Archive for March, 2007

This Sunday is the two year anniversary of this blog. I have been putting together some ideas to take what I’ve learned over the past two years and put together some multi-part posts. Some grand scheme ideas, incorporating many of the ideas I’ve read about in the 40 or more business books that have been part of my Personal MBA program.

But today I just want to write about some simple things. Things that have profoundly changed my life. Things that didn’t cost much and that most anyone can do. Just three simple things…

1. Go for a Walk. Walking has really changed my life in many ways. It is great exercise, it brings you out into the fresh air, and it opens up great learning experiences. Walking makes you feel good.

The best way to discover walking is to get a great pair of walking shoes. Good shoes make all the difference in the world. I have found that Saucony shoes work the best for me. These shoes are like magic. The soles are designed to propel you forward as you walk or run. I’ve had three pairs over the last few years and they have each been a little different. My suggestion is to try a few different pairs on in the store and try walking and striding. You’ll soon find a pair that feels right.

Once you have some good shoes, find some interesting places to walk. Where I live we have a great variety of places that work well. We have flood control roads along many of our creeks that are flat and uncongested. We have a mall that is great for walking in the winter or summer months. But the best places that I’ve found are our old downtowns. Old Town Temecula and Old Town Murrieta are amazing places. Their vibrant downtown cultures make walking fun and always end up being an adventure.

To finish off your walk take along a friend or family member. Walking and talking are simple pleasures that many of us never get to experience anymore. We travel by car everywhere and our mid-sections can attest to our lack of exercise. If you don’t have anyone to walk with, bring along an iPod or other audio player. There are volumes of great walking music or you can get immersed in an interesting audio book.

If it has been a while since you’ve gone for a walk… try it today. Even if it is just going around the block, you may rediscover one of life’s simple pleasures.

2. Get a Dog: I have two dogs. They are two of the greatest joys of my life. They are always there for me and really help cheer me up when I’m down. They don’t judge me and they are always glad to see me when I come home.

One is a buff colored Cocker Spaniel. She is one of the smartest dogs on the planet and I really think she is part human. She is a great companion and loves to do tricks. She gets up with me every morning at 4:30 and does her ritual of dog tricks for three biscuits. I can communicate with that dog better than I can most people. She doesn’t speak English, but  she understands me just the same.

My other dog is a Corgiranian (Corgy-Pomeranian). She is pure dog but a fun friend. She loves to play and run really fast without concern where she is going. She loves squeaky toys and she grabs them with her mouth and throws them into the air with abandon. If you scratch her back she’ll give you a great big dog smile.

Dogs have changed my life. They have rescued me from myself so many times. When I am down, they always seem to cheer me up. They love walks (see number 1) and always add to the conversation when other people see them.

If you really want to change your life for the better visit your local animal shelter and find a four legged friend. They will be eternally grateful and you’ll find one of the best friends in the world.

3. Read a Book: Open the pages of a book and you’ll find magic. Adventure and learning await on each page. Whether fiction or non-fiction, books can change your life. One may take you on a journey to the pyramids of egypt while another will peer into the deep recess’s of your mind.

I have found that audio books work well for me. I can listen while walking or driving on my iPod. Over the last two years I have discovered so many interesting things and visited so many wonderful places… all while listening to the pages of a great book.

If you have an iPod, adventure is waiting with the click of a download at the iTunes store. With thousands of Audio books to choose from you’re sure to find something that you’ll enjoy. Audible.com is another great source or you can pickup audio CD’s from Amazon or your local bookstore.

Find a great book and listen to it while walking your dog… Simple Pleasures.

Technorati Tags: books, dogs, walking

If your doctor told you that you needed to stop smoking, stop drinking, eat better, reduce your stress, and get more sleep or that you would die within a short period of time…

Could you change?

Would you change?

The pundits say no… you can’t change.

And they have some startling facts to back them up.

Over 90% of the people in a similar situation were not able to change their lifestyle over a sustained period of time.

