Risk - Sales - Effort - Calendaring

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Monday Morning Motivators – April 28, 2007
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Enjoy your java with an eclectic collection of tips and ideas to use today and to get energized for the week ahead. Subscribing and unsubscribing at www.mondaymorningmotivators.com

“Reach for the Stars and you won’t come up with a handful of mud!”
--Leo Burnett

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Table of Contents
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1. Leadership – Falling in Love with Risk – Linda Fayerweather
2. Sales Tactics 101 – Part 2 - Rebecca Booth
3. The Law of Least Effort – Pat Altvater
4. Calendaring Creates Time – Paula Frazier
5. To Do This Week
6. Fine Print

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1. Leadership – Falling in Love with Risk ============================================================
All business is Risky and being committed to your business’s vision is a great multiplier of success. Your commitment to your vision, mission and strategies will make it much easier to find others to work with as their excitement and commitment will be obvious. Risk is the zest that keeps entrepreneurs up at night and/or they wake up wired to go! Accepting risk means you are willing to change and think outside the normal solutions. We often hear “think outside the box” and that saying is often related to this puzzle.

Connect all nine dots with four straight lines while never taking your pencil off the paper. Once you solve this, you will always want to see what is outside the box.

. . .
. . .
. . .

Remember, leadership is going outside the box. Need a hint to solve this problem – go to: Nine dot solution

Copyright 2008 Linda Fayerweather
“Hey, I know that fishermen are women, too!”
Changing Lanes LLC
http://www.changinglanes.biz/


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2. Sales Tactics 101 – Part 2
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What happens after the sale? A lot of times nothing. Herbert True, a marketing specialist at Notre Dame University found that:
--44% of all sales people quit trying after the first call
--24% quite after the second call
--14% quit after the third call
--12% quit trying to sell their prospect after the 4th call.

That's right 94% of all salespeople quit after the 4th call. But 60% of all sales are made after the fourth call. This revealing statistic shows that 94% of all salespeople don't give themselves a chance at 60% of the prospective buyers. Turn that number upside down by staying in touch with the prospect and keep asking! Source: Jack Canfield's The Success Principles.

Copyright 2008 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
419-855-3399
http://www.rebeccaboothmarketinggoddess.com/



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3. The Law of Least Effort
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This is the fourth in a 7 part series based on Deepak Chopras book The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success.

This law is about letting go of ego and going with the flow. When you come from ego, you seek power and control over other people or you spend your energy trying to get approval from others. Both of those activities are counterproductive. So re-channel this energy become immune to criticism, unfearful of challenges and focus on harmony instead.

Practice this law by committing to:
--Embrace the NOW moment. Accept situations, circumstances and events as they occur, not as you wish them to be. Do not struggle against the NOW moment, instead embrace it.
--Assume responsibility. View challenges as opportunities to change and never blame anyone else for your circumstances.
--Practice defenselessness. Give up the need to be right; stop yourself from attempting to convince or persuade others to accept your point of view.

Pat Altvater
Journey to WOW – Choose Success NOW™ coach
Certified Law of Attraction Practitioner
http://www.transformationsinstitute.com/


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4. Calendaring Creates Time
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Referral marketing doesn’t require a large investment of money. It’s become known as one of the least expensive most effective methods of marketing. The largest expenditure is typically - TIME:

--It takes time to identify referral partners.
--It takes time to build trust with your referral partners.
--It takes time to educate and engage your referral partners.
--It takes time to provide support and referrals for your referral partners.

What is one of our most limited resources? TIME!

Last week I had this same conversation with a group of my clients. We’re working on our 12 month Referral Marketing Plans. When it comes to budgeting time to carry out their plans they whole-heartedly agree that they barely have enough time to take care of themselves, much less their referral partners. We did a little calendaring to identify some areas of opportunity. I encourage you to do the same. Take out a blank monthly calendar template:

1. List all scheduled church activities.
2. List all scheduled family activities.
3. List all scheduled business activities.
4. List all scheduled networking activities.
5. List all personal/business development activities.

