Sage Advice for All Successful Salesmen!

Posted by Diane on Jan 11, 2012

 

“Little Girlie, I wish I could teach you everything I know about life.  But, unfortunately, you have to go out into the world and experience it all for yourself.”  This heartfelt morsel was taught to our Mother by her Father, when she was a little girl, back in the 1920’s.  Then, this ageless gem was passed on to me, just as it was presented to her.  Over and over, when our Mother saw me challenged by the many complex experiences of life, she would repeat these exact words to me.  Then, just as her father did, she did her best to lovingly teach me what she thought that could help me.

Now it is my delight to take my family’s wise heirloom and pass it on to each and every one of you.   And I am going to make a serious attempt to cut some time off your learning curve and help you find some user-friendly shortcuts and “tools” for gathering your life lessons.   Being the world is more chaotic and moving  faster than ever, I believe that life lessons need to be learned even quicker that I learned them. So, let’s dig in and see if I can be of any help!

(And just for your information, I’m going to start a series of articles from this Introduction I am initiating with you, today.  There will be many more life lesson posts filled with this kind of connecting, mentoring, and teaching, to follow.)  

Old (and new) sayings are wonderful!  They are rich in wisdom and provoke thought and change.  Let’s start with one and see where it takes us.  My son, Brian, just shared a new insight that he discovered for himself.  He is 35 years old and he is a high school teacher.  This is what he had to say:   

“Mom, I have had to learn that I have full control of my actions,  but I have absolutely no control of the consequences.”

So what does Brian’s message mean to you?  I take it to say:  There are only two things in life that we have any control of.  One is our Behavior and Actions.  And the other is our Attitude.  Beyond that, we have control of absolutely, nothing.  So, if we leave our random choice of actions and behaviors up to the mercy of our consequences we might be in real trouble and not be too pleased with the outcome.

If you’re feeling pleased with most or all of the consequences for your behaviors, actions, and attitudes in your life, you are already well on the right tract.  You may not even need to read any further.   However, if you’re not feeling completely satisfied with your results, there’re ways to greatly improve your consequences.  But, you’re going to have to dig in and do some serious soul searching and dedicated work on yourself!  For, in this fast-paced world we’re living in today, nobody’s going to save you – at least NOT for very long!

Let’s see if I can give you some simple, easy-to-follow steps to get you started:

1. Find a few precious minutes to be alone and be quiet with yourself.

2. Listen to your thoughts, listen to your thinking.

3. Get real – get truthful – with yourself!

4. Listen to what your heart has to say to you. Is your “thinking,” positive and up-lifting – or is it muddled with some “stink’n – think’n? Yes, I thought so.

5. So, let’s see what we can do about that:

6. Take a clean sheet of paper and draw a line down the middle of the page. At the top of one side of the page, write, “Everything I feel good about.” On the other side, “Everything, I don’t feel good about.”

7. Then start writing as many things that you do feel good about. Really put your heart into this work and keep writing. When you feel like you have exhausted your “Good” side, dig into the “Bad” side. And be diligently and brutally honest here, too.

8. When fully done with the “Bad” side, go back to the “Good” side. Take a few deep breaths and really search your heart for some more good stuff. Please trust me and reach deeply inside yourself because there is always something more you can add to this side!

9. Pat yourself on the back for taking the time and heart to do this assignment. But, you are not finished.

10. Go back to the “Bad” side and pick just one item you put on that list.

11. Now ask yourself, “Do I have any control or influence for my negative entry?”

12. Let’s make an example: “I hate how I feel inside myself when I make my sales calls.”

OK.  What is it that you really hate about making that sales call.  Let’s ask some questions.

a) Do I secretly dislike the clothes I am wearing for the appointment? 

b) Do I dislike the constant frown I wear on my face in my sales appointments?

c) Do I feel like I am being scrutinized and judged by my prospects?

d) Do I dislike what my “inner voice” is saying to me when I attempt to close the sale?

e) Do I feel like a failure – that, I know that I’m not going to get this sale?

So now, let’s analyze what my true issues are from this example.  Remember, we just talked about the only two things we have control of – our behavior and our attitude.  Let’s see if these five issues are due to my own doing, or the fault of others, that is creating my negative results?

a) Do I secretly dislike the clothes I am wearing for the appointment?  (Behavior or action – I have physical control of this and I can change it!)

b) Do I dislike the constant frown I wear on my face in my sales appointments?  (I have physical and emotional control of the look on my face – I can change that too!)

c) Do I feel like I am being scrutinized and judged by my prospects?  (This is my perception and I have the internal power and ability to reconstruct a much more positive feeling about who I am. People will see me as I see myself.  If I change my “inner fine-tuning, others will see me accordingly.)

d) Do I dislike what my “inner voice” is saying to me when I attempt to close the sale?  (I’m truly the only person that has control of this voice. If I don’t like what its saying, I can reprogram the tapes. When negative thoughts come into my head, I can retort back with positive affirmations. I have full control of myself to do so!)

e) Do I feel like a failure – that, I know that I’m not going to get the sale?  (Another attitude issue: Your attitude and belief about yourself has more control your outcomes in life, than anything else.  The universe answers to the “Call of your song.” And you have full control of the tune you are playing!) 

From this exercise, you can now dissect any negative thought or behavior you struggle with.  You will be able to turn it around into something positive and constructive.  And I will be giving you many tools and practices to help you.  In the meantime, just remember, “Rome was not built in a day.”  

And, from this one very simple example, I hope you are able to see how much control you really do have to own your success in your life!  Of course, I believe that wisdom comes from experience and age.   But more importantly, it comes from your willing spirit to open yourself up to good honest self-awareness and unlimited enlightenment that the world gifts to you each and every single day.  Then, you must seek good mentoring to help you digest your life lessons and guide you.  And that is what we have just started to do together today.

l would love for you to offer a topic we can dissect together.  I am here for you!

 

 

Baby Boomers into Business

Posted by Diane on Nov 28, 2011

 

 Almost 50% of Boomers Don’t Have Enough Retirement Savings:

 So What Can They Do?

