Lot's of new collective wisdom tonight

Sales Tip from the RAB Training Academy: Small Things Can Mean A Lot

By John Potter, VP/Director, Radio Training Academy

My son, a senior in high school, and I made a college visit to the University of Colorado. The campus is beautiful, but he initially showed little emotion for the University one way or the other.

But as we stood on the sidewalk looking at a campus map, a young lady passing by paused briefly. With a big smile, she asked if she could help us find anything. That small gesture sparked a positive emotion that now has my son seriously considering the school.

Sometimes small gestures that show we care about clients or prospects are enough to trigger a positive emotion that will lead to a sale.

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Here's Harvey...

Are you working on you?

By Harvey Mackay

Another year is upon us, and it’s the most popular time of year to think about starting a diet. But I’d like to propose a different type of diet – a steady diet of learning.

I’m a big believer in lifelong learning. You don’t go to school once for a lifetime; you are in school all of your life.

There is a famous story about Oliver Wendell Holmes, one of America's most distinguished Supreme Court Justices. Holmes was in the hospital, when he was over age 90, and President Theodore Roosevelt came to visit him. As the President was ushered into the hospital room, there was Justice Holmes reading a book of Greek grammar.

President Roosevelt asked, “Why are you reading about Greek grammar, Mr. Holmes?”

And Holmes replied, “To improve my mind, Mr. President.” Ninety... and still trying to learn something new!

Why not make continuing education a new priority?

Increasingly the wet-behind-the-ears freshmen are sharing their campuses with the not so young folk who want – and need – to further their educations too.

Peter Drucker, the late, great management guru, wrote in the Harvard Business Review: “It is a safe prediction that in the next 50 years, schools and universities will change more and more drastically than they have since they assumed their present form more than 300 years ago when they reorganized themselves around the printed book.

“What will force these changes is, in part, new technology; ...in part, the demands of a knowledge-based society in which organized learning must become a lifelong process...”

Individuals need to take stock and realize that they’re in school for their entire lives. Companies need to create a corporate culture that strives for continuous improvement. Human beings are not like a package of Jell-O. You can't add water and achieve a reformed human being.

When you talk about lifelong learning, someone who comes to mind is Charles Lindbergh, the famous aviation pioneer who was the first person to successfully fly solo over the Atlantic Ocean to Europe from the United States.

Early in his life, he taught himself to be a superb mechanic working with motorcycles. Then he became a gifted stunt and test pilot. He pretty much designed and masterminded construction of "The Spirit of St. Louis," the plane he flew over the Atlantic.

After his history-making flight, he devoted himself to helping move aviation from an adventurous sport to common practicality. In a "welcome home" tour, he landed at precisely 2 p.m. at 81 airports scattered across the 48 states that made up the continental United States.

This was to demonstrate to skeptics that aviation could provide a safe and reliable means of transportation. Then he and his wife scouted out new airline routes around the world.

Later, in conjunction with a Nobel prize-winning French scientist, he designed and built the first perfusion pump, which opened the way to heart by-pass surgery. He was an avid conservationist and environmentalist and he wrote a total of seven books.

We live in a sad time when you consider the following statistics, which I found recently:

Only 14% of adults with a grade school education read literature in 2002.

• 51% of the American population never reads a book over 400 pages after they complete their formal education.
• 73% of all books in libraries are never checked out.
• The average American watches 32 hours of TV every week.
• The average American reads only eight hours (books, newspapers, magazines, Yellow Pages, etc.) every week.
• The average American annually spends ten times more on what he puts on his head than what puts into his head. Consider the following:
• If you read just one book per month for 12 straight months, you will be in the top 25 percentile of all intellectuals in the world!
• If you read five books on one subject, you are one of the world’s foremost leading authorities on that subject!
• If you read just 15 minutes a day – every day, for one year – you can complete 20 books!

As Benjamin Franklin said, “The doors of wisdom are never shut.”

Mackay’s Moral: Life is like riding a bicycle. You don’t fall off unless you stop pedaling.

Miss a column? The last three weeks of Harvey's columns are always archived online.

More information and learning tools can be found online at harveymackay.com.

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How To Slow Down To Pick Up The Pace

OK, Here's something from one of my favorites:

How To Slow Down To Pick Up The Pace


Huh - you're probably thinking.  That doesn't make sense.

Well maybe it does.

The year 2006 has just ended.

And 2007 is off to a fast start.

But - did you take a breather?  Did you reflect on what sales
strategies
worked and what didn't work for you last year? 

Did you prepare a written flight (sales) plan for your trip through
2007?

Is your plan so clear and concise that you can visualize it?  You can
see how much you'll earn in 2007.  You can picture yourself winning
specific and BIG accounts.  You can see yourself winning sales rep of
the year in your company.

