The Right Connection Lead to Sales Success

In sales it’s about connection. You’re probably wondering how to build the right connections necessary to build a successful business?

You are at work 24/7! It makes no difference whether you’re at a party, football game or even a school event with your kids, there is always a chance to start to building relationships with others. Make networking and  building relationships part of your daily life.

Networking is not about being in the room to get clients, make a sale or gets lots of cards and speak to as many people as possible about yourself. It’s about the opportunity to meet people and learn about them and how you can give to them and make yourself available without expecting any reciprocity.

The greatest gift that you can give to someone is the gift of listening. Why? You care about them. Use that time to find out about them everything. What their business is, what their greatest issue currently that keeps them awake, where they see their business. If they mention children, favourite holiday destinations, favourite food, write it down. When you phone them or meet with them you may have an opportunity to use it in conversion. Find ways to help them, let them know about a great article or send them a great book that might help them with their business or even it could be something they were interested in.

When networking, not only listen but ask valuable questions. Be cognizant of the art of conversation as well  looking at them when they are talking to you. “Your success is directly proportional to the size of your social circle, be it at work or at play.”-Joe Sweeney.

Once you leave the event write notes on either card small piece of paper etc. Then transfer it to either an excel spreadsheet or a small card with all their details, any likes, dislikes, education, associations, children ages, names, schools, favourite wine, food and restaurant. Write any information you are given so you can always use it as an ice breaker next time you speak with them. Always remember people buy from you because they like you trust you and think they are like you!

Use social media, Linked in, Face book etc. to further enhance the relationship. There are so many ways to get connected the secret is to start getting connected now!!!

It’s fun to go fishing regularly....

Recently I was exposed again to Fish, that fantastic story at the Pyke fish market. This book/video always makes me smile. The underlying theme is............ FUN!

Sometimes, we take ourselves too seriously. We have unachievable deadlines to meet, pressure to succumb too , bosses to keep happy. So why not see things a little differently? Come from a different place a place of having FUN and getting work done. No, you don’t have to throw fish around to have fun. Find other ways to have fun in your work. Some examples that I’ve experienced that make work fun are simple, put on some music and start dancing (from experience let me tell you it gets those endorphins up and running), celebrate a success have an impromptu morning/ afternoon tea. I would sometimes go past a beautiful bakery in Toorak and buy my staff custard donuts and we would have them for morning tea. Wow! Did that make their day? Of course it did!!

We must remember, it’s the little things that make a difference. You could even have a crazy hat day or put family photos on the wall or guess who it is in the baby photo. These things don’t cost money but, they create a sense of community and fun. Contrary to what you might think “Work Made Fun Get’s Work Done”.,

Let’s look at the FISH strategies

1. Choose your attitude

2. Play

3. Make their day

4. Be present

Such a simple set of strategies to work with. So why do we get so caught up in ourselves and our deadlines?

Let’s start with:

“Choose your attitude” - only you can choose the way you feel. Nobody can make you feel anyway unless you choose it, not your boss, not your wife & children or the man who cut you off on the road. These things will all happen, remember life is a journey and there are bumps in the road, detours or pot holes. Look at ways to change the meaning you put on it so your boss has bought a deadline forward you can whinge, moan, groan and bitch about he always does this.....blah, blah, blah or you can find a way to fit it in to your day, delegate it or outsource it. Have the behavioral flexibility to know that everything is achievable you just need to find a way.

“Play” - find ways to play at work, make it fun, laugh, take yourself lightly.

“Make their day” - there are so many little ways to make their day, buy a coffee, chocolate or even just write a card noticing their great work. Remember good work that get’s noticed gets replicated. Everyone wants to be made to feel special and important in some way. 

“Be present” - be fully present at work for your customers and colleagues it doesn’t matter what is happening in your personal life. Use work as an outlet to have fun, your problems will still be there when you get home if that’s what you choose. Remember we all have choices in life take the scenic route.

Have another look at the “FISH” book by Stephen C. Lundin, PH.D,Harry Paul and John Christensen sometimes we just need to revisit a concept to refocus ourselves. Find 10 ways to play in your work place and let me know how it went.

Is Discipline a Dirty Word?

My buzz word for 2011 is Discipline, and towards the middle of the year I have added Focus. I realized towards the end of last year that I needed to make some changes. I was working on a few projects and spreading myself thin. I needed to learn the word NO and to walk away from situations that were no longer fruitful.

I really needed to take a good long hard at myself. I am one of those people who get all excited about what I can achieve and then achieve nothing. I get caught up doing something else, the other new shiny thing. (Is that just me or does that happen to you as well?). I am the best at giving others trusty advise, like focus on one thing, get the system and make it a success and then replicate it. FOCUS!!! your time. Meditate, exercise and eat well and most importantly drink lots of water and don’t forget to breath. Blah, blah, blah.

I love the concept of doing the things I should be doing, but, it’s that D word, Discipline that gets me every time. It’s the middle of the year and even though I have achieved many of my goals, I still can’t say no to chocolate cake, so those hours at the gym may be a little wasted. Those extra kilos are still there!

Well I am happy to say that it’s July 1, 2011! I am focusing on being disciplined, I am turning the corner. I have focus. I am now waking at 6pm, drinking my bottle of water and meditating for an hour. (I always woke at 6pm but just stayed in bed and snoozed). I am working in 90 minute segments and then I will either rest, eat, do breathing exercises or go to the gym. (That chocolate cake still gets me; I’ll have to work on that one!)

Last night I did lose focus by watching a DVD, you can’t blame me I was curious. The movie “He’s just not that into you” I had always wanted to see it.

