into the exact person that you have imagined.

Action Exercises
First, treat every customer as if he is going to be a great source of word-of-mouth advertising for you. Remember that every person knows about 300 other people.

Second, resolve to become better and better in your dealings with others but be gentle with yourself. Behave every day in every way the best you can be and you will sure to get results.

Overcoming the 'Winter Blues'

2011-01-20T13:04:00.002-05:00

Blue Monday is anem given to a date stated, as part of publicity campaign by Sky Travel, to be the most depressing day of the year. This date allegedly falls on the Monday of the last full week of January. Although the "Blue Monday" concept was a marketing ploy by a travel agency, it is fact that dark winters have a negative effect on some people. "I feel the changes of the seasons and climate very keenly," wrote Jean Sibelius, a famous Finnish composer. He added: "In wintertime, when the day is short, I always have a period of depression." Even the Greek physician Hippocrates believed that seasons affect people's moods.

It was not until the 1980's, however, that the winter blues, or winter depression, was defined as a syndrome. Studies have revealed that among northern peoples a small percentage of the population suffer from season affective disorder (SAD). A milder version called subsyndromal SAD is three or four times more common. Hundreds of thousands of people are believed to be somewhat affected.

Andrei, in St. Petersburg, Russia, says,"I feel like sleeping all the time." Annika, who lives in Finland, is saddened by the approach of winter. "Sometimes," she says, "the darkness makes me feel almost claustrophobic because there is no place to escape from it."

This can certainly affect business owners as much as those in the general population. It is not my place, or that of BERN or the SEA program to recommend any particular medical regimen. However, here are some practical suggestions that I researched, which some may find useful:

Experts recommend a variety of methods to cope with winter depression. For instance, some recommend that one should be outdoors as often as possible during daylight. Those who engage in outdoor physical activities during the winter also report relief from the winter blues. Some have found relief by receiving bright-light therapy. Nutrition is another factor to consider. Because sunlight helps the body produce vitamin D, the lack of sunlight can cause a deficiency of it. Hence, some recommend a winter increase in the consumption of foods containing vitamin D, such as fish, liver and dairy products.

Other suggestions I found on the internet include: aromatherapy; self help audio tapes; get a massage; set yourself to laugh; connect in real ways with other people; train your brain to be positive; add colour to your environment (bring in fresh flowers, or paint a room with a bright colour); find activities to make you feel good; keep up social activities. For some, professional help may be necessary to overcome serious winter depression.

Interestingly, applying many of these suggestions means keeping busy in revenue-generating business activities. What better way to "Connect in real ways with other people" than to attend networking events, make sales calls, and engage in other sales and marketing activities. This will not only help you personally, but also help your business to grow.

What is Your "Orange Slice?"

2011-01-13T11:47:00.002-05:00

In my travels, I often like to treat myself to a full breakfast after driving to wherever I am working that day. As a result, I have favourite restaurants in many cities and towns! If I like the food, the service, the entire experience, I will go back. A lot of restaurants include an orange slice on the plate with the bacon and eggs, home fries and toast. Why do they do that? Is it make extra work for the chef? Obviously not - it's to add to the customer service experience. It is a simple example of a "little thing" that can make a 'BIG' difference in the satisfaction level of your customers.

Some might reason that the order is already taken, so why do things that cost you money and time? Again, the answer is simple - you want to keep customers coming back, and recommending you to others. When you consider all the money businesses spend on marketing and advertising, it confounds me that they can often be so cheap when caring for customers. "Raving Fans" will do you far more good than all your paid advertising.

Back to the 'orange slice' example - it is a fact that "if it's appealing to the eyesight, it's appealing to the appetite." Presentation is very important. Personally, I enjoy the taste of even a small orange slice and although I am not an expert in nutrition, I believe that it is good for my health. Perhaps subliminally, providing the orange slice says "I care about you." Isn't that how you want your business to be perceived? Don't you want your customers talking about how you did little extras? Don't you want the good will that will surely come as a result? Do you want to stand out from your competition?

