I've Done It! I Completed My 30 Day Challenge

I've done it! I've completed my 30 day challenge or should I say Connie Ragen Green's challenge!

What a great feeling and I do thank Connie for getting me back into blogging! My blog has become my early morning friend that I share my first business thoughts of the day with. A little quiet time for me ... plus it's given me a good routine for placing my mind in perspective for the day.

For all of you who know you need to have a blog or need to use the blog you have more often, I do say to you .." just do it!" Just start writing something, anything daily. If you already have one that people read and you don't want to experiment with an audience, start a new one just for "your" fun. You will discover that each day gets easier and easier to think of your topics and to find time to write your postings. You will also discover that your blog will take its own direction and tell you its purpose. Do not worry up front about how you will use it.

The power of blogging (for you doubters) is much like Twitter to me! You have to experience both to understand their power. Their power cannot be explained.

So go out there and start writing some postings and have an adventure with it! If anyone wants help using blogger I provide that service. There are lots of other choices as well ... most blog platforms are free!

As always, please share "your" thoughts with me!

Keep your business growing ... .
margie

How Do You Answer Your Business Phone?

How do you answer your business phone? Wow ... have you ever really thought about that one little moment that happens throughout the day?

The topic came to my mind as I was spinning some ideas on ways we all "secure our connections" throughout the day. I remembered a sales manager I had a long time ago who when he answered your call made you feel like you had made his day. It made me feel so good.

At one point while working for this boss, my desk was within hearing distance of his office. I learned that he answered all his calls the same way. It did not disappoint me, it impressed me. Such a simple little step to take to strengthen bonds!

It's not as easy as it sounds. I am still trying to implement it consistently and am going to make it be a point in 2010.

Think about it .... try it! I know some of you already do this ... well. Some of us do it with people we really want to hear from, but not everyone. And then there are others of us who can get off track with anyone who calls us, as we work at home alone with our thoughts.

Here's how my x-boss did it. You make a point of a pleasant hello. Upon hearing who is calling you simply say with joy, "John ... hi, how are you?" Saying their name out loud back to them always strengthens connections ( anywhere you use it .... good and bad :-) ) Don't over-do it, as that can look somewhat false .... just stick with pleasant as you begin and include that name.

So here's my challenge ... let's all try it, starting the moment you read this. We make "everyone" who calls us feel like they have made out day. We check back with each other in one month, February 8th ... just marked my calendar. I'll do another posting with my experiences and let you share yours as well.

Keep your business growing ...
margie

Securing Business Connections ... 6 Easy Natural Steps!

"Securing business connections" is a new term I am using for selling and/or closing business. Now that sales is a dirty word, I am thinking that our mindsets need to have a new perspective ... because we all must sell, right?

Securing a connection makes perfect logical sense and should be a more natural process for many who have made sales "seem" like a difficult feat. Take the steps found below and see what you think! Let me know what you come up with.

First lets go back to yesterday's posting where we talked about not forcing a connection to your service and/or product. There are matches out there for what you do that "fit" perfectly. You have the exact solution! That doesn't mean you will automatically get the sale because you will most likely also have some type of competition (good and bad) to deal with and your buyer may not even realize you are the perfect solution. So, what do you do?

Here are 6 steps to take upon identifying a quality "connection" for your product and/or service. Take special note that steps 1 and 2 are excellent for your use on social networks, The "securing" process starts within your prospecting activities online, in a 1-to-1 meeting, in a bar! Anywhere you find a "connection" you can begin to "secure" that connection ... very important to know!

