Every year people eagerly set New Years resolutions in anticipation of a better year… a new start.  You should be way ahead of the game in comparison to your competitors because you spent the last month breaking some skull sweat to develop your very own “Strategic Sales Master Plan“.  You now know exactly what you are going to do to increase your sales.

One of the hardest concepts for new business owners to grasp is the fact they really aren’t in the business they think they are in.  First, you are in the business of effectively communicating the business you are in (marketing).  Second, you are in the business of helping ideal potential clients buy what you sell (selling).  Then and only then, are you in the business of delivering what you sold (doing what you get paid to do).

Doing all that is no small undertaking as you well know.

Recommended Reading

The “Strategic Sales Master Plan” helped you become much more effective when it comes to communicating the business you are in.  Because you are so much better at telling people what you do and why they should care, you naturally get more selling encounters.

By selling encounters I mean REAL sales appointments.  Real sales appointments are scheduled appointments with people who are genuinely interested in how you might help them, and how you might do business together.  How you handle those encounters determines if you get money in the bank or simply make a new friend.

You know what’s wrong with most books?  Most books allow you to read the book as a spectator.  That means you read the book, you might think something is a good idea, but once you finish the book you set it down and forget about the book and those good ideas.  Nothing much happens with those good ideas or as a result of reading that book.

That’s where the two books I’m going to recommend you read are different.  These books actually require you to take action as you read that book.  That means rather than reading the book as a spectator you have to engage in the learning process.  When you engage in the learning process you actually learn something, and you actually implement those ideas immediately so… you actually get results.

The first book I’d like to recommend is: The SPIN Selling Fieldbook  This was the book that peeled the scales off my eyes and helped me really understand what selling was about.  I’ve built off this model and taken it a step further by including the science from another scientist who uncovered the concept of conditioned reflex.  However, this book will help you have real sales conversations like a professional.

As I mentioned earlier there’s a lot to operating your own business.  You don’t have time to waste.  You need to squeeze the most value from your time so you have time to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

There are two aspects to the way you use your time.  First, there’s efficiency.  Efficiency is about getting the most things done with the least effort.  Second, there’s effectiveness.  Effectiveness is about getting the right things done.  What you really need is to get the right things done in the most efficient way possible.

When I wrote The Race To Success  I wrote it with you in mind.  This isn’t just some general time management book.  In fact, it isn’t at time management book at all it’s a time mastery book.  It will help you master your time so you are working in the most efficient and effective way you can.

In combination these three tools will help you keep your new resolution to increase sales by helping you take the right actions.

Coach Cheryl

Previously as part of the “Strategic Sales Master Plan” you defined your mission.  As you recall your mission describes how you will move your hands and feet.  While your vision is long-term in nature something you work toward over several years your mission is what you absolutely must accomplish this year.

Your Mission is Your Line in the Sand

Your mission represents the line in the sand defining what you will accomplish within the next year no matter what because it’s that important.

You can’t achieve your mission without successfully accomplishing the 5 critical factors.  And you can’t fulfill the critical factors without the goals you’ve written down.  In combination each piece provides the foundation required for a successful service business.

Goals represent the actions you will take to fulfill the critical factors.  You have a list of goals.  If you’ve done a thorough job you probably have at least 5 goals listed in relation to each critical factor.  Doing the math that means you have a goal list with at least 25 goals.

Now that could feel a little overwhelming.

Goal Playoffs

If you’re a sports fan this next step will be an easy one.  You can’t focus on so many goals at once because it is just too overwhelming.  So we need to whittle your list down to your top 3 most important sales goals, and put all your focus on those goals first.  Once one goal is completed you can then move another goal into your top 3 list.  So here’s how to play the goal playoff game.

Get all your goals on one list.  Now compare the first goal on your list to the last goal on your list and choose which goal is more important right now.

Place an asterisk next to the more important goal between the two.  Keep working your way to the middle of your page putting an asterisk next to the more important of the two goals.

photo credit: Sweet One

The last one may not have another goal to compare it against so that goal gets an asterisk by default.

Next start at the top of your list and compare with first goal with an asterisk to the next goal with an asterisk and decide which of those two goals is most important and place a star next to that goal.  Continue until you run out of goals.

photo credit: Lummmy

Now rank order the goals marked with a star from most important (1) to least important.

At this point you now have your 3 most important sales goals.

Making Progress

You really need to accomplish most of your goals to accomplish your mission so simply completing these 3 goals is not enough.  You must continue to make progress throughout the year.  So when you’ve successfully completed a goal you mark that goal as completed, and select a new goal from your goal list to put in your top 3 most important sales goals list.

Some of your goals are never actually completed because you will always need to take that action.  For those goals accomplishment is defined by your ability to successfully take those actions, and produce the intended result.  When you get to that point you continue the action and add a new goal to your top 3 most important sales goals because those actions are now just part of your normal behaviors.

