I had a Friend tell me that feedback from my clients was not favourable regarding my follow up. Not having my notes in front of me puts me in an indefensible position so I could not rebut the assertion.
Then I thought about it and thanked them for the information. It helps to know what you do wrong because if you do it right all the time you never get a chance to improve.
I admit I was not the best at follow up. I was always focused on the next sale and I let the process of getting the product to the end user slide. The good news is that I recognized I was doing that and was already moving to correct the flaw and prevent it from becoming a bane of my existence.
How you may ask? Well I did even if you did not.
I started using what we had for a CRM so there was a central place for information for everyone involved in the sales process. I put every note in there and every contact attempt so that when things went pear shaped I was ready to help.
I started apportioning my time to ensure I did call backs or sent replies via email BUT I found that email is not the best way to work. It often took a couple of days for me to find out that a message had not gone through for whatever reason. I had become enamoured of the technology and forgot the people I was dealing with. Recently I heard a story that set it permanently for me......
A friend has a retail store where people are coming in every day seeking donations for worthy causes. He rarely donates because the event is not related to his business and the sponsorship would not make any benefit to his company. However, a 'cool' gentleman one day was able to secure a small donation for his event. After, he sent a HANDWRITTEN note expressing thanks for the donation. Jamie has supported this event every year since yet it has nothing to do with his business; the man still sends a handwritten note every year expressing thanks.
Sometimes it is not in the action of the follow up but in the method that sets us apart. I started sending handwritten notes of thanks and would telephone where I would have emailed just to make certain the information I provided was what they wanted.
It is NEVER too late to learn nor to change nor to have a friend tell you where you have made errors so that you can improve for everyone. Ultimately, everything we do is judged and how we do it influences the result.
Choose to be proactive and different and above all honest.
Thank you.
2009/06/08
2009/05/28
Fear
Fear is the great motivator and the great disincentive to proceed.
When asked, more people fear speaking in public than most anything else.
Fear prevents us from closing a sale. Ego drives the fear.
Huh?
We don't close because we fear rejection... an absolute attack on our ego. If we are rejected then they don't like us. Our ego requires us to be liked and should not be part of the process.
BUT, you've done all this work; prospecting, qualifying, cultivating and now you have earned the right to harvest the sale. So, your ego forces you into being less than what you are....a salesman whose sole job is to sell. You waffle and wait because you can't afford to upset them. You won't.
If you close the sale you save them time and money and effort and pain.
If you close the sale you keep production and client care and research and administration working for another day.
If they reject you it is because you have not done your job properly. You have not asked enough questions or asked too many or the wrong ones or you ignored their signals and talked yourself out of the sale or ad infinitum.
This brings up another fear...failure.
If I don't try I can't fail. Can't I? Failure IS an option. You will make mistakes. The good ones only make them once.
Sometimes though it may not be your fault. The customer had a bad experience in the past or they took a Negotiation course and they 'know' all of your wily ways. You do have wily ways don't you? They don't want to make a mistake: pay too much, get too little and so on. Their ego fuels their desire not to fail.
You fail if you don't sell value every time. If you don't listen, you fail.
Failure is an option only if you don't do everything in your power and ability to erase their fears before they come up (if you can) or after you hear their objections. Let them know that they have made the correct decision for the right product at a fair price and many of your objections (and fears) will be less of a problem.
Criticism is not a bad thing. How you deal with it is. Ego feeds your fear of criticism and gives you anxiety that prevents you from learning about yourself from how others see you and your mistakes. Remember that a lack of error is never noted, never commented on, never an inhibition to sales. Error is noted, criticised, costs sales and sometimes jobs but ONLY IF YOU REPEAT the error because you were afraid to hear criticism.
"There is nothing to fear but fear itself." I believe Winston Churchill said that at a really dark time in English history.
Thank you.
When asked, more people fear speaking in public than most anything else.
Fear prevents us from closing a sale. Ego drives the fear.
Huh?
We don't close because we fear rejection... an absolute attack on our ego. If we are rejected then they don't like us. Our ego requires us to be liked and should not be part of the process.
BUT, you've done all this work; prospecting, qualifying, cultivating and now you have earned the right to harvest the sale. So, your ego forces you into being less than what you are....a salesman whose sole job is to sell. You waffle and wait because you can't afford to upset them. You won't.
If you close the sale you save them time and money and effort and pain.
If you close the sale you keep production and client care and research and administration working for another day.
If they reject you it is because you have not done your job properly. You have not asked enough questions or asked too many or the wrong ones or you ignored their signals and talked yourself out of the sale or ad infinitum.
This brings up another fear...failure.
If I don't try I can't fail. Can't I? Failure IS an option. You will make mistakes. The good ones only make them once.
Sometimes though it may not be your fault. The customer had a bad experience in the past or they took a Negotiation course and they 'know' all of your wily ways. You do have wily ways don't you? They don't want to make a mistake: pay too much, get too little and so on. Their ego fuels their desire not to fail.
You fail if you don't sell value every time. If you don't listen, you fail.
Failure is an option only if you don't do everything in your power and ability to erase their fears before they come up (if you can) or after you hear their objections. Let them know that they have made the correct decision for the right product at a fair price and many of your objections (and fears) will be less of a problem.
Criticism is not a bad thing. How you deal with it is. Ego feeds your fear of criticism and gives you anxiety that prevents you from learning about yourself from how others see you and your mistakes. Remember that a lack of error is never noted, never commented on, never an inhibition to sales. Error is noted, criticised, costs sales and sometimes jobs but ONLY IF YOU REPEAT the error because you were afraid to hear criticism.
"There is nothing to fear but fear itself." I believe Winston Churchill said that at a really dark time in English history.
Thank you.
2009/05/04
Habits
The only way to avoid bad habits is to become aware of them and strive to correct them. Subvert your own ego and learn from others. It is never too late to change and get a leg up on your competition.
Thank you.
Careful what you say!
Out and about recently I saw people wearing masks.
Later when I returned home I was greeted with the news that several schools in Michigan were going to remain closed for the week while they are cleaned.
Drug stores are having a difficult time keeping masks or hand sanitizer in stock.
Casualty Departments are packed with tanned, healthy people.
How does this all relate to selling?
The Media and Health Agencies have reported on an outbreak of H1N1a Flu in Mexico. Hundreds of people are ill and some have perished. A couple of hundred people returning from Mexican vacations have surfaced with flu symptoms and there has been one death in the US.
Now we need to look more closely.
First the death. It is unfortunate for the survivors but the truth needs to be shared. An infant was visiting relatives in Texas from Mexico. She became ill and was transferred to Houston for treatment where she succumbed. First, it was not an American death. Second, as with EVERY flu, the very young and very old suffer the most with mortality. Third, the full story was not initially reported.
You can never un-ring a bell. The first thing heard/read is the only thing remembered. The best efforts to correct or more completely inform will fall short of the target. You need to get your message out the first time; clearly and with full comprehension.
The selective reporting of a possible pandemic has created many problems.
Initially referring to it as Swine Flu has created protectionist responses from countries banning imports of pork from the US and Canada. Belatedly, Public Health officials of all kinds have stated that you CANNOT contract this flu from eating pork. Eventually the WHO declared that it is not Swine Flu but H1N1a Flu. Too little, too late for an entire industry who will suffer for months. It was never a problem from pork.
Now it is reported that a swine barn in Alberta has been affected by this flu. Physiologically, pigs are very close to humans with very similar immune systems. This barn will suffer loss but the vast percentage will recover to no lasting effect. The media storm surrounding this has now put an entire industry in disarray. Confusion, misinformation and outright lies have done this.
The schools in Michigan have NO reported cases of H1N1a Flu but they are closed for cleaning. Why? Possibly a well meaning Board member or Official felt it would be prudent? Maybe a parent or two heard what they wanted to hear and threatened to create problems? We will never know for certain. What is known is that there are NO reported cases; none.
The masks you can buy at a Drug Store have a serious flaw. After approximately 5 minutes of wearing the material becomes saturated with the wearer's breath and effectively cease to work. False safety to be sure. Even if you were willing to pay the cost of an N95+ rated mask there is still the problem of wearing it properly. During the SARS epidemic the Media actually showed several photos of N95 wearing health professionals; the problem was they were all wearing them upside down! The manufacturers state that the mask is only effective when worn as directed for the maximum time listed.
People returning from more than Mexico are scared and going to local Hospitals even though they have no symptoms further burdening the system with needless expense. The US Government has released millions of treatments from its Strategic Stockpile of anti-viral which they are also replacing. Pandemic plans are being put into action and industry is telling people with symptoms to stay home.
Selling is much the same. Unintended consequences result from incomplete or inaccurate communication.