1. Start asking questions.... making your questions be about the buyer.
   Gentle questions that allow you further explore the buyer's needs. Simply ask them, from all angles, what they are looking for. Look to all the "whys" and potential benefits.
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   The beginning of the "securing" process.
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2. Ask for agreement that your buyer sees that you have the perfect solution.
   After several exploring questions from step #1 stop and "simply" ask your buyer, "would you agree that so far you've found in these last few items we've discussed what you need?" Notice that I say, "you've found" NOT "I've got!" Keep the focus on your buyer, not yourself.
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   You have now "secured" some of the pieces.
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3. Summarize and ask for a final confirmation or "yes!"
   After covering multiple "whys" and receiving agreements, as you walk through what the buyer is looking for, summarize and conclude. "Looks like everything we have talked about is here ... would you agree with that?"
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   This step "secures" they want what you have!
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4. The Natural Close
   Now you say, " If everything looks good, what do we need to do to put this together for you?" Or, "what do we need to do to get this for you?" Or ... some similar wording that you are comfortable with. This allows room for all the other issues that might prevent a sale from happening to be put on the table, up front! Price, decision maker, timing, payment process, etc. If there are none, you are done! Congratulations.
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   You either secured a done deal at this step OR you have secured a process that serves as a check list of "to do's" in completing the deal. It works well especially if any objections occur along the way. At any point you can refer back to your plan that you "both" agreed to and explore the new objections or any new issues more "securely!"
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5. Solving Additional Issues With A Plan
   Work with the buyer on any additional issues. The buyer has at this point said they want what you have. Start helping "them" get it! Become a consultant and together figure out a plan to tackle the remaining issues. Get final agreement on the plan so you can both reference it should any surprises occur.
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   Now you are securing your relationship. Trust and loyalty is building!
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6. Celebrate A New Client
   Plan completed ... you are done! You have a sale but also you have given birth to a new business relationship because you helped "them." Congratulations.
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   You have now secured new business that is good for your client and good for you. Well done!
   

The great part of this process is when you receive the final sale you do feel as though your buyer did all the work! You simply facilitated the process. It's that easy and that fulfilling.

Hope you see how each step "secured" the final sale. The more agreement and confirmation of that agreement. the more secure you can be in getting that final "yes." It is also an easy way to make sure you are providing what the buyer wants.

Securing the sale continues after the first sale. How you provide follow-up, service, etc. or how you continue to build a relationship with this buyer is "securing' future new, repeat and referral business from this buyer. Something we all want!

I hope this new "mindset" can help you. Sales doesn't have to be a dirty word. We all would not exist without sales. As always, let me know your thoughts.

Keep Your Business Growing ...
margie

You Can't Force Connections!

"You can't force connections." .... I heard this on The Bachelor last night and it stuck with me because it is so true of what happens in the world of sales. Do you see the parallel?

Sales is, in its most basic form, a series of connections. A person has a need or want and a business "connects" their product or service to that need or want as a solution. The goal is to make good connections, of course!

So if selling is so easy and good ... why does selling have such a evil image? Because people/businesses try to "force" connections - in so many ways!

Here are just a few examples of what some salespeople do that produce what we refer to as "buyer's remorse:" How many have you experienced?

• Tell you that you can't live without their product.
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  Once you've bought it and get it home, you realize it isn't really what you wanted and you resent the product and the business that sold you!
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• Bury you in the features of a product - while not paying any attention to "why" you are looking to buy something.
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  You get it home and perfect as it is in many ways ... it isn't answering your "why." An example would be buying a sweater because you need to be warm. You go shopping and a salesperson sells you on all the features of a sweater (what you are basically looking for), you love it, bring it home and realize it is a sweater but not one that will keep you warm!
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• False lures ... price deals, bonus gifts, etc.
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  I think we've all been here. You see a "two-for-one" special. Gotta have it! You get home and never use either one of the two items. You say, "but it was a good deal!"
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• You fill in the rest! I think the list can go on and on. No wonder "sales" is considered a dirty word.
  

What can be equally as bad is something I read just yesterday online. It is almost right-on but still misses! There was a posting that was telling people not to push their product in front of people as it is not appreciated and would not create good relationships. This part I agree with totally. However, they went on to say that people like to buy from people (leaders), and that you should just go after making yourself a star within your industry and create personal connections.All they need and/or want to know is "you."

