Are you doing business from social networking platforms? I've received quite a few inquiries from social networks and closed one deal this past year. So, I can weigh in on the topic. How about you?
This just in from my friend, Lori Steed:
I was excited to see that my friends Jim Ware and Charlie Grantham, authors of Corporate Agility, The Future of Work, and other books, are doing a survey about social networking platforms. I participated in the survey and it took about 5 minutes. Will you share the survey link also with those you think may like to participate? There is an option to enter an email address and receive a copy of the survey results at the end.
The article
http://www.thefutureofwork.net/newsletter_1108_Notes_Social_Networking.html
The survey
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=pkopp3GCNhBMnHVv82cBdA_3d_3d
After a two month break from blogging, I'm back, and sharing new thoughts and ideas. If you missed information in the past or would like to suggest new topics, I'm open to suggestion!
Cheers!
Scott
________________________________________
Copyright © 1999-2008 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. SUBSCRIBE.
Like it? Share on del.icio.us or Stumble Upon!
Dec 4, 2008
Business From Social Networking?
Aug 7, 2008
Innovations In Teamwork
Are you frustrated with corporate environments that limit your ability to create, collaborate, and share ideas freely?
I know the feeling. That's why I recorded a special radio show on the subject of the problem with PYRAMID systems and my approach to a solution, the DIAMOND-CIRCLE.
I call it turning the pyramid from TOP-DOWN to INSIDE-OUT. My model has the core not at the top, but in the middle. My functional managers aren't on rings further down a pyramid ladder, but layered in concentric circles from the core.
Does this resonate with you?
If so, I'm creating software to help facilitate this type of model in enterprise systems and organizations. It is especially useful when you have groups located across geographical boundaries and crossing functional boundaries. If you want to be on the email list for BETA experimentation, please contact me.
Otherwise, you might enjoy my discussion on this subject here:
Jun 16, 2008
Executive Goal Setting and Achieving
I recently dug back into my process of setting goals that enabled me to realize 70% of my goals each year from 1996 - 2001. For some reason, I got away from that system in 2001, and spent several years not achieving things quite the same way.
This year, I re-implemented my old high-success system into my goal-setting approach to daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually, and 10-year goals. Yes, I'm that extensive.
The whole list may be found at AspireNow's blog. However, only a subset of those goals apply to my corporate goal-setting. I DO suggest you review the whole list, because many executives make the mistake of focusing ONLY on their corporate goals and then wonder 10 years down the road why they have no life balance. Don't make that mistake!
A proven process for executive goal setting:
If you're wanting to zero in on your corporate and team goals, I DO suggest setting aside some time for these goals. This article is also featured on one of ARRiiVE: Innovations In Business Radio Shows:
May 8, 2008
When Are We Most Productive?
I recently read a post on productivity and considering the natural cycles of society, it makes sense that we're likely the most productive during the same hours that coincide the best times to post a blog post or post an article to our website.
How can I base this? Because this is when people are in the most focused, intense "work" mode.
Amazingly enough, the best time to post a blog post is 10:30 a.m. PST to 2:00 p.m. PST Tuesday through Friday. I'll stretch that a tad, but based upon this I'll state the peak productivity time, in general, for employees and workers is between 10:00 a.m. PST and 3:00 p.m. PST.
What I'm talking about is how to maximize things that so many people struggle with, ranging from time management to productivity skills, doing first things first, managing the "7 Habits of Highly Successful People", and other time/management/productivity concerns.
Considering the schedule I've proposed, I have to ask: are you taking LONG LUNCHES? If you are, you're cutting into your most productive time during the day. I'd suggest that you either eat a lighter lunch or take a late lunch, that way you'll be maximizing your highest productivity hours in each week.
If you've failed to consider the most productive hours of a day, and claim that late night is your top time (I've been guilty) or claim that morning is also your most productive time (been guilty of that, too), well, here's the wake up call: most people are in work mode during Tuesday through Friday. They start to "check out" at 2:00 p.m. because many have kids they need to tend to. School schedules usually release children around 2:00 pm or 3:00 pm, and amazingly, this is also when productivity begins to wane among adults, too. After 5:00 p.m., we're thinking about dinner. After dinner, we relax and digest our food. During the weekend, we're relaxing and having fun from our hard work during the week. However, I will also point out that if we use Internet data for our assumption, then we need to consider that many people are East Coast-based and therefore 2:00 p.m. PST is 5:00 p.m. (EST) to them.
Peak Productive Time?
When is your peak productive time? If you're like many others, you probably take a half hour to settle into your work. In addition, you probably unwind for the last 15 minutes each day, too. On top of that, you'll need at least two 10 minute breaks, and at least 30 minutes for lunch. Take all of that away, you're probably going to have your peak productivity start to kick in around 8:30 a.m. and then wind down around 4:45 p.m., if you maintain an 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. schedule.
Make the most out of it!The 80/20 rule will apply, too, so that peak time during the middle of the day is critical to your ongoing success. Don't waste it! Your best time for a meeting is likely on Wednesday or Thursday right around NOON. So, make the most out of these time slots!
Maximize the time when you can reach the most people, impact them the most, and focus your efforts to be your most productive self between Tuesday and Friday between the time frame of 10:30 a.m. PST and 5:00 p.m. EST. Schedule your most important meeting each week at Noon on Thursday. That is when you'll get the biggest bang for your time slot.
When you practice solid time management skills, you will fare better. Ideas I have to refresh for you with this article include:
Time Management Tips:
- Focus on one thing at a time.
- Complete a task, then move on to your next item on your priority list.
- Start with one global or long-term goal, then a short-term easy goal, each day. This will make sure you don't avoid the most pressing thing, and also ensure you don't ignore your long-term goals, either.
- Set a goal for the amount of time to break, eat, and break throughout the day.
- Don't get side-tracked with items off of your list.
________________________________________
Copyright © 1999-2008 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. SUBSCRIBE.
Apr 30, 2008
Vision Board and Dream Board For Business Success
Can computers help us manifest?
You bet they can!
I've been working on a new "Dream Board" collage for my bathroom.
I'm being very specific on this one as to exactly what I want for each area of my life. At the same time, I've created a new Vision Board for my computer, so that every time I see my computer I can reinforce my dreams and goals. Vision Boards and Dream Collages can be very powerful subconscious tools that enable us to manifest our dreams. My last collage has been incredibly powerful. Of the things on there, I've manifested over 30% so far, in just 2 years! That's pretty impressive, if you ask me.
I recommend The OrangePeel Dream Board Visualization Software:
Using a dream board like this can be very powerful to help you manifest your dreams regarding career, money, health, finances, and love. If you haven't designed your own collage yet, the beauty of a software tool like Dream Board is that you can modify your collage quickly, and it is always in front of you when you boot your computer. Cool, huh?
Check it out and if you want to purchase it, I created an affiliate program with Orange Peel to make it easy for you to join:
_______________________________________________________
This article is written by Scott Andrews, Founder of AspireNow and CEO of ARRiiVE Business Solutions. Dream Board video and name is Copyright OrangePeel, used with permission. Copyright © 1999-2008.
You may republish this article only AS A COMPLETE WHOLE with ENTIRE LINKS and copyright messages attached. All Rights Reserved. SUBSCRIBE for more tools like this!
Apr 14, 2008
Do Something Different
Are you finding it hard to succeed in your business objectives?
If so, you might be in a rut. If this is you, there are a few ideas I'm going to share to help you break free and start getting the success ball rolling again.
First, minimize what didn't work.
If you're finding yourself spending a lot of time trying to sell a service that either has a low profit margin or high levels of competition, you might want to minimize selling that service for a while. I'm not saying to can it completely. Just consider leading with something else for a while.
Second, do something different.
Yes, break away from what you have been doing and focus on something where people have told you "you know, if you could do.... I'd pay money for that." Maybe it's time to offer that service! Break away from what you did that wasn't working, and try something new that might.