This H1N1a Flu is costing millions of people their lives and millions of dollars. The numbers in Canada and the US? Fewer than 400 with almost 100% having nothing more than mild symptoms and no imminent death. Now the WHO and local Health Officials are saying that it may not be as much of a problem as first feared.
Is it over reaction? Absolutely. Is the WHO and other Health Organizations attempting to un-ring the bell? Yes they are. Is it too late? Yes it is.
As a salesman it is our responsibility to provide the most complete and accurate information we can; every time. By doing so we can minimize cost and expense and poor results. Ego often prevents us from saying, "I don't know." Why? Truth and accuracy are our best weapons. Use them every day.
Thank you.
Later when I returned home I was greeted with the news that several schools in Michigan were going to remain closed for the week while they are cleaned.
Drug stores are having a difficult time keeping masks or hand sanitizer in stock.
Casualty Departments are packed with tanned, healthy people.
How does this all relate to selling?
The Media and Health Agencies have reported on an outbreak of H1N1a Flu in Mexico. Hundreds of people are ill and some have perished. A couple of hundred people returning from Mexican vacations have surfaced with flu symptoms and there has been one death in the US.
Now we need to look more closely.
First the death. It is unfortunate for the survivors but the truth needs to be shared. An infant was visiting relatives in Texas from Mexico. She became ill and was transferred to Houston for treatment where she succumbed. First, it was not an American death. Second, as with EVERY flu, the very young and very old suffer the most with mortality. Third, the full story was not initially reported.
You can never un-ring a bell. The first thing heard/read is the only thing remembered. The best efforts to correct or more completely inform will fall short of the target. You need to get your message out the first time; clearly and with full comprehension.
The selective reporting of a possible pandemic has created many problems.
Initially referring to it as Swine Flu has created protectionist responses from countries banning imports of pork from the US and Canada. Belatedly, Public Health officials of all kinds have stated that you CANNOT contract this flu from eating pork. Eventually the WHO declared that it is not Swine Flu but H1N1a Flu. Too little, too late for an entire industry who will suffer for months. It was never a problem from pork.
Now it is reported that a swine barn in Alberta has been affected by this flu. Physiologically, pigs are very close to humans with very similar immune systems. This barn will suffer loss but the vast percentage will recover to no lasting effect. The media storm surrounding this has now put an entire industry in disarray. Confusion, misinformation and outright lies have done this.
The schools in Michigan have NO reported cases of H1N1a Flu but they are closed for cleaning. Why? Possibly a well meaning Board member or Official felt it would be prudent? Maybe a parent or two heard what they wanted to hear and threatened to create problems? We will never know for certain. What is known is that there are NO reported cases; none.
The masks you can buy at a Drug Store have a serious flaw. After approximately 5 minutes of wearing the material becomes saturated with the wearer's breath and effectively cease to work. False safety to be sure. Even if you were willing to pay the cost of an N95+ rated mask there is still the problem of wearing it properly. During the SARS epidemic the Media actually showed several photos of N95 wearing health professionals; the problem was they were all wearing them upside down! The manufacturers state that the mask is only effective when worn as directed for the maximum time listed.
People returning from more than Mexico are scared and going to local Hospitals even though they have no symptoms further burdening the system with needless expense. The US Government has released millions of treatments from its Strategic Stockpile of anti-viral which they are also replacing. Pandemic plans are being put into action and industry is telling people with symptoms to stay home.
Selling is much the same. Unintended consequences result from incomplete or inaccurate communication.
This H1N1a Flu is costing millions of people their lives and millions of dollars. The numbers in Canada and the US? Fewer than 400 with almost 100% having nothing more than mild symptoms and no imminent death. Now the WHO and local Health Officials are saying that it may not be as much of a problem as first feared.
Is it over reaction? Absolutely. Is the WHO and other Health Organizations attempting to un-ring the bell? Yes they are. Is it too late? Yes it is.
As a salesman it is our responsibility to provide the most complete and accurate information we can; every time. By doing so we can minimize cost and expense and poor results. Ego often prevents us from saying, "I don't know." Why? Truth and accuracy are our best weapons. Use them every day.
Thank you.
2009/04/30
Motivation
Motivation is a funny thing. It is a tangible result of an intangible influence.
Huh?
What gets you out of bed? What sends you out the door? What makes you do what you do?
Too many times employers assume that all sales people are motivated merely by money; more money = more performance. Commission is viewed as the best way to reward effort. Salary is the refuge of the lazy.
Simply....... NO
What is my motivation? I know that everyone does not need to see me and does not need to buy what I am selling. 9 people will tell me NO before I hear a YES. How can I put up with that all the time? I am motivated!
Whu????
When I was an active athlete I could have shagged drills, cut corners or feigned injury so as not to work too hard. BUT I went as hard as I could often ignoring injury, fatigue and pain because I knew I was not gifted with a natural ability but I was given an athlete's body. I had to learn to do what was required because I needed to prove it to myself that I could. Some may call it pride or ego; I choose to view it as internal motivation. I also had a coach who believed in me and my work to take me where I did not feel I could go. He said; "If you think you can you will. If you think you can't you wont. Either way you are right. You decide which is right for you." His job was to recognize my limits and use my strengths to minimize their affect.
I have mentioned before that I ask my self every day if I did the best I could. That is my internal motivator; to be able to answer that question.
The reason I so loved my job before is simply because of the net result of my sale. Every time I helped a client arrive at the decision to buy I ultimately affected the quality of care that 2,000 people received. THAT made me happy. That made me work late, start early and take my lumps. That enabled me to listen to my coach (my Sales Manager) and go where I did not think I could; to learn, grow and develop; to get better.
It is true that there are many who really only get out of bed for money. I believe that the vast percentage of people who take pride in what they do are motivated by other means.
They need to be part of a team. They want to help others. They look for the spotlight and so on.
How do I know this? Easy; look at all the guys who play semi-professional sports. Poor pay but part of a team playing a game they love. Or LPN's who do so much of the direct care today but make a fraction of what a RN or NP makes who make so much less than MD's. Or actors everywhere who toil the boards for little more than slave wages but thrive on the applause.
One size does not fit all. I had a Manager who treated us all the same; with a whip and a chair and a focus on commissions. I told him that I am independent enough that I do not need to be micro-managed and thrive on the approbation of my superiors; much like a puppy if you pat me on the head I will give you 100% but as soon as you roll up the paper I tuck and hide. I don't work there any more.
I feel that if I do my job to the best of my ability the dollars will look after themselves. We all want to do our best but we all need help getting there. Finding that thing that makes us get out of bed is all we really need.
My job is to use the skills I developed as a coach and combine them with what I have learned from my mentors and experiences to help others go where they did not think they could. You grasp should never exceed your reach and your ego should never prevent you from getting all you deserve.
Thank you.
Huh?
What gets you out of bed? What sends you out the door? What makes you do what you do?
Too many times employers assume that all sales people are motivated merely by money; more money = more performance. Commission is viewed as the best way to reward effort. Salary is the refuge of the lazy.
Simply....... NO
What is my motivation? I know that everyone does not need to see me and does not need to buy what I am selling. 9 people will tell me NO before I hear a YES. How can I put up with that all the time? I am motivated!
Whu????
When I was an active athlete I could have shagged drills, cut corners or feigned injury so as not to work too hard. BUT I went as hard as I could often ignoring injury, fatigue and pain because I knew I was not gifted with a natural ability but I was given an athlete's body. I had to learn to do what was required because I needed to prove it to myself that I could. Some may call it pride or ego; I choose to view it as internal motivation. I also had a coach who believed in me and my work to take me where I did not feel I could go. He said; "If you think you can you will. If you think you can't you wont. Either way you are right. You decide which is right for you." His job was to recognize my limits and use my strengths to minimize their affect.
I have mentioned before that I ask my self every day if I did the best I could. That is my internal motivator; to be able to answer that question.
The reason I so loved my job before is simply because of the net result of my sale. Every time I helped a client arrive at the decision to buy I ultimately affected the quality of care that 2,000 people received. THAT made me happy. That made me work late, start early and take my lumps. That enabled me to listen to my coach (my Sales Manager) and go where I did not think I could; to learn, grow and develop; to get better.
It is true that there are many who really only get out of bed for money. I believe that the vast percentage of people who take pride in what they do are motivated by other means.
They need to be part of a team. They want to help others. They look for the spotlight and so on.
How do I know this? Easy; look at all the guys who play semi-professional sports. Poor pay but part of a team playing a game they love. Or LPN's who do so much of the direct care today but make a fraction of what a RN or NP makes who make so much less than MD's. Or actors everywhere who toil the boards for little more than slave wages but thrive on the applause.
