It’s time….to move, to transition from a place of basic personal and professional development, to a position of true personal strength. It’s time to put YOU on the map!
I have a lot of fabulous info and tools to share with you— to get you in motion, to get you strong, to give you peace of mind, and to help you create a FULFILLING life, a THRIVING business, and SOLID relationships. This is fitness for the soul.
It’s time for ALL of us to finally just be ourselves and contribute meaningfully AND powerfully to the world through who we were meant to be and what we were meant to do. You don’t need a hook or a gimmick. You just need to be YOU, and be it full throttle! There is no other you, and THAT is where YOUR power lies!
It’s time to get EMPOWERED——to STOP the ridiculous game of trying to please everyone else, be something you are not, or do it someone else’s way.
You CAN have a great life, a great business, and great relationships, but it starts with getting real and getting to where you are comfortable flowing in YOUR personal power and YOUR area of influence—not someone else’s.
I am living my DREAM. My dream is to be a true encouragement and inspiration to others, to have control over the way I use my time and my resources, to fully enjoy the experience of life, to love my work and my contributions, to be blessed economically, and in doing so to know I am a success.
I will help you find YOUR voice, YOUR passion, and YOUR creativity! YES, you have all of that within you RIGHT NOW. I write with YOU in mind. My entire goal is to empower you to embrace your life and live it fully and exceptionally, while touching the lives of others, being and feeling like a TRUE success, and having loads of fun.
I’ll help you grow your business, connect with others, be a giver, be a better person, grow personally and professionally, increase profits, understand the New Media and New Marketing Mindset, and enjoy your life with more authenticity, more time for what matters most, and more energy. I want you to live YOUR dream.
Please stop by often for words of empowerment and substantial tools you can use to continuously keep you on the track of being YOU, living your life and running your business the only way it will succeed—by YOU embracing YOU, and giving the real YOU to others!
Hey, You Do Business Like a Girl!
Yes, and That’s Why I’m Kicking Butt in Sales, PART 1 “I’m not interested in money, I just want to be wonderful.”~Marilyn Monroe
Let’s face it, many times women are better communicators than men. Studies of the brain have shown that it is a matter of physiology. Men and women are driven by different centers of the brain and by different types of brain activity.
Being exceptional at customer satisfaction and sales is really all about great communication, something many women seem to be naturally good at, but regardless of your gender, being an effective people-person involves skills that must be learned and behaviors that must be practiced over and over again. The payoff is greater sales and a better sales career.
It may be an embarrassment for some people to “throw like a girl” or “wrestle like a girl” (even though I know a lot of girls who could give most guys a run for their money in these areas), it should be a goal to communicate—and sell—like a girl (that is, a girl who takes these things seriously). Here are a few pointers—in no particular order— for good customer communications that will lead to increased sales. This week we will look at doing business like a girl when dealing with customer concerns and complaints, and next Monday we will look at doing business like a girl in terms of sales.
Do Business Like a Girl When Dealing with Customer Concerns or Complaints
• Be OPEN, Not Defensive
Think about any time you were frustrated and wanted to voice your concern. It only frustrates you more when the person you are speaking to is so worried about covering their but that their stance is completely defensive. They never even come close to understanding you or your concerns.
• Listen
Listening with a full ear, with interested facial expressions, and with open body language calms people down, diffuses explosive emotions, and makes the connection a lot more friendly and the dilemma so much easier to solve.
True, active listening— not just hearing—causes people to WANT to do more business with you later, even if they ran into a snag or an uneasy situation this time. People want to know how fairly and maturely you deal with problems. Listen BEYOND the words to the hidden messages, hidden meanings, and deep concerns of the prospect or customer.
Listening allows you to see what is important to people and perhaps create better products, systems, and services with that information going forward.
• Allow People to Talk –Don’t Interrupt
Your non-verbal (and verbal) communication should make it clear that you want the individual to have a stress-free way to voice their concerns in a very supportive environment.
• Acknowledge that Their Concerns are Important to You
Acknowledge that you understand the person’s concerns. Get away from the mentality that acknowledging means agreeing, or that acknowledging means a potential law suit. Many times we don’t acknowledge because of our own fears—fear of being sued or of looking foolish or unprofessional, but the truth is you look MORE PROFESSIONAL when you show you care (and you will be less likely to be sued if you act like a decent human being). I personally have stopped doing business with any individual or firm that will not fully acknowledge my concerns when I have them. I will just go somewhere else where I am valued.
• Show Respect for Their Point of View
In most cases, it takes enormous courage for a customer to contact you or approach you with a disappointment or complaint. THEY DO NOT WANT TO DO THIS CHORE (although it may seem as though they enjoy it), but they also do not want to waste their money which they worked hard to earn. It is INCREDIBLY disrespectful for a businesses owner, salesperson, or company representative to not hear a customer out or not try to see the experience from their point of view.