I had some success with one of my services this past year, but it wasn't exactly breaking the bank open nor was it exciting me to even deliver that type of work. So, I decided to do something different. I looked for a new angle in a related service where I could use my skills, knowledge, and background to maximum affect.
Third, improve your new service.
I also took stock in recent customer comments and honed a service through feedback until I had a viable new service to offer into the marketplace. Each time I sell this service I get more and more focused on what my client's need to get the biggest return for the dollar invested and deliver more and more of that. As a result, I've been able to raise my prices. That's a good thing, isn't it?
Fourth, find a way to bundle more services to increase your price (upsell), differentiate, and add value.
Add additional services into the offering and bundle the service or product with other products and services you sell. This may increase the amount per sell. You've heard it's six times easier to sell to the client who already buys and this is true. So, get more money from each client by offering an upsell.
Fifth, downsell (unbundle any services they don't want) to get what is in front of you.
By downselling, I mean don't be afraid to unbundle your products and services to get the sale the customer CAN AFFORD. In other words, get what's in front of you. Tom Antion, a great Internet marketer, often suggests a downsell for ebook sales. So, if they say "I can't afford the $39.95 e-book" then offer them a window that says "Hey, maybe my e-book isn't worth $39.95. What do I know? Why don't you tell me what it's worth!" and then he offers them options of $29.95, $19.95, or $14.95. You'll capture 30% more orders at the $14.95 and maybe even once in a while a $19.95 order!
So, if you're stuck in a rut, try the following ideas to break free to create more success:
First, minimize what isn't working.
Second, try something different. It certainly can't hurt to try something new. I always suggest offering the service that people have been suggesting they'll pay for if you offer.
Third, expand the value and differentiation to continue to grow the new service.
Fourth, expand your offering. Find a way to add back other services into the offering to bundle services and add more value. A client may ask you to unbundle a solution, but you'll sell more if you lead with the bundled solution.
Fifth, offer downsells to sell what's in front of you. If the client will only buy the base solution, sell that. If they client can only afford a trial solution, sell that then. Just sell what's in front of you. The more feet you get in the door, the more opportunities to get your whole body in later.
________________________________________
Copyright © 1999-2008 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. SUBSCRIBE.
Apr 9, 2008
Blogging For Business
Want to learn why more and more businesses are jumping on the Blogging bandwagon?
Scott Andrews, CEO of ARRiiVE Business Solutions recently spoke to a group in California on this subject. This is a talk that Scott normally charges $30 per person to attend. For a short time only, Scott is offering the talk here for free:
Visit Talkshoe for the recording of the talk on Blogging For Business:
http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/audioPop.jsp?episodeId=106803&cmd=apop
To View the Blogging For Business related Slides:
http://www.slideshare.net/ARRiiVE/blogging-022408-344962/ or just click here:
Please let us know if you have any feedback regarding this talk, or contact http://www.arriive.com/ for assistance with your own business blog.
________________________________________
Copyright © 1999-2008 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. SUBSCRIBE.
Follow the ARRiiVE: Innovations In Business Show at http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/37798.
Mar 18, 2008
Are You Failing Successfully?
Join us! Join Gina Mollicone-Long, Author of "The Secret of Successful Failing" on the ARRiiVE: Innovations In Business Show tomorrow at 2PM PST / 5PM EST for an insightful talk from a master of team-building and success.
Description: Learn how to get MORE of ANYTHING that you want in any area of your life – business, personal, spiritual. This is more than just “learning from your mistakes”. This is about learning how to leverage everything that happens EXACTLY how it happens. Hidden inside every failure is the exact recipe to get what you want and you just need to learn how to identify it and USE IT.
Have your team listen in to gain advice and strategies on starting a company and team building.
It's easy, simple, educational and fun to participate.
When: Wednesday, March 19, 2008, at 2PM PST/ 5PM EST
What: 60 minute internet show - Talkshoe show ID 37798
Call in to join the show:
Dial (724) 444-7444
Enter 37798 # (Talkcast Show ID)
Enter: 1 # or your Talkshoe PIN
Join from your computer (with LIVE CHAT!):
http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/37798 or
Listen after the show: http://www.arriive.com/arriive_liive.htm
Click here to visit/follow the show: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/37798 (select "follow the show" box)
***** Excellent Show for Any Business Person - Reviewer: BusinessIIBusiness 12/19/07 09:25 PM EST Full Comment: This is an excellent show on various business related topics. Scott is a master at interviewing and it was a pleasure being on the show. I will definitely follow this Talkcast from www.ARRiiVE.com -Jennifer Cannon, CEO BusinessIIBusiness http://www.BusinessIIBusiness.com
***** Great business resource - Reviewer: teambuilder 12/05/07 06:27 PM EST
Full Comment: The breadth and depth of material here is outstanding. Congratulations Scott on creating a most useful and generous business resource center. I look forward to hearing more great interviews. Andrew Long Chief Pathfinder http://www.criticalpathfinders.com http://www.iloveteambuilding.com
Special Guests: Send email to: info@ARRiiVE.com to be a guest. We request you provide a unique topic related to sales, marketing, product launch, or collaboration. We request that you invite your following or list of newsletter subscribers to attend the radio show.
________________________________________
Copyright © 1999-2008 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. SUBSCRIBE.
Mar 13, 2008
You Call The Shots
http://astore.amazon.com/aspirenow-20/detail/B000WPMQHI/002-1778283-8772807
You Call the Shots: Succeed Your Way-- And Live the Life You Want-- With the 19 Essential Secrets of EntrepreneurshipBy Cameron Johnson, John David Mann
One of my friends, Chris Howard, had this to say about the book:
"I really love the full title, though, because it really
describes what Cameron is all about: "You Call
the Shots: Succeed Your Way - and Live the Life
You Want - With the 19 Essential Secrets of
Entrepreneurship." That's right, it's all about
Living the Life You Want, and that's what Cameron
will help you do through reading his book."
Click here to order your copy of You Call The Shots now:
http://www.cameronjohnson.com/bookbonus?11"
Note: that link that Chris Howard provides is cool - they give you a bunch of BONUS products AFTER you just provide your Amazon order number. So, if you're like me, you'll keep your Amazon order number, then input it with your other email information in the bonus link there by CameronJohnson.com: http://www.cameronjohnson.com/bookbonus?11. And, no, I don't get anything from the Bonus Link (maybe they'll throw back some kudos my way? hint, hint!)
I just ordered my own personal copy, so you know I'm intrigued!
________________________________________
Copyright © 1999-2008 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved.
Feb 1, 2008
Why Do You Buy?
I was in a meeting a while ago. As I recall, Amy, a very skilled sales manager asked the very intelligent question:
"Why do you buy?"
Someone asked, "What do you mean?"
Again, Amy asked, "I'll clarify. Instead of thinking about why OTHER people buy your stuff, why do YOU buy stuff other people sell?"
"Hmm. Good question," I thought.
A salesperson volunteered, "I like to buy things on sale. If something is on sale, I'm much more compelled to buy."
My gut told me that saving money wasn't the key reason. "Okay. That's one reason," Amy said as she smirked a bit, "But a sale is just a "saving money" thing. That can't be the only reason we buy, as there's a lot of stuff on sales racks we walk right by every day. So, what's the real reason people buy from you?"
I could tell by Amy's expression that my gut was right. I thought about it for a moment. Then, it struck me. I buy because I'm PASSIONATE about something. Period. If I don't love it, I don't buy it. So, I stuck my hand in the air:
"I buy because I'm PASSIONATE about something."
"EXACTLY," Amy, the group leader's eyes sparked up, "People buy because they're passionate, and they buy from you whenever YOU'RE passionate about what you're selling. So, get passionate about why they buy, the emotional benefits from what we offer, and help them passionately discover how they can benefit from that choice. I went out and wrote two deals that day with this thought in mind. Passion is more fun, too. If you sell from passion, and you sell to passion, guess what? You are changing people's lives for the better. And, that is a good reason to sell anything.
Tami, someone dear to me, recently upgraded to a new set of Cutco knives. This purchase was the result of a guy making a home sales call. She called me and told me: "I'm upgrading my knives today!"