Honor your commitments! Resist the temptation to cancel one appointment to schedule another. Everything that you choose to put on your calendar should be equally important for different reasons. If not, don’t agree to devote any time to it!

To learn more about strategically investing in others to leverage your time and increase your referral marketing efforts, visit http://www.referralinstitute-va.com/ or http://www.bniswva.com/

Copyright 2008 Paula Frazier is an Executive Director for BNI and part of a select team of Master Trainers for Referral Institute. Over the last year, Paula’s business networking articles have been published nationally. She is also acknowledged in the New York Times best seller, Truth or Delusion – Busting Networkings Biggest Myths. Check out #33, Delusion with a twist!

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5. To Do This Week
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Plan ahead to the Vacation Season – Schedule your's and your staff's before June.

Solution to nine dots

Connecting the nine dots requires thinking outside the visual box the dots make!

Leadership - Sales - Cause & Effect - Know Your Business

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Monday Morning Motivators – April 21, 2007
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Enjoy your java with an eclectic collection of tips and ideas to use today and to get energized for the week ahead. Subscribing and unsubscribing at www.mondaymorningmotivators.com
“A leader without a vision—a direction in which he or she wants to take the organization—is simply not a leader.”
--Bob Boylan

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Table of Contents
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1. Leadership – What Do We Stand For – Linda Fayerweather
2. Sales Tactics 101 – Part 1 - Rebecca Booth
3. The Law of Cause and Effect – Pat Altvater
4. Know Your Business – Paula Frazier
5. To Do This Week
6. Fine Print

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1. Leadership – What Do We Stand For ============================================================
This was “Walleye Weekend” in Maumee Ohio which means that everyone that loves to fish was milling around my neighborhood. As a watcher, I am always fascinated to see the fishermen standing in very precise order. Each is an arm’s length apart, on the edge of the deep water AND they are quiet. They represent a perfect example of a shared vision, position and mission. That is what companies hope to achieve when each team member knows without a doubt where to stand, how to perform and what the ultimate results will be. For the fishermen it was 4 walleye caught with a hook through the lip between dawn and dusk.

To help identify what your company stands for, you may need to drag out some of the documents you created when you started your business or from that last strategic planning retreat. Don’t have those? Take heart, and create them now. Here is a starting point.
1. Draw your Vision – where you want to be in 3, 5 or 10 years? What will the revenue look like? What will the sales be? Who will be the staff?
2. Commit to your Position – where you are now – your values, principals, strongly held beliefs, those values that are the bedrock of your business.
3. Verbalize your Mission or Credo – the short sentence of what your firm does that is repeatable and believable by all, even the night janitor.

When everyone can verbalize your credo, you are ready to go fishing!

Copyright 2008 Linda Fayerweather
“Hey, I know that fishermen are women, too!”
Changing Lanes LLC
www.ChangingLanes.biz


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2. Sales Tactics 101 – Part 1
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When you’re ready to close that next sale, remember that it’s not what you said that matters but HOW you delivered what you were saying. Selling is a lot like acting. The right delivery can elicit magic. Botched pacing, incorrect inflections and low energy can turn a potential 6-figure Box Office sale into a DVD dud. Here are a few tips I found in a recent Selling Power magazine that should help you work some magic:

* Match the customer’s voice. Studies have shown that we trust people who sound like us. If your prospect is speaking slowly, slow your own gait down. With a fast talker, pick up the pace. Also pay attention to volume.
* Be positive. Don’t get defensive if your customer is short with you. Respond with positive energy. If they say they’re too busy, respond with “Great! Busy people are our best customers because we save them so much time!”
* Be Empathetic. When prospects hesitate, it’s often out of fear. In this case, let them take center stage and ask questions. After listening, use phrases like “I understand how you feel…” or “We’ve all been disappointed at some time, haven’t we?”
*Avoid canned speeches. The worst thing you can do is to sound like a robot. Switch the information up and have a little fun with it. After all, you’re selling yourself as much as you’re selling the product. People buy from people they know and trust. Be likable.