One size does not fit all. I had a Manager who treated us all the same; with a whip and a chair and a focus on commissions. I told him that I am independent enough that I do not need to be micro-managed and thrive on the approbation of my superiors; much like a puppy if you pat me on the head I will give you 100% but as soon as you roll up the paper I tuck and hide. I don't work there any more.
I feel that if I do my job to the best of my ability the dollars will look after themselves. We all want to do our best but we all need help getting there. Finding that thing that makes us get out of bed is all we really need.
My job is to use the skills I developed as a coach and combine them with what I have learned from my mentors and experiences to help others go where they did not think they could. You grasp should never exceed your reach and your ego should never prevent you from getting all you deserve.
Thank you.
2009/04/17
Does the Truth hurt?
The truth does not hurt but it is a difficult pill to swallow.
A friend/mentor advised me today that I have warts; I knew I had them but it is always better to have them pointed out by someone who only looks to your best interests.
The good thing about warts is that they are easily treated. A little work, a little freezing or duct tape and they are gone.
How does this apply to sales?
Knowing where your weaknesses are means you can look in the right direction and take the steps to turn them into strengths. Accept the truth from one you trust and believe that it IS in your best interests to continue to grow, learn and develop. Take courses, listen, observe, listen, use your awareness to your advantage.
STOP talking when you see they are no longer listening; remember that I said their opinion is more important than yours- to them. Let them talk, let them sell for you. Let them help you help them.
Procrastination, I have found, is ego driven too. If you delay you can extend the time that you are of value, you can increase your importance or you will, in reality, merely become a drain on resources.
Focus on the outcome and do everything needed to arrive at that end. Then, and only then, will you find you will shorten the sales cycle, increase performance and revenues. The strangest thing is that you will end up being of more value to your clients and employer and will become vastly more important. You will also find your stress levels are greatly reduced because you never have to worry about getting it done; you already have.
That brings me to paperwork. The bane of every salesman and sales manager.
I had a coach once who taught me a great lesson... he taught me everything I knew BUT he did not teach me everything he knew. That was painfully demonstrated at the end of the drill.
I have learned this lesson applies to paperwork too.
What I leave behind in notes is what I know, sort of the reason for this blog actually; a test to see what I do know. However, there is more than just notes. There is the entire sales process that must be respected.
All too often the word teamwork is thrown around within a sales organization. All too frequently it seems that is where it stays; in the sales organization. There are several others within that company that have integral roles in the success of the whole team.
How can the correct product be delivered if the sales order is not explicit? They don't know what you do so tell them. It saves time, confusion, error and money to get it right the first time.
How can the correct revenue be generated and collected if Purchasing does not know what you need for your client and Administration does not know what you are charging?
How can Client Services deliver/install/train/support efficiently if you do not let them know what expectations the client has? You can only know what the expectations are if you LISTEN and OBSERVE and are AWARE of what the client knows.
How do you know what you have done or said if you do not write it down?
Paperwork helps everyone from the client, to you, to your company.
It breaks down silos and allows all the internal clients you have work best with your external clients. It makes your life easier and best of all; no one is yelling at you!
Am I perfect at any of these? Nope! Do I work at them? Absolutely! Even more so now that I have been writing this. I am determined never to get yelled at again so I work at it every day. I am reading. Listening to friends/mentors, taking advice and keeping my ego where it belongs. Lately, I have been told that I seem calmer, quieter and 'deeper'.
Am I ready to manage a team? Yes, because I am beginning to understand my weaknesses, to recognize them, work to correct them and have really applied my 'terminal curiosity' to life-long learning.
If you have ouind your way to these posts AND have read this far I hope I have helped? It has helped me find my way.
Thank you.
A friend/mentor advised me today that I have warts; I knew I had them but it is always better to have them pointed out by someone who only looks to your best interests.
The good thing about warts is that they are easily treated. A little work, a little freezing or duct tape and they are gone.
How does this apply to sales?
Knowing where your weaknesses are means you can look in the right direction and take the steps to turn them into strengths. Accept the truth from one you trust and believe that it IS in your best interests to continue to grow, learn and develop. Take courses, listen, observe, listen, use your awareness to your advantage.
STOP talking when you see they are no longer listening; remember that I said their opinion is more important than yours- to them. Let them talk, let them sell for you. Let them help you help them.
Procrastination, I have found, is ego driven too. If you delay you can extend the time that you are of value, you can increase your importance or you will, in reality, merely become a drain on resources.
Focus on the outcome and do everything needed to arrive at that end. Then, and only then, will you find you will shorten the sales cycle, increase performance and revenues. The strangest thing is that you will end up being of more value to your clients and employer and will become vastly more important. You will also find your stress levels are greatly reduced because you never have to worry about getting it done; you already have.
That brings me to paperwork. The bane of every salesman and sales manager.
I had a coach once who taught me a great lesson... he taught me everything I knew BUT he did not teach me everything he knew. That was painfully demonstrated at the end of the drill.
I have learned this lesson applies to paperwork too.
What I leave behind in notes is what I know, sort of the reason for this blog actually; a test to see what I do know. However, there is more than just notes. There is the entire sales process that must be respected.
All too often the word teamwork is thrown around within a sales organization. All too frequently it seems that is where it stays; in the sales organization. There are several others within that company that have integral roles in the success of the whole team.
How can the correct product be delivered if the sales order is not explicit? They don't know what you do so tell them. It saves time, confusion, error and money to get it right the first time.
How can the correct revenue be generated and collected if Purchasing does not know what you need for your client and Administration does not know what you are charging?
How can Client Services deliver/install/train/support efficiently if you do not let them know what expectations the client has? You can only know what the expectations are if you LISTEN and OBSERVE and are AWARE of what the client knows.
How do you know what you have done or said if you do not write it down?
Paperwork helps everyone from the client, to you, to your company.
It breaks down silos and allows all the internal clients you have work best with your external clients. It makes your life easier and best of all; no one is yelling at you!
Am I perfect at any of these? Nope! Do I work at them? Absolutely! Even more so now that I have been writing this. I am determined never to get yelled at again so I work at it every day. I am reading. Listening to friends/mentors, taking advice and keeping my ego where it belongs. Lately, I have been told that I seem calmer, quieter and 'deeper'.
Am I ready to manage a team? Yes, because I am beginning to understand my weaknesses, to recognize them, work to correct them and have really applied my 'terminal curiosity' to life-long learning.
If you have ouind your way to these posts AND have read this far I hope I have helped? It has helped me find my way.
Thank you.
2009/04/15
THIS is a real inspiration to me
| At the age of 97 years and 4 months, Shigeaki Hinohara is one of the world's longest-serving physicians and educators. Hinohara's magic touch is legendary: Since 1941 he has been healing patients at St. Luke's International Hospital
|
Energy comes from feeling good, not from eating well or sleeping a lot. We all remember how as children, when we were having fun, we often forgot to eat or sleep. I believe that we can keep that attitude as adults, too. It's best not to tire the body with too many rules such as lunchtime and bedtime.
All people who live long regardless of nationality, race or gender share one thing in common:None are overweight... For breakfast I drink coffee, a glass of milk and some orange juice with a tablespoon of olive oil in it. Olive oil is great for the arteries and keeps my skin healthy. Lunch is milk and a few cookies, or nothing when I am too busy to eat. I never get hungry because I focus on my work.. Dinner is veggies, a bit of fish and rice, and, twice a week, 100 grams of lean meat.
Always plan ahead. My schedule book is already full until 2014, with lectures and my usual hospital work. In 2016 I'll have some fun, though: I plan to attend the Tokyo Olympics!
There is no need to ever retire, but if one must, it should be a lot later than 65. The current retirement age was set at 65 half a century ago, when the average life-expectancy in Japan was 68 years and only 125 Japanese were over 100 years old. Today, Japanese women live to be around 86 and men 80, and we have 36,000 centenarians in our country. In 20 years we will have about 50,000 people over the age of 100...
Share what you know. I give 150 lectures a year, some for 100 elementary-school children, others for 4,500 business people. I usually speak for 60 to 90 minutes, standing, to stay strong.
When a doctor recommends you take a test or have some surgery, ask whether the doctor would suggest that his or her spouse or children go through such a procedure. Contrary to popular belief, doctors can't cure everyone. So why cause unnecessary pain with surgery I think music and animal therapy can help more than most doctors imagine.
To stay healthy, always take the stairs and carry your own stuff. I take two stairs at a time, to get my muscles moving.
My inspiration is Robert Browning's poem "Abt Vogler." My father used to read it to me. It encourages us to make big art, not small scribbles. It says to try to draw a circle so huge that there is no way we can finish it while we are alive. All we see is an arch; the rest is beyond our vision but it is there in the distance.
