Duplicate

Successful sales people and business owners understand that to create a winning sales system it needs to be duplicatable and repeatable. Whether it is for the sales person or a team of people a system of duplicatable and repeatable processes guarantee yours and others success. When you create a system you can duplicate you are designing a success system. So what does it mean to be duplicatable and repeatable? It means someone can watch you for a day or two and easily learn what you do to be successful. An example might be what your daily activity is or how many contacts per day you plan on making. Basically a duplicatable and repeatable system is nothing more than a plan that can be repeated day after day to obtain the results you want. If you want to create a successful team your duplicatable process doesn’t need to be a cookie cutter as you will hire individuals but it must be repeatable so that everyone can follow it and at the same time put it in their words and actions.

The definition of duplicate is to make or be an exact copy of something. If you are an individual sales person it isn’t about making a copy of yourself for others however it is about making a duplicatable plan for you to follow. Every day needs to be an exact replica of the day before or your weekly plan needs to repeatable. If your plan is consistent then staffs you work with, prospects and clients will notice and they will see a commitment they never saw before. Being duplicatable and repeatable is a strong commitment that you must make. When you create a plan that is consistent and repeatable and you commit to it you success will start to come your way.

Inspire

Who do you inspire? Inspiration is the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative. You need to have inspiration to inspire others. Every day you inspire someone without even realizing it, it may be the fact you always seem to smile, it might be a kind word or gesture or it might be the way you work. Inspiration is enlightening and stress relieving. Why is it important to inspire? It is important to inspire others because you never know who is paying attention to you, it could be a potential client, an existing customer or a colleague looking to be inspired. When you inspire others you feel better about yourself in turn it helps you feel good about what you do. Thomas Alva Edison once said, “Success is ten percent inspiration and ninety percent perspiration.” What he never said was without that inspiration you would never perspire to accomplish anything.

How do you get inspired? Do you listen to motivational speakers such as Zig Ziglar or Tony Robbins? Do you recite incantations every morning? Being inspired can come from simple things such as being a role model for your children, motivating staff or living a life of inspiration. How inspired do I need to be? You need to be so inspired as to inspire yourself to take action, to dream more, to learn more and do more. Being inspired will make you a better leader, being inspired will increase your sales and being inspired will change your life.

Choices

Every day you wake up with a choice. Your choice as you start the day is whether to make it a good or bad day. Yes it is your choice because you choose to make your day what it is. It is true there is outside factors however you need to choose to overcome them. As a coach of young men and women in their teens I am always telling then they can choose whether or not they have the right attitude to play their respective sports and that if they have a bad attitude they won’t function correctly. The same applies to adults out in the business world, if you wake up and allow outside factors to determine your day then you have made a choice for that to happen. There is a quote by Zig Ziglar that says, “Your attitude, not your aptitude determines your altitude.” You choose your attitude no one else does.

In addition to your morning choice of how your day will be, you also have other choices during the day such as:

• The choice to be in early

• The choice to work hard

• The choice to work smart

• The choice to work late

• The choice to make one more call

• The choice to have a great day

As you can see it is your choice to be what you want to be, to make your day as good as it can be. So wake up every day and make it your choice for it to be your best day until tomorrow morning when you will wake up to your new best day.

Opportunity

Life is about opportunity and if you chose a sales career or to be your own business owner then you understand the opportunity value. Most people who are business owners or salespeople take advantage of the opportunities available and a few don’t. The ones who don’t just didn’t get the opportunity that was available to them. Today’s blog will focus on the ones who do and who want to take advantage of the opportunities out there.

So how do you take advantage of the opportunities and what are they?

• As business owners and salespeople you have the opportunity to create our own schedule.

However, you better be diligent about your time management or you will be of those who don’t succeed.

• You work harder than someone who works 9-5 but you have the opportunity to make more money than someone who works a 9-5 job.

• Your income is limitless.

• You can go see your kid’s plays without taking an approved day off and still go back to work and make more money than the 9-5 guy can.

• You can have a great sales month in one day and still get more done. It is all up to you.

• You choose the customers you want to deal with.

