Don’t Let a Good Recession Go to Waste!
I was with one of my coaches last week, and she said the funniest thing… ”Don’t let a good recession go to waste!” BRILLIANT! This statement has stuck in my brain. I’ve tweeted it only to have it re-tweeted (http://twitter.com/CaskeyChick). It received a slew of comments on my Facebook page. Obviously, it struck a chord with others as well. So what does it mean to you? Seriously, I’d love to hear.
Here’s my take on how we should be working the recession for all it’s worth:
• Workforce: What a perfect time to get rid of your underperformers. You can’t afford not to be getting the highest return on your investments on your most expensive assets—your people. They say the cream rises to the top. In hard times, other stuff floats to the top. Ever heard the expression “turds in a punch bowl”? I don’t think I need to say more.
• Training: For your peak performers, now is a great time to give them an edge. Maybe it’s outside training, coaching, or cross training within your organization. Truly turn your team into a lean machine. If you’re not green and growing, you’re ripe and rotting. (I think Einstein said that.)
• New ideas: Have you been sitting on a new, innovative approach to your market place? Have you been thinking “the same stuff is still working, I’m going to keep doing it”? I would guess the “same stuff” isn’t working anymore. Whip out those new ideas. Take a chance. Think outside the box. If not now, when?
• Clients: Take care of what you have. When’s the last time you asked your current clients what challenges they have, even if it doesn’t have anything to do with something you can sell them? How can you bring more value to your relationship? Have you surveyed them? Asked them about their dreams and goals? Or, have you been taking them to lunch once per month and talking about your kids because “that’s what we always do.” Tisk, tisk.
What’s your new normal? What’s your strategy to survive and thrive?
Rewire The Sales Mind – Lesson 3 -”Fear”
No one ever admits they’re afraid. Yet, sales people seem to live in fear. Fear of the sale going bad. Fear that this is the last prospect on the planet. Fear of push-back and resistance. Fear my manager won’t see my potential.
The list goes on forever.
Fear Affects You.
Q: But did you ever wonder how that fear affects you on a daily basis. And is it possible that the fear paralyzes you–or makes you less effective than you could be?
A: Yes.
Look at this list and see if you can relate. These are some of the things fear causes you to do–(and the result).
- fail to dream big (you continue to play small)
- fail to plan your strategy (so you don’t really have one–you just wing it)
- fail to bring up price when you should (so the prospect controls that conversation–you get defensive)
- fail to understand the prospect’s true motives (you’d prefer they use your motives instead, which seldom works)
- fear of bringing up the competition (so you pretend they don’t exist, even though they were there right before you)
- fear of trying new prospecting techniques (just relying on cold calling)
- fear of shutting up (maybe the prospect will say something you won’t know how to handle–or maybe they’ll buy something)
- fear of not being seen as ‘credible’ (spend so much time on credibility you lose credibility because you fail to ask them their issues)
- fear of calling higher (so you are content with closing a small percentage of business)
- fear of demonstrating value (instead of just talking about it)
You might have all or none of these working and you might refuse to admit you have them–but in the quiet of the evening some night soon, print this list off and reveal–to yourself at least–whether you have these at work.
What To Do
All of these have distinct answers, but one thing I’m preparing for my remarks at Rewire The Sales Mind seminar is that all of these can be cured with one simple notion: Stop focusing your attention on You. And start focusing on Them.
Think about each one of these above–and they are all a result of an over-focus on you–what you can get–what you need to avoid. That’s the problem. All fear comes from a misguided focus OUTSIDE yourself.
You can order the book, REWIRE THE SALES MIND here. Cost: $9.99
Rewire The Sales Mind – Lesson 2
What are you listening for when speaking with a prospect? Are you listening for buying signals like you’ve taught since the 70′s? If so, that’s wrong.
So Why Do People Buy?
Our philosophy is really quite simple–people buy when they are either a) in pain with their current situation– or b) have a vision that will be accomplished easier with you in their life.
The “rewiring” here is for all professional sales people to understand what they’re listening for–so that when they hear it they’ll know they’re close.
How do you know when you hear it? It’ll sound like one of these:
- “I”m really frustrated about…”
- “I hate it when…”
- “One of the things we ‘MUST’ change here is….”
- “I can’t believe we haven’t….”
- “We really NEED to ….”
- “One of our biggest issues is…”
- “I would love to….”
- “My vision is for us to be ….”
- “I can see a time when we are ….”
- “We have tremendous opportunity in….”
If your prospects aren’t talking to you using those words, then you’ve failed them.
You can purchase the EBOOK, Rewire The Sales Mind by Clicking Here. Cost: $9.99
Is It Uncool To Have A Vision?
I would love it if once–just once–when I asked a person what their vision was, they had some answer.