So there they are, some girly ways to smooth the feathers of an unhappy or unsure prospect or customer so you can win back their love (and you will with these techniques). Next week we will cover some great ways to sell—and prosper—like a girl!
“Too often we… enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.” ~John F. Kennedy
“The trouble with most people is that they think with their hopes or fears or wishes rather than with their minds.” ~Will Durant
“Begin challenging your own assumptions. Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in awhile, or the light won’t come in.” ~Alan Alda
Once in a while I find myself deep in thought about life and business and such. It’s a good practice. Thinking purposefully can open the door to so many new ideas and possibilities. If you can think about thinking as a way of just reflecting, looking, observing, or even brainstorming in an objective manner, you can leave your usual thoughts and habits to discover greater success.
Here are some thoughts I looked at today. As you read them, don’t judge the words. Instead, simply be open. Maybe there is space here for you to explore something in a new way in your own life and business.
1. Create and develop amazingly USEFUL and BENEFICIAL products and services. Leave the so-so stuff for the armatures.
2. Don’t expect overnight success. Keep pluggin’ away at being exceptional in your business offerings, and give people time enough to catch on.
3. Be passionate about what you do (I cannot say this enough, have you noticed?). If you are not passionate with what you are doing, find something else you can be passionate about, since success takes time and you’ll need your passion to keep you going until you reach your financial goals.
4. Don’t follow the pack in your products and services, or in the way that you market them. See what everyone else is NOT doing and make it a point to do that.
5. Just because a product or has a great margin for profit, and just because YOU like it, doesn’t mean people will want to buy it.
6. Hire GREAT people and don’t be afraid of their talent. Treat them very well and let them help you win.
7. Don’t fight change. Open your arms to it. See it as the new way of life. If you are coasting, you are not growing, so make it a choice to ENJOY change and the effort it takes to go with it—the way you enjoy any sport. Let change help you to see the needs and desires of your customers, prospects, employees, business associates, and yourself. Let change bring you terrific opportunities to learn, grow and profit.
8. Make certain today’s to-do-list focuses on the priorities that matter most TODAY, NOT yesterday.
9. Your customer’s and prospect’s attention is so divided that they can barely hear their spouses, kids, and significant others anymore! On top of that, droves of marketers are shouting for their attention on every corner of the street and Internet. When you say something to your prospects, make it great, not just good or O.K. Say something that makes them want to give you a shout out, instead of something that makes them want to run from your shouting.
10. Don’t be fooled into thinking you have to create controversy (like they do on most talk radio, and on all of the news and interview shows on t.v.) The world is changing, and so is the way people want to talk. Forget controversy; instead, seek to always ADVANCE the CONVERSATION—with your employees, your prospects, your customers, your vendors, your business associates, and your joint venture partners. Drop the gimmicks and the need to impress. BE WHO YOU ARE and bring your incredible self to the conversation knowing that YOU are enough. STIMULATE and ADVANCE conversations that make you a vital and valuable part of someone else’s world.
“It’s easy to make a buck. It’s a lot tougher to make a difference.” ~ Tom Brokaw
This week I’m going to share with you a very personal letter I received from my sister a few years ago on the night of her college graduation. The letter was written by a woman (Kathy) in her forties who found her own voice and her own definition of success, and who turned her life around after many long years of opposition, obstacles, and enormous struggles.
I share this letter at the risk of seeming like I am tooting my own horn, but that is not my intention. I want to share it because every one of you has a letter much like this stashed away somewhere in your office, workroom, or home. Even if it is not in the form of a written letter, there is no doubt someone you know— who loves or admires you and who has greatly benefited because of you—who is walking around with a letter like this to you, clearly written on their heart.
Life is not always easy. Sometimes it is totally wonderful and extraordinary, and at other times we are boldly and fiercely challenged. As business owners and professionals, we have good “seasons” and not so good “seasons”, great days and difficult days where discouragement wants to fall on us like a heavy woolen blanket if we were to let it. I know, because I have had many challenges myself, but so what! That is NOT what defines us.
YOU (and I) have the power to infuse life and exceptional energy into the lives of others! WOW! Every day that you are alive, every day that you have the occasion to be in the presence of another human being, you have the opportunity to shine your light and leave your mark. It’s a great business strategy, too, and the profit you reap from living this large will extend far beyond just dollars.
Here’s the letter (used with permission from Kathy):
Dear Margarett,
I just wanted to write this letter to thank you for all you have done for me these past couple of years. You have been an awesome sister and support for me. I know that tonight is my graduation but if it were not for you I believe I would not have come this far. You would never let me give up, and when I felt I could not go any further in my education you supported me and encouraged me like no one else. You believed in me the many times I did not believe in myself.