Okay, get to work and pick your top 3 most important sales goals.

Coach Cheryl

Do it Yourself

Do it with a Little Help

Do it with Guidance

There’s nothing better than sipping ice tea under a shade tree while you’re replenishing yourself with a good book.  Especially a book that can help you grow professionally.

The author of this book, Leanne Hoagland-Smith, is a personal friend of mine.  Leanne lives in Indiana close to Lake Michigan near Chicago.  And let me tell you she is a dynamo.

If you ever get a chance to hear her speak… do it.  Leanne packs more information in a one hour seminar than most people get from an entire 3 day program.

One of the things that make Leanne so remarkable is the fact that she’s a critical thinker.  While most people are watching life pass by nothing gets past Leanne.  She notices the details and picks up on the key thing that makes things work.

Recently she published her first book, “be The Red Jacket in a sea of gray suits”.  This book is well worth reading.

This Book Works on Two Levels

First, there’s the direct information Leanne teaches you in her book.  That alone is well worth the read.

But, perhaps more importantly is the way she teaches you.  You see Leanne is a master story teller.  Knowing how to tell stories that sell is huge.  I recommend you read the book once to get the direct knowledge then read it a second time to see how she uses stories to make her point.

Stories are a great way to make your point without having to beat someone over the head and trigger their defenses.  Plus stories are both memorable and sharable.

I don’t want to spoil it for you by going into great detail; however, as you read this book you may be shocked to discover how the words you use every day without even thinking about them are impacting your behaviors.  And those behaviors aren’t necessarily doing what you think they are.  Some of those behaviors, in fact, are hurting your sales success.

When you clue into how Leanne incorporates critical thinking skills those skills will serve you well no matter what you’re doing for the rest of you life.

What this Book Isn’t

This book IS NOT your typical sales book.

It isn’t a motivational book although it’s certainly motivating.

You won’t find slick sales lines that make you sound like a jerk.

You won’t find smarmy sales techniques that make you feel like you need to take a bath.

This is a book anyone who wants to sell with integrity will enjoy.

It’s a book for people who strive to grow and use their thoughts to help in that process.

Am I a little biased?  Well, duh!  She is my friend.  However, she didn’t ask me to tell you about her book.  I just felt it was something I needed to do because of the unique way her no so typical sales book can help everyone with their typical sales challenges.

You can get her book here…

Let me know your thoughts about her book after you’ve read it here.  I happen to know Leanne regularly reads this blog so don’t be surprised if she responds to you herself right here;-)

Top Sales Experts is an online sales community where 50 experts in all aspects of sales who are recognized…

• Sales Trainers
• Sales Coaches
• Speakers

Have come together to provide a ton of information, advice, and help.

At the click of a button you can access teleseminars, Master Classes, and Roundtables where you get unbelievable help and NO sales pitches.

Plus you’ll find archives of articles, “How to Guides”, and podcasts.

I highly recommend you check this out.

Click on this link to take the VIP Tour now.  As part of your tour you get to experience a Master Class and a Roundtable panel for free.  An awesome opportunity.

So go now and take the VIP Tour and let us know what you thought.

Enjoy the tour…

If you’ve ever watched the Dog Whisperer you know he doesn’t train the dogs.  Nope he balances the dog and “trains” the owners.  He shows the owners how to become the pack leader their dog is looking for.

Very interesting…  You’ve probably also heard most people are sheep looking to be led.  People are looking for a person who has the answers they want.  When they find that person they will eagerly follow that person to the solution they so desperately want.

When the dog owner tries to “train” the dog rather than leading the dog the dog resists.  The dog senses the owner lacks the calm assertiveness of a leader.  So the dog presumes the leader position and refuses the owner’s direction.

Most sales people try to “train” their buyers to buy.  Excuse me… I have a mind of my own and I’m not going to be told what do to or how to do it by a pushy sales person!  Therefore, I resist your attempts to “train” me and the sparring match begins.

However, I hold all the power because you have chosen to give up your power.  I can leave the ring any time I please leaving you without a sparring partner.  I can toy with you like a cat with a mouse leading you to believe I’m going to buy then snatching the prize away at the last second.

Yet, if you approach me with calm assertiveness aka as a balanced person,  open and friendly I will mirror that back to you.  Projecting the image you want in return from the other person is powerful persuasion.  When you project balance I’m able to maintain my balance and have no desire or need to resist you.  If I’m not in a balanced state you have to get me out of the state I’m in and help me return to a balanced state.  At that point we, as two balanced individuals, can work together discovering, exploring, and defining our relationship.

When it makes sense for both of us that relationship becomes a long-term relationship as an extension of the sale.

The dog whisperer’s success is the result of his attention to and appreciation of balanced dog behavior.  How is sales so different?  When you pay close attention and appreciate your future buyer for who they are, what they want, and why they want that your success follows.

