30 September 2013
Who is Martin Rooney? And why you need to know.
In early August I got a call from a guy named Martin Rooney who had just moved to Charlotte from New Jersey. Turns out we had a mutual friend who insisted Martin and I meet.
I agreed to meet. He’s a new guy in town and he’s a friend of a good friend. We’d have a short meeting and be done. So I scheduled a 30-minute breakfast.
At breakfast, Martin and I began to talk. Three hours later, we were still talking.
We talked sales, martial arts, fitness, health, speaking, writing, and 100 other things. We exchanged books and agreed to carry the conversation deeper. Martin agreed to help me get “in better physical shape” at his training facility.
Martin Rooney bills himself as a Fitness Philosopher. But he is at the top of his profession as both a trainer and a speaker on fitness. He has been a trainer-consultant to athletes from the NFL, MLB, NBA, and has trained numerous Olympic medalists. He produced the fastest athlete at the NFL Scouting Combine four times. One hundred of the athletes Martin has trained have been drafted to the NFL, and the contracts signed were in excess of a billion dollars. Not bad.
My training is taking place at one of the facilities he licenses in his, “Training for Warriors” program. He now has over 70 locations worldwide and over 1,000 trainers have become certified in his training system. Not bad.
So, what’s the attraction? Adonis wants to train an overweight old man. Doesn’t seem like a fit – until you discover our mutual passions: thinking, writing, and speaking. We also both have four daughters, and we’re both from New Jersey. We are helpers at heart, and we exchanged amazing ideas in the first three hours. So many ideas that I believe I have found a new life-long friend. Not bad.
He gave me a copy of his book Rooney’s Rules. He creates a new health, fitness, sales, philosophical rule every day.
Here are a few examples of his philosophy, his thinking, and his writing:
• Want to be REMEMBERED tomorrow? Then don’t FORGET to do something great today.
• You don’t become the thing you THINK about all the time. You become the thing you DO all the time.
• The real garbage holding you back is all the time you throw away.
• Try new things. Biting into the unknown may be the best way to cut your wisdom teeth.
• Success may have less to do with the depth of your background than it does with the strength of your backbone.
• When fighting this battle called life, taking yourself lightly may be your heaviest artillery.
• Hindsight is worthless until you are able to use it to gain insight that can be used to positively affect your Foresight.
• Algebra and Trigonometry are less important than learning to correctly add your strengths, subtract your faults, divide your time and multiply your talents.
• Just like a well-prepared meal, a well-prepared day often ends with a clean plate.
• If you aspire to retire after building an empire, the best way is to inspire as many people before you expire.
• Most people often develop a weak set of knees when it comes time to take a stand for themselves.
• Perhaps the most important thing you can be when you grow up is Yourself.
• The key to confidence has less to do with inborn talent than it does with ingrained practice.
• Just like the tide, you will rise or fall as a result of the most influential bodies around you.
• The Road to Success does not intersect with the Path of Least Resistance.
• Joy follows success. Success follows experience. Experience follows failure. Don’t fear failure. Without it there is no joy.
• Your life will not be measured by how many days you get to "take off", but instead by how many of the days you "take on."
• The easiest way to lead an unsuccessful life is to work hard all day to get out of a hard day’s work.
• Most people think the difference between easy and hard can be found in the problem. Successful people know it’s found in your head.
• Your Reputation and Credibility are just like your muscles. They take years to develop but can be lost in a short time of misuse.
• Action is your most important export. Better to use it up in the storefront than to keep it stored away in the warehouse.
• You’re a product of your priorities. You have 168 hours a week. If you can’t find five to workout, you’re not busy; you’re insane.
• Don’t go "halfway" with anything you do. Either go "all out" or not at all. Your "whole heart" always beats your "half ass.”
• Make your enthusiasm for success stronger than your fear of failure and you will become unstoppable.
• One way to stand out is to be kind, fair and hard working in a world that often isn’t.
• Unlike a great steak, great effort can be rare and well done at the same time.
• Waves of problems will always break on the shores of your life. It is not the wave, but how each is ridden that will reveal you.
Pretty cool, huh? Martin Rooney is a deep thinker and doer who is able to express himself in a very intelligent and thought-provoking way.
He’s putting me through my paces. And I’m loving it.
