- 25 Sales Fundamentals For Success
Want to know the 25 basic keys to sales success? - 52 Weeks To Guaranteed Success And Happiness
The following 52 behaviors when mastered as a part of your personal and career development will guarantee increased success and happiness. - 52 Weeks To Sales Success
The following 52 behaviors when mastered as a part of your personal and career development will guarantee increased sales. Each of the 52 topics are critical to your continued sales success. - A Few Things To Consider As You Begin The New Year
What consequences are you paying today as a result of past choices? If you could go back in time with what you know now, would you have made different choices? If so what would you have wanted the new outcome to be? It is interesting to note that people who are happy understand that they made the best choices they could at the time, with the information, experience and insight that was available to them. When asked, ‘if you could live your life over, what would you do differently?’ The response is almost always, ‘nothing’. - A Great way To Resolve Conflict
One of the problems in relationships is the issue of communication, specifically, people interrupting others while they are talking. When you interrupt someone you are saying: you don’t matter, your ideas are not important, I am not listening to you, I don’t care about what you are saying etc. None of these contribute to open honest communication and relationships. - A Lack Of Accountability Is One Of Corporate America's Biggest Challenges
If your organization lacks accountability I will guarantee that you have some morale challenges. Ignore these to your peril. - A Lack Of Commitment Is One Of The Major Causes Of Failure
People by the millions are bailing out of jobs, careers, businesses, relationships and life in general. Many of these people lack commitment to a cause, lifestyle, purpose, or outcome. When it gets a little tough, uncomfortable, or they don’t get the results they thought they would as quickly as they thought they should, their response is: "I'm outa here." - A Time For Reflection
Want to make better decisions and choices? Work from knowledge, experience and a specific plan and answer the following questions. - Above Ground, Life's Gifts To You
Your life is filled with choices that lead you to your enlightenment or keep you stuck in the ambiguity of adversity, disillusionment, distress, and discouragement. - Adversity Can Make You Stronger Or Weaker - It's Up To You
To have a life without adversity is to live in fantasyland. Sooner or later, adversity strikes its victims when they least expect it or want it. Adversity takes many forms. - An Attitude Of Gratitude Will Ensure You Achieve Your Dreams
Have you ever noticed that some people seem to have more of some things or everything than others? More fun, stuff, friends, success, money, influence, achievements, wisdom, peace, harmony, freedom, just to mention a few. - Any Time Is A Good Time For Reflection
Expecting different results from repeated behavior is a mild form of insanity. - Are Management Roles Changing Today?
There are a number of conditions that are impacting the roles of managers today. A few of them are: - Are Salespeople Becoming Obsolete?
Will the continuous advances in technology replace the profession of selling in the foreseeable future??I am not a fortune teller or a mystic, but I do believe that we will see dramatic changes in the roles salespeople play in their organizations and the economy in general. During the next several years and stretching into the next few decades there will be dramatic and all encompassing change in every industry, field and profession. No one will go untouched by the swath that will cut across every age group and discipline. - Are We Losing The Simple Courtesies In Life
Whatever happened to the simple thank you, please, I beg your pardon I'm sorry and numerous other simple common courtesies? Have we become so busy, self-absorbed, insensitive, self-centered and arrogant that we no longer have the time or interest in sharing these few, but simple, niceties? I don’t know about you but I believe there are fewer people with manors today than at any time in the past. - Are You A Planner Or A Crisis Management Expert?
One of the biggest shortcomings of many managers and business owners is the lack of ability, willingness or time required to plan. Planning involves a variety of issues, steps, agendas, requirements and time. In the long run, my experience tells me that managers who spend adequate quality time planning an activity, project, strategy, campaign or any business event will save money, time, energy and will contribute greatly to their bottom line, competitive position and overall reputation and success. - Are You a Routine or Periodic Procrastinator?
