The term "head trash" came up during a conversation with a colleague and he used the phrase to describe the mental garbage that affects the performance of most sales people. Head trash is a collection of limiting thoughts or ideas that prevent you from taking specific action that will help you generate better results. Here are a few examples of how head trash can affect you.
In a sales training workshop I conducted for a specialty retailer, several people stated that they didn't bother trying to close any business before 11:00 AM because they "knew" that everyone who came into their store before that time was just comparing their price with one of their competitors located close by. A sales person in a manufacturing company told me that her customers would not pay full price for her products because a major competitor sold similar products for less money. As a result, she consistently offered her customers a discount even before they asked. Another sales rep confided that he believed that the lowest possible price was the only thing his customers wanted from him and his company. He had held this belief for so long that nothing could dissuade him from this line of thinking.
Head trash can affect you in different ways. During a morning workout I caught myself thinking that I could not complete a particular exercise and this self-limiting thought prevented me from continuing. Yet, on most other days, I breezed through the workout with much less strain and effort. From a sales perspective, if you believe that a prospect will not be receptive to a new product, idea or solution, your ability to present that idea in a positive manner is greatly reduced. I have seen sales people talk to customers at great length and at the end of their conversation ask, "You don't want to order this do you?" They have convinced themselves even before they ask for the sale that the customer will not be interested.
The cause of head trash varies. Extreme fatigue from lack of sleep or illness is one common cause because your physical well-being contributes to a less-than-optimistic outlook or mindset. Another cause is associating with negative-minded people. I once worked with an individual who always saw the glass as half-empty instead of half-full and after even a brief conversation with him, I always felt drained and pessimistic.
The most common cause of head trash is the experience you have had with a particular task or assignment. For example, you may be required to cold call to generate new leads and prospect. However, if your experience with cold calling has not been positive and you have failed to find qualified leads then picking up the telephone will be a grind and you certainly will not enjoy making the calls. And, when you do eventually pick up the telephone, your tone will not convey the desired message to your prospect.
To achieve the results you deserve and are capable of it is essential that you dump your head trash. While this is easier said than done, applying a few techniques will help.
First, focus on what you CAN do. With a positive outcome. Instead of thinking of the negative aspect of the task, concentrate on the best possible outcome. Let's return to the cold calling example for a moment. If you put yourself into the mindset that making these calls will generate new business, or at the very least, that they will help you connect with new and interesting people, your willingness to invest in this task will dramatically improve.
Next, take action immediately. Most people procrastinate when head trash invades their thinking and this prevents them from moving forward. However, taking one step or small action supersedes the desire to remain complacent. I believe it was Confucius who said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." I have learned from experience that making a difficult telephone call eliminates the need to procrastinate and stimulates my desire to take further action throughout the day. And, as I continue to take action, the trash that may have collected in my head is emptied.
It is also important to associate with action-oriented people who support your goals and objectives. I start the week by talking to a good friend of mine every Monday morning. During our conversations we discuss the challenges from the previous week and explore options and ideas. I also belong to a Mastermind group and when we meet each month, we help each other look for new opportunities within our respective businesses. All of these conversations help eliminate my head trash and motivate me to try new approaches and apply different ideas.
Take out your trash and watch the difference in your results.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Sales and the Importance of Following Up
Sales are the life force of any business. Here's an outline of the key factors in getting them for your business.
Persistence
Business owners and decision makers are typically very busy people. Often, the difference between making a sale and not making a sale is catching the decision maker at the right time. One of the best ways to catch a decision maker at the right time is to catch him or her many times. Of course, you do not want to be contacting a prospect so often that you become an annoyance. Still, using a combination of phone calls, emails, faxes and snail mails you can ensure your prospect remembers your company when the time comes to purchase the product or service you sell.
