Starting your own business is not for the faint of heart. It requires a mix of passion, intelligence, patience and drive. You will notice that I left bravery off the list of adjectives. It is not because I don’t think bravery plays a role it is because an Entrepreneur at their essence is a doer and nothing including fear typically gets in their way. If you are thinking of starting a new company and you can feel that invisible hand pushing you forward you are well on your way. I know that feeling very well as I have started several new ventures some successful and others not so much but each teaching valuable lessons that I was able to apply to the next. Here are some points to consider when forming your new business venture:

1)      Type of Business – We’re not talking about corporate structure such as, sole proprietor, (Limited Liability Company) or a Corporation such as an S or C.  We’ll deal with those just a little bit later.  Opening a business shouldn’t be a whimsical venture it should be carefully studied and your ideas and concepts created, revised and recreated before ever making the leap into actually opening your doors.  The first step when starting a business is deciding what type of company you want to run.  You need answer the following few questions.

1. Will the business you start be a primary or secondary source of income?
2. Is your new business going to be based on selling a product, a service or both?
3. What expertise do you have in starting a company?
4. Will your new business be Home Based, a Retail store or market,

2)      Market Opportunity – do people want and need what you have to sell? A quick web search should give you a good idea of how popular something is.   Let’s say in your new business you plan on selling wedding dresses in a retail store in Pittsburgh.   First go to the yellow pages and look up dress shops and bridal shops.  The go to Adwords.google.com and use their key words tools.  This will give you a very basic idea of the demand for what you are considering.

3)      Personal Skills – What do you like to do and what are you good at.   It might seem like these two would go hand in hand but an honest inspection of each is important to understand your true strengths when starting a company.  I’ve seen far too many people think they were good at one thing because they enjoyed it fail because they lacked the drive, discipline, or raw talent when times got tough, the competition got fierce, or the economy wasn’t in good shape.   If you like talking to people and networking then a sales drive business might be good for you.

4)      Partners – no doubt you’ve heard the saying choose your business partners like you’re choosing your spouse. Actually you should choose your partner or partners more carefully.  When you start a business taking one or more partners adds an additional level of complexity.  You may no longer have total control based on percentages of ownership and you will have to deal with opinions and personalities that may differ in a negative way from your own. Before adding any partners make sure that you have an actual need. Do you require their knowledge, special ability or their money? Do you need someone else to make the business a success? If the answer to these questions is no, you may want to think twice before bringing them in.

5)      Business Plan – There are mixed feelings on business plans. There are those that believe it is unnecessary as no business is successful due to a piece of paper and there are those that believe it is a road map a mechanism to measure progress. I fall in the latter group. The business plan should act as a template for what your business will be, what goals you have established and how you expect to accomplish them, and provide timelines and milestones to benchmark progress or lack thereof.  There are a myriad of books and advice for writing a business plan but my advice is start simple and build up from there.   Begin by listing all the pertinent elements of what you want to business to be, what you’re going to provide and to whom, who is your competition, how will you be better than your competitors and how will you make money. Then as you begin to really dig in modify and expand those expectations.  Add things like financial needs, a defined market, etc.

6)      Sales and Marketing Plan – A sales and marketing plan is very different than a business plan yet so many businesses fail to have one and execute against it. Sticking with the Bridal shop idea let’s say you’ve uncovered an opportunity in a growing suburb that contains a high population of unmarried upper middle class women who are brides between the age of 28 and 35.   Surrounding communities within a 30 minute drive have an even higher number of single women with a middle class income and upward financial mobility whose age range is 24-37 with median income of sixty five thousand dollars.  How you decide to reach them is the imperative of a sales and marketing plan. You have several methods including the following:

1. Store Front/Drive by
2. Print
3. Tradeshows
4. Private Event
5. Broadcast
6. Internet
7. Direct Mail
8. Referral

Take each of these as they apply and build them out long before you open your business.  Demographic research takes some time but can often be done using government data which is free and by obtaining advertising kits and circulation data for publications, radio and TV stations, and purchasing or renting mailing lists.