Pain is mysterious, and having fun is the best way to forget it.. If a child has a toothache, and you start playing a game together, he or she immediately forgets the pain. Hospitals must cater to the basic need of patients: We all want to have fun. At St. Luke's we have music and animal therapies, and art classes.
Don't be crazy about amassing material things. Remember: You don't know when your number is up, and you can't take it with you to the next place.
Hospitals must be designed and prepared for major disasters, and they must accept every patient who appears at their doors. We designed St. Luke's so we can operate anywhere: in the basement, in the corridors, in the chapel. Most people thought I was crazy to prepare for a catastrophe, but on March 20, 1995, I was unfortunately proven right when members of the Aum Shinrikyu religious cult launched a terrorist attack in the Tokyo subway. We accepted 740 victims and in two hours figured out that it was sarin gas that had hit them. Sadly we lost one person, but we saved 739 lives.
Science alone can't cure or help people. Science lumps us all together, but illness is individual. Each person is unique, and diseases are connected to their hearts. To know the illness and help people, we need liberal and visual arts, not just medical ones.
Life is filled with incidents. On March 31, 1970, when I was 59 years old, I boarded the Yodogo, a flight from Tokyo to Fukuoka. It was a beautiful sunny morning, and as Mount Fuji came into sight, the plane was hijacked by the Japanese Communist League-Red Army Faction. I spent the next four days handcuffed to my seat in 40-degree heat. As a doctor, I looked at it all as an experiment and was amazed at how the body slowed down in a crisis.
Find a role model and aim to achieve even more than they could ever do. My father went to the United States in 1900 to study at Duke University in North Carolina. He was a pioneer and one of my heroes. Later I found a few more life guides, and when I am stuck, I ask myself how they would deal with the problem.
It's wonderful to live long.. Until one is 60 years old, it is easy to work for one's family and to achieve one's goals. But in our later years, we should strive to contribute to society. Since the age of 65, I have worked as a volunteer. I still put in 18 hours seven days a week and love every minute of it.
2009/04/13
There is no such thing as 110%
If you have an extra 10% to give then you are not giving all you have.
Engineers build an over speed factor into most devices that allow for BRIEF periods of extra effort. However, they are never designed to sustain the continued work.
The same applies to selling.
If you keep any reserves then you have shorted your client and your employer. It is incumbent on you to do all you can, every time.
When I was coaching teenage athletes the rules were sacrosanct... physical mistakes were acceptable but mental ones were never.
Physically you have to give 100% on the field for each play or you get benched, rarely do physical errors end in penalty.
Mentally you should be in every play to ensure success but it is possible to slide by without giving your all. The problem with mental errors is that they almost always result in penalties which hurt the team
Wayne Gretzky famously said, "I miss 100% of the shots I never take." He has more assists than the second place player has total points. His goal production alone is higher than 95% of NHL player's total points.
He gave 100%, 100% of the time and it paid off... 7 CONSECUTIVE Art Ross Trophy's, fastest to 50 goals, youngest to 50 goals, most points in a single season, most goals in a single season, most assists in a single season... in fact he holds outright or shares more than 50 professional hockey records.
We all need to remember his achievements every time we are in front of a client. 100% is all we can and should give.
Anything less and we cheat ourselves. If we have 110% we cheat our clients/employers.
Thanks.
Engineers build an over speed factor into most devices that allow for BRIEF periods of extra effort. However, they are never designed to sustain the continued work.
The same applies to selling.
If you keep any reserves then you have shorted your client and your employer. It is incumbent on you to do all you can, every time.
When I was coaching teenage athletes the rules were sacrosanct... physical mistakes were acceptable but mental ones were never.
Physically you have to give 100% on the field for each play or you get benched, rarely do physical errors end in penalty.
Mentally you should be in every play to ensure success but it is possible to slide by without giving your all. The problem with mental errors is that they almost always result in penalties which hurt the team
Wayne Gretzky famously said, "I miss 100% of the shots I never take." He has more assists than the second place player has total points. His goal production alone is higher than 95% of NHL player's total points.
He gave 100%, 100% of the time and it paid off... 7 CONSECUTIVE Art Ross Trophy's, fastest to 50 goals, youngest to 50 goals, most points in a single season, most goals in a single season, most assists in a single season... in fact he holds outright or shares more than 50 professional hockey records.
We all need to remember his achievements every time we are in front of a client. 100% is all we can and should give.
Anything less and we cheat ourselves. If we have 110% we cheat our clients/employers.
Thanks.
2009/04/12
If it's good, USE it!
Rush Limbaugh said the other day that the smallest minority is....... one.
Therefore anything that purports to represent minority rights while ignoring individual rights and freedoms is by it's very nature wrong.
I agree completely.
But, how does that work in sales?
Recognize that each person we deal with is a minority.
Even if part of a larger group, all decisions are made to satisfy the minority.
Years ago I was taking a sales course and was asked to explain the difference between purchasing a robotic welding system, a wrench and a party dress.
I could not. It is often that a purchasing manager will do just that: buy a robot in the morning, a wrench in the afternoon and a party dress on the way home. The same person with very different purchase decision requirements on the surface but below the same person dealing with the same pain and removal of that discomfort.
If each salesman they meet that day treats them as a minority of one and recognizes how they alone can remove their pain, then the probability of a sale goes up.
NEVER assume. NEVER let your ego prevent you from recognizing that smallest minority.
Treat everyone with respect and empathy and solve their problems; ultimately you will solve your own.
Just prior to the most recent Masters (you know which one), Tiger Woods was asked if he believed he had a chance to win. His response? "I expect to!"
It has been said that all other professional golfers merely hope to beat Tiger. Tiger only needs to beat himself. He expects to win.
He is neither arrogant, bold nor boastful. He firmly believes in his ability to concentrate and bear down when the need arises. He believes in his training and preparation for each event. He has forced the rest of the field to train off the course as hard as he does.
Why not make your competition feel the same?
Train hard. Take courses, work with colleagues and mentors, ask for help (even Tiger has a swing coach and a trainer).
Believe in your ability to provide the answers the minority of one needs to remove their pain. Make anyone you compete against merely hope to beat you.
NEVER lose to yourself. Every morning, when you look in the mirror, you only have one person to beat and they are looking back at you.
A post or two ago I mentioned a personal mantra and maybe it bears repeating?
"At every opportunity, given the skills I have, did I do the best I could?"
Answer YES every time personally and professionally.
Newton's First Law of Motion means outside influences can affect your inertia to change and place you on the best path for success.
Newton's Second Law of Motion shows how the careful application of force will change your direction but not in a straight line.
Newton's Third Law of Motion reminds that there are consequences from the application of force in an equal and opposite direction.
Use these laws for selling: accept that you will remain on your course unless acted upon and realize that it is in your best interests to have managers willing to apply it. The result of the force is never a straight line but a vector relating to the original direction of travel and the direction of the input; be prepared to go where you did not expect to go. ALL actions have results in an equal proportion to the force applied; push hard you get a hard push back. Be firm but subtle.
Thank you.
Therefore anything that purports to represent minority rights while ignoring individual rights and freedoms is by it's very nature wrong.
I agree completely.
But, how does that work in sales?
Recognize that each person we deal with is a minority.
Even if part of a larger group, all decisions are made to satisfy the minority.
Years ago I was taking a sales course and was asked to explain the difference between purchasing a robotic welding system, a wrench and a party dress.
I could not. It is often that a purchasing manager will do just that: buy a robot in the morning, a wrench in the afternoon and a party dress on the way home. The same person with very different purchase decision requirements on the surface but below the same person dealing with the same pain and removal of that discomfort.
If each salesman they meet that day treats them as a minority of one and recognizes how they alone can remove their pain, then the probability of a sale goes up.
NEVER assume. NEVER let your ego prevent you from recognizing that smallest minority.
Treat everyone with respect and empathy and solve their problems; ultimately you will solve your own.
Just prior to the most recent Masters (you know which one), Tiger Woods was asked if he believed he had a chance to win. His response? "I expect to!"
It has been said that all other professional golfers merely hope to beat Tiger. Tiger only needs to beat himself. He expects to win.
He is neither arrogant, bold nor boastful. He firmly believes in his ability to concentrate and bear down when the need arises. He believes in his training and preparation for each event. He has forced the rest of the field to train off the course as hard as he does.
Why not make your competition feel the same?
Train hard. Take courses, work with colleagues and mentors, ask for help (even Tiger has a swing coach and a trainer).
Believe in your ability to provide the answers the minority of one needs to remove their pain. Make anyone you compete against merely hope to beat you.
