JAN
03

Selling Is a Process

 Sales Develop Daily, Not in a Day

"If you quit on the process, you are quitting on the result."
-
Idowu Koyenikan

What do you remember most about dial-up internet? Today dial-up internet is remembered as time- consuming and very slow. We live in a fast-pace world of immediate connections... a world where your email program can tell you if the person being messaged is on their computer or not. As a result of our fast-paced world, we are impatient with anything that takes time and we expect immediate results.

                         Many people treat sales like an immediate event.

Several years ago, I offered a free call to improve sales for speakers who wanted to learn how to market themselves. I was inundated with requests from the US, Canada, Great Britain, South Africa, Germany and Australia to set up a time for a fast-paced 30-minute call to teach them how to sell. When they called, I said that if they did what I told them to do for 90 days they could call me back, and I would answer any question they wanted for free. Can you guess how many called me back to tell me the results or ask questions?

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  6734 Hits
6734 Hits
OCT
11

No Such Thing as "Business Ethics?"

Ethics vs. Ethics

You can't be unethical in your personal life and expect it to not influence your business, social and relational life. I was contacted by an organization several months ago to present a workshop on "Business Ethics." I said I was flattered but I don't believe that there is any such thing as "business ethics." I told the nice lady that it's called simply, "ethics." Why?

Because ethics are ethics. They don't need an adjective to identify them. If you are an ethical person, it will be seen in your business, personal life and social life. You can't be unethical and be ethical in business. It can't be hid. You can't be unethical in your personal life and expect it to not influence your business, social and relational life.

I can't guarantee that your ethics will make you success, but I will absolutely guarantee that a lack of ethics in any way will destroy your career. Look at Harvey Weinstein and the "Me Too" movement over the past several years. Look at the politicians who have been forced to resign for lack of ethics in their offices. You can probably think of several notable television and movie personalities who have been forced to resign for lack of ethics. How about sports figures and announcers who had a tremendous following, but lost their jobs and careers in an instant of allowing their private opinions and behaviors to leak out into the public sphere.
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  4375 Hits
4375 Hits
APR
05

The Law of Harvesting

WII-FM: What's In It - For ME?

About ten minutes before I left my hotel room for a presentation, I received a cold-call from a guy working for a company that prepares taxes for small and medium-sized businesses.  He was formal but totally inattentive.  He rushed right into his calling script.  

I could tell because he was reading it like it was a high-speed radio ad.  He talked on and on about his services without pausing for a breath (or a response from me). He rattled it off so fast that I knew he had done no research on me or what I did for a living…  

And he wanted to do my taxes!

Finally I told him nicely that I could not talk with him now. But...  before I said, "thank you" he hung up on me. That's a first!  I have been hung up on a few times (less than seven) in my sales calls but never hung up on by the person selling to me!  Has that ever happened to you?

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  7967 Hits
7967 Hits
FEB
20

To Get Bigger, You Must Get Better

Truett Cathey, founder of mega fast food chain Chick-Fil-A held meetings with his top advisors and management. He noticed in one meeting they were discussing how the company could get bigger. Ideas were being tossed around and enthusiasm was very high. Their goal was to do whatever it took to make Chick-Fil-A bigger. Calmly, Truett spoke to them and said, “Don’t worry about getting bigger. If we get BETTER, our customers will make us bigger.”

And they did just that by providing some of the best and fastest customer service in the fast food industry.

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  1156 Hits
1156 Hits
JAN
29

Who's the Boss?

Connect with the right person! 

Have you ever called a company's customer service number to get a situation resolved only to discover that you were speaking with the wrong person? Were you speaking with someone who lacked the authority to provide a reasonable solution? Have you had to speak with a supervisor to get real business done. 

I had a lawnmower problem and called the "Help" line several years ago and found out that guy can't help anyone. He just answers the phone... There is actually no one there that can help! That prevents them from receiving complaints. His words, not mine.

If the person you are speaking with has to get permission from “Mommy or Daddy” to make the sale, solve the issue or cut the check, you need to connect with “Mommy or Daddy.” Can it be any simpler than that?