 By Lisa Orrell, The Promote U Guru

 Did you know that Baby Boomers are currently retiring at the rate of 1 every 8 seconds (Judy Chartrand, Ph.D. and Bonnie Hagemann, Next Generation Leaders: Competency Deficits and The Bridge to Success).

 That’s a huge amount of Boomers, willingly or unwillingly, leaving their income-generating jobs daily.  But due to the economic shifts in our country the past couple of years, many Boomers cannot afford to retire securely or as comfortably when, how, and as, they’d hoped.

 Here are some startling stats to support this: According to The EBRI Retirement Readiness Rating^TM in 2010:  

• 47.2% of older Boomers (56-62) are at risk of outliving their retirement savings.
• 43.7% of younger Boomers (46-55) are at risk of not having enough money for basic monthly expenses when they retire

47.2%???  That’s almost half of the Boomers!  It means we have millions of people (46 to 62) who cannot afford to stop working at 65 and who are currently seeking ways to make more income now and on an on-going basis well past 65.

But there are also Boomers who simply don’t want to fully retire, even if they can, and are looking for something different to do.

Regardless of which scenario you may relate to, what can you do to generate income, full-time or part-time, or on the side of a current job, that is flexible, interesting, fun, possible to start on a tight budget, and, health permitting, do way into your golden years?

Become a Topic Expert! Most everyone knows something, from their career background, life experiences or from a hobby that other people will pay to learn about.

Whether you’ve been an HR professional your whole career, or a construction worker, homemaker, dentist, Life Coach, housepainter, or a hobbyist of growing amazing roses, you can monetize what you know to create a good income as a Topic Expert.

Where is the money in it?  You can: consult others; conduct training seminars; do public speaking engagements; create simple “how to” products; and much more.

And some Topic Experts never do any of those things! They do things like develop blogs or newsletters to share their expertise and sell ad space on them.

Whether you’re already self-employed, unemployed, an employee, or a hobbyist, you can share and sell your knowledge in a variety of ways to improve your financial future. So branding yourself as a Topic Expert is certainly one viable option to consider!

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lisa Orrell, The Promote U Guru, is an in-demand Branding & Marketing Expert and Certified Success Coach with over 20-years of experience. She is the author of the new book, “Boomers into Business: How Anyone Over 50 Can Turn What They Know into Dough Before and After Retirement”, and she has also written 2 other top-selling business books available on Amazon. Recently she was voted one of the “Top 30 Most Influential Brand Gurus in the World”, and she is also the recipient of over 75 awards for marketing excellence. Lisa’s clients include: Small business owners, coaches, consultants, entertainers, academics, speakers and authors. Plus, she herself is a professional speaker. Based on her expertise, she has been interviewed by countless media, including: ABC, MSNBC, NPR, Wall Street Journal, NY Times, Cosmo, China’s HerWorld Magazine, BNET.com, American Express’s OPENForum.com, and WomenEntrepreneur.com. For more info about Lisa, visit: PromoteUGuru.com

 

Diane shares:  When you purchase your copy of Lisa’s book, please enjoy Chapter 20:  “10 Essentials for Making You a Sales Success with Happiness and Heart.”

Attention Youth: Increase Your Sales with Timeless Wisdom

Posted by Diane on Sep 27, 2011

It isn’t what you don’t know that is killing your selling success.  Its: What you don’t’ know that you don’t know that is killing your selling success! This simple proclamation, packed with priceless wisdom, makes me think of a very successful business model in the marketplace today that I would like to share with you.

I bank with Wells Fargo Bank in Scotts Valley, CA and our bank has a wonderful young manager named Erik Nelson.   To look at him he looks like a schoolboy, but he has the experience and wisdom of a man that is much older than he appears.  I honestly don’t know his age, but whatever it is, he knows the “old school” secrets for customer service and sales success.  And simply put, that is: Just treat people like they matter.

One day I asked Erik, “How do you know so much about how to treat people at such a young age?”

Erik replied: “That is simple for me to answer.  It is doing what most young people don’t even think about or know to think about.”  Such a simple response that truly targets the heart of the problem all businesses are struggling with today.  But, this concern is certainly not an issue for our local branch of Wells Fargo Bank!

Yes, it is such fun to watch Erik and his staff in operation.   When you walk through the door you immediately hear the pleasant buzzing of an energized staff happily serving their customers.  Often you are greeted by one of the friendly team right at the door.  Immediately, it is so easy to feel welcomed, comfortable, and right at home.

One of my favorite observations is: After an elderly woman comes into the bank to open a new account or service an existing account, I see a handsome young man escort her out to her car and open the door for her, then smile and wave as she drives away.  Now, fancy that!  And when is the last time you have seen such a gallant site in this new millennium, yourself?

Yes, despite his youth, Erik has got the intuition and foresight to know what these older clients are experiencing.  He says, “Some of these ladies may be new to managing their money after their husband has passed away.  And they may be feeling nervous and intimidated coming in alone for their banking needs, let alone being greeted by many young staff members to assist them.”  He gets it that these dear older ladies need to feel safe and cared for in order for them to build trust in his bank and his staff. He knows they are looking at these young whipper-snappers in a cautious light, wondering if they are even old enough to drive to work.

Without a doubt, Erik and his staff live up to the business model that Henry Wells initiated back in 1864: “We have one very powerful business rule.  It is concentrated in one word: ‘courtesy.’” And, without a doubt, this Wells Fargo team practice gracious manners and stellar customer service to all those, they serve each and every day!

So, how about I let you in on some of the easy secrets that make this bank a role model for all companies that employ a staff with many young people today:

• Never do I see staff members with a cell phone in their hand, checking their personal messages or texting

 

• Never do I see staff members carrying on their own private conversations with one another in public  view, unless it relates to a client’s banking needs

 

• Never do I see staff members fulfilling their own private needs, such as applying lipstick, primping, snacking, or drinking (in fact, I see no cups or bottles of any sort on desks or counters)

 

• Never do I hear staff on the phone enjoying their own private conversations – if a personal call comes in when a bank member is with a client, the exchange is extremely short and arrangements are made to speak when the time is right – NOT while dealing with a client

 

• Never do staff members bore you with conversation about their personal life, problems, or drama

 

• This staff comes to work and leaves their life at the door (unless there is some issue or event that is appropriate to share)!