SO FAR: I have been to Martin’s workout facility six times. I’m getting personal training from a world master. And it’s a fun exchange of ideas along with the grunting. I love it. I am building strength and friendship at the same time.
Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of twelve best-selling books including The Sales Bible and The Little Red Book of Selling. His new book, 21.5 Unbreakable Laws of Selling, is now available. For book tour dates and information about training and seminars, visit www.gitomer.com or email Jeffrey personally at
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26 September 2013
Master The Top Ten Characteristics of Successful Sales Professionals
#3 Attitude Control
By Bob Urchuck
In a previous article I shared a list of the top ten characteristics of successful sales professionals. In this article, and future articles, I will outline how to accomplish each of the top ten characteristics through sales techniques, sales tips and where possible, through sales training.
Today the focus will be on the #3 characteristic – Attitude Control. But first you need to understand the meaning behind the word “Attitude”.
Attitude is the key success factor and the foundation to your success. You can’t build anything without a solid foundation. Attitude is the foundation for all successful people, not just sales professionals.
What is attitude? Attitude is your way of thinking or behaving.
Your attitude towards people influences your behavior towards them. Your attitude affects your level of satisfaction with your life and with your job. Your attitude affects everyone who comes into contact with you. Your attitude is reflected in your tone of voice, posture and facial expressions. Your attitude can affect your health. It is your attitude that will make the biggest difference in your life—particularly when it comes to what you want to be, to do or to have.
Your past and present are a result of your past attitude. However, your present attitude will determine your future. Right now, you are the author of your future.
Attitude is the “advance man” of our true selves. Its roots are inward, based on past experiences, but its fruit is outward. It is our best friend or our worst enemy. It is more honest and more consistent than our words. It is a thing that either draws people to us or repels them. It is never content until it is expressed.
Everything revolves around you and your attitude towards yourself, your organization, the team and the products or services that you sell. Take hold of your attitude, realize it is yours and develop an attitude of self-respect, self-confidence, and self-worth. Develop an owner's mentality and be proactive.
Attitude is the librarian of our past, the speaker of our present, and the prophet of our future. Yet, your attitude is within whose control?
The greatest thing about attitude is that it is not fixed and it is 100 per cent within your control. Your attitude is up to you. You are the author of your future!
Your beliefs, based on past experiences and what you have let in from the outside world, determine your attitude. Your attitude will determine how you feel. How you feel determines the actions you take and the ultimate results that you get in life.
The first thing to do is to review your beliefs. You are now an adult and should be able to distinguish between fact and fiction—what do you really believe about you? What is real and what is not? Only you can change your beliefs.
How you see yourself, your self-worth, your self-esteem and your self-confidence is all part of your attitude. How others perceive you can influence your attitude, as it has in the past. That is external influence. If you accept that influence, whether it is positive or negative, you will let it affect you internally.
However, if you become aware of those external influences and decide to lead from within, using the power of the red X to cut out all negativity,
you start to take control of your attitude.
Remember, both attitude and discipline are within your control. They are the foundation for on-going self-motivation and personal success. Recognize and reward appropriate behaviours and you will enjoy effective habits and valuable disciplines. You can be well on your way to where you want to go.
Take control of what is within your control and have a win-win attitude in all that you do. However in sales, you cannot succeed alone – you need buyers!
Attitude and Discipline are covered in detail in the book “Disciplined for Life, You are the Author of Your Future”. If you prefer video it is also available through our interactive virtual training, or online training, platform.
Stay tuned for more sales techniques and tips on how to master the top ten characteristics of successful sales professionals.
Do you want to learn How to Execute the Disciplines of Attracting, Engaging and Empowering the “Buyer Focused” Velocity Selling System, to Up Your Bottom Line? Visit VelocitySelling.com and join now!
Sales Velocity. Your Bottom Line. Our Passion
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23 September 2013
Join the Sales Mastery Mission and Make a Difference
By Mike Kunkle
When I was writing my own blog, Transforming Sales Results, I was fond of reminding readers that we must continue to “elevate the sales profession." When I learned about the Sales Education Foundation, I was intrigued to learn they used the same phrase. I think it's apropos and a worthy purpose. And if Dan Pink is right in Drive, purpose, autonomy and… you got it… mastery, are the building blocks of true intrinsic motivation.