Organization
One of the most important aspects of following up is being organized. There is a great variety of software to help you get your lead management in order, but all lead management software is not created equal. One feature to look for in lead management software is portability. Web based systems allow users to access their leads from any Internet connected computer. Another feature to look for is built in document management. Ideally, your lead management software will allow you to easily send emails, faxes and snail mails and document the contact automatically. A good scheduling tool is also a great asset to lead management software
Follow Up and Consistency
Once you have contacted your lead, make sure to let them know when you will follow up again and follow through. Setting a time and day to follow up and then following through will build trust with your prospect. Just doing what you say you'll do is a huge source of confidence to prospective clients. After following up several times at the same time and day of the week, your prospect will come to expect your contact. Use this to build rapport. Become involved in your prospect's life and you are much more likely to make a sale. Use your lead management software to make notes about your conversations. Other wise, it is very difficult to remember the details of every conversation you may have. By following up and staying in front of your prospects, you will make more sales. The more familiar your prospects are with your company and products or services, the more likely they are to choose your company. Using the right lead management software can make the task of following up a breeze.
Persistence
Business owners and decision makers are typically very busy people. Often, the difference between making a sale and not making a sale is catching the decision maker at the right time. One of the best ways to catch a decision maker at the right time is to catch him or her many times. Of course, you do not want to be contacting a prospect so often that you become an annoyance. Still, using a combination of phone calls, emails, faxes and snail mails you can ensure your prospect remembers your company when the time comes to purchase the product or service you sell.
Organization
One of the most important aspects of following up is being organized. There is a great variety of software to help you get your lead management in order, but all lead management software is not created equal. One feature to look for in lead management software is portability. Web based systems allow users to access their leads from any Internet connected computer. Another feature to look for is built in document management. Ideally, your lead management software will allow you to easily send emails, faxes and snail mails and document the contact automatically. A good scheduling tool is also a great asset to lead management software
Follow Up and Consistency
Once you have contacted your lead, make sure to let them know when you will follow up again and follow through. Setting a time and day to follow up and then following through will build trust with your prospect. Just doing what you say you'll do is a huge source of confidence to prospective clients. After following up several times at the same time and day of the week, your prospect will come to expect your contact. Use this to build rapport. Become involved in your prospect's life and you are much more likely to make a sale. Use your lead management software to make notes about your conversations. Other wise, it is very difficult to remember the details of every conversation you may have. By following up and staying in front of your prospects, you will make more sales. The more familiar your prospects are with your company and products or services, the more likely they are to choose your company. Using the right lead management software can make the task of following up a breeze.
Are you finished before you start
A colleague and I were in conversation recently when he shared a very profound statement, "You can be finished before you start."
We were talking about the power of one's mind, more specifically about ones sales mindset. Eugene was relaying an exchange he had many years ago when he was a pharmaceutical sales rep. He was comparing notes with another rep that was having difficulty getting in to see physicians to promote their company's product. He wanted to know why Eugene was having so much success, and he was not.
Turns out, this other sales rep found it extremely difficult to turn the doorknob to enter the doctor's office. He had such high self-doubt, Eugene explained, that he had lost the sale before he even initiated the call. This is when Eugene summed things up by commenting, "You are finished before you start!"
This simple statement may apply to those suffering with weak sales results. Appreciate sales is not for everyone. Being in the sales profession requires intelligence, personality, perseverance and a strong believe in ones self and belief in ones customer.
When you think about it, your objective is to help your prospect make an informed purchasing decision (or not) based on the knowledge you bring to the table. Most successful sales people are advocates for their prospects, doing what is in the client's best interest. This typically evolves into a meaningful relationship based on mutual trust and understanding. Those that rise to the top in the sales profession also tend to have a high belief in self.
How is your belief in self? Do you experience self-doubt to the point you have trouble dialling that cold call, or making that initial visit to your prospect's office?
This is more common in sales than we think, not just for those new to the business, it can affect experienced sales people who have fallen into the infamous "rut". How we think and how we see our self causes this "affliction".
How we see ourselves in our minds eye determines our belief in self. The subconscious mind is incredibly powerful. Research by psychologists Dr. Henry Murray, Dr. David McClelland, and Dr. Clayton Lafferty has determined our actions are a result of what we think.
