Sales Essentials

Salespeople are the new Super Heroes

2009-05-08T11:36:00.001+10:00

My message today is designed to motivate you. To make you feel great about being in the Sales Profession; and to encourage you to look forward rather than backwards.

As the world continues to wallow in this economic crisis; as unemployment continues to creep up; as consumers and investors sit on the sidelines; and as companies continue to cut back, there is only one way out of this recession. We have to sell our way out.

It is the only way.

We have to get both consumers and businesses to start buying more products and services. And the only way we will sell our way out is if the hard working men and women of the Sales Profession step up and get to work.

Now some of you may say, "You're nuts Jeb. The situation with the economy is way more complicated than this. We've got the housing crisis, unemployment, the mess with the banks, government bailout, lack of consumer confidence and more. How can you stand there and suggest that salespeople are the key to our economic survival."

It's ok if you feel that way. This is a reasonable response to my assertion during this time of fear, uncertainty and doubt. And indeed the situation is complex. But I want you to consider this - and while doing so think about your own household, employer, or business.

Most people and businesses over the past seven months have cut huge amounts of fat from their budgets. Households have stopped spending and begun saving. New purchases like cars, furniture, and vacations have been deferred or cut completely. Household budgets have been slashed and most families are living a much more austere lifestyle than they were last year at this time.

Businesses too have undergone massive cost cutting. Any expense that was considered non-essential to the company's survival has been axed. And essential expenses have been slashed though negotiation with vendors and less consumption. There have been massive layoffs as organizations have cut headcount to the bone. Businesses and their employees are working in a much leaner environment that they were a year ago.

However, the once place where smart businesses have cut the least or not at all is in their sales organizations. The reason is simple: corporate executives and business owners are keenly aware that, though cuts in expenses are critical to survival, they cannot cut their way out of this recession. Those cuts simply lay a foundation for profitability and allow the organization to leverage scarce resources for revenue generation activities - otherwise known as SALES.

So as we look forward, leading the way out of this economic quagmire will be the Elite Athletes of the Business World™ - our Sales Professionals.

Salespeople are the new Super Heroes. People all over the world are counting on you to save us. Through your efforts of prospecting, questioning, presenting, closing, and relationship building you will save millions of jobs, you will keep your employers financially viable, and you will lead us to a new era of growth and abundance.

As you head out to hit the phones and pound the streets. As you encounter reduced budgets, scared buyers, and unscrupulous competitors. As you overcome objections and persistently ask for the business in the face of unrelenting "no's." I want you to stop for a moment and look at yourself in the mirror. What you will be seeing is Super Hero who one sale at a time is playing the most important role in our economic recovery.

Lift your shoulders up, stick your chin out, and be proud - you work in the most important profession in business. Look forward not backward. Stay focused. Be persistent. And WIN! The whole world in counting on you.

Click here to listen to this article FREE on iTunes.

by Jeb Blount

Jeb Blount is an internationally recognized expert in sales and sales leadership. His audio programs have been downloaded more than 2 million times on iTunes. Jeb's new Audio Book Sales Guy's 7 Rules For Outselling The Recession has just been released by MacMillan Audio.

Walking the Walk - Jack Daly

2009-03-23T09:47:00.003+11:00

Jack Daly is my inspiration! On April 2007 I've attended his sales workshop, 8 hours of WORK, and a bit of play.
Jack is no ordinary sales trainer (and I've seen a few). He is all about building long lasting relationships, getting to know your clients, and be attentive to their needs - forget yours!
He's not only "Talking the talk". He is really Walking the Walk.
Zig Ziglar once said - "You can get everything in life you want, if you help enough other people get what they want".
Jack is a living proof of that. Although unintentional on his behalf, Jack inspired me to act, and follow my passion. I've started Continuity Programs Australia Thanks to his assistance.
Jack was very approachable, and responsive (not because he has too much time on his hands- his schedule is fully booked 9-12 months ahead. He told me this morning that he will spend 100 days at his home residence this year). After his presentation I've sent me an email, inquiring about a concept he talked about.
Jack made the connection between myself and Dave Epps, then the President of Continuity Programs, Inc.

Since then, Jack and I kept in email contact, sharing contacts and ideas, and we've built a relationship.
This picture, was taken this morning at his hotel in Sydney, after we had finished breakfast.

Jack's tag line is : "If your sales people think they know sales, they don't know Jack".

I believe that.
To get to know Jack, and book him for your next sales training session (if you can plan that much ahead) go to www.professionalsalescoach.net or www.jackdaly.net
To see Jacks' presentation style, watch the 4 minute video on www.continuityprograms.com.au

How about Sales 2.0 ?

2009-03-06T16:52:00.001+11:00

How about this as a concept:

Recently we've been hearing a lot about Web 2.0 (two point O), which, as oppose to Web 1.0, encourages conversation and interaction, and the creation of communities. Everyone has a say, about any topic they want to comment on.

Now, this is a fantastic concept, isn't it? On previous posts, I've mentioned the Shortest course on selling, which is - Ask Questions and Listen!
How about joining the two concepts:

Make sales presentation 2.0! instead of the old 1.0 one sided, lecture type beautifully designed PowerPoint presentations, let's consider Sales 2.0 style White-Board presentation:

A list of questions, and topics of discussion, leading a two-way conversation between seller and prospect. The Seller is in control, leading the conversation topic, and the prospect have control, making sure he understand the product or service offered to him/her.

I think this is time to rethink old truths, and add the 2.0 dimension to our sales conversations.

Good bye sales presentation - Welcome the Sales Conversation - Sales 2.0!

Posted via email from mr-pitcher's posterous

How about Sales 2.0 ?

2009-03-06T13:14:00.002+11:00

Image by rob.purdie via Flickr

Can you create customer loyalty in a recession???

2009-03-02T15:12:00.001+11:00

Image via Wikipedia

Raise your hand if you were sitting around this morning shopping for a new yacht, or a private jet to match the one you already got your spouse for the holidays… Ya, me neither. But here are some things I did buy this week: gas, groceries, office supplies, and even a few new socks.

The point to be made here is that even though the economy is slow, there are some things I that you and I still buy. And regardless of whether you sell to businesses or consumers, there are things your customers are still buying, too. One of the best ways to stay afloat and grow your business in a recession is finding those everyday staples and using them as a springboard to something bigger.

Think about it this way: making small sales is usually a lot easier than making big ones. But if you can get your foot in the door, no matter if it’s $10 or $10 million, then you get a chance to show the people who buy from you what kind of pricing and services you can give. Pretty soon, that one small order could turn into two or three, along with a referral to somebody else who has a little bit of business to do.

Are all of these tiny orders going to make you wealthy? In most industries, probably not. But they will keep the cash register ringing, and keep you in a strong selling rhythm. Besides, when the economy starts to turn around, who do you think these folks will turn to for their bigger purchases? Some vendor they found on the internet, or the committed professional who stuck with them and did the hard work with them while they were struggling through a recession?

Remember, there are three parts to selling in a recession: adapting your approach, outselling the competition, and positioning yourself for the future. Making small sales is a great way to do all three at once.

How would you grow your sales in a declining market?

2009-02-17T12:05:00.001+11:00

How would you grow your sales in a declining market?

It appears to be a declining market, where consumer confidence is down, and people are spending less on everything. However, they are still spending!

If there is less money to go around and the same amount of people in the receiving end, how do we make sure the money will be spent with us?

One of my clients, a marketing and advertising agency (www.admailasp.com ), understands the concept of NEVER STOP ADVERTISING!

Yes, marketing and advertising are expensive, salespeople are expensive, and I keep hearing the stories of salespeople being laid off, and marketing and advertising budget is being lowered to a minimum.

I DON'T GET IT!

How can you get out of a sales slump, without your salespeople, or with no (or minimal) marketing?

Let me let you in a little secret:

Your competition is doing the same thing, which means it is the right time to invest the money into marketing and advertising NOW!

This is the time to capture your competitors' customers, and get them to make the switch NOW!

Why is it important?

People like to be cared for in good times and bad. If you take care of your people (customers) in the bad times, they will repay you tenfold in good times, which with new acquired customers, the good times will come quicker!

Isn't it what we all want?

Posted via email from mr-pitcher's posterous

Become thy prey, O Zen Master

2009-02-16T13:51:00.003+11:00

If you really want to get crazy about sales and make a life out of it, everyone knows you have to stay close to your customer's community. If you're going to sell your services to computer geeks for the next ten years, you really should consider taking a programming class, read their magazines . If you're in the stuffing industry, and you're recruiting investment bankers (my heart goes out to you), you should read up on exotic derivatives and take up yachting. Become thy prey, O Zen Master.

Another method of digging into your industry is by doing this. Blogging. Yes, you may have heard the news. It's a nice way to demonstrate your knowledge. You could host it anywhere. Blogger.com, Wordpress.com, doesn't matter. Your prospects and clients will marvel at your insight and crave your association. But let's assume a ridiculous circumstance: you have no knowledge. Here's a quick idea for you. Don't try to be an expert. But do be useful.

You don't have to be an expert in your field. Check out local news stories, jobs, employment figures, good training programs, etc... and mix them into your RSS feeds of jobs. Use twitter.com to get updated on articles that your customers will find interesting, and email 'em. Over time, your pool of readers/ prospects will see you as an essential part of their community.

You don't have to have their particular expertise to have them read you over their morning macchiato. Now about how to start that RSS feed...

Based on a blogpost by Miles Jennings

Power to the People

2009-01-23T10:11:00.002+11:00

Your customers are your livelihood, so why don't you let them have their say?
By Gwen Moran | Entrepreneur Magazine - June 2006

Kiddie Rides USA is pretty much what you'd expect--a manufacturer of quarter-fed children's rides that sit in shopping malls and outside grocery stores around the country. That is, it was--until the owner of a children's hair salon called the Denver company in early 2004.

"They were looking for fun, creative chairs for children to sit in while they get their hair cut," says Damon Carson, 34, president of Kiddie Rides. "[The idea] to mount the ride on a hydraulic lift came about because of this [salon owner's] own genius."

That simple idea has led to a three-year deal for Kiddie Rides USA to produce chairs for an entire chain of salons. Now Carson is actively soliciting more customer feedback to help him find new ways to expand his nearly $2 million company.

Reinier Evers, founder of Trendwatching.com, a Netherlands-based trend-tracking agency, has dubbed the trend of seeking direct customer input "customer-made," which includes companies engaging consumers in everything the company does, from product development to marketing.

"Consumers are more demanding than ever, and the mantra of 'marketing is a conversation' has finally become reality thanks to the online world, where everyone--consumers and companies--engages in conversations about what is good, what is bad and what needs to be done," says Evers.

As evidence, he points to bigger companies getting into the customer feedback game. Last year, Boeing launched its World Design Team, an online group of air travel customers and aviation enthusiasts who participate in interactive sessions, message boards and other information-gathering activities to weigh in on their flying preferences, which could affect future aircraft designs. Recently, category giants like Coors Brewing Co. and Dunkin' Donuts have invited customers to share their brand experiences as part of corporate advertising campaigns.

But haven't we heard about these consumer rules of engagement before (think Wendy the Snapple Lady from campaigns in the '90s)? You bet, says Evers, but the customer-made philosophy is moving from an interesting fringe influence to a mega-trend that all companies need to watch.

That's what Brian Smith is doing. Facing fierce competition from direct insurance writers like Geico and State Farm Insurance, Smith, president of Wilmington, Ohio, insurance broImage via Wikipediakerage Smith-Feike-Minton Insurance, knew he had to connect with customers who might easily be swayed by the 10 percent discount that direct writers could offer.

"We felt it was a good idea to build our image and our name by using current clients--people who [others] would see on the street. That would be the best testimonial anyone could give, rather than using a phony name or an actor," says Smith, 37. He adds that since many insurance companies keep their customer lists close to the vest, lest competitors try to woo them away, using real-life clients gives the brokerage an added measure of credibility--these customers must be confident in Smith-Feike-Minton if they're willing to be featured in the company's ads. So far, response to the ads has been positive.

Management consultant Robert Gordman, author of The Must-Have Customer: 7 Steps to Winning the Customer You Haven't Got, says companies need to start making customer feedback their priority. "One of the great mistakes companies make is doing research with a random group of consumers and getting random feedback," says Gordman. "If you want to know what's important to your specific business, you need to talk to the people who are loyal to your business to understand why they feel the way they do."

Companies that rely on repeat business or referrals can benefit most from a direct customer connection. Gordman says simple activities like creating a customer council that can be tapped for feedback on new products and advertising campaigns can be extremely valuable. Customer feedback can also be captured at online or in-person checkouts, or by contacting key customers and scheduling a few minutes of their time to ask them specific questions. Sometimes offering a discount or other incentive can make them even more eager to talk.

Still, customer feedback does have its limitations, and Gordman counsels businesses to avoid putting all their eggs in the customer-feedback basket. In his book, he advises businesses to look at all their data--sales, demographic trends and overall market conditions--before making significant changes to a program or product.

"If customers tell you they're not interested in the color or they don't like the price, that's important," he says. But if customers tell you to scrap a product entirely, you need to look at all the factors and do more market research to determine whether or not that's a sound business decision.

Every story has two sides, this is the other one.

2009-01-20T14:11:00.001+11:00

I wouldn't normally do this, but from the what I hear in the media, the Palestinians are being slaughtered, by their mean occupiers. That is what I always hear.

Incidentally, I was recently showed another story, quite different to the one normally portrayed in the world news broadcast. Since this story is seldom told in the media, I decided to share with you. None of you know me as an activist, because I'm not. However, somewhere deep inside, it hurts to have the country I grew up in being unfairly judged.

As a sales & marketing professional, I always said the other side is doing a much better job at "selling" their misfortune. The Israelis, on the other hand, due (in part) to the Jewish history, have difficulties appearing weak, vulnerable, or in need of help. Therefore, watching the attached video, made me want to tell the story from a different angle.
http://switch3.castup.net/cunet/gm.asp?ai=58&ar=longstoryshort-V&ak=null Please note - there is no right or wrong in my message. I'll let you make an informed decision about the situation, after seeing what is rarely portrayed in the Evening News (just before the Tennis).

Comments are more than welcome.

Raz Chorev

Posted via email from mr-pitcher's posterous

Selling yourself - GET CREATIVE

2009-01-08T17:22:00.002+11:00

Hi Saw this article in CNBC.com, and I though it was brilliant!
Check this out:

6 Job-Hunting Tips From the 'Sandwich Board' Guy

Among the iconic images that summed up 2008 was that of Joshua Persky, the unemployed investment banker who slapped a sandwich board over his suit that said "Experienced MIT Grad for Hire" and hit the streets of New York to try to reclaim his place on Wall Street.

Cynthia J. Kohll

Tip No. 1: Be Creative. A sandwich board over your suit to catch the eye of employers? That's definitely creative. And effective!

Well, now he’s an iconic image of how to dig out of the mess that was 2008: After 12 long months of job hunting, having to give up his Upper East Side apartment and send his wife and kids to Nebraska to live with her parents, Persky has landed a job. He was hired by accounting firm Weiser LLP in December.

And, despite the fact that a lot of Wall Street jobs are drying up and may never come back, Persky managed to get a job doing the same thing as before, valuations.

So, how did he do it?

It wasn’t just the sandwich board. Though, the global wave of publicity it created certainly didn’t hurt.

Here, Persky offers six job-hunting tips for how to land a job in this tough environment.

1) Be creative. You have to think outside the box to make others aware of what you need, Persky said.

He had been going along, interviewing and networking for the first six months — even with executives from some of 2008’s casualties, Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch.

