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Yes. Next?

admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 21:27:27 +0000

Recently, I was teaching 60-Day Sales Success Intensive to a group of successful entrepreneurs and sales professionals. I could feel their energy and enthusiasm coming through the phone line and it was exciting to see how open and willing to grow they all were.

During the first call, I was sharing my own journey in business and how it has involved continually saying, “Yes. Next?” I said it numerous times on the call, but I didn’t really think that much about it until later.

That afternoon I was checking my email and one of the participants sent me an email about how powerful it was when I said, “Yes. Next?”

It resonated so much with him that he had written it down and kept saying it every time he had to pick up the phone and call a prospect or finish a task.

More emails came in regarding the impact it had. I then went on the private Facebook page for the 60-Day Sales Success Intensive and people were posting about it.

One of my clients, a graphic designer, went so far as to create a logo for Yes. Next? I bought it from her!

When I saw the logo, it really made me think. Why are those two words so powerful? For me, personally, the words have been extremely powerful because I am always saying to myself, “Yes. Next?”

For me, “Yes. Next?” means, “Okay, God, so I’ve said yes to this and it has come into actualization. Now, what’s next?” It’s become a personal prayer of asking God for guidance as I continue to say yes to bigger and bigger things, even in the face of fear. What I’ve learned is that the more I say yes, the easier it gets, and then the next door opens.

My mentor and coach, Loral Langemeier, wrote an inspiring book entitled, “Yes! Energy.” Loral’s secret to success, as she explains in the book, has been to continue to say yes to whatever was next for her in her business. Whenever I spend time with Loral, I am always amazed by her fearlessness and what she has accomplished during her career. Her energy is palpable and you can really feel it when she’s on stage sharing her stories and encouraging people to play the biggest game of their life. No is not an option. To Loral, no just means not now.

People often say to me, “You’re so lucky because you know exactly what you want. You are so focused.” I can sincerely tell you that luck is not involved! Success is about choice and decision. I don’t mean it’s about being decisive along the way (although that’s helpful). I’m talking about making a decision to go after what you really want. What you really want shows up in those secret daydreams we all have right before we go to sleep in the morning and wake up at night. It shows up when you say “Yes” to what’s right in front of you and “Next?” when you’ve accomplished what you set out to accomplish.

What do you want to say yes to next? Yes, that “thing” that keeps bubbling up, but you keep denying?

In my second book, “One Great Goal“, I wrote about the “Soul Whispers” that we all have. Soul Whispers are the quiet voices we all hear that tell us what we need to do next, even when we aren’t listening. Over time, those whispers expand into screams that show up as health or financial challenges, or other things that try to point you back in the right direction. Life doesn’t have to be hard. We make it hard by resisting what we know we need to do next. We make it hard by denying ourselves the opportunity to choose our greatest and most desirable goals.

I remember some of the challenges my husband, Tim, and I went through. When we look back we know it’s because we were off our path of purpose. We weren’t doing what we knew we were supposed to be doing. So, we got back on track.

So, again, what is it that you really want? Write it down. What is one step that you could take in the direction of realizing that dream? Write it down. Now, write that step in your calendar so you know exactly when you will take it. Keep going until you achieve it.

And then ask yourself, “Yes. Next?“

What I learned from Giuliana Rancic

admin — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:32:19 +0000

She’s smart, cool, fun and irreverent – she’s Giuliana Rancic and she’s had one heck of a tough year.

I’m a huge fan of Giuliana. From E! News Host to reality TV star, Giuliana has accomplished a lot since immigrating to America from Italy at the age of four.

I think that’s one of the reasons I like her so much. She’s created her own success and proven that when you are crystal clear on what you want, and you stay committed to it, dreams actualize.

We were both speakers at this year’s WinDS Conference (www.womeninds.com) in Irvine. As a speaker, I had a special “meet and greet” time with her prior to her keynote speech. Her reality TV crew was there shooting, so our conversation and photo opportunity were all captured on tape. (I hope they air it.)

The other thing I love about Giuliana (I know, okay, I’m a big fan) is that she’s so darn real. I wrote about that last month and received responses from many of you about how freeing it is to just “be yourself”. Well, Giuliana has the “whole authenticity thing” down.