These are pretty depressing statistics. If change is so hard, should we all give up? Should I close this blog down and stop writing about personal development? With statistics like these we might as well all grab a donut, turn on the TV, and watch reruns all day.

Yet there is a startling fact that 10% of the people surveyed were able to change their lifestyle, and sustain those changes for years.

What is the difference between the two groups?

In his groundbreaking new book, Change or Die, author Alan Deutschman explains that the difference is as simple as three F’s and three R’s.

He explains that when most people want to change they rely on the three F’s. They are…

Facts: The black & white reasons for change.
Fear: If we don’t change here are the consequences.
Force: Just do it

While the three F’s can result in short term change, old habits usually take over within a short period of time. As much as we know the facts and are motivated by the fear, we can only force ourselves so far.

In his research of the 10% group he came up with some startling conclusions. The people who were able to create lasting change in their lives relied almost exclusively on the three R’s. They are…

Relate: Relationships with a Coach, Mentor, or Support Group are key
Repeat: Practicing the new action or habit over and over
Reframe: Paint the picture of your life in a new frame

When I look at my life and the major changes that have taken place over the years, the three R’s are almost always present.

Here are some of my examples…

Toastmasters
Relate: A great support group. Always supportive and constructive.
Repeat: One speech after the other. Each one different.
Reframe: Has taken public speaking from fear to fun in my life.

Small Group at Church
Relate: Have built lasting relationships with church members and with God.
Repeat: We meet every week to worship, study, and pray for each other
Reframe: I realize that nothing is impossible through fellowship and prayer.

Weight Loss
Relate: Have been personally accountable with coaches and mentors
Repeat: Exercise, diet, & weight training on a daily basis.
Reframe: Realize I can be successful like the people in the Body for Life book.

This book has really opened my eyes to what it actually takes to create lasting change. I have come to realize how important it is to have other people in my life and to make sure I have an accurate picture of the outcome I’m striving for.

Over the next few days we’ll take a look at how we can use the three R’s in goal setting, personal fitness, and time management. Change really is possible!

Technorati Tags: personal development, change

This is a quick review of a piece of software that may change the way you work with a computer. It’s called virtualization software and allows you to run an additional operating system in a virtual window on your Macintosh computer. I did a test of the free beta version of the Vmware for Mac software, loading the Microsoft XP operating system on a MacBook-Pro laptop.

I didn’t have high hopes for a free beta version, but the installation was straightforward and only had one glitch along the way. I had to plug in an external USB keyboard during the installation of XP to have it see the keystrokes properly.

The rest of the install was just like a regular XP installation and the whole process took about 40 minutes. Once XP was loaded I installed anti-virus software, and loaded special VMware drivers. The result was XP running in a window on a MacBook.

I was amazed how well this worked and the number of applications this opens up to the average Mac user. Now you can easily run your PC specific programs while using your Mac in a normal fashion. This is really helpful in a Microsoft Active Directory environment, where Macs have had a notoriously hard time joining the Active Directory domain.

This software allows you to join the domain and login without a hitch. I can open my e-mail in Outlook on the PC side and edit a spectacular presentation in Keynote on the Mac side… all at the same time. When you add this functionality to a laptop you really have a portable creativity machine.

I can now edit graphics on the PC side in Photoshop and bring them into Imovie on the Mac side. My USB devices work well. It really brings out the best of both computing worlds. The software is still in beta and the list of known issues is long, but I was amazed at how well it works.

This may give many business people a compelling reason to buy a Mac. This software is much more convenient than the separate boot process of Apple’s Boot-Camp software, which allows you to boot either XP or Mac OS-X, but you can’t have both running at the same time.

If you have an Intel based Mac, you may want to give this beta version a try. You’ll need a full installation CD version of XP with service pack 2 installed and about an hour of your time. I would recommend at least a gig of memory. Once you get this running you can add a virtual Linux machine to the mix at the click of a button and you can even run Direct X, PC games…. WOW!