He had interviewed at Bear Stearns and when the firm collapsed, Persky said, that’s when he realized it was a whole, new ballgame. Maybe this time, he thought, it wouldn’t work out in a few months as it had in the past.

When the family’s lease was up at the end of June, they made the hard decision to have his wife and kids go to Omaha to live with her parents while he slept on his sister’s couch in Long Island to continue his job search.

Towards the end of June, he was having drinks with his wife and came up with the crazy idea to put a sandwich board on and hit the sidewalk at lunchtime.

“I decided I had to do something different,” Persky said. “I’m not a particularly standout-type person … I’m not an aggressive person generally,” he said.

So, he figured if he had the sign on, people might approach him. And, you know what? It worked. He was interviewed by everyone from CNN to a Greek financial magazine, which put him on the cover. “I’m huge in Japan!” he exclaimed to me in an August interview at the height of his publicity frenzy.

The sandwich board didn’t directly lead to Persky’s job offer from Weiser, but it certainly had an indirect impact: He was contacted by a headhunter who saw him in the media and she helped him revamp his job-search strategy.

“You have to try to stand out as much as possible,” Persky said. “That’s more important than ever, given this job market.”

2) Be open to change. It’s easy to wedge yourself into a tight spot, where you’re search is stuck on one field or one location. But given the jobs that have evaporated on Wall Street that may never come back, flexibility is the key.

“You have to be ready to change careers, locations and industry,” Persky said. “To reinvent yourself.”

He got lucky, being able to stay in his chosen profession and city, but he and his family were prepared for anything.

“I was focused on financial services in New York City until Bear Stearns collapsed,” Persky said. “At that point, it became clear that maybe business development and health-care management were the way to go.”

“You really just have to expand your horizons,” he said. “Our dream was New York City but we were willing to go anywhere in the world there was an opportunity — internationally or nationally,” he said.

3) Get professional help. A lot of people poo poo professional help, declaring that they are capable to do it on their own.

That’s how Persky felt for the first six months of job search. But, he saw the light after Paloma Bowland, a career counselor who does business development for JibberJobber.com, contacted him and helped him revamp his resume — and his approach.

“Most people’s response to my resume is ‘Wow!’” Persky said. “Before, I wasn’t getting a job,” he said.

Bowland gave him some tough love, things that stubborn Wall Street types need to hear if they’re going to snap out of their formula and make the changes they need to get a job in this brutal job market.

She made him take the time to make changes, revamping his resume, working out a marketing strategy and helping to keep his spirits up.

“Without her help, I wouldn’t be here,” Persky admitted.

5) Redo your resume. You may think your experience sells itself, particularly if you’ve been on Wall Street for a couple of decades.

Yeah. Wrong.

You’ve got to organize the information in a way that sells you for the position you want. And, as Persky found out, sometimes that means a nonchronological resume.

“That was an experience that changed my outlook,” Persky said of the nonchronological resume Bowland had him do.

You have to figure out what your goal — what type of job, what industry, what city — and organize the information on your resume to fit that to a "T," including everything about you and your experience that is applicable.

“You think about how you would like it to be,” he said. “Nothing is too small or too big to be in there. On my new resume, I was international experience in business development, commercial- and investment banking.”

6) Figure out your brand and sell it. A lot of people do marketing as part of their job, but when the job is gone, they don’t realize they have to apply those skills to marketing themselves to future employers.

Based on the publicity generated by his sandwich-board strategy, Bowland determined that Persky's brand was integrity, creativity and bravery.

“ ‘You’re so creative. You’re so brave,’” Persky recalls Bowland saying to him in emails.

“I never thought I was creative or brave,” he said. “That’s the brand that came out.”

If you’re not going to get professional help, you should at least tap family, friends and former co-workers to help you figure out what your brand is. Sometimes, as was the case with Persky, it’s easier to have someone from the outside help you figure out what your brand is.

The next step was to unify his offerings on Facebook, Linked In and his blog.

Persky had already been doing a blog, www.oracleofny.com, to chronicle his unemployment. He admits, it was his kids who got him on Facebook. But it was Bowland who helped him unify his offerings to make sure that they seamlessly — and professionally — dispersed his marketing, his brand.

"On my new resume, I was international experience in business development commercial and investment banking. And my brand was integrity, creativity and bravery,” Persky explained.

And, of course, it’s not just the marketing — you also have to sell it.

"Really successful salesmen don’t follow up once, they follow up 101 times until it’s impossible to do more,” Persky said. “Just because someone doesn’t answer an email or phone, doesn’t mean the answer is no or they don’t care it just means they haven’t gotten to it yet.”

6) Perseverance. Persky went through a lot of hardship in the 12 months he was unemployed, including having to pack his wife and kids up and ship them back to Omaha while he slept on a couch. But through it all, he never gave up.

“Don’t give up,” Persky said. “In the end, that’s what did it,” he said.

“It wasn’t because of the sign or the blog. I stuck it out and I didn’t give up.”

Indeed, when his networking and interviewing strategy wasn’t working in the first six months, he adapted with creativity, flexibility and some professional help and just stuck with it. His efforts drew the eye of a career advisor, who helped him take it to the next level — the level that landed him the job.

In the meantime, he quadrupled his friends on Facebook and Linked In with contacts from as far away as Fiji. And, he's been featured by media all across the globe.

“It was a strange 'Wizard of Oz'-type of adventure,” Persky said of his 12-month job-search odyssey. “And it just reinforces that message — A heart, brains and courage! – that I’ve loved since I was a kid,” Persky said.

“It’s changed my life,” Persky said. “I’m in the annals of 2008.”

And now, the annals of 2009.

WHO AM I?

2008-11-03T01:01:00.004+11:00

I've seen it before, but just had the time to take that brief test (self analysis), and I'm very impressed with the results.

I also think this is a fantastic tool for people to use, to make the most out their connections with others.
How fantastic would it be, if you want to make me do something (buy from you, for example.) and you KNEW what makes me tick (and more importantly - what irritates me!)?

This tool, is very effective, and would increase the level of success in communication, between all of us!

This is who I am:

* Goal oriented
* Go Getter
* Focused
* Driven
* Competitive
* Authoritative
* Achiever

Ima High Red

Tips on how to get to know me better

Be practical
Be brief
Be assertive
Be to the point
Be supportive of my goals
Be respectful of my time
Show strength!

WHO ARE YOU?

The art of the Start

2008-10-28T12:25:00.005+11:00

I've been a fan of Guy Kawasaki for a little while, because he speaks french a lot! and apologizes for it! but No, not just because of that ;)
Guy has a great way to simplify complicated issues, like Venture Capitalists, Entrepreneurship, and politics (in a subtle, yet rude, way).

I've watched this video (it's about 40 minutes, 10 minutes over time), and I tell you, it was worth every second, double value in the overtime.

if you want to become an entrepreneur, or know someone who would like to become an entrepreneur, make them
WATCH THIS VIDEO!

DON'T forget to leave a comment, as I REALLY appreciate your opinion ;)

"Stay young, stay foolish"

2008-10-23T23:47:00.002+11:00

Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple and PIXAR Animation, in a moving speech in front of Stanford University graduates.

INSPIRING!!!

Seven Ways to generate business with LinkedIn

2008-10-02T17:51:00.004+10:00

Hi!

I've received this presentation from Zale Tabakman, Which I thought could be helpful for you, if you want to generate more business and expand your networking efforts.

Click on the image to open up this presentation.

Enjoy

Did you know?

2008-09-28T22:05:00.002+10:00

When I first saw this video, it really opened my eyes, because I didn't know.

Did you????

Is the “Pursuit of Happyness” the Napoleon Hill story?

2008-09-09T22:16:00.014+10:00

In the movie Pursuit of Happyness, Will Smith plays the role of Chris Gardner a down and out fellow whose life has not gone the way he expected. Its based on the true story of Chris Garner’s life. The movie is enjoyable and I recommend it to all. For people who are sensitive to foul language and sex scenes, there is no sex and the one occurrence of foul language provides a very useful approach to handling it. I would definitely classify the movie as family movie.

This film provides a moving and graphic experience of applying Napoleon Hill's experiences.

A word of warning, I am going to speak about specific details of the movie, so if you haven’t seen it, reading this entry may enhance or detract from the movie’s emotional impact.

Let me definitely demonstrate that Chris Gardner follows the philosophy of Napoleon Hill.

I don’t know if the real Chris Gardner actually read Napoleon Hill - but as Napoleon Hill says - successful people all do it the same way.

Using The Law Of Success as the way to measure it.

The Master Mind - Chris fails on this measure pretty badly. He clearly does not have a mastermind relationship with his wife. He has a little one with his five year old child. But, how much advice can a five year old give him? But, on the other hand, by speaking with the five year old and explaining the situation to him, Chris is able to clarify his thoughts.

A Definite Chief Aim - On this one Chris scores perfectly. His Definite Chief Aim is to be a great dad. He looks for different ways to meet that goal, and no matter what is thrown in his face. He doesn’t lose site of that. And in the same vain, he clearly had a Burning Desire since he used all the money the bone scanners on a single chance with Dean Witter.

Self-Confidence - Chris appears on the surface to have some problems with this one. He talks about his mistakes, but he also talks about his a 10 gallon head and is able to speak about his accomplishments. I think he has self confidence, but his mistakes makes him doubt his abilities. Overall, he is has inner self confidence. I think getting rid of the wife also rid him of any nagging doubts he had about himself. Napoleon Hill in The Wisdom of Andrew Carnegie as Told to Napoleon Hill speaks about the importance of creating a mastermind with ones wife and how only with a supportive spouse can one be successful.

The Habit Of Saving - Chris did well on this one. He kept saving whatever money he had to move his goals forward. He didn’t spend it frivolously.

Initiative and Leadership - Chris has this in spades. He took initiative jumping the queue to the CEO of Pac-Bell. He didn’t follow the path laid out for him - since he did not believe it would him his Chief Aim.

Imagination - This is an easy one to judge. Chris had an excellent imagination that worked in many different ways. When he is sitting in the subway with no place to go, he created the cave story for his son. When he missed his meeting with the CEO, he was able to imagine a plan that would take his son to the football game.

Enthusiasm - No matter what was happening, Chris faced it with a Positive Mental Attitude.

Self Control - When Chris and his son got booted from his home, his child is upset, Chris is angry. But Chris didn’t strike out at others. When the guy asked him to move the car and then he got the ticket. He just handled and never complained about the way the teacher was treating him. When the homeless guy took his place in line, he didn’t strike out, but explained what had happened and demanded he be treated fairly.

The Habit Of Doing More Than Paid For - Chris was able to do in 6 hours what others were doing in 10 hours. He landed 31 accounts in Pac Bell. He ran errands for the boss. He never said no.

A Pleasing Personality - Napoleon Hill speaks of 18 traits. Chris had them all. Chris demonstrated Frankness and Honesty when he had to explain his appearance. His success at the football game made it clear he was somebody people liked. The relationship with the CEO was excellent, since the CEO was able to speak with him directly about why he wouldn’t move his account to Chris.

Accurate Thinking - Chris did well on this measure. When deciding if he could take a chance at the Dean Witter opportunity, he looked at his situation and identified what assets he had and what he could do with them. When fixing the Bone Scanner he was able to figure out what part was broken. He did this accurate thinking under very trying emotional and physical circumstances.

Concentration - This is a great one. Chris was able to study and learn for his exams in the most trying circumstances. That takes amazing concentration and focus.

Profiting From Failure - Chris didn’t learn from his failures. He went to jail for not paying a bill and then he lost his money for not paying another bill.

Tolerance - I am not so sure about this. There is little proof of his tolerance. The way he acted in the line up to the fellow who butted in line, the way he spoke to a) the fellow cleaning in front of Mrs. Chu’s, b) the Time Traveller, c) the hippie, d) to his wife, and e) to Mrs. Chu. I understand why he spoke to those people in the way he did, but, I an not sure he was that tolerant of other people.

Practicing the Golden Rule - When Chris had no money. He gave the Boss the five dollars. That was just one example. The other was the fourteen dollars that was owed to him.

Universal Law - This one was easy. Chris found the two missing bone scanners just by "fluke". Nope - that was no fluke- that was the Universal Law.

I think we can conclude - that Chris Gardner followed the philosophy of Napoleon Hill!

Written by Zale Tabakman
For more incredibly valuable information, make sure you visit www.ZaleTabakman.ca

One little effort, one degree more...

2008-09-09T15:50:00.001+10:00

ignore your fears - Follow your dreams!

2008-09-09T15:46:00.004+10:00

Forward Thinking - The tale about Greg and Anne

2008-08-14T13:38:00.004+10:00

Image via WikipediaI found this article in an industry magazine, and wanted to share this story with you. please share your thought by clicking on 'comment' at the bottom of this article.

Being the Best:
By Jen Harwood, International Business Speaker and Author

How do the best mortgage brokers become the best? What is it that has them write more, earn more and have a constant flood of referrals? Is it the flash car, house or toys they own? Is it the great staff they have? Is it their circle of friends and connections or is it the location they are in? Mmm, maybe... in my experience, success and results come from who you are being. Let me explain with a true story about my client Anne and her mortgage broker Greg.
Greg met with Anne to discuss the possibility of Anne buying her own home. They sat at a large beautiful table in her rented house. It was the table Anne had received from the settlement of her very amicable, yet sad divorce two years prior. During their conversation, Anne revealed to Greg that she had spent all the money from the divorce settlement and was now in debt with five maxed out credit cards to the tune of $50,000.
Greg had two choices at this point. He could have said: “Sorry, I’ve only got time for people who are in a position to get a loan.” He didn’t, instead Greg listened carefully to her and realised that Anne really wanted to change her position and buy a home for herself. Greg chose in that moment to invest in Anne’s vision and said to her: “Give me all your credit cards”. She did and he took all her cards, put them in a plastic container, filled it with water and put it in the freezer. “From now on”, he said sternly, “your line of credit is frozen and you are not allowed to spend money on anything except essentials and pay off debt.”
Over the next two years, Anne worked hard to lower her debt and Greg called her every once in a while by car phone between appointments for about five minutes to see how she was going. He even sent Anne a Christmas card one year. Greg’s card was not the usual company card, mass signed by everyone in the office with no personal comment. Greg’s card had only two words on it and they were… “Keep Going!” He didn’t realise it at the time but those words were the confidence boost she needed to believe in herself and not give up. That simple little card cemented the loyalty and trust Anne would have to Greg for the rest of her life.
Two more years passed and Anne was out of debt and in a position to buy her own home. There were a number of brokers ready to assist her; however, the ONLY person Anne would do business with was Greg. He had been there at the start, had built their relationship and demonstrated with the few phone calls, a Christmas card and a couple of coffee meetings that he wanted her dream to come true. It was not “just another” transaction for him. Anne bought her house and Greg came to see it and celebrate with her family and friends. Now, Anne promotes Greg all the time and makes introductions to her contacts about the “The Best Broker in the World”.
Do you look at people as transactions or a long term relationship? Are you focusing on THEIR visions, dreams and hopes or are you just cashing in on YOUR current needs and desires? The best become the best by being unconditional, committed relationship builders. Relationships and people all have their rocky times, the people who can see the long term and stand strong when it’s rocky become the very best.

E: jen@jenharwood.com W: www.jenharwood.com

9 great ways to build customer loyalty

2008-07-22T14:48:00.010+10:00

All company executives believe that having loyal customers is a key to business success. However, what are executives really doing about it? Most will point to their customer care training or CRM system and say, "That's how we take care of loyalty here." Some will also point to their monthly newsletter or discount program to demonstrate their efforts. All of these are good attempts. However, they are not enough.