7)      Legal Structure – Both you and your business will need legal assistance to make sure you have the proper corporate structure to support your business requirements and limit your liability as the owner. What you do need to know is are you going to be a Sole Proprietorship, a Partnership, an LLC, or some flavor of corporation.   Make sure you understand both the legal protections and tax implications and filing requirements. You do not need to pay a legal firm to set up your business. In most states you can file your own paperwork online however I suggest using a legal firm because you will need their assistance in developing contract language and identifying what else is needed to protect your business from unfortunate events. Find a lawyer who works with companies like yours in terms of size and field.  This will save time and money as are familiar with what you need. In order to do that you can check with other small business owners, local chambers of commerce, and trade associates that represent the type of business you plan on starting for suggestions.

8)      Financial Needs – how are you going to pay for business expenses such as rent, insurance, employees, and any other items such as equipment or materials required to perform your work?  It is good to start a relationship with a bank early. Find one with a strong history of lending to small businesses and perhaps even a specialized Small Business Administration lending focused person or department.   Other things to consider is that odds are no one will invest or lend to you without a strong business case, a track record of success, and your ability to convincingly communicate the opportunity as the owner.

9)      Budget – While budget is certainly part of financial need it warrants special attention.  Too many businesses do not manage their flow of cash in and out of the business leaving them cash strapped.  Get all your costs in line as you build you plan then anticipate a 15-20% over run in expenses.   If it happens you’ll be ready and if it doesn’t you will be better capitalized and able to focus on growing the business rather than worrying if it can survive another 30 days. Build your financial plan and work it.

10)   Time Commitment – Running a company is not like a corporate 9 – 5 job.  You will have demands on your time before and after business hours. Balancing family and personal time is important but it is your responsibility to make sure the people in your life understand what you’re taking on and that they will have to make sacrifices as well. Failing to set the proper expectations will only hinder the other areas of your life and ultimately become distraction.

In future columns we’ll go deeper into each of these areas add other areas of thought and highlight a series of case studies outlining both successes and failures of new business ventures.   There is little else more rewarding and comforting than knowing you are not only responsible but in control of your career.

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A Presentation Skills Training by The UnNatural Salesman that cover how to deal with common problems and disruptions presenters face. Tips on how to deliver an effective and persuasive presentation even if you are faced with Audio Visual Problems, Changes in Audience, Interruptions, and Changes in Locations
Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

In Sales What’s Your Brand

By Dee Haskel

Nike. Kleenex. QTips. While these are all household names, we first recognize the Brands because we know the quality behind them. When we shop for these products, we already know that by purchasing them, we will be getting a top quality product, that will last a long time. In most cases, these name brands are actually more expensive than their store labeled counterparts. Most people won’t care about paying a little more. They know that the quality is worth it.

Now…think for a moment about what “brand” your Customers think of when they think of doing business with you and your company. Do you make it easy and comfortable to do business? Do you throw obstacle after obstacle up in front of your customer so that he has to jump through hoops to get his work done? Do you add stress to your customer’s day and fill his email inbox with unnecessary clutter? Or….do you make it easy, simple, safe and comfortable to work with your company? Through every step of the sales process, we never want our customer stepping back and questioning their buying decision. We want them thinking ahead, to future business, because we made it so easy to work us on their last experience.

So….what IS your Brand? Are you knowledgeable about your product? Do you understand the inner workings of your company as well as your customers company? Can you anticipate your customer’s needs and ensure that they have an easy and comfortable time working with you? Do you understand how to make your customer more successful in the eyes of his company? Are you an asset or a liability to your Customer? Do you treat your Customers with respect and dignity in all of their interactions with you and your company? I have a client that refers to me as the most polite person he’s ever worked with. Before I call him, I can often catch him on instant message to inquire if it’s a convenient time to talk about a particular topic. I do this so that the Customer will know that I need to talk to him and what the topic is so that he too can be prepared for the conversation. Another tool that I frequently use is to follow up voice mails with emails…asking the questions via email, thus giving my Customer the opportunity to reply to me that way, which is often easier for him rather than calling me back. Sadly, many people today prefer to communicate electronically. In the Sales Profession, I believe that whatever method gets you a response, and closer to making the sale, is the best method to use! It’s part of my Brand. I have a reputation for exceptional follow up and execution. I always look to uphold that reputation in every interaction with the Customer.

Take a few minutes and think about how you want to be branded to your Customer. If you’re not already helping him to be the best that he can be then it’s time to step back and adjust your approach, technique and execution to ensure that you are the most reliable, trustworthy and responsible business associate that your customer thinks of when he thinks of buying what you sell.

