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Simon Says The TACTIC: People do not buy features and benefits, they buy ways to avoid or overcome pain.

Simon, Inc. — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 02:43:50 -0400

The STORY:

Tim arrived at the prospect's office fifteen minutes before the appointment so that he could sit in the car and mentally review what he was going to say. Tim very carefully visualized each step of his presentation making sure that the benefits of buying from him and his companies were crystal clear. Looking at his watch, he took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and proceeded in to the appointment.

Once the pleasantries were over, Tim got right down to business.

"For the past five years, I have represented my company, which has been in business for over 50 years and provided to businesses like yours, the products and service which enable you to meet your customers' demands."

"That why I agreed to see you Tim," responded the prospect and then added, "I have a real need for what you are selling. In fact, I have to have it or staying in business will be almost impossible."

"I'm glad you agreed to meet with me. Our products have the longest mean time to failure in the industry and as a result, your downtime will be reduced by 75% within the first two years."

"Tim, that's great to know. But my engineering department is not sure that we can retro-fit your devices onto our equipment."

"That's something I'm sure we'll take care of later."

The prospect went on. "My production manager is very concerned, and so am I, that retraining our workers will take a long time. We can't afford to let production slip.

"I understand everything you are telling me. My advice is this: Don't worry. We've handled bigger problems than yours."

Twenty minutes later, the prospect thanked Tim for coming by and promised to review the proposal when Tim sent it over. Once Tim left the office, the prospect sat behind his desk with a nagging feeling that got more ominous the more he thought about it. "That salesperson," he thought, "didn't listen to anything I said." He picked up the phone, pressed a button and said, "Maggie, when and if Tim calls in the next few weeks, tell him I'm out of the office...and he's probably going to send along a proposal, just file it. Thanks."

The RESULT:

Tim ignored three chances handed to him by the prospect that would have led to the prospect believing that what he said mattered. The prospect was in pain, Tim ignored the pain, and now the prospect is going to ignore Tim.

DISCUSSION:

Despite what customers and prospects say, they buy from you to get rid of some pain that either is present or will be present without your product/service. They do not buy the product/service because you are a wonderful person. Of course, this does not mean that you should be anything less than wonderful. The point is that your customers and prospects can buy what you are selling from any number of other vendors at anytime. So why do they buy from you?

APPROACH:

This story contains prospect pain statements that Tim ignores in his rush to make his presentation. Tim's need to present causes him to completely ignore what the prospect is saying. For example, "I have a real need for what you are selling. In fact, I have to have it or staying in business will be almost impossible."

Tim goes right on ignoring this pain statement. He should have stopped the prospect and asked, "Staying in business will be almost impossible?" By asking this question, Tim is increasing the prospect's pain. Once the prospect is ready for a trip to the hospital, Tim will then present the solution to the pain.

You cannot ignore a prospect, or a customer who is in pain, and get away with it. If you do, he will take it out on you because from his point of view, you were insensitive and did not listen. Instead of Tim making his presentation, he should have listened to the presentation that the prospect was making.

THOUGHT:

People in pain resent people who cannot take the pain away. You sell pain relief.

Copyright 2008 Sandler Systems, Inc. all rights reserved.

Simon, Inc.
2180 Satellite Blvd., Suite 400
Norcross, GA 30097
770-281-9090 phone
770-281-9091 fax
SimonSaysSell.net

"180 degrees from traditional sales training"

Relationship Networking

S. Housley — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 02:39:18 -0400

What is Relationship Networking?

Relationship networking is simply the art of meeting people and benefiting from those relationships. Often the benefit of these relationships is to obtain information and leads to further grow your business. Any successful relationship, whether a personal or a business relationship, is unique to every pair of individuals, and it evolves over time.

Effective relationship networking is all about building those relationships and maintaining long lasting connections with other professionals. The Internet is an excellent vehicle for networking. Relationships can develop in newsgroups, forums, and via email. Though nothing really beats good old-fashioned face-to-face networking to start the process of building a relationship and trust, which is why industry conferences can be so important.

Not all contacts will be useful or worth pursuing. There will be leads that don't provide much information. Use your judgment on whether the information and relationship is worth spending more time on.

Relationship networking opens new doors, often it's "who you know, not necessarily what you know".

Tip to Build Network Relationships:

Provide genuine assistance to others.
Be open-minded.
Remember personal details.
Respect cultural differences.
Research people and companies. Know their goals and interests.
Reciprocate.
Introductions.

Where to Network:

So many people wear multiple hats; everyone and anyone could possibly be a networking opportunity. However, just like targeted search engine traffic, the more targeted the networking the higher the chance of success. 'Targeted' networking offers the most potential.

Trade associations or industry specific organization.
Trade shows.
Friends.
Schools.
Focused newsgroups and topic specific forums.
Customers.
Suppliers.
User groups.