Companies are losing customers at a staggering rate without really hearing from most of them or understanding why. For example:
• Each year, the average company loses 10 to 15 percent of its customer base, according to Bain & Company.
• 84 percent of customers who leave do so because of poor service.
• A typical business only hears from 4 percent of its dissatisfied customers -- the other 96
percent leave, 91 percent for good, according to Jim Barnes, author of Secrets of CRM.

Today, companies need to go beyond customer satisfaction to build loyalty and engagement.

Below are eight ways to increase customer loyalty to help companies keep valuable customers coming back. By identifying what drives customer loyalty and engagement, you can begin to develop best practices that will have a direct impact on customer retention and profits:

1. Give Customers more than they expect: Companies need to first identify and understand customer expectations; then provide value for the dollars spent in terms of product quality and service; then find a way to go the extra mile and add perceived value to your offer. This is fundamental.

2. Turn Complaints into Opportunities: Quickly resolve customer complaints to build loyalty and show them you care. Monitor things like time to resolution and customer satisfaction levels once complaints are resolved. Bear in mind, that customer will be more impressed with you if they had a problem and it has been resolved quickly, efficiently and to their complete satisfaction, more than if they didn’t have a problem at all!

3. Engage Customers in a Two-Way Dialogue: Gather feedback consistently from multiple sources, respond to feedback quickly and personally; then organize feedback to track results. An engaged customer is more than satisfied and more than loyal. They go out of their way to show their association with your company. They also support you during both good and bad times because they believe what you have to offer is superior to others.

Engagement takes your customer beyond passive loyalty to become an active participant and promoter of your product. Engaged customers will give you more feedback - and you should be ready to handle it. All this translates into a customer who will spend more money with you over time.

o Listen to customer feedback from comment cards, letters, phone calls and surveys.
o Respond quickly and personally to concerns of high interest to your customers.
o Organize unstructured feedback for tracking and trending over time.
o Trust your customers to tell you what the problem is.
o Use statistical techniques to discover which action items will have the most impact on your business outcomes.

4. Build Opportunities for Repeat Business: Monitor what customers request most and offer services that complement other purchases. Use in-house or outsourced technology to track, classify and categorize open-ended feedback.
Monitor what customers request most and offer products or services that compliment other purchases. In addition, exceed expectations by driving product development to offer more value for less cost. Use technology to track, classify and categorize open-ended feedback.

Be acutely responsive to customer questions, comments and complaints. Often, these are your most loyal customers. If you resolve a complaint quickly, you can actually grow loyalty and drive more business

5. Survey Customers and Solicit Feedback: Use short surveys that are unbiased (third party research companies) and well structured. Employ random sampling to avoid survey fatigue.

6. Create a Centralized System for Managing Feedback: Technology can help to centralize surveys and customer feedback and track both qualitative and quantitative information. The technology can be implemented in house as a software package, web-based application, or out-sourced completely.

7. Tie Customer Loyalty and Engagement to Business Outcomes: Track customer feedback over time and compare with revenues and profits over that same period. Determine how outcome should be measured, whether by satisfaction, likelihood to purchase again, likelihood to recommend, or other factors.

8. Use Analysis to Predict Future Loyalty: Analyse information to reveal the most important area of focus for customer loyalty and how it changes over time. Use feedback data to understand client intentions and motivations.

9. Ask for Help
Following these steps may not be the easiest process, but stay focused and keep your eye on the goal. Increasing your engagement and loyalty equals increasing profits and a strong competitive edge.

Seek help if needed by choosing a partner who has the technology, best practices and experience in place and readily available. The rewards will be great.

For more information, visit http://www.continuityprograms.com.au.

Sharpening the saw.

2008-06-12T22:37:00.001+10:00

"Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe." (Abraham Lincoln, 1809-65)

Habit #7 in Steve Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is called “Sharpen the Saw.” Covey uses the common analogy of a woodcutter who is sawing for several days straight and is becoming less and less productive. The process of cutting dulls the blade. So the solution is to periodically sharpen the saw.

I’ve found that in practice, however, most people fail to understand what sharpening the saw really means. If you’re overworking yourself and your productivity begins to fall off, common wisdom says to take a break, maybe even go on vacation. However, that isn’t sharpening the saw — that’s putting the saw down. When you put down a dull blade for a while, the blade will still be dull when you pick it up again.

Sharpening the saw is actually an activity, just as the analogy suggests. Think about what it would mean to sharpen the saw of your life. Here are some saw-sharpening ideas:

Educate yourself (read, listen to audio programs, attend a seminar)
Learn a new skill
Exercise
Improve your diet
Meditate
Have a deep conversation with someone
Set some new goals or review/update your old goals
Organize your home or office
Read this Blog :-)

Now the woodcutter can’t just alternate between cutting wood and sharpening the saw indefinitely. Downtime is needed too, but it isn’t the same as sharpening the saw. The woodcutter can become even more productive by sharpening the blade, studying new woodcutting techniques, working out to become stronger, and learning from other woodcutters.

Forgetting to intentionally sharpen the saw can lead to a feeling of burnout. If you merely alternate between productive work and downtime, your production capacity will drop off. You’re still working hard, but you don’t feel as productive as you think you should be. When you sharpen yourself regularly, you’ll find that you can flow along at a steady pace week after week without getting burnt out.

Whenever I feel burnt out or overwhelmed, taking a day or two off helps a little, but not very much. What yields a much greater benefit for me is attending a weekend seminar, reading an inspiring book, or having an interesting conversation. It’s common to see people return from a conference with a notable spike in motivation that lasts for weeks. But this isn’t really a break or a vacation — going to a conference is an activity, but it’s the kind that often increases energy and motivation.

How are your various blades doing? Your skills, your knowledge, your mind, your physical body, your relationships, your motivation, your commitment, your capacity for enjoyment, your emotions — are all of them still sharp? If not, which ones are dull, and what can you do to sharpen them?

Based on article by Steve Pavlina

Raz Chorev E: raz@continuityprograms.com.au W: www.continuityprograms.com.au

The importance of self-development.

2008-06-12T22:34:00.002+10:00

Business is more competitive and challenging than ever which means we need to continually improve our skills if we want to maintain a competitive edge. Upgrading your skills is critical to your long-term success.

The most common mistake that I see is that many sales people think that they don’t need to update or upgrade their skills because they attended a program or training workshop sometime in the past.

Many companies who say they’re not interested in a training program because they “did one” a few years ago.
People rely on their employer to either foot the bill or initiate something. If you’re not willing to invest in your future you won’t reach your full potential. I’ve noticed that self-employed or independent sales professionals are more likely to invest in their personal development more so than employees of a company.

I recommend doing a quick self-evaluation to determine what specific areas they need to improve. Then, decide what you’re going to do to improve. This could mean attending a training workshop, a tele-seminar, or perhaps a conference to hear different speakers. If you get just one good idea that helps you improve your results, then it’s worth the investment.

“Why is this so important for sales people to maintain a positive attitude?”

Sales is a great career but it’s also a challenging one. The attitude we display is contagious and our prospects pick up on it. But, even more important, is the fact that a positive attitude helps us get through the difficult times and occasional slumps we encounter from time-to-time.

“What can we do?”

First, we have to choose to be positive. No one can tell us how to behave and we can always choose to be in a great mood or a negative one. Now I’m certainly not suggesting that this is easy because it’s not. However, when you put negative experiences into perspective and look at the big picture, you can often see why it’s more important to focus on the positive.

Next, associate with other positive-minded, goal-oriented people. Too many people are quick to bring you down so it’s essential that the people around us are also positive and optimistic.
I also recommend starting your day with something positive like reading or listening to motivational material instead of reading the newspaper or watching the news. Other things like exercise, yoga, meditation are also a great way to start your day. It’s like tending a garden. If you don’t remove the weeds they will eventually take over and choke the flowers. Starting your day with something that is inspiring will kick start our day and keep the weeds away.

Improvements don’t happen overnight. Each change, even if it’s small, makes a difference and can improve our results.

It’s like physical fitness. You can’t go from a being a couch potato to competing in an Ironman competition in a week or two. It takes time to build your stamina and strengthen your body so it can handle the stress effectively.

Raz Chorev E: raz@continuityprograms.com.au W: www.continuityprograms.com.au

The Platinum Rule

2008-06-03T11:25:00.004+10:00

The Platinum Rule

We are all different individuals, aren’t we? As such, we must demand individual treatment. We have our own way of processing, thinking, and behaving. We respond differently to different situations, Raz Chorev explains why….
by Raz Chorev

We have all heard of the Golden Rule and many people aspire to live by it. The Golden Rule is not a magic potion. Think about it: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." The Golden Rule implies the basic assumption that other people would like to be treated the way that you would like to be treated. Really? This means all people are like you! All like to be treated the same way. This is confusing, though. If I’ll treat everyone like I’d like them to treat me, that’s cool! But then they would treat me like THEY want to be treated! Maybe they’re like to be handled with a lot of emotions, reassurance, and physical contact (hugs and sympathy all over their faces.). Maybe they like to be given hard facts and figures, or just a summary of an event. I might not like that sort of treatment, because I’m different to them!

The Platinum Rule suggests: "Treat others the way they want to be treated." Ah hah! What a difference. The Platinum Rule accommodates the feelings of others. The focus of relationships shifts from "this is what I want, so I'll give everyone the same thing" to "let me first understand what they want and then I'll give it to them."

Steven Covey, in his classic book says:” seek to understand, not to be understood”. Try to understand the type of person in-front of you, before you impose your personality and preferences onto them. It won’t work!

There are many different (although very similar) “personality tests” available. Some very popular like Myers Briggs, and Wilson Learning System. There is also the DISC profiling, and others. All of these systems, divide the human race to 4 major groups. They call them different names, however essentially they are very close.
The following is a system I’ve learned from Jack Daly, which is based on the Wilson Learning system, and Tony Alessandra, the author of The Platinum Rule:

The goal of The Platinum Rule is personal chemistry and productive relationships. You do not have to change your personality. You do not have to roll over and submit to others. You simply have to understand what drives people and recognize your options for dealing with them.

Jack Daly divides The Platinum Rule behavioral preferences into four basic styles:

Driver
Expressive
Amiable
Analytical

Everyone possesses the qualities of each style to various degrees and everyone has a dominant style. For the sake of simplicity, this article will focus only on dominant styles.

Drivers

Drivers are driven by two governing needs: to control and achieve. Drivers are goal-oriented go-getters who are most comfortable when they are in charge of people and situations. They want to accomplish many things-now-so they focus on no-nonsense approaches to bottom-line results.

Drivers seek expedience and are not afraid to bend the rules. They figure it is easier to beg forgiveness than to ask permission. Drivers accept challenges, take authority, and plunge head first into solving problems. They are fast-paced, task-oriented, and work quickly and impressively by themselves, which means they become annoyed with delays.

Drivers are driven and dominating, which can make them stubborn, impatient, and insensitive to others. Directors are so focused that they forget to take the time to smell the roses.

Expressive

Expressives are friendly, enthusiastic "party-animals" who like to be where the action is. They thrive on the admiration, acknowledgment, and compliments that come with being in the lime-light.

The Expressive's primary strengths are enthusiasm, charm, persuasiveness, and warmth. They are idea-people and dreamers who excel at getting others excited about their vision. They are eternal optimists with an abundance of charisma. These qualities help them influence people and build alliances to accomplish their goals.

Expressives do have their weaknesses: impatience, an aversion to being alone, and a short attention span. Expressives are risk-takers who base many of their decisions on intuition, which is not inherently bad. Expressives are not inclined to verify information; they are more likely to assume someone else will do it.

Analyticals

Analyticals are very analytical, persistent, systematic people who enjoy problem-solving. Analyticals are detail-oriented, which makes them more concerned with content than style. Analyticals are task-oriented people who enjoy perfecting processes and working toward tangible results. They're always in control of their emotions and may become uncomfortable around people who very out-going, e.g., Expressives.

Analyticals have high expectations of themselves and others, which can make them over-critical. Their tendency toward perfectionism-taken to an extreme-can cause "paralysis by over-analysis." Thinkers are slow and deliberate decision-makers. They do research, make comparisons, determine risks, calculate margins of error, and then take action. Analyticals become irritated by surprises and glitches, hence their cautious decision-making. Analyticals are also skeptical, so they like to see promises in writing.

Amiables

Amiables are warm and nurturing individuals. They are the most people-oriented of the four styles. Amiables are excellent listeners, devoted friends, and loyal employees. Their relaxed disposition makes them approachable and warm. They develop strong networks of people who are willing to be mutually supportive and reliable. Amiables are excellent team players.

Amiables are risk-aversive. In fact, Amiables may tolerate unpleasant environments rather than risk change. They like the status quo and become distressed when disruptions are severe. When faced with change, they think it through, plan, and accept it into their world. Amiables -more than the other types-strive to maintain personal composure, stability, and balance.
In the office, Amiables are courteous, friendly, and willing to share responsibilities. They are good planners, persistent workers, and good with follow-through.

Amiables go along with others even when they do not agree because they do not want to rock the boat.

Amiables are slow decision-makers for several reasons:

1) Their need for security;

2) Their need to avoid risk;

3) Their desire to include others in the decision-making process.

Let’s see how we can actually put this to work. The first thing we must do is assess ourselves. We need to know exactly who we are, and what image we project in the marketplace. Once we’ve taken the test ourselves (see last page), we’ll be better equipped to analyze other people, and relate to them. We’ve mentioned the Chameleon. Although we don’t really need to lose our personality, we do need to adapt to the other personality type, in order to be effective.

Adapting To Drivers

Drivers are very time-sensitive, so never waste their time. Be organized and get to the point. Give them bottom-line information and options, with probabilities of success, if relevant. Give them written details to read at their leisure. NEVER be late to an appointment with a Driver. Let me stress this point: NEVER be late to an appointment with a Driver. Might as well not arrive at all.

Drivers are goal-oriented, so appeal to their sense of accomplishment. Stroke their egos by supporting their ideas, and acknowledge their power and prestige. Let Drivers call the shots. If you disagree, argue with facts, not feelings. In groups, allow them to have their say because they are not the type who will take a back-seat to others.
When presenting a product or a solution to a Driver, don’t make their minds up for them: rather, give them 2-3 options, recommend the one you think would suit best, but let them have the last say, and make the final decision.

With Directors, in general, be efficient and competent.

Adapting To Expressives

Expressives thrive on personal recognition, so pour it on sincerely. Support their ideas, goals, opinions, and dreams. Try not to argue with their pie-in-the-sky visions; get excited about them.

Expressives are social-butterflies, so be ready to flutter around with them. A strong presence, stimulating and entertaining conversation, jokes, and liveliness will win them over. They are people-oriented, so give them time to socialize. Avoid rushing into tasks.

With Expressives, in general, be interested in them.

Adapting To Analyticals

Analyticals are time-disciplined, so be sensitive to their time. They need details, so give them data. Support Analyticals in their organized, thoughtful approach to problem-solving. Be systematic, logical, well-prepared, and exact with them. Give them time to make decisions and work independently. Allow them to talk in detail.

In work groups, do not expect Analyticals to be leaders or outspoken contributors, but do rely on them to conduct research, crunch numbers, and perform detailed foot-work for the group. If appropriate, set guidelines and exact deadlines. Analyticals like to be complimented on their brain-power, so recognize their contributions accordingly.

With Analyticals, in general, be thorough, well-prepared, detail-oriented, business-like, and patient.

Adapting To Amiables

Amiables are relationship-oriented, want warm and fuzzy relationships, so take things slow, earn their trust, support their feelings, and show sincere interest. Talk in terms of feelings, not facts, which is the opposite of the strategy for Analyticals. Amiables don't want to ruffle feathers. They want to be assured that everyone will approve of them and their decisions. Give them time to solicit co-workers' opinions. Never back an Amiable into a corner. It is far more effective to apply warmth to get this chicken out of its egg than to crack the shell with a hammer.