About the Author: Dee Haskelwith a passion for excellence, Dee Haskel is a career workaholic, fitness freak and sales coach. She has grown and prospered in the sales profession since the early 80′s. She’s trained thousands of sales professionals in person, over the web and through teleconference at the high tech sales organization she’s worked at for a decade.

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=419634&ca=Marketing

Thinking With Your Customer

By Dee Haskel

For those of us who have been in the sales profession for many years (25 for me personally!) we know how hard it is to overcome the stigma of being a “salesman”… It’s only been in recent years that we’ve actually been considered a respectable profession … and it will continue to be respectable based upon how we conduct ourselves and how we treat our business partners…our Customers.

It wasn’t all that long ago when the consuming public simply saw our profession as a bunch of used car salesmen! We’ve begun to crack the shell of that stigma…and must continue to emerge from it as we make strides into a consultative sales approach to our consuming public.

Being able to think with your customer will change the way you do business forever. Put your product aside. Put your “sales pitch” aside…Start to think in terms what’s best for your relationship with your Customer and you change the whole game. Become an extension of his business…and you become a resource he can’t live without….develop a trusted relationship and all of the rewards will follow.

I recently had a call from a old customer who had just sold his business to his business partner and was launching a business again. Rebuilding from the ground up…After the typical exchange of pleasantries we started to dive into what the new company was going to do ….where it would fit into the market…. how he was going to reach out to his potential customers…and what would make the new company different. At no time during our conversation did we actually discuss my products and how he would benefit from selling them as part of his solution. Instead, our conversation was about the markets that he would target for his service oriented company and what he could bring to the table was different and unique and how he would make an impact in the market. Naturally, when he decided to split up his partnership and start anew….he had the dream of taking some of his existing customers with him, which has become the foundation of the new company. Bearing in mind a company is not built on one customer alone, we talked about what he saw as the vision of his company in the next few years, and what resources he would bring to bear to realize that dream. I offered a few anecdotes from other business partnerships I’d developed and offered several suggestions of people to reach out to and other resources that he could tap into.

After a twenty or so minute conversation we agreed that we’d catch up again in two weeks and I offered to put him in touch with some of the resources that we’d discussed. I did just that as soon as we hung up the phone. I contacted the resources that I said I would, I put them in touch with each other…and formed yet another bond with this long standing customer of mine. I have become his trusted adviser. His friend and his mentor. Together, we will build his business…and my products will be a part of the partnership.

Step back and take stock of the customers that you partnered with in the past….Where are they today? Are you still a part of the partnership? Did you develop trust and lend your expertise over the life of the relationship? Did you become a part of the DNA of your Customers’ organization? Where you an integral part of the growth of the organization? Take stock in what went right and what went off course. Redirect what you can and carry the positive components forward. Take those skills along as the foundation of your next venture into your next Customer Partnership.

About the Author: Dee Haskel with a passion for excellence, Dee Haskel is a career workaholic, fitness freak and sales coach. She has grown and prospered in the sales profession since the early 80′s. Always believing that the relationship comes first and all else follows, she’s trained thousands of sales professionals in person, over the web and through teleconference and at http://theunnaturalsalesman.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=419646&ca=Business

3 Things That Will Increase Your Sales

By Tim Kubiak

There isn’t any magic bullet in what you’re about to read, but there are always things that you can do that without a doubt will increase your sales. There are three things that will increase your business if you do them and work at it. No matter if you pick one or all of them, doing them only once in a while won’t have a huge impact. Consistency is the key. Not doing these simple things is the equivalent of waiting until the end of the month before realizing that you haven’t made any sales.

1) Increase New Business Generation Activities. This one is easy to ignore, since even good sales people often consider this part of the job unpleasant. To begin you have to dedicate more time to Prospecting. Prospecting for every person varies. It doesn’t matter if you are cold calling, dropping in to see new prospects or working referrals. Pick your method, make your plan and then go after them. Prospecting and lead generation does not have to take a huge amount of time, but the time you spend focused on it needs to be effective and productive. When it comes to finding new business leads, remember that no one you call is going to say yes the first time. Have a planned series of messages and offer for your prospects until you get a dialogue going. The fatal mistake most sales people make is saying, “I called that guy once or twice and it never went anywhere.”