Whether she’s hosting E! News, talking about her relationship with her husband on her reality show or standing on the stage at the WinDS conference - she’s consistently Giuliana. We trust her. We believe her. It’s one of the main reasons, in my humble opinion, that she’s helped make E! News so successful.

But it hasn’t always been easy and that’s what we love about Giuliana even more. In the face of great challenges, she has continued to work toward her dreams. In just this past year, she’s survived grueling fertility treatments (that took her to the emergency room), a miscarriage AND breast cancer – all of which she was willing to share on her reality show with Bill. She said the response from their willingness to share the real story has been overwhelming – women and men writing to her from all over the world about their own challenges.

Heartbreaking for anyone, but even more so when you are living in the public eye. Yes, she chose to live in the public eye, but she didn’t choose the rest of it. When I saw her speak at the WinDS conference, it was her first public speaking engagement since her cancer diagnosis. Let’s just say there wasn’t a dry eye in the house and, as her tears flowed on stage, ours flowed in the audience. Talk about being real.

After sharing her journey with us, she then gave us three points that she believes have been important to her success. We all leaned in expectantly, holding our breaths, waiting for her to share her guiding principles.

Giuliana’s three principles to success (as shared from the stage at the WinDS conference):

Work Hard
Be Creative
Embrace Technology

Giuliana’s strategies are simple, clear, and easy to follow. No doubt, Giuliana has worked hard to reach her goals, always going that extra mile and being willing to do whatever it takes (which she shared over and over again in her keynote). She explained how creative she had to be throughout the years to break into the Hollywood scene and she had her share of rejection. Giuliana has embraced technology through her creative use of Social Media, television, and more.

In addition to those three main points, she also made it clear that “being yourself” was the most important thing that she did throughout the years. She didn’t try to be other news reporters. She didn’t think “change who she was to fit the bill”, she just kept showing up as Giuliana.

That, my friends, is why Giuliana is a successful celebrity, successful business owner and a rising star… and why I’ve learned so much.

Why Being Real Matters More Than Ever!

admin — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 02:02:15 +0000

Oscar Wilde once said, “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.” I love that quote! Whenever I post it on Facebook, there is always a quick response of , “yes!” or when I state it at a speaking event, there are nodding heads throughout the audience. We love the idea of just being ourselves, but giving ourselves permission to do that can be way outside of our comfort zones.

At a recent speaking event, an attendee was connecting with me afterwards. She was really excited about what I had talked about kept saying, “You are so REAL, I felt like you were speaking directly to me. I don’t even know you but I want to be in your programs!” As she continued to speak, I realized that I had heard this same message before, over and over again, and I knew it was time to really analyze what was going on. What is it about ME that is so REAL? And why is it such a big deal to people?

So, of course, I had to enlist my husband’s help. While Tim is one of my biggest cheerleaders, he’s always extremely honest with me. I told him that I’d been hearing over and over again that what people appreciated most about my speaking presentations or my one-on-one interactions was that I was “so REAL“. “What”, I asked Tim, “do you think they are referring to?”

Tim paused for a moment and then he said, “I’ve known you a long time (almost 15 years) and you’ve grown a lot, but you’re still YOU. You’re the same person I met 15 years ago; you haven’t changed. When people interact with you in different situations, you show up the same way. Plus, you’re honest on stage or off-you’re not afraid to tell people what’s really going on and what you’ve gone through.”

I continued to ask around because I wanted to be able to give other people permission to truly be themselves, KNOWING that when you consistently show up as your most transparent self, great things start to happen in your business and in your life. Most of the time, it also has a tremendous impact on your sales. It’s not WHY you do it, but it leads to consistent sales growth in your business.

Let me be clear. My intention is not to be the poster child for “being real” because I think that’s a lot of pressure and I’m human. However, my intention IS to shed light on the importance of giving yourself permission to be as real and authentic as you possibly can so you can make a bigger difference in the world. So you can truly shine. When you aren’t being authentic or real, you will know it, because things start to go a little off track.

