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Lists Group Writing Project Takes Off
2007-11-27 20:28:00
Luciano Passuello, in his exploration of methodologies for using our minds more efficiently, has established the Litemind Lists Group Writing Project and has published the names of the participants and the title of their individual contributions. Each has furnished an enlightening personal effectiveness article in list format. This effort provides an excellent opportunity to learn new productivity and efficiency techniques from a variety of experts and share these tremendous resources with others. 5 Surefire Ways To Increase Comments On Your Blog by Vijay 35 Guaranteed Ways To Increase Your RSS Subscribers by Fred 5 Ways To Win A Blog Contest by Erz 5 Reasons Why I Bought a Domain by WishBoNe 5 Ways to Become the Perfect Idiot by Lori 12 Wordpress Editors you can choose by Karthik 100 Ways To Promote A Startup by Jason Drohn 17 POWER Tips For StumbleUpon Beginners by Dr. Mani 18 Tips to Become a Productive Blogger by Monika Mundell 15 Tips to Prevent R...

Are you Informed or Transformed?
2007-11-26 16:20:00
In the text of One Minute Millionaire, Mark Victor Hansen states that one has the opportunity to be either informed or transformed. That distinction has a great deal to do with our perspective, value system and internalization of what we are learning. So often, we tend to hear but do not listen. We observe but do not learn. If our intent is to grow, our patterns need to change. A vast flow of information assaults our senses each day from a wide variety of sources. It arrives with breadth and intensity via every imaginable form of media. Although we have the ability to selectively tune-in to see and hear what what we are interested in, the onslaught continues regardless of the attention we lend it. We choose how we are informed. For me, the media mix includes sales, marketing, entrepreneurial and general business information flowing from television, radio, web-TV and radio, blogs, RSS feeds, newsletters and magazines, both traditional and on-line. The most dynamic of these ar...
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6.5 Ways To Irritate Your Customers
2007-11-19 14:53:00
Customer relationships are invaluable. We dream of them, strive for them, plan for their achievement, enact plans to acquire them and then hope to keep them. Almost everything done in our business is aimed at the goal of developing new customers and maintaining a good relationship with them. Of course, all of this is not happening in a vacuum. Our competitors are likely taking similar steps in an effort to win those very same customers. Once that fragile relationship is developed, the focus must be on nurturing and maintaining that relationship. We court our prospects, systematically convincing them of our sincere interest in serving their needs. Often, these prospects become our customers. Unfortunately, once that courtship is over, many businesses tend to begin taking that new customer for granted. While following the same acquisition steps, looking for our next customer, we sometimes lose focus on our existing customer relationships and the intrinsic value of their business bo...
More About: Customers

All Credit Applications Will Be Accepted
2007-11-16 13:44:00
What a ridiculous statement which actually says absolutely nothing directly, but indirectly is intended to deceive the unsuspecting. The statement would lead one to believe that upon filling out a credit application, credit is granted and the item you desire to purchase will soon be yours. This statement actually says: Go ahead and fill out this application and we will receive it from you. If everything is to our liking, we will secure you a great interest rate quickly and enable your purchase. If you are less a desirable risk than we would like, we likely will forward your information to a local credit company that specializes in high-risk credit. If you do succeed with them, you will likely have an extremely high interest rate and a very expensive transaction. Regardless, you will probably leave here with a smile if you get the item you wanted. Every time I read or hear that statement made, often by car dealerships and rent-to-own stores, I cringe. This sales practice bothers ...
More About: Applications , Credit

Market Your Expertise By Sharing It in Writing
2007-11-14 16:40:00
Few marketing tactics are as focused or cost-effective as writing articles for the purpose of establishing your credibility and demonstrating your expertise to your market. For entrepreneurs, this strategy is particularly effective, especially over time. Utilizing this technique in combination with your blog or web site is a sure means of gaining market recognition and demonstrating credibility in your area of experience and expertise. Article writing is a means to give away a bit of your knowledge and skill in exchange for the opportunity to offer your prospects additional services. It is a wonderful win-win for everyone. This article writing strategy has been utilized and recommended by many top bloggers and successful entrepreneurs. I must attribute a majority of my site's growth to writing and distributing articles in a targeted, focused manner. These articles have appeared in countless company and web newsletters, blog posts, web sites and so on, helping to establish my mark...
More About: Writing , Market , Sharing , Hari , Pert