2) Increase your offers to existing customers. How many things do you sell? Great! Now that you know the number, how many of them are complimentary to what your customers are already buying? Things that go nicely with your core offers. In many industries these are the most profitable parts of the sale. If you’re not getting that piece of the business, then not only is there money being left on the table but you’re also letting the competition in the door. If you do this right, then there’s no downside to this. If they buy mops from you but don’t buy buckets, cleaning supplies and whatever else would go with it, then it’s your own fault if you are not asking. Along those lines, don’t assume they know or remember everything you do sell. Tell your customers, them remind them regularly and see the next point.

3) Actually follow up. Ok, now that you’re done calling me an assumptive jerk, let’s get down to business. Most sales people take down information during a sales call and then focus on the major points. What if you resolved the hot issues first because that is what any smart sales person is going to do and then kept coming back with all the little things that weren’t on fire. Things like “remember when you asked about _____”, then give them the answer of what it can and can’t do. No need to lie or embellish anything. Stick to the facts. If it’s a fit…great! If not, I’m certain you’ve thought of something that can help them or a work around concept.

Nothing listed above is brain surgery. Chances are nothing you’ve read here today is all that new to you. Which means, if you have all the business you can or want to handle then odds are you’re doing these things in only one way, shape, or form. If you don’t then either you’re not doing them often enough or without the right message, intent and purpose. If that‘s the case then it’s time for you to start religiously committing yourself to new business development and lead generation. Increasing your customer wallet share by telling customers about your products and services over and over again in a way that rings a bell, but isn’t repetitive. And you must follow up. Following up alone is a gold mine, since so few people really take the time to do it.

About the Author: Tim Kubiak is a self proclaimed Sales Geek and Social Media addict. By day he continues to be lucky enough to work in sales and sales management just as he has for the past 20 years. At night Tim is the co founder and a regular contributor at the The UnNatural Salesman. He is currently doing data collection for the upcoming Sales Career Resource Guide that is designed to assist both novice and season sales professionals in evaluating sales career opportunities.

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=416738&ca=Business+Management

For those of us who have been in the sales profession for many years (25 for me personally!) we know how hard it is to overcome the stigma of being a “salesman”… It’s only been in recent years that we’ve actually been considered a respectable profession … and it will continue to be respectable based upon how we conduct ourselves and how we treat our business partners…our Customers.

It wasn’t all that long ago when the consuming public simply saw our profession as a bunch of used car salesmen! We’ve begun to crack the shell of that stigma…and must continue to emerge from it as we make strides into a consultative sales approach to our consuming public.

Being able to think with your customer will change the way you do business forever. Put your product aside. Put your “sales pitch” aside…Start to think in terms what’s best for your relationship with your Customer and you change the whole game. Become an extension of his business…and you become a resource he can’t live without….develop a trusted relationship and all of the rewards will follow.

I recently had a call from a old customer who had just sold his business to his business partner and was launching a business again. Rebuilding from the ground up…After the typical exchange of pleasantries we started to dive into what the new company was going to do ….where it would fit into the market…. how he was going to reach out to his potential customers…and what would make the new company different. At no time during our conversation did we actually discuss my products and how he would benefit from selling them as part of his solution. Instead, our conversation was about the markets that he would target for his service oriented company and what he could bring to the table was different and unique and how he would make an impact in the market. Naturally, when he decided to split up his partnership and start anew….he had the dream of taking some of his existing customers with him, which has become the foundation of the new company. Bearing in mind a company is not built on one customer alone, we talked about what he saw as the vision of his company in the next few years, and what resources he would bring to bear to realize that dream. I offered a few anecdotes from other business partnerships I’d developed and offered several suggestions of people to reach out to and other resources that he could tap into.

After a twenty or so minute conversation we agreed that we’d catch up again in two weeks and I offered to put him in touch with some of the resources that we’d discussed. I did just that as soon as we hung up the phone. I contacted the resources that I said I would, I put them in touch with each other…and formed yet another bond with this long standing customer of mine. I have become his trusted adviser. His friend and his mentor. Together, we will build his business…and my products will be a part of the partnership.