"Really?" I replied. "What kind of knives?" I asked this, knowing how much she likes to cook (and she can cook well, I'll attest).
"Cutco!" Her passion clearly hung in the air when speaking of these knives... "I'm excited - I can add several knives that do things my current set doesn't, and round out my steak knives, too as a bonus," Tami explained. "Not only that, but I got them at a discount. It's going to make cooking even more fun!"
"How much did it cost to upgrade?" I asked. The thought of the Kirby salesman convincing my Mom to buy that clunky vacuum with 15 attachments when I was 8 years old flashed through my mind...
"Five hundred dollars," she replied sheepishly, "but don't tell anyone - I don't want them to know what I paid for these."
Is that passion, or what? You'll buy something really expensive because of the quality and the functionality, but moreso because you can enjoy something passionately because of the increased functionality. At least, Tami did. That's passion at work in the sales process. I can guarantee you that if I asked Tami again, a week after the delivery of the new knives, why she loves her new knives, she'll have reasons, but they'll all relate to her passion for cooking. The salesman did his job, and sold to the passion, then justified the purchase with logic of "on sale" and "bonus knives to complete the set."
Bingo! That's why you buy, too. I'd put money on it. People buy from emotion, and justify with logic. Trigger something they're passionate about, then throw a little logic behind it (statistics, a discount, a bonus, etc.) and Ka-CHING! You've got a sale. But you get the sale because you lead with EMOTIONAL BENEFITS. It works, truly, it really works.
So, rather than think of all the stuff that you often lead with, such as your company statistics, or how may years this and that, or features of your product, why don't you try to find the PAIN or the NEED in something your prospect PASSIONATELY DESIRES and see if that doesn't help you discover the TRUE reason why your prospects buy from you. How do they benefit, emotionally, from owning and using your product or solution? Dig for that, and sell to that. You can then justify it with logic as you go through your product and company demonstration, but if you can't find the emotional reasons they're buying you're missing sales opportunities. So, start with the passion.
Then, from now on, sell to that need. You'll probably see your sales numbers go through the roof, as mine does whenever I use this technique.
I just used it yesterday and today I'm working on two new sale opportunities. Passion sells better than anything else I know.
And, if you'd like to get more tips like this, but in a structured format, I can customize training for your group. I'm passionate about sharing ways to help you grow your business, because I love seeing people jacked-up about success.
________________________________________
Copyright © 2007-2008 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. Want More? SUBSCRIBE.
passion sells selling techniques key to sales success sales improvement sales training close more sales selling with emotion
Jan 30, 2008
Be Different And Sell More
ARRiiVE: Innovations in Business Radio Presents...
"Be Different and Sell More," with Michael Luckman, CEO of AchieveXCorp.com.
Can you imagine what it would be like to be in control of every sales call? To not waste your time chasing opportunities that don’t exist? To perhaps even double your income in one year? Michael Luckman CEO of AchieveXCorp.com may have the answer for you.
Today, Michael Luckman joins Scott Andrews, CEO of ARRiiVE Business Solutions and Host of ARRiiVE: Innovations in Business Talk Radio.
The Show AIRS: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at 2:00 PM PST / 5:00 PM EST
Visit Talkshoe (http://www.talkshoe.com/): Enter Talkshoe show ID 37798 to text comments, call-in, and/or listen to the show from your computer.
Description: In this interview we'll cover some of Michael's valuable selling techniques, including how you might differentiate yourself to stand apart from competitors in your field. Learn why salespeople miss their numbers. Discover how you can separate from the pack of mediocre salespeople to win more often and reap the rewards you deserve. Sales team managers: are your sales people getting blocked or stuck on the money? Learn some keys to overcome this problem and better motivate and manage your team.
Michael brings over forty years of experience helping salespeople blow away their numbers and make more money than they could ever dream.
As a senior buyer for Toys R Us, he experienced firsthand what makes the difference between a good salesperson and a great salesperson. It was his frustration with traditional sales training and their sound-the-same salespeople, and his introduction to David Sandler’s unique sales methodology that convinced Michael to spend his life working to create professional salespeople. Michael offers a ton of sales wisdom in his training sessions, and this show is one you won't want to miss!
Listen in and get a SPECIAL OFFER from AchieveX and another by ARRiiVE.com...
Join Scott Andrews, Host of the show, as he interviews Michael regarding this exciting topic.
This show promises to be both educational and fun.
It is Simple & Easy To Listen and Dial-In To Ask Questions:
1. Visit Talkshoe (http://www.talkshoe.com/): Enter Talkshoe show ID 37798 to text comments and listen to the show from your computer.
2. Call in to join the show: Dial (724) 444-7444, enter show 37798 # 1 # if you wish to ask questions of the host or guest.
Also, you may click here to visit/follow the show: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/37798 or http://www.arriive.com/arriive_liive.htm or listen in after completion of the show.
________________________________________
Copyright © 2007-2008 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. Want More? SUBSCRIBE. AchieveXCorp.com © 2008 AchieveX Corp.
Dec 13, 2007
The #1 Best Sales Copy Of All Time
I've been studying sales copy in order to improve sales at my websites and through sales letters for clients in my sales training programs and sales consulting services.
Have you wondered what it takes to write good copy?
Well, as it turns out, there's a method to the madness. That's right: you don't have to sound like a salesperson to write good copy. In fact, I found the trick to write good copy is much like telling a good story:
Twenty years ago, two business majors graduated from college. They both went to the same school. They both were about the same height, and roughly the same intelligence. Wind the clock forward twenty years later and these two graduates are now working professionals, only one is a Manager at a company; the other, the company President. What's the difference?
We'd all like to know what sets these two people apart. After all, they're both men in their early forties, both are married with two kids, and both of them enjoy playing a round of golf on the weekend.
What's the difference?
Why did one professional rise to Manager, while the other ended up running the joint?
Well, that's where the copy comes into play. You may notice, this copy sets up a story... you're on a journey, you're interested in what could possibly have set these two people in different directions, even though they seemingly had the same aspirations, education, intelligence, and background. There is no reason to think one would end up any better off than the other; yet, that is exactly what happens.
It's the same with good copy: the site with good copy outsells the site with poor copy. I'm helping people write better copy and improve their scripts all the time. And, you'd be shocked how FEW have taken the time to master this important skill of writing powerful copy. I'm not sure it is because they are lazy procrastinators, get blocked, or because they fail to make the effort; more rather, I think it is because they simply don't know how to do it.
How Do I Do It?
Knowing this, I decided to set off on a search for good copy. I've been studying the top copy writers I can find. I even searched out the #1 best sales copy of all time, a letter inviting subscriptions to the Wall Street Journal. This search led me to all types of copy, some amazingly simple and brilliantly crafted, other copy quite funny, and some, well, let's just say it needed a round file. The search for the best copy of all time produced a wide array of information that could be broken down into three steps. In doing so, I determined the following three rules are critical to writing your own copy:
1. Find other copy in your industry, selling a product as similar or exactly the same as what you are selling.
2. Determine which stacks of copy (or sites) are successful (Google PR, Alexa, Subscriptions, Sales Volume, etc.) and which ones suck (again, same criteria).
3. Swipe your copy from those stacks of copy and rewrite with your own story, in your own words, as closely as you can without plagiarizing the original best copy.
There is an art to writing good copy, just as there is an art to writing good content on a website. If you're going to improve your business, it is probably beneficial for you to learn both skills. After all, the person who has the greatest mastery of his or her native tongue rises to the top of their profession, almost without fail. Writing good copy and good content is akin to mastering your tongue.
What sets the best apart from the rest?
If you are in sales or managing an organization, and wondering what sets the best apart from the rest, look no further than copy: in my history of selling and managing, I've found that 98% of success can be found from the person who held the linguistic golden keys to the verbal skills safe of language success: the person who can write great copy.