The challenge is to recognize when one is not thinking positively about their capabilities and then develop strategies to counteract this thought process. Here are some tips you can use:
1. Remind yourself of your previous successes
2. Focus on your current strengths and future potential
3. Visualize yourself being successful several times a day
4. Record a positive belief statement you can repeat 5 times a day
5. Set and achieve realistic goals (start small), then stretch them
6. Celebrate successes along the way
In the classic book Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, he makes the case it is scientifically impossible to conceive an idea in your mind, to believe you can do it, and then not be able to. The fact we can conceive something in our mind and believe we can do it, means we can.
Don't be finished before you start. Your sales mindset needs to be the "hidden partner" that allows you to not only succeed in sales, but to thrive.
We were talking about the power of one's mind, more specifically about ones sales mindset. Eugene was relaying an exchange he had many years ago when he was a pharmaceutical sales rep. He was comparing notes with another rep that was having difficulty getting in to see physicians to promote their company's product. He wanted to know why Eugene was having so much success, and he was not.
Turns out, this other sales rep found it extremely difficult to turn the doorknob to enter the doctor's office. He had such high self-doubt, Eugene explained, that he had lost the sale before he even initiated the call. This is when Eugene summed things up by commenting, "You are finished before you start!"
This simple statement may apply to those suffering with weak sales results. Appreciate sales is not for everyone. Being in the sales profession requires intelligence, personality, perseverance and a strong believe in ones self and belief in ones customer.
When you think about it, your objective is to help your prospect make an informed purchasing decision (or not) based on the knowledge you bring to the table. Most successful sales people are advocates for their prospects, doing what is in the client's best interest. This typically evolves into a meaningful relationship based on mutual trust and understanding. Those that rise to the top in the sales profession also tend to have a high belief in self.
How is your belief in self? Do you experience self-doubt to the point you have trouble dialling that cold call, or making that initial visit to your prospect's office?
This is more common in sales than we think, not just for those new to the business, it can affect experienced sales people who have fallen into the infamous "rut". How we think and how we see our self causes this "affliction".
How we see ourselves in our minds eye determines our belief in self. The subconscious mind is incredibly powerful. Research by psychologists Dr. Henry Murray, Dr. David McClelland, and Dr. Clayton Lafferty has determined our actions are a result of what we think.
The challenge is to recognize when one is not thinking positively about their capabilities and then develop strategies to counteract this thought process. Here are some tips you can use:
1. Remind yourself of your previous successes
2. Focus on your current strengths and future potential
3. Visualize yourself being successful several times a day
4. Record a positive belief statement you can repeat 5 times a day
5. Set and achieve realistic goals (start small), then stretch them
6. Celebrate successes along the way
In the classic book Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, he makes the case it is scientifically impossible to conceive an idea in your mind, to believe you can do it, and then not be able to. The fact we can conceive something in our mind and believe we can do it, means we can.
Don't be finished before you start. Your sales mindset needs to be the "hidden partner" that allows you to not only succeed in sales, but to thrive.
Anticipation Of My First Sale
What's the a biggest motivational tool out there when you start an internet home based business? Well for me it was the anticipation of making my first sale.
When I started my internet home based business I quickly learned that nothing comes for free and you have to work at it to become successful. I thought that I could make lots of money in a short period of time; well I couldn't have been more wrong.
Yes, I got into the get rich quick scams to begin with, searching on the internet for ways to make money fast. First there was the "get paid for doing surveys" scheme. Then I thought that I could sell things on e-bay to make a quick buck. While there are lots of people doing this it's not a way to get rich quick. Next was the pyramid scheme. As time went on the money kept going out and nothing was coming in.
I could have quit there but I was determined. I changed my way of thinking and started to search for legitimate ways to make money online. That's when I found my first no "B.S" internet home based business. I learned everything there was to learn about it, applied the strategies and then reread it all to see if there was anything I missed. Doing those simple things can make all the difference.