If you’d like more information on this topic, check out Scales Scripts That Close Every Deal: 420 Tested Responses to 30 or the Most Difficult Customer Objections by Gerhard Gschwandtner.

Copyright 2008 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
419-855-3399
www.rebeccaboothmarketinggoddess.com



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3. The Law of Cause and Effect
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This is the third in a 7 part series based on Deepak Chopra’s book The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success.

I’m sure you’ve heard the famous saying “What you sow is what you reap.” That’s cause and effect, which also implies that everything happens for a reason.

You are where you are because of your choices and your decisions over the previous months and years. These choices, whether conscious or unconscious, have resulted in the circumstance of your life at this moment.

To incorporate this law into your life:
Pay attention to your choices and make only conscious decisions. I teach the individuals I coach that an important key ingredient to successfully achieving any goal is to become mindful of every choice being made along the way.
Chopra says to ask two questions:
* “What are the consequences of this choice that I’m making?
* “Will this choice that I’m making now bring happiness to me and to those around me?”
Once you’ve asked the questions, listen to your body signals to get your answer and then make your decision.
Practice being mindful about every choice you are making today and see what a difference it makes in the quality of your future!

Pat Altvater
Journey to WOW – Choose Success NOW™ coach
Certified Law of Attraction Practitioner
www.transformationsinstitute.com


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4. Know Your Business
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I recently had the privilege of experiencing a lively presentation offered by Bryan Flanagan. He started his career with IBM as a delivery man and ultimately became a sales instructor at IBM’s national training center. He told us that selling is a communication process, not an event.

One huge “A-Ha” that I took away that day had to do with the 4 Growth Stages. It doesn’t sound fun or profound. Right? Wrong! Think about it. Your depth of knowledge regarding your products, services and industry definitely affects your ability to market and sell.

Let’s take a look at the 4 Stages of Development. Don’t worry! I’ll break the big words down into little words (mostly for my benefit):

1. Unconsciously Incompetent – You don’t know what you don’t know. You’re probably new to your business and trying to figure out how to get started. As you begin to research your company and industry you officially move on to Stage 2.
2. Consciously Incompetent – You know that you don’t know all you need to know to capably market and sell your products/services. This is where many folks get frustrated and lose motivation. You’ll advance in the process by immersing yourself in all the information and support available to you regarding your profession.
3. Consciously Competent – You know what you know and you’re ready to go. Get out there! You will experience failure and success. At this point you will learn what does (and does not) work for you. As your victories outweigh your catastrophes, you’ll proceed to Stage 4.
4. Unconsciously Competent – You’ve become skillfully proficient because you’ve PRACTICED. At times you won’t even realize just how great you are. It’s natural and believable because you know your business!

Your (educated) referral sources can connect you to all of the qualified prospects you need to build your business. It’s important to understand that your ability to convert those contacts into clients will be affected by your ability to demonstrate your industry know-how.

How well do you know your business/industry?
How well do you demonstrate your competency to your prospects/clients?
What are you currently doing to further your personal/business development?

Paula Frazier is an Executive Director for BNI and part of a select team of Master Trainers for Referral Institute. Paula’s business networking articles have been published nationally. She is also acknowledged in the New York Times best seller, Truth or Delusion – Busting Networkings Biggest Myths. To learn more about marketing your business by referral visit http://www.referralinstitute-va.com or http://www.bniswva.com

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5. To Do This Week
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List the three values your business will not budge.
1.__________________________________________________________
2.__________________________________________________________
3.__________________________________________________________