NEVER lose to yourself. Every morning, when you look in the mirror, you only have one person to beat and they are looking back at you.
A post or two ago I mentioned a personal mantra and maybe it bears repeating?
"At every opportunity, given the skills I have, did I do the best I could?"
Answer YES every time personally and professionally.
Newton's First Law of Motion means outside influences can affect your inertia to change and place you on the best path for success.
Newton's Second Law of Motion shows how the careful application of force will change your direction but not in a straight line.
Newton's Third Law of Motion reminds that there are consequences from the application of force in an equal and opposite direction.
Use these laws for selling: accept that you will remain on your course unless acted upon and realize that it is in your best interests to have managers willing to apply it. The result of the force is never a straight line but a vector relating to the original direction of travel and the direction of the input; be prepared to go where you did not expect to go. ALL actions have results in an equal proportion to the force applied; push hard you get a hard push back. Be firm but subtle.
Thank you.
2009/04/05
Random Thoughts
Actually not all that random but the thread inside them makes me think about how to be better at selling.
Teflon (PTFE) is the slipperiest substance known to man; equivalent to wet ice on wet ice. How does it stick to a fry pan? I actually know the answer to this but it does make you think outside the box.
Why don't sheep shrink in the rain? After washing a wool sweater once I had this picture of a sheep in a bright, sun warmed, field following a rain asking for a comb because they; well you should be getting the picture by now. Again, there is an answer but I believe looking deeper it reminds that the essential goodness of something can be washed away in the processing. Simpler is more than simpler; it is often better. Along the same line, processed orange juice is highly acidic yet fresh squeezed is actually quite alkaline. One is hard on your system the other is what it needs. Do we process too much? I believe we often do.
Why is there a setting on an iron for permanent press? Did the manufacturer of the permanent press garment provide an unreasonable expectation of performance that required the iron manufacturer to provide just such a setting. Or did the iron manufacturer not listen or let their ego get in the way and felt they had to provide a setting just to touch up the garment? In either case it is apparent to me that ego provided a cloud to reason on both parts. While important, your opinion is not the only one and therefore others matter as much.
Why do we park on driveways and drive on Parkways? Semantics are a big ego boost. Only those with the same knowledge as you will know what you mean. Taken out of context the question makes no sense. We often do that with our customers. Complete their sentence for them. Stop listening because we already know the answer. Interrupt because we get it already. Ad infinitum. Keeping semantics out of the conversation lends clarity. Keeping the ego out of semantics makes you a better listener. The best salesmen only do 20% or less of the talking.
What colour does a Smurf turn when you choke it? Well, why would anyone want to choke a Smurf? They are cute and innocent and harmless. Why do anything to something that will never have a negative effect on you? Focus on the challenges you do have. Focus on the ultimate result of all that you do. I had heard once that, traditionally, Aboriginal decisions are made based on the impact of that choice in seven generations; kind of like Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon (http://oracleofbacon.org/index.php) We are interconnected. We do have an impact long after we are gone. Keep that in mind and temper response and action to acknowledge that. In short, control the ego and your impact will be positive.
Thank you.
Teflon (PTFE) is the slipperiest substance known to man; equivalent to wet ice on wet ice. How does it stick to a fry pan? I actually know the answer to this but it does make you think outside the box.
Why don't sheep shrink in the rain? After washing a wool sweater once I had this picture of a sheep in a bright, sun warmed, field following a rain asking for a comb because they; well you should be getting the picture by now. Again, there is an answer but I believe looking deeper it reminds that the essential goodness of something can be washed away in the processing. Simpler is more than simpler; it is often better. Along the same line, processed orange juice is highly acidic yet fresh squeezed is actually quite alkaline. One is hard on your system the other is what it needs. Do we process too much? I believe we often do.
Why is there a setting on an iron for permanent press? Did the manufacturer of the permanent press garment provide an unreasonable expectation of performance that required the iron manufacturer to provide just such a setting. Or did the iron manufacturer not listen or let their ego get in the way and felt they had to provide a setting just to touch up the garment? In either case it is apparent to me that ego provided a cloud to reason on both parts. While important, your opinion is not the only one and therefore others matter as much.
Why do we park on driveways and drive on Parkways? Semantics are a big ego boost. Only those with the same knowledge as you will know what you mean. Taken out of context the question makes no sense. We often do that with our customers. Complete their sentence for them. Stop listening because we already know the answer. Interrupt because we get it already. Ad infinitum. Keeping semantics out of the conversation lends clarity. Keeping the ego out of semantics makes you a better listener. The best salesmen only do 20% or less of the talking.
What colour does a Smurf turn when you choke it? Well, why would anyone want to choke a Smurf? They are cute and innocent and harmless. Why do anything to something that will never have a negative effect on you? Focus on the challenges you do have. Focus on the ultimate result of all that you do. I had heard once that, traditionally, Aboriginal decisions are made based on the impact of that choice in seven generations; kind of like Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon (http://oracleofbacon.org/index.php) We are interconnected. We do have an impact long after we are gone. Keep that in mind and temper response and action to acknowledge that. In short, control the ego and your impact will be positive.
Thank you.
2009/03/26
Great quotes; at least in my opinion.
Dr Einstein was working late one evening and he asked his assistant to call Mrs Einstein and let her know. His assistant asked for the number and was informed that he did not know it. The assistant was floored and said, "Dr Einstein, you have the greatest mind the World has ever known and you don't know your own telephone number?" The reply; "Why remember what I can look up?"
When asked by a reporter to explain the simple language of his Nobel Prize winning story The Old Man and the Sea; Ernest Hemingway replied; " I know the $25 words, I choose not to use them."
The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. Unknown
"The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them. Mark Twain
"A man only learns in two ways, one by reading, and the other by association with smarter people." Will Rogers
"Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that." Dr Norman Vincent Peale
"I don't know the key to success. But the key to failure is trying to please everybody". Bill Cosby
We make a living by what we get; We make a life by what we give. Unknown
Tact is the art of making a point without making a enemy. Unknown
"If A is success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut." Einstein
"Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted." Einstein
"Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers." Voltaire
It was said the Einstein was no smarter than the rest of us; he just asked better questions. The real difference is what he chose to do with his 24.
What do these have to do with selling?
Well...
There is no need to remember everything and it is OK to say; "I don't know but I will find out and get back to you"
Simple language can be very powerful so grab the Thesarus and learn the power of words. Did you know that French has ~100,000 words, Russian ~400,000; recently it was said that English has >950,000! One more piece of useless trivia to keep in mind.... 90% of English conversation uses only about 775 words excepting specialized words for your profession;hmmm!!!!
So they go on and I feel they are valuable insights into how to sell, think and live.
Thank you.
BTW, I messed up today. My ego took over. I was given compliments and instead of just saying Thank you I had some need to explain. What did it serve? Nothing. Could I stop it? Nope. Do I feel bad about it? Why yes I do. Did I do harm? No, but I learned a lesson.... work at it every day and it is not an issue. Forget it once and it will be.
When asked by a reporter to explain the simple language of his Nobel Prize winning story The Old Man and the Sea; Ernest Hemingway replied; " I know the $25 words, I choose not to use them."
The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. Unknown
"The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them. Mark Twain
"A man only learns in two ways, one by reading, and the other by association with smarter people." Will Rogers
"Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that." Dr Norman Vincent Peale
"I don't know the key to success. But the key to failure is trying to please everybody". Bill Cosby
We make a living by what we get; We make a life by what we give. Unknown
Tact is the art of making a point without making a enemy. Unknown
"If A is success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut." Einstein
"Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted." Einstein
"Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers." Voltaire
It was said the Einstein was no smarter than the rest of us; he just asked better questions. The real difference is what he chose to do with his 24.
What do these have to do with selling?
Well...
There is no need to remember everything and it is OK to say; "I don't know but I will find out and get back to you"
Simple language can be very powerful so grab the Thesarus and learn the power of words. Did you know that French has ~100,000 words, Russian ~400,000; recently it was said that English has >950,000! One more piece of useless trivia to keep in mind.... 90% of English conversation uses only about 775 words excepting specialized words for your profession;hmmm!!!!
So they go on and I feel they are valuable insights into how to sell, think and live.
Thank you.
BTW, I messed up today. My ego took over. I was given compliments and instead of just saying Thank you I had some need to explain. What did it serve? Nothing. Could I stop it? Nope. Do I feel bad about it? Why yes I do. Did I do harm? No, but I learned a lesson.... work at it every day and it is not an issue. Forget it once and it will be.
Teamwork
Teamwork is a funny thing. We all talk about it but do we really understand it? Some claim to foster teamwork in their training and culture but patently do not understand it.
There is an importance to teamwork as the following may prove.