 

• Very often:  You are greeted at the door by a staff member – with friendly words, a warm smile, or kind gesture

 

• This staff has one purpose and one purpose only: To serve you!

 

• THEY ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT THEMSELVES!!!

 

• They are engaging and they interact with “happiness and heart”

 

• They are keenly sensitive, aware, and “present” – in the moment – for you and your banking needs!

 

• Ladies are nicely groomed and men are fit and polished

 

• They make sincere eye contact

 

• They call you by name, as fast as they learn them

 

• They ask a question or two about how your day is going

 

• Best of all, they listen to your response and comment back to you in a caring and  interactive manner

 

• They demonstrate excellent manners and social graces

 

• Most impressive of all: All staff members that work from a desk and are not with a customer, are constantly paying attention to the customer line

 

• The minute the line builds up, they are up, out of their seats, and right over to assist you with your banking needs

 

• Also, unreal for this day and age:  If an issue is not resolved in the bank at the time of service, and they say they will need to call you, they will call you – they follow through

 

• They pay attention to your accounts and if they have a product that might better fit your needs, they bring it to your attention

 

• But you never feel “sold to;”  you feel taken care of

 

• Yes, it is all about the experience, and, that pleasure doesn’t get any better than doing business with Wells Fargo Bank in Scotts Valley, CA!!

Now, do you see what Erik’s professional organization is all about?  They are about treating people like they matter.  They are about “courtesy. “  And they understand what makes people want to do their business with them.

I highly suggest: If you live in our local area and you are a sales professional, customer service specialist, or a business owner, it’s worth your time and effort to go up to Scotts Valley and make this professional observation for yourself!  And, if you can’t make a personal visit, I plan to teach you, and to teach you to teach your staff, so you can achieve the success of this enjoyable Wells Fargo branch.

I hope you will enjoy my series of blogs that will be coming, shortly.  And, if I am missing any other stellar qualities for customer service or a sales professional’s success, please feel free to inform me of your topic and I will add it to my list.

A Tribute to “G:” His 25 Life Tips for Your Selling Success

Posted by Diane on Aug 31, 2011

So, who is “G?”  And, what is the importance for remembering him?

“G” is my father.  To his family he is “Bill,” and to his grandchildren he is “G.”  

Rather suddenly, “G” passed away at the ripe old age of 90, in April of 2011.  Needless to say, for the last couple of years, my life has been halted for pursuing my own goals and dreams.  Instead, my time has been consumed with trips to Santa Barbara, to aid my sister, as we watched our Mom succumb to the disease of Alzheimer’s and our Dad fight to keep the home front strong and intact. 

But, finally, fate took its course and had its way.  My father fell asleep one evening and now rests in peace in the beautiful cemetery by the sea, and Mom resides in a wonderful assisted living facility, feeling emotionally safe and physically very healthy at the ripe age of 91.  And I will be forever thankful for all the precious time I had with each of them these past few years.

Now I would like to pay tribute to my wonderful Dad:  His passing reminds me of a great lesson I was given many years ago by a man named Jim. He said, “Diane, when all is said and done, all we can take with us are our memories.  So you might as well make them as rich and meaningful as you can while you are here on this earth.”

I have never forgotten Jim’s words and now they are especially fitting for me.  My father valued success and he loved people that learned the true meaning of success.  Not only did he teach these words of wisdom to all those he loved, but he practiced them daily in his own life.  And now it is time to reflect on some of the beautiful gifts and treasures that my Dad left behind for his children and grandchildren to cherish: 

• Never ignore the working man; always honor and value your service specialist’s immeasurable (and, many times, hidden) value for your success and wellbeing.

 

• Look for the diamonds in the rough; they are everywhere and they are worth their weight in gold when you find them.

 

• Be punctual; even better – be five minutes early.

 

• Never meet a stranger; develop natural ease to be warm, gracious, and infectious.

 

• Making a conscious effort to genuinely connect with people is half the battle; the rest is downhill from there.

 

• Personal development is not a onetime course that you complete; it is a way of life, like a plant forever growing towards the sun.

 

• Keep your people skills polished; always extend a hand with a firm handshake or caring touch, look your guest in the eye and connect with a warm smile.

 

• “Be” what you want others to be with you; treat people like you like to be treated.

 

• Remember the names of people you meet and do business with; knowing people’s names, definitely touches their heart.

 

• Give your new acquaintance your full and undivided attention; ask caring questions and attentively listen to their answers.

 

• Ask nothing of others that you are not will in do yourself; have a willing spirit at all times.

 

• Do your work with happiness and heart; when you make your work fun, your jobs will finish quicker and seem effortless.

 

• Avoid making excuses at all costs; thinking them up takes energy and nobody wants to hear them anyway.

 

• Don’t complain; it interferes with getting the job well done.

 

• Self-esteem comes from your willingness to work hard; challenge yourself and attain your goals.

 

• Do your work with no fan-fare; do it for yourself and enjoy the result of your efforts – or the “fruits of your labor.”

 

• Be exceptional at what you do; make yourself stand out in the crowd – be unique from the rest of the pack.

 

• Be forthright in whatever you do; you may fool some in the short run, but karma will catch up with you in the long run. 

 

• Success in life is a team effort; learn to relate, value, and connect with all those that surround you.

 

• Never forgot to appreciate what others do for you; nothing warms the heart more than a kind, “Thank you!”

 

• See yourself as a gardener for mankind; always be planting seeds of goodwill, generosity, and reciprocity.

 

• What you give of yourself will come back to you 10-fold; sincerely give of yourself and people will notice and they will respond, respectfully.