I suppose that's why I get annoyed with those who drift through the sales profession, as well as those who do the same in our equally-worthy training and sales enablement profession. Either holds us back from achieving all that we can, which I partly wrote about recently in a post entitled Sales Transformation - No Guts, No Glory.
This got me thinking again about sales mastery, and how we might rekindle the wavering masses, or further fuel the souls who already care about excelling in our profession, but can do more to help others along the path.
You can have everything in life you want if you will help enough other people get what they want.
~ Zig Ziglar ~
My first advice? Stop the "tips and tricks." Instead, start a Sales Mastery Mission.
My Personal Journey
I got into sales in late 1984, working for an entertainment company, after spending two years making a living as a musician. It was a tenuous time for me, leaving something I had such a passion for. After many years of lessons and four intense years of music school and endless hours in rehearsals and practice rooms, I finally had to come to grips with the fact that I was really good, but was not going to be really great. Exit, stage left. Enter the world of selling.
At first, I wasn't so good at selling. Fortunately, the business owner saw something in me and was good at training and coaching. I started on another journey over the next few years.
During that time, I read everything I could get my hands on about sales. I checked books out of local libraries, bought tape sets, and spent money I barely had on a Dale Carnegie course. I started to develop an interest in training and coaching, so I joined ASTD and ISPI to get the magazines, mostly, and subscribed to Gerhard’s “Personal Selling Power” magazine (the original name), and joined Toastmasters.
Practice, Practice, Practice
I also did something else I didn't see many others doing. As if I were still a musician, I practiced. I practiced asking questions, I practiced talking about my products, and I practiced resolving objections. I practiced in the mirror and I role played with others when they would tolerate it. I did a lot of inside sales (“phone sales,” in those days), and often called other reps in the company to practice over the phone.
Oh, but that wasn’t all. In my car, I talked along with my cassette tape sets to internalize them, I audio and video taped myself and reviewed them, I asked people I respected for advice. I learned to write scripts conversationally and rehearsed them. I write down every objection I heard and talked to top producers about how to resolve them, and mimicked what they did.
For those who can't imagine these horrendous prehistoric conditions, I did this without the internet, with cassette tapes, using VHS videos instead of digital camcorders and YouTube. I actually wrote things down on paper. (I may have done it by candlelight while avoiding Velociraptors, but I'll never admit it.)
So What?
What's my point?
It's honestly not to impress you with my story about how I walked through 6-foot deep snow drifts, back and forth from school daily, uphill both ways, wearing only a wind-breaker. Without shoes.
But it is this: how often do you see this behavior today? Are you driven toward mastery? Are you encouraging it in others? Just how committed are YOU to your personal mastery and inspiring others to take the journey with you?
Whether we hire for it, inspire it, reinforce it, gamify it, or set up the culture and systems so it can't be avoided, we need to foster the obsession drive toward mastery.
The good news is, the world has changed and doing it today is so much easier... videos can practically be recorded and posted on demand, mobile technology abounds, we have knowledge management, apps, performance support, excellent training, content all over the internet, and more. And, the information about how to succeed is all around us. If you’re a sales pro, hopefully, your company invests in the processes, methodologies, systems, and tools and supporting training and coaching to help you. But if not, what are YOU going to do to become a master? If you’re in sales training and development profession, what are YOU doing to build mastery systems?
We need to get behind a ubiquitous Sales Mastery Mission. This is the difference between just offering training and building a continuous learning environment and culture, focused on building sales competence and excellence. You know I’m a fan of aligned process, methodology and systems, so an organizational voyage toward mastery is more effective than just a personal journey, but no organizational efforts succeeds without the personal commitment. It starts with each of us. And, of course, if there is no organized company effort, make your own journey. But if your company is offering support, meet them halfway. Bouncing between sales tips and tricks is not a effective as getting everyone rowing in the same direction.
It’s Time. Challenge Yourself – Challenge Others
Some questions to consider:
- Why did you get into sales, sales leadership or the training and sales enablement profession?
- Do you need to recommit to mastery?
– If yes, how will you do it and what will you do next?
– If no, how can you further spread the word and involve and inspire others?
- How can you develop and encourage sales mastery at your company?
- How can you get involved in your community?
- How can you get involved with the Sales Education Foundation?
- What else can you do?
- How can those of us in the sales performance improvement industry better serve you, as you do all this?