When I made a “C” in a class, instead of saying “Is that the best you could do”, you said, ”Woo-hoo, that is awesome”. You have been so proud of me and it has shown in everything you have done to help me. In times when I needed you the most, no matter how busy you were, you always made time to help. When I thought I could not teach myself how to study, you stepped in and taught me yourself, and it paid off so much. I just wanted you to know how much of an impact you had on me.
I can truly say that I would not be walking across this stage without your love, guidance, and support. So tonight, as I walk across this stage I want you to give yourself a pat on the back because I am here because of you. I love you.
Kathy
When I first read this letter, Kathy’s very kind words brought tears to my eyes. Of course I knew that she was the one who did all of the work and made all of the effort to earn that degree, but I so appreciated her letting me know that my light and mark mattered to her. For me, this letter came full circle because so many caring individuals showed up on my life’s path throughout the years, making incredible deposits into my life and towards my future success.
Today, I try to always make a meaningful connection with others, no matter where they are coming from or where they are going (within reason, of course). The connection may last for seconds, minutes, or hours. It doesn’t matter. I know that my little light—be it shining on a customer, colleague, or friend— could be the twinkle they need to keep on going, and my unique mark—be it written on a business associate, vendor, or family member— could be a part of the cumulative text that eventually leads to the story of their amazing success!
“Efficiency is doing things right. Effectiveness is doing the right things.” ~Peter F. Drucker
We have all heard of the 80/20 rule (also known as the Pareto Principle) at one time or another, but we tend to ignore its real power in our work and personal lives.
The concept of the 80/20 rule was first written about by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, way back in 1895, hence the name Pareto Principle. This savvy economist noticed that in his society, there was a clear distinction of types of people in regard to money, prestige, power, and influence. He saw that there was a “top” 20% which he coined the “vital few”, and a “bottom” 80% which he termed the “trivial many”.
This economic finding caused Pareto to look further into his premise of an 80/20 rule, and he discovered that almost all activity was in line with this principle, too, which basically states that 20% of effort and activity will produce 80% of the results from that effort or activity. This is a phenomenal finding, and one that can help us to be more successful in our day and not waste time, money, or effort in our lives and in our businesses.
Based on the 80/20 rule, 80% of what you wear comes from only 20% of your wardrobe and 80% of what you eat when you go out for meals comes from a measly 20% of the restaurants you frequent! 80% of the free time you use visiting with the people you know well is spent with just 20% of those people.
Now let’s apply the principle to your business. You could bet that approximately 80% of all of your sales comes from just 20% of your customers, and about 80% of all of the profits in you business come from only about 20% of the products and services you offer. A whopping 80% of what your customers complain about likely comes from 20% of your offerings.
You can further assume that roughly 20% of the activities you spend your time on will result in 80% of the meaningful results you desire. So out of every ten things you set out to do, two of those activities will pack a powerful punch in terms of getting you moving ahead in a substantial way, and they will benefit you more than the other eight put together! Best of all, those two activities may take the same amount of time, or even less time, than any of the other eight taken individually.
Obviously then, you need to take a long hard look at your to do list each and every day, and try to decipher, from past experience, from the experiences of others, from past results, from your GUT, and from your good common sense, which one or two activities you should focus on or do first and foremost each day, and let the other tasks take a back seat (you can also delegate these). Spend your first efforts daily on the “vital few” activities, and AVOID doing the “trivial many” activities if your “vital few” are not yet done. Spending time on the “vital few” or the most results-oriented tasks is KEY to your definite success.
The vital activities that deserve your focus can be finding ways of improving products that are not working, or eliminating them altogether. Or your vital activities may be calling customers who you value most. Vital activities could be finding the team members who are producing, connecting, and innovating, and spending time with them, or finding ways to use their skills to help others in the organization or to help the organization itself. Your vital activities may involve organizing strategic creativity sessions with the intent of developing one new product. Your vital activities may be to finish developing a meaningful product or service that you halted because you got sidetracked.
As a business person, business manager, or manager of self, FOCUS on what matters most. Avoid the constant trivial interruptions that take your focus away, and especially avoid the overly-needy people who sap your energy and time. Learn to delegate tasks, and learn to assign sales associates or employees to a mentor who can help them, or simply remove the bottom 20% of tasks that are not necessary, and the bottom 20% people who are stagnant, lazy, disruptive, unwilling, or who will not think for themselves once they have been taught the ropes.
The Pareto Principle is a useful tool we can all use to manage our businesses and our lives. If you have a choice concerning which activities to invest your time in (and you do), which people to visit and associate with, which customers to follow up on and stay in contact with, which products and services to sell, and which projects to develop further, choose the 20% that will bring the most desirable, the most peaceful, and the moist profitable results.