 

• A job is not done until the clean-up is complete; put away all your tools and leave your job site spotless.

 

• Your accomplishments will give you great satisfaction; and you will feel good about yourself at the end of the day.

 

• Make everyday count and live each day as though it is your last; and that is exactly what our Dad did – right up until his last day here on this earth!

 

Practicing many of the teachings I have presented to you from my Dad have helped me to develop the self confidence and personality that sets me apart from the crowd.  And now I have the beautiful memory of a lifetime of his teachings and the tons of opportunities to go with him and watch the beams and smiles on people’s faces as he stepped into their world.  

I am so blessed to have had “G” as my Dad! He loved and respected nature, and animals, and people from all walk’s of life.  But what he loved most was the individual that was willing to step out from the pack and find his own true way to his heartfelt success, no matter what the obstacles (for he had many challenges of his own).  And now may you find your success and add these simple gems in to your “toolbox” for your selling success. 

I close this article with a few precious words from my Dad: “Diane, everywhere I go, I am the ‘unforgettable character.’ I make people remember me by my effort to connect and relate with them. I always treat them like they are someone special and I show them I care.  And the people that do the same with me are the exact kind of people I like to do business with and buy from!”   

Thank you, Dad!

Your Attitude is Everything! For Your Selling Success

Posted by Diane on Mar 31, 2011

Successful Tips for Overcoming Your Greatest Obstacle -

Your Attitude

You only have control of two things in your life – your attitude and your behavior. In Stephen R. Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, states that if we want to change the situation, we first have to change ourselves. And for us to change ourselves, we first must change our perceptions. “Remember, it is the perceptions you form that control how you see things and where you focus your time and energy.”

The process for human change begins within YOU! You have tremendous potential, worth, and the ability to change. And, of course, you desire good results from your efforts. But you must be willing to do the work and pay the price that success and happiness demand. The only one thing that determines the level of your success and potential, produces the intensity of your efforts, and predicts the quality of your results, is your attitude.

Some valuable basics to for you to practice and lock in:

1. Your attitude will make you or break you – in every aspect of your life!

2. Your attitude determines how you see yourself and how you perceive the world around you.

3. Your self-worth is established by your attitude and your belief system about you – how you see yourself, now and in the future.

4. No person or circumstance can control your attitude – unless you voluntarily surrender that power.

5. No one else can make you angry or happy, successful or unsuccessful. You make yourself what you are, by your choice to surrender yourself to a bad attitude or conquer a great attitude.

6. If you care at all about yourself, then you must accept full responsibility for your own actions and feelings.

7. If you want to receive the rewards and gifts your precious future holds in trust for you, then you must exercise the most important choice given to you as a member of our human race – and this is, maintaining total ownership over your attitude.

8. See your attitude as your free asset – a treasure of great value – and one you must protect dearly, accordingly. And beware of the vandals and thieves among us who will injure your positive attitude or seek to steal it away. Boundaries are necessary and important.

9. Having the right attitude is one of the basics that your success requires. The combination of a sound personal philosophy and a positive attitude about yourself and the world around you gives you a beautiful inner strength and a firm resolve that influences all the other areas of your existence.

10. Best of all, having a good attitude becomes infectious. To educate, I share an excerpt from my book:

“Being in good company is definitely contagious. In my own life, I frequently have people say to me, ‘Wow, you just know how to bring out the best in people.’ ‘ I’m not used to feeling so happy (so nice, so fun or whatever).’  ’Being in your company just seems to bring out the best in me.’  Or they will comment, ‘I just love to be with you.’  ‘I like myself so much better when I am around you.’”

Can you think of any other ways your attitude affects your success – or – how you can have a better affect on your attitude for your success?

Master Your Selling Success for 2011 – One Step At-A-Time

Posted by Diane on Feb 16, 2011

“Winners and losers both do the same basic things in their lives, day in and day out.  Yet the things that winners do take them to the top, while the things losers do take them down and out.  So what is the difference? The difference is their awareness, understanding and use of the Slight Edge in their life and work…The difference that will make all the difference between success and failure, between achieving the quality of life you want and settling for less than you desire and deserve, lies one hundred percent in which of those little, ‘insignificant’ actions you choose to do.”  These excerpts come from Jeff Olson’s book, The Slight Edge: Secrets to a Successful Life.

So what is the key word that all aspiring sales professionals need to pay attention from Jeff Olson’s messages ?  Contrary to popular belief it is the “insignificant” actions you choose to do.  It is the simple little disciplines that are done consistently over time that will add up to be your greatest accomplishments.

Here are twelve things that have a big impact on your selling success.  And they are not listed in any particular order – each has its own significant right:

1. When you, first, make eye contact with each new face you meet, just smile. A warm genuine smile can help you instantly connect with other people and it immediately makes them feel good. Such a small gesture has such a positive influence for their first impression of you. You don’t even need to say a word. So simple, so important, and yet so often, ignored and abused!  Set a number each day for how many times you are going to warmly smile – and surpass it!

2. Eye contact is a very important tool for achieving a good connection with your customer. The value of good eye contact is twofold: First, it’s a very powerful silent communication message about you and your relationship with you. It reflects your level of self-esteem and your comfort level with yourself.  Second, our quality eye contact validates the person to whom we are speaking. When we look them in the eye and give them our undivided attention, we are telling them that they matter. We are honoring and valuing their self-worth.  Practice makes perfect!

3. Don’t think that if you are talking, you’re selling. So many salespeople foolishly believe that if they have a live body captive and they are talking, they’re performing their duties – they are selling. Wrong! Remember, selling is much more about listening.  So how do you challenge yourself to be a better listening and give your undivided attention?  Concentrate on your interpersonal communications skills and identify behaviors that are not serving you well.  Confront them and replace them with more effective deeds.  And practice them daily.