I remember a story a friend told me about assisting a sales representative with  a tough client. The rep had been calling on this guy for several months with no success. They would talk and even go out to eat, but no decision was ever reached to close the sale. My friend went with the rep on his next visit to the gentleman’s office. After a few minutes, my friend cut to the chase and asked if he could buy.  The man laughed and said, “That’s not my job. I just chat with sales reps and take them to lunch. My boss down the hall...

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  6103 Hits
6103 Hits
JAN
01

When Will the Pandemic End?

Never If You See it In the Right Light!

The biggest question of 2021 is, "When will the Pandemic End?" When will we go back to 'normal'?  When will we get to stop wearing masks, social distancing, going to events, carrying on with our lives like we used to?

From school closures, to cancelled concerts, conventions and vacations we've been huddled up waiting for an all-clear signal that just hasn't come. No other time in history have this many people and jobs been put on hold for a world-wide crisis. This is our NOW normal...

Every crisis in history has either made us better or made us worse.

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  9156 Hits
9156 Hits
OCT
30

Check Your Posture

 Are You Standing Up, or Sitting Down?

Remember when you were in grade school and your teacher or your parents told you to stand up straight? I slumped a lot, so that helped me remember to project a better image.
 
Today, people are looking for leaders who stand up and take authority. Leaders who "know the way, show they way and go the way," as John Maxwell says. Too often we fall victim to wannabe leaders who think they can lead, but have no track record of leadership. 
 
Most people in the past election were looking for leaders who stood up and took charge. Unfortunately, we all too often elect people who promise us what they cannot produce and fail to find people who are standing up strong in a crisis. Pointing fingers is the last act of a losing leader. 
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  7210 Hits
7210 Hits
SEP
26

Practice Your Strength, NOT Your Weaknesses

I'm not that great at the game of golf. But I won a team tournament several years ago because I could do one thing very good... I could putt. I was playing in a corporate tourney where the CEO put together his dream team of a foursome. I wasn't on it. 
 
I was the guest speaker for their conference and as a last minute add-on I was placed on a team with another speaker, the sound engineer and a maintenance supervisor for the corporation. We quickly learned that we each had a gift in one area. Driving, chipping, fairway shots and... you guessed it, I was the putter.
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  6714 Hits
6714 Hits
JUL
27

Who You Are Controls What People Hear

Communication Begins Today Not by What We Say, but Who We Are. 

Communication begins today not by what we say, but who we are.

When was the last time you heard a famous person give a speech and something they said affected your life? I can name many famous people I have heard, but only a few said something that I can remember, or entertained me enough that I would want to hear them again. 

I’ve noticed that audiences don’t care what I have accomplished, what degrees or fame I’ve earned or whom I have spoken to previously. They only want to know what is in this presentation for them? Where is the benefit? Will it be entertaining? Will they learn something they can use?

Are you the same person when you aren't...

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  4594 Hits
4594 Hits
JUL
03

Essential People

How to Develop Your Skill Set

One of the phrases coming out of the global pandemic shutdown of businesses was the term, “Essential People.” If you worked in health care, emergency services, groceries, pharmacies the government deemed you as essential to life.

However, the list kept changing as some businesses were allowed to stay open because they were deemed “essential” while others were required to close.

Home improvement stores were called essential, liquor stores were not… as a non-drinker that made sense to me. I stopped in a battery store. They said they were essential and could remain open. The restaurant next door was forced to close for several weeks, then only provide takeout orders.

One of the phrases coming out of the global pandemic shutdown of businesses was the term, “Essential People.” If you worked in health care, emergency services, groceries, pharmacies the government deemed you as essential to life.

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  4423 Hits
4423 Hits
MAY
25

The 15 Unequivocal Laws of Sales

 Violate Them at Your Own Risk!

The Secret of Our Success is
Discovered in Our Daily Agenda!

  • 1. They can be learned.
  • 2. They stand alone.
  • 3. They carry consequences.
  • 4. They are the foundation of selling.
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  5292 Hits
5292 Hits
APR
28

What is Your "Leadership Posture Today?"

Sweat the Details!

The world is recoiling from the COVID-19 “Coronavirus.” Businesses in every one of our communities have shut down in an effort to “flatten the curve” of the disease.  Millions of people are out of work and millions more are struggling with their businesses - not having the customers or workers they had just 6 weeks ago. The world has changed in the blink of an eye. 