I played football; big surprise to those that know me. I played centre and guard on the line in a so-called low skill position. You see, traditionally those that carry the ball and play behind the line are considered 'skill' players. We had a quarterback who by virtue of his position had a very high opinion of his abilities and was free to share his views. There was a wee problem though... every play is designed to take a set amount of time; usually pass plays are 4 seconds to 6 max. He took 8 to 10 on almost every play.
Picture in your mind two behemoths of equal size and ability attacking each other using their full potential for 4-6 seconds; now double it. The energy outlay and frustration were palpable on the O-Line. I was his centre and happened to be the Line and Team Captain and we had had enough of the posturing and intentional abuse he heaped upon us. His swagger became tiresome, his bravado affected team morale and he was highly successful. We were winning though, so the coaching staff turned a blind eye.
With the game well in hand the entire line activated an earlier agreed on plan. Over the ball we informed the Defense the following play would be a Look Out! They nodded and smiled. You see, the QB's reputation was well known in the League.
The next play we came over the ball. I snapped it back and the entire O-Line stood up, turned sideways and said, "Look out." Thankfully, they only just thudded our QB.
Yes, it was worth losing the C. Yes, it was worth losing the starting job (for a day). Yes, it was worth getting a reaming by the coach. No one was hurt and a message was sent. Teamwork has a value to all parts of the organization.
IF, the Defense had not understood our plans there could have been grievous injuries.
IF, the entire O-Line had not done exactly the same thing at the same time the resultant anarchy could have created injury.
When Walter Peyton set the single season rushing record he presented custom engraved gold Rolex watches to each of his linemen. He recognized their contribution to his success. Without the 'unskilled' labour of the 'Hogs' those first 4 yards would have been impossible.
There is no such thing as an unskilled position in football. Each brings its own special abilities and knowledge and if any one part fails the team fails.
Administration, Inside Sales/Support, Service, Client Services, Development, Product Management et al have unique skill sets and abilities and all need to recognize the value of the others.
Accessing their knowledge will make your job easier.
Treating their skill with respect will give them the ability to help you.
Keeping your ego in check will prevent any one of them from doing a 'Look Out!' block.
There are other teams you may not even recognize for their cohesion: Pit crews, String quartets, Obstetrics, Families, Roofers, Waste collection etcetera.
Teamwork means to me that all parts have a job/position within the whole. Each has to do the best it can at every opportunity given the skills it has to not be the weakest link. Having a coach who can manage that will lead to a successful team. A successful sales team will provide service that does not enable competitors the opportunity to take them from you.
Yellow Pages has built their entire business model on the following statement: "Regardless of your best efforts you will lose 10% of your customers every year."
Taking that to heart you need to be better than your competitors to minimize that loss. A good team, well lead, will do just that.
When coaching football we took 40 different 14 year old boys with vastly different maturity and skill levels and found a way to get the best from each and form a team. That is the lot of a sales manager; to take the different personalities and skill sets and create a team that "brings home the bacon."
Once the 'bacon' is home it it the responsibility of the rest of the organization to keep it.
No one part is of more worth than any other!!!!!!
I ask myself this question every day before I go to sleep;
Did I, given my skills and abilities, do the best I could every single time?
If I can honestly answer Yes then I had a good day. If I can't then I need to check my ego at the door and become the team player I need to be. Then I can do what is best for my family, clients and employer.
Thank you.
There is an importance to teamwork as the following may prove.
I played football; big surprise to those that know me. I played centre and guard on the line in a so-called low skill position. You see, traditionally those that carry the ball and play behind the line are considered 'skill' players. We had a quarterback who by virtue of his position had a very high opinion of his abilities and was free to share his views. There was a wee problem though... every play is designed to take a set amount of time; usually pass plays are 4 seconds to 6 max. He took 8 to 10 on almost every play.
Picture in your mind two behemoths of equal size and ability attacking each other using their full potential for 4-6 seconds; now double it. The energy outlay and frustration were palpable on the O-Line. I was his centre and happened to be the Line and Team Captain and we had had enough of the posturing and intentional abuse he heaped upon us. His swagger became tiresome, his bravado affected team morale and he was highly successful. We were winning though, so the coaching staff turned a blind eye.
With the game well in hand the entire line activated an earlier agreed on plan. Over the ball we informed the Defense the following play would be a Look Out! They nodded and smiled. You see, the QB's reputation was well known in the League.
The next play we came over the ball. I snapped it back and the entire O-Line stood up, turned sideways and said, "Look out." Thankfully, they only just thudded our QB.
Yes, it was worth losing the C. Yes, it was worth losing the starting job (for a day). Yes, it was worth getting a reaming by the coach. No one was hurt and a message was sent. Teamwork has a value to all parts of the organization.
IF, the Defense had not understood our plans there could have been grievous injuries.
IF, the entire O-Line had not done exactly the same thing at the same time the resultant anarchy could have created injury.
When Walter Peyton set the single season rushing record he presented custom engraved gold Rolex watches to each of his linemen. He recognized their contribution to his success. Without the 'unskilled' labour of the 'Hogs' those first 4 yards would have been impossible.
There is no such thing as an unskilled position in football. Each brings its own special abilities and knowledge and if any one part fails the team fails.
Administration, Inside Sales/Support, Service, Client Services, Development, Product Management et al have unique skill sets and abilities and all need to recognize the value of the others.
Accessing their knowledge will make your job easier.
Treating their skill with respect will give them the ability to help you.
Keeping your ego in check will prevent any one of them from doing a 'Look Out!' block.
There are other teams you may not even recognize for their cohesion: Pit crews, String quartets, Obstetrics, Families, Roofers, Waste collection etcetera.
Teamwork means to me that all parts have a job/position within the whole. Each has to do the best it can at every opportunity given the skills it has to not be the weakest link. Having a coach who can manage that will lead to a successful team. A successful sales team will provide service that does not enable competitors the opportunity to take them from you.
Yellow Pages has built their entire business model on the following statement: "Regardless of your best efforts you will lose 10% of your customers every year."
Taking that to heart you need to be better than your competitors to minimize that loss. A good team, well lead, will do just that.
When coaching football we took 40 different 14 year old boys with vastly different maturity and skill levels and found a way to get the best from each and form a team. That is the lot of a sales manager; to take the different personalities and skill sets and create a team that "brings home the bacon."
Once the 'bacon' is home it it the responsibility of the rest of the organization to keep it.
No one part is of more worth than any other!!!!!!
I ask myself this question every day before I go to sleep;
Did I, given my skills and abilities, do the best I could every single time?
If I can honestly answer Yes then I had a good day. If I can't then I need to check my ego at the door and become the team player I need to be. Then I can do what is best for my family, clients and employer.
Thank you.
2009/03/25
Words that help
"Why?"
"I understand"
"Can you clarify that for me please?"
"Thank you"
SILENCE can be your best friend. Let them talk themselves into and out of the situations that present themselves. Keeping you ego in check will enable you to listen more and talk less.
Dale Carnegie said the sweetest sound in the world is your own name; I tend to disagree slightly. I believe it is the sound of our own voices. Letting them talk enables you to do your job with the least amount of effort and the greatest degree of success. Also, letting them talk gives you the information you need to build value and develop a relationship.
Speaking of which, going into a client's domain every salesman in the world will glom onto that thing they show proudly to develop a common ground. The best client I ever had kept nothing personal in his office.
I had to work to learn about him, to listen to him, to ask questions, to listen, to observe, to listen and to earn the right to become a 'friend'. I keep that in mind all the time.
Another time long, long ago I recall a Jaguar having an unfortunate birthday in the showroom. As happens a spiff was put on for the end of the month to try and move it. No luck for anyone. But wait! There is good news.... a 'farmer' came in and wandered his dusty, booted way over to the Jag. All but one ignored him. The one that approached discovered the 'farmer' was a physician who was looking to replace his TR-7 convertible with a new car and had been watching the Jag for a couple of weeks. End result; the Jag sold at list, the salesman got the spiff, got an in demand trade (sold the following week) and he earned a client for life. The salesman is still in the business and he still sells high cost vehicles to the same client thirty years later. He kept his ego in check, did not stereotype based on appearances and did his job.
I learned from that but it was only recently I discovered the reason why he was so successful; he kept ego in check.
Do I sound like a broken record? Good. It is vitally important to recognize that as a salesman your ego is what prevents you from success; nothing else.
Back to the top... I have made it a policy to learn how to say 'Greetings/Hello', 'Please' and 'Thank you' in the language of their heritage. I have fun in learning how to do that and it seems really work with my clients.
So, learning to be polite and keeping your ego in check and refusing to become familiar without express permission appear to be directions to success.
Thank you.