4. Pay attention to the clock and honor time! Whether you have a face-to-face meeting or you’re making a follow-up phone call, make sure you show up or respond when you’re supposed to.  And if you have a client in person or on the phone, and you are running over for time, ask if you can excuse yourself for a few moments to inform your next appointment that you are running a few minutes late.  For, showing up on time is nothing but a practiced commitment and a good habit.   And honoring the time of others is just a beautiful way to treat people like they matter. Everybody wins!

5. Always ask for permission before sharing more information and taking more of your recipient’s time! Asking for your guest’s permission doesn’t mean you are being submissive.  Instead it simply reflects a sign of respect.  Asking for permission to offer a solution or too discuss a product shows that you are honoring your recipients time and his willingness to continue on with you.   Whatever it is you want to do next, whether it be to take a few moment to speak in a cold call, or to schedule your next appointment – ask for permission.  And practice will make perfect!

6. Master the desire, the passion, and the ability to compassionately, reach out to people. Nothing compares to the wonderful, cozy sensations we have when we sense that someone really cares about us. Everybody has a hungry heart. Humans thrive on healthy interpersonal connections – we are meant to be happy, social creatures. And it’s so easy to achieve this bond by kindly extending a personal part of ourselves to others. So, each day make a point of learning more about a client, co-worker, service special, or vendor.  Show that you care about the lives of the people you are in contact with each and every day.  And do even better, tomorrow!

7. Be of service to each person you connect with in a day. If a co-worker is looking for a good doctor, give the name of doctor you love.  If a client is looking for a service you don’t provide, assist him with a lead that may prove valuable him.  If a potential prospect is looking for directions to his next stop, go to your computer and “mapquest” the address he is searching for.  Always see yourself as a resource specialist, facilitator, and a problem solver.  People will like that and they will remember you.  And help even more people tomorrow! The gifts for your efforts will come back to you tenfold!

8. Take the time to say thank you and do it with sending a card. Make it a practice to send a card to all new prospects, existing customers, and people you meet at networking events.  I am a member of SendOutCards.com and I love the easy convenience for organizing contacts and sending out special cards in a jiffy.  So set a goal to send out so many cards a day and exceed it!  Today, very few people take the time to send out thank-you cards so when a prospect, client, or contact gets yours, it will help you stand out.   And don’t forget to thank all the wonderful “little people” that help to make you shine!

9. Treat people with inherent recognition to build quality relationships. And what this means is – doing anything that tells people they are valued and are important is “inherent recognition.”  By working on your behaviors that build trust, respect, and caring for others, you will strengthen the foundation on which your relationships are built.  Imply keep the best interest of your prospects and clients at heart. And don’t forget your coworkers an service specialists. The sincere positive recognition will have a positive and snowballing effect.  And you will build this genuine reputation with one person at-a-time.

10. Grow to love the process. Grow to love the journey. Personally, I have grown to be much gentler and easier with myself, especially in tough times and challenging circumstances. I have realized that every personal challenge I face offers me a golden opportunity to learn and mature with grace. It’s through our struggles our planet keeps offering golden opportunities to show us a better way to inhabit our world. That is simply, how the universe works. Remember, it is your experiences dealing with difficult people and situations that will teach you the most. Learn to see your greatest adversaries as your most powerful teachers!  And pay even more attention, tomorrow!

11. Always be a “breath of fresh air.” Treat your prospects and clients, and all the people you are in contact with, with “Happiness and Heart.” This includes the office receptionist, delivery person, your product vendor, and anyone else you interact with, along the way. Always have fun with your customers and service specialist – simply enjoy life. Always be different than your competition’s sales force. Always see yourself growing and striving to be someone better!  Besides the joy you are giving others, look at the wealth of goodness you are flooding into your own soul. Your sunshine energy not only affects your recipient, it permeates our universe. Think of your actions as a much-needed, healthy new epidemic – your vibrant, radiant behavior will catch on and become contagious. It’s really that simple!  Always see yourself writing up lots of sales. Always treat everyone like they matter!  Then refresh yourself for another successful day, tomorrow!

12. Just remember, good news travel fast, but bad news travels faster.” A long time ago, when I first ventured out into the self employed arena, a dear friend of mine shared these delightful, wise words with me. And through the years I have found great wisdom in this message. Take a moment to ponder what Bill had to say, and see how it fits for you. Before tackling my own spiritual development, I found that it was much easier to blast out with my bad stories and experiences than to tell the good ones. It is said that individuals will tell ten people about a negative situation for every 3-4 persons they tell about a positive outcome. With the odds working against you like that, you must find the necessary tools and means to outperform your competitors.  Make some personal changes and start today!

The value in applying the teachings in Jeff Olson’s book to each of these twelve point, is to acquaint you with the Slight Edge philosophy.  It is to give you a new prospective for you see the world and how you live your life each and everyday.  It is to expose you to the fact that the things you do every single day, the things that don’t look dramatic, that don’t even look like they matter, do matter!  And, that they not make a difference – they make all the difference!

Everybody Has a Hungry Heart!

Posted by Diane on Jul 7, 2010

Master the desire, the passion, and the ability to compassionately, reach out to people. Nothing compares to the wonderful, cozy sensations we have when we sense that someone really cares about us. Everybody has a hungry heart. Humans thrive on healthy interpersonal connections – we are meant to be happy, social creatures. And it’s so easy to achieve this bond by kindly extending a personal part of ourselves to others.

Today, we are living on the fast track in a rapidly changing world. Due to our modern existence, smothered with automation and highly sophisticated technology, making contact with a truly caring and competent service specialist seems to be becoming more and more of a rarity. In our time-pressed society we are all so busy multitasking, just to stay afloat, we have totally lost touch with the precious value for human caring and enjoyable interconnectedness with one-another.

If society could only realize that it takes so little to give so much, and it costs us nothing but our time! Unfortunately feeling starved for time, ourselves, we too, are so overwhelmed and self-absorbed that we totally overlook this modest, yet essential feat. It seems that in our present society, we are all out chasing the wind. Few of us are taking the valuable time to stop and experience the rich sensations of the soft, gentle breeze. How sad!