You can see you and your family going on the most fabulous vacation
ever.

If you can't see it because you didn't invest time to imagine it -
don't
think it's gonna happen.  Your chances are better at winning Lotto!

You can't do this on the fly - you need to slow down, maybe for a day,
to get the ball rolling.

Look, action follows thought.  Stop and think about this statement. 
Action follows thought.

If you agree with me on that point, well you should spend some time
thinking about where you want to be at the end of 2007 - personally
and professionally.

It's this simple!  Think it.  Plan it. Then do it.

If you can imagine it - you can achieve it.

Slow down to think it and plan it.

Then you can stomp on the gas pedal to get it done.

It's okay for you to desire to become the person you're capable of
becoming.  Why settle for so little when you can have so much?

I read this in the current issue of Food and Wine Magazine:

"No matter how well-established they are, great chefs never stop
searching for new ways to improve their cooking."

Likewise I believe, sales superstars, never stop searching for ways
to improve their selling skills.  Naturally - I count them as my best
customers.  They keep buying my information products searching for
new ideas.  Obviously they keep coming back because they have learned
it's wise to be with the Mise.

Go take a look over your shoulder.

Did you achieve everything you wanted to achieve last year?

Did you strike the perfect balance between mind, body, and spirit -
which
is spelled out with incredible clarity in "The Science Of Getting
Rich?"

There's only one person holding you back from extraordinary success
and wealth.

So, what's it going to be in 2007?  More of the same or radical
thinking?

I prefer some radical thinking and I hope you do too.

Slow down to think it and plan it and then pick up the pace.


= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =


Words Of Wisdom

With age I have become more patient.
Eleanor Roosevelt

Good fortune is not known until it is lost.
Cervantes

Everything in excess is opposed to nature.
Hippocrates


= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =



Let's go sell something . . .



Jim Meisenheimer
(800) 266-1268



PS - In case you're wondering if I can recommend a dynamo resource
to help you get the best jump-start on the New year - yes I can.

What you need to have the best year ever in sales is Jim Meisenheimer's
Ultimate No-Brainer Selling Skills Manuals Volumes I & II. And because
I
strongly believe that every sales representative and entrepreneur on
the planet needs to read "The Science Of Getting Rich," I'm going to
include a FREE eBook version with the first 77 orders plus an
additional
3 bonuses.

All it takes is 15 minutes a day to latch onto the motivating and sales
training ideas in the 416 pages you'll get with this combo package.

Don't put off until tomorrow what you can and should be doing today.

Here's you link.  If it's not clickable please do a cut and paste:

http://www.meisenheimer.com/products/2manuals.htm










Published by Jim Meisenheimer
13506 Blythefield Terrace
Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202

(800) 266-1268

E-mail:  jim@meisenheimer.com

Website: http://www.meisenheimer.com


= = = = = = =

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Marketing: An Expense or an Investment?

This one is from the RAB:

Daily Sales Tip: Marketing: An Expense or an Investment?

Every operating business has its share of fixed operating costs (personnel wages, rent, utilities, insurance, etc.) -- expenses that do not fluctuate with sales levels. Each also incurs variable operating costs (cost of goods sold, commissions, etc.) that increase or decrease accordingly in direct relation to sales volume.

Most companies are limited by their line-item expense category called "advertising." It is often set as a percentage of sales and is often based on historical numbers. The problem with this formula is that it can lead to a self-fulfilling deteriorating spiral.

Acting on this theory, an automotive dealer whose sales start declining may slash the dealership advertising budget. As a result, future sales numbers drop further, as the message continually gets diluted, and the downward spiral in sales will continue with each successive advertising budget cut.

Adopting a more growth-oriented philosophy, companies should instead consider allocating a percentage of their anticipated (future) sales to marketing and advertising. Japanese business leaders have traditionally viewed marketing and advertising as an investment rather than an expense. Unfortunately for American companies, Wall Street expectations and short-term profit goals often drive short-term (and short-sighted) decision making, which can lead to the decreasing marketing budgets.

Local companies need to understand the need to invest in their future by marketing. Oftentimes, start-up businesses invest thousands of dollars on their location, their inventory and their operating expenses, leaving few dollars to promote the fact that they are even open for business.

Bo Randall, an agency friend of mine, used an analogy to explain the benefits of advertising to his client, a large automotive group. He drew a parallel between advertising and putting your foot on the gas pedal when driving. It takes a lot of gas to get the car moving forward but less gas to keep the momentum once it is established. If you take your foot off the gas, the car will continue to move forward but the momentum will decrease until the car eventually comes to a stop.

Most business owners will understand this analogy. The first goal, however, is to convince them of the need to get in the car and put their foot on the gas.