While working my new business online I soon learned that one business wasn't going to be enough to sustain me working at home. So I decided to take on four more legit home based businesses so that I could obtain multiple streams of income. If I could get each of them making $500.00/month that would be enough to allow me to stay at home. I dedicated myself to learning everything about them as well and all the while I kept repeating the things I had learned. Repetition and Duplication are the keys to making any home based business work. <
Things started to happen after a month and a half had went by. My site was indexed from the search engines and I got a few signups to my affiliate programs. This in it self was enough to keep me plugging along, but still no sales. I was more determined than ever now, spending countless hours at my desk.
And then it happened....I got my first sale. I couldn't tell you how happy I was.
Things have been picking up more steadily each and every month. The more I apply the things I've learned the more successful I become. The more I repeat things I've learned the more successful I become and the more I track and duplicate things I've learned....well you get the point.
When I started my internet home based business I quickly learned that nothing comes for free and you have to work at it to become successful. I thought that I could make lots of money in a short period of time; well I couldn't have been more wrong.
Yes, I got into the get rich quick scams to begin with, searching on the internet for ways to make money fast. First there was the "get paid for doing surveys" scheme. Then I thought that I could sell things on e-bay to make a quick buck. While there are lots of people doing this it's not a way to get rich quick. Next was the pyramid scheme. As time went on the money kept going out and nothing was coming in.
I could have quit there but I was determined. I changed my way of thinking and started to search for legitimate ways to make money online. That's when I found my first no "B.S" internet home based business. I learned everything there was to learn about it, applied the strategies and then reread it all to see if there was anything I missed. Doing those simple things can make all the difference.
While working my new business online I soon learned that one business wasn't going to be enough to sustain me working at home. So I decided to take on four more legit home based businesses so that I could obtain multiple streams of income. If I could get each of them making $500.00/month that would be enough to allow me to stay at home. I dedicated myself to learning everything about them as well and all the while I kept repeating the things I had learned. Repetition and Duplication are the keys to making any home based business work. <
Things started to happen after a month and a half had went by. My site was indexed from the search engines and I got a few signups to my affiliate programs. This in it self was enough to keep me plugging along, but still no sales. I was more determined than ever now, spending countless hours at my desk.
And then it happened....I got my first sale. I couldn't tell you how happy I was.
Things have been picking up more steadily each and every month. The more I apply the things I've learned the more successful I become. The more I repeat things I've learned the more successful I become and the more I track and duplicate things I've learned....well you get the point.
Cross Pens: As Gifts And Starting A Writing Career
Realistically, budding writers get a kick out of signing their manuscripts with a flourish. Why not give them Cross pens to spur them on to greater heights? If you are one of these wannabes, you can also give yourself a set; these writing tips will get you going.
Inkwell of Ideas and Cross Pens
So you've seen those beautiful Cross pens in different designs and colors. If you want one for yourself, go ahead. You deserve something extra special for all the hard work you've done. Come to think about it, if you want one, your friends will want these too, especially the budding writer who hang on every word written by Joyce Carol Oates, Norman Mailer, Toni Morrison, and other writers.
To develop and shape yours and your friend's writing prospects, get books on writing that are widely available in bookstores and in online shops. Write a special message on the inside front cover for that warm encouragement - your friend will need it.
Or you can tell your friend to start looking at the world around him and beyond his white picket fence. That's how a writing career starts. You must also have an inkwell of ideas and a rich repertoire of words. Those Cross pens will add that glamour and glitz towards the efforts.
Starting A Writing Career Made Easy
You'll be surprised that some of the writers that took up the challenge of pen and paper were not all that writing experts. Some did not even have the opportunity to finish a degree but made a good career at writing. If you're thinking of pursuing a writing career online, or suspect that your son or daughter has the inclination, help that child along.