Why do people procrastinate? Is it their fear of the unknown? Could it be acceptance of the status quo even though their current circumstances are less than desirable or do these people just have too much on their plate? For every procrastinated decision, action or behavior change there are any number of perceived legitimate reasons as well as excuses that people give themselves to justify their lack of action. - Are You A Self Promoter?
I am telling you, education is important. Talent is important. Effort is important. Timing is important. The right contacts are important. But even if you have all of these, you can still never achieve greatness or sustained success without the willingness and ability to be a relentless self-promoter. - Are You A Victim Of Sales Cycles
Many products and services have different sales cycles – from the first prospect meeting to the close of the sale. Some cycles can be several months to a few years. Some can be just a few days. - Are You An Effective Communicator
I don't care what else you accomplish this year. If you can effectively address these three issues, you will be amazed at how much more profitable and competitive you can be in the market place. - Are You An Order Taker Or A Sales Pro
What is the difference between a clerk (order taker) in sales and a professional salesperson? A definition I have used can be summarized as follows: - Are You Changing With The Times Or Are You Going To Be Left behind?
The profession of selling is changing and has been for a number of years. This change is being driven by - Are You Creating A Favorable First Impression?
There is an old saying – "you never get a second chance to make a first impression". I don't really know whether it is true or not. Many old cliches have a way of hanging around for years and people seldom question them. Point is, first impressions do matter especially in business. - Are You Giving Customer Focused Sales Presentations?
In a recent sales survey, it was discovered that most salespeople cover 5-7 features during their presentation. When asked what the prospect remembered 24 hours later, they mentioned only one of the features. Guess which one? Not the first one, or the last one, but the one that related to their need, want, problem, desire or concern. - Are You Guilty of These Common Sales Mistakes?
Every day thousands of salespeople annoy their customers and prospects with a variety of actions, behaviors and decisions. Are you guilty of any of the following? If you are you might want to re-evaluate your selling behavior. Why lose sales or customers needlessly when all that might be necessary are just a few minor changes in your selling style or communication methods. - Are You Having Trouble Forgiving Someone?
Why is it so hard for people to forgive.In every relationship each partner will from time to time behave in such a manner that their partner will have the opportunity to forgive them or hold on to the blame, resentment, anger or disappointment. - Are You Learning From The Past
Each of us has a unique life history. We have learned different lessons, have had special circumstances, and have had some similar, as well as unique, experiences. This past – mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally – has contributed today to: - Are You Letting Your Worrying Kill You?
I recently came across an interesting statistic. Now generally, statistics can be very misleading, but they can give us some insight if we don’t get ourselves worked into a twit over them. Anyway, I read that 85 - 90% of the population worry about something on a consistent basis. People worry about: - Are You Looking In The Right Direction?
Are you looking in the right direction for the answers to your life's questions? Often we are tempted to look outside ourselves to our: spouse, company, church, friends, gurus and wizards for the answers to the burning questions about our life: - Are You Losing Control Of The Sales Process?
One of the common sales traps that many salespeople fall into is the loss of control of the sales process. Here are a few common examples. - Are You Managing By Example?
In today's fast-paced and rapidly changing business climate, it is critical that organizations maintain flexibility, fast response time, customer focus and agility. The vital ingredient necessary to accomplish all of these is creative, imaginative, loyal, productive, motivated and well-trained employees. - Are You Managing Top-Down or Bottom-Up Or Both?
There are only three ways to manage your organization, department or branch – Top-down, Bottom-up or a combination. - Are You Moving From Day To Day In Auto-Pilot
Life is lived one moment at a time in the present. When we react unconsciously, we turn the power over the quality of our life to past experiences, other people's expectations, remarks or deeds, or whatever we feel is beyond our control. - Are You On The Right Path Into Your Future?
What can we do to ensure we are on the right path, we stay true to it regardless of the pressures form others or our environment and find satisfaction in the journey along the way? - Are You Paying The Price Of Discipline Or Regret?
In life, we either pay the price of discipline or the price of regret. We pay these prices in all areas of life: our careers, relationships, health, spiritual development, and financial affairs. - Are You Paying The Price Of Success Or The Price Of Failure?
