Old verse new

There are many business out there where the people who own them are use to being employees themselves.  They see an opportunity and grab it. Organise 'all' the paper work, go through things with a fine tooth comb, purchase the business and then work their tails off to get it running smoothly.

Then comes the crash.  Things just are not progressing.  They loose hope and their cash as the "today's" real world closes in. What they are set to loose is not only the hard earned cash but the time and effort, they have put in, the knowledge they have gained and worst of all all that 'ownership' and identity of who and what they are now, were, compared to what they will be if they do not do something real.

By real I mean simple acknowledge that they were good at what they do.  Their understanding has been acknowledged with the pay check they took home and invested.  However, do they alone have all the talents needed to move forward and keep their business in line?

NO is the easy answer.

At this point I am going to explain something between the old and the new.  Marketing has two aspects.  The outbound and the inbound. Or put it another way the tangible and intangable.

• Outbound marketing: 
• Cash and direct leads from cold calling, 
• trade shows,
•  direct mail,
•  advertising,
•  promotions.
• Inbound marketing:
•  Internet blogging, 
• social media,
•  emailing, 
• social mediaising, 
• S.E.O.

The trick is meshing these two concepts together because when you go into these business the owners are familiar with the Outbound marketing concepts. So familiar that they are stuck going around in a mess of frustrated circles.  The new fagled ones are for 'the kids who do not know the stuff' the owners have gone through. Meanwhile this outdated view is not only a generation gap but something like a knowledge chasm. Since the owners are so busy literally digging themselves into an early grave the 'employees' will assist them to.  After all the owners have set the precedent to all their good employees - follow the leadership at the helm and do what the owners are showing the employees to do- or we sink.

To turn the all this around the incoming consults needs to work with the outbound marketing strategies while bring in the 'new' Inbound marketing strategy concepts. Selling these systems to the employees while wholesale marketing them owners and upper management staff .  Talk about a double edged sword. Meanwhile filling in the leaks

Good luck.

Just Sleeping on it.

There are few jobs where a lowering of social conscience is not accompanied by a lowering ethics.
Sharlyn Lauby writes a great short post that raises Sleep Deprivation and Ethics issues. Wikipedia states that sleep depreciation "adversely affects the brain and cognitive function."  While there is definite regonition that sleep deprecations is an impairment of ability factor and Amnesty International lists sleep as a form of torture just who is responsible for putting the pressure on, effectively Bulling someone into constantly being on the go while they are on call or actively meant to be in a working situation.

Think of being in a position where you initially stand your ground. You turn off both the machinery you operate and then yourself in order to get that nights sleep. Refreshed both you and the consumers can now use the machinery safety being a priority.  Then something alters.  You take on that extra job just to help out.  Some one wants a day off so you cover.  Gradually what was not normal before has become normal now. Just when the pre training takes precedence over an incident is up to not only the individual but the communities culture the individual enters into. Hence the reason why business are subjected to stronger law suits than the employee.  That is if the employee can obtain and pay for good council while paying the 'lawyers' waiting game. Often setting out of court then finding the life quality has diminished further as they are now known as whistle blowers.

At this point subjective behaviour steps in. Steven Brown states that: ...." the person's subjectivity as such constitutes an actual event which exists in it's own right and is measurable in it's own terms..." Behaviour and impairments being similar to the excess blood alcohol levels sometimes a break down of personal wellness is the trigger.

Through out our lives various behaviour programming occurs. Think about a foreigner to the cultural community you are in.  Say a foot baller attending a boxing match. Or a Vegan attending an event where sitting down to a roast meat meal or eggs and bacon breakfast is obligatory. What do they do? What would you do as the host, the guest next door or even the vegan themselves? Subliminal triggers are released causing judgement decisions to occur relating to the social conventions and poor risk analysis of the guest, the other guests, and the host.

Think of the professional people transporting driver who by convention must drive on the correct side of the road. The brain goes into overload a mini sleep occurs. Hopefully waking up before the accident happens.  Gets a fright . Adrenalin pumps into the system.  They get home and thank their lucky stars and God for another chance to see daylight, kiss their families and play with the dogs.  Then one day something else happens.  This time they realise that through lack of sleep, both drivers are needing an adrenalin fix to keep going. While one person is not transporting the other has picked up clients.  Really dangerous situation.  STOP.  Where are the ethics here?  Besides leaving what do they do, who can they report too?

The eventual effect of being lulled into these situations are depression, anxiety and stress conditions accompanied by guilt should injury or death occur to others. In these situations "...sleep deprecation has the same hazardous effects as being drunk. People who drove after being awake for 17 - 19 hours performed worse than those with a blood alcohol limit of 0.05percent."

Does ethics have a tangible as well as an intangible price tag.  The answer is yes.

Grab a concept.

Consider your companies views regarding the Internet, it's usage, leverage, belief and ethic systems all ready in place.

Before you charge on ahead, going where angels fear to tread, have a good understanding of exactly what the combination of the companies strategies and objects exactly are. Then look again the vision and mission statements just to be sure you are working within these guidelines. Study carefully the social media policy... or lack of one.

You know the what, the  where's and how too. This knowledge is of great worth to any company that uses it. However, by the 'self-value' not being understood even by yourself the effect lessons the other values - that your hard earned skills, certificates and experiences have all cost you to get.  Put your price on them. Work at not lowering what you have going for you.

I say this, as when you charge on ahead, out of this realm and falling into a danger zone of having no support, you will be overused, unsupported and frustrated... just to name a few.  There goes both your anxiety and stress levels off the measurable chart, taking with it your health and sapping your energy poor time management. Especially since there are so many variables to put into place [sites to use, information, research to gather, writers and other multimedia and techno savvy people to train and work as a team] just so the first post can flutter onto a web page.