This is why a script is so important in prospecting, selling process, and closing deals. If you haven't scripted out successful salespeople, and followed them around to see what they're doing to write all that business, then you're either arrogant or a fool. Either way, you're blowing it!
You can do it, too!
Oh, and before I leave, I want to share that I'm including some of my top tips in writing good copy for prospecting in my newest program, "Cold To Gold: Modern Methods to Overcome Fear, Get In and Build Long-lasting Successful Business Relationships" I'm offering these tips, along with valuable techniques to (a) get more phone calls returned, (b) get more emails opened and clicked-through, and (c) get more appointments. These are based upon real selling situations I've faced throughout my career.
I'm probably crazy to share this mountain of information used to close deal after deal in my own past selling successes, but I figure why not help others succeed the way I did? How many successful salespeople stopped to tell you their secrets of how they got the critical appointments that won them millions in business? I've had a few who blessed me along the path of my own journey, and feel the need to pay it forward to help you, too. I'm also sharing how to get more sales in less time. Because, if you ask me, if you begin the right way, you're more likely to end the right way: with the customer shaking your hand, thrilled to be doing business with you. And, when that happens, it takes less time, fewer calls, and less sweat to succeed.
I know I can't guarantee the success that you might have, as you might only apply part of what I teach, or you might augment it with other things you've learned. But I can promise you that you will like what you've learned, you will find it both entertaining and informative, and you will find my sincere desire to continually add to the program subscription. My personal guarantee is if you don't find the information in the program sufficient to contribute to your success, simply cancel the subscription and I will refund to you 100% of the money you've paid me: no questions asked (although feedback IS appreciated).
So, before I change my mind and start offering this program for the $2,500 minimum I charge for in-person training, you might want to give it a visit and see how this program might benefit you. I'm grateful for your visit.
One last thing: I found the copy from that ad that beat the #1 ad of all time at this site:
http://www.maldecker.com/images/wsj_letter.pdf. Check it out and see if it doesn't compel you to want to act on their letter. If you feel you're not ready to write copy like this, yourself, well, there are always copywriters who can help you out. Thanks for stopping by and come back soon to learn more about ways to boost your success. I'll be writing more on the #1 best sales copy of all time in the future, along with providing more useful suggestions to help you master your success in your own journey.
__________________________________
Post by Scott Andrews, CEO of ARRiiVE Business Solutions.
ARRiiVE Business Solutions helps executives improve sales, launch products and services, and build dynamic, cross-functional collaborative teams. For more information, contact info (at)ARRiiVE (dot) com or call us at 1 (805) 459-6939. Copyright © 2007 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. Part of this article is referring an article by Mal Decker, published in the Wall Street Journal. No infringement intended.
SUBSCRIBE to our feed to stay "in the loop" with articles like this.
Dec 10, 2007
The 7 Worst Ways I've Ever Made Money
I've decided that this year I'll try to be a little more humble. I know, here is this Leo, larger than life, deciding to admit to a few of my failures, or rotten experiences, in life. I've always been a bit entrepreneurial. But there have been times when I got into things, that looking back, I can't exactly say were "highlights" in my career.
Here's my Top 7 Worst Ways I've Ever Made Money:
7. Pizza delivery guy.
This job loved me. Only problem was, it didn't pay well. The good news was that it was pretty low stress after getting fired from my Florin Mall Marketing Assistant Job. I wasn't fired from the marketing job for being a crappy marketing assistant -- I was fired because the books got messed up, and it made the Director look stupid in front of the merchants association. Of course, she never admitted that the whole reason the books were messed up was because she hired this guy to be an intern and he stuck his imbecile head in the books. Before I realized what he'd done, he was two weeks into it and made a complete mess of things! With his screwups and my not really being a guru on accounting, it cost 20 hours at $100 per to get it straightened out with the accountant. Back to the pizza delivery, this was okay, but people really ought to have their money ready when they order pizza. I hated waiting there while it grew cold. Pay: $5.95 an hour + tips. Sweat: low. Worst side-effect: smelling pizza all day long, getting chased by dogs and small children. I never had anyone named Spicolli order a pizza at school, though.
Best lesson learned: Distribution is much more profitable when you're delivering high-ticket, high-value items.
6. Selling lemonade on a street corner.
Like many youngsters, this lemonade job idea was my first entrepeneurial approach at making money. I was about 10 at the time, and I thought it would be really cool to sell lemonade. I was offering cups for about a quarter. I sat out there with my sign, table, and lemonade for about 5 hours. The only problem was: I lived in the country. My customer total after those 5 hours was only THREE customers. I'm surprised I sat there that long, looking back. Afterwards, my Mom told me that the lemonade cost $1.50 at Scolari's grocery mart, but she wouldn't charge me for it. Thanks, Mom. Pay: crappy. Sweat factor: not high. Worst side-effect: being bored to tears!
Best lesson learned: no matter how good your product and marketing might be, you won't make sales unless you product or service gets noticed by a lot of people. And that can't happen if you are marketing out in the boon docks.
5. Cleaning toilets at camp Fox boy scout camp.
Now, here's a doozy: once upon a time, I actually volunteered to clean toilets! Well, not exactly. I just wanted to go to Camp Fox. My older brother went and asked me to come. He thought it would be a good idea to get me out of the house during my summer vacation. Turns out that I had two choices as a volunteer: KP or maintenance. Riding around in the jeep looked like fun, until I realized that the jeep drove to the bathrooms. My brother lasted three days. I stayed the week. Pay: zero. Sweat factor: medium. Worst side-effect: ew. You really don't want to know...
Best lesson learned: People love free help, but offering free help doesn't create profit. I'd rather work for money than volunteer, unless the volunteering connects me with another job I might love and that might be highly profitable.
4. Selling door-to-door security systems for retail.
Now, this one doesn't show up on my resume. Not because I got fired. The boss loved me. In fact, he told me I'd written the best sales plan he'd ever seen in his life (I now offer that as a service to ARRiiVE Business Solutions clients). What sucked about it? I can't put my finger on it, except that selling retail security systems to busy small business owners just seemed like a weird way to sell. It didn't help that my head was all messed up from my divorce - never an easy time to start a new job. Pay: decent. Sweat factor: high. Going door to door increased my respect for the Kirby salesman. Worst side-effect: getting chased by the black doberman guarding a used car lot. Now I know how postal delivery workers feel!
Lesson learned: Make sure you understand the work you'll be doing and want to do that type of work before you sign up for the position.
3. Selling timeshares for an ego-maniac.
Actually, selling timeshares can be fun. The schedule isn't too grueling (you're usually out in less than 8 hours), you get to work at plush resorts, and the pay can be fantastic. You're talking about people's dreams. And sharing dreams and what other people love most in life ought to be fun, right? Well, sort of. You're forgetting that I was selling to people! This means people who often have serious issues. And many people are not pleasant to be around, including some of the people who manage you. I won't name names, but this one particular manager was so awful that he didn't let me go to a wedding, called me a slacker, and threatened to fire me -- of course, I was at work on valium with a wrapped-up toe (I'd just had surgery on my foot three days earlier), and he'd already promised I could go to the wedding right up until the minute I was walking out the door. Yep, he was the worst boss I've ever had.
As for some of the tours? Some people forget to bathe. Yeah. For days. Others are incontinent. How bad do they smell? It depends. Other people think it's funny to bring their baby on tour. Some babies are cute. Other babies cry... for hours! I had one couple going through a divorce while on tour. The guy's wife decided to flirt with me. Talk about awkward. Some people that go on these tours are so old they cannot hear, see, or even say much of anything. However, they can sit there for two hours for their free gift! It didn't happen to me, but I heard one tour actually DIED during their tour. It happens. Money: actually, quite good. You can make anywhere from $50k to $400K a year selling timeshares. Sweat factor: some days good, some days bad. This job is mentally exhausting. Hours not bad, but you lose your weekends. Worst side-effect: having to endure the long, drawn out squeak from the buttocks of a 90-year-old-man as he stood there, kinda smiling at me, passing gas in the elevator. I don't think he knew he did it. If he did, well, shame on him. The job probably shouldn't make the list, because it's actually a pretty good job, all-in-all. But not when the boss is an egomaniacal jerk!