With Amiables, in general, be non threatening and sincere.

For more in-depth analysis of the different personalities, I will recommend reading “The Platinum Rule” by Tony Alessandra. You could find the personality test, to assess yourself, or you could download it from my Blog. I’ve also prepared a Ready Reference Guide, which you could take with you, and prepare to appointments. Ask yourself this question before every appointment:

“What kind of person am I about to meet with?”

When you meet the person, try to see within the first 90 seconds if you could answer these two questions:

1. Is this person more assertive or less assertive?

2. Is this person more responsive or less responsive?

At the end of each appointment, see if you were right!

The Platinum Rule provides powerful life-skills that will serve you well in all your relationships: business, friends, family, spouse, and children.

Based on Tony Alessandra's famous book - The Platinum Rule.

Proudly brought to you by Raz Chorev. CEO of Continuity Programs Australia,

A trick to selling more.

2008-04-07T21:26:00.000+10:00

Depend on the rabbit’s foot if you will but remember it didn’t work for the rabbit.
-R.E. Shay
A question is circulating amongst the ranks of sales people all over. It is asked of sales managers, trainers, teachers and motivators alike. The question is realistic and sounds something like this: “I am a pretty good salesperson now, but I want to get better. What is the trick to selling more?” The question is a natural one. As technology continues to explode, we are gradually beginning to believe that anything can be engineered to run faster and do more with less effort. Can it?
Technology is more fashionable and amazing than ever. Consider the trends. “Brick” phones are so out of date I’m embarrassed to talk about them. Today’s phones are powerful, compact, cool and weigh only ounces. With home computers and laptops, more memory now costs less. If we can actually send information instantly over a light beam to the other side of the planet, then why wouldn’t we expect an easier way to sell? After all, I can catch a flight from Sydney to Buenos Aires and get there the day before I left.
Why can’t a trick exist today to sell more with less work?
Let’s take a look.
The quest for tricks or shortcuts in selling is an old one. It has existed as long as the craft itself. Meticulous tests have searched every angle for new, quicker, faster and easier ways to sell. Sales people themselves occasionally conduct field tests. I am fortunate to have a personal reading library stocked with magnificent books. As I review their pages, I am constantly reminded of a major truth. With hundreds of titles and literally tens of thousands of pages, test results are the same. In the history of man, only one trick holds the key to success in sales and success in life itself. It is stitched into every page of every book. Every veteran sales manager knows it. All studies reflect it. Sales masters have it memorized and recite it upon request. It boils everything down to one thing: The trick is that there ain’t no trick. While technology may replace last year’s gadget, right now technology can’t replace the human element in the fundamentals of selling. Why? Because selling is more than pre-printed form letters, auto responders and high-tech PDAs. Selling is not so much about snappy PDAs, trendy Web sites, and Blackberries as it is about hot coffee, warm people and good handshakes. If selling were a technology, then sales
would automatically increase as technology increases. Unfortunately, sales don’t automatically increase as technology increases. Why? Because technology is a tool. Selling is a skill performed in an emotional arena. Technology can’t overcome an objection. It doesn’t sense the customer on the fence. Technology can’t empathize with situations or maintain direct eye contact, read body language or build common ground.
Selling is not a technology.
Selling is an art.
U.S. heavyweight collegiate wrestling champ Doug Kinney pinned the issue when he said, “If you want to win, you gotta dance with the one that brung ya.” This simply means dance with the fundamentals that have always worked and will always work - timeless basics that bring you personal success every day.
So, what are the fundamentals in selling? Good question.
First of all, you must be willing to do the work.
Embrace the Internet. Use PDAs. Use email. These things help you stay competitive. But don’t forget that great sales people adopt fundamental work ethics that others won’t. Come to work to work. While others talk with the talkers, you can counsel with doers. While others plan parties, polish your selling skills into smooth syncopated salesmanship. World-class sales people don’t just fall into sales anymore than world-class divers just fall into a pool. Work on your dreams. Romance your dreams. Talk about your dreams, and never associate with dream stealers.
Secondly, you must realize people don’t buy what it is; they buy what it does.
Master sales man Ron Popiel doesn’t sell what his Ronco rotisserie oven is. He sells what it does. He never mentions temperature or how it’s assembled. “It cooks a twelve pound turkey with less energy that it takes to operate a hair dryer!” He sells “a standing rib roast! The steaming tray!” He sells health, ease of operation, simplicity and value. Value is what people buy. How many ovens do you have? One large? Maybe a microwave? Maybe a toaster oven? That’s three. Watch out - Ron will sell you a fourth.
Great presentations will never go out of style. Sell what it does.
Thirdly, you must love what you do.
Do you love your work? Do you believe in what you sell? Challenge yourself to be your best. People that love their work make more, live longer and have happier lives. Loving your work generates believability - a key element in sales. Love your work, and love your customers. In the movie “Jerry McGuire,” the late great Dickie Fox said, “You gotta love ‘em before you sell ‘em.” People don’t care what you know until they know you care. When people know that you care, you become a success magnet. See every customer with a flashing sign on his or her chest that says, “Make me feel special.” Bad sales people see customers as a hassle. Great sales people see customers as referrals. I once heard a customer say to a master sales person, “I was going to buy it the whole time. I just wanted to watch you sell it to me.” Understanding the real trick empowers you to convert shoppers into buyers while others hide in the bushes and watch. People listen to masterful sales people. Don’t you?

The Five Laws of Self Renewal.

2008-04-03T22:43:00.000+11:00

Most of us have heard about Rhonda Byrne's top selling book, DVD and audio programs The Secret, which reveals to us the “secret” Laws of the universe, and in particular: the law of attraction.
The law of attraction says: if you really believe you can be, have or do something, you’ll create (Attract) the circumstances to allow you to be, have or do.
Rhonda and her team of quantum physicists, business coaches, self development gurus and others bring to us in a very powerful way the power of our subconscious mind.

The Law of attraction is one of the five laws of self renewal, or the laws of the universe. These laws are not new, or recently discovered. They’ve been known for thousands of years, with roots in all religions & ancient history. They’ve passed on from father to son, from scholars to their students. I can understand why the Law of attraction was picked to be published, out of the five: it is the easiest one to comprehend, and master. It is something you can do, if you put your mind to it.

However, there are other factors which contribute to ones success or failure in life! There are 4 other laws, we shouldn’t ignore:

1.THE LAW OF SELF-DISCIPLINE (OR THE LAW OF ACTION)
Success comes from doing what we know we should be doing, when we should be doing it, whether we want to or not. Conflict comes from doing what we know we should not be doing.

Nike came up with the slogan: Just Do It! For many, it is only a slogan; There is a lot of power behind this slogan:
When you think about it, how disciplined are you? Do you do the things you need to do, when they need to be done?
You come to the office, an hour late, and listen to the messages. One of your customers is not happy about something, and really need to talk to you. He is the last person on earth you’d like to be talking now, because you know he’ll be chewing you ear for half an hour, and you really don’t want to listen to him. On the other hand, you know it is the right thing to do to call him back then and there, otherwise you will forget which will accelerate the issue even more. What do you do? Do you call back?
Think about simpler situations: getting the dry washing off the line, when you’ve just landed on the couch to relax in front of the TV, and you hear the rain drops on the window.
Or more complex situation: leave a job you really hate; or get out of a messy relationship…
The law of action comes to end the thought process: Just Do it! Stop pondering, weighing up your options, and procrastinating – get up and do it!
When you lie in your bed, 6:00am, and you know you should be at your gym, but it is raining, and cold outside, and so comfortable under the blanket. You probably think that “it is only one day – tomorrow I’ll definitely go!” and you let yourself go. You know you should Just Do It!

2. THE LAW OF RESPONSIBILITY
You are responsible for the outcomes you experience.

How’s this for a concept? You are responsible for EVERYTHING that happens to you – no one else!
Now slowly, think about this.
A. your mobile phone switches itself off in a middle of important conversation. Who do you blame? The phone manufacturer? The battery? The shop assistant where you purchased the phone from, or do you take responsibility for not charging the phone the night before (but it had 3 lines!!)

B. when you rear-end someone on the road, do you blame them for braking too short, or do you take responsibility for not keeping a safe distance?
You see, it is so easy and natural to blame others, even for your own mistakes, but this isn’t right .
You should accept responsibility for everything that happens to you. Based on what we’ll discuss in the law of attraction, you are creating your own reality. Assume responsibility!

3. THE LAW OF ATTRACTION
If you really believe you can be, have, or do something, you will create the circumstances and find the people to allow you to be, have or do.

The subconscious mind determines your direction in your pursuit of your goals consistent with our deepest beliefs and thoughts input by your conscious mind. . The Law of attraction can be demonstrated with the power of visualization, which is something anyone can do:
True story:
I was in my car, listening to The Secret Audio program, and one of the speakers was talking about the power of visualization: how we can visualize anything we want to happen, and it will materialise in the exact (or very close to) way we visualised it. Sounds unbelievable, right? I’ve decided there and then, to try it out.
As I’ve mentioned, I was in my car, on my way from a meeting, back to the office. It was late and I was tired and hungry, toward the end of the day. The last thing I wanted was a delay on the road. I sat there, in my car, with my eyes closed, visualizing the way back to the office, following the roads, the turns, imagining no other cars on the roads, and most importantly, a smooth run of green lights! Imagine: Sydney, after 4:00pm, going from one place to another, with no cars on the roads, and green lights all the way....

You know what? It worked! I don’t know how, maybe I got lucky, but against all the odds, I got what I wished for.

It could have been the other way around: I could have sat there, imagining the worst, how I’m stuck in traffic for hours, hitting every red light, then a flat tyre, and my mobile phone’s battery dying on me, when I need it the most, and you know – it would have happened! This is a self fulfilling prophecy!

Another example: I left Sydney one morning, by car to see a potential customer in rural NSW.
It is a long drive, 4 hours of nothing to see, just me, the open road and my own thoughts. The night before, I was reading Mind Power, by John Kehoe. In his book John Kehoe gives some tips to help visualize things, including feeling the desired feeling, when the desired outcome is fulfilled.
As I was going to see a potential customer, I’ve started visualising the meeting, the presentation, where we’re going to sit, how the conversation will flow, and eventually him signing an agreement, which I’ve prepared beforehand. I also FELT the exhilaration of the closed deal, and shouted out the window: YEEPEEA several times (no one else was on the road, I made sure of that!)

To my astonishment – it worked! I met with the prospect for an hour, conversation flowed easily, some easily answered questions, and bang – we put pen to paper, and we had an agreement. When I left the appointment, I waited patiently for the open road, to shout YEEPEEA again, and it was the same feeling I imagined, but this time for real!!!

4. THE LAW OF EXPECTATION
Your life is a direct result of your expectations for it.

Focused, positive expectations will create focused, positive results. From my experience, I have noticed that many of us are just too wimpy with our expectations of what we want. For most of us, we just take what is handed out.
Knowing you have what you want is the fastest way to experience what you desire. An expectation is confirmation of what you want. In other words, if you want a brand new, red, BMW 650i convertible, why would you expect anything less? You expect to get the car that you want - and if you expected something less, why not ask for something less?

I believe for many of us expectation is arrogant, demanding, and impolite, especially to us Australians who apologize to chairs for bumping into them. Because of the influence of religious belief into the uncivilized world, making demands of a vengeful, jealous, and demanding God would surely put us in poor favour with him. So we have been taught not to ask, and to be satisfied with what we've got.

My 3 year old son came home one day from his day-care, exclaiming he hates his teachers! All of them! After a short interrogation, I discovered why: at morning tea, the teachers give each child a bowl for their fruit. My son was given a green bowl, and he HATES green. When he complained, he was told: “you get what you get, and that’s what you get!”
We, as adults, regard this statement as true! Kids won’t. Kids want things, all the time. And they don’t settle for less, or almost. When a child is “on a mission”, they most likely to get what they want. We should be a little childish in that sense. We’ll get a lot more out of life, and we’ll have less regrets. Our life is not a test run. This is it. Whatever we learn now in our lifetime, we won’t be able to implement later on. It is now or never.
The ability to use these laws comes from the power to overcome what you have been taught all your life with uncompromising clarity in the knowledge that you are the power you are looking for.

Expect that you will always experience what you desire. Be bold and stand up to the universe as one that is part of it and demand nothing less than what you want. The universe is impartial and emotionless - by the law of attraction and expectation, it has no choice but to give you what you want. No one or no things is going to get mad at you because you want something - no matter what it is.
Please beware of your expectations. Our expectations are formed on the foundation of our existing beliefs. Have you ever uttered statements like these?

I just can't get ahead!
I'm so sick of struggling.
Everything always goes wrong for me.
If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all.
This is too good to be true, something's going to go wrong.

Words like these are actually self-fulfilling prophesies. You are, in effect, placing your order with the universe at the moment you begin feeling the feelings behind the words (yes, even before you SPEAK the words!). You attracted it. The universe doesn't care what words you use, it pays attention to the signal you're sending out. That signal is formed by your beliefs and expectations and the Law of Attraction works on it.

So how do we change our expectations? Is it possible? Absolutely!

One of the most powerful things you can begin doing is consciously expecting the best. Throughout the course of your day, take a few moments to pause and expect something wonderful. Say to yourself, "Today is going to be a great day!" Try to find the positive expectation in every experience. Positive expectations linked and attracted the other positive things like positive feelings and positive attitude. Then your life could be more positive. If your boss asks to speak with you privately, rather than expecting him to reprimand or fire you, expect him to praise you and give you a pay raise! Rather than expecting to see bills in your mailbox when you get home, expect to see a check.

You have to feel good. The more you can keep this feeling of happy expectation in your heart, the more often you will see results that directly mirror your expectations. There is nothing to lose if we are applying the Law of attraction.

5. THE LAW OF BELIEF
A belief is the guiding factor, principle, passion or faith that provides direction for life.
Our belief system will cause us to act in accordance with the belief, whether it is reality or not.
Our motivation and how we act is determined by our underlying beliefs. If we don’t believe that something is possible, we won’t even try to make it happen.

People are motivated by desire. There is no such thing as an unmotivated person. We are all motivated, just by different things. We are motivated by our own set of beliefs, what we believe to be the TRUTH.

Let me give you an example:
Lets take a standard deck of playing cards, 52 cards in a pack. We know that in this deck there are 4 aces. In every deck of cards we’ll find 4 aces.

Now, you’ll need to find these 4 aces. That’s easy, you say, and start flipping the deck of cards over to find these 4 aces. You will flip every single card until you find all 4. The reason you’ll do it, is because you believe there are 4 aces in the deck, and you are determined to find them.
Let’s take a step further, and test you belief:
I’ve put the aces right at the bottom of the deck, without you knowing. Will you go through 48 cards to find these aces – I’m sure you will. Although you’ll not find an ace until you get to the 49^th card, you KNOW they are there, and there will be reward to your effort.

Now, let’s complicate matters. You’re in a group of people, and I’ve given everyone in the group the same task. You hear, a faint voice from the back of the room, saying that she thinks someone had their aces removed from the deck. Will that put a doubt in your mind, about your ability to find the aces?

What if that voice said she KNOWS someone had their aces removed?

What if the voice points at you, as the one with the aces removed. Would that reflect on your efforts?
It most likely will. We are guided by our own set of beliefs, however our belief system is easily manipulated by others, which we believe to be authoritative, or knowledgeable, or more experienced than us, or just sound convincing.