Today We Celebrate US Veterans Day
2007-11-12 16:29:00
Let us all take a moment and remember those who paid the ultimate price for the freedom we enjoy. Make it a point to express gratitude to all of our veterans. Thank them. Employ them. Value them. Pray for them. It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you. ~Dick Cheney It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace--but there is no  peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have?  Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!                              &...
More About: Today , Celebrate , Veterans , Veterans Day

7 Words You Can't Say In Sales
2007-11-12 14:20:00
In the early 70's, George Carlin created quite a stir with his comedic Seven Words You Can't Say on Television.  So much so, that his original routine is still talked about today. His choices were funny to some and grossly offensive to others. The fact remains, that despite a steady decline in moral standards on television, those seven words remain off-limits to this day, at least on network television. Our word choices and uses are important. They often convey our level of intelligence and understanding to others. Incorrect usage of words displays ignorance, causing others not to take us seriously. Words help to create pictures in our minds. This is critically important, especially in selling, where perception often means everything. "What you are doing speaks so loudly, that I cannot hear what you are saying." says Ralph Waldo Emerson. One might re-phrase that expression to say "I hear what you are saying, but I understand what I am perceiving." The...
More About: Sales

So Why Buy From You?
2007-11-09 15:33:00
When considering their specific needs and all of the available suppliers, why should a company call you to remedy their situation? What do you offer so uniquely that others do not? What makes you stand out in the crowd? What makes you special? Have you positioned yourself in a manner such that key individuals at these firms know you as their solution provider? If you can't readily answer these simple questions, you need to go back to the drawing board and create or re-create your own elevator speech, creatively and concisely espousing the reasons why people should want to employ your services. Your "why" should be both unique and compelling. I particularly like what bestselling author and CEO Harvey Mackay says... "The reason you should buy from me is that you get me!" That's it. Your branding efforts require constant and consistent attention. You cannot afford to let up or allow your image to be tarnished in any way. On the contrary, you must do everything...

Customers Buy The Who, Not The What
2007-10-16 14:15:00
While commenting on one of my articles, Lewis Green made an intriguing observation recently. He stated that "most customers buy the who (us) not the what (products) that they can easily buy from anyone." What a statement of fact! That is such an important distinction and a lesson well worth additional discussion and remembering. While most salespeople represent a company's product line, from pharmaceuticals to cleaning products, they are typically not the owner of the company. They do however, represent the company, sharing their brand image and reputation in the marketplace. Customers see salespeople, not the company they work for. From a customer prospective, salespeople are often synonymous with their employer. Their individual identity often fades. The superior salesperson is aware of the importance of nurturing relationships in their selling efforts. These salespeople strive to expose their own identity, their own brand, in addition to their employer's presence....

There is No More Job Security
2007-09-25 17:13:00
In today's world, the lines are sometimes blurred between career fields as so many market segments interact with each other in many respects. A good example is the automotive industry, one that I have a great deal of experience with, both as a customer and a  consulting salesperson. The big auto-makers are connected to their supply chains like at no prior time in history. The United Auto Workers have now gone on strike against General Motors with the central issue being job security. Job security? There is no more job security! How can any company be expected to provide such a thing? You've got to be kidding. That was my reaction when an in-depth NY Times news story detailed the situation. UAW president Ron Gettelfinger said "GM can’t take their eyes off the bottom line, which is lifetime job security for union members,” reported Internet news source, Scrappleface. When I was a kid, it was common to see people work their entire career for a single company, retirin...
More About: Security

Superior Selling Skills Mastery is Here!
2007-09-24 13:44:00
This is a departure from my usual platform and an opportunity to present my latest book, Superior Selling Skills Mast ery. It is finally here after months of anticipation and hard work. Within it's covers, you will find the culmination of my experience and wisdom garnered from 25 years of sales experience, sales training, personal development training and the school of hard-knocks. Although selling is not for everyone, everyone indeed sells! This is especially important to remember for those who must consistently sell their ideas to others. You do not necessarily need to have a career rooted in sales to find the value in determining new ways to convict others to your point-of-view. Entrepreneurs and small business owners will particularly benefit by reading this book. Many fear the sales requirements of their business and confess frustration and apprehension in executing this function. Superior Selling Skills Mastery was written for you! Like many professions, selling requires the...
More About: Peri