Now do the math for your own personal life and business, and get ready to see AMAZING things begin to happen for you and those around you.
“Creativity can solve almost any problem. The creative act, the defeat of habit by originality overcomes everything.” ~ George Lois
I am currently working on an article series for Furniture World Magazine on CREATIVITY (I’ll keep you posted on when it comes out) . I have been thinking a lot about the topic over the last few weeks. Since I am in this mode, I thought I would share with you a small booklet I put together a while back on some of my own thoughts about making the creative leap.
I’ll warn you, the booklet is a bit long (much longer than an article). Still, I hope you invest the time to read it.
What I share in the booklet is very different from what I will share in the article coming out on Creativity, so if you want to develop your own creative process, read both (again, I’ll let you know when the other article is out in the Furniture World Issue).
The future belongs to the creative right-brainers and left-brainers who use their right-brain skills. If you don’t believe me, do a little research. The world is changing, and how we do business must change too.
Get a head start on thinking about your own business and how you can tap into developing new ideas, new products, new services, and new ways of doing things as you move passionately into a profitable future.
“Whatever you say, say it with conviction” ~Mark Twain
Whether you are a sales consultant, a speaker, a PR professional, a coach, or a designer, confidence and connection are a must for your business and sales success. With them you have nothing to tie you to your prospects and customers in an emotional way (that’s right, emotion is always a part of the process).
This 9 minute and 38 second audio (an except from my business training for Certified Interior Environment Coaches) will help new as well as seasoned sales consultants and a variety of other professionals from just about every filed of endeavor.
Listen when you have a chance, and if you don’t have 10 minutes, then play it on fast speed and listen that way (I do that all the time).
This audio is especially good for new sales consultants, so business owners, let your employees and sales staff take a listen, too.
“Great things are only possible with outrageous requests.” ~Thea Alexander
WHAT DO YOU WANT?
It’s so mind-boggling that we work our tushies off, stay up late, get up early, take courses, attend seminars, get degrees, and run around like our heads are down the street and we have to hurry and get them, but we often ignore doing the simplest thing to get what we want: We don’t ASK!
We have not, because we ask not.
Sometimes we ask not because we are too busy playing games. Sometimes we ask not because we are tired. We may ask not because we are too proud (the bad kind of pride) or because we don’t want to look needy. Sometimes we ask not because we are stubborn. We may ask not because we think we are being humble and thoughtful of others.
As much as we ask not, you’d think it would pay off. Instead, we have not.
What if you suddenly made a decision to do things differently?
What if you decided that you would begin to ask?
This may help…
You already know you are a good person, right? You already know you are kind. You already know you are hard-working. You already know you are intelligent and skilled. You already know you would not take advantage of others. You already know you are fair. You already know you would do for others if they asked you (in most reasonable cases anyway). So stop over-thinking what you think other people will think. WHAT do you have to lose by asking? The truth is, you have nothing to lose, but only new and exciting experiences and benefits to gain.
I’ll tell you, false humility and ego have kept more people down than lack of money, lack of education, or lack of any kind of resources. NOT ASKING KILLS US! It kills our relationships and our businesses, it kills our friendships and our bodies, and it kills our spirits, too.
Not asking means we do everything ourselves. Not asking means we don’t get the sale. Not asking means we don’t get what we want in friendships and marriages. Not asking means we are passed up for the raise, the promotion, the new product line (that our competitor ends up getting because they asked first).
Not asking means we get a higher interest rate. Not asking means we pay a higher percentage to the real estate agency. Not asking means we eat alone (hey, even if we get turned down, we would have eaten alone anyway)!
We ASSUME other people know what we want. NO, NO, NO, THEY DO NOT. They are busy, they are consumed with their own day, and no offense, but they are not thinking too totally much of you throughout the day. You have goals, needs, tasks, and desires that others can help you meet, yet you do not ask.
But, ASKING…AHHHHHHHH, ASKING!
Asking means we get more love and snuggles. Asking means we get to hold someone’s hand. Asking means we get more sales. Asking means our commission just went up. Asking means we get to work with amazing people. Asking means we become part of THAT team, asking means we get to pick our date up in that really cool car. Asking means we get what we want that wasn’t on the menu. Asking means we are so much less tired because now we have the proper amount of help. Asking means we make a lot more money, and a lot more profit, too!
Asking means we let ourselves be human. Asking means we allow others to have the joy of sowing into our lives. Asking means someone else gets an opportunity to function in more responsibility while we get some needed rest. Asking means we are happier. Asking means we are warmer and more connected. Asking means we don’t burden others by expecting them to know what we want. Asking means we become grown-ups and take responsibility for our lives, giving up the tendency to complain about what we don’t have.