Constantly refine and grow your network of relationships, as they are valuable and need cultivating. If you are perceived as someone who is only trying to get something your network will likely not increase. Networking is about building relationships and mutual interaction benefiting both parties. Share information and help others grow their businesses.

In many ways relationship networking and partnering overlap, and on some occasion's relationship networking will lead to synergistic partnering.

Partnering

Partnering is an attractive flexible way for companies to develop new markets and additional revenue. Working together, partners can combine strengths in critical areas. Often a larger well-known vendor provides small vendors with credibility, while the smaller vendor contributes specific industry knowledge unknown to the larger vendor. Synergistic relationships come in all shapes and sizes, but the best relationships and partnerships are the ones that benefit everyone. Partnering is a good way of tapping into related customer bases. Often the partners complement each other in such a way that they can provide a combined solution that neither partner could deliver alone.

Expectations

In order for a relationship to work you must have a clear understanding of both your companies and product(s) strengths and weaknesses. By being aware of any deficiencies, you will find partners with strengths in the areas of your weaknesses.

Know what you have to offer.
Know what you are looking for.
Don't waste yours and your potential partner's time.

Different relationships/partnering that works:

Product bundling.
Newsletter exchanges.
Integrations.
Link exchanges.
Technology or knowledge exchange.
Revenue share.
Ad exchange.

Win/Win

Only when each partner is successful can the partnership itself claim success. Partnerships are genuinely a win-win. Developers, who master the art of strategic partnering and relationship networking, will obtain long-term profitability and success.

Final Tips

Qualify sources.
Adage - you are who you hang with.
Not every relationship is a good one.
Evaluate potential partners.
Make it personal by taking the time to say thank you.
Results are not always immediate.
Carry business cards everywhere you go.

Being proactive and following up, you can have a network of contacts that you will be able to access quickly when you need them. Whether by more traditional means, such as in person or over the Internet, personal networks are essential for furthering your business. Relationship networking is give and take, be sure to help others in your quest for help.

Think Twice Before You Leave Your Job

Bill Dueease — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 02:36:50 -0400

The prevailing employee attitudes towards their jobs.

Job dissatisfaction has reached an all time high for corporate employees. Most employees have felt the sting of downsizing, out placement, and compensation cutbacks over the past two to five years. Employees that remained through all of this were given additional duties and responsibilities, (normally of those employees laid off by the company), without additional compensation. The prevailing corporate attitude was that employees should consider themselves lucky to have a paycheck. Corporate employee improvement services, like training, counseling or coaching were greatly reduced or even eliminated. Corporations no longer had the money to invest in their employees, nor did they know which employees to invest in.

Employees were almost considered a necessary burden. Benefit packages have been reduced or dismantled. Many corporations have converted employees to independent contract labor, to lower costs, commitments, and benefit obligations. There has also been a well-publicized movement towards outsourcing labor to countries like India with much lower labor costs, as an attempt to shed or reduce this burden. Being an employee under these circumstances has probably been less than enjoyable, and has certainly not created any loyalty by employees to the corporations who have treated them in this manner. Certainly, employees have discovered that achieving job security by working for a corporation is just a myth.

Employment times are changing

But like most other economic trends the pendulum is now swinging the other way. Corporations are beginning to grow and prosper. Corporations are looking to hire more employees to accommodate this new demand. This demand for additional employees presents an opportunity for existing employees to escape the unfavorable conditions they had to endure during recent years. I predict that there will be a very large exodus of employees who will seek employment with other companies to take advantage of the apparent grass is greener scenario. It appears that the migration has already started. "Newsweek" reports in their article entitled "Quitting Time" in their May 24, 2004 issue that Monster.com reports a 44% increase from a year earlier in resume postings, and an increase of 13% of "confidential" postings (usually made by people trying to hide job hunting from their bosses.)

If you are considering joining the exodus, there are some things you might want to consider, before you make a hasty exit, just because you can.

1. Try to avoid the flight-to-escape mentality.

Getting another job to escape the bad conditions and memories of your present job will not be positive for you. You can only escape the problems of your past employment by focusing on achieving a new positive career situation. When you focus on past negativity, it follows you, wherever you go. Sure the conditions might appear to be unbearable, but leaving only because of the bad will make it more difficult to focus on the improvements you want and need.

2. Consider seeking another career because it is a positive move for you.

You have the right and obligation to take advantage of the opportunity to improve your work status by seeking employment that will be a true improvement for you. You will want to concentrate on creating a new more positive career situation, rather than focusing on the bad things that happened to you. When you concentrate on the positive aspects of your new career that is what you will attain.

3. Take the time to discover what you really want to do.

The next few years will offer you a host of opportunities to improve your work situation, and you will want to make the right career choices while the time is right. You will want to discover your priorities; passions, talents and self imposed obstacles. This way you can determine the right career situation that will fit you. As opposed to having to adjust to fit the work situation as you have in the past. Once you are clearly aware of what career best suits you, you will have a much easier chance of attaining it.