Step back and take stock of the customers that you partnered with in the past….Where are they today? Are you still a part of the partnership? Did you develop trust and lend your expertise over the life of the relationship? Did you become a part of the DNA of your Customers’ organization? Where you an integral part of the growth of the organization? Take stock in what went right and what went off course. Redirect what you can and carry the positive components forward. Take those skills along as the foundation of your next venture into your next Customer Partnership.

Ahh…resources…..We’ve all got them….Problem is most of us don’t know how to use them. Look around your office. Quite likely there’s a person who knows your systems like the back of their hand and you get confused every time you log on. Ask them for advice! There’s probably a product expert on hand that knows just what additional products you can recommend with your core solution to help you retire quota faster, help you customer deliver a complete solution to their customer and, most importantly, show your customer that you’re thinking about their best interests. Ask them for advice! There’s probably an overworked sales person that can’t handle all of the leads that they have….ask them for leads!   Offer something in return for their generosity, a piece of the deal, or perhaps bring them in on one as a split that they can help you win , it’s a little found business for them

“Price is a factor, Price is always a factor”. Not sure who said those ominous words first but as much as we don’t want to believe it they are true…but only to a point. Price is always part of the equation just like in most business concerns about shrinking profit margins and rising expenses is a reality that the talented overcome while the masses just resign themselves to selling for less and having to sell much more year after year to keep the income level the same. A client base built over time and healthy prospecting is part of the answer to the problem but so is maximizing each and every opportunity.

How? Glad you asked. First you most likely aren’t the cheapest, chances are you don’t have the largest market share? Sound about right. Doesn’t matter where I’ve been or what I’ve sold there was always a part of the sales force that had that perception. Usually the part of the sales force whose numbers where not where they wanted them to be.

Price, while always being part of the issue, is rarely the entire issue unless you did something stupid like led with price. If you lead with price to get in the door that will lead to a few things

1) the inability to focus on things of value other than price because you made a promise of “saving them money”. We can’t tell you how many times in the history of sales that the cheapest price didn’t win. Why? Because most of us aren’t selling groceries. Who cares what Banana’s are selling for down the street? What we are doing is solving problems, helping business feel secure, enhancing customers or life’s satisfaction. Does it come in the form of a sale? We’ll argue that it comes from someone buying. When a person or company buys something of value whether routine or life altering, they are agreeing to the price but they are also expecting everything else that you and your company has to offer. They are not just buying price they are buying delivery and quality and a lot more. They are, in a way, buying you.
2) you are engaged with someone who is focused on a task. i.e. buying as cheaply as possible more often than not the are a lower level person, sure the folks at the top worry about cost but notice I said cost and not price. Price is only a factor as it relates to cost.

So where does cost really come into play

Look at the terms of the deal. Have you given them an advantage beyond price that is real and tangible but not evident on a line of the quote. Never give something away. It only dimishes the value. If you offer free tech support for the first year on your product put it in as a line item and then counter it with a loyalty discount of some type equal to the value. Let them see what it’s worth. Say your competition charges freight in a deal and you don’t. There is a value to that beyond price.

Is you product longer lasting and ranked higher than the competitions for quality by a third party source. It’s a delicate conversation but one that needs to be had because down time and lost productivity relates directly to cost. The conversation might go something like “well sure Ms. Customer’s widget is lower in the upfront pricing but have you considered that their published failure rate is one every 36 months with an average down time of four hours and ours is once every 60 months for two hours. You’d have to determine what that lost productivity is worth but id it is 3,000 per hour then ….)

Ever own a Mercedes? If you have and you’ve used their warranty services you get a great idea of what a premium is put on service. They will come to where you are and fix your problem. They provide you with a loaner car or at the very least a ride and if you’re traveling they pay for lodging and a loaner or rental if the car is going to be down for any length of time including getting it where you are going as soon as it is fixed. That service comes at a premium price. Your service should also. Think of yourself as a high end vehicle, sure your can get some where else in a car that is the fraction of the price but can you get that same level of service?