For example, a couple of years ago were were discussing this in the Orillia BERN office. One of our clients is Dave Mangoff, from DM Custom Stone. Dave is a true artist, building stone walkways, porches, etc. Most of his jobs involve many thousands of dollars. Another client suggested that after each job he could provide a custom house number carved in stone. This is a great example of his 'orange slice'. He could make these out of scrap stone, in a minimal amount of time. The obvious benefit far outweights the little bit of effort!

Here's a negative example: I recall an occasion years ago when I got a salad in a fast food restaurant. I find that the little tubs of salad dressing are never enough, so I kindly asked for two. They wanted to charge me for the second one! That was when I was still in the paint business, so I said to the clerk, "That would be like me charging you for a second stir stick!" (They cost me about fifteen cents each at the time) I would never want to be foolish enough to risk a client relationship over such a small thing. I've never been back to that restaurant! Have I made my point?

So, what can you do that doesn't cost you much in time or money that could significantly improve the experience that your clients receive? What's YOUR 'Orange Slice?'

How to Master the Art of Mingling

2010-12-30T11:08:00.002-05:00

Not everyone's a natural conversationalist. In fact, 93% of us self-identify as shy, says Susan RoAne, known as The Mingling Maven and best-selling author of How to Work a Room. Here are tips for entering a room of strangers and effectively working the room:

When entering a room head for the dessert table. People who are comtemplating calories will always talk to you.
Don't approach 2 people in a conversation; opt for 3 or 4 people. It's an easier number to approach and reduces the chance you're interrupting a private or sensitive conversation.
Looking for an 'in' to a conversation? Say, "Excuse me, may I join you?" It's an elegant way of inserting yourself and no one's ever said no.
Wear something people can connect with. Madeleine Albright always wore beautiful brooches, so people would start conversations about that.

And one tip from a SUCCESS editor: Before a social gathering, catch up with what your friends are doing on Facebook. With this information, you can easily strike up a conversation about mutual interests or their latest vacation. Something easy like, "I saw your vacation photos on Facebook - where in Mexico was that?" is a great way to get them talking about their favourite topic - themselves.

When you Sell Quality, Price Isn't Important

2010-12-23T08:37:00.002-05:00

There are many business owners who think that if they just cut their prices a little more than their competition, they would get a lot more business. Truly successful companies recognize that their long-term game plan cannot be built around having the lowest price, but rather, providing high quality products and services, and charging comparable prices. Our Georgian Triangle consultant, Tim Newton, is known for encouraging the "Highest Justifiable Price."

In the real world of success, the fact is that the combined sales of 'price pirates' are but a fraction of the sales generated by the businesses focused on quality! The old adage is true: "You get what you pay for!"

The customer who buys a quality product soon forgets that he or she paid more for it, and remembers only the satisfaction it gives them. Quality is the strongest testimonial you could ever have.

Quality means repeat business. It creates relationships that stay with you year in and year out. It means that you will be able to hold what you have and add to it. In short, quality products mean enduring success, and not success built upon the quicksand of here-today-and-gone-tomorrow customers.

If your business were to follow a plan of meeting every price cut that you see others offer, there would be no figure for your customer to use as a basis of price comparison. In other words, selling would simmer down into a seesaw proposition. You have the lowest price today on this product, and your competitor has it tomorrow. Permanent success can be built only on a quality foundation. A cut in price - if out of line with the general market trend - will undo a reputation for quality quicker than any other one thing. It breeds suspicion. Buyers think: "If his stuff were as good as he says it is, he wouldn't have to cut the price." And their reasoning is logical.

Quality is synonymous with satisfied customers and we all know that the product which gives the most satisfaction, in the long run, is the easiest to sell. If you sell a product that is better than what your competitor is selling, you can be sure that the world will find out about it and want it. Word-of-mouth spreads quickly. When people start wanting the products you are selling, the measure of your success depends only on your ability to embrace even greater opportunities as they are presented to you.

Developing Creativity by Ron White

2010-12-16T10:27:00.002-05:00

This week's tip is a short article by Ron White:

"There is a prevailing belief that creativity is an inborn trait - you are either creative or you're not. Well, while creativity is an inborn trait, we are all born with a creative brain (your right cerebral hemisphere) and have many creative skills.