As you can see these are the opportunities the self-employed small business owner and salespeople rave about. These are nice perks but don’t forget you are the one at the end of the day who has to make a sale to get paid so never misunderstand the opportunity. The 9-5 guy usually gets paid whether they make the sale or not so take advantage of your opportunity every day. The nice thing about today is it is not just another day it is the opportunity for another chance, a new beginning so make sure you wrap your arms around it and embrace it.

Value

Have you ever thought you had something sold to a prospect only to find out they went with someone else for a lower rate or even occasionally for a higher rate? The reason that happens is you failed to provide value. Joe Plumeri, CEO of Willis said, “Price is only an issue in the absence of value.” What is your value proposition? Every successful sales person has a value proposition which is why they are successful in the first place. So how do you create your value proposition? What makes a good value proposition is simplicity, make sure it is easy to understand. Your value proposition needs to convey a tangible result the prospect will receive when they do business with you. Keep it very short, simple and on the clients terms. Finally, avoid overhyping your product, service and your customer service.

Value is definitive and makes you different than all other sales people. When you add value price goes away or becomes less important to the prospect. Value can be as simple as adding free delivery or express delivery for no extra charge, it can be meeting your client at 6am because no one else will or it can be remembering a special date of the prospect such as a birthday or a work anniversary. Remember, value is the gap between what clients will do for themselves and what we will do for them. Sometimes because of your product you are the value, it is your knowledge and ability to convey that knowledge or it is your calmness that gives your prospect peace of mind. Whatever your value is it is more precious than price and it is up to you to create it and make the most of it.

Partnership

A partnership is an agreement between two or more individuals to share in the responsibilities of a combined venture. Have you ever considered that a sale is a partnership also? When you go on a sales call you are trying to create a partnership between you and the prospect. A good partnership brings the best attributes of both parties to the forefront. In sales, we are trying to have the prospect purchase goods, a service or an idea that will benefit them or their company and we are the partner delivering it to them. When we form partnerships we form trust and trust is an important aspect of selling. Opportunities increase when you help others win so a small win for a partner is a huge win for you.

Partnerships are built a little at a time. You must create the need and the want. You must show the benefit. When you show the benefit the client will see you as a strategic partner and not some salesperson trying to sell him something. When you involve your customers as partners you are inviting them to be collaborators and co-innovators. Your sales are nothing without prospects or clients and therefore it is an endless battle to attract new clients and retain the ones you already have. However, a client who feels they are in a partnership will stay a client and will refer others because they feel comfortable and not sold. So, create scenarios where the prospect wins and your partnership will be formed and lead to you being a successful salesperson.

Vision

“Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.” Jonathan Swift. What is your vision? Your vision is “the what” of what you want to accomplish. When you start your day do have a vision of what you want to accomplish today? Can you see yourself finishing everything and what the rewards will be for accomplishing your vision? Vision always comes first and it must be clear and concise. With a clear and concise vision you will create a business plan which will grow your business or increase your sales. As a business owner your vision not only needs to concise and clear it needs to be huge, beyond tremendous. It needs to be so big that it takes on a life of its own. If it’s not that big you won’t have the motivation to follow your vision and if you can’t stay motivated you won’t be able to recruit others to help you achieve your vision.

When you have vision you have motivation to muddle through on your worst day (those never happen to you, right?). When you have vision you see clearly what needs to be done and somehow it always seems to happen. When you have vision life becomes simpler, clearer. When you have vision you are able to motivate others. When you have vision others will follow you to the end of the earth to help you complete your vision or lead them to theirs. Vision is limitless. I want to leave you with this Ralph Nader quote, “A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done.” Be the visionary and create the vision your business needs to succeed.

Listen

Why do we have two ears and one mouth? So we can listen twice as much as we speak. Do you practice that in your business or are you always the one speaking. An old sales adage is the last one to speak loses. What would your business be like if you listened more? If you listened more you would identify the client’s needs as opposed to selling them what they asked for. Clients always think they know what they need and want, they are impulsive and make decisions rashly. If you are to become a true professional you must sit, ask open ended questions, listen closely and then listen some more. While listening, identify what they are really looking for, inevitably it is always something more than the original thought. Make sure that you are listening and paying attention, take notes, look your prospect or client in the eye and look for telltale signs of what they truly need. A good listener will listen to not only to what is being said, but also to what is left unsaid or only partially said. “Listening is being able to be changed by the other person." -- Alan Alda, actor and director. When you listen you learn about the prospect and you then present solutions to their needs instead of selling a product. The client understands you listened and identified areas they hadn’t expressed. So listening helps you become the trusted advisor the client is looking for.