We are limiting ourselves and our true potential with our beliefs. If you say to yourself: I couldn’t earn more than $100k per annum, you won’t desire a Million! You might fantasize about a million dollar home, salary, or a car, but you won’t desire it, as you believe it couldn’t be true.
You have limited yourself to $100K a year, and that’s that!

When you ask people how much they want to earn, which house they want to live in, what car they’d like to drive, they’ll reply in two ways:

1.They’ll tell you what they think you want to hear: I want to earn $500,000 per annum, live in a beach-front property, and drive a Ferrari, but they don’t actually believe it could be true.

2.If they are honest with you, and tell you what’s in their mind, they’ll base their answer on their own history, their past. They will put a margin (realistic in their eyes) on what they have at this very moment, compare with their gradual improvement over the years, and state that as their ambition. The reality is, they’ve: limited their own growth by their set of beliefs; they’ve tempered with their motivation, as they are motivated to their nominated number.

These laws aren’t new. They’ve been around since the beginning of time. Not many people are aware, or open to accept these laws. These laws aren’t easy to comprehend, let alone implement. If you want to succeed though, you must understand and accept these laws. It will put your success on the fast lane.

If you remember what you just read, stick by these laws and believe in them and in yourself - I guarantee you will succeed.

Inspired by Jack Daly

US $1 BILLION BROKER SET TO BOOST AUSTRALIAN MORTGAGE INDUSTRY

2008-03-26T22:31:00.000+11:00

In an effort to raise the level of professionalism in the mortgage industry, Will Davies, a Sydney broker, along with business coach Andrew Roberts, formed a new entity dedicated to educate and help brokers acquire business development ,sales and marketing skills.

Supported by industry leaders, from Australia, NZ and US, Lending Sales Success is holding a top-notch conference, yet to be seen in Australia, focusing on sales and business development for mortgage brokers, in an effort to shift the focus from the traditional industry conference .

Melissa Cohn - The BILLION DOLLAR broker - will be one of the prominent speakers. Compared to Australian top broker, closing $160 Million last year, Melissa Cohn will bring us to a higher level of broking.
Cohn attributes surviving the sub-prime fallout and her billion dollar achievement to a number of factors that will be shared during an interactive Q & A session.

The conference brings together top brokers from across the globe, offering practical advice on how to develop your business and drive efficient sales.

The Lending Sales Success 08 conference combines tips from top Australian & US brokers, with leading business consultants including corporate psychotherapist, systems designer, personal coach, mentor and trainer, Dr Fred Grosse who will share his six primary precepts for business including life is primary and business funds life and showing how to benefit from focusing on what you can offer your clients, not what you can get from them.

With so many options available to consumers to borrow money, the Lending Sales conference will provide tools for lending sales professionals to become more efficient, increasing their competitiveness and enabling them to get a greater share of this tightening lending market.

More information on the conference and speakers can be found on www.lendingsales.com.au

Invest in yourself! You owe it to the people who matter most: you and your family.

Looking forward to see you all in the conference
Raz Chorev

How to create the WOW factor? (for Mortgage brokers)

2008-03-16T22:47:00.000+11:00

As a consumer, you are a customer. In the course of a normal week you might buy petrol, shop for groceries, sign up for a new mobile phone service, or purchase a sandwich at a deli. At each buying event, you become one of three types of customers: dissatisfied, satisfied, or extremely satisfied. The experience you have determines whether you will return again and/or recommend that company to others.

As a mortgage broker, you have customers. In the course of a normal week you might deal with a rate shopper, pre-qualify a prospect, take a loan application, make a sales call, or attend a closing. At each encounter, you determine the satisfaction level of your customer. Your entire business and livelihood depends on what type of customers you create.

It is obvious that none of us want dissatisfied customers. We know that dissatisfied customers either don’t buy from us, or if they do, don’t come back. We also know that dissatisfied customers talk, and if they have a negative experience with us or with our company, what they say can damage both our reputation and our business. A recent consumer research study showed that 92 percent of customers who say they were dissatisfied with a company or buying experience will never be heard from again.

Most companies, and for that matter most mortgage brokers, shoot for “satisfied” customers. They feel that if they can get a borrower from application through closing with a minimum amount of problems, life is good. If the post-closing customer survey is returned with the word “satisfied” circled, they feel they have done their job. The fact is they have failed. Statistics say that two out of every three consumers who say they were just “satisfied” with a company will never return. In the customer’s mind, they expected to be satisfied. You have done nothing special or memorable. All you have done is met their expectations, and you’ll never see two out of three of these borrowers again.

So what does it take to get a customer back for their next refinance or purchase loan? What is required to secure an endorsement to their family or friends? Nothing less than extremely satisfied customers. The vast majority of people will not return or refer companies where they did not experience an extremely satisfied buying event. Research done by Mortgage Originator Magazine shows that of consumers who rate their reaction to a company as “extremely satisfied” 85 percent will return again or recommend at least one other person who will buy from you. Think about yourself as a customer. What restaurants do you recommend to a friend? One that you feel okay about or one where you had a great dining experience and know they will too? Do you return to hotels or vacation resorts where you would say you had a “good” experience or a “great” experience? We are all customers in one way or another, and we frequent and recommend services and companies where we are more than satisfied with what we get.

The mission is to get to the point in your career where you would never have to prospect for business again. The four step plan was to:

1. Build a strong base of great referral clients (Real Estate agents, builders, financial planners etc.)
2. Provide an incredibly positive experience with every borrower.
3. Ask every borrower for referrals.
4. Keep in touch with borrowers down the road so they would remember them, come back, and refer their friends.

Correctly followed, this plan would ensure that in three to five years, you would build such a loyal following of customers that you would be done prospecting for life. No more sales calls, no more donut deliveries to real estate offices. In five years, you would have an army of extremely satisfied customers that sold for them. Like a pyramid scheme, this base of customers would potentially double every year. Unfortunately, most of the mortgage brokers don’t follow the plan. They chase down deals, get them processed and closed, refrain from doing anything special, and create “satisfied” customers.

One broker I know of, took this plan to heart. He bought into the “wow factor” of customer service. He tried to make each borrower experience special. He made personal follow-up phone calls. He sent out handwritten thank-you cards. He showed up at closings with gift baskets. He so impressed every borrower that within just a few years he had hundreds of people out selling for him. The last time I heard of him, he was still in the business, as one of his company’s top producers, and making a fortune. He doesn’t prospect much anymore. He doesn’t have to.

So if we know that 85 percent of extremely satisfied customers will be a continual stream of referrals, loans and income, why doesn’t every broker try to create them? The answer may be one or more of the following:

1. I don’t have time.
2. I think it’s unnecessary.
3. I don’t know how.
Let’s tackle these one at a time.

I don’t have time. The fact is you do have the time. As Stephen Covey, author of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” states: “We always will find the time to do the things we feel are important.” Chances are you work 40 to 60 hours a week. You have plenty of time for a personal follow-up call (one minute) or to write a thank you note (two minutes) or stop by a closing (30 minutes). You choose not to do these things because (and this may sting a little) you don’t think these things are important. Some brokers are so busy chasing down loans and putting out fires, great customer service takes a back seat to their busy work. The fact is you don’t have time not to provide great service! Perhaps if more of your customers were “extremely satisfied” you wouldn’t have to be out prospecting so much, giving you the time to take great care of all the referrals they are sending you.

I think it’s unnecessary. Some mortgage brokers think they are above giving great service. They feel the customer owes them, not the other way around. The concepts of a personal phone call to a new buyer asking how they are enjoying their new house or a Christmas card to the family are for someone else. That’s too bad, because these brokers are missing the point. As a test, think about when you are a customer. Think about a time someone went out of his or her way to ensure you had a great buying experience. How did you react? Did you think it was corny, silly or unnecessary? No! Did you feel it was unprofessional? Certainly not! You loved it. That’s how your customers would feel if you started providing them with an extremely satisfying experience too.

I don’t know how. Perhaps you are into great customer service but are unsure of what you can do to create the “wow factor.” First, remember that the wow factor isn’t created with one big thing, but often a multiple of little things. A great experience at a restaurant is the product of an attentive valet, a welcoming hostess, a knowledgeable and helpful waiter, a clean dining environment, and a wonderful chef. To create a similar great experience in your business, ask yourself: “If I was a borrower, what would really impress me? What would a broker or mortgage lender do that would make me one of their raving fans?” Draft a list of what you would like to experience, and that’s probably what your customers want as well. Once you have your “total customer experience” mapped out, integrate those actions and little touches into your system. For example:
* Thank you for applying card goes out 24 hours after application
* Personal welcome call from the loan processor is made in 48 hours
* Gift basket sent to place of employment on day of approval
* Congratulations card mailed one day after closing
* Magazine gift subscription started 30 days later
Everything is easier, even customer service, when you have it built into a system.

Building this system is not rocket science! On your computer there are several options to automate reminders. You can use your own loan processing software, or your contact and email management program (Outlook, ACT!, Goldmine or others). Set up a sequence of reminders, which applies to all successful applications. Just as a reminder, even when the application is declined by the lender, this is still a customer. Thank them for trusting you, and then go on and show them you're worth that trust.

Once this is an automated system, it won’t be such a chore anymore, and you won’t have to remember to do it, or to set aside time to do it. It would be something you do automatically, like your morning routine. You don't have to think or concentrate on the things you do as you wake up in the morning: the teeth, bathroom visit, coffee / breakfast, shower, etc. This is part of you by now. The touch system should be the same.

Think about how many borrowers you will help this year. Perhaps it will be 50, 100, or more. What if everyone, because of their fantastic experience, sent at least one friend to you next year? Theoretically, you could double your volume without any more prospecting. You might even have more business than you could handle.

What a wonderful problem that would be!

If you've read all that, I'm sure you have an opinion about what you've just read. Please share your ideas and opinions with me...(click on the word comment below, and leave a comment!)

Thank you
Raz

Telling Vs Selling

2008-03-06T23:34:00.000+11:00

This article is written for mortgage brokers specifically - but could be helpful to any technical person who has to sell his/her extensive knowledge and experience, and often fall into the trap of: Telling Vs Selling!

Your job as a mortgage broker is basically a sales position. You earn a commission on each loan you produce. To originate those loans successfully, a certain amount of "selling" is commonly required: selling the real estate agent to refer you, selling the borrower on a particular loan program, and selling that same borrower on you, your company, and the decision to move forward.While we all know that mortgage broking is basically sales, it is also widely known that most originators have never been taught how to sell. Like so many other things in life, when we are not properly trained how to do something (play golf, change a car tire, or paint a bedroom), we can make a lot of mistakes. When it comes to selling, the most common mistake is the tendency to talk too much. This doesn't make us bad people. (all we try to do is to impress our potential customer with our extensive knowledge, and feed them with all the facts WE think they need to know!).Rather, we are simply unaware of how we are selling and the effect is has on the customer. Here are a few examples:
* You answer a rate shopper's phone call. Instead of asking a series of detailed questions to get at what they want to accomplish, you spend most of the call talking about various loan product options, rates, down payments, monthly payment requirements, closing costs, and paperwork guidelines.
* You visit a real estate agent. Instead of asking about and listening to his or her needs, you dominate the meeting with rate sheets, product fliers, and a rendition of how great you and your company are in meeting closing deadlines.
* You meet a builder at a community social event. Instead of getting to know this person and what his company is all about, you immediately launch into a monologue of construction lending programs and financing options you have to offer.
Somewhere along the line, most salespeople assumed that selling is essentially doing a lot of talking. But truly effective selling is so much more than that.
Here's what all good salespeople understand:
* Clients will not open up and talk about their situation until a rapport has been established and they feel comfortable doing so.
* The client will not expose his or her needs unless you take the time to ask the right questions. * Clients will not listen to your solutions unless they feel you understand his or her situation and needs.
* Clients will not talk and share information unless they feel you are listening and genuinely care to help.
*The client will not commit to action unless you have presented the right solution.
Although this may seems simple, it is a concept that is hard for some to understand. "Aren't we just supposed to go out there and talk about our loan programs?" will ask a broker? "My boss said to make up a bunch of rate sheets and go out to tell Real Estate agents about what we can do. Isn't that the way we should sell ourselves?" The answer to both questions is a resounding: No! Being good at telling is not necessarily being good at selling. Every day mortgage brokers get rejected and discouraged because they employ this old "show up and throw up" approach to doing business. Again, they are not bad people. They have just never been taught the right way to sell.
There are two types of salespeople in this business: Consultants and Dealers. (I chose the word Dealers due to my association to the stereotypical second-hand car salesman in a car dealership: they have a certain amount of existing stock, and they need to “get rid” of it. There isn’t a nice way to “get rid” of stock. You do what you have to do!)
Here are the contrasts:
* Consultants are on the client's agenda. Dealers are on their own agenda.
* Consultants do most of the listening. Dealers do most of the talking.
* Consultants focus on the relationship. Dealers focus on product and price.
* Consultants work for the referral. Dealers work for the "close."
* Consultants are admired and welcomed. Dealers are looked down upon and avoided.

Top-producing mortgage brokers are great examples of this. How many top producers do you know who walks around real estate offices passing out rate sheets? None. Can you name a superstar mortgage broker who doesn't work hard to get to know his or her clients, build relationships, and ask for referrals? Probably not. These top-producers used to understand the golden rule of success in selling: Sell to others the way you would want to be sold to. Not anymore! Now we have the Platinum Rule: Sell to others the way THEY would like to be sold to! Seek to first understand the client, their wants, their desires, and their obstacles. Then try to understand how they will make a decision: do they make their decisions based on logic, or based on emotions? Treat your prospects as individuals, and try to understand what motivates them to act.
Put yourself in the position as a client, what would you want? Would you want a mortgage broker talking incessantly about himself/his products/his company/his rates, and other offerings? Or would you want a mortgage broker asking questions, listening and presenting clear solutions to help you achieve what you want to achieve? Would you rather do business with a dealer or a consultant? The answer is obvious.
I'm sure that if you are taking the time to read this, it is your desire to be seen as a quality lending consultant and someone who your customers, clients, and prospects admire and trust with their home financing decisions. If this is so, then you must be certain the approach that you are taking in selling to your customers, clients, and prospects is the right one, the consultative one. Take this quick true or false quiz:
1. I tend to talk too much.
2. I mostly dominate and take over my client conversations.
3. When preparing for a sales call, I spend more time thinking about the information I want to share than the questions I want to ask.
4. I enjoy demonstrating my knowledge and expertise of home financing.
5. My friends (and if applicable, my spouse) would secretly say I could improve my listening skills.
6. My clients would not necessarily think of me as a "consultant."
If you answered "true" to two or more of these statements, you could use a little "sales training" about now. One of the best, easiest, and cheapest ways to do this is with role playing. (I know, you don't like to role play. Well, most people don't really enjoy doing 100 sit-ups every night. But it doesn't take long, it is good for them, and they see some great results. The same is true for role playing.) Here's how it can work:
1. Find two other people to participate. These should be two colleagues, who could also benefit from this exercise.
2. Ask one to role play a client, you be the broker, and the third person is your observer.
3. Demonstrate a 10-minute sales encounter with a client. This could be a phone inquiry, a Real estate agency sales visit, or a borrower pre-qualification meeting. Do what you normally do and say what you normally say.
4. When finished, ask the client and the observer to answer these questions accurately and honestly:
* What did I do well in that encounter? (If they’re not sure - help them focus on their answers by giving them hints:
* How was my body language – open or closed? Did I welcome their comments, or was I folding arms when they talked?
* Have they noticed my Questioning techniques? Which ones? Did it get results?* During those 10 minutes, what percentage of the time was I talking?
* Was the information I provided too much, too little, or just right?
* What kind of job did I do at listening? Rate me from 1 to 10.( you’ve got two ears and one mouth – you should listen twice as much as you talk).
* Was I doing too much "telling?" When?
* How interested did I seem in the client's situation?
* Name two things I could do a little better next time.
The feedback you receive from your colleagues can point you in the direction of significantly better sales calls and converting a higher number of opportunities. You'll discover quickly how to gravitate away from dealing (telling) and more toward the role of consulting (selling).
Take this feedback into the real world and apply what you learned. Be consciously aware of your talk time with clients and how much information you give versus how much you receive. You'll find yourself focused more on building rapport, asking good questions, and active listening with far less emphasis on talking. Before long, you'll notice more lively conversations; a better, more relaxed approach; and clients who seem even more comfortable working with you.