If you are already heading this way... STOP. Sit back and reassess what and where you currently are.  Why you were heading that way?  Begin thinking out of the box just to get another point of view. Remember and action that fact that you are not a prisoner of work but a Person of Worth  [P.O.W]

Food for thought... who am I

You may know me.
I’m your constant companion.
I’m your greatest helper.
I’m your heaviest burden.

I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.
I am at your command.
Half the tasks you do can be turned over to me.
I’m able to do them quickly, and
I’m able to do them the same every time.

I’m easily managed... all you have to do is to be firm, with me.
Show me exactly how you want it done-
after a few lessons, I’ll do it automatically.

I am the servant of all great men and women,
And, of course, servant of all the failures as well.
I've made all the great individuals who have ever been great.
And I’ve made all the losers, too.
I work with all the precision of a computer
and the intelligence of a human being.
You may run me for profit, or you may run me to ruin.
It makes no difference to me.

Make me a strong part of your life.
Be easy with me and I will destroy you.
Be firm with me and I’ll put the world at your feet.

Who am I? I am HABIT.

(Author unknown)

Balance and realine - a training gaol

When people are in a situation where their 'daily lives' are influenced strongly by an increasingly self feeding circular stress / anxiety and depression cycle the influencing factors spiral. Often not seen until the inevitable happens where something goes and breaks down.  Now added guilt factors step in. Businesses loose well trained and valuable members of their work force when the people realise that they do not even like what they do any more.  The fun has gone out of their lives. Added work loads now pile up onto other people [more stress for them] and the training department keeps employed as long as the business can pay them to keep going.

 Implemented 'stress load recognition" steps built into any ongoing training program  become doubly important as they are a set of tools for all transitional from within the the work place, the community and the family life.  That people have the belief the attitude of 'burring the heads in the sand' will make it go away. Thus they are not involved or responsible is an abuse by all to actively ignore what is going on will not make it go away.  Instead the abuses are intensified as they are magnified. Like a pebble skimming the water something eventually impacts with something else then eventually sinks.

Walking the double edged sword of having to psych ones self up to take an active part in a job completion task often is of assistance.  Being able to hop from one side to the other, do the job and being able to effectively be efficient at fully leaving the situation behind is the aim of initial training and then constantly updating that training.

 Effectively the person is spring boarding into the jobs starting point through putting on a ' practised uniform'.  Think of an emergency worker. Sometime through their training they are shown how to cut off from being themselves, flick into work mode, do the job and come back into themselves. For years nurses went to their place of work. In the locker room they changes out of their civvies and into the uniform.  There were often others around letting off steam, offering a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on. The head nurses would be warned about trouble brewing and deal with the issues.  In today's world debriefing has overtaken part of this return transition process. Expert help from a neutral person outside of the circle of events that actually were occurring. Alternatively time out camps where returned solders can go in order to hole up. Take the time and eventually come back into their world reality.

These scenarios illustrate strategic release times when and where ordinary human beings are out their doing what they are trained or allowed to do sometime during their life. Not implementing the Occupational Health and Safety steps now incorporated within 'set out pathway to recovery' finds those behind the system guilty of work place abuse issues even years after the activities or events triggered a release of the 'adrenaline rush' triggered to cope with the work experiences.

When people are unable to make the full jump between the analogy of the double edged sword mentioned above they gradually reach breaking point. Often unseen by themselves as what was 'norm' has now been overtaken by this new norm. Incorporated into any training program a series of 'just have fun activities' that include the families, refresh the person and are their without competitiveness factors interrupting is a must.

By building into the awesome responsibility of  the "..too succeed or not to succeed" part of human nature fun training activities that release the reassure, reconnect both ourselves and the others around us with 'fresh air and balance' the training team supports further cohesive actions, goal attainments and reignition while allowing the persons involved chances to balance, realine and become whole once again.

Trying another side of Google

I am at the beginning of a steep learning curve that sees me both  learning and implementing just how far I can utilize the Google Documents.

An associate showed me Google Documents. Then opened the Google Document world to me. Things I had thought of before suddenly became limitless.

• Previously having to save diagrams and pages in half or quarter size for people to read them on the information presented on the blogger.  
• Printing this information out caused the enlargements to be unreadable.
• I kept finding scholarship papers popping up in Google search engines.  These were really good reading as I was told the procedure to place a 'paper' on this level of the web.  therefore felt that the source to be more accurate that something placed on the web.
• Instead of repeating actions that involve a lot of copy writing the same things over and over blogger's tab bar has incorporated a web address link. 
• The folders can be made and files stored in them.  Meanwhile there is a running sheet of each and every file you are working on as well.
• Sharing is a terrific idea when you are able to limit those who see but also those who can change things around with you. Check the documents out. 
• Time management wise there is a lot to be done to enable the change overs from blog indexes to document presented indexes.  However for the readers easing this time spend is a profitable investment.
• Locating files to update -where someone else is or has been working on - is easier as they have popped up to the top of the list.

On the down size although 

• The printing has greater scope the graph pages are still tricky to print out .

Google Documents will add another dynamic side to the blogs that I have fun writing with.

Covers everything I think

Who said that? Where did that list come from?

Now prove it to me!

12 RULES FOR GETTING THE BEST OUT OF PEOPLE

Expect the best out of the people you lead. Make a through study out of other peoples needs. Establish high standards for excellence. Create an environment where failure is not fatal. If they are going anywhere near where you want to go, climb on other people's bandwagons. Employ models  to encourage success. Recognize and applaud achievement. Employ a mixture of positive and negative reinforcement. Appeal sparingly to the competitive urge. place a premium on collaboration. Build into the group an allowance for storms. Take steps to keep your own motivation high.

Found this when visiting a forgotten site. 

The hook, link and sinker effect.