Technorati Tags: mac, apple, productivity

Facts are everywhere. We have facts about almost every conceivable thing in existence. Facts may have names, numbers, and numerous bullet points. Facts fill volumes of dictionaries and encyclopedias. And there is one thing that all facts have in common…

Facts by themselves are boring!

Fill any Powerpoint presentation with bullet points of facts and you’ll likely put your audience asleep. Blog about facts and your readers may not make it to the end of your post. Strike up a fact filled conversation and watch the eyes glaze over.

In your next speech, just give them the facts and you’ll probably find that your only audience member that is left awake is Joe Friday. And you’ll also find one other important thing…

Facts are not memorable!

When you just present a list of data, most people cannot remember it. You’ll be lucky if your intended recipient can remember the first item on the list. That is because…

Facts are inherently slippery.

The bigger the numbers and the longer the names, the harder it will be to remember the items. Facts are like teflon to our minds… they just don’t stick.

In business, sales, and in most any conversation we all have facts that we would like to convey in a memorable way. We want to get our fact filled ideas across.

So how can we do this?

Here are three trios that I think may help to get your points across.

The Three C’s: Contrast, Context, and Comparison

Contrast: When you look at a square of yellow by itself it’s just that… a square of yellow. But if we surround our square of yellow with a black color, our eyes suddenly see the contrast and the yellow pops.

Context: When you take similar items and add something dissimilar you have taken something out of context. This item sticks out and is quickly recognizable.

Comparison: When you have data by itself it usually doesn’t mean much. But when you can compare your data with other data in a graph or other comparison format, your data really stands out.

The Three P’s: Picture, Presentation, & Performance

Picture: They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Frame your facts with pictures and people will be able to SEE what your facts are all about.

Presentation: Present your facts in an interesting way using graphics, icons, and pictures for added emphasis. Add emotional pictures to draw people into your story.

Performance: When you take your facts, weave them into a story, and present them in a live performance, you’ll bring your audience into the story and make the facts come alive. This performance can be a speech, a play, or even a business simulation.

The Three S’s: Stories, Surprise, & Strategy

Stories: Tell a story… make a point! Stories are inherently powerful tools for making your ideas stick. People remember stories, especially if you add word pictures and emotion. Powerful stories are like duct tape for your facts. They will stick!

Surprise: Add the element of surprise to your facts. Find things that don’t add up or are intriging. The element of surprise is a powerful way to keep your audience on the edge of their seats. Unfortunately, surprise only works once, so make sure to keep it a secret until your are ready to reveal it.

Strategy: Tie your facts together into a purposeful strategy. Paint the vision and the path for your audience and they will come along for the journey. A great strategy is inherently interesting.

Take these ideas and use them together to take your boring facts and make them memorable. Outline a strategy, add contrast and surprise and put your audience into a compelling drama. Tie this together with a compelling performance and your next presentation will surely be a memorable one.

For a compelling read on this subject, be sure to pick up a copy of Made to Stick, by Chip and Dan Heath.

Technorati Tags: presentations, powerpoint, speaking

Face to face selling is a game of communications. You have a product or service and you have to convince your buyer to purchase it. It should be a simple game… tell them the features and give them a good price and you have a sale. But it’s not that easy. People like to buy from people and as important as your product is you have a much better chance of making the sale if your prospective customer likes you. Here are some simple but important tips for making the sale.

1. Look your prospective customer in the eye. An easy way to accomplish this can be found in Nicholas Boothman’s book, “How to connect in Business in 90 seconds or Less.” Mr. Boothman has a really effective tip…

When meeting someone for the first time, just make a mental note of what their eye color is. This will automatically force you to look the person in the eye.

It is amazing how well this works. With a little practice you’ll find yourself doing this automatically.

2. Smile. I used to think this was easy. I would find myself smiling on the inside but not portraying a smile on the outside. Mr. Boothman also offers a unique process for creating a great smile.