Leadership - Surveys - Giving - Systems

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Monday Morning Motivators – April 14, 2007
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Enjoy your java with an eclectic collection of tips and ideas to use today and to get energized for the week ahead. Subscribing and unsubscribing at www.mondaymorningmotivators.com

“It's hard to lead a cavalry charge if you think you look funny on a horse.”
-- Adlai Stevenson

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Table of Contents
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1. Leadership – Know Where We are Going – Linda Fayerweather
2. Deploying Satisfaction Surveys - Rebecca Booth
3. The Law of Giving – Pat Altvater
4. Marketing Plans and Referral Systems – Paula Frazier
5. To Do This Week
6. Fine Print

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1. Leadership – Know Where We are Going ============================================================
As a leader, we usually know where we are going and the sharing of the vision is what moves a company from just another small business to awesome. A great vision will do the basics:
Grab attention
Focuses energy
Arouses passion
Transforms purpose into action
Compels
Pulls people to it
Commits people to action
Is the rallying point, and
It is short, to the point, memorable, repeatable.

To best explain how important a vision is, let me take you to a small business that builds very tiny computer chips. Two workers side by side in their “clean room” garb are asked by a visiting consultant “what are you doing?”
Worker one: “I’m turning these plastic and metals into a computer chip.”
Worker two: “I’m making an integral part for a computer that will be used by NASA to reach the space station.”

A true leader designs the vision and inspires others to build it!

Copyright 2008 Linda Fayerweather
“Where are you heading?”
Changing Lanes LLC
www.ChangingLanes.biz


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2. Deploying Satisfaction Surveys
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Surveys are a terrific way to receive feedback. Whether the survey is targeting employees, clients, past clients, patients, or attendees of a recent special event, having their input can make/break your next big idea. Zoomerang.com is an online survey system that can help you design and deploy your survey in just minutes. Here are a few suggestions they say will to help you garner the best results:
* Ask overall satisfaction at the start of the survey
* Use a 5 point satisfaction scale
* Be consistent with your question wording
* Keep the survey short and focused
* Ask demographic or “firmographic” questions
One mistake that many marketers make is asking too many questions. Not only do the lengthy surveys increase your costs and decrease the same sizes, your customers are left feeling pestered and put upon. Remember if you ask worthless questions you will yield worthless answers. Don’t be greedy when it comes to querying. After all, if you don’t respect the customer’s time, how can you ask him to respect yours?

Copyright 2008 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
419-855-3399
www.rebeccaboothmarketinggoddess.com



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3. The Law of Giving
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This is the second in a 7 part series based on Deepak Chopra’s book The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. http://www.amazon.com/dp/1878424602?tag=imageryconnec-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=1878424602&adid=12DVMSYSAGR88TAD40CT&

Chopra reminds us that giving and receiving are different aspects of the flow of energy in the universe and our willingness to give what we seek, keeps the abundance of the universe flowing in our lives. However, it is the intention behind your giving and receiving that is most important. If you give grudgingly, there is no energy behind that giving and so the flow of receiving will not be activated. The intention instead should always be to create happiness for both the giver and the receiver.

Practicing this law is simple:
• If you want joy, give joy to others
• If you want love, give love away
• If you want to be successful, help others become successful

You name it, whatever you desire, just find a way to joyfully give it away.

Also, anytime you come in contact with someone, give something to them. It could be a hug, a flower, a smile, a compliment, eye contact, or just a silent wish for their happiness. Practice doing that with everyone you encounter today!

To find out more about this classic book, visit www.transformationsinstitute.com/Books.html.


Copyright 2008 Pat Altvater
Chief Wizard of WOW
Creator, Journey to WOW - Choose Health NOW
www.permanentweightlossebook.com
www.transformationsinstitute.com
www.thesecretofpermanentweightloss.com


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4. Marketing Plans and Referral Systems
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Recently I had a conversation with a client about their business, their marketing plan and their referral system. Their question was, "Should we be working by referral only, or should we consider other aspects of marketing?" My feedback was simple; you should not be doing either without a plan.