4. Use this opportunity to take care of yourself and your loved ones.

You owe it to yourself and those who depend upon you to take the steps to improve your career whenever you can, especially when doing so allows you to improve your family and personal lives. Most likely the corporation you are working for only considered fulfilling their needs. Your loyalty to you and your family will undoubtedly outweigh any loyalty you might have to your company. Grant yourself permission to pursue your career improvements without guilt or hesitation.

5. Consider approaching your current employer to improve your conditions.

Your current employer might be very receptive to you staying under the new terms and conditions you present. There is a real good chance that your current employer is also experiencing successful growth and prosperity. If so, you now have considerable leverage to ask for and attain the improvements you want. Why? First, you were part of the reason they became successful. Second, they will be counting on you to achieve even bigger future success. Third, your departure will have serious negative consequences. It has been reported that the cost to replace an employee ranges from $10,000 to over $75,000 per employee. You will create a significant void in knowledge and continuity. They will have to train your replacement, which will take time, effort, and money, not to mention the break in productivity your departure creates. Your departure will also make it somewhat more difficult to entice new employees.

Smart employers will want to make adjustments to retain the employees that formed the core of the company during the bad times. Employers who continue to disregard your personal needs and priorities do not deserve you. By asking your present employers for the things you want, assuming they are capable of providing them to you, will present an excellent indicator of the intent of the company decision makers. Because you will most likely be afforded other opportunities outside your present employment, you will eventually have little to lose by asking.

6. Go after the career that fits you.

If your present employer cannot, or will not meet your required conditions, then search for those employment or income producing careers that will meet your conditions. Be sure to communicate to other employers who might meet your requirements what you want and why. But do not forget that you have an obligation to produce the results in your new position that will generate more profits to the company than their cost to compensate you. By knowing the value and profits you will provide new employers, you will be able to show them how meeting your requirements will be a real good deal for them. In addition, since you have chosen the new position to meet your personal passions, priorities and desires, you will have a natural enthusiasm for the position that will be hard to turn down.

7. Ask for help from the right person to assist you in your journey.

Your career choices will have an extremely powerful affect on your life, and you will want to make the next selections count the most for you. Getting help from someone you trust, who has your best interest at heart, who will be strong enough to tell you the truth and caring enough to not impose their agenda or opinions on you, will be priceless. The two of you can objectively search for, investigate, and evaluate career options to meet your true priorities, passions and needs. You two can develop plans to actually pursue your career choices and work together to actually implement your plan to completion.

A career coach will fill all of these desired requirements and more.

8. Connect with your ideal career coach.

Finding and connecting with the right career coach for you will create remarkable results in discovering and actually getting the next work position that truly suits you. You want to find the career coach whom you really like, and the two of you make an excellent equal partner team to discover and transition to your ideal income position.

Conclusion

Employment times are improving, and you can maximize the short and long term value of changing your work situation to meet your requirements, if you do it right. It is a very important part of your life, and making the most of these career opportunities will certainly be worth doing right.

Heart Filter

Kennette Reed — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 06:59:47 -0400

Heart Filter

We are faced with the need to make countless decisions daily. Some are so easy to make, we barely realize we're making them. Others require more consideration. We weigh the odds, examine our options, research, get feedback from others or contemplate the possible outcomes which might result from a number of possible choices that could be made. Unfortunately, too often, we don't rely on our internal meters.

Our gut and heart can often be the truest indicators of what is best for us. Even when the head can figure it out or the research results are contrary to what we feel, our gut and heart may signal us to "be wary", "question further" or "walk away". We should learn to trust our heart, use it as a filter and heed its signals. How can we begin to do this? Below are a few tips:

Do a heart check-in
The brain and the heart both contain the same neurological tissue. The heart is described as an emotional center. Listening to head and heart is crucial to good decision-making about life, business and relationships. When decisions need to be made, use the heart as a filter. Put a question to your heart and respect the answer received.

Make the body connection
Fear, passion, excitement, and love are a few of the emotions that trigger physical reactions. The body is a wealth of information. By staying connected to our body, we detect the clues it constantly provides.

Listen to your intuition
Knowing something, but not knowing why you know it, that's intuition. This is when appearances indicate one thing, but you have a knowing that is contrary. What you intuit is always correct, but the interpretation may not be.

Consult your heart for the answers to the important questions. Trust the answers are right for you. Once the decision is made, know it was the right decision for you, at this time. Regardless of the outcome. Regardless of appearances. It's all for your good. Time will show this to be true.