This is a topic I’m passionate about and I would enjoy hearing your feedback, whether you agree or have another perspective. I’ll end with some related reading and a few resources that may help along your journey. Please feel free to share resources that you think might help others.
And by all means… please… let’s join forces in a Sales Mastery Mission. The future of our profession may depend on it.
Related Reading
Resources
Associations
Publications
Independent Authority on Sales Training
Vendor/Providers
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23 September 2013
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Lean Forward - Or Walk Away?
By Monika D'Agostino
- Dating & Selling & Why They Are So Similar!”).
Being a salesperson can be discouraging at times, especially if you have put significant time into developing an account, preparing a proposal or working on a contract and then not closing the sale. It’s easy to start thinking of what you could have been doing with the time you just “wasted” working on a sale that you didn’t get. You could have been fishing or practicing Yoga. But just as with fishing, you need to throw the line in before you can catch fish. If you wait to throw the line in only when you think there will be a big catch, it will never happen. Top salespeople realize this and often “pay themselves” for each sales call, knowing that they need to have sales activity in order to generate sales. Top sales professionals know that they get paid for every NO!
Over 18 years of research and competency modeling with over 4,500 top performers has shown again and again what top sales people think about and do:
- Top salespeople realize they get paid for every NO.
(Some sales professionals even pay themselves for each NO.)
- There are fears of closing both from the buyer and seller (yes, you!) perspective. Knowing your sales numbers helps to alleviate these.
- Don’t change voice modulation when closing the sale.
- That you should lean forward before asking for a commitment.
- Pepper statements with glamour words to create interest.
- Simply acting on buying signs will close the majority of sales.
Closing signs that your customers may demonstrate include: When the buyer leans forward, or when the buyer asks specific questions, or your customer gives you a verbal or visual acceptance signs (such as asking you to explain something again, or nodding in agreement).
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About Monika D'Agostino
I am the Chief Consultative Sales Officer of the Consultative Sales Academy. My goal is to help companies and individualsgrow their business through a mindful, consultative sales approach. My background was not in sales and to this day I believe that it has worked to my advantage. I learned the ropes by copying things that I liked and avoiding approaches that I disliked. The secret to my success is humor, tenacity and perseverance and following a Consultative Sales Process!
You can reach me at:
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or call me at: 203 299 1645
Find me on LinkedIn at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/monikadago
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23 September 2013
Who are the influencers in the B2B buying cycle?
by Ian Dainty on
In the B2B lead generation video series, this is the 46th video.
Following on from our last video, about the B2B buying cycle, you need to know who influences any sales in the B2B buying cycle.
There are four influencers or groups in any B2B sales or proposal. It is mandatory to learn who these influencers are, and how they will influence your proposal.
To become excellent at B2B lead generation, there are many questions you need to answer about your business, and how you will develop those leads. I have set up 101 questions to help you and your company become excellent at B2B lead generation. Watch daily for a new video.
All of these questions and answers, in this video series, will help you in your B2B lead generation and overall B2B marketing processes. As we go through each video, you will better understand how marketing has become even more important than sales.
Obviously selling your products and services is the ultimate goal. However, if you do not have an online B2B marketing strategy, along with a strong social media strategy, then the sales, of your products and services, will be few and far between.
This has happened because of the Internet and how people find you first in their search. So an Internet B2B marketing strategy is imperative to your company’s sales success.
To ensure you get all 101 videos in the Q&A series, sign up for either the RSS Feed, or the email notification in the right hand column.
Be sure to “like” this video so your friends and colleagues can see it and follow the videos. Also, send me your questions, to my email below, so I can answer them for you, and include them in the 101 questions.
Please leave your comments about this video, and all of the videos, below.
Kind regards,
Ian Dainty 416.277.4537
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20 September 2013
What’s the difference? What’s the weakness?
By Jeffrey Gitomer
Hi Jeffrey, I just purchased your new book on the 21.5 Unbreakable Laws of Selling. As usual, it’s full of amazing content. But as I read it, it generated three compelling questions I hope you can answer. Thanks, Brandon
1. What is the biggest difference between selling today and 10 years ago?
Three things have changed selling (and buying) forever – THE INTERNET, SMARTPHONES, and SOCIAL MEDIA. The Internet sells trillions annually, and it does it 24-7-365. Customers can investigate, shop price, compare prices and values, and buy with one click – anyplace in the world. Social media is the largest one-on-one sales reference on the planet, and like the Internet, it’s keeping business (and salespeople) honest. And it’s making smarter customers. Smartphones have created access. Ultimate and instant access. Apps are the new Internet. And the combination of these three elements has changed the face and manner of doing business – forever.