"I understand"
"Can you clarify that for me please?"
"Thank you"
SILENCE can be your best friend. Let them talk themselves into and out of the situations that present themselves. Keeping you ego in check will enable you to listen more and talk less.
Dale Carnegie said the sweetest sound in the world is your own name; I tend to disagree slightly. I believe it is the sound of our own voices. Letting them talk enables you to do your job with the least amount of effort and the greatest degree of success. Also, letting them talk gives you the information you need to build value and develop a relationship.
Speaking of which, going into a client's domain every salesman in the world will glom onto that thing they show proudly to develop a common ground. The best client I ever had kept nothing personal in his office.
I had to work to learn about him, to listen to him, to ask questions, to listen, to observe, to listen and to earn the right to become a 'friend'. I keep that in mind all the time.
Another time long, long ago I recall a Jaguar having an unfortunate birthday in the showroom. As happens a spiff was put on for the end of the month to try and move it. No luck for anyone. But wait! There is good news.... a 'farmer' came in and wandered his dusty, booted way over to the Jag. All but one ignored him. The one that approached discovered the 'farmer' was a physician who was looking to replace his TR-7 convertible with a new car and had been watching the Jag for a couple of weeks. End result; the Jag sold at list, the salesman got the spiff, got an in demand trade (sold the following week) and he earned a client for life. The salesman is still in the business and he still sells high cost vehicles to the same client thirty years later. He kept his ego in check, did not stereotype based on appearances and did his job.
I learned from that but it was only recently I discovered the reason why he was so successful; he kept ego in check.
Do I sound like a broken record? Good. It is vitally important to recognize that as a salesman your ego is what prevents you from success; nothing else.
Back to the top... I have made it a policy to learn how to say 'Greetings/Hello', 'Please' and 'Thank you' in the language of their heritage. I have fun in learning how to do that and it seems really work with my clients.
So, learning to be polite and keeping your ego in check and refusing to become familiar without express permission appear to be directions to success.
Thank you.
2009/03/18
Rules to Sell and Live by
Pretentious aren't I?
My daughter has five rules she must follow every day: laugh, dance, sing, giggle and learn something new.
If they are good enough for her they should be good enough for me.
I find laughing every day reduces my stress levels and gives me the positive attitude I need to field No on a regular basis. Laughing reminds me that I am happy and passionate about my life.
Passion in sales is a success driver. Your passion comes through in all you do.
Did anyone ever tell you to stand when on the phone to make a point?
But they can't see you, you say. True, but in some way it comes over the line. I don't know the psychology behind it, I just know it works. Next time you feel the need, just smile when you are on the phone; it is amazing how you can hear the other end of the conversation smile back.
I have said for years that if you laugh you keep THEM nervous.
I started thinking more about my kid and some of the things she does to make her life better and by result everyone else too.
Most every kid has a favourite sandwich. I have heard all kinds of combinations over the years but one stands out as the champion...... Peanut butter and Jam (Jelly if you prefer).... PB&J.
So how can I keep PB&J in my day?
Easy....passion, beauty and joy!
The best part is they tie back to the first five rules.
Selling is difficult enough.
There are the ongoing battles, rejections and frustrations but the benefits outweigh the negatives. Keeping PB&J lets me see the benefit of what I do as a profession.
Passion lets me weather any storm. It allows me to present the product and myself in a believable manner. If you smile on the phone, the other end can hear it.
People know when you are passionate and will react favourably.
Passion to the level of fanaticism is bad but believing in what you do is good. Excessive passion brings ego into the mix and tends to make one blind to the other side of the sale. Passion without ego lets me do what I need in a way that I never have to apologize for.
There is beauty in what we do. We help remove pain and provide solutions. We solve the unsolvable. We help make other lives better. But beauty tied to ego breeds narcissism, which breeds a lack of listening, which impacts sales success.
There is beauty in learning every day.
I learn from my clients. I learn their point of view. I learn their needs/wants. I learn from being quiet and observing.
The most beautiful time in my day is listening to my daughter explore her life and watch how the world unfolds to her.
I need to listen to do this. Everyone has something they are passionate about and listening to them will let me know what it is. This grants the privilege to earn the right to begin a relationship.
If it has been a less than stellar day, I find time and place to enjoy the now. To bask in the beauty that is life and give an opportunity to forget the past. The past cannot be changed but it can be learned from.
Joy can be found in the passion and beauty of every day. Joy lets me laugh all the time.
How does all of this apply to my profession?
I am my profession! What lets me make it through the day lets me do my job to the best of my ability. Doing things the best I can means I provide value to my clients. Providing value to my clients means I am valuable to my employer.
So the thought for today is to keep PB&J in your life; to do that you need to remember the five rules.
Thanks.
My daughter has five rules she must follow every day: laugh, dance, sing, giggle and learn something new.
If they are good enough for her they should be good enough for me.
I find laughing every day reduces my stress levels and gives me the positive attitude I need to field No on a regular basis. Laughing reminds me that I am happy and passionate about my life.
Passion in sales is a success driver. Your passion comes through in all you do.
Did anyone ever tell you to stand when on the phone to make a point?
But they can't see you, you say. True, but in some way it comes over the line. I don't know the psychology behind it, I just know it works. Next time you feel the need, just smile when you are on the phone; it is amazing how you can hear the other end of the conversation smile back.
I have said for years that if you laugh you keep THEM nervous.
I started thinking more about my kid and some of the things she does to make her life better and by result everyone else too.
Most every kid has a favourite sandwich. I have heard all kinds of combinations over the years but one stands out as the champion...... Peanut butter and Jam (Jelly if you prefer).... PB&J.
So how can I keep PB&J in my day?
Easy....passion, beauty and joy!
The best part is they tie back to the first five rules.
Selling is difficult enough.
There are the ongoing battles, rejections and frustrations but the benefits outweigh the negatives. Keeping PB&J lets me see the benefit of what I do as a profession.
Passion lets me weather any storm. It allows me to present the product and myself in a believable manner. If you smile on the phone, the other end can hear it.
People know when you are passionate and will react favourably.
Passion to the level of fanaticism is bad but believing in what you do is good. Excessive passion brings ego into the mix and tends to make one blind to the other side of the sale. Passion without ego lets me do what I need in a way that I never have to apologize for.
There is beauty in what we do. We help remove pain and provide solutions. We solve the unsolvable. We help make other lives better. But beauty tied to ego breeds narcissism, which breeds a lack of listening, which impacts sales success.
There is beauty in learning every day.
I learn from my clients. I learn their point of view. I learn their needs/wants. I learn from being quiet and observing.
The most beautiful time in my day is listening to my daughter explore her life and watch how the world unfolds to her.
I need to listen to do this. Everyone has something they are passionate about and listening to them will let me know what it is. This grants the privilege to earn the right to begin a relationship.
If it has been a less than stellar day, I find time and place to enjoy the now. To bask in the beauty that is life and give an opportunity to forget the past. The past cannot be changed but it can be learned from.
Joy can be found in the passion and beauty of every day. Joy lets me laugh all the time.
How does all of this apply to my profession?
I am my profession! What lets me make it through the day lets me do my job to the best of my ability. Doing things the best I can means I provide value to my clients. Providing value to my clients means I am valuable to my employer.
So the thought for today is to keep PB&J in your life; to do that you need to remember the five rules.
Thanks.
2009/03/16
Value versus price
I have almost always sold the most expensive item in my market. Does that mean I always discount? Nope, rarely a need.
By learning the value I and my company bring to the table I BELIEVE that I am the lowest cost option.
Years ago I was selling Mack Trucks. A tender opened and mine was the first package opened. The comment was; wow only $65k and your truck is good for 10 years. We don't need a vehicle to last that long; we only expect 4 years and fix them for 2 more then replace them. That works for us. The other bid packages were all around $40k and the comment was; "Great we will save $25k"
My ego kicked in and I tried to 'reason' with them. I asked them to clarify for me that spending $40k saved $25k?" Yup!
OK then, so you spend $40k on a new vehicle for 4 years, fix for 2 and sell for the cost of the 2 years of repairs. Then, 6 years on you buy another for $40k? So you are saving $25k?
Yup.
So my truck is $65k and good for 10 years? Yup. Therefore fixed capital cost is $6,500 annually? Yep.
The truck you buy is $40k, blah blah blah. Let's do the math.... 40 + ? + 40 over 10 years equals $80k or $8k annually on capital cost.
Yup, we are saving $25k.
Aaaaarrrgh!
The bid process prevented me from building value. I was not in on the process early enough to impact the decisions.
Another time I made a cold call on a Fire Service and found them in the process of determining the specs for a new vehicle.