Sharing for mutual enrichment,
Kennette Reed
http://www.retentionexpert.com
Book Keynote Speaker Kennette Reed for your event l http://www.speakerkennettereed.com
NEW - Just Released eBook: From Idea to Author: How to Become Successfully Published l http://www.ideatoauthor.com
Products for Business & Personal Success l http://www.kennettereed.com/products.htm
Kennette's Blog can be viewed here http://www.thoughtstream1.blogspot.com
Discovering Your Passion: The Thing That Makes Your Heart Sing l http://www.discoveringyourpassion.com
Steps Along Your Path: 52 Weeks of Path Clearing & Inspiration l http://www.stepsalongyourpath.com

West Coast Office - Headquarters
655 Lewelling Boulevard, #443
San Leandro, CA 94579
(510) 352-2121

Kennette Reed & Associates
contactus@kennettereed.com

East Coast Office
4002 Highway 78, Suite 530-149
Snellville , GA 30039
(678) 344-6373

Simon Says: The TACTIC: Have prospects close themselves

Simon Says — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 06:57:07 -0400

The STORY:

Nick was climbing the wall because he could not figure out how to close the prospect. The prospect had spent the last hour with Nick and appeared to want to buy. But he didn't know what to do. If only he could remember what the experienced salespeople had told him to do.

"I really like this model," she said, "it will fit in perfectly with my decor."

"I guess that's important to you," responded Nick feeling like an idiot when the words came out.

"Oh, it's very important. My husband and I want our home to be a showplace of good taste."

"So your husband would like this, too?" asked Nick.

"Definitely. It's just what he would pick out."

"I guess you haven't bought it yet because you've looked elsewhere?" responded Nick.

"We've looked everywhere but this is the one we want." And then she added, "Do you have it in stock?"

"That's a good question," said Nick, knowing that the one she wanted was not in this store and would take a week to get. "If I can't get it within two weeks, I suppose you won't wait."

"Not at all. Having just what we want is worth waiting for."

"If I could get it within two weeks, what would you like me to do?" Nick waited, not knowing what else to do.

"Here's my American Express card. Get it."

The RESULT:

Nick never tried any of the closes that the experienced salespeople had suggestedonly because he couldn't remember them. Yet he closed the sale by letting the customer close the sale. In this situation, many salespeople would have tried "the trial close" at the beginning. Perhaps the woman would have closed at that point, but if she had not, it would have opened the door for her to come up with objections. In the above situation, the woman was never given the chance to voice one.

DISCUSSION:

Memorizing trial closes is easy. Using them is even easier. And any salesperson that uses trial closes knows to expect to objections from the prospect. Fully expecting that objections will arise, the salesperson is poised to swoop down and deal with them. And then try another trial close. Around and around in this cycle of trial close, raised objection, answered objection, and back to trial close.

And prospects know that this is exactly how a salesperson will behave. The prospect also has expectations. The prospect knows and expects to be hit with a trial close, knows that she is expected to come up with an objection and then be hit with another trial close. Around and around.

It truly is a wonder that anyone goes out to buy anything from a salesperson.

APPROACH:

The relationship between the salesperson and the prospect does not have to be adversarial.
If you can get the prospect to tell you why she is talking to you, reflect back the prospect's statements as questions. How do you start this happening? Simple. Ask the following question: "Why did you think of coming in today?" Wait for a response. Take the response and reflect it back.

"I came in because I know you sell this brand."

"That's interesting, why that brand?"

"Because my sister has one and it never breaks."

"Never breaks...why is that important to you?"

And the prospect will give you a third reason why she wants to buy. Do this for another ten questions and then ask the prospect: "What would you like me to do?"

THOUGHT:

Prospects want to buy; otherwise they would not be talking to you

Copyright 2008 Sandler Systems, Inc. all rights reserved.

Simon, Inc.
2180 Satellite Blvd., Suite 400
Norcross, GA 30097
770-281-9090 phone
770-281-9091 fax
SimonSaysSell.net

"180 degrees from traditional sales training"

People Plus Systems Equals Great Sales

Lee Huffman — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 10:47:44 -0400

Secrets of Sales Success

When you ask many of the greatest salespeople in history what their secret is many would answer - personality. However, when asked how to quantify and teach personality to others these super salespeople are often stumped. Teaching great sales involves a major re-education and a focus on systems that make sales simple.

Sales Scripts

Sales scripts not only increase the sales of top performers but also produce amazing results for the entire team. One rule of thumb that can be used in selling and in life is that what you can measure you can manage and grow! The ultimate test of a superior salesperson is how consistent their results are and how consistent the results are for the entire team. Using a sales script achieves this consistency and makes the training of new team members simple and effective.

By introducing a sales system like a script, you can then measure conversion on a daily basis and your sales will automatically increase - guaranteed. Therefore, exactly what does a sales script look like, how do you write one and how is it used. let's look at this now.

What is a Script?

A sales script is a documented, methodical, learnable, effective system of selling your goods and services. It is a written process on paper designed to give the salesperson control of the call (while the customer 'feels' in control) and create a desired result - the sale! It is written by your number one salesperson, in answer to the question -- Exactly what do you say to a prospect to get them to buy your product? You may even choose to reward your top salesperson for doing this by offering them a great incentive such as a percentage of extra sales.