Lesson learned: If you have an egomaniacal boss, and you have a strong ego, it is probably a matter of time before one of you will have to go. Make a decision who it ought to be and then operate intelligently from that position. If it is you, find another job: quick!
2. Digging trenches under poison oak.
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm can really appreciate when someone else digs a ditch: when I see that long, three foot deep by one foot across hole carving through the landscape, it makes me very happy. Yes, a ditch, when dug by someone else, truly is a splendid thing. Now I can lay the pipe, plumbing, wires, or whatever that needs to get put in the ditch to complete connectivity. Yippity skippity! However, I must admit that I don't want to be the guy digging the friggin' ditch! Why? Because it is really hard work. I'd rather work with my mind. I'd rather sell something. I'd even rather give a presentation (something many consider worse than death). Certainly, I'd rather play my sax. Or even play video games. That's right: I'd rather do anything besides dig that ditch. Yes, I've dug ditches. But I can't say I enjoyed it. Enjoyment: zero. Hard work factor: very high. Pay: very low. Worst side-effect from this job: poison oak (Dad thought my brother and I would be great at stretching a water line 1/3 of a mile up-hill through a trench under the oak trees when I was 10 years old. Yeah, my Dad sure had a winner of an idea that time. I had poison oak everywhere for 3 weeks. I think I still have scars on parts of my body.)
Lesson learned: If you have a nasty, difficult, or particularly hard job in front of you, it is better to hire someone else to do it than do it yourself.1. Working for Taco Bell as a "deep-fryer".
Not that it was bad, it just didn't pay a lot. I actually normally worked as a cashier (it is more like me to handle the money than the grease). The absolute worst job they have in the restaurant is the deep fryer guy. I did that one weekend when our fryer was out sick. I also almost died of heat stroke as it was 102 degrees outside and the restaurant didn't have proper air conditioning. I think I consumed 12 Dr. Pepper's in one day. I never could understand why the fryer guy seemed to enjoy his job. After all, I never met a fryer who got promoted to manager in that position. Total earned: <$500 (sucky, huh!) total sweat factor: way too high. Worst side-effect: a horrible case of acne. I think my face still has a few pockmarks from that one.
Lesson learned: Learn what the worst job in any business is and always make sure you don't end up doing it. The story of the guy who went from the bottom to the top is more rare than common.
In retrospect, I do recommend you find work to pay the bills, especially until you figure out a way to moonlight and make money doing the things you love. But, there are definitely jobs that you might enjoy more than others. Try to stay away from toilets, doberman pincers, and digging ditches under the Poison Ivy -- you'll be glad you did!__________________________________
Post by Scott Andrews, CEO of ARRiiVE Business Solutions.
ARRiiVE Business Solutions helps executives improve sales, launch products and services, and build dynamic, cross-functional collaborative teams. For more information, contact info (at)ARRiiVE (dot) com or call us at 1 (805) 459-6939.
Copyright © 2007 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. You may republish this article only if you publish in WHOLE with the COPYRIGHT and ALL ACTIVE LINKS intact.
"He's quick, he's funny, he makes you lots of money." SUBSCRIBE to our feed here.
Dec 7, 2007
Funniest Business Idea
I recently read an article at ShoeMoney, where the author talks about mistakes in business he's made over his lifetime. Some of these are pretty funny, and worth reading. This one was the most funny:
"ShoeMoney Petroleum Company -
(I cant believe im actually telling these in public)
Ok Follow me here -I want to purchase a Gas Station and Give away Free Gas
The catch is like the gas would come out really slow and also you would be limited as to how much you could get per week. (Like max 50 gallons a week).
How do I make money ? EASY - I would setup paintball guns around the gas station with webcams that would let people from the internet take shots at the people filling up there cars with gas. You could charge per shot or a xxxx amounts of shots per month for a set fee.
PROBLEM - I talked to a city council member about this and he told me there was a “no flying ordinance” or something rule within city limits however I could maybe do it in the country…"
Do you have a funny business idea? Please comment and share! Maybe these are good ideas for a reality show? I read in the comments below this that one user thought a better idea would be to have women in bikinis (a Hooters gas station?) who then get spashed with paintball guns.
The things some people think of!
Did you ever play the game Inventors, by Parker Brothers? I thought it was funny. One invention had this idea that you could fly by putting a chicken coup cage on your head. Yes, someone actually patented the idea a couple of hundred years ago. It seems some Big Ideas are just Dumb Ideas. I have yet to see anyone fly with that contraption on their head. They had some other ideas like an automatic hat tipper. I suppose that one gentleman felt it was a nuisance to tip his hat to people as a gesture of kindness. Thus, a gadget to save him the hassle. Then the people in society changed dress fashions and just stopped wearing hats. Oh well. So much for that idea.
Why not share your funny business ideas here? Maybe I'll even have a contest on this one. The craziest ideas people ever have in business.... stay tuned....
__________________________________
Post by Scott Andrews, CEO of ARRiiVE Business Solutions.
ARRiiVE Business Solutions helps executives improve sales, launch products and services, and build dynamic, cross-functional collaborative teams. For more information, contact info (at)ARRiiVE (dot) com or call us at 1 (805) 459-6939.
Copyright © 2007 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. You may republish this article only if you publish in WHOLE with the COPYRIGHT and ALL ACTIVE LINKS intact.
It's a good idea to SUBSCRIBE to our feed to get more on business ideas...
Nov 29, 2007
How To Draw Live Participants To Your Talkshoe Radio Show
My Top 11½ Tips for Drawing Live Participants, by Dave Nelson, CEO of Talkshoe
TalkShoe is built for live interactive podcasting. Many podcasters find that it's more fun, fulfilling, and profitable than regular podcasting! Hosts often ask about the best ways to increase the number of live participants in their Talkcasts. This is definitely one of the key challenges when you’re first starting out. My best advice is:
11) Schedule your Talkcast on a consistent day and time so that your audience knows when to join you.
10) Choose an interesting and descriptive Talkcast name so that people who might be interested will “get it” just from the title. For example, “Grey’s Anatomy Live Fan Podcast” says it all if you’re a fan of the TV show.
9) Always have at least two future episodes scheduled so that when one show finishes, your listeners know when to join you again.
8) Publicize the regular day + time + time-zone of your live show everywhere possible. Put it in your blog, in your email signature, on message boards and forums, on your MySpace page, etc., and have your friends do the same.
7) Build an email list of friends and participants to invite to every episode. Click “Invite Guests” on your Talkcast Profile page and add to your list frequently. Send invitations about 48-hours in advance and again 30-minutes before your live show.
6) Remember that about 95% of listeners will hear your recorded podcast before they discover your live show. During your Talkcast, tell those "off-line" listeners when your show is live (e.g., “Join us live on Wednesdays at 9:00 PM Eastern Time.”) and highlight the benefits of joining live (e.g., “You can text chat with other listeners.”).
5) During your live show, say your email address frequently. When people email you with questions or compliments, add their email addresses to your TalkShoe “Invite Guests” notification engine (see #7).
4) Recruit interesting guests and have live contests and giveaways – give your listeners a reason to join live and to interact!
3) Remind people to subscribe to your show. That way, they’ll get every episode, and as they come to “know” you, they’ll want to join live.
2) Keep in mind that participating can be intimidating. Encourage people to move from listening off-line, to listening live, to chatting, to talking. It may take time.
1) Have fun and be entertaining! People will want to join you again and again. For the host, and forlisteners, it’s fun to connect with people that you like; people who share your interests.
½) No matter what, always remember _______________________________.
Please share with me your best ideas for this last item. Thanks!
I've been utilizing these tips to grow my own radio show, called ARRiiVE: Innovations In Business. I've been broadcasting Wednesdays at 2PM PST. Make sure to visit TalkShoe, and type in show i.d. 37798 or ARRiiVE.