NOTE WELL: You can only SELL at your place – but customers can BUY anyplace in the world – any time of the day or night.
What has changed is that salespeople HAVE NOT CHANGED. No personal website, no personal brand, no social media interaction, and not taking advantage of smartphone technology.
ADVICE: Get heavily involved with the Internet. Make sure it serves your customers, not just your company. Get heavily involved in social media, and don’t just post – respond to comments, concerns, and praise. Use your smartphone to study your marketplace, transact business, and post on social media. ASK YOURSELF THIS: Is it easier to find and do business with you, or your competition? Got app? If not, invest whatever is needed in people and money to set and maintain a leadership position in all three areas.
2. Why “21.5” unbreakable laws and not more or fewer?
I started with more than 50 laws that I had written and compiled over the years, and after weeks of study and deliberation, I pared it down to 21.5 through combination and elimination. These are THE hard-and-fast laws of selling. They cannot be broken, unless you’re willing to lose sales. These laws form the foundation for your selling success and your personal success. CAUTION: They are NOT rules. They are LAWS. Rules can be bent or broken, but laws remain steadfastly the same. BIGGER CAUTION: Reading the laws once will not make you great – re-reading, studying, and implementing them day-by-day will.
3. What are the biggest mistakes salespeople make today?
I have interacted with hundreds of thousands of salespeople – that’s how my 21.5 Unbreakable Laws of Selling came about.
During my continuing journey, I have seen 3.5 flaws that are common to all weak salespeople. Not necessarily “mistakes,” like asking the wrong questions. Rather, blunders and errors in judgment and thinking that causes failure...
1. Lack of belief in what they sell, who they represent, and in themselves. Lack of belief shows up in your presentation and is evident to the prospect. ADVICE: Visit customers who LOVE your product and have been loyal to you for years. Talk to them about WHY they have belief. It will strengthen yours.
2. Lack of love of what you do. If you have “hate” or have “no passion” for or about what you do, you’ll never give it full effort, and you’ll always be looking for greener pastures. “They don’t pay ne enough” will ALWAYS be your mantra. Your attitude will suffer more that your sales. (If that’s possible.) ADVICE: Find a job you love before you’re fired from the one you don’t.
3. Blaming everything and everyone for what goes wrong or what didn’t happen, rather that taking responsibility for what happened, and adding personal responsibility for making things happen. Seems so obvious, yet it’s one of the biggest missing elements of sales (and society). ADVICE: Responsibility starts in the bathroom mirror in the morning. Look, smile, and commit. Next, check your language. Negative talk is usually blame talk. Avoid it. Get a partner to stop you when you start. This is one of the biggest challenges in sales and life. CAUTION: The media is blame-ridden, and the more you expose yourself to it, the more you are likely to play the game yourself. Turn off the negativity. Turn on your life.
3.5 Weak resilience. Rejection occurs 74% more than acceptance. Salespeople, especially those forced to make cold calls, weaken and bow out way too soon.
There are many more mistakes made by salespeople – too many to list here for sure – BUT many sales shortcomings can be reduced or eliminated completely, simply by taking responsibility and purchasing the 21.5 Unbreakable Laws of Selling – and putting the laws into action.
Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of twelve best-selling books including The Sales Bible and The Little Red Book of Selling. His new book, 21.5 Unbreakable Laws of Selling, is now available September, and will feature a national public seminar tour. Get the details at www.gitomer.com. It will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at //D68862E5-D3FA-49FC-8A72-BE28E5697001/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/Outlook%20Temp/
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16 September 2013
Creating a business strategy
By Carole DeLaOsa
The word Strategy comes to us from Greece; it is a high level plan to achieve one or more goals under conditions of uncertainty (courtesy of Wikipedia). Do you have a proven clear strategy? Do you have sufficient resources to achieve your goals?
3 Keys to Strategy in Business:
Vision- Stop having a “job with a view” We are all leaders in our own right, so as you continue to keep working either for yourself or for someone else think abouthow are you part of the vision?