As a sales person learns, practices and uses the techniques shown to them through a combination of the in-house training, the private and sales experiences, reading, an awareness of just how far that sales person has travelled  becomes apparent to them. This is especially so when they then observe someone that they too have mentored mentoring a new sales person. The effect of a good mentor is that they cause ripples of interest to become tsunamis with sales climbing and experiences growing.

Like a well presented cloak, the experiences are woven into the materials threads. This results in the three way strengthening of the sales structures.  A sales person is a channel between their company and the client. The cloak of sales experience holds together that three way interaction process which occurs through the development of an interactive 'common' knowledge base, customer interactions, natural decision inputs and shared understandings. Even when the client themselves has not recognised those needs now dealt with the interaction is still occuring.

While a common basis is formed [from trust, repetition, and good standing has been developed] the simulation of shared base of images is triggered. At times during the sales persons 'off time' the client will approach by themselves, through another person or with another prospective client, then casually mention something that has been bothering them.  Word of mouth and referrals are powerful trust mechanisms.  Follow through on them or your client is made to feel foolish.

Since your client has already taken the bait long ago, he literally has been swimming around in circles waiting a trigger in order for him to stop swimming, give a yank for help so the sales person can real him in.  Some external and unexpected thing may have triggered the clients needs causing the client tot jump out the water and into the sales persons well positioned safety net!

Important note: Deal with the follow up, close the sale, unhook the fish at the mouth and let him go.  Oh and did I forget to mention you, the sales person has transferred the client from the wild sea into your own fish tank!

To care for transferred fish means that the sales persons team feed them regularly, interact when and where possible, do not swim in the tank, clean the tank when needed. 

Rescuers complex.

In the beginning the client had a concrete set of images in their mind.  The sales person job is much like a lawyers. The client is like the jury members both waiting and needing to be swayed.

Through the use of  multi-media animation built up from photographs and videos that superimpose a graphic image into the mind of the client the animation gives the client a clear illustration of both the current situation and

• what may occur without your companies intervention, products or a design change.
• what might have actually happened. 

Either way the client goes the sales person follows up with a lead that takes the client through the opportunity door.

Just to practice 

1. Choose a picture from the newspaper. 
2. Draw a ring around some thing that may not be right, could go wrong or looks better with your product there.
3. Attach the picture to the reflective glass or an actual mirror surface you are standing in front of. 
4. Look into your eyes and practice saying out loud 

                               "Of course with these products this has changed, that would have been different, cost

                                factors verses compensation or insurance damages.... "

How would you feel when someone points out little things that leave niggling doubts. Now  that sales person sends you information to help you. Ahh! the rescuers complex in action.  

Close the sale now. Make a follow up date - to be confirmed of course. Move on to the next appointment. 

Triggers releasing action.

Ethics and experiences change in the various cultures which make up the community the sales person is entering into. Other than being resilient while taking the lead there are five things are the same through out the sales persons speal.

The first is money.  Effectively the sales person is after it, the client simply does not want to spend it. Stalemate.  With a win loose situation who will dominate?

True sales people look for a way to listen to the client - after all they hold what you want - their purse strings. You, the sales person wins when the client feels like they have won by signing up to what you are selling.  Once this has occurred further non-time wasting follow ups and contact is important.

The second is that cheesy smile.  One that says "I'm gonna take you for a ride" While you cannot see my hands mind your wallet!

The third is just talking too much.  If you are talking you are not listening to the clients needs.  Your message becomes blurred and with out end. Your mouth is moving so fast you are unable to see what the client is missing.  The clients cameras may let dust in. Spiders may trigger things off.  These equal hidden cost factors that the client happily pays for. What if your company has dust free entry camera.  Or can supply a cleaning and debugging service for the camera area.

While the sales person technique includes appraisal and analysing the clients needs - their own need for a close of sale might override common sense -intruding on a delicate close of sale threat.   When a sales person effectively shows the " I am not rushed but I do have other appointments" attitude from the start and has mentioned a time allotment such as ".. What about spending five minutes to show me what you are talking about?"  Spend just five minutes. Once achieved and done suggest that for a better understanding of the situation make a  positive affirmation to return either on Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning. Meanwhile you will forward information that will be helpful.

Now get out and do it. Exit with grace and confidence that you have not wasted your clients time. Make notes and critically review the time you have spent.  Pass on the information.  Make the experience worth while for both you and your client.

Presenting a morphed before and after vision leads to ongoing sales

The power of animation is so strong that simulations confer "pseudomemories".  Basically by the sales person supplying a pseudomemory  as a trigger tool the sales person is setting the seen for a is an imposed memory or trigger to gain hold. How the client needs to settle their mind.

You know your product is the best.  Simply dropping the prodct and running is not doing the client or yourself any favours.  The client is in need. Fearful of being sues, being left behind, knowing that you will have other people to see.

The real motivation to stay with you and your company is the reward of doing something and being recognised. Ask them which photos they would like placed in the Safety and Security blog that is a free publication emailed to interested parties.  Advertising is very expensive.  The situation of giving the clients business recognition for ongoing sales, or even spending time having a cuppa or meeting at a shared club activity is important.  Either way the client and sales person is in a win / win situation.

Have you an ongoing support team?

Oh boy!  Time to walk through the door.  Hope no one stares at you... is your tie on right, what about socks - are they paired.  Is your shirt inside out, trousers ... do they have a stain... did you slop something down your shirt already [is it noticeable?]

Obviously it's the first five minutes before you start work in that new place.  You have been there before. Even now the walls look closer, the staff have large fangs and sharp wit.  The nails to draw blood are hidden with a hammer to drive said nails into the wall. GLUP.

Where I have the pleasure of working currently building, developing and training the sales team there are support networks in place before you come in the door.  No I do not mean we rush out and hug you then drag you into and pamper you.  That action would probably drive the poor nervous person running out the self same door.