Go ahead: Ask for the sale, the raise, the special product. Ask for the backrub, the conversation, the love. Ask for the interest rate, the promotion, the price. Ask for the help, the nap, the puppy. Ask for the chicken sandwich with the sauce that normally goes with the roast beef dip.
You have not because you ask not, and I promise, you can have more, and be happier, if you will simply ask for—VOICE—what you want.
”All growth depends upon activity. There is no development physically or intellectually without effort, and effort means work” ~Calvin Coolidge
Some say this is a “down” economy. Some say it’s not so bad. Regardless, if YOUR business is slow (and even if it’s not) you MUST stay active in your marketing activities if you want to stay in the game long-term.
Your continued business growth and profits mean you have to be consistent and diligent to stay active. If you place your efforts towards proven strategies, your time and resources will pay off well.
This week, I am entrusting you with 3 Secret Weapons to Gain Sales in a Questionable Economy (or in any economy). Put them into action immediately and over the next couple of weeks as you reach out to your local community. They work! You will be pleasantly surprised at how many people reach back out to you for your help and expertise.
1. Tie Your Offer to a Better Life
A slow economy does not mean a STOPPED economy, and although a lot of people are thinking more about saving instead of spending thoughtlessly, those with even a little discretionary income will still purchase, but they will make much more meaningful buying decisions. This is actually good news for business owners who themselves see the value in their products and services, and the improved quality of life their offerings can bring to potential clients.
As you put together your marketing materials for the weeks and months ahead, find a way to solidly tie what you offer to a better way of life for others. Focus on the facts of how your products and services are meaningful purchases with a payoff for a better future. Skillfully capture their attention as you express your e xcitement about what this purchased can mean for them. Be thrilled for them and with them.
If you run a furniture store, share how a new sofa and coffee table with storage will bring the family together for family game night or how home movies of the grandkids look best on one of your TV’s. If you are a fitness professional, paint the visual picture of how your expertise will translate into an active, fun life, and if you are a designer, excite people with color facts that point to a more purposeful, empowered life.
2. Offer services you would not normally offer—to get your foot in the door
If people seem to be spending less during this time, then offer them a few products and services that are cost effective for them and that also provide them with much needed help, time savings, or money s avings. FIND A REASON to get them to allow your foot in their door initially—even for a simple product or service that is much lower in price than your main offerings. Then, once you establish a relationship of trust, you will find it much easier to “sell up”.
Even though customers may start off with small purchases because of real or imagined budget restraints “at this time”, planting “simple seeds” with them now will help you to close other, more substantial sales later. Considering an advertised lead can cost you hundreds of dollars (just to get an appointment), anytime you have the opportunity to actually get paid to talk directly with a potential customer, it’s money in your pocket and an incredible opportunity for you to connect and “shine”, imprinting your caring attitude into the customer’s mind.
Here are a few examples of special products and services you can focus on for a short time:
Designers and sales consultants who sell furniture or custom window treatments can offer a Two Hour Redesign or Life Colors Design Coaching, a fitness or wellness pro can offer a Holistic Wellness Assessment or an Exercise Form Critique. Regardless of your business, you can offer an interesting product or service that people want or need with a smaller commitment on their part (for now).
You might even host a SPECIAL EVENING EVENT where you offer great advice that can help new prospects get focused in an area that is important to them as you establish the beginnings of quality relationships.
3. Contact Past Customers
This is one of THE BEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE ways to make a sale. It costs next to nothing, and past cu stomers already know you. Contacting past customers is so much easier than creating new customers, and once you connect with people again, their friends come into your circle, too (birds of a feather flock together) making way for new referrals.
Don’t call past customers to sell them anything. Just call and say hello, or let them know you were updating your Client Reference List and wondered if you could continue using their name as a reference for other clients, or something to that effect. You may even create some sort of simple and free “Great Tips” Booklet, and call past customers to see if they would like their copy mailed or emailed!
The best way to contact past customers is by phone, going back first to the customers you have served over the past 6 months. After you have done that, go back one year, then 18 months. If you have never done this, you may be able to go back even farther.
My experience with calling past customers has been exceptional. Most were thrilled to hear from me, and a surprising number had projects they wanted immediate help with. Once you make the effort to contact your list, you’ll see that some past clients have thought to contact you but had forgotten your business name or number (don’t be offended, people are busy and they sometimes forget).
So now you have a simple but powerful charge from me and 3 Secret Weapons to Gain Sales in a Questionable Economy (or in any economy). Put them into action immediately. JUST DO IT. I promise, you’ll be so glad you did.