For More Information Click Here

See It Through

Kennette Reed — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:34:15 -0400

Many talk about what they'll do, claim to be the best, promise to meet expectations or exalt the wonders of their products, services or skills. Those who actually walk their talk, prove to be better than expected or truly offer the best products/services/skills, are respected and valued.

Want to be included on the shortlist of top performers or trusted advisors? Try keeping the following in mind to increase credibility, respect, and personal effectiveness:

Track the progress of your work, and the work of others, as it relates to the full completion of your project/task.
Keep it personal. When delivery of a request is completed by another, be sure to thank them for their contribution.
Say, it. Do it. If you say you'll do it, make sure you do it well, and in a timely manner.
When tracking a project or item, be willing to make adjustments (if necessary) to insure thorough and timely completion.
If you have ideas that may contribute to the success of projects, ask if they are welcomed, and offer them if they are.
Follow-through, and follow-up help everyone shine. You might be able to catch a ball before it's dropped. Do it for the good of all parties involved.
A job well done may have many tangible and in tangible rewards. Give yourself the opportunity to discover and experience them.

Seeing projects, ideas or promises through to completion builds credibility, exhibits thoroughness and improves self-esteem. Wouldn't you rather work with someone who has a track record of following up and following through? Your clients would too.

Demonstrate your ability to manage challenges and exceed client expectations by sharing how your previous project management skills saved a client money, helped them dodge a bullet, exceeded their expectations or met an unusual need. You'll gain the prospect's/client's trust in your ability to successfully get the job done.

Kennette Reed http://www.retentionexpert.com is known as the Performance Improvement & Staff Retention Expert. For 20+ years, she has provided performance improvement and staff retention solutions to individuals and organizations across the country. Through her consulting, training, success coaching, and speaking engagements, Kennette involves, excites, and motivates organizations and individuals toward more impactful and individual focused management. She is the author of Discovering Your Passion: The Thing That Makes Your Heart Sing l http://www.discoveringyourpassion.com and Steps Along Your Path: 52 Weeks of Path Clearing & Inspiration l http://www.stepsalongyourpath.com .

Book Keynote Speaker Kennette Reed for your event l http://www.speakerkennettereed.com

NEW - Soon To Be Released Book: People Management: How To Win Support & Influence Performance
Products for Business & Personal Success l http://www.kennettereed.com/products.htm

Sharing for mutual enrichment,

Kennette Reed
http://www.retentionexpert.com
Book Keynote Speaker Kennette Reed for your event l http://www.speakerkennettereed.com
NEW - Soon To Be Released Book: People Management: How To Win Support & Influence Performance
Products for Business & Personal Success l http://www.kennettereed.com/products.htm

Discovering Your Passion: The Thing That Makes Your Heart Sing l http://www.discoveringyourpassion.com
Steps Along Your Path: 52 Weeks of Path Clearing & Inspiration l http://www.stepsalongyourpath.com

West Coast Office - Headquarters
655 Lewelling Boulevard, #443
San Leandro, CA 94579
(510) 352-2121

Kennette Reed & Associates
contactus@kennettereed.com

East Coast Office
4002 Highway 78, Suite 530-149
Snellville , GA 30039
(678) 344-6373

Keep A Record by Kennette Reed

by Kennette Reed — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:26:54 -0400

Ideas can occur to you without warning. They can also be lost in an instant. As creativity expert Charles Cave states, "There are times when you may hear a snatch of conversation, or see a funny sign. Unless you capture that thought immediately, it will be gone in matter of minutes. Imagine your ideas are butterflies flying out into the open. You need a net to capture the butterflies and not let them get away."

Coming up with ideas is easier for some than others. How do you increase the flow of ideas? I believe we all have the capacity to generate an infinite number of ideas. However, ideas that occur to us everyday are often never considered, noticed, or acted on. Why? We often dismiss them subconsciously and consciously. If we instead begin to record every idea, we'll see a wealth of information is being presented to us everyday. If we ponder these ideas, we'll see the act of doing so will begin generating additional ideas. Before you know it, you'll have good ideas to spare. Here are some ways to record your ideas and keep them flowing:

Write them down in a designated "Ideas Notebook" or "Ideas Journal".
Use a PDA to jot a note, and fill in the details later.
Make notes on index cards. After accumulating a number of ideas, move the cards around, and group similar or related ideas.
A micro cassette recorder is handy to carry in a purse, brief case, or glove compartment of your car. Keep it accessible to quickly record what might be fleeting ideas or thoughts.
Phone your voice mail or answering machine and leave yourself a message that contains the ideas or thoughts.
Use the memo function on your mobile phone to record your idea.
A small notepad is also a handy recording device. Some even come with a pen attached.

It's important to periodically review your ideas and organize them according to topic. The ideas we generate everyday are little inspirations. Cherish each one. Within each idea is a seed of wisdom. Never discount your ideas or thoughts. There is a reason for their generation. That reason may not be immediately obvious. Write them down anyway. Over time, a pattern may be identified. That's when the "Ah ha!" will occur.