The business has tentatively been expanding the avenues of income.  While these avenues are being developed, then on sold, a new client customer base is being built - a process that is on going in any business. Over the last two months as new office staff have come in they are included in decisions.  The talents and skills of both the new and older staff members are utilized.  Encouragement for others to be supportive has been ongoing. Mentoring has a new level in that now it is shown  in not only passing on knowledge, creating new networks but also expanding the staffs collective skills basis and comfort zones.  For instance the new accountant is getting use to the idea that she has the power and it is expected for her to say 'No'! to any expense and the owners must listen. having just arrived two months ago she now has nearly completed a Quick-books bookkeeping course.  This takes three days out of the week and is two hours away from the office.  So staying overnight was going to be no option.  Instead of spending up to five hours travel [and waiting time] the account has stayed at a back packers hostel.  Now there is recommendations through her network . Initially a fifty year old grandmother on staff told the twenty two year old account about the hostel accommodation where that older staff member stays when in Melbourne..

Now a sales team is being trained up through sales situations, presentations, paper work, journals, basic book keeping and so forth. While one member of staff is writing these posts as a way of ongoing training and support, others are directing the new members on which areas to go to next, showing them different aspects of what the business actually does. Further because of an asset evaluation early in the sales time new dimensions are being incorporated within this business, explored by the same sales people who brought in those skills and assets not recognizing exactly how worth while their interest, skills and talents actually were. The challenge now is ongoing.  New teams are being picked through the sales peoples networks, then developed and supported by all the staff, their families and other stakeholders. The sales people are willing to accept the responsibility,  the rights and the collective accolades of their teams efforts.

Currently the business has had to develop in the wider area with a broader marketing base due to new Australian Federal policies, which have resulted in a lack of trained personal throughout the state. Big money is else where and that is where people had gravitated too.  Concurrently the ongoing problems have caused a staff shortage all around that impacts on the overall quantity of  service.

 Previously these factors had little effect until a previous sales person and office person dabbled a little too close to industrial espionage and gossip rumour warmongering. You are aware of the old word of mouth thing where what is gossiped about states ' Where the is smoke there must be fire".

Lessons have learned by the business, the new staff and the owners. The main one being that the people who have tried to destroy not only this business, but other small ones, have yet to discover is that loyalty to others actually helps and supports many people within the community. Selfish actions do not support a team - usually the team has been destroyed before that time or those people involved have have left.  However business do hang in there. Memories are long and direct. The new people are not being encouraged to take dirty action.  Instead it is being reinforced that dirty actions minimise the energy flows developing when a great bunch of people grow and strengthening together. Why go down to the abusers level.  Join together , move on, and inclusively together, with our support the business will grow, change, strengthen and be profitable once again.

Basically people support people, and business, who support them, give them a change to grow, develop, to stand up amongst many while having a innate sense of self worth, while asking for nothing in return.

Way to Go Sales Team.

A sales team  is part of the overall business workforce.  Literally any business is in business to show a profit thus keeping the share holders happy, the employees employed, the bills paid and expenses managed. This said the employees take their professional bearings along with their attitudes lead from the businesses management.

A business that supports the environment it is in in a manner which overcomes challenges (both major and minor) will in turn lead the way for their employees and others that it interacts with greater ease,  manages to grow from adversity, then turns potentially negative events into positive ones can harvest that same flow of energy through their structure.  Effectively the benchmarks the company sets are passed on through the staff. Both the staff, other stakeholders and the business becoming more resilient, responding to change pro-actively rather than resisting any change factors.  After all where would you now be should electricity then light bulbs not have been invented?  Way back before then what about the garnishing of fire embers and the shaping of a wheel?

Business and people who develop the right attitude, actually become aware, develop an internal Locus of Control managing to cultivate optimism social support through a sense of humor. Meanwhile as the staff are encouraged to exercise , to explore their spiritual side  they are also prompted not to give up.

Given this positive atmosphere that is moving forward what hope does the sales team have but to emulate it and come up smiling.  Way to Go.

Resilience in our Sales People.

Selling and Sales People go hand in hand ... correct?  Like so many other positions stress and its associated triggers also are right there too.  So, how does a sales person have the ability that enables them to adapt, therefore deal with stressful selling situations? Add to this the external disasters that good sales people are able to turn into a profitable situation for both client, the business they represent and their own bank balance.  Yet every one, in the three way situation, feels satisfied as they hold firm to the belief of a job well done!

The trick is that the sales person has learned to adapt a "roll with the punches " attitude.  The benefit is that by adapting to adversity the minor or major stress factors and life changes have less impact.

Lets start with the smaller practical factors with sales.

• Know who you are.
• Have belief in what you are selling.
• Expect the help you ask for to be given.
• Keep a tab on the follow ups.
• Do your paper work
• Present well, be courteous, mannered and leave with grace.

Now the slightly harder ones.

• Acknowledge that when you are selling there will be many who are not buying.  Simple fact. Live with it or do what you have been taught to do about it.
• When you cold call there will be many knock backs. Acknowledge there is a roller coaster ride to sales. Know that you are supported on the bad days, give out to others on these days to. Be part of a forward moving team. Celebrate both the good and bad achievements. 
• Rebalance and move on.
• Wow! Are they having a bad hair day or what?  Do not take their bad hair day on or it will follow you and your sales team around like a bad smell.

All these things bring about emotional changes and surprises. How you deal with these ups and downs, negatives, knock backs, frustrations, what your family members are doing [ or could be doing] may have been observed during your infancy and may even carry through into your selling period.  Note that the resilience you are looking for can and should be developed with a little effort.  Resilience is not resistance. Resilience is not a matter of blocking, out but of how you hold onto the challenge, grab a duster and flick away a few fears, then get on with the job of selling.