Even a lame answer would be better than the blank look I get when I ask the question.
In the last few weeks, I’ve had a chance to ask a few people that question–and I’m convinced that there’s something deep down inside us that says it’s uncool to have a dream.
We were told early in life ‘not to dream.’ We talked about dreaming as if it was cool–but when any of us did it, we got crapped on.
Here’s What I’d Like You To Tell Me
If I have the pleasure of meeting you in the next year, and I ask you what your vision is, here’s what I wish you’d say (or something like this):
- I want to make tons of money. I have a vision of myself being a $500,000/year earner–and I see myself giving a chunk of that to my church and other charities. I also want to help young kids who don’t have the opportunity I’ve had.
- I want to work 20 hours a week. I see myself getting my prospecting and selling in such good order that I only need to work 2o hours/ week. I have a system in place that generates discussion with new prospects and I have a person who walks the prospect through the sales process. I spend my 20 hours ONLY on key accounts.
- I speak at national events. I see myself accumulating knowledge and skills in presenting my solutions to our industry. I see a time soon–this year–when I can speak at national events on my area of expertise.
- I have a team that produces at my company and I generate income from them. I see myself as an entrepreneur within my own company and have learned how to build a team and lead them to production.
When you tell me that, I’ll give you a high five and say, “You are on your way to success.” But most of you won’t. You’ll tell me that you want to make more money this year than you did last–and that will be the extent of it.
Come on people. Dream a little. And get rid of those that laugh at those dreams.
“Wipe That Smile Off Your Face! I’ve Got A Problem.”
Why do we sales 
people feel like we have to smile when we’re in front of a prospect? Answer? We shouldn’t.
I was called on last week by a guy who seemed like an OK chap. But he never stopped smiling. It was some kind of a “put on” smile. Pretty obvious.
He seemed overly enthusiastic–and you know what I think about fake enthusiasm (I hate it!). So, when it came to him asking me some questions about what I was looking for–and any problems I was experiencing with my current vendor–I thought he’d hide the smile.
But No! Similar to the “tell tale heart” he kept right on smiling! Smiling right past the pain.
At one point, I felt like saying, “Why are you feeling so happy when I’m telling you my problems?” But I didn’t. I just said “Goodbye.”
Lesson
Come on people…if you’ve bought in to our philosophy that you are a problem finder — then a problem solver, wipe the fake, cheesy grin off your face. It’s not helping me tell you my problems. And it certainly doesn’t give me much faith you’re listening.
Sales Telesummit – A Potpourri Of Sales Training
David Frey, who I admire because he’s one of the few of us that aren’t afraid to deliver great content, hosts a Sales Telesummit t
hat begins next week.
Full disclosure, David asked me to be a part of it–and I told him I’d promote it to our blog readers.
There are something like 13 trainers/speakers/experts. I can’t vouch for the value of every one of them, but there are thirteen hours of content. You will be able to find something of value (in mine, I revealed a couple of things you may not have heard from us before).
It begins next week–there are three teleseminars/day.
COST: It’s free to be on each call. Or, you can pay $67 and own them all–all 13 hours. (The thing I like about this is that if you don’t like what you’re hearing, hang up and move on!)
Rewire The Sales Mind – Lesson 1
Well, with our big seminar/workshop coming up on November 4 (in Indianapolis), we thought it useful to review what we mean by “rewire the sales mind.”
Today’s Lesson: How We Think Determines How We Act (And Achieve)
This is step # 1 in rewiring the sales mind–to understand that if you want to make quantum changes in your results–you must not just change your actions—you must change your thinking (which is the entire essence of “rewire the sales mind.”)
“How you think about what”, you are asking?
- How you think about yourself and the value you bring. Are you merely a representative of corporate value–or do you bring value by YOU showing up?
- How you think about your customer or prospect. Do you see them as a target to be shot (sounds gruesome doesn’t it?). That’s the WRONG way to think about your customer. The RIGHT way to think about them is to think about the pains and problems they have which they can’t possibly solve without your value. Have some empathy for them. Listen to them when they tell you about their issues.
- How you think about money. We address this in our book by the same name, Rewire The Sales Mind. This inner issue has to do with your relationship with money–the money you talk about with your customer–and the money you make in your life. How you think about it directly influences how much of it you make.
- How you think about your product value. Do you see it as something that your customer needs to have to solve problems–or something that your marketing department tells you to emphasize? (Hopefully, the former).
- How you think about prospecting/business development. If you think about it as something you HAVE to do in order to meet your goals, you’ll always struggle with it. If you believe it is a service / a cause to help those around you who need you, then you’ll do fine. Great achievers see prospecting as a service to the disadvantaged.
You can purchase the EBOOK, Rewire The Sales Mind by Clicking Here. Cost: $9.99