Come visit the show when I'm on and interact with me - it makes it way more fun. Or, if you're interested in getting more exposure for your Bid Idea, sent me an email at info [at] arriive {dot] com with a show theme idea. If I like the idea, you're on! You'll need a bio, break plug, and 10 questions for me to ask you about your show theme idea. This is key to my show being a success and helping me make you look like a star. The other thing I request is you promote the show to your own following (list) one week prior and the day of the show, to maximize attendance.
Out of all the points above, I think Dave's point on (a) consistency, (b) inviting guests to make the show more interactive, and (c) promoting the show regularly are all part of why my ARRiiVE: Innovations In Business show is starting to really take off.
Hope to see you at talk shoe for my next show.
__________________________________
Post by Scott Andrews, CEO of ARRiiVE Business Solutions.
ARRiiVE Business Solutions helps executives improve sales, launch products and services, and build dynamic, cross-functional collaborative teams. For more information, contact info (at)ARRiiVE (dot) com or call us at 1 (805) 459-6939.
Copyright © 2007 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. Article posted with copyright permission by Dave Nelson, CEO of Talkshoe. You may republish this article only if you publish in WHOLE with the COPYRIGHT and ALL ACTIVE LINKS intact.
More than bla, bla, bla: SUBSCRIBE to our feed to learn more about talk show hosting.
Nov 28, 2007
5 Myths of Sales Prospecting
Sales Prospecting.
When you see those two words, what do you think about?
In my training sessions and talks on Cold To Gold: Prospecting Methods to Overcome Fear and Build Long-lasting Successful Relationships, I find people have some misconceptions about prospecting.
Here's the Top 5 Sales Prospecting Myths:
1. Prospecting is a numbers game.
This isn't completely true. It is about the QUALITY of the numbers. If you are marketing to people who can't afford what you're selling, you'll probably not make as many deals as you would marketing to people who CAN afford what you're selling. When I sold time shares, this was proven true on more than one occasion. If people were allowed to tour who didn't meet the minimum income, they usually didn't buy. Why? They had a hard enough time just keeping a roof over their heads and food in their kids' mouths! Not only that, but if we didn't qualify the tour properly, we might lose a chance to sell. For example, if only one of the partners in a marriage was present, our odds of making a sale went down to almost nil. So, we'd NQ (not qualified) the tour.
You could have a huge leads list, and poor leads, and a small leads list, and great leads. The key to good prospecting is to have a QUALITY list. Working to build your list is the goal of the expert marketer. When you combine great marketing with great prospecting and great selling, the only other things you need are great products and great service.
2. Prospecting is the same as selling.
I actually see marketing, prospecting, and selling as three separate activities. Marketing is the activity you do to discover prospects. This might be an ad, a radio show appearance, or a trade show. Those activities are all marketing related; they are meant to attract people to your company. Prospecting, on the other hand, is outbound activity you make DIRECTLY to targeted companies or individuals who you believe might have an interested in your company's products and services. If you do not prospect, your odds of making a lot of sales by sheer marketing go down dramatically. Selling is the activity of what happens once you have the appointment (telephone, webinar, face-to-face meeting) to determine the prospect's needs and pitch your solution.
Notice: I didn't say you ought to pitch in your prospecting activities. My direct experience indicates you'll have more success by RELATING to your prospect and finding out something that they need than you will by pitching to them. The best way to do this is to share a story, filled with a few key nuggets on how they might benefit, then asking how they might need something similar.
3. All prospects are worth selling to.
In fact, many suspects are simply that. Suspects. You really don't know if someone is a prospect until you've spoken with them. Even then, you might want to disqualify them prior to meeting. After you meet, they still can disqualify themselves. If you are honed in on what people need, and your solution meets that need, then you need to match those two together. Anything outside of that is either a custom solution or not a prospect at this time. Your time is valuable. We can only make so many calls and if you're getting nowhere, move on. Just remember that 90% of sales are made after the 6th contact with a suspect, not the 1st.
4. Strategy and scripting is for newbies.
Strategy and a Prospecting Script are both important to prospecting success. I don't believe you should sound like a rote telemarketer, I just think you ought to know what you're going to say, choose your words carefully, then follow that plan. When I've been most successful, I followed a script. Why? Because I was the most focused and knew why I was doing each step of the prospecting process.
Your strategy is something like this:
a. Get lead from marketer
b. Determine quality of lead
c. Find commonality with prospect (research)
d. Write a letter
e. Make a phone call of introduction
f. Follow-up phone call with a gift
Your script ought to be something more like this:
Example phone call:
ME: "Hello John? I'm glad I reached you. I just spoke to one of your counterparts, Jane Doe, in the Rotary association who indicated you're struggling with some of the similar problems she has at ACME corporation. When we worked with Jane, we helped her grow sales by over 50% in just six months. Her sales team was missing their quota routinely before working with us. Do you have similar challenges with your sales team?"
PROSPECT: "Yes, we do... we're actually having some challenges with sales here, too... who is this I'm speaking with?"
ME: "Thanks for asking. I'm Scott Andrews, from ARRiiVE Business Solutions. John, would you mind sharing, briefly, what type of challenges are you having with hitting sales objectives?"
PROSPECT: "Sure. We're missing quotas. Not only that, but sales people are having a hard time completing their weekly activities. We're seeing a lot of the same prospects week after week. I'm pretty sure they're not picking up the phone enough. My boss wants me to fire half the team, but I know we have good people. They're just not getting enough activity happening."
ME: "Ah. So, the challenge is in getting your team focused on better methods of prospecting, then, would you say?"
and so on. As you can tell, I have a script, but I'm willing to modify it depending upon what my prospect says. I'm not immediately trying to close for an appointment. And, I'm trying to determine if my prospect is, in fact, a qualified prospect, rather than just a suspect. If I value my time, my prospects will value it, too.
I share the scripting process in much more detail in my Cold To Gold sales training program.
5. Propecting is a time-consuming, grueling process.
Actually, prospecting doesn't have to take too long, if you know what you want to accomplish.
When you're blocking out time for prospecting, make sure you dedicate that time to the process of calling prospecting clients. Pick up the phone and ask for them, directly. Get in and talk with them as if they were an old friend. Don't be too chummy, be professional. But, you may find that when you call people you ought to aim to discover what they need more than worrying about whether or not you have the appointment.
Frankly, I'd rather not meet with someone who is only meeting to be nice. If they don't know they need what I offer, and are ready to buy if I meet their need, then they might be wasting me time. Be aware of what they tell you. Ask them if they will buy your solution if you meet their need and offer an price that meets their budget. If they say "no" to this question, you've got an obstacle. You've either got to clear the obstacle or clear meeting with them in lieu of meeting with someone who will actually buy from you.
Prospecting can be fun, if you give yourself little rewards. For example, when I'm making calls, I'll block out a four hour stretch. I break this down in to one hour segments. Then, I work each hour to get into three companies. If I can get into a total of 12 companies, I had a pretty productive prospecting session.
Try to focus on what you want, begin with a strategy, script your call around what the prospect needs, and then block out time to make your calls. See if this doesn't help you turn around your new sales appointments and improve the quality of your sales calls.
__________________________________
Post by Scott Andrews, CEO of ARRiiVE Business Solutions.
ARRiiVE Business Solutions helps executives improve sales, launch products and services, and build dynamic, cross-functional collaborative teams. For more information, contact info (at) ARRiiVE (dot) com or call us at 1 (805) 459-6939. Visit Cold To Gold for our newest sales training program.
Copyright © 2007 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. You may republish this article only if you publish in WHOLE with the COPYRIGHT and ALL ACTIVE LINKS intact.
Why use a pan to mine gold when you can use a massive drill? SUBSCRIBE to our feed.
Nov 26, 2007
Announcing "Blogging For Business"
I launched a new program last Monday and forgot to mention it here at the blog:
Profitable Business Blogging
Through this valuable course, which starts Tuesday night, November 27, at 6PM PST - 7:15PM PST (don't worry, I'll provide audio downloads of the teleseminars you might miss), you can learn:
- How A-List bloggers built their blogs
- How to launch your own blog
- How to use blogging software technology
- Powerful promotion strategies
- How to get your articles Top Ranking in Google (what I call G-juice!)
