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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.__________________________________________________________