Change

Change is inevitable, it happens whether you want it to or not. Individuals who embrace change and understand its place in the world will roll with it and even enjoy it. Those who don’t well they tend to fight it and flounder. Socrates said, “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” Change is a wonderful thing it gets your blood going it makes you look at things differently and it is all about the way you look at it. When you accept change you face new challenges head on, when you fight change you fight the ability to advance. Some people fight change and never learn that change is constant so fighting it is useless.

How do you react to change? Do you embrace it? As you wake up being ready for change means being prepared for anything that comes your way. When change finds you, as it inevitably does, do you roll with it or let it defeat you. Recently, the company I work for made some changes that did not go over well with the field. Some complained, some quit, others acted like nothing happened and the leaders embraced the change and showed how to adapt to the change and continued on their road to success. It was ironic the leaders went about their business as if there was no change while others complained and let it affect them. The reason I believe that these leaders embraced the change and proceeded as if there was no change was because they understood that change is a process and not an event. I will leave you with this thought, “Change is difficult but not changing will be fatal.”

Motivator

Individuals who can motivate others tend to be better business owners and sales people. Motivators also tend to delegate better because they understand the importance of others producing. Motivators of others also tend to understand how to motivate themselves. When you have the ability to motivate others you become a leader, people look up to you, others want to follow you and you become a better leader.

Are you a motivator? Do others want to follow you? Do others look to you for leadership? Thomas Jefferson said, “Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.” If others look to you for leadership then you are a motivator. If you don’t it is easy to become a motivator and a leader of others. On a daily basis always be positive even when you are hurting don’t allow others to see it. Be generous with your time towards others, give more and share your ideas with others. Act on a daily basis people are motivated by people who do things. Believe it or not your business and sales will increase if you help other sales people. Good things happen to people who perform good deeds, they are noticed by others. If motivating others doesn’t mean you won’t be successful but it sure makes it simpler for you if you do.

Ask

What is the most important part of any sale?

Is it offering the best price? No, anyone can sell by price and usually someone comes in with a lower price at some point. (This is an entirely separate topic for another post.)

Is it having the best product? No, that helps and you should always be marketing the best you can offer.

Is it promising the best customer service? No, you should be doing this no matter what. Always provide consistent good customer service and you will have customers for life.

Is it over promising and under delivering? Absolutely no, it should be the reverse, under promise and over deliver.

Is it body language? No, important, very important but not the answer for this post.

These are all important parts of the sales process however it isn’t the MOST important. So, what is the most important part then? The MOST important part of the sale is to ask. You must learn to ask for the sale. Sounds simple doesn’t it? Do you ask for the sale and do you ask firmly enough?

Many sales people suffer from using feeble, dreadful closes that do not actually ask for the order. They will wait for the prospect to take the initiative and ask for the sale, they will ask the prospect what they think or use some inducement with the hopes the prospect will initiate the sale.

Asking for the sale is being confident and bold. A few strong ask examples:

So Mr. Jones here is what we have to offer and here is what it would cost then place the order form in front of Mr. Jones and ask him to sign here. Very aggressive but the client needs you to be aggressive and help them make a decision some times.

One of my favorite is the ABC close (and no I am not talking about the acronym: Always Be Closing – although you should). Give your client three choices with the middle one being the one that aligns with their needs. You must do this with conviction and it can be a very successful ask for you.

Most people will want to put off making a decision. It is human nature. However, it is up to you to help them make that decision and you cannot do that if you do not properly ask them to make a decision.

Entrepreneurship

Even if you work for someone do you have the entrepreneur spirit inside of you? Do you wake up every day looking to achieve more? When we are in sales we need to understand that we are owners even if you work for a big company. Make sure you own your thoughts, make sure you own your time, make sure no one else is wasting your time and make sure at the end of the day it was productive. When you have an ownership mindset you will see an increase in productivity and therefore an increase in sales. Whether you work for someone or own your business the mindset is the same if you want to achieve tremendous success.