If you want to make extra money, here are some tips for making a lucrative writing career online that will provide you the luxury of collecting those adorable Cross pens:
1. Join different blog sites. Upload your first blog and get published in that site.
2. Prepare your portfolio and resume, so whenever you are asked for these, they're all ready.
3. Join a network providing free writing jobs online.
4. Read up reading tips on different sites.
5. Buy those ebooks from reputable sites.
Keep on writing and reading. No matter how depleted your think tank, you'll find the way towards a filled blank page. Experts advice you to be critical of your own work. Once you are 100% satisfied with your effort, have these posted in blog sites. That's how you'll get noticed.
Thoughts on Giving Cross Pens
Everybody would love Cross pens for gifts. When giving these out, write a special greeting to make the recipient special. A kind thank-you note and recognition of their efforts will match the gift in value and importance.
A busy executive will appreciate pen refills if she or he already has a collection of this pens; add a classy pen holder and he or she is set for another year of document and check signing. If you're giving pens to friends, have these individually engraved with their names. It won't seem like a hastily thought-of gift.
For the budding writer - give a set of Cross Pens and a how-to-write book to go with it. Your gift will go a long way towards the making of a new J.K. Rowlings. Who knows? And all this started out with a thoughtful gift.
Inkwell of Ideas and Cross Pens
So you've seen those beautiful Cross pens in different designs and colors. If you want one for yourself, go ahead. You deserve something extra special for all the hard work you've done. Come to think about it, if you want one, your friends will want these too, especially the budding writer who hang on every word written by Joyce Carol Oates, Norman Mailer, Toni Morrison, and other writers.
To develop and shape yours and your friend's writing prospects, get books on writing that are widely available in bookstores and in online shops. Write a special message on the inside front cover for that warm encouragement - your friend will need it.
Or you can tell your friend to start looking at the world around him and beyond his white picket fence. That's how a writing career starts. You must also have an inkwell of ideas and a rich repertoire of words. Those Cross pens will add that glamour and glitz towards the efforts.
Starting A Writing Career Made Easy
You'll be surprised that some of the writers that took up the challenge of pen and paper were not all that writing experts. Some did not even have the opportunity to finish a degree but made a good career at writing. If you're thinking of pursuing a writing career online, or suspect that your son or daughter has the inclination, help that child along.
If you want to make extra money, here are some tips for making a lucrative writing career online that will provide you the luxury of collecting those adorable Cross pens:
1. Join different blog sites. Upload your first blog and get published in that site.
2. Prepare your portfolio and resume, so whenever you are asked for these, they're all ready.
3. Join a network providing free writing jobs online.
4. Read up reading tips on different sites.
5. Buy those ebooks from reputable sites.
Keep on writing and reading. No matter how depleted your think tank, you'll find the way towards a filled blank page. Experts advice you to be critical of your own work. Once you are 100% satisfied with your effort, have these posted in blog sites. That's how you'll get noticed.
Thoughts on Giving Cross Pens
Everybody would love Cross pens for gifts. When giving these out, write a special greeting to make the recipient special. A kind thank-you note and recognition of their efforts will match the gift in value and importance.
A busy executive will appreciate pen refills if she or he already has a collection of this pens; add a classy pen holder and he or she is set for another year of document and check signing. If you're giving pens to friends, have these individually engraved with their names. It won't seem like a hastily thought-of gift.
For the budding writer - give a set of Cross Pens and a how-to-write book to go with it. Your gift will go a long way towards the making of a new J.K. Rowlings. Who knows? And all this started out with a thoughtful gift.
Write and Speak(?) for the Ear
You and I may not aspire to write great books or make great speeches. But almost all of us want something to happen when we write or speak. And, the more we tailor our words for the ears of readers and listeners, the greater our chances of getting the results we want.
By writing for the ear, I mean that spoken words can have more power than written words. After all, when we have important messages, we prefer to deliver them verbally and personally, rather than by sending a written message.
Of course, it's not practical or possible to deliver every message verbally. But, if we can capture some of the nuances of the spoken word we can increase the power of our messages. When we write for the ear, our writing undergoes some subtle but important changes. Our words, sentences, and paragraphs change in several important ways.
Consider the number of pauses that occur when we speak. Most of us pause often, more often than when we write. To capture those pauses, use commas or one of the other 'slowing' punctuation marks, such as colons and semicolons.