It’s a fact that everyone is in business whether you own it or not. It isn’t just about making more money, or having a big house, or feeling like you have it all together. It could be a combination of these three and your own personal desires or your own vision. That’s what makes your vision personal and gives you a clear picture of what the end result should be. How will you get there?
Strategy
This is the map or the blueprint that you will use to essentially build the business. As you would build a house - you need a blueprint. Do you like where you are? Your decisions and your words have brought you to where you currently reside in life, but many of us find ourselves stuck in energy that doesn’t define where we want to be.So how do you change it? Good question! Back to the vision:
- Did you write down where you wanted to go?
- Did you put a timeframe on it?
- Did you engage someone to build the vision with you?
- Are you being mentored?
Implementation:
Here is where consistent persistent actionmakes a difference. Here are three areas to implement...then watch what happens:
1. Who will you call today to follow up? You might have just emailed them or left a voicemail, so now is the time to follow up. (NOTE: It takes 7-11 touches before someone engages with you for a sale). Use a different way to contact them. If you sent an email, how about trying a phone call instead,or snail mail? Maybe you have thought of other ways to communicate- if so, I’d love to hear them. Let me know.
2. Where have you been lately? What was the last networking event that you went to? Do you still have the cards on your desk?Pick one and call them. The purpose of the call is to see what you can do for them NOT what they can do for you. When you are focusing on their needs, you position yourself as a business builder. We all have solutions to others business needs, so lets share.
3.Do you have a Call to Action?Not just on your website but on every piece of your marketing. Buy now, Click here, Watch this, Register now. Your goal is for everyone to see your message and THEN take direct action in response to it.
1st Hint: The clearer you are about exactly what you want your client to do, the more likely they will take
the action you want.
2nd Hint- Have only one call to action- any more than that just creates confusion.
Genuine ongoing business building takes time, caring and persistence. What seeds have you planted? A mentor of mine once said “Every seed will not yield a full crop. What it will yield is knowledge that will help you in the future.”
The cycle is meeting, contacting, connecting and staying in touch and you can do this through different venues. Which ones are you using? Which ones will you add? Whatever you decide to do, always remember to be accountable! As you create your plan be sure to share it with someone who will keep you walking the walk not just talking the talk.
Submitted by Carole DeLaOsa
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13 September 2013
Master The Top Ten Characteristics of Successful Sales Professionals
#2 Self Discipline
By Bob Urichuck
In a previous article I shared a list of the top ten characteristics of successful sales professionals. In this article, and future articles, I will outline how to accomplish each of the top ten characteristics through sales techniques, sales tips and where possible, through sales training.
Today the focus will be on the #2 characteristic – Self Discipline. But first you need to understand the meaning of the word “Discipline”.
“Discipline is a commitment to the most important person in the world. It means doing what you have to do, even when you don’t want to do it.”
In order to be disciplined, you first need to identify and replace your ineffective habits with appropriate and effective daily behaviors. In turn these practices will quickly become new result-oriented habits which support your personal and professional goals.
Discipline is an effective habit and effective habits lead to effective results. Conversely, ineffective habits produce ineffective results. Firstly, you must discipline yourself to seek awareness and rid yourself of ineffective habits. Then, by utilizing discipline, replace those ineffective habits with useful and productive ones. By doing so, you can achieve anything you want in life.
Discipline, along with a positive attitude, is within your control. Don’t allow those ineffective habits to control you and your future. Instead, discover how daily discipline will eventually alter any negative habits and change your life for the better. Go ahead and make the decision to lead a disciplined life and reap the benefits.
Discipline is 100% within your control. Take the first letter in the word Discipline - D and give it the numerical value 4. Then, take each of the following letters in DISCIPLINE and give each letter its respective numerical value. Add all the letter values and take note that the sum equals 100. If you want to increase your performance by 100%, then, put discipline in the driver’s seat.
Discipline is an effective habit. Discipline is a complete process which includes personal awareness, desire, determination, recognition and reward.
Personal behaviour is a part of discipline. Once a meticulous behaviour is recognized and rewarded, it gets repeated. The process is simple. You determine the necessary behaviour or action required to achieve the goal; do it even when you don’t want to; and finally, recognize and reward that behaviour so it will be repeated.