Kennette Reed is known as the Performance Improvement & Staff Retention Expert. For 20+ years, she has provided performance improvement and staff retention solutions to individuals and organizations across the country. Through her consulting, training, success coaching, and speaking engagements, Kennette involves, excites, and motivates organizations and individuals toward more impactful and individual focused management. She is the author of Discovering Your Passion: The Thing That Makes Your Heart Sing and Steps Along Your Path.

Sharing for mutual enrichment,

Kennette Reed
http://www.retentionexpert.com

Book Keynote Speaker Kennette Reed for your event l http://www.speakerkennettereed.com

NEW - Soon To Be Released Book: People Management: How To Win Support & Influence Performance
Products for Business & Personal Success l http://www.kennettereed.com/products.htm

Click below to see Kennette's Blog

Discovering Your Passion: The Thing That Makes Your Heart Sing l http://www.discoveringyourpassion.com
Steps Along Your Path: 52 Weeks of Path Clearing & Inspiration l http://www.stepsalongyourpath.com

West Coast Office - Headquarters
655 Lewelling Boulevard, #443
San Leandro, CA 94579
(510) 352-2121

Kennette Reed & Associates
contactus@kennettereed.com

East Coast Office
4002 Highway 78, Suite 530-149
Snellville , GA 30039
(678) 344-6373

Simon Says: Which Is Better: To Be Liked, Or To Be Respected?

Simon, Inc. — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:14:30 -0400

We all have a social need to be liked, but is it necessarily what you should strive for as a business development professional? It's a trick question - because if we are liked - that's a good thing, as long as being a good guy doesn't mean wimping out.

It's a fact, some people would rather be liked than make the sale. Some people are afraid that if they ask the tough questions, disqualify a prospect or plant their feet on price, then they won't be liked. On the other hand, professional salespeople do this every day. Does that mean they aren't liked? Maybe, but I'm betting they are given a greater attribute than being liked. They are respected.

When we analyze sales people's weaknesses, we discover one of the biggest is 'Need for Approval'. When salespeople have a high need for approval, they can't close effectively. Their need to be liked is stronger than the need to close. They feel confrontational when there is a difference between themselves and their prospect. They take things personally. They are likely to accept stalls, put offs, excuses and "think-it-overs." In other words, they are allergic to "NO".

When sales professionals overcome their need for approval, they can increase sales by as much as 35%.

Sales is a tough business. The rejection factor is high. Where else does the job description include getting rejected 10 to 20 times a day?

Sales professionals need to develop their 'gut' system, gain self-confidence and self-respect so that they are able to strive for the greatest attribute in this profession. That is the respect of their customers who buy and also the respect of the prospects who didn't qualify to be customers.

Copyright 2008 Sandler Systems, Inc. all rights reserved.

Simon, Inc.
2180 Satellite Blvd., Suite 400
Norcross, GA 30097
770-281-9090 phone
770-281-9091 fax
SimonSaysSell.net

"180 degrees from traditional sales training"

What Would You Do If You Knew You Couldn't Fail? Copyright © by Lena Sanchez

Lena Sanchez — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:14:18 -0400

Have you ever thought about that? Take that thought one step further and ask what could I have done if I had known failure was not an option? Unrealistic thought here! Failures teach more than successes ever has and should not end your life of trying and experimenting. Continuing until you find your niche is the sign of a true entrepreneur as well as maturity!

The thought that obstacles would not occur in life or business is an unreal idea. So the next question you should ask is, "can I handle obstacles?" You yourself are the real obstacle in this equation. Altruism is "thoughts are things!" Well if you think you are not able to do something you certainly can rest assured you won't! But by the same token, if you think you can you most certainly will, obstacles or not! Special bonuses usually arise for those that act quickly and without worry knowing that obstacles, should they arise, will be overcome by your own power. Want bonuses in life or nothing? It's your call!

If you are reading this the thought of success in business or your personal life has and does occur to you. Right! So are you ready to analyze yourself and find out what it will take to get yourself in gear for success? Are you ready to make a commitment to yourself and success? A commitment is something you do not back out on just because the going gets rough.

I was raised with parents who had no positive or constructive goals nor reached for things outside their world of friends. That world was a very small perimeter to them. My, father the dreamer, had such potential but was so set in his own ideas that he would not seek nor listen to advice as he thought he knew everything, thereby dooming him to a life of unsuccessful attempts. Since he had no friends that could claim successful lives in the world of business or industry he had no knowledge of finding a mentor and probably would not have listened to one anyway.

We can be our own worst enemies if we fail to open our eyes to what isn't in our path at the moment.

My parents could not teach me the success principles since they had never learned them. So the first rule I learned while watching their lives was to go outside our circle and find a circle of creative, supportive, goal oriented positive people with dreams and people who were not afraid of challenges or failures. Also to find a mentor or mentors to show me the way out of my limitations, since you simply cannot find a way out of something you know nothing about. I watched everyone I knew and admired that had successful lives, thereby learned by others' successes and drives. Watching then gave me the empowerment to do whatever I chose to do. I continue to live that way, helping others as they ask. My 64 years of life has been a learning experience every day I shall never stop learning and hopefully neither shall you! To stop learning is to curl up and die...