Price alone will not grow a business or sustain in. Being able to articulate true value into the cost of the item or service will grow and sustain a business. So step back. Look at your offer. Ask questions! Find out why the price of an item is so important to the person asking. Perhaps the person asking for the price is compensated based on getting the lowest price. This is true in many corporate purchasing departments. You need to have buy-in on your product or service from multiple levels within the company. If you’re only working with the purchasing department, you’re not “in” the account! You need to have relationships at multiple levels of the company that you’re selling to. Without this, you’ll never win! Does your manager know the manager of the company that you’re selling to? Does your vice president know the vice president at the company you’re selling to? Do you know the sales manager at the company? Become a partner to the company you’re selling to. Become an extension of them. Show them your value day in and day out. If you’re doing a good job a providing value, and you know all of the key decision makers with the company and you’re persistent, then your value will ultimately shine through and you’ll win. Till that happens, it’s all about price.

You’re at the end of your rope.  You’ve presented your value to the potential customer and he’s still not buying. You’ve presented quote after quote, and he’s still not buying. You’ve invested countless hours on this potential customer, and he’s still not buying. Now is NOT the time give up. It’s the time to have a frank and honest discussion with the prospect as to what you haven’t provided to help him with his business. Asking the right questions will either get you an honest answer….or the smack in face reality that it’s time to put this prospect aside and move on. Never under any circumstances burn the bridge! No point in getting hostile with the person who’s not buying from you. Tomorrow that person may be influencing another company that you’re trying to work with and you will lost all opportunity because of a previous “thing” that happened.

I had occasion recently to talk to a customer just like the one described here. An account manager who reports to me had been presenting quote after quote and was getting nowhere for months. Large amounts of quotes were in the sales funnel and were going nowhere.  I called to speak to the Sales Manager and I asked him honestly to tell me what we were doing wrong. I asked him how he could stay in business with no sales closing! After a very long pause, he told me that our prices were too high and that he could get the same product from another distributor for less money. At that moment, I understand that this customer didn’t understand my company’s value and that it was my job to show him how he would actually save his company a lot of money by working with us. I spent some time with this customer and talked about the value that we bring to the table. I reminded of the services that we provide. At the end of the conversation, I told him that I had hoped I was able to give more insight into how working with us would actually help him. I also told him I clearly understood why he needed to have relationships with two companies who offered the same products and reminded him again how we were a bit different. After a long pause, he agreed to give us some of his business, so that we could prove we were all that we said we were.

It’s important to utilize all of your internal resources when you seem to be getting nowhere with an account. Sometimes, it’s just a fresh point of view that will make the difference. It’s NEVER time to just give up and walk away. Sometimes, we just need to rethink the approach. Sometimes, although it’s not verbalized, it’s about the customer “feeling the love” from your company! Not everyone is satisfied until they’ve had the attention of someone higher up in the organization. Use your resources to accomplish this. That’s why they are there.

SO that’s the first challenge, now what if you aren’t getting in front of enough opportunities.  Look in the mirror at your level of activity.  Most times the first sign of your struggle has been because you stopped doing the basics.   Selling is not different than professional sports.  If you went to a basketball camp by a top pro or college coach you would spend most of your time getting back to the basics dribbling, shooting and passing.  In sales the basics are prospecting, preparing and presenting…if you haven’t made the right amount of time for prospecting it is going to affect your business.  Have you given yourself the chance to succeed by networking at events or are you training like a happy hour with people you already know?   Working the room is just that. Work. But if done right it can lead to great rewards and be fun on top of it.   What could be better than understanding how other companies and industries work? Sure, you want to find opportunities but they most often come because of something you learned, let the opportunity present itself.  A word of caution while networking… spend time with decision makers and movers and shakers.  You’re there to make contacts and build a network, people who are there with the sole purpose of getting business that night rarely get little results but by being consistent with your participation, becoming involved with the organization and becoming recognized as an expert business will come.

Have you done the work to know who is the best fit for your products and services and made appealing approaches with real value, maybe use a little loss leader to get in the door.  I’m not talking about a product or service sold cheaply but a way that you expertise and knowledge can benefit them.  Be sure to have a clear definition of your value. Be sure that it makes sense in your market space. Be sure that you’re prepared for the call or visit. Show your value and what your company brings to the table each and every time. Do this in a positive manner, without “bad mouthing” the competition. You can be assured that your competition is speaking in negative terms against you! It’s the easiest thing in the world to do. It’s human nature. It’s so much easier to speak negatively about your competition rather than taking those negatives and turning them into the positives that you offer. The worst part about speaking negatively about your competition – it seeps into your world – the negativity that is – and becomes a part of you – only if you allow it to. Speak in terms of positives, and your world becomes more positive. This will also become a clear differentiator between you and the competition. Your Customers will come to appreciate your positive approach. Your Customers will turn to you because of this positive experience and everything else will fall into place.