Can You Hear Me Selling Now?
2007-09-22 17:48:00
What is the message that you and your company are attempting to deliver to the marketplace? Is it uniquely yours, focused and delivered with clarity? Is it indeed the same message that your customers and prospects are hearing? Are you truly connecting? Your marketing message is tied directly to your brand, your identity. What are you doing each day to clarify your market position? Do you sometimes get in your own way? It's been said that " What you are doing speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you are saying." Is that true of you? Your company? Are you busy doing the inconsequential or are you busy adding value to your products and services for all to see? Is your marketing effective? If so, how are your resulting sales? Verizon's successful ad campaign featuring New York City actor Paul Marcarelli, has struck a rhythmic chord with the marketplace. "Can you hear me now?" has become an everyday term, identifiable with everyone who uses a cellphone. USA T...
More About: Selling , Hear

Selling: It's All About Relationships
2007-09-19 13:31:00
Selling is about interacting with people, other human beings. It is about connecting at a number of levels. Selling is all about relationships. It demands honesty and integrity and a perception of caring. You do not necessarily need to be technically proficient to be a success in selling. Although computers, projectors, Powerpoint® presentations, videos, spreadsheets, email campaigns, automated mail programs, CRM, Blackberry's®, flash drives and other technical marvels can certainly aid us in spreading our sales and marketing message, allowing us to reach out to more people faster than ever before, our success is not at all dependent upon the technology we employ. The technology is simply an aid, a tool, a resource. It is simply a means to an end. You are actually the message. Mike Sansone recently wrote concerning this topic on his Converstations  blog. He created a wonderful C.I.R.C.L.E. acronym as a reminder to us that success in life is truly a matter of developing a...
More About: Relationships , Selling

Sales Commissions Earned
2007-09-17 15:22:00
Are you a salesperson? Are you a business owner who pays commissions to salespeople? Depending upon  your role, you may have a very different perspective regarding commissions. Today, many salespeople are not paid a salary, rather they are paid a percentage of the gross profit earned on each sale. Some may remain a part of a company benefit program including health-care plan, expense allowance, 401K, cafeteria plan, etc..., but are frequently not considered a salaried employee. Many other salespeople earn a larger share of the gross profit, hence are responsible for their own expenses, benefits and tax payments. Most of these are considered 1099 agents rather than employees. Whichever applies to your situation certainly influences your attitude towards commissions earned. I have spoken with some business owners that consider salespeople a necessary expense and not an asset. These are typically somewhat reluctant to write those commission checks each month, seeing cash going...
More About: Sales , Commissions , Missi

The Rush to Acquire Big Blog Traffic
2007-09-16 20:18:00
BlogRush , from the marketing genius of John Reese, is a means of easily syndicating your blog content over a growing network of participating blogs! Word of it is already spreading like a wildfire. Launched this weekend, "BlogRush works by taking your RSS feed content and syndicating articles across the network at blogs that are topic-related to yours. Using a combination of context matching and the category you choose for your blog, BlogRush attempts to place your articles on blogs that it thinks are similar to yours. This should increase the click-through rate." proclaims web entrepreneur Yaro Starek. See an overview video here. This could be a great tool for all businesses with blogs, offering yet another platform to spread their marketing message and increase sales! Check it out! ...........................Daniel SitterAuthor If you enjoyed this post, please bookmark it and subscribe!         Listen
More About: Blog Traffic , Traffic , Blog , Acquire

First Contact: Establish Your Credibility
2007-09-14 17:19:00
One of my favorite sci-fi movies is the prolific Star Trek - First Contact film. The Borg, perhaps the greatest threat to humanity ever conceived, travel back in time to prevent first contact, the day where the Vulcans, an advanced society, decide to pay a visit to Earth. Entertaining? You bet! Most of our sales first contacts however, are far less dramatic, although no less important, at least to the development of our business base. Our first contact with a prospective customer is our first impression. It is both our personal and company introduction. It may be the first exposure of our brand to this prospect. First contact is our opportunity to establish our credibility and set the stage for the future. If handled properly, the sales door is opened and the beginnings of a successful, long-term relationship have been established. If handled poorly, that same door may be closed forever. Is first contact that important? Can this initial impression carry that much weight? Yes and ...