So what can you do to make a worthwhile contribution and difference in our spinning, out-of-control world? Be different than other salespeople, simply, by slowing your tempo down. Take that extra moment to treat your new prospects as though they are someone special. Take a few moments to tap into them; ask them about themselves and their talents, and listen to their responses with genuine interest. Let them know you are there with them and for them. Treat them the way you would like to be treated! You will be truly amazed with the wondrous results – your efforts will pay off tenfold!

I realize that not everyone is nice and/or receptive, nor do they want to be, and that’s just how the ball bounces. But what in the world do you have to lose by graciously channeling yourself to this euphoric place and seeing where it takes you? Again, this effort costs you nothing. It’s free! It seems almost impossible for me to express in words the blissful feelings you will experience when you realize the beautiful contribution you are gifting to others.

Besides the joy you are giving others, look at the wealth of goodness you are flooding into your own soul. Your sunshine energy not only affects your recipient, it permeates our universe. Think of your actions as a much-needed, healthy new epidemic – your vibrant, radiant behavior will catch on and become contagious. It’s really that simple!

Enjoy this beautiful, soft whisper from the past that I just read this morning: “Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting.”  This quote comes from Elizabeth Bibesco, a 20th century English writer. Please lock this precious morsel into your heart and model it in your life! Envision each small contribution you make for the betterment of mankind, to add up and help make our world a better place.

This blog is an excerpt from my book, Just Treat Me Like I Matter: The Heart of Sales.

“Sales,” “Service,” and “Caring” – What Do These Three Simple Words Have in Common?

Posted by Diane on Mar 4, 2010

Just recently I have had the pleasure of meeting a wise and savvy sales profession in our area, and he doesn’t know it yet, but he has inspired me to write this article. His name is Ruben Garcia and he is presently reading my sales training book, Just Treat Me Like I Matter: The Heart of Sales. Yesterday he sent me an email with the following selection:

“In the Swedish language the word sales means ‘service.’  An old saying in sales is ‘People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.’”

Since reading Ruben’s simple, but precious message, a gnawing has started brewing in my soul. As much as I feel I know about “relationship selling” I had not registered the one word that says it all – CARING. So, with my playful heart I said to myself, I am going to write an article and work with the word, C-A-R-I-N-G. First I am going to pick a descriptive word for each letter that will apply to my brand, “Sales Success with Happiness and Heart.” Then I am going into the PDF file for my book and type in each of the six words into my “Search,” and see what comes up from my own text.
So here goes; here are the results:

Compassionate

Master the desire, the passion, and the ability to compassionately, reach out to people. Nothing compares to the wonderful, cozy sensations we have when we sense that someone really cares about us. Everybody has a hungry heart. Humans thrive on healthy interpersonal connections – we are meant to be happy, social creatures. And it’s so easy to achieve this bond by kindly extending a personal part of ourselves to others.

Today, we are living on the fast track in a rapidly changing world. Due to our modern existence, smothered with automation and highly sophisticated technology, making contact with a truly caring and competent service specialist seems to be becoming more and more of a rarity. In our time-pressed society we are all so busy multitasking, just to stay afloat, we have totally lost touch with the precious value for human caring and enjoyable interconnectedness with one-another.

Authentic

Find your authentic self. Unveil to the world your own best hidden secret – you! Whatever you do in life, don’t envy or try mimicking someone else. Discover your own touch of greatness! Believe that everything you need is within you, because it is. Seek and you shall find…

…I have so thoroughly enjoyed discovering my authentic self through my sales and service experiences. I have been able to foster growth and ripen to my own rich potential. On my journey I have been able to discover my own sense of self; I have been endowed with the good fortune of coming face to face with my own ingenuity. The process has taught me to love myself for my good and my bad, my gifted traits and my aggravating flaws. I am not ashamed of anything anymore. I’m just plain ol’ me! I have truly grown to love, respect, and admire the beautiful person God put me here on this earth to be!

Reliable

Pay attention to how often you have gotten yourself into a bind simply because you were ignorant and did not have the necessary information. Over and over again I have realized the value and impact of these words. Experience has taught me that by gathering reliable information, I have been able to make better choices and have more positive outcomes.

The more knowledge we possess, the more we learn about ourselves and our profession – and the more secure and confident we become when we are working with our clients. We gather more excellent tools of our trade, which gives us a greater professional edge and builds our self-esteem. We feel great! We feel successful! We are able to have more fun with our work!

Interesting

My Dad is 87 now and recently retired from his second career. He has always been in professional public service and he loves working with people. Now that he has slowed down a tad and now, has time for me again, we run lots of errands together. I love going with him, because everywhere he goes, he truly treats everybody he meets like they matter. People light up like decorated Christmas trees when they see him coming. If he already knows them, he always greets them by name and asks a pertinent question about their family or an issue in their life. He looks them straight in the eye as he listens and shares with genuine caring.

My Dad always says to me, “Diane, everywhere I go, I am the ‘unforgettable character.’ I make people remember me by my effort to connect and relate with them. I always treat them like they are someone special and I show them I care.”

It is such fun for me to go with him and watch the beams and smiles on people’s faces as he enters their world. I am so blessed to have him as my Dad!

Remain the unforgettable character all the way to the finish. As I have shared many times, I loved when my customer turned to me in a state of awe and confided, “You seem different than other sales- people I have met.” When they had the courage to voice this remark, I knew they were gaining trust and starting to feel comfortable with me. I always loved hearing this delicious message; I took their notice to be such a compliment. I loved interacting with a customer in my own style and fashion, of course, employing many of the techniques I am sharing with you today.

I have continually stressed the value of “uniqueness” throughout this book. But my guess is, discovering and developing this special quality in you, is one of the main reasons you are reading this book – to make yourself better, to make yourself unique from your competition. Practicing many of the teachings I have presented to you have helped me to develop the self confidence and personality that sets me apart from the crowd. I enjoy making myself different from other sales specialists – I find it so delightful and refreshing to be, just me. Get comfortable with yourself, drop some of your cumbersome guards, and find the courage to unveil your unique flavor. Discover the special qualities in you that will separate you from other salespeople – believe me, it won’t be that difficult! See yourself having lots of fun, closing lots of sales!