“The good Lord gave you a body that can stand most anything. It’s your mind you have to convince.” ~Vince Lombardi
This week I will share with you My 8 Proven Business-Building Tips that you can apply to your business (store-front or home-based) to build it to success. Most have to do with your mindset first, which in turn will direct your actions towards precisely focused effort to get you where you desire to be.
These practical and very doable tips are research-based and have been proven over and over again. They lead to success for the business professional who will practice them.
These tips are easy to put into action.
1. When you are not selling, MARKET your business
If you do not have an appointment on any given day, market yourself during the time you would normally be on an appointment. Think about a person who is seeking full time employment. To be successful in finding a job quickly (which would in turn generate money quickly), a person seeking a job should make their full time job the task of getting a job. Similarly, if you do not have a client or a lead, make your full time (or part time) job the task of marketing to get leads and appointments. Before long you will have a steady flow of clients.
Create Awareness (market) by doing events related to your industry or niche, writing articles, or getting your materials out there in your community. A few examples from my previous decorating business include distributing flyers, doing decorating seminars for the public, partnering with a builder and putting over a dozen sample treatments in his showroom, and writing a decorating advice column every Sunday in the Home Section of an area newspaper in conjunction with a local real estate company, to name just a few. I got many exceptional leads and sales as a result of doing these tasks, and it did not take long at all.
2. DON’T pre-judge who you think will buy from you: Target your marketing but be good to EVERYONE
Market to your target groups, and then serve every one who comes to you from these activities. NEVER be hasty to judge a book by its cover (especially when that book approaches YOU)!
Get out there in your local community and network. At events, strike up conversations and be polite and kind to everyone that you meet. Even if someone is seemingly not your potential client, remember that people have bosses and acquaintances and relatives. People tell people, and people who cannot afford your services right now tell people who can. Someone who cannot afford your products now may be in a position to purchase them later, and they will remember how you interacted with them when they couldn’t buy.
One time, when I had a storefront design studio, a woman came in dressed in ragged jeans and a t-shirt, and from her appearance I absolutely assumed she was someone who could not afford my products and services. She just did not look the part AT ALL. I thought she was someone who was waiting for the bus or had missed it, and was just coming into my shop to cool off from the hot Texas summer heat. However, I treated her the same way I did any other prospect (or any person): I was kind, courteous, and gave her my undivided time and attention. Little did I know she lived in one of the biggest homes in the most “well-to-do” subdivision in our area. I ended up doing custom cornices for her very large family room and it was a wonderful job with a very nice profit.
3. “Losing” a sale is still a positive thing
When you lose a sale, you are a step closer to your closing rate goal. Remember that in order to have an optimal closing rate (60-80% for most industries), you will have to lose some sales. Even a lead that did not become a sale can lead to a referral sale if you remain professional and courteous. Think about it in a positive light. Hearing one “no” means you are much closer to the “YES”!
4. Our futures and fortunes are in the follow through!
Follow-up on ALL of your prospects, even the ones you KNOW (or rather, think you know) will not buy. Through your follow-up they will see that you care, and through your sincere communication, you may get the real reason for the lost sale. This gives you another opportunity to actually make the sale by helping the prospect to overcome any fear, misconception, or obstacle that was standing in the way for them.
Suppose you did not follow-up with a prospect because you just assumed they were not going to buy, so “why bother”. Then, that prospect suddenly realized that they could make the extra room in their budget after all. There is a very great chance that the prospect WILL NOT CALL YOU after the initial sales presentation even if they figured out a way to broaden their budget. Instead, they may just go forward until another buying opportunity presents itself, and someone else will get that sale. On the other hand, if you simply follow-up—perhaps a week later and then maybe again in a month or two— they may interact with you and give you their business. Our fortunes are certainly in the follow through.
5. Invest in your business
Make room in your business budget to invest in your business so it can grow. Allow resources for the development of new products and services, for education for yourself and your associates, for interesting projects, and for advertising and marketing. Perhaps you could invest in a joint venture with another business owner, or spend a little cash to delegate tasks. You could put resources towards things like search engine optimization for your website, a regular “advice” column in a local community magazine, some yard signs and door hangers, or .towards a company vehicle.
Having my car fully wrapped was a good investment for me when I ran my decorating business. I got a lot of attention with my bright and attractive colors, and many people stopped me in parking lots and garages for my business card even though my phone number was clearly visible on my car wrap. I think people just wanted to say hello and strike up a conversation because the wrap was so extensive, so colorful, and so interesting. It was always a lot of fun, and it definitely led to business and great profits, meaning it was worth the investment.