Source: Sales author/consultant Michael Guld (The Guld Resource Group, 2006)

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How To Display Higher Value Than Your Prospects

It's been awhile since I posted anything, so here are some great ideas from some of the e-mails I get:

How To Display Higher Value Than Your Prospects

I've been spending a tremendous amount of time
recently studying human social dynamics and
spending a lot of time with experts in this area,
including time in the field understanding their
interpretations on how these dynamics affect
face-to-face sales situations.

In the world of human interaction, social value
determines our "rank" compared to other human
beings.  Business status, financial status,
fame, fortune, and other indicators of power are
irrelevant when social value is taken into
consideration.  By displaying higher social value
than the other person, you are automatically put
into the position of control and authority and
can determine the outcome of the interaction.
However, almost all salespeople lower their status
by displaying lower social value than the prospect.

Following is a checklist of things you need to
avoid doing.  These are the things that salespeople
do that display low social value.  Avoid them at
all cost:

1.  Fidgety movements and tight shoulders.  Taking
yourself too seriously.  Being too businesslike or
"sophisticated" (not laughing or being relaxed) =
very visible self-doubt, overcompensating through
non-relaxed state, as if you're visibly preparing
to deal with any bad thing that can happen. 

Example:  Ever met someone who doesn't blink when
you talk to them?  It is because they are in this
state.

2.  Talking too fast = worried that people will
stop listening to you unless you say something that
will interest them before they leave.  ***Almost
ALL salespeople do this!

3.  Laughing at your own jokes = social nervousness

4.  Saying things like "right" or "you know" after
making statements = seeking validation that what
you said was true, or saying it because others
aren't.

5.  Standing with legs not at least a foot and a
half (half a meter) apart = worried that you'll
infringe on others' personal space.  This
communicates that you have low status.

6.  Talking too softly = fear that you'll impose
yourself on people and their personal space. 
However, talking too loud can also be seen as
overcompensating.  This is very similar to how
people who wear generic clothes are like those who
talk too softly, i.e. they are trying to fit in,
while wearing outrageous clothes is much like talking
too loud, i.e. overcompensating for insecurities.

7.  Moving your hands around while you talk =
trying to keep the attention of the group.  In
the world of body language, this also indicates
nervousness since moving your hands around while
talking is actually a way to release tension
Be careful with this - nearly all salespeople do
it and mistakenly believe that moving your hands
while talking is a form of expressiveness; however,
doing so lowers your status in terms of body
language sub-communication.  Any benefit in terms
of being expressive is more than cancelled out by
the fact that it conveys nervousness and insecurity.

8.  Leaning in = too eager to talk.  NEVER lean in
while talking to a prospect.  Speak loudly enough to
be heard clearly (without talking too loud as in
point #6) or get the prospect to lean in to you, but
never lean in to a prospect.

9.  Facing your body and/or feet 100% toward the
prospect before he/she has earned it = trying to
gain rapport too eagerly.

10.  Chasing if the prospect moves away = hoping he/
she will listen.  If a prospect moves away from you,
move your body language MORE away from him or her and
continue speaking so the prospect will be drawn back
in, but never chase!

11.  Not withdrawing when a prospect does something
disrespectful that you would not tolerate from any
other person = trying to hard to get his or her
attention.  Supplicating.  Displaying neediness.

12.  Answering questions too quickly and/or too
early = showing too much interest in the conversation.
Stick with your game plan and run your appointment
as you had planned to begin with.  Answer questions
after you're finished with your part.

13.  Going back to a prior conversational thread that
was interrupted the first chance you get = trying
too hard to impress them (i.e., when a thread gets
broken off in the conversation, and you go back to it
FIRST chance you get when the other topic ends, you
look like you were WAITING to get back to it.  WHY
are you so eager to get back on, unless you don't feel
comfortable around the other person and you need to
qualify yourself to them?)  WAIT until THEY say "what
was it that you were saying before?" and THEN go back
to it.  If it doesn't happen, *DROP IT* even if it
was good.  This is very very important in conveying
higher status than your prospect.

14.  Replying with overly thought-out answers or
overly logical answers or overly clear/formal
pronunciation = being concerned that you won't be
accepted unless you convince really well.  You need
to know your stuff and what you'll say to overcome
objections, etc., but don't come off as too well-
rehearsed.  Be natural.

15.  Taking too many sentences to state an idea that
could be stated in less time = qualifying yourself.
The shorter you can explain something, the more
PROFOUND you appear.  Why?  Because you're not
qualifying yourself.

16.  Being bold instead of confident.  Here's an
example of what I mean:  Think of a group of people
skydiving and about to jump out of the plane. 

Person #1:  "Yeeeaaahhhh!  Here we go!  YES!!!!!"
This is being bold, not confident.

Person #2, the confident one:  "See you guys on
the ground... here we go."

Boldness is actually a display of insecurity while
confidence displays security and high status.