Nice

Literally, listen to your own heart. If we are not in touch with ourselves, how can we hope to connect or resolve with others? While you are taking your few seconds away from your angry customer to regain your composure, pay attention to your heart rate and other bodily signs that reflect anxiety or stress. Literally breathe into these parts of your body and sensations. If necessary, physically remove yourself and step outside or into another room. Continue to breathe deeply and walk so you can reconnect with your personal power. If you allow yourself to become physically and/or emotionally charged along with your troubled client, you will succumb to trouble. And that is certainly not where you want to be! Maintain your IQ and visualize a win-win outcome!

Otherwise you may end up exactly where you don’t want to be. Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval, in their book, The Power of Nice, contend: “Just as positive actions are like seeds, rude gestures and remarks are like germs – you may not see the impact they have on you for a while, but they are there, silently infecting you and everyone around you.”

Linda and Robin go on to say: “Even if you never see a person you have treated badly again, even if no one sees or knows of your rudeness or bad behavior, you will know. It will be in your mind and heart when you walk into a meeting and try to convince the people in the room that they should put their faith in you. Because you won’t believe in yourself, you could jeopardize the outcome of a meeting or relationship.”

Such poor behavior allows you to fall into this lose-lose pit!

Genuine

People know when they are with a winner; they can just feel it. This sound bite is a tough one to express in words, because sensing that you’ve found a keeper is truly a gut feeling. How does this relate to sales? Somehow, consumers just know when they have landed with the qualified professional they have been searching for. They sense your genuine value of integrity; they pick up on your poise, your self-confidence, and your sincere interest in them. They know when they have found the right person to fulfill their needs. They know when they have found the person they want to work with. In other words, they recognize that you are there for them, and not yourself.

Please, take these six delightful excerpts to heart and make CARING your motto for your Sales, Service, and Life success! And, if you would like to introduce your choice of words and definitions for CARING I would love to hear from you. Or, if you wish to challenge me with another word in the letters for C-A-R-I-N-G, I will happily search my book and see what comes up. In the meantime I want to thank Ruben again for taking the time to send his inspiring extract that motivated this sharing.

Emotions are Ever-Changing Just Like the Clouds Moving Across the Wyoming Sky

Posted by Diane on Feb 6, 2010

“There will always be difficult people! Regardless of how many books you read, seminars you attend, or tools you invent. There will be some whom you have to let go and accept that you did the best you could with what you knew at the time. And that’s OK.

 “But, what you can and should do is, take these challenging people and disturbing situations and see them as your best teachers for learning rich and valuable lessons. Instead of focusing your awareness on their negative behavior, direct your attention back to yourself. When you are willing to confront your own struggles, you are opening yourself up for a marvelous opportunity to acquire great sales tools and personal gifts – the lessons learned from your difficult experiences.

 “Silently thank your difficult customers and most challenging encounters, for these golden, learning opportunities will gift you with the chance to raise your level of personal and professional excellence.”

 I have selected the introduction and closing for this article, and the following, heartwarming little story from my book, Just Treat Me like I Matter: The Heart of Sales.  All these excerpt come from my chapter on, “Dealing with Difficult People:” 

 “Before closing this chapter, I would like to share a ‘fluffy’ experience that has lightened life’s load for me. I hope it can add a touch of lightness for yours.

 “Remember how in my Introduction I told you about my midlife crisis in the Grand Tetons in Wyoming? Besides much healing, I also gained many wonderful tools for living life during my summer there. One of my favorite activities to do was to take walks and horseback rides out to the lush green pastures and soft rolling hills, all splashed with shimmering aspen trees. Then I liked to find a nice plush spot to lie down in the green grass and wild flowers and listen to the rustling aspen leaves and watch the cloud formations move across the sky.

 “If you have ever been to Wyoming, you know what I am talking about when it comes to enjoying the constantly changing weather patterns and exciting drama in the sky. Witnessing these rapidly evolving cloud patterns is an enthralling experience – one you can never forget.

 “As I lay in the grass and wildflowers, sometimes I would even wonder whether I was still planted here on this earth, or had I already moved on to the next world. Often I would say to myself, ‘I believe I have gotten myself as close to heaven as I am going to ever find on this earth.’

 “For it was not at all uncommon to see brilliant rainbows illuminated across the sky, feel the rain falling from the dark clouds, and then experience bright sunshine breaking through the clouds to warm and light up this grandiose scenery. And there was still more: In the majestic backdrop, there were the snow-covered peaks of the Grand Tetons, smothered with rapidly changing, brilliant colored, billowing clouds. It was such a rich and delicious experience of nature, and all free – just there for the taking.

 “One day while viewing God’s Theater, a brilliant epiphany popped into my head: The clouds in the sky are exactly like emotions – they are each constantly changing and never remain the same. Along with so many other things I learned that summer, I have never forgotten learning this simple lesson from the clouds in the vibrant Wyoming sky.

 “Hardly does a day go by that I do not go back to that rich simile and apply it to a situation at hand. I find it to be a great tool for helping me deal with people who exhibit bad behavior and emotions. And I constantly use it when I find myself in a bad emotional space with myself. I just imagine myself lying in the grass and wildflowers again, watching the rapidly changing, dramatic sky. And all of a sudden, I don’t feel nearly as attached to my bad emotions. I see and feel the dark, threatening clouds rapidly moving on, only to be replaced by soft, light, fluffy ones.

 “Researchers indicate that most of us have anywhere from 12,000–65,000 thoughts pass through our mind each day. Like the ever-changing theater in the sky, our minds are working vigorously. And for many of us, our thoughts can be filled with skepticism, negativity, anxiety, or fear. Allowing yourself to become attached to these bad feelings and troubling emotions will certainly drag you down.