Children are naturally curious and eager to explore the world around them and spend hours playing with toys, making up imaginary friends and pretend games. But as we get older, we begin to lose some of our natural creativity as we learn and use more left-brain thinking skills in school and at work.

Research shows that our propensity to generate original ideas drops from 90 percent at age 5, to 20 percent at age 7, and even further to 2 percent as adults! However, unless you have suffered brain damage in your right hemisphere or had it surgically removed, you still have a creative brain; so you are still creative. It's just that maybe you don't use your creativity skills as much as you used to.

Now for the good news! You can reawaken your creative brainpower.

What would Einstein tell you in regard to increasing your creativity? Well, we don't have to guess on that one, because he told us. He said, "The important thing is to not stop questioning. Curiousity has its own reason for existing."

Develop the curiousity of a child. Leonardo Da Vinci, who is said to have been one of the greatest geniuses of all time, also had this creativity. I don't think that it is a coincidence that Da Vinci and Einstein were both extremely creative and that so many years after their deaths we are still talking about them.

Creativity is defined by Webster's as "creative ability or intellectual inventiveness." This is a skill that everyone has, to some extent. There are ways to improve your ability to create and generate new ideas. Not everyone can be a great artist or a creative genius, but it makes sense to make the most of the potential we are given."

Make Time for Your Sales Activities!

2010-12-09T13:20:00.002-05:00

In order for your business to be viable, to earn money to live, you need to generate revenue. The only way to do this is to "sell" your idea to prospective users of your product or service. "Sales" is therefore a necessary part of being self-employed. You need to budget time for it in your weekly schedule. If not, it will most likely be neglected, and you will be frustrated with the lack of results. As planning is needed for all other aspects, including product development, bookkeeping, deliveries, etc., you will need to set aside time for this essential activity. "Failure to plan is planning to fail." Most people spend more time writing out a grocery list or planning a vacation than they do planning the direction or outcome of their business. Serendipity will not produce favourable results.

If you are struggling with sales, I recommend that you do an urgent self-examination. Ask yourself, "How much time and effort do I devote to this necessary part of my business?" If you detect a lack, here's the decisive action you need to take:

Work at being willing to adjust your mind to accept that it is necessary
Learn that you can be trained to do it
Plan specific days and times when you WILL give it your attention
Ask for help!
Apply any suggestions given.

If you were to write down, hour-by-hour, what you do in a typical day, you would probably be surprised at the amount of time wasted. Many exclaim: "I simply don't know where the time goes." What can help people to solve the problem of wasted time? R. Alec Mackenzie, a leading management consultant, answers: "Self-discipline. Before you can master time, you must first master yourself. And the rewards make it eminently worthwhile."

You can most likely "buy" some time from some other non-essential, non-revenue generating activities that would be better used for driving sales. If you were drowning and someone threw you a lifeline, would you not eagerly reach out for it? Help is available for your sales endeavours - reach out for it! We want to be of assistance!

Growing Your Business

2010-12-02T09:56:00.002-05:00

A business is like a plant or tree in your garden. Just about every business needs to grow to survive and thrive. Here's 3 ways to grow YOUR business:

Get more customers by 'planting more seeds'. Make it part of your weekly routine. Set specific "S.M.A.R.T." goals regarding the number of prospects you will visit each week, and the number of new clients that will come out of that. Then cultivate the seeds you have planted by following up where you detect some level of interest. Categorize prospects by their greatest potential to generate income and profit.
Increase the size of each purchase. By 'watering' your clients at the point of purchase, they can often give you more business. This is very common in retail, where they employ various methods to increase the size of each purchase, through counter displays, suggesting complimentary items, etc. Think of how you can apply that to your business. For example, if you are a landscaper called in to do some work in the yard, why not see if they also want their driveway nicely trimmed.
Cultivate more often. Increase the frequency of purchases. Would it benefit some of your clients to use your product or service more often? 'Nurture' them by keeping in touch by phone, email, newsletter or personal visits; you can often produce more revenue while further delighting your customers!

As always, when you take these suggestions, and apply the principles to YOUR enterprise, you will be sure to generate more income!