Brought to you by Raz Chorev, infulenced by Jack Daly

Salespeople Positioned As Experts

2008-02-27T23:07:00.000+11:00

Salespeople Positioned As Experts
By Bill Brooks

“We’re just not positioned well in our market,” a salesperson recently told me. When it comes to positioning, too many salespeople feel it’s a pre-determined ranking that’s out of their control. In some cases salespeople think good positioning just happens, when in reality there are aspects they actually have substantial control over – and in some cases, total control.

Before we go further and discuss how you can help your salespeople gain that control, let’s quickly define “positioning” as we’re discussing it in this article.

Positioning is your prospect’s level of awareness and recognition of your organization, your product and your salespeople, relative to that of your competitor’s.

It’s important to realize that your salespeople are creating a position in the market whether you – or they – know it or not. That position can be positive, negative, or neutral. Your job is to make sure your salespeople positively influence their position.

When your salespeople get in front of a prospect there are 3 key components that need to be positioned:

1. The product

2. The organization

3. The salesperson

Let’s take a look at all three of these, one at a time.

Positioning the Product

Let’s quickly consider two popular, yet very different wristwatches: Rolex vs. Timex. Rolex is considered the ultimate timepiece, an heirloom, a symbol of success. A Timex on the other hand is a reasonably priced, solidly constructed watch which comes in several models that’ll fit just about every need a wearer could have.

That type of basic understanding of how each watch is positioned is extremely important for a salesperson to have. The product position serves as a base on top of which improved positioning can be built.

But what if you have poor product positioning, or none? Then at least you know where you’re beginning.

For your salespeople, a major part of positioning your product well in the mind of the prospect is not demonstrating how much they know about the product, but rather, how well they can articulate what they know to the prospect in a meaningful and relevant way. Their ability to apply the uses and benefits of their product in such a way that it “clicks” with the prospect will set your product apart from all the other similar offerings and can even help improve your product’s positioning.

Consider some of the following questions about your product or service:

· How does its price compare to similar products and offerings? Why?

· What kind of track record does it have? What kind of quality?

· Who else uses it?

· Is it new?

· Are you offering a product or service?

· Who is the end user? And are they different from the person who buys it?

· Is it a specialized product or service?

· Are there frequent upgrades? Why?

· Is there a guarantee?

· What’s its availability?

· What does buying this product or service imply about the decision maker?

Now to the best of your ability, answer those same questions about your competitor’s product.

Having your salespeople answer these questions will help them recognize your product’s position in the market. Furthermore, be sure they don’t try and put spin on the product to justify any shortcoming they feel about the product. You want their mental picture of how the product is positioned to be true and stripped down to the essential question, “Is the prospect’s awareness and recognition of our product potentially positive, negative or neutral?” That kind of objectivity will allow salespeople to make an application-based sales presentation.

Positioning the Organization

There are a wide variety of factors which contribute to the positioning of your organization. Marketing, sales, service, technology, history, research and development, and operations all contribute to an organization’s position in the market. Your salespeople can have a direct or indirect impact on some or all of the factors; however, for the purposes of this article it’s up to you to a) define your organization’s current position in the marketplace as best you can and b) define which variables your salespeople can impact most directly.

Here are some questions to consider which will help you define your organization’s position:

· What is the history of the organization?

· How big is the infrastructure? Are you small, mid-sized, or large?

· Is your organization a trendsetter in the market?

· Do you have a niche market or particular segment you’ve had success with?

· Do you have local, regional or national presence?

· How would you define your organization’s culture? Are you sales oriented?
Customer service oriented? Technology oriented? Operations oriented?

· Who has the greatest share at the boardroom table? Does the company reflect
their philosophy?

· How would your customers define your organization’s culture?

· How is the organization run (union, non-union, collective, private, public, family
owned and operated)?

· Do you have a flagship product offering? If so, what is it?

The answers to these questions all have a significant impact on the level of expectation and awareness the prospect has about your organization. While they’ll be buying from your salesperson, they also want to feel good about the organization they’re about to buy from.

Your salespeople can have a tremendously positive effect on the overall position of the organization because to the customer, the person they interact with IS the organization.

Positioning the Salesperson

The salesperson’s personal positioning is the most important of the three and in most cases can easily override the other two. The reason this is so critical is because this is what your salespeople have the most control over.

Here’s the key to personal positioning for your salespeople: people will listen to those whom they believe have something important to say to them. For example; a doctor, a lawyer, a veterinarian, an architect are all credible sources of information about their respective fields.

The salespeople who are the best at positioning themselves with the same credibility are those who create a type of pseudo-celebrity status in their market. They’re the sales professionals who read industry magazines, attend seminars and join associations. They also write columns for industry magazines, speak at the seminars and actively participate in their association and associations in adjacent markets.

Here’s a secret. Those “celebrity” salespeople are no different than those on your sales team. The only thing they do that most salespeople don’t take the time or effort to do is to leverage their intellectual capital.

They take what they know about their product or service and what it means to their customers and they use it to educate their prospects by writing articles or “Top 10” lists, or giving presentations, demonstrations or lectures.

To be sure, these “celebrity sellers” aren’t writing masterpieces for the Harvard Business Review. They’re writing short, four or five hundred word articles about the single most important thing a customer has to know before they buy the product – or any similar product on the market. Or they’re delivering that article as a short speech during an association meeting or as a guest speaker at an industry seminar.

What’s more, the material is completely objective. The salesperson is positioning him or herself (and perhaps, to some degree, the organization). They’re telling potential prospects, “Hey, this is what you need to know about the kind of product I sell. Whether you buy it from me or not, you should really be knowledgeable about these few facts before you make a decision.”

To be honest, your salespeople don’t even have to get that article published in an industry or association magazine. All they have to do is write it and include it in their sales material with their name on it and they’re going to elevate their position in the prospect’s mind. Why? Because they’re sharing unsolicited, unbiased information that will help the prospect make a decision. And that is often what prospects really want; a strong validation from an expert that they are making a smart purchase.

Here are some questions your salespeople should consider as you show them how they can positively influence their own positioning in the market:

· Do you use a linked, sequential sales process to apply application-based
recommendations?

· Do you get referrals?

· Do you use referrals?

· Do you belong to an association?

· Do you read any industry publications?

· How well do you understand the job, environment, industry, culture and life of
our customers?

· On a scale of 1 to 10, what level of importance does your product have in those
areas for your prospect?

· What are the very most basic features and benefits of your product? Are your
prospects also aware of those features and benefits, or do you assume they are?

· How hard are you willing to work to establish your personal definition of
success?

The salesperson who recently complained, “We’re just not positioned well in our market,” happened to work in the assisted living or nursing home industry. She went on to explain that a local law firm was positioning itself as a watchdog for nursing home malpractices. They were distributing a Top 10 list about what potential nursing home residents should be wary of in looking into a facility.

“What questions should a prospect or a prospect’s family members ask you to find that information?” I asked. The salesperson didn’t blink. She started listing off highly relevant questions that only an industry insider such as herself would know to ask. It was as though she were interviewing a nursing home representative for her own family member.

“You need to write those questions down and make sure every prospect you come in contact with knows those are the questions they have to ask before they choose a facility for a loved one,” I told her. “Make sure that information is available in all of your facilities with your name and contact information on it.”

Today’s salespeople have the unique opportunity to position themselves as a beacon in the hailstorm of marketing messages – as more than just another voice urging prospects to “Buy Now!” Your salespeople can be those experts, establishing themselves as that one person a buyer can turn to for unbiased guidance. The truth is, your salespeople know and understand their customers. Many of them just don’t know how to leverage that knowledge. Now you can help them do that.

Bill Brooks is CEO of The Brooks Group, an international sales training and business growth firm based in Greensboro NC. For more information and to check out his newest book "How to Sell at Margins Higher than Your Competitors" click on this link: www.thebrooksgroup.com.

THE 10 "P's" OF PERSUASION

2008-02-27T22:36:00.000+11:00

Being persuasive is perhaps what makes or breaks a salesperson. To be good at it, master these 10 "P's".

POSITIVE attitude. Successful salespeople are positive people. They have a good attitude about themselves, the companies they represent, the products and services they sell, the prospects they're attempting to persuade, the country they live in. They're positive about everything.
Enthusiasm is contagious. Salespeople who are excited about life and the work they do persuade with power by getting prospects excited.

PROSPECTING. Successful salespeople direct their persuasive power toward people who can buy and who have good reason to buy their products or services.
An obvious mark of amateur sellers is that they waste time trying to persuade people who have no authority to buy. The powerful persuader targets their efforts at the person who has the resources, the positive motivation and the authority to buy.

PREPARATION. Professional salespeople do their homework, they know their persuasive power is directly related to how prepared they are. They find out what they need to know about a prospect they plan what they'll show and say. and they practice, practice, practice,

PERFORMANCE, Powerful persuaders are like stage actors playing to a full house. They're artists at making their presentations. They're entertaining and informative. When they've finished a presentation, customers know all they need to know to make a decision to buy and are motivated to do what the salesperson wants.

PERCEPTION. The powerful persuaders are alert to everything that happens during a sales interview. They're not preoccupied with personal problems. Schedules or the next call they're going to make. They know that reaching a sales goal begins with making this sale.

PROBING. The art of asking questions is an important and useful skill for master persuaders. Questions help salespeople discover important information that can lead to a successful close. You might discover your prospect's key concerns. Through probing, you discover hidden objections or hidden motivations.

PERSONALISING. The most powerful word for selling is the three letter word YOU. A person looking at the proposition you're offering wants to know just one thing: "What's in it for me?" To add power to your presentation, personalize every part of it to meet your prospect's unique needs and wants.

PLEASING. Powerful persuaders close sales by pleasing their customers. When prospects are happy about the idea of owning what you're selling, they'll become customers. Professional salespeople know they can't force prospects to buy. They please them in so many ways they know they'll create a desire to buy.

PROVING. Don't make statements you can't back up. Don't expect prospects to accept everything you say at face value. Be prepared to prove every claim you make with tests, case studies and performance records. One of the best ways to prove your validity is to offer prospects testimonials from customers happy with the product or service they purchased from you. Facts are persuasive. Use them.

PERSISTENCE. Call on prospects as many times as you feel is warranted. One study indicates
· 50% of salespeople call on a prospect one time, and quit.
· 18% call on a prospect twice, and give up.
· 7% call three times, and call it quits.
· 5% call on a prospect four times before quitting.
· Only 20% call on a prospect five or more times before they quit.

It’s that 20% who close 80% of the sales.

Based on article by Nido Qubein

Brought to you by:

Raz Chorev
Continuity Programs Australia

14 ways to multiply your sales and personal cash flow!

2008-02-19T22:34:00.000+11:00

Life in sales is a real trip. One minute you are a legend and the next you are a dope! There is usually somebody in the background pushing, shoving and sometimes praying that you will turn in the “big one.” The deal that puts the cash in the bank and the toys in the garage. My observation is that a lot of the time they are telling you the same old tired stuff and simply cracking the whip to get more out of you.

Yet the cool thing about sales is that you are really on your own. When it comes to money you are also on your own. That goes for making it, spending it and investing it.

You can make tons or you can scrape along. The purpose of this little report is to give you some surefire ways to put and keep money in your wallet right now and get sales rolling through the door. I want to make you rich!

Over the years, my life in sales has seen me very rich and very broke. If someone would have shared these few secrets with me like I am with you, I would have stayed in the rich zone.

Without talking too much, let me give you the list. Any one of these is guaranteed to put cash in your pocket now. These are not in any particular order of importance.

1. If you do not have a good contact data base program or software…get one NOW!!!!

If you have to, hire someone to input all the business cards and contacts that you have. Start working the list heavily. The fastest and most lucrative sales will come from simply going back to those contacts regularly with new information, new offers and new services.

DO NOT RELY ONLY ON THE LISTS THAT YOUR COMPANY PROVIDES.

Your customers and their well-being are YOUR responsibility. The software will help you stay in touch and keep valuable information at your fingertips. You may be great at selling, but a bit sloppy at record keeping and follow-up. That’s normal. That is why a powerful but simple program that you can use on your laptop or PDA will make up for it.

(HINT: Hire someone to do the some of the input for you to keep it current!)

2. Offer some sort of a FREE OFFER to all of your existing users/customers and send it out to them with a letter of thanks. It could be products, services, information, analyses, surveys….something that would be of value to them. Follow up on it with each of them by phone or mail and use this opportunity to check in and find needs.

It blows me away that so many sales people are fixated on “new sales” when there are thousands of dollars sitting in the hands of people that already love you waiting to take advantage of the next great deal.

I agree that it is important to get fresh blood into the system, but the greatest and fastest source of income are the people that already know you and trust you. If you have new stuff coming through in terms of products and services or promotional programs…..let them know. Your job is to make them rich and happy or to make their lives easier and make them heroes. Rather than giving everything to new guys, give to your faithful customers. More importantly spend the time finding everything you can about your existing customers. You never know.

A story of lost millions

I just heard a story that made me cringe about a printer who consistently produced another company’s stationary every year for about $5000 in sales. One day this customer came to the printer to show off his latest 200+ page product catalogue in full color, nicely bound. The printer was devastated. He asked why this customer did not give him that catalogue printing business. The customer said, “I thought you only did stationary!” In this case, not being heavily involved with his customer cost him several hundred thousand dollars a year in lost sales from this single customer.

3. Make an appointment with a good CPA/tax strategist and learn how to structure yourself as a business. As a sales person you can pocket thousands of extra dollars every year, from every paycheck. Learn how to pay yourself first and the government last rather than letting them take theirs first off the top!!

4. Find a group of friends and/or associates which could consist of customers, vendors, strangers and meet once a month to brainstorm sales ideas and objections. Make sure that they are from different businesses and industries. The energy and insight will astound you. Years ago when I was in the cargo business, I used to do this with customers, vendors and even competitors. We brainstormed EVERYBODY’S sales and businesses, not just mine. It was awesome. Don’t ask me why but I can tell you that for at least a month after those meetings, sales boomed. CAUTION: These sessions are NOT selling sessions. Don’t be making pitches or you will lose all credibility.

If I gave you ten seconds to completely describe your target customer, could you be

sure that you know everything about them? (Remember the stationary story!)

5. Sit down and completely describe your target market. If it is a person, how much money do they make, where do they live, what is the make-up of their families, what are their jobs, what are their hopes, fears, problems, etc. Make sure that you do your research so you know exactly who you are targeting otherwise even the best sales pitch will fall on deaf ears if given to someone without need or resources. If you are selling to businesses, the same applies. If you do not know exactly who you are hunting, you will be distracted by everything. Survey your current customers and your competitors’ customers and research the size of the company, the size of their staff, the size of their facilities, their competition, their customers, their common problems, their sales, their management teams, etc. until you have the profile. Then your sales effort will yield much higher returns because you are dealing in higher probabilities.