Shared understanding

Think about it. Your sitting in on some meeting somewhere and up pops a totally irrelvant idea for that time. What do you do?  Whip out the recorder and try talking into it? Change the conversation flow becoming the unwanted centre of attention.  [Great if you are at a wedding listening to the father of the grooms speech!].
No. Y you grab a bit of something to write on [table napkin, scribble pad or even piece of skin] and scribble furiously.

Now get to the time where need to remember what it was you actually were writing about and what happens.  Your blank.

Use of multi media greatly improves shared understanding through the avenue of shared seeing. Shared seeing involves animation, videos, power point presentations, music or voice overlays that take the client directly into what you want them to experience.  Putting this multi media into action your client follow up beings to look promising.

Since you have spent time listening to your client describe what they need, or you have left them with a further thought, send direct to that client an email with an attached tailor made company's page that addresses their specific needs. On the page have preselected  targeted visual stimulation presentations that range only two minutes duration. Add a free bee, other information and a direct survey for their needs.

• Note all feed back is classed as paper work and must be treated accordingly.  Email the information to the relevant people within the business you represent.

Visual representation explains to the client  why they actually want the product you are selling.  Sending the client a link to the information gives the client the opportunity for some down time viewing. The client may even pass the link to another, or other people, for their reviewing. Effectively you are setting the sales scene by arousing the clients discomfort of dissonance.

Rather than just sending a series of disjointed bits and pieces - have a presentation prepared through Google Documents. For on going information updates refer the client through to the relevant site ie.

Free updates on - Safety and Security for You - and your staff - just hit here.

The actual line gives you something, names the something and then tells you to action it here.  Has your trigger finger been tempted to hit the here yet?

At this point you have done the following

• Followed up on what you have said you will do.
• Gained a measure of trust that you will follow though.
• Given the client breathing room or the ability to share their work load through the appropriate channels.
• Set the scene for closing the sale.
• Triggered the connection between you and the client, the staff and their family connections.
• Increased the traffic flow through to the business you represent continual data service.

Just a question here. What happens when the client sees something that easily could be a before and after shot of similar problems they either are having, have experiences with or may be in fear of having.

Yes you have included a tailor made survey in the document you have sent have you not?

*

T.R.U.S.T

Try a
Ruse
U
Suffer
Tragically



The effect of T.R.U.S.T. being used in the negative is that the actual TRUST you have built up over time and through honest effort simply evaporates.  Gone like a fluff of dust into a vacuum.

Knowing your product

People who lie or those spreading maliciousness gossip will get caught out.  With today's internet is there really anywhere you can hide once your credibility has vanished?

Yes. People will buy from positive and credible  people.  Anything negative will tend to make those you are talking to hurray away in haste.  But once you have lied or gossiped people stay away from you in droves. Think about it : If you have lied about one thing, or gossiped about another person or business what do they think you are going to do about them?  And you really want to sell something to them.  All I can say is keep at it you may be successful.

Here's what you do.

Should you find that there has been a slip up go back and correct it.  Your reputation may suffer for a while but do not do the same things twice.  Hand the sales opportunity over to someone else before you do this again. Your reputation is the only thing that counts when selling. It is your honesty and therefore your reputation that sells to the client.

There will be times that you are asked a question by the client, other times when you think that there is a product or service that may be just what the client needs. The client has outlined what they want, you have spent time listening, you know that time is money... effectively your money.  STOP right here.  Allow the customer to hear you out.  Make a follow up time so that you can find out further information with regard to what the customer wants.  Will it suit their needs expressed as it is , be tailor made for the clients needs? or even not suit at all.  Now YOU get back to the client and let them know.  Even arrange to bring in the expert in that field.

The reason is easy :-  T.R.U.S.T.

That paperwork again!

• Paper work is important, be it through pen on paper or multi media means. Channelling the correct paper work through the parties involved keeps communication up front and moving on. Keep your finger on the pulse here through tracking the information as it goes through the organisation you are representing.
• Reports are a two way means of keeping everyone informed.
• Updating the journal and diary entries you keep. 
• Filling out the surveys.
• Reading newspapers, the net, and stream lined emails will assist in keeping you ahead or just on top of what is happening. The possibilities are endless so act on them yourself or through contacting your head salesman or other appropriate person.

• Today the use of multi media is prevalent.  Should things ever go to court what bis actually written in hard copy stands up in court. Anything else is an opportunity for fraud as it can be electronically tampered with or whipped out in a instant. Yes the disks may be unscrambled... at whose cost?.

Here comes an opportunity!

Either recognise an opportunity or make one. Now do what needs to be done. 

Networking

Follow up

Was there a little detail left behind that they will instantly remember when you call back for a follow up?

What time was that?

Were you late, barging in through a busy sales time, did you talk too long, waste to much time?

Waste time you loose the opportunity, waste time management skills and literally kill the opportunity of furthing that lead while nullifying the request for a referral. 

Your appearance

Your dress code, demeanour, posture, the presence you radiated? Was what you were carrying, clean cut, crisp and well presented?

Courtesy, manners and politeness.

Little things that speak volumes. Once you are in sales your whole scope of activities are under review on and off the job. Any weakness within these will catch you unaware.  Your client will know even on a subconscious level that there was a weakness there.  

Taking the lead in sales includes..

As a sales person you are always under review from your prospective and current clients. Thus said you are then always 'interviewing'  and representing both the clients as well as the business you are engaged in. Therefore there will always be 'taking the lead' control factors in play.   Not the control factors of outright dominance but those that guide the sale into your hands.

Start with your appearance
You rock up to a beach party in a top hat and tails.  Wrong place and time to carry through with your sales pitch. So while dressing and acting the part is important there are many variances that could be unaware of but you will be remembered for these discrepancies. 

Your attitude.