How does your marketing plan relate to your business plan, your mission statement or your vision statement? Your company's business plan provides the environment in which your marketing plan must flourish. The two documents must have continuity between them according the American Marketing Association.

Inside your marketing plan, you look at all aspects of how you get your message to prospects that might be in need to your product or service. For instance, you may have Advertising as one of your marketing activities. Under advertising you may have, TV, Billboard, Coupons, Radio, Google Ads, and so forth. For each of those you need a budget, a timetable to implement, a system to measure results, and a target market.

Your Referral System should be part of your overall Marketing Plan. Unfortunately, most people do not have a plan for referrals. They might implement a reward system for people or customers who send them referrals and they stop there.

A good referral system should have a target market, a timetable for implementation, a budget, a training system for your referral partners, and a system for tracking your results. Your referral-marketing plan should be part of your over all marketing plan.

Should you be "By Referral Only" that is really a question that you must ask yourself. There are many business professionals who are by referral only, because they know they have plenty of work, many good clients and they know that referred clients have a longer shelf life, spend more money and are more likely to refer others to them.
• Building your business by referral takes more time than money. (remember time is money)
• Relationships and trust take time and cannot be rushed or bought.
• Advertising, PR, and many other forms of marketing take more money than time.
• Both must have a plan.
• Building your brand and your business takes a combination of both.

Copyright 2008 by Hazel M Walker & Paula Frazier, Executive Directors for BNI and Master Trainers for Referral Institute. They help business people create referrals for life. To learn more about the art of networking and the science of referrals visit http://www.referralinstitute-in.com or http://www.referralinstitute-va.com.

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5. To Do This Week
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Review your marketing plan for effectiveness in 2008.

Service - Truth Tellers - Potentiality - Timeline

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Monday Morning Motivators – April 7, 2007
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Enjoy your java with an eclectic collection of tips and ideas to use today and to get energized for the week ahead. Subscribing and unsubscribing at www.mondaymorningmotivators.com

“Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”
--Dwight D. Eisenhower

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Table of Contents
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1. Customer Service Wrap-up – Linda Fayerweather
2. Today’s Speaker: Hard-Nosed Truth Tellers - Rebecca Booth
3. The Law of Pure Potentiality – Pat Altvater
4. Relational Sales Timeline vs. Traditional Sales Timeline – Paula Frazier
5. To Do This Week
6. Fine Print

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1. Leadership Principles – Know Yourself ============================================================
Leadership may not be innate in each and every one of us, but if we strive to succeed at business ownership, at some point we will need to be “leading the troops”. The leader and the troops must have mutual values. These could be a common enemy, core values or business destiny. Regardless what the values, they must be defined and expressed especially at hiring time. To figure out what your company’s “mutual values are”, first know what makes you tick.
What are the things that you want in your business each and every day?
What do you look forward to doing every day?
What do you want your customers to know you for?
What do your employees all agree about you?
These might very well be your true talents.

Now, add to these talents your core values that are essential to your well being. Common ones I hear are:
Personal integrity,
Personal growth,
Positive attitude
Financial Security
Joy – Love – Time

As leaders, we need to know what makes us tick so we can push traits forward that inspire others to follow while taming the traits that distract from the mission.

Copyright 2008 Linda Fayerweather
"What do your customers teach you this week?”
Changing Lanes LLC
www.ChangingLanes.biz


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2. Today’s Speaker: Hard-Nosed Truth Tellers
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Sales meetings have changed. The speaker who “pumps you up” is out. And he’s been replaced by someone who’s doling out the truth with a bit of tough love. These in-your-face speakers bring a distinct style to the stage and happily bridge the gap between the generations in the audience. One such speaker is Larry Winget, author of You’re Broke Because You Want to Be. Winget notes, “The more obnoxious I am, the more audiences like me.” And it works. His style of speaking focuses on taking 100% responsibility for the condition in which you live. So what does this mean to you? It’s simple, people crave the truth and they don’t mind tough love. Add a dose of humor to the speech and you’ll be able to get your point across effectively. If you’re not courageous enough, join the hundreds of other sales managers in the world who hire guys like Larry Winget to tell their minions everything they would like to tell them but they can’t. His cost: $15,000 minimum for a speech. But well worth it if you need to tell others ”Shut up. Stop Whining. Get a life!”