The price of success will always be easier than the cost of failure. - Are You Practicing On Your Best Prospects
How much time do you spend practicing and developing your skills? Do you practice a new technique on a prospect or on a fellow salesperson or your supervisor first? Do you not practice at all, but just show up? - Are You REALLY Happy In Your Relationship Or Have You Just Settled?
I recently read a study that indicated that 91% of all people in relationships were not happy. Now I can't tell you if this percentage is true, if it is an accurate portrayal of the average relationship or an exaggeration to get people’s attention. I don't know the details or particulars of the study as they were not given in very much depth. But the fact remains, that if 91% of the people surveyed felt this way, can we assume that many other people in general who were not surveyed are not happy as well? I don’t like to make assumptions but this number is really scary. - Are You Spending Too Much Time Getting Ready To Sell?
Selling today is easier in many ways, but it is also more difficult in other ways.It is easier because of the internet, globalization, improved customer education and sophistication, better quality products and services, improved organizational management and increased selling skills training. - Are You Starting Over Again in a Career or Relationhsip?
Endings are filled with confusion, grief, anger, frustration, uncertainty, fear, anxiety and pain. There are always more questions than answers.New beginnings are filled with hope, anticipation, energy, desire, adventure, excitement, joy and wonder. The unanswered questions that linger in your mind are unimportant. The future looks bright. - Are You Still A Believer In Those Old Sales Myths?
Over the years, a great number of sales trainers, as well as sales managers, have perpetuated a number of sales myths as if they were truths. - Are You Stuck In One Of The Common Motivation Traps?
Everyone is motivated. However they aren't always motivated by the things that we would like them to be motivated by.There have been countless studies and case histories done on the subject of motivation. Although there are many similarities as well as differences in their ultimate results there are several concepts that can be pulled from all the research regardless of its focus or purpose. - Are You Using Money To Measure Your Success?
As I observe friends, neighbors, acquaintances and people in general I am coming to believe that many people are still measuring their success by what they get or have than by what they can let go of and share. I am not implying that stuff is bad, that accumulating money is not a worthy cause or that surrounding yourself with the trappings of success and wealth (if you have them) is harmful. Having said that let me tell you what I believe are the negative consequences of only measuring your success by the accumulation of stuff, wealth or positive lifestyle benefits. - Are You Using Positive Anchors?
What is an anchor? And I am not referring to the nautical term. It is grounding yourself with a memory either positive or negative that reminds you of how you felt, what you did or what you believed when the anchor is thought of, touched, or focused on. Let me give you a positive and negative illustration of how an anchor is used. - Are You Using Technology As A Crutch
Many salespeople are relying too heavily on technology today as a sales tool to - Are You Willing to Re-invent Yourself Every Day?
This is the age of rediscovery. Are you willing to re-invent yourself?Bookstores are filled with hundreds of books on how to rediscover your childhood, relationships, sense of balance, your mission or purpose in life and meaning in your career or business. Everywhere I look I see people who are working harder at trying to have fun and find a sense of meaning in their jobs and in their life in general. - Are Your People Busy or Hiding Out?
Over the years, I have observed many salespeople and their routines – daily, weekly, monthly and yearly. It is my belief that many salespeople waste a great deal of time. Some of the common time wasters are (there are many others, this is just a quick list): - Are Your Prejudices Getting In Your Way?
Because holding on to prejudices and judgments can seriously undermine your effectiveness as a manager, your challenge is to let go of them. Prejudices can take many forms, but generally are the result of your expectations, personal philosophy, experiences, life outlook, and personal agendas. - Are Your Salespeople Confusing Your Prospects And Customers?
Over the years, I have observed hundreds of salespeople, who represented a variety of organizations selling both services and tangible products, lose sales and customers because of their inability to articulate concepts, ideas and benefits professionally. - Are Your Salespeople Sabotaging Their Success?