Handling Sales Objections and Obstacles
2007-09-11 17:19:00
What is your strategy for dealing with the obstacles of life? What attitude have you developed to successfully deal with the obstacles that will confront you? Obstacles and objections are guaranteed to get in your way and confound your plans. If you allow it, they might also ruin your day and upset your goals strategy. Since the context here is selling, we will consider obstacles and objections to be the same for this discussion. In reality, obstacles can be anything that stands between you and the successful achievement of your goals. Objections are points of clarification, brought up by your prospect, that confirm that you are on the right track in your sales presentation. Via voiced objections, your prospect is simply telling you that she is not yet convinced the the benefits of your product or service are worthy of the price she must pay. She needs more information, actually a self-confirmation that the features, advantages and benefits (FAB's) of your products and services w...
More About: Sales

The Role of Leadership in Selling
2007-09-08 16:40:00
Leadership. Webster's dictionary defines it as the act of leading. Warren Bennis defines it as "a function  of knowing yourself, having a vision that is well communicated, building trust among colleagues, and taking effective action to realize your own leadership potential." John C Maxwell, in his 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership,  sums up his definition of leadership as "leadership is influence - nothing more, nothing less." I say that leadership is a compelling intellectual or spiritual force that moves people. However you define it, leadership is either effective or ineffective. John McKenna writes of leadership on his blog, The Leadership Epidemic. His premise is that "most leadership sucks, including yours." I disagree. While there is certainly evidence to support that some areas of leadership are ineffective and perhaps lacking, there is also a great deal to get excited about. Leadership requires leaders. Are you up to the task? Ta...
More About: Selling , Leadership , Role , Leader

Speaking The Language of Our Sales Prospects
2007-09-03 17:46:00
We need to speak the language of our prospects. That particular thinking goes far beyond verbiage alone, it must include an understanding of their very philosophy and beliefs. We must get inside their heads to effectively understand what drives them. It is only after examining our prospects and customers at such a level that we can effectively communicate with them and interest them in our message. If we present a great message that misses the mark because we selected the wrong audience, we will have failed in that effort.This is especially true when attempting to gain someone's trust, for convincing them of our point of view, for selling intangibles like insurance and safety products and any other situation that requires them to adopt our paradigm as their own. It is quite an undertaking, but can be successfully completed only if we pay particular attention to learning what makes them tick. It is also important to be genuine, not self-serving, as any perception on their part tha...
More About: Sales , Language , Speaking , Prospect

$4000 Prize Giveaway to Celebrate Anniversary
2007-09-03 04:25:00
Thank you Jonathan Phillips for making me aware of one of the most lucrative giveaways in recent memory! This announcement is a brief departure from my sales related topics, but I think you will agree it is worthwhile. David Airey, a graphic designer specializing in logo design, is holding an anniversary prize giveaway. There’s more than $4,000 worth in free prizes! Find out how to enter by reading the details on David’s logo designer blog, which is celebrating its one-year anniversary. Dig in! Gold award The ultimate business blog package: Logo design from David Airey. Add a touch of professionalism to your business with one of my logo designs. Custom WordPress theme design from Nate Whitehill of Nate Whitehill dot Com. It’s vital to set yourself apart from the crowd, and Nate will help a great deal with your very own custom WordPress theme. Personal marketing / advertising plan from Maki of Dosh Dosh. Maki is an expert where blog advertising is concerned, and he is...
More About: Anniversary , Celebrate

Thwarting Your Success Nemesis
2007-08-31 00:14:00
Each of us has an enemy, not necessarily one of a spiritual nature, but a physical being capable of stopping us at every turn. He or she has the power and ability to thwart our very success each day, to wreak havoc on our sales plans and drain us of our motivation. This person can stop us cold and make us feel miserable in the process. Chances are, you know this person intimately. Perhaps you already spend a great amount of time engaged in negative conversation with him or her. You may have succumbed to the energy-robbing and dream-busting power that this individual has over you. It becomes easy if you have developed a defeatist attitude. Just who is this sinister and powerful person? Sadly, it is you. To be more specific, it is your subconscious mind, that which steers your every move. In Dr. Shad Helmstetter's great work "What to Say When You Talk to Yourself," he revealed that we are typically engaged in regular self-defeating conversation with ourselves. We doubt o...
More About: Success , Nemesis