6. Take one evening and list everything that you spend money on for a month and determine the number. This is your current budget. Look at it closely and find a way to either reduce it by 5% or increase the income by 5%. Determine where you will deposit that extra 5% and do it religiously every time you get paid. Make a plan where you will invest it so that it will make you passive income. (Money you do not have to work for)

7. Build a great team of financial advisors that can coach you properly to ensure that your earnings work for you. The problem with great salespeople is that a lot of them have a tough time working on a team. Maybe okay in some parts of selling, but not if you want to be RICH!

Your team should consist of a good accountant, financial planner, real estate broker, stock broker, attorney and a business mentor to guide you in your pursuit of bigger deals and greater business growth. These should be people who have “walked the walk” of where you want to go with your hard earned income and not just those who want to sell you a product that may not be in your best interests. Choose wisely.

8. Create a campaign to offer a FREE report, consultation, service or a product to all current customers, prospects and interested parties. Give it a frequency of at least once a month and start sending it. If prospects respond that they want the report, you have just qualified them!

I nearly forgot to tell you the best way in the world to sell the most in the shortest time!! Those that use it, swear by it.

9. Promote, prepare and deliver a FREE presentation on your product or service to as large of a group as you can invite. You will become an immediate expert in the prospect’s eyes. Make sure that they learn something in the session. Be sure to present the problems that you know that they have, surface the objections that you know that they have in advance and show them how you can solve their problems. The goal is to get as many people to attend as possible and to get as many genuinely interested people as possible to raise their hands asking for more information.

Two Minute Exercise to turn on Quick Cash now:

10. Pretend that you need money for a medical emergency operation. Imagine your current resources are tapped. (That may not be an imagination!) Where would you go to generate the money? (Borrowing is not allowed…only selling!) Whatever thoughts came into your mind, make a plan to do it if it is legal, ethical and moral. Where can you turn on a series of sales NOW??

11. Talk to at least two investors and two financial planners and learn how to take a percentage of your commissions, invest it and turn it into passive income.

If you are good in sales, you may have developed a skill that is both good and bad.

The skill is the ability to turn on income whenever you need it by simply creating more sales. The negative to this is that it is possible to build a habit of this in place of wisely getting the money to work for you, rather than you working for the money.

If you don’t know your own strength, you will never find your greatest earning strategy.

12. The key to every great success story is playing to your strengths. As a salesperson, you must identify which of the five breeds you are and learn to play to your strength.

While every great athlete, executive, performer and professional have or have coaches. Finding your strengths is part one. Learning the best skills of the other personality types is part two. Avoid what is not natural to you and take your inherent strength and focus on making it generate cash for you.

13. Make a list of all your prospects and identify their personality type and learn how to sell to them the best and the quickest.

If you don’t know how to protect yourself against your weaknesses, they will suck the success out of everything that you do.

14. Make sure that you immerse yourself in an on-going training program that will teach and coach you how to do all of what we have talked about here. It is one thing to know what do, and quite different to know how to do it. Great Salespeople aren’t born….they are trained. You don’t need to know everything… just the right things that will turn on the sales, turn on the cash and build the wealth.

GIVE 'EM A SHOW THEY WON'T FORGET!

2008-02-17T23:29:00.000+11:00

Remember, there is a lot of competition out there. Your presentations need everything you can put into them to make them exciting to hear, to watch, to experience!

When you do what it is you do so well that people who see you do it will want to see you do it again, and will bring others to see you do it, you can have unlimited abundance."

When I was a little boy, my brother gave me a small magnifying glass. It didn't take me long to learn that that little piece of glass contained a secret that gave it tremendous power.

TARGETED POWER IS CONCENTRATED POWER

But I learned something far more valuable from that discovery than how to create holes. I learned the tremendous power of concentration - the power of focus - the power of targeting! And nothing can add more power to your presentation than focusing all your energies toward a limited set of targets.

TARGET #1: Target the customer

We need to develop the importance of playing everything in the preparation and presentation to the customer.
People buy from those salespeople who help them discover what they want and how they can get it through their products and services. If there is one master key to unlocking the sale, it is to sell benefits. Remember this, the customer always wants to know," what's in it for me? (WIIFM)

All of the design, engineering, manufacturing, and management skills of your company amount to nothing unless you can show the customer how the product or service will benefit him or her!
One successful salesperson I know explains her technique for targeting the customer like this. She says, "I always pretend that the product was designed specifically for that customer; that it was built exclusively for that customer, and that today is the day of the great unveiling of that product for that single person. That's targeting!
Most sales are made one at a time, to one person at a time. To do that we must ask every question, make every statement, demonstrate each feature and benefit to the one person to whom we are talking at the moment.

TARGET #2: Target the key issue!

As you ask questions and listen closely to the answers, and as you observe the customer usually one major concern of interest will stand out above all the rest.
Call it the major problem, call it the point of interest, call d the most obvious desire - it all boils down to one thing: What interests that prospect most? Whatever it is, let that be the primary focus of your entire presentation and close.
If that prospect wants to talk savings, talk savings. It that prospect is most interested in making a profit, talk profits that can be made by using your product or service. If that consumer is most interested in convenience, demonstrate every feature that product has to make everything more convenient for him or her and then take it one step further: make d possible to purchase that product.
Remember: there are four basic reasons people buy. People buy out of fear; people buy because of pride of ownership; people buy because of something they stand to gain from the product or service; and people buy to imitate others whom they respect. Memorize those four things because one of the four things is most likely to be the key issue towards which you will want to target presentation. Be on the alert for fear, for pride, for a desire for gain, and for a desire to imitate.

Now, do you remember the four main reasons people don't buy? These too, can be key issues. If you recognize any one of these as the customer's key concern, you can focus most of the attention of the presentation to deal with the key objection. The four primary reasons people don't buy are: they don't have confidence in the salesperson, the company, or the product: they don't have a need for the product or service; the cost is too great: or they are not in a hurry.

There are two reasons people buy, or don't buy products - the reason they tell you, and the real reason. Learn to focus the key issue, and direct all of the energy of the presentation to deal with that issue, and you will put power in your presentation.

TARGET #3: Target the "hot button!"

What does your customer like about your product? Discover that as early as you can, then focus as much attention as possible on that one exciting feature.

Brian Tracy tells the story of a couple who are looking to buy a home. As the couple walks up to the home the woman exclaims, 'Wow! There is a cherry tree in the back! I have always wanted a cherry tree!' The salesman makes a note of this and walks them into the home. The husband says, "The kitchen is too small" and the salesman replies, "Yes, but look through the window and you have a perfect view of the cherry tree." The husband walks into the backyard and says, "We don't want to have to take care of a swimming pool." The salesman says, "Yes, but you can put a chair right here and sit under the cherry tree anytime you like." The husband was using logic and the salesman emotion. The couple bought the house because of that.

It's called building value! You start with the primary point of excitement, and you enhance that excitement in every way you can. Then, you add on the other features and benefits that supplement the primary point of interest.

Some successful salespeople like to think of targeting the `hot button' as finding the most vulnerable point. They zero-in on the customer's weakest point of resistance.

Perhaps a more positive approach is to take what is most exciting about the product to a particular customer, and make that the strongest part of your presentation.

TARGET #4: Target your timing!

Every good presentation is a masterpiece of timing. It starts with showing up exactly on time, or a few minutes early for the presentation. This says to the customer that you think his or her time is valuable.

The most useful tool of timing is the art of brevity - learning how to say what you want to say in the shortest possible time to be effective. Wordy salespeople might do well to remember that the writer of Genesis told the whole story of the creation of the world in just 442 words. Now that's brevity.

TARGET #6: Target your answer to every question the customer asks!

One of the best ways to build trust is to give a definite, direct answer to every question the customer asks.
The most powerful way of doing that is to – repeat their question, not sounding as a parrot, however:
“ just to make sure I understand your question… “ then you repeat the question, and answer it fully.

At the end, when you’ve finished your answer, you’ll ask: “ Does this answer your question?”

Make sure you answer the question then and there, and you’ll eliminate an objection or a “smoke screen” at the end!

TARGET #6: Target your facts!

Sometimes we get so excited and so enthusiastic about our products and services that we tend to exaggerate about the wonders of what we are selling.

Professional salespeople, who've been selling for a long time, say that the best rule is to never tell a lie. Sooner or later, those little misrepresentations always come back to haunt you. Better to lose a few sales by telling the truth, than to gain the reputation of one who cannot be trusted.

Target you facts! Don't make claims and promises you can't back up.

Put power in your presentation by targeting your customer, your key issue, the customers’ "hot button, your timing, your answers, and your facts.

When you focus all of your attention on the most important factors in a presentation, you can concentrate all of your energies where they will do the most good- When you learn how to do that as a professional salesperson, just like that little magnifying glass I talked about, you can burn a hole in the customers resistance.

Targeted power is concentrated power, and concentrated power leads to more sales.

Proudly brought to you by Raz Chorev, Continuity Programs

WHAT IS CRM?

2008-02-16T20:54:00.000+11:00

A lot of people ask me, what is CRM?
CRM is Customer Relationship Management, which means a lot of different things. The next question is usually:
Why do I need CRM?

Here is a very good definition of CRM, what CRM is for, where and how CRM is used, and most importantly, why CRM is needed:

What is CRM and why is CRM needed?
Be sure to read to the bottom to see the statistical evidence which will show you why CRM is so necessary.

THE BLAME GAME:

2008-02-13T22:37:00.000+11:00

This article was written by a woman. No, really! read to the end...

I was driving in peak hour traffic when, without warning, the driver in front of me slammed on his brakes. Unfortunately, something – a flash of white – had just fluttered past my eyes and I’d looked down to see what it was.
BANG!
The other car wasn’t damaged but mine was, and it cost me $700. I told everyone the accident had happened because a card had fallen from the sun visor above my head.
It wasn’t until months later that I had my epiphany: It wasn’t the cards’ fault; I’d been the one who’d looked away while driving. Furthermore, I’d probably been following too closely. I’d been blaming an inanimate object for my carelessness and bad driving. I thought of all the times I’d been late and blamed traffic, rather than saying “I should have left earlier”. I realized I’d been going through life blaming everything and everyone but myself. And I knew I wasn’t alone. I’d never known anyone to arrive late for a meeting without explaining how the delay was someone else’s fault.
And once I began to notice how pervasive blame shifting was, I realised it was woven firmly into the fabric of our society: drunks aren’t just drunks: they suffer from alcoholism. Criminals are not just creeps; they’re casualties of society. Kids who do drugs are victims of dysfunctional families. Losers a re the underdogs who were actually programmed to fail. In politics, it’s always the other guy’s fault.
It seems that these days no-one is to blame for anything at all. It’s always someone else. And what’s more when people feel hard done by – when someone else has done them wrong – they just can’t seem to let go of it, get over it at get on with their lives. Whatever happened to American president Harry Truman’s saying, “the buck stops here”?
This is very much the creed of Dr. Laura Schlesinger. A radio talk show host with an audience of 18 million, Schlesinger is a stickler for morality and ethics. She’s not at all interested in feeling your pain or listening to you describe your low self esteem. She couldn’t care less if you had a lousy time as a kid, that’s no excuse for behaving badly as an adult. As she puts it: ”I don’t give advise. I preach, teach and nag!” her prescription for listeners? Stop snivelling, don’t be so selfish and quit seeing yourself as a victim!
Ron Russel is a teacher in a tough inner city suburb in Toronto, Canada, where gangs with names like Christie Boys and the Latinos often clash. He says: “these kids deal with serious things – an alcoholic family, a father who leaves, parent who always fight, divorce, things like that. And that’s terrible. But many use it as a crutch instead of moving on. Some kids who have the same background don’t mess up; they blossom socially and academically, and don’t see it as an excuse not to do well.”
We should not beat ourselves up for not being able to turn our lives around abruptly, according to psychiatrist Dr. Sheldon Shau. “Insight doesn’t automatically lead to change,” he says,” But it’s a good start in accepting responsibility. Behaviour can change. People can change.”
Like my teenage daughter. Until earlier this year, she blamed her bad behaviour on low self-esteem. Then a curious thing happened. On her own she began doing volunteer work a local rehabilitation hospital. Once a week, she delivers meal trays to stroke victims and amputees, and helps them to open packages and cut their food. She’s kind and cheerful, and the patients like her. The staff tells her she’s “a natural”.
She doesn’t moans about low self-esteem anymore. She seems to have stumbled on a lesson for us all: healthy self-esteem is not a birthright. It’s at least partly earned. And if we lack it maybe it’s time to do something about it. Assume responsibility for earning your own respect. And for goodness sake, stop making excuses.
The other day fell down and grazed my knee. My high heeled shoe had skidded on wet, slippery concrete. When I got home, it took all of my will power to stop myself from saying “my stupid shoe slipped”, and instead simply admit to having worn idiotic footwear.
It’s time we blame shifters resolved to begin more sentences with “I did the stupidest thing just now”!
Maybe we would actually start to learn from our mistakes. Maybe we’d even grow up.

Please do not forget to comment on this one...
proudly brought to you by Raz Chorev, Continuity Programs Australia

Checklist for Sales

2008-02-12T11:25:00.001+11:00

Every organization is different and most sell either products or provide services. Sales success is what sustains your business. Most salespeople have a preference for selling either products or services. Identifying and hiring the right salespeople for your business is one key to your success.

Many companies require sales applicants to provide a documented track record for sales of a product or services in a related industry. However there are other businesses with broader needs for salespeople who can sell ice to Eskimos. How do you determine what your specific needs are? One way is to examine your past sales successes in order to develop a sales success list. This list may be long or short. Simply ask yourself:

1. Are you business-to-consumer (B2C) oriented or business-to-business (B2B)?

2. Are you in a business where sales come from making a large number of contacts or from establishing relationships?

3. Does your business depend on first impressions (impulse) or on needs analysis (consultative)?

4. What kind of sales presentation is required? For example, is the presentation made person-to-person, over the phone, online/Internet, or ‘by appointment only’?

5. Are you dependent upon a ‘closer’ for sales, or do orders arrive as the result of contacts made during the sales process?

Now that you have determined your sales success list, use it to improve the interview, hiring and training process.

Listen, for example, to candidate’s sales success stories during your interview process and determine whether their experience aligns with your sales success list. If you are new to the interviewing process, begin by seeking proven salespeople possess knowledge of or enthusiasm for your business, products or services. Experienced individuals lacking industry or product knowledge can be trained and educated to perform, and real enthusiasm can go a long way in contributing to sales success.

Many companies provide internal sales training. This is a viable way to build your sales force and ensure your company is represented in the manner best prescribed in the training; however this can be costly and time consuming. First determine whether your business has a budget for this expenditure. Sales training may be done on site, online or in seminars. A combination of sales training programs is generally recommended.

Companies have their own cultures. Sales success requires not only hiring a person who can promote your product in the marketplace, but also one who can sell himself to others within the company. Finding salespeople who fit your business, get along with the team, and contribute to the company’s overall success with shareholders, co-workers and customers is an absolute must.

Candidates’ sales skills can be reviewed and measured in a number of ways. Resumés come first; a successful salesperson’s resumé should list detailed professional accomplishments. Next may be the sales profile; this tool provides insight into an individual’s personality, preferences and character. Profiles are designed to show one’s overall disposition to Sales, as well as other aspects related to performance, such as how one is motivated, whether one is organized, and so on. The personality profile can also provide information to assist management in supporting the salesperson on a day-to-day basis.

While this tool is helpful, it should be used as just one part of review process. It should not be the only tool used to eliminate experienced sales candidates with successful track records. In my opinion, when professional profiling is applied to a potential employee it can count for only 1/3 of the evaluation, with the remaining 2/3 split between how well the person presents himself or herself and how well he or she executes the steps in the sales process. In some cases product knowledge, industry contacts, references, and experience may be the most important criteria in evaluating a new sales person.