Many salespeople could be so much more successful than they are. All that is needed is a willingness to stop behaviors that hurt their success and replace them with actions and attitudes that will ensure success. What are some of the factors that limit salespeople’s success? See if you can see yourself in any of the following: - As A Manager Are You Consistent In Your Treatment Of Your Employees?
One of the key ingredients of good managers is the ability to maintain consistency in all of their roles and activities. Some of these include how they: - Assuming Anything In Sales Is To Invite Failure
One of the biggest mistakes many salespeople make is to assume. To believe that something is true without any verification, validation or evidence. In the area of the spiritual this is accepted practice and can be a healthy way to go through your life. In your sales career it can be the kiss of death. Assumptions are lethal. They give you confidence without any proof. They can set you up for disappointment, failure and at the worst breakdowns in communication. - Avoiding Direction Drift
From boardrooms to lunchrooms across America the discussions are the same. In the lunchrooms the question is, "who are we and where are we going". In the boardrooms the question is, "where are we going and how do we get there". - Avoiding Life's Potholes
Traveling on the path of life for many is a journey filled with struggle, pain, fear, failure and adversity. For other’s it is a journey of love, joy, laughter, happiness and success. The following potholes present each of us regardless of the path we are on with opportunities for growth. Why not review each one, and consider it’s application to your life, attitudes or philosophy to determine where you might want to modify your perceptions or opinions. - Avoiding The Year End Sales Push Is The Best Sales Strategy
Every year thousands of salespeople spend the end of the year in a frantic push to reach their quota and or satisfy the demands of management to hit a specific number. I am not suggesting that this is necessarily a bad approach to increasing sales, but there may be a less stressful and more successful way to approach this challenge that I would recommend you consider in future years, if it is too late for this year. - Bad Decisions That Turn Out Right
Would you have ever guessed that a bad decision that you made and you knew it was wrong or bad when you made it, would have ever turned out so right? - Balance, Stress and Success
One of the issues facing many people today is the ability to maintain a sense of balance in their lives. My popular newsletter, Life Balance is designed to help people who are faced with the increasing inability to maintain balance in their lives. - Be Careful What You Ask For, You Might Just Get It
There is an old saying. I don’t remember where I first heard it but at least once a week I hear someone say it - 'be careful what you ask for, you might just get it.' What exactly does this saying mean and should we pay much attention to it? - Budgets, Forcasts and Sales Quotas
Over the years, I have observed any number of approaches to getting employees to work more effectively, smarter and harder. You would be amazed at how naïve many managers are today when it comes to understanding human nature, motivation and emotional needs and drives. - Can You Bounce Back From Adversity Again And Again Or Are You Stuck?
Everyone at least once in their life experiences some form of a setback, adversity, failure or loss in at least one area of their life. Adversity can strike with or without notice. It can hit a relationship, a loved one, a career, your business, your health or your financial status. - Can You Compartmentalize Your Life And Career
An ongoing challenge for many salespeople is the ability to ‘compartmentalize’ areas of their life. Let me explain. - Can You Detach From Outcomes?
Each of us has done more and less that we thought we would have years ago. Each of us will do more and less than we want to in the future. That's life! - Can You Forgive Yourself And Others?
Who do you need to forgive and why? Remember forgiveness is not about the other person or what they did or didn't do, it is about who you are and who you are becoming, how you are growing and relieving yourself of the negative residual health, emotional and relationships issues that can be caused by failing to forgive someone. - Can You Handle Bad News?
One of the common errors poor managers make today is to shoot the messenger who brings them bad news. These managers typically want nothing but good news. They often see the bearer of bad news as negative, not a team player or a troublemaker. Their attitude is often: - Can You Really Accept Others For Who They Are?
People who live happy lives accept the uniqueness of individuals. They are not on a mission to change them, correct them or invalidate them. Happy people understand that everyone is on their own path throughout life doing what they need to do in order for them to fulfill their destiny. - Can You Think Outside The Box Or Are You Stuck In Old Thinking?