I have not always been able to rise above negative attitudes, but for the most part am able to ignore them, that is not to say I don't feel them. Yes I am as human as the next person but I made a decision early on in life and that was to choose not to pay attention to such nonsense. I became a champion at ignoring sarcasm and negative attitudes early on. Not because I'm special but because it isn't constructive to my mind or business to accept negatives. No I'm no better than anyone else! It's choices I make and choices you can make if you wish.

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Is Your Marketing Strategy Killing Your Profits?

Charlie Cook — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:13:25 -0400

With the wrong marketing strategy you could be killing your profits and limiting your business. Your marketing strategy is like the driver in a car, with marketing tactics being the engine. If you know where you want to go and how to get there, your marketing tactics will help you attract many more clients, if not you could crash.

Every business uses one or more of the following tactics to attract clients; mailings, advertisements, phone calls, networking, promotional events, a web site and sending email. If you use any of these and aren't attracting as many new clients as you want or making as much money as you'd like, the problem may not be the tactics. It's your marketing strategy that needs attention.

Without an effective marketing strategy you won't achieve the results you want, no matter how much time and money you spend. A high profile radio ad campaign won't help you grow your business unless it includes a message that attracts your prospects. An article about your firm in a newspaper can bring in business or just be a conversation piece. Email messages you send can end up in your prospects' delete bin or prompt them to contact you.

Mailings, radio advertisements or web sites are only delivery vehicles for your marketing message. They are the tactics you use to implement your strategy. Are you using the right strategy to market your business?

What are the fundamental principles of your marketing strategy? If you can answer this question, you're among one percent of business owners who can. Most people think only about their marketing tactics or vehicles and wonder why their profits aren't growing as quickly as they would like.

Business-Building Marketing Strategy

To grow your business you need to:

Define Your Goals
Identify where you want to take your business and what you want to achieve. Other than making more money than you are now, have you written down a vision of what you want your business to be two years from now? Five years from now?

Target Your Marketing
Most small business owners waste their time and money pitching too broadly. Do you have an effective method for identifying the people who want your products and services?

Use a Problem Solving Approach
Over 95 percent of small business owners focus their marketing on the reasons people should buy their products and services, not on their clients. Is your marketing focused on client's concerns and problems or on yours?

Demonstrate Value
Getting your name in front of people is a first step in marketing, but if your prospects don't know what you do or how you can help them, you haven't achieved your goal. Past clients and prospects may have only a limited idea of how you can help them. Do your prospects understand the range of problems you solve and the solutions you provide?

Build Relationships
Every past client and prospect who has shown an interest can help you grow your business. Most service professionals know this but waste this resource through lapsed or infrequent communication. Do you have a method for staying in touch on a monthly basis with every person who could help you grow you business? Do you have a strategy for growing the number of qualified prospects on this list each week?

Many people find that defining their marketing strategy is the hardest part of their job. So hard that many small business owners use a tactical approach instead. Don't make this mistake!

Once you have clear marketing goals and a well-defined strategy, your marketing will be more focused and you can make more effective use of appropriate marketing tactics to grow your business. Shift to strategic marketing and you'll turbo charge your marketing and your business

Are You Ready to License?

Susan A. Friedmann — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:12:12 -0400

I like work. It fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.

Jerome K. Jerome's famous quote may have been intended as a tongue-in-cheek celebration of laziness -- but there's a gem in there that Nichepreneurs can profit from.

Licensing may not be the first word that comes to mind when you're considering your career, particularly if you've made your niche in the service industry. However, creating a license based on your Expert Identity can be a very lucrative revenue stream. Nichepreneurs who create licenses based on their products and services can increase their profitability without adding to their workload: a great spot to be in. Identifying the right time to consider licensing one's expertise will be different for every Nichepreneurs. However, there are five common factors others have used to make the decision:

More Work Than One Office Can Handle

Are you booking appointments six months out? Do new clients have to wait weeks and weeks before getting to meet you? Have you expanded hours, opened up on the weekend, and still don't have enough time for everyone?

These are all signs that you've got more work than you can handle. Mind you, this is a good position to be in -- but clients won't wait forever. If you can't handle all of your business in a timely fashion, changes have to be made. Rather than lose these clients to a competitor who can see them quickly, why not funnel them to one of your licensees? That way you continue to profit from the relationship, without adding more to an already overloaded schedule.

Geographical Challenges

Word of mouth is a wonderful thing, and there's nothing better than having your clients tell all of their friends how great you are. However, when those friends live far beyond where you're willing or able to travel, someone's bound to be disappointed.