Working with a firm that specializes in finding Sales or Sales Management personnel for business is another excellent way to find the most suitable candidates for your company. His type of firm can assist you in discovering and evaluating your specific requirements, preparing the sales success list, and then locating the best salespeople to serve your customers and your organization. A recruiting firm may also act as a second set of eyes and ears when your business is seeking to hire talented sales candidates or to screen others.

Sales are fundamental to your business; hiring the right salesperson is essential to your continued success. It is worth investing time and energy to prepare your own sales success list. Whether it is simple or sophisticated, you can keep a sales success list so long as it is working, or make changes according to your business’ needs.

This article was written by Marilyn Sander. brought to you by Raz Chorev, Continuity Programs Australia

FIVE ATTITUDES TOWARDS REJECTION

2008-02-10T10:46:00.001+11:00

By Tom Hopkins

(Select one that suits you from each group)

FIRST ATTITUDE TOWARD REJECTION:

(A) I never see failure as failure, but only as a learning experience.

(B) I never see failure in non-success, I see a learning experience.

SECOND ATTITUDE TOWARD REJECTION:

(A) I never see failure as failure, but only as the negative feedback I need to change course in my direction.

(B) I never see failure in non-success. I see instructions for redirecting my goals

THIRD ATTITUDE TOWARD REJECTION:

(A) I never see a failure as failure but only as the opportunity to develop my sense of humor

(B) I never see failure in non-success; I see the opportunity to develop my sense of humor

FOURTH ATTITUDE TOWARD REJECTION

(A) I never see failure as failure, but only as an opportunity to practice my techniques
and perfect my performance.

(B) I never see failure in non-success. I see an opportunity to practice my
techniques and perfect my performance.

FIFTH ATTITUDE TOWARD REJECTION:

(A) I never see failure as failure, but only as the game I must play to win

(B) I never see failure in non-success. I see part of the game that I must play to
win.

ACRES OF DIAMONDS (Napoleon Hill)

2008-02-08T18:28:00.000+11:00

Brought to you By Raz Chorev
(Continuity Programs Australia)

The story — a true one — is told of an African farmer who heard tales about other farmers who had made millions by discovering diamond mines. These tales so excited the farmer that he could hardly wait to sell his farm and go prospecting for diamonds himself. He sold the farm and spent the rest of his life wandering the African continent searching unsuccessfully for the gleaming gems that brought such high prices on the markets of the world. Finally, worn out and in a fit of despondency, he threw himself into a river and drowned.

Meanwhile, the man who had bought his farm happened to be crossing the small stream on the property one day, when suddenly there was a bright flash of blue and red light from the stream bottom. He bent down and picked up a stone. It was a good-sized stone, and admiring it, he brought it home and put it on his fireplace mantel as an interesting curiosity.

Several weeks later a visitor picked up the stone, looked closely at it, hefted it in his hand, and nearly fainted. He asked the farmer if he knew what he'd found. When the farmer said, no, that he thought it was a piece of crystal, the visitor told him he had found one of the largest diamonds ever discovered. The farmer had trouble believing that. He told the man that his creek was full of such stones, not all as large as the one on the mantel, but sprinkled generously throughout the creek bottom.

The farm the first farmer had sold, so that he might find a diamond mine, turned out to be one of the most productive diamond mines on the entire African continent. The first farmer had owned, free and clear ... acres of diamonds. But he had sold them for practically nothing, in order to look for them elsewhere. The moral is clear: If the first farmer had only taken the time to study and prepare himself to learn what diamonds looked like in their rough state, and to thoroughly explore the property he had before looking elsewhere, all of his wildest dreams would have come true.

The thing about this story that has so profoundly affected millions of people is the idea that each of us is, at this very moment, standing in the middle of our own acres of diamonds. If we had only had the wisdom and patience to intelligently and effectively explore the work in which we're now engaged, to explore ourselves, we would most likely find the riches we seek, whether they be financial or intangible or both.

Before you go running off to what you think are greener pastures, make sure that your own is not just as green or perhaps even greener. It has been said that if the other guy's pasture appears to be greener than ours, it's quite possible that it's getting better care. Besides, while you're looking at other pastures, other people are looking at yours.

A man I knew in Arizona began with a small gas station. One day, while one of his young attendants filled a man's gas tank, he watched the customer while he stood about waiting for the job to be finished. It dawned upon him that the man had money in his pockets and there were things he needed or wanted that he would pay for if they were conveniently displayed where he could see them.

So he began adding things. Fishing tackle, then fishing licenses, hunting and camping equipment, rifles, shot guns, ammunition, hunting licenses. He found an excellent line of aluminum fishing boats and trailers. He began buying up the contiguous property around him. Then he added an auto parts department. He always sold cold soft drinks and candy, but now he added an excellent line of chocolates in a refrigerated case. Before long, he sold more chocolates than anyone else in the state. He carried thousands of things his customers could buy while waiting for their cars to be serviced.

All the products he sold also guaranteed that most of the gas customers in town would come to his station. He sold more gas. He began cashing checks on Friday, and his sales grew. It all started with a man with a human brain watching a customer standing around with money in his pockets and nothing to spend it on. Others would have lived and died with the small service station, and they do. My friend saw the diamonds.

Many service station operators, upon seeing a wealthy customer drive in, might say to themselves, I ought to be in his business. Not so. There's just as much opportunity in one business as another, if we'll only stop playing copycat and begin to think creatively, in new directions. It's there, believe me. And it's your job to find it.

Take the time to stand off and look at your work as a stranger might and ask, Why does he do it that way? Has he noticed how what he's doing might be capitalized upon or multiplied? If you're happy with things as they are, then by all means, keep them that way. But there's great fun in finding diamonds hiding in ourselves and in our work. We never get bored or blasé or find ourselves in a rut. A rut, remember, is really nothing more than a grave with the ends kicked out. Some of the most interesting businesses in the world grew out of what was originally a very small idea in a very small area. If something is needed in one town, then the chances are it's also needed in all towns and cities all over the country.

You might also ask yourself, How good am I at what I'm presently doing? Do you know all there is to know about your work? Would you call yourself a first-class professional at your work? How would your work stand up against the work of others in your line?

The first thing we need to do to become a "diamond miner" is to break away from the crowd and quit assuming that because people in the millions are living that way, it must be the best way. It is not the best way. It's the average way. The people going the best way are way out in front. They're so far ahead of the crowd you can't even see their dust anymore. These are the people who live and work on the leading edge, the cutting edge, and they mark the way for all the rest.

It takes imagination, curious imagination, to know that diamonds don't look like cut and polished gemstones in their rough state, nor does a pile of iron ore look like stainless steel. To prospect your own acres of diamonds, develop a faculty we might call "intelligent objectivity." The faculty to stand off and look at your work as a person from Mars might look at it. Within the framework of what industry or profession does your job fall? Isn't it time for a refreshing change of some kind? How can the customer be given more value? Each morning ask yourself, How can I increase my service today? There are rare and very marketable diamonds lurking all around me. Have I been looking for them? Have I examined every facet of my work and of the industry or profession in which it has its life?

There are better ways to do what you are presently doing. What are they? How will your work be performed 20 years from now? Everything in the world is in a state of evolution and improvement. How could you do today what would eventually be done anyway?

Sure there's risk involved; there's no growth of any kind without risk. We start running risks when we get out of bed in the morning. Risks are good for us. They bring out the best that's in us. They brighten the eye and get the mind cooking. They quicken the step and put a new shining look on our days. Human beings should never be settled. It's okay for chickens and cows and cats, but it's wrong for human beings. People start to die when they become settled. We need to keep things stirred up.

Back in 1931, Lloyd C. Douglas, the world-famous novelist who wrote The Robe, Magnificent Obsession, and other bestselling books, wrote a magazine article titled "Escape." In that article Douglas asked, "Who of us has not at some time toyed briefly with the temptation to run away? If all the people who have given that idea the temporary hospitality of their imagination were to have acted upon it, few would be living at their present addresses. And of the small minority who did carry the impulse into effect, it's doubtful if many ever disengaged themselves as completely as they had hoped from the problems that hurled them forth. More often than otherwise, it may be surmised, they packed up their troubles in their old kit bags and took them along."

The point of the article was simply, don't try to run away from your troubles. Overcome them. Prevail right where you are. What we're really after is not escape from our complexities and frustrations, but a triumph over them. And one of the best ways to accomplish that is to get on course and stay there. Restate and reaffirm your goal, the thing you want most to do, the place in life you want most to reach. See it clearly in your mind's eye just as you can envision the airport in Los Angeles when you board your plane in New York. Like a great ship in a storm, just keep your heading and your engines running. The storm will pass, although sometimes it seems that it never will. One bright morning you'll find yourself passing the harbor light. Then you can give a big sigh of relief and rest a while, and almost before you know it, you'll find your eyes turning seaward again. You'll think of a new harbor you'd like to visit, a new voyage upon which to embark. And once again, you'll set out.

That's just the way this funny-looking, two-legged, curious, imaginative, tinkering, fiddling dreamer called a human being operates. He escapes from problems not by running away from them, but by overcoming them. And no sooner does he overcome one set of problems, but he starts looking around for new and more difficult pickles to get into and out of.

If you feel like running away from it all once in a while, you're perfectly normal. If you stay and get rid of your problems by working your way through them, you're a success. Start taking an hour a day with a legal pad and dissect your work. Take it apart and look at its constituent parts. There's opportunity there. That's your acre of diamonds.

DIAMOND MINING

To prospect your own acres of diamonds and unearth the opportunities that exist in your life right now, regularly challenge yourself with some key questions:

How good am I at what I'm presently doing?
Can I call myself a first-class professional at my work?
How would my work stand up against the work of others in my field?
Do I know all I can about my industry or profession?
How can the customer be given a better break?
How can I increase my service?
There are rare and very marketable diamonds lurking all around me. Have I been looking for them? Have I examined every facet of my work and of the industry or profession in which it has its life?
There are better ways to do what I'm presently doing. What are they?
How will my work be performed 20 years from now?
Everything in the world is in a state of evolution and improvement. How can I do now what will eventually be done anyway?

Become a professional salesperson

2008-02-07T22:52:00.000+11:00

What makes a professional?

What do we mean when we say a person is a “professional”? Basically, we mean five things. As I list these five attributes of a professional person, ask yourself if these are not also the five attributes that make a successful salesperson.

First, a professional person has specialized knowledge and skill that enables him or her to render valuable service.

Secondly, professional people maintain a unique relationship with their clients.

Thirdly, professionals render services for which people are willing to pay. You might hit the ceiling when you get your doctor’s bill, but when you need treatment you are willing to pay for that service. Effective sales people can expect to be paid for their services.

Fourthly, professional people are held accountable for the services they render – or fail to render. They are expected to maintain certain standards. Professional salespeople know that they are accountable to the company, to the customers, and to themselves.

The last attribute of professional is that they have a professional attitude. They know that what they do is vitally important, and seek to do it to the best of their ability.

Isn’t that a perfect description of the professional salesperson attitude?

It’s this simple! If you’re going to be a successful salesperson, you need all of the attributes of a professional. To become a successful salesperson, you must become a professional salesperson.

The first step of any professional group in gaining respect from others is for the people in that profession to respect themselves and what they do and to respect others who practice their profession.

HOW TO BECOME A PROFESSIONAL SALESPERSON?

Right now, let focus on what it takes to become a professional salesperson. How do you develop techniques of professional selling?

ATTRIBUTE #1

Professional salespeople have specialized knowledge and skills that enable them to render a valuable service to their clients or customers.

Professional salespeople take advantage of every opportunity available to them to learn as much as they can about their business, their products, their companies, their profession, and their competitors.

They study their customers and seek to clearly understand their needs and desires. By understanding those needs and desires, they are able to render valuable services to their customers. The real professional understands what motivates a person to buy – and that is highly specialised knowledge. Professional salespeople know their companies and the products and services their companies can provide. They know that often the difference between making or losing a sale is how much they know about what they have to offer their customers. A highly successful salesman once told me, “I pride myself on knowing more about my company and its products than any other person alive.”

There’s another thing I’ve notices about successful salespeople – they are constantly sharpening their sales skills.

Armed with the knowledge that for today they have mastered all of the specialised knowledge and skills they have had the opportunity to develop, they go out to make their calls with self confidence.

Professional salespeople believe in their knowledge and skills and only question them in their efforts to hone them to an even keener edge.

ATTRIBUTE #2

Professional salespeople maintain a unique relationship with their clients or customers.

They know that their customers rely on them for valuable information which they need to make important decisions; they know their customers expect to be “sold”, and they are deeply committed to the customers’ best interest. You won’t find them begging for an order because they need a commission check, or trying to chisel the customer out of a few bucks – and you won’t find the professional salesperson being apologetic about his or her enthusiasm

Professional salespeople value that unique relationship they hold with their clients and seek to establish trust and respect. The real pros in selling build trust through dependable and cheerful service, loyalty, sincerity, and by genuinely protecting their client’s interests.

You can always tell the Professional salespeople because their customers buy from them again and again, and recommend them to their friends.

ATTRIBUTE #3

Professional salespeople render a service people are willing to pay for.

Sales is such a vital function that most companies are glad to pay commissions and bonuses, or salaries, to get it done. And, most customers recognise that a part of their purchase price goes to pay salespeople.

Professional salespeople have the confidence that they are paid – sometimes very well –for rendering valid services.

ATTRIBUTE #4

Professional salespeople are accountable, but self managed.

When a salesperson calls on a customer, that salesperson becomes the official representative of the company. Since the reputation of the company or service organisation is on the line with every action by the salesperson, the company feels it has the right to hold them accountable. Most successful salespeople accept reports as a part of the territory.

ATTRIBUTE #5

Professional salespeople have a professional attitude.

Successful salespeople take pride in what they do! They maintain a positive self image and a strong sense of self confidence!

They are resourceful in finding prospects, in making presentations, and in solving problems.

They give a sense of responsibility – you can depend on them.

And Professional salespeople are open to learn and eager to grow. They are constantly reaching out to tackle new challenges.

Who is your customer?

2008-02-06T23:21:00.000+11:00

"Who is your prospect/customer?"
sounds basic? such a simple concept, yet so often is taken for granted.
Too many sales people, and company owners waste valuable time calling on people which don't deserve such time and attention.
Focus precedes SUCCESS!
enter last half of post here Too many salespeople lose sight of their objective, and lose their focus, trying to be everything to everybody. The idea is to target fewer prospects and clients, to maximize your use of time and efforts. "getting many from a few" rather than " a few from many". That way we'll have the time needed to create and nurture a quality relationship. The concept behind it is to generate more business with less work...
Identifying Your Best Customer:
Every sales person has a best customer - one who values your products and services, calls you first, allows you to do what you do best and exposes you to new opportunities. To find more best customers, single out your best customer and then find out:
• Who your best customer is. Study the demographic—age, gender, race or ethnicity, household income, geographical location, and so on.
• What your best customer does. What does your customer do? How was she doing it when she met you? How did you help her do it better? This gives you a clearer idea of where to look for your next best customer and what to offer.
For tips about how to find who your customer is, click here

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GIVE 'EM A SHOW THEY WON'T FORGET!

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THE BLAME GAME:

Checklist for Sales

FIVE ATTITUDES TOWARDS REJECTION

ACRES OF DIAMONDS (Napoleon Hill)

Brought to you By Raz Chorev(Continuity Programs Australia)

Become a professional salesperson

Who is your customer?

Brought to you By Raz Chorev
(Continuity Programs Australia)