6. Know your competition, but do not obsess over them
Understand basically how your main competitors function, and have an idea of their products, services, and prices. Then, find what you do that they do not, and brag about it. Know your competition, but never be obsessed with them or give them even one minute more thought than is necessary to serve your clients. FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS on what you do well and who YOU are, and shout it out in your wonderful, unique voice! Do not get sidetracked and caught up in the kind of negative energy that comes from fixating on another person or business. Focus on your customers instead, and you will enjoy amazing freedom and greater success.
7. Give your business time to grow
Do not be pulled off sides by get-rich-quick schemes, and do not expect instant sales and referrals just because you are in business. You must nurture and grow your business, each day doing something positive and meaningful towards your short-term and long-term business goals (which means you must have them and know what they are). This type of effort will definitely pay off, perhaps a little at first, but be patient and faithful in the little and you will see exponential and expedited growth once it all starts to take effect.
8. Have fun and be the kind of person people LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to be around
When you leave the presence of others, they should feel better for having spent time with you. Who wouldn’t want to do business now and in the future with a fun, positive, fair, and caring individual? You cannot separate “real life” from “business”. We are who we are, and know assuredly that your business success will reflect the kind of person that you choose to be. It IS a choice!
“The achievements of an organization are the results of the combined effort of each individual.” ~Vince Lombardi
This week I want you to take a little bit of time to think about the activities you spend your time on throughout the days and weeks in your business.
What are you good at? Probably a lot of things for sure, but if some of the things you are good at are things that lots of other people can be good at too, then you should likely delegate these tasks, and focus your business efforts instead on things that are not easy for others to do or not easy for you to delegate. The things YOU personally use YOUR time on should primarily be activities focused at growing your business.
I have a short video (about 4 ½ minutes) for you to listen to sometime this week about the ORGANIZATIONAL CHART. This is a tool that you can use in a VERY SIMPLE WAY in your business.
An organizational chart will give you a good visual and a good basis for knowing what YOU should be doing to make more profits, and what OTHERS should be doing to totally support that.
With a simple and powerful organizational chart in place, YOU feel amazingly focused and empowered, and others on your team do too, because they know they are supporting you in your efforts to have a phenomenal business.
By the way, as a natural compliment to talking about YOUR own simple but powerful organizational chart, I have included some tips on DELEGATION— on when, how, what, and to whom to delegate tasks. The tips are listed after the link to the short video on Your Organizational Chart (about 4 ½ minutes).
Learning to release certain tasks and even projects to others can free up much of your time for more important tasks. As a business owner, it is imperative that you spend your time (work time) on the activities that will bring in more revenue, grow your business, and increase your profits. The other activities should be delegated out.
Many people think they cannot delegate for several reasons:
• They feel they are too unorganized to show another person what to do
• They feel they do not have the funds to be able to delegate jobs
• They feel they are just too busy to stop and take the time to delegate
Each of these reasons reinforces the need to delegate. As long as we hold onto doing the jobs that keep us from growing our businesses, we will fell frustrated, overwhelmed, unproductive, and behind on our goals.
Delegation will free you up. It will allow you to focus your personal efforts on those things that will make you more productive. Delegation is a skill like any other. It must be learned.
Which Types of Tasks to Delegate
The types of tasks and projects to delegate are the ones others can do without negatively affecting your business, or the ones where delegating them will positively affect your business. Delegate the tasks that free you up to grow your business.
These include:
• Tasks that require low skills (such as filing, cleaning, running errands).
• Tasks that someone else is especially proficient at (this would include companies that offer services in a specific area like book-keeping, tax-preparation, newsletter service, etc.
• Tasks that tie you up and keep you from working on your personal and professional goals.
• Tasks you dislike and are not those that MUST be done by the business owner-those which will not negatively affect your business if you delegate them.
Begin to delegate by choosing low skill tasks that most people can do. As you get used to the idea of delegation, you can begin to release other jobs that require more skill.
To be successful at delegation, you must find, and sometimes train, someone who is responsible and competent. You must make clear to that person what your objectives are. Be specific about the results you expect. Write down these goals and the results you are looking for. Make certain that the person is sure of what is expected of him/her.
Give a time frame or date for completion. Check in occasionally to monitor the process, but do not spent too much time here. The point is to find someone who is capable of the task so it will free up your time. Refrain from trying to control the situation, which is actually a type of procrastination and will waste time. Allow the person you delegated to the freedom to do the task—even if they do it a bit differently than you would. If the results are what you want, it will not matter how you got there.
Set up a basic organizational chart for yourself and your business, and learn to delegate, and you will begin to see changes in your business that you once only dreamed of. It is not difficult to have a successful business, but it does take time, effort, and commitment. Follow the road that other successful people have traveled before you. The results will amaze you!