17.  Overcompensating insecurities = fear of not
being accepted.  Have you ever met a janitor who says
right away, "Money is over-rated.  I would never get
caught up in the corporate world" etc etc.  If the
person would have simply said "I'm a janitor" and
LEFT IT AT THAT you wouldn't have even thought
anything was wrong with it.  But because they instantly
start overcompensating, it comes off as overcompensating
or overqualifying.  The same is true if they bring
it up too early.  If I said, "I'm Frank.  I'm a
janitor and I love it," I'd be trying to be cocky but
it would come off as overcompensating.  BE COMFORTABLE
WITH YOURSELF AND WHO YOU ARE.

I've seen salespeople violate this in various ways.
For example, salespeople who are dressed down will
say things to prospects like, "I'm casual today since
I was planning to be in the office all day."  This is
like the janitor I just mentioned - it's overcompensating.
Don't bring it up at all.  If you're a man and you
didn't shave that morning, or your car is filthy, or any
number of things, don't overcompensate for it by making
excuses for it.  Just don't bring it up.  Act as if
everything is perfectly fine and don't bring it up
in the first place.

18.  Overcompensating failure or shortcomings = fear
of being judged.  If you do poorly on a presentation
to a prospect or manager, do NOT say things like "I'm
really tired today."  Even if you ARE really tired,
the mere act of saying it comes off as qualifying
to the other person.  Like in the previous point, just
don't bring it up!

19.  Going backwards in the appointment if the prospect
asks to = being too eager to please.  If you've already
handled those issues, DO NOT let the prospect rewind
and set you back.  Professionally continue according
to your game plan and handle those issues when you're
done and when it's convenient for you to do so, such
as when you're ready to hear and answer the prospect's
questions.

20.  Waiting too long if the prospect leaves or delays
for any reason = too eager.  If you show up for an
appointment and have been waiting for 20 minutes, DO
NOT sit there for another 20 waiting to see the prospect.
Kindly explain to the prospect's assistant or staff
that you have other appointments waiting and must
reschedule, even if you don't.  DO NOT EVER let a
prospect disrespect your time like this.

21.  Verbally offering too much about yourself too
early = too eager to impress them.  Examples:  Saying
things like "I just got back from vacation in _______
great place" or "I just got my Rolex fixed" or "My
BMW is due for service."  People will PICK UP on the
fact that you're trying too hard to impress them with
superficial things.  Don't give your resume too early!
You should convey your personality through YOUR
PERSONALITY and nothing else.

22.  Entertaining = coming off as too eager or too
try-hard.  Save the funny jokes and great stories for
your friends and co-workers.

23.  Wanting rapport with someone who didn't earn
it.  ***Almost all salespeople do this and it is
extremely counter-productive!  I've been very vocal
on this.  Salespeople will look around a prospect's
office and inquire about irrelevant things like a
picture on the wall or some random object on the
prospect's desk.  WHY DO YOU CARE ABOUT THESE THINGS
FROM THIS RANDOM PERSON???????  If you wouldn't have
any genuine interest in these things from a random
person on the street, don't feign interest with your
prospects.

24.  Talking without feedback.  When you're talking
to someone and they don't give feedback or any
interaction, you keep talking and talking yourself
into a downward spiral.  You sense that you're now
qualifying yourself so you overcompensate even more
by talking and talking more and more.  You now feel
inferior because you've qualified yourself and are
left treading water, grabbing at ANYTHING that may
impress the other person.  Avoid this by not talking
too much unless they give some feedback.  In the
field you do this by deliberately pausing and FORCING
them to fill in the awkward gaps.

Alright, that's my short checklist.  Follow these
guidelines and you'll sub-communicate higher social
value to your prospects (and everyone else you
interact with) and will close a significantly higher
percentage of sales than you are now, assuming
you have been violating one or more of these points.

And if you want the whole story and a wealth of
mind-blowing information that will blow your sales
right through the roof, check out The Sales Mastery
Program.  It's JAM-PACKED with super-valuable
information that will make your sales numbers explode!
For more information please visit:

http://www.dontcoldcall.com

And if you've been a subscriber for a while and still
haven't gotten your copy of Cold Calling Is A Waste Of
Time:  Sales Success In The Information Age, don't
wait another day!  Visit:

http://www.nevercoldcall.com/products.htm

Thanks again for reading.  Good luck and happy selling!

Your friend,
Frank J. Rumbauskas, Jr.
www.nevercoldcall.com
www.dontcoldcall.com

--------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2006 Frank J. Rumbauskas, Jr. and FJR
Advisors, LLC.  All rights reserved.  "Cold Calling
Is A Waste Of Time:  Sales Success In The Information
Age" and "Never Cold Call Again" are registered
trademarks of FJR Advisors, LLC.

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