Well, personal connections are great and buyers do need to like (in most cases) and trust who they are buying from. But you still need to have a quality connection with what you need. You can't take the product and your "why" out of the package! If you do ... it is just another way of "forcing a connection" and it won't work in the long run or often even in the short run.

Start, or if you are already doing it, continue to "secure" your connections. Selling can be so much fun if you seek out where your good connections might be, identify people with the need you satisfy and again, work on the "securing" of quality connections. Simply find ways to "engage" and simply get enough agreement from your prospects so that they can "buy" with confidence. Your job is make sure the buyer is getting what "they" want ... NOT what "you" want. I will talk more about ways of "securing" your connections tomorrow!

Meanwhile, just remember ... "You can't force connections" ... true in love and business!

What are your thoughts on this? How do you look at selling? Are you having fun? Let me know!

Keep your business growing ...
margie

The Words We Use When Communicating!

Have you gotten involved yet in all the discussion going on about whether to refer to 2010 as "two thousand ten" or "twenty-ten"?

I had an interesting experience with it. When I first became aware I was "put off." Was wondering how and why people come up with these ideas! Of course I would continue to say, two thousand ten as we have been doing since the year 2000. Why do people try to change things?

Then it hit me out of the blue, actually while walking my friend's dog - " We have always referred to the years as two numbers!" 1995 was "nineteen ninety-five" and 1842 was "eighteen forty-two."We did not say "one thousand nine hundred and ninety five!"

Maybe your mind was clearer than mine on this, but ever since getting "with the program" and seeing 2010 as twenty-ten, it energizes me! There is just something more energizing, clear and distinct about "twenty-ten."

My point is ~ after writing a posting, email, newsletter ... go back and look at your words. Can you substitute any of your words with more energizing ones. Are you being clear, distinct and to the point. Are your words making it "easy" for the reader to "get" your message?

Start paying attention to this one little element of your communications ... if you do find words you could change, my bet is that you will also find changes in the responses to your messages.

Let me know what you think and if a change did make a difference. Would love your input.

Happy 2010 (twenty-ten) !!!!!!

Keep your business growing ...
margie

Don't Forget About Your Website!

With all the focus on social networking and one's mailing list these days, it is important not to forget about your website! Your website remains the central hub of all your communications. It is true that its format is going to be more of a blog very soon, but its purpose will remain the same .... that is to be a central core supporting all the elements of your business - products, services, staff, contact info, etc.

I don't know if you think this way already, but your website should be where you are eventually plannning to have all your other types of communications end up at and center around. If you are going to make this happen as successfully as possible, it is important that your website speaks clearly and distinctly to all its visitors.

Far be it for you to build a huge following on the social networks only to have your connections get to your website and not understand what you do! They will still like you out there on the social nets, but you won't get as much business as you could! Hmmmm.... :-)

Here are are few questions to ask yourself about your website:

1. Can a first time visitor "instantly" know what you do upon arriving at your website?
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2. Can a first time visitor "instantly" know if they should stay or go upon arriving at your website? Upon gettting througth item #1 above, the visitor now asks, "So What?" Do your have an answer for your visitor? Do they know upon landing on your site "what's in it for them?"
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3. If your visitors decide to stay on your website, is it easy for them to know where to go next on your site? Is the navigation clear and easy to follow?
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4. Is the text on your website easy to read at a glance?
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5. Do you have a path for a visitor's eye to follow on your website pages ... is text broken up into manageable paragraphs? Are images placed so that their eye will continue down the page ... or maybe text headlines are used for this?
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6. Can your visitors review your entire website with ease and comprehension?
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7. Are you following the Golden Rule of online communcations - Convenient to the reader and no "greys," thinking not required!

Hope you've discovered that you are in good shape! If not let me know your questions and/or concerns. Maybe you question some of the above? As always ... please share your thoughts here on my blog! Or ... contact me privately.

Keep your business growing ...
margie