Have a Wildly Organized, Focused, and Profitable Week,
“The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have.” ~Norman Vincent Peale
We all want to be more disciplined in life. We know that certain routine practices will help our businesses to grow and our personal empowerment to “appear”. What we may not understand though, is that some actions are simply things we do to get to a certain goal or benefit while other actions are actually a part of who we are at our core. In other words, some actions are driven only by the desire to reach a goal, while other actions focus on the process itself— which is seen as a valuable experience and benefit—as well as on the goal, which is also seen as a benefit. One is a DISCIPLINE and the other a PRACTICE.
• A DISCIPLINE is a willful chore (sometimes looked at as a rigid chore) that you dutifully do to get something done or because you know it will yield certain benefits.
• A PRACTICE is a transformative action done with awareness and with a purpose in mind that resonates with who you are. It is an extension of what you truly believe and it yields certain benefits. Here are some more ways of looking at the differences:
A discipline is extrinsic
A discipline is born of something that must be accomplished
A disciple is often rigid
We may have to remind ourselves to do a discipline
A discipline is something we do because we know it will bring desired results
We usually do a discipline in spite of what we “really” want to do
A disciple is seen as a task
We often “white knuckle” through the discipline, looking for the moment it ends
We often do a disciple robotically, almost unconsciously
During a discipline we often focus on the end result
A disciple is driven by a GOAL
A practice is intrinsic
A practice is born of a belief system that truly motivates us
A practice is fluid and dynamic
The process of a practice is seen as transformative
A practice is something we do because is in line with our core beliefs
A practice is something we do because it gives us satisfaction
A practice is a belief
We are driven to do a practice because it is what we really want or love to do
We often are very away during a practice
During a practice we often focus on the process (the experience itself)
A practice is driven by a SENSE OF PURPOSE
Examples of Disciplines vs. Practices
Discipline: Calling past customers to keep your name out there and to drum up sales.
Practice: Calling past customers because you appreciate that they have put their trust in you to do business with you, and because you really do care about them. You want to know how they are doing and you want to see what’s going on with them, and see if they have any thoughts or questions you can help them with.
Discipline: Eating a salad because you think it will help you maintain your weight
Practice: Eating a salad because it is rich and healthful. Enjoying the process of cutting the cherry tomatoes in half, and slicing the purple onions, and smelling the fresh herbs. Then enjoying tasting each and every different flavor and appreciating the freshness of each ingredient.
Discipline: Doing regular customer events because it is a good business practice for increasing leads, sales, and contacts.
Practice: Doing regular customer events because you are a leader and an innovator, and you can’t wait to share good news and interesting findings with your customers and prospects. You look forward to the wonderful connection and ongoing relationship that your customer events create.
If we want to see real changes in our lives and in our businesses, we certainly have to do some things differently. That means we must take on new behaviors. At some point along the way though, if these new behaviors are not seen as exciting tools for change, and if they do not become a part of new core beliefs, the behaviors will either be dropped, or they will be continued but with a reluctant and resistant energy source pushing them. That’s no way to live.
You may have to start out some new behaviors with a discipline, but a discipline can become more. During the activity or task, be in the moment and appreciate what you are doing—really appreciate it, whatever it is. If a discipline is looked at through the eyes of our core beliefs, enjoyed as a process, and embraced as a powerful act of transformation, it will become a welcome and enjoyable practice.
Attitude is everything.
I’m sure you get the picture. Much of the difference between a discipline and a practice is in our attitudes and our sense of purpose. Many of the disciplines in our lives can be changed to practices simply by changing our attitudes and examining why we do the discipline in the first place. We can decide to function out of a true sense of purpose, attaching meaning to everything that we do. This makes for a far better business and a more enriched life overall.
Think about the disciplines you now engage in that can easily become meaningful practices in your life. Decide to create the self-awareness and the self-dialog to put you in a totally different arena with the activities you do on a regular basis.
September 8, 2010 1157 King Richard I 1886 Siegfried Sassoon 1925 Peter Sellers 1932 Patsy Cline 1931 Jack Rosenthal 1933 Michael Frayn 1934 Sir Peter Maxwell Davies 1940 Frankie Avalon 1954 Ann Diamond
Tremendous erosion at the base of Niagara Falls (USA) undermines the shale cliffs and as a result the falls have receded approximately 7 miles over the last 10,000 years.
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It’s time for ALL of us to finally just be ourselves and contribute meaningfully AND powerfully to the world through who we were meant to be and what we were meant to do. You don’t need a hook or a gimmick. You just need to be YOU, and be it full throttle! There is no other you, and THAT is where YOUR power lies!
please everyone else, be something you are not, or do it someone else’s way.
I am living my DREAM. My dream is to be a true encouragement and inspiration to others, to have control over the way I use my time and my resources, to fully enjoy the experience of life, to love my work and my contributions, to be blessed economically, and in doing so to know I am a success.
TRUE success, and having loads of fun.