This process is covered in detail in the book “Disciplined for Life, You are the Author of Your Future”. If you prefer video it is also available through our interactive virtual training, or online training, platform.
Allow me to share a discipline in my life which can serve as an example for you to follow.
Years ago, I realized I am most productive in the morning, and classify myself as a “morning person”. I used to get up at 7am every morning. Then I had a thought. Why not get up one hour earlier and dedicated that hour as the most productive time for the most important person in the world - ME? I wondered about the outcome of this simple change.
Over the next month, I got up at 6am and dedicated one hour to Bob. I called it “Bob time” and my objective was to do something for me that will help me achieve my goals. That hour is quite special for me now and also, very satisfying. “Bob time” is both my discipline and an effective habit.
Now, here is the secret to making “Bob time” a discipline and an effective habit. When I used to get up at 7am, I immediately enjoyed a cup of coffee. However, following my decision to begin “Bob time” at 6am, I decided not to have a coffee upon waking, but to wait until “Bob time” ended. My first cup of coffee became my reward for doing what I said I was going to do.
Well, the discipline did not stop there. I believe in physical fitness to maintain good health and well being. Therefore, after my coffee, I venture out for a walk or go skiing, snowshoeing, swimming, etc. for an hour. What do you think my reward is for exercising?
Yes, breakfast! My daily routine begins with a shower, getting dressed and preparing for a keynote, workshop or seminar. Can you imagine how I feel and how I perform for the remainder of the day, based on all I have accomplished before leaving home?
Well, I always feel wonderful and I am truly satisfied with my performance. I permit myself to do something rewarding just for me. I can, in turn, do something special for you.
Statistics stipulate it takes 21 days to develop a habit. Rest assured, that my “Bob time” discipline and subsequent, reward is a definite habit. And that first cup of coffee tastes better than ever before.
Take the time to reflect on your most productive time of day. Once you determine that time, fully utilize one hour of your most productive time and reward yourself upon completion. In no time, you will be disciplined and will achieve the things you thought were impossible in your life.
Remember, both attitude and discipline are within your control. They are the foundation for on-going self-motivation and personal success. Recognize and reward appropriate behaviours and you will enjoy effective habits and valuable disciplines. You are well on your way to where you want to go.
However, before you can master the behaviors of goal setting and discipline, you must master your attitude. It is of the utmost importance to have a desire to set goals and to be disciplined.
Stay tuned for more sales techniques and tips on how to master the top ten characteristics of successful sales professionals.
Do you want to learn How to Execute the Disciplines of Attracting, Engaging and Empowering the “Buyer Focused” Velocity Selling System, to Up Your Bottom Line? Go to VelocitySelling.com, take a tour, join or make an inquiry on how we can configure the training to your sales team’s needs
Bob Urichuck is an internationally renowned Velocity Selling Specialist.
For the last 15-years he has worked with fortune 500 companies and mid size businesses to inspire, empower and add Sales Velocity to their Bottom Line. Bob is the Author of “Up Your Bottom Line” and “Disciplined for Life”
Download your complimentary copy of “The New Economy of Buyers: Why Traditional and Consultative Selling Methods No Longer Work”
Sales Velocity. Your Bottom Line. Our Passion
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12 September 2013
Question and Answer for Sales Leaders
By Dave Kahle
A. In about one out of every two seminars that I do, I hear this question. It springs from a manager's concern for defining what constitutes a "good sales day.” And sales people want to know so that they have some ammunition to fend off unreasonable expectations of their managers. So, let me settle the issue once and for all: I don't know.
I don't know how many sales calls any particular sales person should make, nor do I have any idea how many calls a class of sales people should make.
Having said that, I do have some thoughts to share on the subject.
Why do I not know how many sales calls a person should make? Because of all the variables. For example, if you are brand new in your territory, you should make more calls than someone who is well established. If you have a compact geographical area, you should make more calls than someone who has a large, rural area. If you carry 20,000 items, you should make fewer calls than someone who sells three lines. If you sell a non-technical commodity product, you should make more calls than someone selling a highly technical piece of capital equipment. And so it goes. The variables that define your specific situation dictate how many sales calls you should make.
One of the reasons this question comes up has to do with a typical manager's concern with making sure that the sales person is working hard enough in order to be successful. I prefer to think in two alternate ways instead of thinking about the number of sales calls.