Set Your Business Apart from Your Competitors

2010-11-25T13:33:00.002-05:00

Your business should have something unique about it that sets it apart from the competition. If your business appears to be just like every other business in your industry, then there will be very little reason for customers to choose you as opposed to one of your many competitors.

When competing businesses have no distinguishing benefits to set them apart, when they all offer basically the same products or services, the same customer service, etc. then customers will tend to compare those businesses based on price along - lowest price wins.

Here are some of the ways you can set yourself apart:

Focus on a Particular Niche - perhaps you are a photographer that specializes in food product pictures or corporate photographs for annual reports. If you are a fitness instructor, you could focus on helping keep business employees fit or you could be the personal fitness instructor that focuses on high level business executives.
Become the Low-Price or the High-Price Leader - design your business to provide good products for an extremely economical price. Your company would be committed to providing excellent savings for your customers. Or you would take the opposite route and become the high-price provider. Obviously you would have to target a completely different market segment than the low-price leader.
Offer Excellent Customer Service - set your company apart by providing exceptional customer service. Make your customers say, "Wow!" whenever they do business with you. This is one of the best ways to set your business apart from the rest.
Offer a Unique Advantage - if you are a dog groomer, perhaps your unique advantage is that you will come to your customers' homes and groom their pets there. If possible, a lawn care service could offer a special treatment to keep their customers' lawns greener longer. If that service is unique to their company, they have set themselves apart from their competitors.

In conclusion, determine what sets YOU apart, and then constantly look for ways to talk about it!

Think Ahead to Retain Your Customers

2010-11-18T14:02:00.001-05:00

Customer loyalty is not always what it used to be, or what we might imagine it should be. Therefore, every possible thing must be done to maintain your relationship with your customers, and retain their business.

"You need to give your customers something of extra value if you want them to return," says international hospitality consultant Linda Novey-White. "Look at your business like a customer would. What could you be doing better, and what is your competition doing better?"

Start by anticipating your customer's needs. Think ahead to what they may need in the coming months and determine what you can do better. Also be aware of trends that may influence your customers' purchasing decisions. You can then adjust what you offer, to suit the changes in the marketplace.

One of the most important and cost effective thing you can do is to simply ask your customers what their future needs will be, listen carefully, and make sure you call or return at the right time, and with the specific offer that will help them the most.

Add a personal touch to build a stronger bond between you and your customers. Give thought to how you can make every transaction something special, unique to that individual or company. Know their preferences.

Say thank you after doing business by sending a personalized card, gift basket, or floral arrangement.

Send them news about your industry, or an article that you come across which you feel they may find interesting.

In conclusion, always return phone calls promptly, and do what you say you are going to do. Novey-White says, "Delivering a product or service that disappoints is the fastest way to lose your customers."

Five Things to Know Before You Spend a Penny on Advertising

2010-11-04T11:10:00.002-04:00

Every year companies around the world spend 100's of millions of dollars on advertising...and much of it is completely wasted. Here are five things you need to know before you spend a penny on advertising.

What is advertising anyway? "Advertising is creative bragging."...that's it! Many companies think that they have an advertising problem when, in fact, what they really have is a fundamental marketing problem. They aren't doing anything worth bragging about.
Get good...then brag! Don't brag and then try to figure out how you're going to pull it off!
Don't lie! People aren't stupid. For almost a year there was, in the Toronto Airport, a big backlit ad for a chain of mediocre hotels that said, "You won't find any nicer hotels in Canada." This is a lie...and everyone who has ever stayed in one of their hotels knows it.
When you're delivering compelling functional, emotional and financial value to well understood target customers, the process of creating effective advertising is actually pretty easy. If you don't know...

Who your target customers are,
What they really value,
How best to reach them...and,
What your compelling message will be,
...you're not ready to advertise.

5. Your most powerful and cost-effective advertising is the enthusiastic recommendation of delighted customers!

People love "showing off" when they find a wonderful product, service, restaurant, lawyer, accountant, hair stylist, etc. It makes them a "big shot" with their friends. Plant the seed by asking delighted customers to recommend you. Tell them, "You'll be a hero...your friends will love you!"