Not everyone has the perfect smile. Here is a tip that fashion models use. Look into the mirror and say “Great” over and over, each time using a different crazy tone of voice until you crack up. Say it loud, whisper it, say it with a laid back voice, say it with a sexy voice. It not only makes you smile, it also makes you feel good.

Every time you meet someone smile. If you have trouble smiling say, “great” to yourself as you approach: you’ll be smiling.

This simple technique works because the word is positive and it’s “ay” sounding middle syllable causes you to bare your top teeth.

3. Offer a firm handshake. In business and in sales a good handshake is vital for both men and women.

Etiquette International offers some simple tips for the perfect handshake.

• is firm, but not bone-crushing
• lasts about 3 seconds
• may be “pumped” once or twice from the elbow
• is released after the shake, even if the introduction continues
• includes good eye contact with the other person

When shaking hands always introduce yourself by name and call the person by name (if you know it) . A persons name is like gold.
 
4. Ask open ended questions. Questions are a great way to find out more about your customers. You can ask them about their business, interests, hobbies, etc. Make sure the questions are about them and not yourself and that they are open ended. If you ask yes or no questions you’ll get yes or no answers. Jeffrey Gitomer has some great examples of sales questions in his book, “The Sales Bible.“

5. Develop keywords. When you find out things about your customer, write them down in the form of keywords. If your customer likes the Dodgers and has baseball pennants on the walls, your keywords would be “baseball” and “dodgers”. Notice things like the type of car they drive, their favorite color, and unique fashion or clothes. The simpler the keywords, the easier they will be to remember.

Prospect Cards

Here are some quick and simple prospect cards that you can print on business card stock that will help you track contact information, keywords, and product suggestions for your customers. These little gems are a great way to store the most important information on your customers and prospects. They fit easily in your pocket or purse and can be quickly referenced before making a sales call. They will help you remember names, keywords, and recommended products to help you make the sale.

The front side of the prospect card has places for standard customer information such as name, address, phone, e-mail etc. It also has a line for keywords. This is a great place to put two or three words that signify your customer’s interests. This memory jogger will help you to strike up a conversation quickly and easily.

The back side of the card has places for additional contact information, product interest, product recommendations, and sales history. This will help you identify other people in the organization that may make buying decisions and list their product interests. There is also a place for recommended products that will fit your clients needs. The last line is for sales history, where you can make notes on past invoices and product sales.

This little card can really help jog your memory in the middle of a sales call. You’ll have contact names, product numbers, and recommended products in the palm of your hand. this is also a great place to write down additional customer information as it becomes available. Write it down and you won’t forget it.

Instructions for use:

• Download the Sales Card Template files.
• Unzip the files.
• Open the front sales card file in MS Word.
• Modify as necessary or leave blank for manual entry.
• Open the back sales card file in MS Word.
• Modify as necessary or leave blank for manual entry.
• Print the cards front to back on Avery Business Card Stock.
• Break the cards apart and organize by name or area.
• Use a mini-clip to organize the cards.
• Take with you in your pocket or purse.

You can also create your own Sellateer pocket sales device. Add your own business cards and mix and match other productivity cards to create a sales short stack. Choose from these other card assortments to find cards that work for you.

Organizer
Goal Toolkit
Flowchart
Outliner
Motivators

Good luck and sell, sell, sell!

Technorati Tags: sales, marketing

Selling is the best job on the planet. There is nothing better. When you can take a product or service and share it with someone else… magic happens. You share the features, the story, and the experience of the product. The customer buys the product and experiences the joy. It is so much more than a good price. It’s the personal touch that makes all the difference.

Selling is also the worst job in the world. There really is nothing much worse. When you share your product or service and your customer doesn’t buy, a feeling of rejection overtakes you. It’s very hard to put aside this feeling and not take it personally. Something just dies inside of you. Multiply this over and over a few times and depression really takes over.

