Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Take a Persistence Inventory



Take a Persistence Inventory
The book, “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill has sold more than 50 million copies since it came out in print. It’s a great read with a lot of practical advice on how to mix up your own magical formula for success.
I’m a sales professional, and I’m well aware that my paycheck is directly linked to my willingness and ability to persist. Hill’s “Persistence Inventory” is a useful way to take stock of what I’m doing, and what I need to do better.
Or as Hill puts it, “These are the weaknesses that must be mastered by all who accumulate riches.”
Napoleon Hill’s Persistence Inventory:
1.      Failure to recognize and to define clearly exactly what one wants.
2.      Procrastination, with or without cause.
3.      Lack of interest in acquiring specialized knowledge.
4.      Indecision.
5.      The habit of relying upon alibis instead of creating definite plans for the solution of problems.
6.      Self-satisfaction (which can be tough to recognize at times in my opinion!)
7.      Indifference, usually reflected in one’s readiness to compromise on all occasions, rather than meeting opposition and fighting it.
8.      The habit of blaming others for one’s mistakes, and accepting unfavorable circumstances as unavoidable.
9.      Weakness of desire, due to the choice of motives that impel action.
10.  Willingness to quit at the first sign of defeat.
11.  Lack of organized plans, in writing, so you can analyze your thinking.
12.  The habit of neglecting to move on ideas, or grab opportunity when it appears.
13.  Wishing instead of willing.
14.  The habit of compromising with poverty instead of aiming at riches.
15.  Searching for all the short-cuts to riches, trying to get without giving a fair equivalent in effort.
16.  Fear of criticism so you don’t create plans and put them into action.

As you think about these items, I challenge you to answer the core question Hill asked in his book: Can you imagine yourself as a millionaire?

And what would you need to do differently when you’re selling to achieve that?

Learn More about Napoleon Hill at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_Hill

 
 
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Monday, August 12, 2013

Using Questions to Push the Buyer’s Hot Button






You’re calling on a brand new prospect named Bud. After 15 minutes, you’re concerned. Bud’s cordial enough as you ask questions, but you can tell he’s not engaged. His practiced answers come quickly. As Bud politely recites plain vanilla facts, his eyes stray to his computer monitor. Opportunity is slipping away. You need to do something!

You switch directions and ask, “Bud, your competitors are always complaining to us about productivity problems. Is low productivity a problem for you?”  Bud straightens and looks right at you. Tilting his head, his tone intensifies as he asks, “What do you mean?” 

YOU HIT A HOT BUTTON! Your question started Bud’s emotional engine. You haven’t arrived at the destination, but you’re finally on the road. 

Take a minute to think about the questions you ask. 
·         What do potential customers complain about?
·         What important problems do you solve?
·         What unmet needs prompt a physical reaction, causing prospects to feel stress, discomfort, uncertainty, worry and doubt?
·         What fears lead to change?

To make a sale, buyers must be motivated to make a change.  Motivation results from a prospect’s drive to resolve internal tension. Hot button questions start the buyer thinking about their situation and fulfilling unmet needs.

Hot button questions create opportunities.  Here the challenge. Come up with three hot button questions that turn on the buyer’s emotional engine. In your next prospecting call, take the questions for a test drive. Find out what works and practice.

Good selling!

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Pushing Start on Emotional Engines to Drive Sales







Has this ever happened to you? You sit down at your desk, ready to work. There’s a message from your boss in your email inbox that reads, “Congratulations. Your sales numbers were great last month. What do you think you’ll do this month?”


The message triggers a quick mental review of the opportunities in your pipeline. Not much there. Happiness vanishes and apprehension descends like a dark cloud. Your chest tightens and your heart, beating steady and slow a moment ago, thumps at twice its normal speed. 


You’re feeling internal tension caused by unmet needs. To put it another way, you boss pushed start on an emotional engine. A moment ago, you were happy. Now you’re worried and far more motivated to call prospects than you were moments ago. 


How do you motivate prospects to buy? What buttons should you push to start emotional engines that power more purchases? 


In the next post, I’ll share my thoughts on how you can do a better job of asking questions to push start on emotional engines and get more selling opportunities.

Interested in our sales training courses at Thought Transformation? If so, be sure to visit our website or call us at 1-770-846-3510. Thought Transformation has provided sales training solutions in Atlanta and surrounding areas since 2004. Learn how to find leads, make sales, cold calling, closing sales, penetrating accounts, and much more.

Monday, August 5, 2013

Redirect the Conversation








How to Redirect a Conversation when Work Friends Whine

When a friend at work complains, and you’re in no mood to join in, one smart strategy to handle the situation is:
·        Let them talk for a minute or two.
·        Acknowledge the complaint with a neutral line like, “I can see why that bothers you.”
·        Follow the acknowledgement by asking, “What’s gone well for you lately?”

Complaints result from immediate feelings. Things go right and we’re happy. Things go wrong and we complain.

By redirecting thoughts to positive events, you redirect emotions in a positive direction as well.

BTW . . . redirection strategies also come in handy when you talk to customers and they start complaining. Good selling!