Never give up. Always leave a reason to call back. People need to hear something seven times to retain it. Be all you can be. The best is yet to come. Never give up. Always see the world through rose colored glasses. Always give the other person the benefit of the doubt. Take time to smell the roses. Remember your manners.

Roll all those statements into one and you’ve got a Super Star Sales Pro. You’ve got a person who believes in themselves, believes in their product and services. Believes that the world is generally a great place. Believes in tomorrow. Remembers yesterday and always has a dream. And someone who always has a more seasoned professional guiding them. At ever twist and turn, they’ve got a safety net. Someone they can turn to.

I’ve always had the dream. The vision of what I want my world to be. Very early in my sales career, a sales manager told me to always leave a reason to call back. That way, you won’t be wasting your time or your Customers time. Important in todays fast paced, always connected world. We’re all swamped with too many things to do, too many calls to return. Too many quotes to submit. Too many emails to read and respond to… Too much of everything in your day. You know the drill. Quite likely, if you’re making your quota, you’re living this way. If you’re not making your quota, you’re living this way just trying to make your quota. If you’re like most of us, you want to go home at the end of the day, kick the cat, punch a wall, unwind a bit and then just plain brag about the accomplishments of the day! Somehow, everything that was unbearable at the moment becomes a sales success in the comfort of your own home.

I’ve always managed, in every step of career, to have a mentor by my side. To have a trusted advisor who could help me learn my craft. ALWAYS have a mentor. You’ll need that trusted resource at some point in your life. Quite likely, at least once a day. We all need someone to share our sales joys and sorrows with. The highs don’t get much higher than the exhilarating feeling of a closed deal. The lows don’t get much lower either. Our chosen profession can make us inhuman sometimes. Always have a mentor. I say it again because I believe so strongly in it. Sure, when you get home at the end of the day, you have the safety of your family and your loved ones. You can truly be “you” within the safety of your own home. But, for most sales professionals, the 12 – 18 hours a day that you spent in your sales world that mentor can keep you even paced, can teach you something new, can listen to your latest ideas and can always point you in the right direction. Always have a mentor. And always aspire to be one.

Practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect- just doing something to do it doesn’t make you better but focusing your efforts to a state of constant improvement. Walk out of each sales call and honestly ask your self what I could have done better, maybe you did every thing well or maybe you blew a section either way there is always room for improvement. To improve you have to make that a priority, commit to where you want to be and put the work in with purpose and direction.

I gave you something better than a yes. I gave you a No. One of the inspirations for this book said that to me, he was right I tried to close and close and close but he just wouldn’t buy. The reality is not every one will no matter how hard you work.

This is not about being dishonest or slight of hand but is the fact that if you stumble pause, gather your thoughts and pick back up, the silence to you will seem like forever but the few seconds of silence will go un noticed. In English we only use audible sound 37% of the time in our speech patterns mean there are a lot of natural pauses and silence in our communication. Use it to your advantage for emphasis or to regroup.

What you’re doing today will effect how successful you are six months from now- the boss isn’t looking and you can play nine right. Before you do that did you really accomplish everything you needed to or could in the course of the business day. If you didn’t it will catch up with you. The customer you didn’t follow up with today might be placing the largest order in the last decade with your competition. You can fool a lot of people with the amount of effort you re putting in but don’t fool yourself.

No Matter who you are watching you can learn how to do something better from what they are doing. Observe all the sales professionals around you. Take the good things from each of them and roll them into your personal style.

Question the Question- Are you asking the right things? Look at what you need to learn before each customer interaction and build out the questions that will engage the customer in dialog but also give you insight into the business. Have a plan. Each and every time. Have a sales plan and you’ll achieve your goal. Or at least advance the opportunity to reach your goal by a little bit.

If your friends jumped off the Brooklyn bridge would you- My mother would be so proud to see this one. I did after all learn this one from her. So lets take it out of child hood and apply it to our profession. If all the sales team is leaving at 3:00 and going to the bar should you? If everyone else is putting in the bear minimum of appoints or calls…Should you? Sales is full of temptations so you job is to manage them to reach your goals.