Copyright 2008 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
419-855-3399
www.rebeccaboothmarketinggoddess.com

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3. The Law of Pure Potentiality
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According to Chopra, our essential nature is one of perfect balance, invincibility, unbounded possibilities and bliss. Unfortunately, we get out of balance by fears that come from things like looking for approval from others and attempting to control things outside of ourselves.

In order to tap into our true self, which is completely free of those things, Chopra offers 3 suggestions:
1. Experience silence every day through meditation
2. Practice being non-judgmental
3. Spend time in nature

Each of these three activities allows you to go beyond the turbulence of your internal dialogue to connect with the abundant, affluent, infinite, creative mind. Put these into practice today and be on the lookout for wonderful new ideas that come to you for your business and life. Anything is possible in the land of pure potentiality.

Pat Altvater
Chief Wizard of WOW
Creator, Journey to WOW - Choose Health NOW
www.permanentweightlossebook.com
www.transformationsinstitute.com
www.thesecretofpermanentweightloss.com

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4. Relational Sales Timeline vs. Traditional Sales Timeline
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The traditional sales timeline looks something like this:
Start Relationship --> Assess Need/Interest --> Overcome Objections & Close
(minimal time) (moderate time) (maximum time)

For the most part, you are single-handedly responsible for introducing yourself to as many new people as you possibly can to produce the results you need. YOU are working the phone. YOU are mailing notes and letters. YOU are sending emails. YOU are cold calling. YOU are attending chamber events. YOU are personally reaching out in every feasible way just to get an appointment.

Great! You got the appointment, but this new prospect really doesn’t know you. They probably know little, if anything, about your company. They many not even know your product or service exists. You’ll have to take time to acquaint them with you, your company and your product/service before they’ll willingly offer any level of need or interest.

At some point, the prospect will “hopefully” indicate that they could “possibly” need your product or service. Because so little time is invested in developing the relationship up to this point in the process, you will more than likely need to overcome objections. They may have concerns about you, your company and your product or service.

To successfully close the deal, YOU, all by yourself, will have to convince them why they should do business with YOU.

Referral Marketers know that trust takes time as it’s reflected in the relational sales model:
Build Relationships (focus on referral sources) --> Qualify Need --> Close
(maximum time) (moderate time) (minimal time)

Relational selling allows you to leap forward in the sales process as a result of someone else’s efforts:

1. Your referral source has already done all of the necessaries to build the relationship and establish trust with the prospect – NOT YOU!
2. Your referral source has identified a need the prospect has and their interest in learning more about how your products and services may be the solution – NOT YOU!
3. Every now and again, and as appropriate, your referral source may close the deal – NOT YOU!

You are all alone most of the time in traditional sales. In referral marketing you are never alone! One’s not good. One’s not bad. They’re just different. Take a look at your appointments from the last month. How many started with YOU? How many were a result of a referral source’s efforts? Visit www.referralinsitute-va.com to learn how to go further, faster with less effort through referral marketing.

Paula Frazier is an Executive Director for BNI and part of a select team of Master Trainers for Referral Institute. Her business networking articles have been published nationally. Paula is also acknowledged in the New York Times best seller, Truth or Delusion – Busting Networkings Biggest Myths. Check out #33…Delusion with a TWIST!

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5. To Do This Week
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List your top 5 personal strengths or traits
1.______________________________________
2.______________________________________
3.______________________________________
4.______________________________________
5.______________________________________