I have outlined 6 steps to creating that entrepreneurial mindset:

1. You must set goals that exceed what you can accomplish.

Entrepreneurial people won’t settle for average. They see average as what everyone else is. Instead, they continually look for ways to stretch themselves, to create more, to recreate themselves and to become the best person they can be. They set their sights on goals that others have never even thought of. They set goals so high that even if they miss, they land higher than everyone else.

2. You must have an innate ability to focus intently on reaching the goals you set.

Everyone can set goals, but not everyone can stay committed to those goals. The difference is the entrepreneurial mindset doesn’t allow the top sales people to get sidetracked. Staying focused is the key. They know where they are going and what they are trying to achieve. They will turn away the good things so they can focus on the best things.

3. You must be willing to sacrifice to succeed.

When the going gets tough, too many people quit. Top achievers understand that sacrifice will help them reach the goals they have set. They constantly remind themselves of their goals. It is written somewhere and they remind themselves of the reward and that it is worth pushing through the challenges. Top sales people are willing to sacrifice personally in the in order to get the reward of achieving their goals. Entrepreneurial minds keep their eye on the big picture while average producers look at the obstacles.

4. You need to be tenacious.

Tenacity is being persistent. Successful entrepreneurial people aren’t easily moved from their goals. They understand that there will be tough times, financial troubles, that they will be tired and that they may even want to quit. However, they will keep on going because they know the prize is ahead, and they won’t quit before they get there.

5. You must have a heightened self-awareness.

Entrepreneurial minded people know they will not be able to do it alone. They use a “brains on tap not on top” mentality. They recognize their weaknesses and understand the basis for utilizing resources that the average producer doesn’t.

6. You must have a desire to help others achieve.

Top achievers know they can make a difference for others, not only their clients but other producers also. An entrepreneur wants to bring as many people to the top alongside them, not see how many they can leave in the dust. They understand the more successful their colleagues are the more successful they will be.

If you want to be successful remember these six steps and follow them religiously and you will be successful at anything you do.

Patience

There is a quote that says patience is a virtue that dates back to the fifth century. When you are patient in business people notice, they see you as not pushy, they like your demeanor and they tend to believe what you say more often. Patience is definitely a virtue in business as people don’t see you as a salesman they see you as a provider, someone who offers help or assistance. Patience has a calming effect on others. With patience you seem calmer, with patience you see the bigger picture and you become less desperate for a sale. Being patient doesn’t require waiting it requires waiting with a good attitude. Patient salespeople understand that the business will come to them as long as they prospect and do the things necessary to allow the business to happen.

Are you a patient business owner or salesperson? According to Bill Gates, “Patience is a key element of success.” Do you understand how patience will allow your business to grow? Patience in business creates referrals which produces more business. There is a saying, “if you can keep your head while those around you are losing theirs you are a head of the game” , well being patient allows you to keep your head straight while others lose their patience and fail. Patient people tend to accomplish more because they understand time management, they see the whole day as the opportunity instead of limiting it to the time period of the appointment. So be patient the business is on the way.

Dreams

Everyone has dreams. If you are a small business owner or a salesman it is your job to help them achieve their goals. Dreams are important so helping your clients plan to reach those goals is what will set you apart from others. How do you help others realize their dreams? For starters you need to have your own dreams and you need to have a plan for achieving them. Then you need to carefully analyze what people really want. Everyone wants a million dollars and two houses and all sorts of cars but truthfully there is so much more to dreams. What people really want is the ability to have all that paid for and not have to worry where they are going to get the money for it. This is what I do for others, “I sell the dreams of a worry free retirement a worry free college and a worry free life without you in it! For example I make sure your family can live the same way they do now if God forbid you weren't here to take care of them or I make sure your retirement will be as good as or better than your life today!”

When you are setting plans for others dreams make sure you listen to what they want, identify what makes them happy and what makes their spouse happy. Dreams are never about numbers they are about feelings and emotions. When you are meeting with prospects or clients dig deep find out their hot buttons, listen for key words and let them explore all their options. Remember you are going to create the plan so let the dreams go wild. At this point it is your job to be a dream maker. Be creative use all your skills to create the realistic dreams for your clients. Create a plan that satisfies their emotions, that evokes their feelings and makes them feel good. When people feel good they will follow the plan you created. Make sure you are a dream seller and not a product seller. Believe in the dream for yourself, believe in the dream for your clients and watch dream selling drive your success.