- And much, much more!
The information in this course is compiled from over 500 hours of personal internet research. If you're starting a blog, why invest all that time when you can learn what I know within one month? If your time is worth more than the cost of the course, (discounted from $447 to just $245 through November), then you will benefit from this powerful program.
If blogging isn't your bag, but you know someone else who is launching a business, or trying to find ways to grow traffic to their business, then you might want to refer them to this program which will help them become much more productive in much less time.
One tip from Profitable Business Blogging:
"Did you know that when you search for a name on search engines, that domain hawks might be watching your search? This means that someone else might reserve the name before you do. Do you know which search tool lets you search for a name without tracking your search? Just this tip alone can help you protect the name you so dearly need to protect. (This tool link is provided in the program.)"
I've got about 1,001 more tips like this, and many of them worth immediate money to someone who is just getting into blogging. Even if you're an experienced blogger, you will find this course to be a valuable refresh -- not to mention that I'll be adding more and more resources to the PBB website every month - your course fee gives you access for a whole year to this valuable resource database.
If there is a way I can help make the program better, specifically, for you, please email me and we can discuss. I'm always seeking ways to improve my content of the programs I offer through ARRiiVE Business Solutions.
__________________________________
Post by Scott Andrews, CEO of ARRiiVE Business Solutions.
ARRiiVE Business Solutions helps executives improve sales & marketing, launch products and services, and build dynamic, cross-functional collaborative teams. For more information, contact info (at)ARRiiVE (dot) com or call us at 1 (805) 459-6939.
Copyright © 2007 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. You may republish this article only if you publish in WHOLE with the COPYRIGHT and ALL ACTIVE LINKS intact.
More useful than a cup of espresso: SUBSCRIBE to our feed to stay "in the know" with articles like this.
Nov 15, 2007
Top 6 Secrets To Success
Almost every person I know WANTS to succeed. Or, at least, they say they do.
Some people want friendships. Others want financial wealth. And others want to reach power or influence many people. Some just want to live a contented, happy, and simple life. Do you know what you want? What is success to you?
Here is my Top 6 Secrets To Success list:
- Set and write down your goals. The 3% who write down their goals achieve more wealth, happiness, and success than the other 97%. Be one of the 3%.
- Work a plan to achieve your goals. Do something EVERY day. Tackle some of the long-term goals every week.
- Know your limitations. Then expand what you can do. Don't let anyone else tell you what your limitations are. Only you can determine this list.
- Trust your intuition. Your gut feel is usually right. There is an "inner core" that you can drill into. And that core is whatever brings you closer to SPIRIT or the INFINITE CONSCIOUS ENERGY that runs through all things (some call this God). To the extent that you tap into this core, this is the "gut" that drives success in organizations.
- Never quit. In the words of Sir Winston Churchill, "Never, never, never, never, never give up." Many people are on the verge of succeeding right about the point where they quit. It might make sense to adjust and modify a plan. But to quit is the definition of the person who stops learning, because failure ought only be a "learning experience" on the path to success.
- Dream larger dreams. Often, people do not achieve great things because they don't reach for their larger dream. As much as we need to know our limitations, we also ought not limit our own greatness. There's enough obstacles to overcome without putting our own thoughts in the way. Think big. Then do big things.
__________________________________
Post by Scott Andrews, CEO of ARRiiVE Business Solutions.
Copyright © 2007 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. You may republish this article only if you publish in WHOLE with the COPYRIGHT and ALL ACTIVE LINKS intact.
More useful than a cup of espresso: SUBSCRIBE to our feed to stay "in the know" with articles like this.
Plan For Success
I'm always amazed when I talk with a business leader and find out they don't have a business plan or sales plan. Why? Because, they just failed the most important step in ensuring success with their business:
Develop a plan!
A former manager of mine, Dick Boren, used to put a slide up on the overhead in every sales meeting. It read the following words: "Fail to plan, plan to fail."
Now, while that slide is perhaps against the Law of Attraction (why put the words fail on a slide in the first place?) it does highlight a basic truth in selling: you must plan to succeed if you are going to increase your success. As a law of attraction coach, I recommend another quote Dick used even more:
"Plan your work, work your plan. Measure your success."
See, because, when you have a plan for success, you're much more likely to succeed, because you've made a written agreement for success. People tend to honor written agreements more than verbal agreements. Why do you think that out of 100 graduating students, the 3% who wrote down their goals achieved more than the other 97%? This statistic came from a study of graduating students at Harvard University over fifty years ago. In the study, they found that the 3% who wrote down their goals were wealthier than the other 97%, combined. Not only that, but they were also more content. Big surprise, huh?
I recently read that less than 1% of Americans write down there goals. While I haven't yet substantiated that statistic, perhaps that might explain why Americans have so much debt! Land of the free? It's hard to be free when you're buried under a mountain of debt. I've been on both sides of that picture and I'd much rather be debt-free, with money in the bank, than fighting debt collectors.
So, if you're considering how to succeed, maybe you're nodding and realizing, "Hmm.. Scott's right! I need a plan."
Do you have a plan for business success?
If you're writing a sales plan, you'll need some basic elements, which include:
- Vision. What are you trying to accomplish in your selling efforts?
- Goals. What numbers, strategies, and basic goals do you wish to accomplish?
- Company numbers. I've always found a good rule of thumb is to take other people's expectations of me and double them. Why? Because, if I miss MY goals, I'll still HIT THEIR GOALS. And, that's all upper managers seem to care about. You can even do this for yourself, just pretend you're a manager. Give yourself a quota. Then put on your salesperson hat and double the quota! Write down the new number as your goal.
- Know your territory. If you're going after a sales territory, chances are high that you probably are either organized by a geography, product offering, or vertical market. Out of all the strategies, I've always found that organizing outbound telephone or email calls by vertical market to be wisest, as then you're speaking with the same vernacular during your calls. For example, problems managing the flow of paper in healthcare will carry over from one hospital to another. Language can be quite different between prospects, so by organizing by vertical you can lower the impact of this challenge. However, when making outbound face-to-face calls, it is wisest to organize by geography. This is to limit the cost and time-impact between calls. So, use both strategies to effectiveness if you wish to maximize your time both inside and outside while selling.
- Know your customer. If you were to ask me the single most important skill a salesperson might possess, I'd have to say "The art asking intelligent questions and listening to the answers for meaning." How many salespeople are great at telling you all about their product? How many salespeople are great at asking intelligent questions, listening, and then converting that knowledge into a solution for the customer? The latter is the salesperson I want to hire.
- Know your product. Okay, so you did a good job questioning your prospect. You listened to their problem. But when it comes time to describe your solution to their problem, you need to know what you offer, and specifically how it relates to what THEY need. I've been shocked at the number of times in my life when a salesperson either "winged it" or outright "lied" when they didn't know the answer to a question. Don't be lazy. Do your homework, know your product. Especially the features, functions, and benefits that will apply to your prospect's needs. Don't leave it up to them to figure it out. Make it easy for your prospect to buy from you.
- Have a gifting strategy. Gifting is the #1 most powerful way to build relationships quickly.
- Have a follow-up strategy: Following-up is the #1 most powerful way to get remembered and strengthen the relationships you build.
- Have a plan to build value, differentiate, and surprise your clients on EVERY call and in every meeting. This is the #1 most important rule in executing sales calls.
- Have an action plan. Which accounts, contacts, and strategy will you utilize for each prospect? You ought to at least define your strategic plan for your top ten prospects.
Do you have a plan for personal success?
I even suggest to people to write down their personal goals each year. If you're running a business, evaluate your goal achievements on a monthly and weekly basis. Don't just wait for the quarterly review, as that might be too long of time-lapse between review cycles.