Today, more than at any time in history, I believe being a successful manager, executive, business owner or supervisor requires an active imagination, creative vision, problem solving and, to quote the popular phrase, thinking out of the box. - Change It, Accept It Or Leave - These Are Your Only Three Options
As we move through life each of us is faced with a variety of situations, circumstances, challenges and relationships that test our patience, resolve, commitment and acceptance.In each of these situations we always have three options, choices and actions we can take. We can attempt to change the person or circumstance, we can accept it or them or we can leave. - Change, Can't Live With it And Can't Live Without it?
The major challenge confronting employees, executives and managers in the foreseeable future is the rapid accelerating pace of change and the uncertainties around the next bend in the road. Whether your world is the multi national corporate corporation or the family unit change will touch every aspect of your life in dramatic ways for the next several years and beyond, if current trends in technology continue. Change will be either your benefactor or your downfall. - Coaching Challenges
You cannot manage your organization from behind your desk. It is critical for coaching success that you circulate among your employees so you can observe behavior in action. - Common Communication Barriers
The keys to better communication in a relationship are recognizing the following differences, and the willingness to be flexible, accepting, understanding and non-judgmental of the other person's views, opinions or communication style. - Common Hiring Mistakes
If you have ever made a hiring mistake, read on. One of the difficult challenges facing managers is finding good talent among the seemingly limited number of available manpower resources today. - Conversational Corrections That Invalidate People
I have been observing couples and their conversations recently and I have made an interesting discovery, one I am sure that applies to you and your partner. If it doesn't your relationship is truly one in a million. I haven't given this tendency a name yet but hopefully by the end of this article I will have figured something out that is reflective and insightful. - Creating Intimacy in Your Relationships
How do you know whether you have true intimacy with your partner? Let me first give you my definition of intimacy. Most people tend to connect intimacy only with sex. - Customers Are Your Best Prospects
Many salespeople treat customers or clients as one-time sales opportunities. When they have this limited view, they fail to achieve additional sales opportunities with these customers. Not only is a client a client, but also they are always a prospect for something more. - Decisions And Consequences
Every day, each of us makes hundreds of decisions. Many of these are made unconsciously: what to wear, how to drive, words to use in conversations, as well as many other seemingly little unimportant choices. Other decisions can have a significant impact on our: day, relationships, career, life and ultimate outcomes that will be created as a result of these choices. There are also all of the major choices we make that we consciously rationalize. - Decisions, Decisions, Decisions
The question remains - what criteria or benchmarks do each of us use as we make both the major and minor decisions in our life. - Delegating For Results
One of the biggest weaknesses of poor managers is their inability or unwillingness to delegate tasks, responsibilities or outcomes - Detachment Or Disengagement?
We all have to learn life's lessons sooner or later. We can learn them the easy way or the hard way but life doesn't care. The lessons keep coming and coming. You can whine, complain, feel like a victim or you can get on with it. It’s your choice. - Determination Is Critical To Your Success
How are you doing these days? Things a little tough right now? Or are you reaping the results of your previous determination? Either way, keep the vigil. You can’t ever let up. Life won’t let you. The moment you do, you invite life’s scorn, wrath and another opportunity for failure, disappointment and pain. - Disappointment In Life, Is Almost Always Due To Your Expectations
All disappointment in life is directly related to your expectations. When you want something, expect to have it, achieve it or experience it and it doesn’t become a reality, you feel let down, upset and/or disappointed. - Divorce Is Never Easy
Divorce, even in the best of circumstances, is a painful process. It represents an ending to what has become familiar and normal. I know the sting of divorce. I have seen its ugly head rear up in my mind and in my heart without remorse or concern for my emotional well being or happiness. - Divorce: Can It Be A Good Thing?