This morning I started off with my regime of meditation, the usual house stuff and now I am doing my 90 minute slot before I go into “Consider This Training” to learn how to use our new POS machines (these will be used for Cert II Retail Training).

So I am well on my way to living the” D” word and putting it into action. 

Here are some tips:

1. Know your outcome!

2. Set timeframes to get the task achieved and adhere to it.

3. Have or get the right mindset to get the job done. (If you don’t find out who does and model them) or get yourself some coaching.

4. Focus on what needs to be done and sometimes you may need to say NO to others if it interferes with your outcome.

5. Map out the best road to get there. See if you can delegate any part or all of the work.

6. Work in 90 minute timeframes, no email, face book or any distractions. When 90 minutes is up have a break, do some stretching, exercise or eat some food it’s up to you.

7. If you can do 4 x 90 minute shifts per day it’s like doing 12 hours of work try it and see how it works.

Give this a try let me know how you go. I’ll keep you updated from time to time on my progress.

Oh Markella my daughter has just made Chocolate Chip Cookies that will be my reward when I finish this 90 minute stint.

Can’t wait to chat to you again next week. 

In the meantime found this cool quote;

“It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action and discipline that enabled us to follow through.” ~Zig Ziglar.

What is the secret of service that keeps us coming back for more?

On that same weekend in Beechworth (refer last week’s BLOG) we had heard about these great restaurants. So we decided that we would dine out both Saturday and Sunday night. The dinner experience on Saturday night was unforgettable; it had everything the great waiter (owner), fantastic food. A great experience overall!

On the Sunday night we headed towards our restaurant. The waiter greeted us, sat us down, our napkins weren’t put on our laps (sign of a good restaurant and this one was not cheap). When he asked me for a pre dinner drink I asked what he recommended I felt like something warming, none of the options he presented took my fancy. So he left and didn’t even ask George (my husband) what he wanted to drink. Wow did he feel unimportant. 

Throughout the night this waiter was pleasant, robotic and did his job. It turned out to be a nice night spent with my gorgeous family but was it an experience - NO! So as we passed over a significant amount of money for an experience that did not match.

So when I started thinking about it the Saturday night, it was about the passion the small touches the little hints of our waiters family life and her children’s likes, she made not only George and I feel special but also the girls. As we laughed, shared stories I felt that we were having dinner with friends, not a stranger’s restaurant.

We hang out with people that are like us that have the same passion as we do... 

Reciprocity in Action on the Wine Tasting trail...

As it was the Queen’s Birthday long weekend we decided to go to Beechworth, a lovely old Gold
Mining town in the north east of the state. On the Sunday, we went out to the wineries of the King
Valley, naturally, being connoisseurs of a fine drop!

It was quite fascinating to watch the most used principle of the famous Robert Cialdini “Reciprocity”
in action from winery to winery (and we did visit a few)!!! Just a small glass of wine leaves us
wanting to return the favour by buying one or two or even a dozen bottles of wine!

“The rule says we must pay in kind what another person has provided us” as written by Robert
Cialdini.

For years wineries have been allowing us to sample their wines, and people in return have left with
a bottle or two. Have you ever wondered why you felt so obliged, sometimes without even liking the
wine to purchase? We feel obligated to return the favour, in other words, they offer a free sample
we buy a bottle. Reciprocity at work! After intensive study by sociologist Alvin Gouldner we can
report that human society subscribes to the rule of reciprocity.

So next time you are given something for free watch how you will automatically return the favour.
The key is how can you use this in sales?

Outsourcing or Not...

I would like to confess I am the outsourcing Queen, I will outsource anything from the weekly cleaning, gardening and getting my kids picked up occasionally from school (doesn’t every school girl have a driver?). I am even embarrassed to say I bought someone in to clean my oven, architraves and cornices.

But tonight I finally came to terms with what I have always known but was deluding myself; there are some things in business that can’t be outsourced. There are things that I must do myself and one of those is Blogging. Yes I have confessed......

I have had my VA (virtual assistant) do my last few Blogs. In the busyness of my day it just seemed so easy, streamlined put it all on Hoot suite let her do it so I don’t have to worry about it. That was my reasoning anyway.

But was I wrong, so wrong... as I sat horrified looking at my blog post it wasn’t the article I had rewritten it was my Virtual Assistants old article. OMG!!! my chest has tightened, I am short of screaming and crying at the same time, can you feel my pain? Maybe I am over reacting? (Feel free to let me know)

The most important lesson I have learned (re-learned) when it comes to the Marketing and the sales systems of the business it must be done by you, the person who is the voice of the company. It’s about building the character talking directly to the customer, talking their language building the relationship. Building a very clear marketing and branding message.

The lesson that Grace my VA learned is double check everything before it goes out. It was a great lesson for both of us....

As for outsourcing Odesk is my new best friend.....

The Magic of Thinking Big and its Lessons

Think BIG! For sure we have all heard this, but do we know what does it meant? Mr. D.J. Schwartz defines that in “The Magic of Thinking Big”. 

Think "big" requires a change of mentality. They can make good tactical sense, but it serves a great reminder in your daily struggle for success. 

Try these simple ideas to keep you motivated:

•  Focus on the things you're good at. 
•  "You're better than you think," writes Schwartz.
•  Use "language of the great thinker." 
• Try to talk with words that speak of hope and happiness.
•  Looking towards the future.
•   Try to see things from their potential, not just what they are today.
• Think that your work is important.
•    The next promotion will depend mainly on your way of thinking in the direction of your current job," writes Schwartz.
• Concentrate on big issues, leaving the banality of the image.
•   Ask yourself: "Is it really important?"