Last, if you need help with a plan, seek out professional assistance. My firm, ARRiiVE Business Solutions, offers executives help writing business plans to raise funding, business plans to improve strategy, sales plans, and personal growth plans. When you work with a professional, you cut the bull from "template" business plans you can buy. You eliminate the generalized answers and fluff you might get from your SBDC (small business development center) and software templates. Many software business planning systems use a "fill-in-the-blank" type of approach to generating business plans. I don't recommend fill-in-the-blank business plans. They are really obvious to someone familiar with reading plans. I use a template, yes, but I custom-write each plan for each client. Why? Because I find that I don't have as many holes. And, even more than that, I don't get FLUFF in my plans. You really don't want a plan if it is full of guesses and generalizations.
Get a plan that offers specific actions, dates, and ways to measure results against the plan to ensure you succeed with your objectives and strategies.
Last, remember, if you plan your work, you plan to succeed. Plan your work, and work your plan. Measure your results. And celebrate your wins! Life is too short not to have a little fun along the way. After all, success is in the act of doing, perhaps as much or more than the act of accomplishment.
The quality of your plan for success directly related to the quality of your results!
If you don't have a solid (quality) plan for success, you might be blocking your development. Either write one yourself; or, better yet, hire an expert to help you plan for your success. Watch how many positives will be drawn to you when you are working from a well-written plan. You can succeed. You will succeed. Make this your mantra. Make a plan. Write it down. Tweak it, work it, measure it, and celebrate it when you win.
__________________________________
Post by Scott Andrews, CEO of ARRiiVE Business Solutions.
ARRiiVE Business Solutions helps executives improve sales, launch products and services, and build dynamic, cross-functional collaborative teams. For more information, contact info (at)ARRiiVE (dot) com or call us at 1 (805) 459-6939.
Copyright © 2007 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. You may republish this article only if you publish in WHOLE with the COPYRIGHT and ALL ACTIVE LINKS intact.
More useful than a cup of espresso: SUBSCRIBE to our feed to stay "in the know" with articles like this.
Nov 9, 2007
Fear or Love?
Today, I spoke with a woman who has offered collaborative leadership team building coaching since 1970. She seemed quite "grounded" and centered in her approach to business and life. She was sharing her past, then I was sharing my model, business structure ideas, and collaboration tools I'm developing. We shared together for about an hour, when all of a sudden the conversation seemed to shift.
To what, you might ask?
To LOVE. She spotted the fact that I CARE DEEPLY about seeing organizations SHIFT.
And the challenge we started talking about is the biggest concern I have with anything I do at AspireNow or here with ARRiiVE Business Solutions:
How do we get organizations to STOP RULING WITH FEAR and START RULING WITH LOVE?
Isn't this our concern when entering new environments? Are they ruling with Fear or Love?
I've been employed in organizations whose leadership team literally made jokes about firing people on a weekly basis. Can you imagine that? I've been in environments where they talked about people hitting their goals or "the bosses would shut the place down" and lock the doors. Guess what? They NEVER DID shut the place down! It was just a fear-based message to try to motivate people.
I remember saying to that manager, "Fear doesn't inspire me. Love, on the other hand, DOES inspire me." He softened a little after that. The next boss sat there, smiling at the team, saying "I am here to help you succeed, make more money, and do good things for the team." The following day he told me, in confidence, that the entire team had to go, because they weren't typical for that industry (meaning, they wanted to stand for ethical business). His new methods involved using bait-and-switch tactics, something I don't condone. He lasted five months, before they brought in the next guy (who was worse, I'll add). This continued to get worse and worse until, finally, I got the heck out of there!
What was the final straw? I came back from vacation and my new boss (called affectionately by my peers, "Hitler") actually had the gall to accuse me of "not caring" about my work or being "lazy" because I'd been on vacation, took one sick day, and subsequently had surgery on an infected toe. This, all in one month. Of course, the day he accused me of these things, I was there at work, with my toe wrapped up in a bandage, on vicadin medicine just to get through the pain, doing my job. The only reason I was wanting to leave early was because I'd been invited to a wedding and it was incredibly important to several people that I be there at that wedding. He had approved my leaving early, then changed his mind as I was walking out the door! When I pointed out that I'd taken a larger share of responsbility than any other person there (I had the numbers to prove it) he told me to "get the hell out of there" and he'd see to it that I never worked there again. Keep in mind that I was his #2 salesperson at the time of this altercation.
I'll never forget how loving they were at the wedding. I said to my partner: I've never seen a more obvious example of the difference between fear and love in all my life!
The upper management later invited me back, "Hitler" later apologized, but it was too late. I never went back -- MY choice.
The type of environment described above is very toxic. At the point when I left that organization, my nerves were shot, I would wake at 3:00 a.m. in a sweat after a nightmare, and started grinding my teeth. It got ugly. If you are in an environment like this, I will encourage you to leave. Make sure you have a strategy to make money so that you don't go broke or hit hard times. But get out of there. Jobs and vocations DO EXIST where you CAN get treated right and make great money. Either start your own company or take one of those jobs. I believe that, ultimately, we'll make more money, and live longer, if we're happier and more loving.
We need to stand up for our right to BE LOVED AT WORK and TREATED WITH RESPECT FOR OUR CONTRIBUTIONS!
Why am I bringing this up? Because I believe we are spiritual beings. We are emotional beings. We are not intellectual robots who don't have feelings. Corporations must embrace this if they are to reinvent and become GREAT. It's what's required of executives to truly begin empowering their people: they must embrace both POSITIVE EMOTION and LOVING SPIRIT as part of the collective work experience.
I've been a believer for quite some time that powerful organizations have VISION. They ask better QUESTIONS. And they take ACTION. I used to describe this as VQA. But I'm going to go a step further and share that we need to add an "L" to the acronym. What does the "L" stand for? L-O-V-E. We need VQAL to have true success.
Does LOVE belong in the workplace?
Think about it. Which boss do you love the most? The boss who frequently threatened to fire you, or the boss who treated you special, listened to you, showed you respect, and led you to greatness through being a coach and a partner in your challenges? Tough question, huh!?
Which employees INSPIRE you the most?
Usually, they're the people who are most PASSIONATE or offer the most SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE. Am I right?
The people at work who've inspired me the most made me laugh. They hit numbers. They did it without lying or cheating. How? By being exceptional. My good friend, Grant Stellwagen, is the greatest salesperson I've ever met. What makes Grant such a great salesperson? First of all, he's funny. Second, he's sharp as a tack. Third, he understands the techniques of selling better than anyone else I know. He knows you have to give clients gifts to build stronger relationships. He knows you have to be creative and surprise people. He understands that you must ask intelligent questions to determine a prospect's needs. And he adds value and offers something different on every call.
Grant also knows that you can't win them all, but if you keep planting, watering, and fertilizing seeds, it is inevitable that at some point you'll grow some plants that will bear fruit. And he grew more fruit than anyone else at my company. To the tune of millions of dollars, in fact.
The last time I saw Grant, he and I stayed up until 2:00 a.m. talking in the hotel lounge and sharing ideas about what we felt was exciting about life at that time. I still remember that talk like it was yesterday. He showed me that he cared about me, my ideas, and what I was up to at that company. That's inspiring, isn't it?
Who inspires you?
I bet they are smart, fun, and loving.
If you're an executive reading this article, can I encourage you to put aside the old fear-based methods and embrace new ways to build more LOVE in your organization? It really is a better way.
In personal life, I will say that LOVE is the answer to what we're looking for.
Is it any different in business? In business, LOVE is the answer, too.
__________________________________
Post by Scott Andrews, CEO of ARRiiVE Business Solutions.
ARRiiVE Business Solutions helps executives improve sales, launch products and services, and build dynamic, cross-functional collaborative teams. For more information, contact info (at)ARRiiVE (dot) com or call us at 1 (805) 459-6939.
Copyright © 2007 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. You may republish this article only if you publish in WHOLE with the COPYRIGHT and ALL ACTIVE LINKS intact.
More useful than a cup of espresso: SUBSCRIBE to our feed to stay "in the know" with articles like this.