Value became the word for them. We worked on the specs and went to tender. The only one able to meet the chassis bid was..... me. 25 years later they just decommissioned the vehicle and sold it. The cost did not matter, the value did.
I was able to keep my ego out of the equation because I was in early on the work and established bona fides early. We worked together to arrive at a conclusion and achieved the results they wanted.
The worst customer is the one you have to take from someone else. They have a vested interest in defending their purchase decision. They will defend their vendor even if they are unhappy. It allows you to open the door to put your feet in because your ego demands you win every time. You end up with a clash of ego and you will always lose.
I take the position that I am there to help them, to ensure they have a positive experience, to save them pain.
Often my best referrals have come from these clients and they become champions for me. All contracts end and if you are there early, often and regularly they will have a reason to continue with you.
Be persistent, consistent and professional. Doing that reduces your ego because you do not need them to like you any more; they need you.
Thanks.
By learning the value I and my company bring to the table I BELIEVE that I am the lowest cost option.
Years ago I was selling Mack Trucks. A tender opened and mine was the first package opened. The comment was; wow only $65k and your truck is good for 10 years. We don't need a vehicle to last that long; we only expect 4 years and fix them for 2 more then replace them. That works for us. The other bid packages were all around $40k and the comment was; "Great we will save $25k"
My ego kicked in and I tried to 'reason' with them. I asked them to clarify for me that spending $40k saved $25k?" Yup!
OK then, so you spend $40k on a new vehicle for 4 years, fix for 2 and sell for the cost of the 2 years of repairs. Then, 6 years on you buy another for $40k? So you are saving $25k?
Yup.
So my truck is $65k and good for 10 years? Yup. Therefore fixed capital cost is $6,500 annually? Yep.
The truck you buy is $40k, blah blah blah. Let's do the math.... 40 + ? + 40 over 10 years equals $80k or $8k annually on capital cost.
Yup, we are saving $25k.
Aaaaarrrgh!
The bid process prevented me from building value. I was not in on the process early enough to impact the decisions.
Another time I made a cold call on a Fire Service and found them in the process of determining the specs for a new vehicle.
Value became the word for them. We worked on the specs and went to tender. The only one able to meet the chassis bid was..... me. 25 years later they just decommissioned the vehicle and sold it. The cost did not matter, the value did.
I was able to keep my ego out of the equation because I was in early on the work and established bona fides early. We worked together to arrive at a conclusion and achieved the results they wanted.
The worst customer is the one you have to take from someone else. They have a vested interest in defending their purchase decision. They will defend their vendor even if they are unhappy. It allows you to open the door to put your feet in because your ego demands you win every time. You end up with a clash of ego and you will always lose.
I take the position that I am there to help them, to ensure they have a positive experience, to save them pain.
Often my best referrals have come from these clients and they become champions for me. All contracts end and if you are there early, often and regularly they will have a reason to continue with you.
Be persistent, consistent and professional. Doing that reduces your ego because you do not need them to like you any more; they need you.
Thanks.
2009/03/15
I have something to say and YOU need to listen
Well it seems that is what most salesmen say to themselves. Their message needs to be heard and nothing will sway them from giving it.
By creating a Listening Log I have forced myself to find out their message. What I think is important really does not matter when they don't want/need to hear what I have to say.
Getting them to tell me what is important to them saves me time and effort. If they are talking then they are selling not me. Asking questions affirms that I am listening and understand their messages.
I can't get in trouble if I don't say anything. Silence is the most powerful tool in my kit. Negotiation courses teach that the first to speak loses. I choose to believe that the first who speaks wins what they want and I want my client to know they have won.
I find this eliminates price issues because they are building value in me and my product by giving me the information I need to tailor the presentation to their requirements.
Does this mean I win every sale? Nope. I do however win 40% of the opportunities I get.
The truth in selling is that even a moron will talk to 10, get 3 to listen and sell 1. I listen to 10 and sell 4. My numbers look better don't they?
Ego forces me to be in control. Control of my ego forces me to cede 'power' to where it belongs.
I know my product, I do not know what they do.
Once I know what they do I can legitimately provide them with solutions or tell them that I cannot. Honesty will win every time, so be honest.
After every sale now I take a minute to answer these questions: "Given every opportunity today did I listen first, ask questions second and listen third? Did I do the best I could with the tools and circumstances given me?"
If I can answer yes to both then I have had a good day. If I can't answer both then I need to find out why and have likely lost that sale.
Thank you for listening while you read this. BTW, it helps in your personal life too.
By creating a Listening Log I have forced myself to find out their message. What I think is important really does not matter when they don't want/need to hear what I have to say.
Getting them to tell me what is important to them saves me time and effort. If they are talking then they are selling not me. Asking questions affirms that I am listening and understand their messages.
I can't get in trouble if I don't say anything. Silence is the most powerful tool in my kit. Negotiation courses teach that the first to speak loses. I choose to believe that the first who speaks wins what they want and I want my client to know they have won.
I find this eliminates price issues because they are building value in me and my product by giving me the information I need to tailor the presentation to their requirements.
Does this mean I win every sale? Nope. I do however win 40% of the opportunities I get.
The truth in selling is that even a moron will talk to 10, get 3 to listen and sell 1. I listen to 10 and sell 4. My numbers look better don't they?
Ego forces me to be in control. Control of my ego forces me to cede 'power' to where it belongs.
I know my product, I do not know what they do.
Once I know what they do I can legitimately provide them with solutions or tell them that I cannot. Honesty will win every time, so be honest.
After every sale now I take a minute to answer these questions: "Given every opportunity today did I listen first, ask questions second and listen third? Did I do the best I could with the tools and circumstances given me?"
If I can answer yes to both then I have had a good day. If I can't answer both then I need to find out why and have likely lost that sale.
Thank you for listening while you read this. BTW, it helps in your personal life too.
2009/03/12
One day later
Seems the thought has left my mind that I was at fault.
In reality it was no one's fault.
Did I miss clues? Nope, there were none.
Was I listening? Yes I was.
Am I depressed? Nah, no need.
From here I will practice the skills to make it better than ever for my family.
When I got married I made $40,000 for the year. My daughter was born and just a year later found myself without that job.
So I struggled for a year, lost lots of money and found a new job that paid $60,000.
Someone new took over and did not want any legacies he could not control so life was... challenging.
Another search found the perfect position at $70,000.
Should you care? Not really but it seems I have been able to improve each time I move.
So, by extension the next stop in the journey will be better.
Selling is the same thing.
Challenges, solutions, improvements.
I have learned that there are some rules; rules I broke more than once and still found a way to do OK. I will try not to break them in the future.
#1 I am not the most important person. I am the most valuable to my client.
#2 My opinion is not the most important, the client's view of their life is. My assignment is to determine how to provide them with enough reason to form a positive one of me.
#3 I am not their friend; until I earn that right. They need to tell me that though.
#4 The most important sound is their voice, not mine. When I speak I must provide them with value.
#5 Asking for the order is OK. I have always been afraid of doing that because I want them to like me after. I never understood that if they liked me it was because of me, not what I sell.
#6 EGO rules all the above. Managing ego allows one to be the most important opinionated friend worth giving an order to.
In future I will examine the ego and it's relation to selling.
Oh, yeah. In case you did not know or had not surmised I am under-employed as of yesterday.
Thanks
In reality it was no one's fault.
Did I miss clues? Nope, there were none.
Was I listening? Yes I was.
Am I depressed? Nah, no need.
From here I will practice the skills to make it better than ever for my family.
When I got married I made $40,000 for the year. My daughter was born and just a year later found myself without that job.
So I struggled for a year, lost lots of money and found a new job that paid $60,000.
Someone new took over and did not want any legacies he could not control so life was... challenging.
Another search found the perfect position at $70,000.
Should you care? Not really but it seems I have been able to improve each time I move.
So, by extension the next stop in the journey will be better.
Selling is the same thing.
Challenges, solutions, improvements.
I have learned that there are some rules; rules I broke more than once and still found a way to do OK. I will try not to break them in the future.
#1 I am not the most important person. I am the most valuable to my client.
#2 My opinion is not the most important, the client's view of their life is. My assignment is to determine how to provide them with enough reason to form a positive one of me.
#3 I am not their friend; until I earn that right. They need to tell me that though.
#4 The most important sound is their voice, not mine. When I speak I must provide them with value.
#5 Asking for the order is OK. I have always been afraid of doing that because I want them to like me after. I never understood that if they liked me it was because of me, not what I sell.
#6 EGO rules all the above. Managing ego allows one to be the most important opinionated friend worth giving an order to.
In future I will examine the ego and it's relation to selling.
Oh, yeah. In case you did not know or had not surmised I am under-employed as of yesterday.
Thanks
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