First, how many hours should a sales person work? The most recent survey I've seen indicated that the average sales person works about 49 hours a week. That seems like a good standard to me. Sales is not an 8:30 to 4:30, 40-hour a week job. I've never worked just 40 hours. So, let's say that a good work week for a field sales person is around 45 – 50 hours.
Now, rather than look at how many sales calls should be made in that time frame, I'm more concerned that the sales person is using those 45 – 50 hours most effectively. To me, it's ultimately about the quality of the sales calls rather than the quantity. There is a relationship between the two. The greater the quality of the sales call, the fewer calls are possible. The lesser the quality of the call, the more calls can be made. I suppose that a sales person could make 100 calls in the course of a week, if each of those calls were in and out in five minutes. But would they be worthwhile? Probably not.
If the sales person had created powerful business relationships with all the key people in an account, if the sales person spent time understanding the customer at deeper levels (see my 'peeling the onion' analogy), if the sales person created and presented creative proposals, if the sales person helped orchestrate the implementation to a new product, if the sales person leveraged his/her relationships into more and more opportunities within an account – in other words, if the sales person was good at what he/she does – that takes time.
You can see that the real issue is the quality, not the quantity, of the sales call. So, everything else being equal, I'd prefer that the sales person make fewer rather than more sales calls.
I'd also want the sales person to be guided by all the principles of good sales time management that I describe in my sales time management book. Stay out of the office, make cold-blooded business decisions about which customers to invest in, nurture helpful relationships, stay balanced, etc.
When a sales person works a sufficient quantity of time, and works in an effective way, producing high quality sales calls, then that sales person is working in such a way as to be successful.
Those are the more important issues:
1. quantity of time,
2. effective decisions,
3. quality sales calls.
I'm really going to recommend that you invest in my book, 11 Secrets of Time Management for Salespeople to take this to the next level.
Hope that helps!
To read the expanded version of this article, visit http://www.davekahle.com/qa/howmany.htm
Dave Kahle is one of the world's leading sales authorities. He's written ten books, presented in 47 states and ten countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations. Sign up for his free weekly Ezine. Check out our Sales Resource Center for 455 sales training programs for every sales person at every level.
You may contact Dave at The DaCo Corporation, PO Box 523, Comstock Park, MI 49321, or
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11 September 2013
Since I was young I always thought in “Black or White” or “All or Nothing” only to find out later in life it’s a very common issue and a common way of thinking. It unconsciously made me stuck (what is this suppose to actually mean). I now find it happens when I’m coaching clients.
When we look at the world through this “Black or White” thinking filter its called Cognitive Distortion. Cognitive Distortions are when we focus on particular aspects of an experience (often the ‘negative’ ones, all or nothing thinking) and ignore or discount other aspects – thereby misrepresenting” our view of the world.
“Black or White” thinking is a see-saw of “success or failure”, “stay or go” “my way or nothing”. The thoughts that come up sound like: “I didn’t make my sales figures this month- Guess, it’s time to quit!I hate my boss, so now I have to get a new job” This thinking leaves only two possibilities; stay or go.
It doesn’t consider that this was a short month and many people were out of the office, creating an opportunity to have a fabulous next month. Or talking to someone to see if some aspects of your role could change-or find a different role in the same company.
Understand, Black or White thinking can be helpful. It forces us to make decisions when we’ve been dragging our tail. When a client remains stuck it is often that neither option is distasteful enough to change and stuck you are.
Here is where a “Grey” world that is full of options, ideas and possibilities can make a huge difference and change in thinking.
In a Grey world of thinking here are some questions to shift your thinking.
1. Think of someone you truly respect/admire. How might they look differently at this situation?
2. Chat with someone to determine :What other possibilities/ideas that you haven’t thought of yet?
3. At the end of the day, What is it that you really, really want?
It would be helpful to be clear about your desired outcome. If you’re unhappy about not making enough sales this month, perhaps reworking your sales pitch and involving the top sales person to assist you could be an option. If you hate your boss, it might really be you want appreciation and recognition with flex hours thrown in.
Even though it is unconscious thinking, staying stuck and staying still is a choice. One that can hold you back.
Submitted by Carole DeLaOsa
www.Transition4you.com
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