Licensing can be the ideal solution when customers want your services yet are further afield than you're able to travel. By creating licenses, you can expand your geographic range, creating a far larger footprint than you'd be able to on your own.

Be realistic with yourself when considering this criteria. With relatively cheap airfares and a strong drive to succeed, more than one Nichepreneur has gotten into the habit of living life on the road -- traveling cross country, often several times a week, for client meetings. If you enjoy this kind of commute, great! However, if you are starting to resent the sight of your suitcase, it might be well worth considering if slightly diminished profitability is worth being able to forgo the weekly flight.

Time Limitations

Nichepreneurs or not, there are only 24 hours in a day. That's all the time you have to run a business, have a family, and perhaps even eke out a little personal time. You can't work all of the time, unless you're willing to forgo the other two categories -- and that's not a healthy balance.

Licensing allows you to make the most of the limited amount of time we all have. If you're having real trouble meeting all of your professional obligations and keeping a good balance of family and personal time, it may be time to consider how you can make your practice more efficient. Licensing is one tool that you can use to capitalize on the finite number of hours in the day.

Desire to Increase Profitability

Every individual has unique financial goals. If you're not reaching yours, licensing might offer an opportunity to get closer to that target number.

License arrangements vary: some Nichepreneur sell licenses outright, where others enter into ongoing arrangements allowing affiliates to use the name, logo, and methodologies you've created in return for a monthly fee. You'll want to consult with your financial advisor about what arrangement best suits your needs and will help you realize more profit.

Interest from Would Be Licensees

Interest from would-be licensees is a great signal that you may be ready to license. Sometimes others can see the opportunities that we're blind to: either because we're too close to our own businesses or just too busy to notice the profit waiting to be realized.

Be cautious at this point: just because someone has expressed interest in entering a license agreement with you doesn't mean they're the ideal person to carry your name. There's a lot of legwork and research that goes into creating a license relationship: however, the enhanced profitability often makes it all worth it.

Keep A Record

Kennette Reed — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:11:57 -0400

Write them down in a designated "Ideas Notebook" or "Ideas Journal".
Use a PDA to jot a note, and fill in the details later.
Make notes on index cards. After accumulating a number of ideas, move the cards around, and group similar or related ideas.
A micro cassette recorder is handy to carry in a purse, brief case, or glove compartment of your car. Keep it accessible to quickly record what might be fleeting ideas or thoughts.
Phone your voice mail or answering machine and leave yourself a message that contains the ideas or thoughts.
Use the memo function on your mobile phone to record your idea.
A small notepad is also a handy recording device. Some even come with a pen attached.

Sharing for mutual enrichment,

Kennette Reed
http://www.retentionexpert.com

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Networking: The NON- Spreadsheet Activity

Susan RoAne — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:11:14 -0400

Somehow a falsehood has been spread about networking.that it is a quantifiable process that one can tally. NO, it is not now nor never has been ---a science. Although there are academics who study social networks who are mathematicians, behaviorists and even physicists, the reality is that day to day treatment of others, support and exchanges we call networking are an ART... the art of communication.

Those who come from analytical backgrounds seem to want to configure, debit, credit and they miss the ARTFUL aspect of the process that was once known as 'helping'.

We can track the history of a 'lead' as I did when asked how I was hired to speak for Lockheed and realized it all started 13 years earlier in a ballroom at the Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles. But that tracing of the steps does not belong on a spreadsheet in EXCEL. All I can say is that those who are the best of networkers treat are smart and savvy in the manner with which they treat others. And they do the right thing... without being reminded.

During a conversation with an award winning short story writer, she mentioned that she was in a quandary about her literary agent. The comments she made were all valid but there was one that had a greater impact. "The agent knew my mother was dying. She died and six months later my brother died and I never received a phone call nor a card.

"She was talking about a very successful agent whose treatment of authors has always been in question but her prowess as an agent encouraged authors to look the other way. My rhetorical question to this writer: "Do you want to be represented by someone who would know of your loss and never make the time to acknowledge it?"

Smart agent.yes and NO. She didn't have the sympathy nor empathy nor basically give a fig about this author and her loss. NOT communicating spoke volumes. The smart, savvy networker is one who is connected to the people in their networks. not just what those people can do to help them. Networking is part 'milk of human kindness' and I am afraid we have people whose behaviors ...'under the guise' of networking... are not only lactose intolerant... but blatantly intolerable.

© RoAne 2004 Susan RoAne is an in-demand keynote speaker and best-selling author who has worked conventions,trade shows, meetings and the bleachers of Wrigley Field. Her best-selling books: How To Work A Room®, The Secrets of Savvy Networking and What Do I Say Next? and her audio-book, RoAne's Rules: How To Make the RIGHT Impression, are available in local and on-line bookstores. Susan RoAne is the nation's leading and original networking authority and can be located in San Francisco at 415-239-2224 and at: Susan@SusanRoAne.com

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I like work. It fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.

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Keep A Record

Networking: The NON- Spreadsheet Activity

I like work. It fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.