I was in outside sales for 5 years. I sold fasteners and tools to auto repair shops and car dealerships. In that time I experienced the highs and the lows of the profession. For the first few years I was in the top ten of the sales charts, made good money, and even won a trip to Europe. Things were great. I had numerous friends as customers and had a great repoire with many of my clients.

It was easy to get up and get out of the door and be at that first call by 8am. Each day was a new adventure. I called on my customers monthly and I always had a new product or special to share with them. It was almost like Christmas every day. I could actually see the excitement on their faces when I would put a new tool or product in their hands.

One of the best items I ever sold was a set of Hazet screwdrivers from Germany. These had a special square tip on them that didn’t slip out of the screw head. When I would put one in a mechanics hand and let him try it, it was almost always an automatic sale. This one little feature saved the knuckles of countless technicians. Instead of slipping out like a normal tapered head screwdriver, this design loosened even the tightest screws.

With products like these sales were easy. Price was secondary. My customers enjoyed seeing me come in the door. And my customers would really go out of their way for me.

My greatest day in sales was on New Years Eve in 1981. I was competing for a trip to Germany with the other salesmen of my company. The top five would win the trip. I was number 6 on that day and a few hundred dollars behind the number 5 salesman, but I was determined to make it happen.

I bought champagne for all of my best customers and went from site to site to deliver it. My customers really came through that day with orders that I had never seen before. By one o’clock in the afternoon I had a record day and I finished up the shortened day with an amazing order from a VW shop in Redlands, California.

The 2 week trip to Germany was fun and it was so rewarding to see a goal fulfilled. But then something happened that changed everything. My sales manager announced that they would be cutting my sales territory in half. On the surface this didn’t sound bad — I had a large territory and this would cut down on my driving. But the reality was I would lose half of my best customers that I had worked so hard to develop.

Over the next few months I watched my sales figures drop as I tried to develop new customers in my smaller territory. My sales manager worked with me but something had changed. I had developed a negative mental attitude. The numbers got worse as I got more and more negative.

The great job that I had before had turned to an arduous chore. I hated getting up in the morning and my lousy attitude rubbed off on my customers. Some of the other salesmen of the company would call and complain about their sales and the negative talk would just multiply.

This went on for a few more months, but the job got more and more painful. I couldn’t see reality anymore. And my sales plunged even further. Finally I decided to move on to something different.

If you have ever been in sales you can probably relate to my experience.

Selling is 90% attitude.

With a good attitude it can be the best job in the world.

With a bad attitude it can be the worst.

I am just finishing up a audio program by one of the best sales trainers in the business and his style really hit home with me. His name is Jeffrey Gitomer and his audio presentation is entitled, “How to Not Suck at Sales.“

This 48 minute presentation is from one of his live seminars and it really hit the nail on the head. He had me laughing and relating to what selling is all about. I took a look at his books on Amazon and one of them really struck home with me. Entitled “Customer Satisfaction Is Worthless, Customer Loyalty Is Priceless,” this book really explained some of the things that I had found when I was in sales.

Some of the quotes are priceless…

“Once you realize that ’satisfaction’ is the lowest level of acceptable service, you at once understand the power of ‘loyalty.’ How you achieve loyalty is a process, not a single action. Those who are able to achieve loyalty from their customers for their company and to themselves will be the ones to get beyond success…to fulfillment. I hope you do.

“If you own the problem, you own the customer. If you lose the problem, you lose the customer. It’s just that simple. The customer is always wrong…and you’re just about as perfect! It’s not about right or wrong—it’s how you react to, and handle the problem.“

“Take pride in your work. Take pride in your team. Take pride in your product. Take pride in your company. Take pride in your attitude. Take pride in your customers. Take pride in giving the best service you’ve ever had. Everyday.“

For all of you that are in sales, I highly recommend this audio program. It was short and to the point and well worth the addition to your audio collection. Jeffrey has a great attitude and can definitely help you develop customers that are not just satisfied… but also loyal!