Individually courtesy, manners and politeness will only take you so far.  But with all three in use you will go further to getting that sale than you would have before. Factoring the knowing where you are heading to this attitude mix your journey destination is  focused, able to be redirected and realigned if necessary..

Time factors.
The old saying of "Time is money" being so true why waste your clients and yours?

Follow ups

You have made one cold call, received an interview time, even just following through with  a cold calling update. Follow ups are opportunities that come from many different places. Turn these opportunities into what the customer wants -  your sales will increase. Remember that it is not the way you enter but how you leave that stays in people minds.

Networking

To network you need to interact with people. This is a constant in any sales position. Therefore to create a functional network includes all the contacts you get through the  interests and activities both inside and outside the "Work time".

Being opportunistic
While being on the forefront of things you are learning to recognise opportunities be they repeat patterns or new trends. Get out there yourself or refer the opportunities to your fellow sales people. In effect sometimes "go with the flow" actually means "trailing the storm gathering float some".

Closing the sale

Why put all that energy and time taking the lead without closing the sale?  If you do not close the sale someone else will walk in and get it.  Effectively you work and they get the money!


Filling in the paper work.
Come on where would you really be without it.

One last thing.
The conscience checker you use will be guiding your sales method. So ask yourself this question!

It's happened. The emotions come. Capture the moment.

Imagine this:
There has been a robbery, arson attack, serious bodily harm been done.  The culprits have not been caught.

Now there is:  an Event===> arousal===> reasoning===> emotion.

Either once an event has occurred, or when it is about to occur, sales people go to the area to capture the two-factor theory of emotion and put it into action. The harvest is the sales and thus the sales persons commission.
Yearly there are celebrations on the calendar.  Corporations and manufactures compliment the use of sales people with the emotional pulls the subconsciousness cognitive act of 'missing out' to lever up the sales. Effectively the more sales the greater pulses the economic cycle has injected into it. The more everyone benefits.

People or business who buy early must buy well.  The fashion may change or an updated product will hit the self.  Sales people go back and take the next order. Neither the client, nor their clients want to miss out as the money cycle flows. The clients know this but still they events confirm their conclusions.

A good sales line is something like  " If you are feeling a bit vulnerable after the last rise in thefts from your store and are excited by what this camera can do for you then..." Close the sale now.

It will be better with this!!

What trigger is associated with
 this warning?

There are times when the salesperson becomes aware the client disbelieves that the sales persons product will be of benefit to them or their business.

At this point ask the client to show you why their system is working for them. As an external observer the client may actually begin to trip over their own beliefs. As the client is engaged in showing the sales person the five basic requirements [how, what, who, when and why] something is good for them subliminal messages as to why something did not work, or is troubling a staff member begin to pop up in the conversation. The sales person is utilizing the self-perception theory where the clients triggers either or a sub-subliminal; or sub-conscious memory results in an window need for the sales person to close the sale on..

The clients attitude has begun to change because they

• are aroused and beginning to feel the discomfort of dissonance.
• attribute the cause of their discomfort or disbelief to their own behaviours and attitudes.

Open the eyes the clients eyes
 to 'see' associated triggers that
 close the sale for you?

Through the external justification the 'triggers' have the client now beginning to talk themselves into needing what the sales person is selling. Further to this the sales person offers to send a follow up file with additional information.

When the client has a strong view on something the sales person calls the view into doubt by giving discomforting examples. Fast food sales staff are good at this when taking your order. How often have you been asked chips with that?  Yet you know the calories present, even know your glucose level will not be good after it.  But suddenly there they are and there's you eating them too! Or you are asked if you would 'Upsize'.  You pay more for the unwanted economy of a bigger meal that you may have not wanted in the first place. Chips and all. All you really wanted was a hot drink!

From here the sales person leads the client back through the cognitive dissonance sales to the closure or straight into the closure of the sale.

Where do I sign.

When people are swayed to change their habits, ideas or principles, something has occurred to trigger this action flow.  Often people sow seeds that make another person uncomfortable, causing inner turmoil or conflict. When this sowing is done with positive regard for the other persons situation the result is called "Cognitive Dissonance".

People that have good sales technique often use cognitive dissonance as a central component to many forms of persuasion.  The challenge of changing beliefs, values, attitudes and behaviours of the client starts when the sales person knows their product, but listens to what the client is actually asking for.  The sales person then tailors what they have to offer into what the client wishes to hear.

Dissonance basically means holding two conflicting thoughts at the same time. By the sales person fully listening to the client, then tailor making their presentation to meet the needs analysis 'he' has done as the client has explained their situation, the sales person has just done three very important steps.

Where are the tomato plants

1. The sales person has got the client to explain why they actually want the product that the sales person is selling.
2. The client passively wants it but is also trying to self explain away the fears from not having it.
3. Now the clients inability to rationalize and explain the conflict between wanting and not having it causes a need for the void to be filled. 

In effect the client has just tilled the soil, fertilized it, grabbed a hand full of seeds and is in the process of sowing those seeds.  The sales person just has to assist the client with the choice of seeds or transplanting actual plants for a quicker harvest time.

At this point the client has had to

1. Change their behaviours from a 'no' situation to a 'I must have' situation. Using the seed situation the client has gone from believing the soil would benefit from being left alone for another year, into planting cheery tomatoes.
2. Needs to justify their behaviour by changing the conflicting cognition. Cherry tomatoes are more productive than asparagus as the crop will be more immediate.
3. Then the client will justify their behaviour by adding new cognitions. Next year I will companion plant with...

In effect, what has happened is that the client has just talked themselves into signing on the bottom line.

Closing the sale

An actual salesperson learns rather quickly how to close the sale having swayed the client towards what you have that covers their requirements.

Not knowing exactly what to say when closing a sale leads to uncertainty when opening a sale. To deal with this problem we will assume that

• The initial appointment was scheduled and you are attending the first follow-up.
• You have presented yourself well,
• Trust has been gained and stabilized,
• By listening to their situation you know where they want to go and feel confident that your service is a good fit to their needs.
• You have even explained how your service works.