Writing for the ear also means shorter sentences. And even fragments of sentences. As you can imagine, speech tends to greater spontaneity than written expression, which means shorter sentences and more fragments.
Many of the same principles hold when we make formal speeches or presentations. Especially if we speak from prepared notes.
Whatever we say, when we speak publicly, has to go in through listeners' ears. And so, if you'll allow me to belabor the obvious, we need to write speeches for listeners' ears, not our mouths.<
You can call on many quick and easy techniques. For example, use short words whenever possible. Words such as 'many' rather than 'numerous'; 'use' rather than 'utilize'; and 'need' rather than 'require'.
You can also speak for the ear by using common words rather than jargon or technical words. Step back from your speech, after writing it, and ask yourself if you use words that a child will understand.
We also want vivid words, words that fire up our imagination, that paint new images on the canvases of readers' minds. Descriptive words that convey action and emotion, words that drive ideas into our heads.
Use active verbs and not passive verbs. Banish words like 'is', and 'are'. Also, check for the word 'being' and rewrite to get rid of it. Bring in verbs that do something.
Now that you've got the words you want, put them into short sentences. One short sentence. Followed by another short sentence. But, every once in while add a longer sentence for variety and to reduce the chances of boring your audience. And, keep the ideas simple within those long sentences.
I'm biased, I know. After spending the better part of a decade writing and reading radio news copy, I think it's a good idea to write for the ear.
Try it for yourself. Write something, read it out loud, and ask yourself about the effect it's likely to have on readers. Re-write as necessary, and read it aloud again. Repeat the process a few times. By the time you finish you should have a well-crafted piece of writing, even if no one ever reads it aloud or hears it spoken.
By writing for the ear, I mean that spoken words can have more power than written words. After all, when we have important messages, we prefer to deliver them verbally and personally, rather than by sending a written message.
Of course, it's not practical or possible to deliver every message verbally. But, if we can capture some of the nuances of the spoken word we can increase the power of our messages. When we write for the ear, our writing undergoes some subtle but important changes. Our words, sentences, and paragraphs change in several important ways.
Consider the number of pauses that occur when we speak. Most of us pause often, more often than when we write. To capture those pauses, use commas or one of the other 'slowing' punctuation marks, such as colons and semicolons.
Writing for the ear also means shorter sentences. And even fragments of sentences. As you can imagine, speech tends to greater spontaneity than written expression, which means shorter sentences and more fragments.
Many of the same principles hold when we make formal speeches or presentations. Especially if we speak from prepared notes.
Whatever we say, when we speak publicly, has to go in through listeners' ears. And so, if you'll allow me to belabor the obvious, we need to write speeches for listeners' ears, not our mouths.<
You can call on many quick and easy techniques. For example, use short words whenever possible. Words such as 'many' rather than 'numerous'; 'use' rather than 'utilize'; and 'need' rather than 'require'.
You can also speak for the ear by using common words rather than jargon or technical words. Step back from your speech, after writing it, and ask yourself if you use words that a child will understand.
We also want vivid words, words that fire up our imagination, that paint new images on the canvases of readers' minds. Descriptive words that convey action and emotion, words that drive ideas into our heads.
Use active verbs and not passive verbs. Banish words like 'is', and 'are'. Also, check for the word 'being' and rewrite to get rid of it. Bring in verbs that do something.
Now that you've got the words you want, put them into short sentences. One short sentence. Followed by another short sentence. But, every once in while add a longer sentence for variety and to reduce the chances of boring your audience. And, keep the ideas simple within those long sentences.
I'm biased, I know. After spending the better part of a decade writing and reading radio news copy, I think it's a good idea to write for the ear.
Try it for yourself. Write something, read it out loud, and ask yourself about the effect it's likely to have on readers. Re-write as necessary, and read it aloud again. Repeat the process a few times. By the time you finish you should have a well-crafted piece of writing, even if no one ever reads it aloud or hears it spoken.
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