 “In order for you to cope in your personal and professional life, you must learn to see these pessimistic thoughts as fleeting and elusive. You must learn to let go of them. You must train yourself to release their negative impact from your mind, just as rapidly as the clouds change and reshape their formations in the sky.

 “If you feel burdened with this troubling issue, I suggest you delve into a book published by the Foundation for Inner Peace, A Course in Miracles. This text and workbook are filled with comprehensive lessons for establishing inner peace. This work is all about forgiveness for your self and others, as well as letting go of attachments that cause emotional pain. If you tend to let life encumber you, this might be a great way to take some weight off your shoulders and lighten your load.

 “Just remember, when you have an angry customer, whatever you do, do not fall into their wrath. Bullies are really cowards in disguise; they get a power charge from acting like drama queens. They lack the tools and/or skills for personal empowerment, so they resort to their primitive instincts and roar. If you dare involve yourself and spew wrath back, all you are really doing is using them as an opportunity to vent your own frustrations and angers. Always keep in mind that it is not what happens to you, it is what you choose to do with what happens to you. It is not what people say to you, it is what you allow yourself to hear. Maintain your dignity and self-respect; don’t join them in their drama-queen court.”

 Yes, I really hope you enjoyed the precious lesson I learned from Wyoming’s magnificent sky.  I can’t tell you how many times I pull this charming memory out of my pocket to counteract the unsettling emotions I am experiencing at the moment.  And, hopefully, you now have a delightful new tool to diffuse your emotions when you are ready to blow, or you allow the anger of someone else to get underneath your own skin.  I just hope this simple trick works for you, too.  I would love to hear back from you if you find this analogy valuable, or you have one of your own that you would like to share with all of us.

Sixty-plus, and Loving It! by Diane Marie Pinkard

Posted by Diane on Feb 6, 2010

Recently, I have been reading and listening to some troubling comments by baby boomers that are very fearful or dissatisfied with their current professional lot-in-life!   Here is a brief consensus of some of the remarks I am hearing and reading:

• I can’t find a job!
• I can’t keep up with the changes and transitions, the world is moving too fast.
• Am I even good enough anymore?
• I’m having to accept positions and/or salaries that are beneath my dignity, experience, and means.
• When I am seeking employment I see the expressions on the faces of young hiring managers.
• Silently, I hear hiring staff members saying, “You are older than we are looking for.”
• Companies seem to have a very specific idea of what they’re looking for in a new hire and they are unwilling to accept any deviation from that vision.  Obviously I don’t fit the bill.
• Young hiring managers ask me, how easy will it be for me to follow their leadership?
• I am afraid that, if I teach and mentor these young Gen Ys with what I know, once they get it, I will be booted out the door.
• I fear that my company is feeling like they are paying me more than they want to pay me because of my seniority.    I just wonder when I am going to receive my “walking papers?”
• I feel awkward and like a “fish out of water.”  I just don’t feel like I fit in.

Well my response to you struggling Boomers: 

YOU ARE WHAT YOU BELIEVE!

And I believe that you have never been better!

I am now 63 years old and I feel like my gifts and offerings for my personal and professional life have never been greater.  And I can accomplish my daily tasks with grace, finesse, and self-confidence, all rewarding me with great success.   I feel like I have aged like a fine wine!   

For me, I am proud of my age and I am wisely fulfilled with my vast experience.  It is my many accomplishments and challenges that make me what I am today.   Sometimes I feel like the rough-edged, ragged stone that has spent many years  tumbling in the rock tumbler – and now I have come out to be the beautifully polished gem that God intended for me to be become.   Yes, I have learned that you definitely have to do the personal work – to get polished!

Speaking of polish, two pearls of memory come up from my rich past.   My Mother loves to tell me what her father used to say to her when she was a little girl: “Little Girlie, I wished I could teach you all the lessons of life that I have learned, but, unfortunately, you are going to have to learn them all for yourself.”

And second, when I was growing up, it always seemed that my mother could see so much that I could not see.   And that would irritate me because I wanted to think I knew enough to make my own decisions, not have to listen to her.  So one day, in an agitated state, I asked her, “What do you have Mother?  Do you have a crystal ball, or something?”

She confidently answered, “You just wait and see.  What you think you know now, you will be able to look back in ten years and see how more you know then, than now.”  Now I have lived long enough to know the wisdom in her words. 

So, after reflecting on these wise words from my Mom and Grandpa, I decided to start listing some of the benefits of being 60+.  The assignment I gave myself is one I give to my clients.  I ask my students to list all the good things going on in their life, then a list of all the bad.  And most often, when people really dig in, they find many more items on the positive side of their list, than on the negative side.   And that is exactly what happened to me!

I started writing and I could not write fast enough.  I was up over 35 entries and the pen was still flying across the page, knowing I still had more items to add.     A negative thought did not even enter my head.   After glancing at my list I thought to myself, I will look terribly conceited if I publish this whole list.  Why don’t I just pick 10 and let my readers have fun by adding many more.  And believe me it was really hard to cut this list to 10!  Here goes:

• I draw from a deep well of rich experience and knowledge for living my life each and every day
• I do not take things personally anymore, it is very difficult to ruffle my feathers
• I have suburb work ethics
• I am authentic – I truly walk my talk
• I am very comfortable in my own skin
• I can laugh at myself
• I have excellent interrelationship abilities that can bridge many genres
• I can love myself as much for my flaws and imperfections, as my many wonderful qualities
• I can remain balanced, centered, and grounded in times of stress and trouble
• I have a collection of life tools and skills to make life work with ease – my toolbox is full!

 

Yes experience does bring rich offerings to the table!   But the excited young candidates also bring wonderful attributes and qualities for achieving high performance.    So, if I was doing the hiring, I would be careful not to ever pass up a fine aging wine.  But, I would also want to be very careful that I was not tangling with an old, aging oak tree that that did not have some bend like a young, wispy willow tree.  

The key at ALL ages is:  Be open to learning new things, be open to growth and change, and cultivate and believe in the rich offerings of you!!

I would love to hear from the 60+ crowd, and hear about the rich “makings” of YOU!