Now what do you do?

For a start you want to close the sale not leave the sale open.  At this point you do not ask the client to think about it.  Thinking themselves out of the sale is what the client is good at.

Asking the client to get back to you is not on either as the client will have a lot of time between the then and now. 

What the client does not want to do is waste their time and money.  Buy asking them to let you know what they would like you to do is asking them to think on another dimension.  This takes the client away from making money!

Putting the client on the spot causes them to be uncomfortable.  Loosing  points with the trust issues is a lot easier than gaining these points in your favour.

Using the assumption principle your confidence will continue to reach out to the client when you use the assumptive close. 

An horrific encounter with no time to spare.

 When you enter through the door way to your next appointment which would you rather encounter!

 You have to
 admit that one sales person dream is  another ones nightmare!

When your focus is on friendly gestures do not forget that they must include the following :

•  your own, 
•  the direct person you are aiming to talk too or are currently talking with,
• All the others around you.

Before proceeding with the sales pitch for an interview time stand back allowing others to come forward - especially as they are either paining customers waiting to be served, or someone waiting for the person you are approaching either to work with them directly of for them.

Friendly gestures may be considered a waste of time when you are rambling on after the other person has basically said "NO".  That No may be the end of their conversation time allotment.

At this point make a judgement decision. Take that persons lead but still be the leader within the conversation.  Allow the client to be busy while creating a way to call back at another time. Initially when you shook hands  names were swapped. right. Use the clients name when you are allocating your precious time to call on them.  ie.  "Susan. I will be back on either Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning next week.  Either way I would be happy to email you some addition information on [Focus your target information topic here]... Tomorrow I will phone you and conform the time."

Say a cheery goodbye and be on your way to the next call.

Remember Sales all boils down to - time'.  Waste theirs and they will not be happy - neither you nor your company representatives will be welcome back.  Waste your own and you will not have time for you next sale.

Practice delivering your message.

Delivering your message in a quiet yet effective method may be appropriate at some times yet inappropriate at others.

By practising with family, pets, even in mirrors and on strangers you will begin to deliver your message naturally without forcing an issue or faking the self appreciation and self confidence level.

Mix your message with a firmness and cheerfulness that is concurrent with your "positive trust me" body language. Then believe in both what you are selling - yourself, you company and the product.

Exit with appreciated thanks

Are you scared of making yourself to raw or of having your trust smashed? What happens when you refer someone on  and there is a much up.  Things just did not work out, ended up messy, with painful repercussions and complicated outcomes?

When  a salesperson approaches someone in the visited building that salesman is asking the other person to represent them. In effect to trust them, make a complimentary judgement and then refer them higher up. Your network of people has increased.  The referrer has opened the door to you.  All this work so why would you want to have it slammed behind you?

That same salesman wants, and needs, to make a good impression in order to better the commission chance - correct?

Here is the crunch. Often people approach someone , they refer them on, consequently the referrer gts trampled on if the sales person attitude rubs the boss the wrong way, or simply offers a good product at the wrong time.

As the sales person disappears out the door the referrer does not even get a good bye or a thank you.

Take time to make a good impression on the way in.  remember that it is not the way in you are remembered for but your exit.  Spend that time personally saying your thanks.  Leave the referer a card as a complimentary thank you please remember me ticket into your  next call back.  The time you spend leaving the place you have enetered makes for a more relaxed acceptance for when you do a follow up.  The relaxed attmosphere rather than the chilled 'over there' nod has already marked you in their bosses eyes.

Thirty seconds spend in acknowldegement when leaving gains you miles and minutes when you finally pitch your wears to the boss.

Interacting and communicating with others

Having gained, practised and put into place effective people skills takes time, commitment and effort. Interacting with your business, employment or those who are you target audience challenges and expands these skills still further. Using these skills to communicate with people, while they in turn have a base to form trust from, is a method successful used effective sales people.

To the point - to gain successful sales means that the sales person has to use effective people skills, backed up through supported decision making processes. Backing management allows the new sales person to reach a decision on their own, implement that decision, take responsibility for the outcomes from that decision, move forward having learned from the actions and counter reactions.

 Primarily for the sales person to obtain the help that enables them to further develop confidence, communicate well and establish a rapport with other people, an initial stepping stone should be implemented. This could be as simple as using the introductory and handshake phase to garner the control of the situation. to have this control stabilised and past through to others the whole time you are their selling.

Once the people skills go up, the sales go up. Confidence is given by both parties. People like the way business is handled.  They become relaxed. The people skills go up to a new bench mark level.

Are you coming back?

When a negative bias has been adopted and someone says to you "Why should I believe these fantastic claims?" as a question form what they are actually indicating is that they are actually willing to at least listen to the argument and any evidence that you have.

In peoples minds, sometimes even when they know something is there, happening, unfolding right in front of their eyes, they will doubt it. Negative inputs being easier to believe than positive transparent visualizations it is up to the sales person to change these negatives into being positive trust factors.

How you approach and connect with the prospective consumer is all a matter of communication factors.  These include the indirect ones, the male verses female ones, even bring in with you that feeling of having a positive atmosphere surrounding you in which others want to enter.

Effectively take the time to build the trust of both you and the company you represent.  Call back, drop information and newsletters when asked to them. Let the consumer know that you may not have the appropriate skill level to answer the questions straight away.  However the good news is that it is up to you to bring a representative of your company to them who has the information. Arrange a mutual time for all three of you to be there and discuss the issues raised.

Commission wise, straight off there may be other factors that influence the sale not going through straight away, however your honesty will be less questioned, your approach will receive a friendlier acknowledgement and your presence will be accepted with less stress , greater balance, all round.