Click on the Gold Card to Discover the Step-by-step Solution to Increase Sales

You have to run your business and you need more time to focus on sales.  So why not take advantage of a couple new free tools I found to help you do just that?

First, do you ever need to transfer files between computers?  Or do you need to share files with your peers, clients, or potential new clients?  Not only is it a hassle it seems like you don’t realize you don’t have the file you need on the computer you’re using until you need it.  RATS!

Well, Dropbox takes care of all those things and more and it doesn’t cost you a cent to use it.  You can watch the screencast and see how it works.  I’ll think you’ll be impressed by the cool stuff you can do.  Even if you’re not a techie.

Just a few weeks ago we all got to send Uncle Sam some money or perhaps you’re now expecting to get some of your money back from Uncle Sam.  Either way tax time serves as a stark reminder of the importance of properly tracking income and expenses.  If you haven’t already purchased a software solution you might enjoy this free online bookkeeping software from OutRight.  Take a tour and see how it might help you take care of those financial records more efficiently so you have more time to sell.

Click on the Gold Card and Discover the Simple step-by-step Solution to Increased Sales

photo credit: rq?

Do you have a stack of business cards stashed somewhere in your office?

How hard is it to find the one you want when you want it?

Have you ever wanted to refer someone and then discovered you didn’t have their contact information so you spent hours looking for it just so you could do a good deed?

There may be a solution that’s just right for you.  DubMeNow offers this cool service that allows you to send your business card to any mobile phone, provides automatic updates,  and a bunch of other pretty handy stuff.  Check it out.

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Sales 2.0 and Selling to Big Companies

This event is for sales people, sales managers and CEOs who want to keep up with how sales is evolving in a Web 2.0 world.  New tools are available, and continue to come-to-market, that give us additional selling approaches.  The speakers believe you need to keep up with these changes or become a “sales dinosaur” — especially during in a recession!

The speakers will cover:

* What is Sales 2.0?
* Why should I care?
* How will Sales 2.0 help me sell to big companies?
* Is Sales 2.0 something I should bother with during a recession?

April 28 1:00 EDT Sign-up here to register at a discount

photo credit: hisashi_0822

You are working hard to increase your sales.  However, it’s just as important to increase what you keep… your net profits.

This free service at BillShrink helps you save dollars on your every day expenses.  Another way to cut those expenses is to reduce the amount of driving you do to attract future buyers.  Goodluck cutting those expenses!

photo credit: Csaba_Bajko

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, business owner, or sales professional you need all the help you can get to make your life easier.

You balance a lot of responsibilities throughout your day.

You simply have to make the most of every opportunity that comes your way.

Sometimes you’re pleasantly surprised to find how much a simple tool can do to improve your life.

I’ve decided to share 7 of my favorite tools with you because I hope you find them as useful as I do. Some of these tools are completely free others require a small investment or a trip to your local library. In any case there’s nothing preventing you from trying these tools and improving your life. Plus you could increase your sales along the way.

So here’s the list not listed in order of importance:

1. Cool Timer - This is a piece of free software you download to your computer. You can use it as a stop watch, a timer, or an alarm. Now you never have to search for a stop watch or worry about dead batteries. Just click on the icon on your desk top anytime you want to use it. One of my favorite ways to use it is to manage 30 minutes of focused and concentrated work.
2. Mindmeister - This is another free tool you get simply by registering. Don’t just use this tool for projects use it to plan out anything involving several actions. When you’re finished your mind map is saved to your account plus you can print out this neat and tidy mind map to use as you take those desired actions so you never miss a beat.

   Behind every successful person is a good library. Here are a couple books you must add to yours.

3. ”The Race to Success – Make Time to Win” - The way you use your time is a big differentiator between the super sales producers and the average producers. If you find yourself rushing from one thing to another with no end in sight; if you rely on a calendar, PDA, or CRM yet they don’t seem to work this book will help you understand why. Make sure your local library has at least one copy.
4. ”The SPIN Selling Fieldbook” - Neil Rackham isn’t a sales person he’s a researcher. The fieldbook takes his research and transforms what he learned into actionable sales ideas. Anyone selling an intangible or a high ticket item must have this book and internalize it.
5. ”The On-Purpose Person” - Kevin McCarthy will help you do something few people ever do, most wouldn’t even think of doing, and everyone who wants huge success must do. This book will get your head in the real game.
6. Carbonite - I’ve had a computer crash on me so many times I’ve lost count. Each time it was a dramatic traumatic experience. Each time there were things I lost forever including precious contacts. You can get a free trial for this service that quietly works in the background so when that crash happens you can restore absolutely everything including all your computer settings in minutes.
7. Google Calendar - The reasons I like Google calendar include the fact you can share your calendar, you can have more than one calendar, you can access from any computer, and your calendar syncs automatically with your phone. So you can check and make appointments from your phone and they automatically appear in your Google calendar online.

How many of these sales tools are you using?