“Leadership is never more necessary than in a crisis.”

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  4465 Hits
4465 Hits
MAR
05

Do You Follow Through?

Sweat the Details!

The follow through in golf and baseball swings is just as important as the stance, the swing and contact. You have to do as much AFTER making contact as you do before! How do you complete the swing?

Ask your sales manager. Nothing frustrates them more than an account executive who goes through the monitors with prospects and clients. What do they do AFTER they make a contact?

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  11054 Hits
11054 Hits
DEC
09

YRU Not Selling?

 
"Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. 
Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice." 
-Wayne Dyer

Richard Simmons, the eccentric, energetic and flamboyant weight loss guy rode around for years in a car with the license plate “YRU FAT?”  It got people’s attention and drove home the point that your weight is your decision and completely under your control. It got thousands of people’s attention and helped him emphasize his weight loss success… that anyone could replicate in their own lives.

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  6552 Hits
6552 Hits
OCT
09

Are You "Shaming" Customers?

I spent a week traveling Missouri leading sales training for the broadcasters association. One of the questions I was asked after a program was, "How do you handle objections in sales?"

Good question and my answer was brief...

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  8910 Hits
8910 Hits
SEP
02

Do the Hustle!

To get heard, you have to hustle. You can't make one contact and hope that turns into a client or a job. You have to "hustle" and make other people's phones ring. I tell audiences all the time that I may call a lot of people, but it must work because I am there leading a presentation!

Our youngest son was looking for a job last month. He applied to one he really wanted. I was encouraging but said, "Don’t just apply to one and wait in it; alloy to many so you have more opportunities and can make a good choice." He can "own" the job search by applying to many and commanding the best salary, benefits package, hours and distance to the job site.

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  5853 Hits
5853 Hits
JUL
28

Always Have an Avid Fan Base

If you speak or write to hurting, struggling leaders (or people in general) you will never lack for an audience.  Human beings will always be carrying trouble and problems with them. Every sales person I meet says that they help hurting people. That is their motivation.  

The difficulty is that they almost never bother to find out how people are hurting. They don't diagnose the pain or problem. How can you help someone if you don't know what they need? 
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  7321 Hits
7321 Hits
JUN
02

And the Survey Says...

Last month I spend a lot of time flying all over the country... from California to Vermont, Biloxi to North Dakota and New York!  On each flight the attendants remind us that we may receive a survey in a few days about our flight and to please fill it out so they can learn to do a better job in the future.  Nice.


However on one flight, where the air conditioning was broken, the attendant reminded us several times to not blame her for the faulty system.  I get it, she wants a good reputation. 

The next day, flying back home, we had the same attendant. This time, the flight was delayed an hour due to thunderstorms around the airport. Once again, she reminded passengers to not blame her when the survey arrived.  She reminded us three times that we should give her good marks despite the weather delay.

What good is a survey if the employees tell you how to fill it out to their advantage?

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  7753 Hits
7753 Hits
APR
15

Your Number One Job in Leadership...

Most leaders micro-manage employs and rarely put into action the words they speak.  Your staff can tell if you live by your words. The closer you manage them, the more they can observe your actions in context.

Your Number One job in leadership is to work yourself OUT of a job!

If you aren’t doing this, you are holding the reigns on your people and sucking all the life and credit out of them. You are also working yourself into an early grave.

There are two types of organizational flow charts... one flows down (supervisory) and one flows up (empowerment). One has authority going down to responsibility, the other has authority flowing up from responsibility.

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  8074 Hits
8074 Hits
JUL
31

Useless Knowledge

My daughter struggled in math during high school years. On parents' night her Junior year, the teacher reassured us that all students would pass Algebra II. He was more concerned about the Seniors in the optional Economics Class. He made fun of how they couldn't tell a deposit from a deduction and didn't know anything about FICA, savings accounts or how to open a checking account.

This bothered me.  I mean, why should the school teach her Algebra II (Sine, Cosine, Absolute Value) instead of teaching her a skill she will need to know every day for the rest of her life? Instead of teaching useless knowledge that she will never have a purpose for?

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  15681 Hits
15681 Hits