Advertising only works if what you say about yourself is congruent with what "others" are saying about you. So, if you're saying that you're "the best" while previous customers, the media or respected authorities are saying that you're not...you're wasting your money. Remember, "Get good...then brag!"

Advertising is so expensive that it only makes economic sense when you're good enough to achieve "leverage". "Leverage" occurs when the value and experience that you actually deliver is so wonderful that every new customer that your advertising attracts enthusiastically recommends you to at least four other people! If you're not good enough to achieve that kind of "leverage", you can't afford to advertise!

So, are you ready to spend big money on advertising...or, realistically, do you have some work to do first?

Improve Your Small Biz: 6 Tips from Jim Collins

2010-10-28T13:36:00.002-04:00

One of the most dynamic speakers at the recent World Business Forum was legendary business thinker and author Jim Collins. His presentation was wide ranging and offered many lessons that would be easily applicable for any small business owner. Here are some of the most interesting of his points that you would use to improve your small business:

Run a pocket greatness. Too many business owners try to expand and do too many things well. If you know that you are the best at something, then focus on that and make it into what Collins called a "pocket of greatness". When you have this, you have something that you can build from. Without it, you can lose focus.
Double your questions to statements ratio. This is a slightly mathematical way of making the point that you need to ask more questions about your business and where you want to go instead of creating vast vision statements or bold declarations for your business without the right amount of thinking. When you ask more questions, you force yourself into the mindset of thinking about how you will actually do something and what the barriers might be. It's an essential step towards achieving anything.
Spend less time trying to be interesting and more trying to be interested. Conventional marketing wisdom and most books focus on trying to help you find more ways to be interesting. I too write about this topic here and on my own marketing blog. The problem with focusing too much on this, however, is that you may be missing out on learning opportunities or leads or even just highly useful conversations if you aren't listening for them. So try to spend more time being interested in the people that you meet and ask them questions instead of focusing on yourself. You may be surprised with what you will find.
Turn off your gadgets and create white space. As Collins talked about turning off your gadgets, you could see the people in the audience shifting uncomfortably and the ones who had been checking their Blackberrys or iPhones look up. Putting away your gadgets and being disconnected is hard, but if you can do it then you create essential time on your calendar every week just to think about your business and what else you could be doing. This is the time where the great thoughts stuck in your mind can find their way out - and it may become the most important time of your week.
Create a STOP doing list. Most of us have a to do list, but how many of us have a list of things that we should STOP doing? This is exactly what Collins suggested: prioritize by clearly thinking about the things that may be wasting your time right now which you will stop doing.
Read beyond your field. One of the Collin's most surprising habits was that he says he reads 100 books unrelated to business every year. This helps him to expand his vision beyond the world of business and think about other areas. It gives him an essential sense of the world and what is happening, as well as ideas that he can apply to his business and for the organization with which he works. The same principle can work for you and your business.

Is Life Balance a Myth?

2010-10-21T09:10:00.002-04:00

Career, spouse, children, sleep, social life, faith...Are you trying to juggle too many priorities in the air? Relationship experts and SUCCESS guest bloggers Richard and Linda Eyre say life balance is an elusive thing. It's hard to balance everything. Instead, the key to doing it all is to categorize correctly so it doesn't feel like you're stretching to do it all. Instead, sort your priorities into three primary categories: family, work and self.

"The deepest and truest priotities of life all fit somewhere within these three categories," the Eyres write in their classic Life Balance (1997, Fireside). Work and family are perhaps the easiest to categorize, but many question self as a point of priority. Doesn't that imply a certain selfishness? What about service to others or religious commitments?

"If viewed correctly, prioritizing self does not mean eliminating these things; it includes them," Richard and Linda write. Faith, community service, social engagements, reading, meditation, sleep, even shopping are each important components of the self category. So, evaluate your days with thse three categories in mind. What categories do your daily activities fall into? Are you performing too many activities in one category and not the others? Use this worksheet to track and categorize your priorities.

Family
Grocery shopping
Attending PTA meetings
Date time w/spouse
Playing with your children

Work
Checking email
Continuing education
Project management
Developing work friendships

Self
Sleep
Exercise
Social engagements
Church obligations

(Taken from success.com)