Reference
Leon James University of Hawaii

And now we have... who are you?

As an persons gains confidence in what they are doing and how this is perceived by their colleges and peers their comfort zone are widened.  The attitude to trying new and a wider variety of 'new' challenges and concepts increases.  What has been learned in other areas of their life gets 'readjusted' to suit this new environment. That person will have both an increasingly effective performance range and depth across a series of situations.  They will have an accumulation of 'book' knowledge and environmentally absorbed knowledge. How they apply this knowledge is what an employer is looking for.

When someone sees a job that they want to apply for they make enquiries and go through the motions.  Resume may still be of some importance.  However the employer wants to know that you can do the job, bring in new spheres and dimensions with the minimal amount of training and down time.

Writing up a list of assets, presenting yourself both in person as well as on line is of greater importance.  Research into your background is now a given and acceptable benchmark before you get into the interview stage. Another step is understanding the vision and mission statements of that business, then tailoring yourself into that frame of mind. Literally making yourself into what that business wants... and what that business wants is you.

Are you prepared to sell yourself?

The ass way of doing things

Adopting a dualistic approach to building a successful business just does not work.  Effectively disharmony crashes in through the door when a business is trying to work at two poles apart. If the primary head of the business wants to work with two polarities, on the one vision, then there is a wide gap between all facets of the business. What must happen is that the range of activities either comes closer merging in a mediocre nature [of the middle line] or the diversification must slow down while one pole of activity is built, then the other. Mildly putting it - either way the owner of the business will not be satisfied. Diversionary tactics must be unleashed so that the owner will get out of your hair while you correct up the mess and deal with the other problems.

Communication is a form of 'art'. ...An art form.   Just try and explain to someone who is used to seeing their world from one perspective how to change what and how they see things - through the eyes of another.  That person knows about  what is out there.  They may be very aware of how everything fits into place.  What that person has not yet experienced is how to use their 'learned' knowledge into something of use to them.to fit into  this present situation.

For instance a person dealing in sales may have a retail certificate.  Yes they know how sales are conducted after the point of choice being confirmed. What they do not yet have is the practical working knowledge of how to use this retail certificate theory in  another work related sales area.  For instance a sales staff member re-learning their trade to become part of a Sales Markets sweep team.  One that goes from business to business 'drumming up business'. Rather than working together to overcome a "knowledge argument" qualia the two 'sides' involved in the performance argument get into the non- progress mode and will not address conflict.  One yell at the other and lets off steam, the other does not perform well with their tasks. Now they are in trouble.

While helping to diversify base line of the business I am working with a needs analysis was complied.
The following was found:

Primarily links between teams was of a low to very poor level.

• There was no sales coming in. The reasons were various, hard hitting. Overall this issue needed to be dealt with while simultaneously creating anew and building another sales team up.
• Other than a practically non-existent sales team the main thrust of the business did not know how business is garnered.
• The main business source of the income were simply being mismanaged by people with hidden agendas.
• In house training appeared one sided as performance issues were not being resolved.

In summary there was a conflict occurring.  The resolution became clear when the situation was viewed from outside the "box".  Since not everyone could, or wanted to, become position C it meant that everyone coming in would go through Position A, then be on- trained trough to B or C, or D e.t.c. The rational is that with everyone knowing exactly how hard the "drumming of the business was to get" the people in the original position C, as well as the expanded positions B, D, E... would better appreciate their role in building the business business up.  In short the professional performance would be better benchmarked to. While this better performance was adhered to other business would come through as customers would benefit and refer on in a positive word of mouth format. 

The practical side of this is that the business sales team has grown. The new ones are being mentored by those with various skills and now sales experience.  The person in head of sales has begun to coordinate where the base sales team are going each day, they have a follow up-sheet presented to them that was collated from the knock back lists the day before.

During the week those in sales communicate by phone, text, knock back sheets, follow up sheets and in house dialogue.

Once a week there is a sales team meeting. All issues and strategies are open for dialogue. 

Developing the strategy, while implementing the logistics of having a functioning, creative and active sales team as part of the in-house training has already see positive effects. 

One step, two step, knock them all down

Action and interactions within life are major steps towards overcoming the monotony and routine of our daily lives.

A while ago I heard the story of Jumbo the elephant.  How he was trained to go round in circles.  When it came to rescuing himself from a devastating fire all he knew how to do was go round in circle.   This in the end proved fatal for Jumbo.  The mind set was such that even with the chains cut Jumbo could do noting else but go round in circles.

Since I had just left one place of employment, then heard about this story, I realised that my life had been going around in circles.

Starting in another place in a business advisory position my focus was to organise

• a cohesive, collaborative vibrant growing team. 
• a wider basis from which others can work and build upon.
• the financial aspects of the business.
• the overall appearance of the business.

Working together, all of us could have pulled the business out of where it was.  However one fatal thing had happened that lead me to suspect the owner did not truly want to get out of the hole that was dug thus unable to move forward.

Disaster was fast approaching. Everything that had been instigated appears to have been undone by this one compounded thing.

One major end result influencer is how the owner presents "everything on the line"'.  What is presented guides the advisor in how to handle the negatives that have occurred in the past or are unfolding as the time goes by.
Had the owner listened with an open ear, while being honest with both himself and the primary business associates, everyone may have known exactly where they stood within the business structure, known the strategies to be used, as well as the objectives to be reached and scope allowed. The sad things about this is that like a captain of a sinking skip I find that I have to stay on board and hopefully be there to salvage the wreckage, instead of scuttling it and allowing it to sink with dignity.  The primary reason is that I have introduced others and encouraged their hopes and dreams, they are on board.

One thing that has happened is that my life is not monotonous any more!  The routines have changes.  I may still go round in circles but mixing with other people, working through the web, even the places I go to have different action and interaction results.