Divorce, even in the best of circumstances, is a painful process. It represents an ending to what has become familiar and normal. I know the sting of divorce. I have seen its ugly head rear up in my mind and in my heart without remorse or concern for my emotional well being or happiness. I know the pain of loss and the resulting low self-esteem at being left behind. It is not a happy time in anyone's life. I would wish that you would never have to experience this in your life, but if you have, I can empathize with your grief and pain. - DO IT NOW - Or Don't Bother To Do It At All
Your success in life is directly related to your attitudes and their control no matter what is going on around you - period. - Do Words We Use Really Matter
I was thinking the other day (No cracks from my friends please.) about the subtle differences between words that are commonly used, sometimes not used or mis-used.Let me give you an example.I'm sorry. This simple two word sentence can be interpreted so many ways and have so many different meanings for both the person who speaks them and the person who they are directed toward. - Do You Always Have To Be Right
Why is it that people have to be right? Is it ego? Insecurity? A form of manipulation? Or some other reason that they are unconscious of? I know that during my career and life I have probably been wrong more than right. So what difference does it really make? First of all let’s establish that no one is ever right or wrong. I’ll bet that sentence will keep you reading! Let me explain. - Do You Have A Defining Statement?
A defining statement is a very specific and precise elevator statement. It combines all of the necessary ingredients so that when a prospect walks away from an elevator conversation with you they know; who you are, what you do, how they will benefit by doing business with you. - Do You Have A Lost Sales Strategy Or Do You Just Let Them Go Without A Fight?
Lost business does not necessarily mean lost forever. Many salespeople unfortunately neglect this lucrative source of new business. I say new because, if you learn to treat these past customers as brand new prospects, you may just regain their business. There are a number of reasons why customers leave you. Some of them are: - Do You Have A Morale Problem?
You would be amazed at how many organizations today, both small and large, have a serious moral issue lurking beneath the surface of all the smiles, happy faces, agreement and apparent cooperation between employees, employees and managers, and employees and customers. - Do You Have A Sales Advisory Board?
Becoming successful in sales and staying motivated without the help of others in some type of support system - formal or informal - can be a difficult assignment for anyone - Do You Have A Strategic Planning Process That Works
I'll bet 50% of the companies who are trying to successfully compete in the marketplace and who are trying to grow profitably do not have a strategic planning process that works or they don't even have one at all. - Do You Have An Effective Follow-up Strategy?
Why don't salespeople follow-up? And, what are the benefits of an effective follow-up strategy? Two critical issues that will determine the success of salespeople today. Why don't salespeople follow up? - Do You Have Any Elevator Questions?
If a prospect gave you one minute to sell them what would you do with your minute? - Do You Have The Courage To Be YOU?
When we allow others to determine: who we should be, how we should behave, what we should believe, how we should feel, how we should think, ( I know - I know a lot of shoulds) but that is precisely the point. Who SHOULD determine who we are and who we are capable of becoming? - Do You Just Think About Doing Things Or Do You Do Them?
There is a big distinction between people who: try, think about it - and do it. Here are a few: - Do You Know What The Number One Cause Of Failure Is In Sales
What is the number one cause of failure in sales? The inability to overcome- - Do You Know What Your Lost Sales Are Costing You?
Have you ever computed the cost of your lost sales revenue in a week or year? - Do You Know What's Working And What Isn't?
I will guarantee you that every manager can improve their skills in some area. Many managers focus only on what they are doing wrong while others only focus on what they are doing right. The problem with either strategy is clear - Do You Know Who Your Competition Is?
There is a tendency of many salespeople to see their competition as only those businesses selling a similar product, service or idea. In other words, salespeople selling computers tend to see their competitors as other computer stores, retailers or manufacturers. People selling insurance, travel, furniture – you name it, whatever you sell, your competition is not just your direct competitors, but anyone and everyone who is trying to get a piece of the corporate or consumer dollar. - Do You Listen With An Open Mind
Here are a few ideas to help you succeed in listening to "the bad news" or whatever doesn't match your own thinking or expectations: - Do You Live Like You Will Live Forever?
There are over 75 million baby boomers alive today. This group is searching for many things including, but not limited to happiness, life balance, adventure, long life, friendship, financial freedom, spiritual connectedness, career independence and stress-free relationships.
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