I’ve met a lot of people who I feel are truly genuine and have my best interest in mind. They are those trusted family members, friends, and colleagues I know I can call when I am in a jam or need a lift and they will be there for me 100%. There are also others who I thought had my best interest in mind, only to find out it was mostly about them. That’s okay, I honor wherever people are on their path, I’ve just become more discerning. What I think my clients and attendees have been pointing out to me is that they’ve had those experiences too, where they thought someone had their best interest in mind only to find out they did not. It can be a painful experience, but the contrast helps you identify the people who really DO have your back.

If you want to shift into being your most authentic self, then I want to encourage you to do that. You might feel a little vulnerable, or wonder what people might think of you, but that’s normal. However, the rewards of being yourself are endless.

In my experience of others, I believe there are 6 keys to “being yourself“. Again, by being “real” you will probably find yourself more easily attracting your ideal clients and also closing more sales. It’s not why you do it (you do it to become free!), but it can lead to working with the clients you’ve been dreaming of.

6 Keys to “Being You”:

Transparency: Becoming honest with the world begins with being honest with yourself.
Consistency: It’s all about showing up the same, wherever you are.
Integrity: Having integrity to me means that you are honest and moral.
Visibility: You cannot hide, you need to be visible so you can give your gifts to the world.
Kindness: When you become whole and take care of yourself, you have enough energy to give kindness to others.
Connection: When you look into someone’s eyes, take time to really see them.

So, what are you going to do? Will you give yourself permission to be the most “authentic you” possible? Or, will you continue to hide from the world?

I hope you choose to shine.

Where Will You Stop Yourself?

admin — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:44:02 +0000

When I look back at my life as an Entrepreneur, I get a little choked up. You might think that I get choked up from the disappointments that I have faced or the challenges I have overcome.
But that’s not it. I get choked up when I think about the support I have received from countless clients, mentors, strategic partners, friends and family members. Without their support, I never would have kept going, I would have given up long ago. I would have stopped.

Where do you stop?

I really want you to answer that question for yourself, right now, in this moment. Recently I was listening to a training series taught by a well-known success expert. One of the questions he asked over and over again is, “Where will you stop yourself”? What he meant was, “Where will you stop yourself on your way to achieving your goals?”

He really made me think about my own business. Where do I stop myself? The truth is, there are many times I want to stop, especially when something is out of my comfort zone.
When I look back over my entrepreneurial career, I can see that my biggest breakthroughs came when I was outside of my comfort zone; when I didn’t stop myself.

There are three main places that I see Entrepreneurs and Sales Professionals stop themselves regarding their sales goals. You don’t have to stop, you can train yourself to push through so that you can reach your goals on the other side. The exact place where you stop yourself is the sweet spot that can change everything for you when you retrain your brain. See if the following three areas are places where you stop yourself and then make the decision that you will not let these things stop you.

ONE: You stop yourself before you even begin.

Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich, writes, “Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire and begin at once, whether you ready or not, to put this plan into action.”

Great ideas are always popping into our minds. The question is, what do we do with those ideas? Most people do nothing. They get a great idea, excitement builds, and then they figure that someone else is already doing it, or they let something else stop them. I’m not saying that every good idea is worth pursuing, but many are! Thomas Edison had 1,000 failed attempts before he created the light bulb. When a reporter asked him what it felt like to fail 1,000 times, he replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.” Are you willing to keep going even in the face of perceived failure? Just take the first step and see where it leads.

TWO: You stop yourself before you follow up.

You know what I am talking about! You might even be laughing! How many times have you picked up the phone to call a prospect back and then set it down again simply because you didn’t want to be rejected? Hundreds? Thousands? Humans fear rejection. We take things personally. The truth is, as I’ve said many times before, “It isn’t about you. Or me.” It’s about the clients that we can help when we get out of the way. Every prospect isn’t going to become your client but how will you know if you don’t give them the opportunity to say, “Yes”?

THREE: You stop yourself before you ask for the sale.

Recently, I was teaching a networking group the principles of Selling with Intention. We were discussing the fact that most people never ask for the sale. One attendee, let’s call her Sally, shared that she was recently in a meeting and someone was “trying to sell her something”. Sally said that the conversation went on and on and on. Along the way, Sally kept hoping that the salesperson would ask for the sale, but they never did. Sally left the meeting without buying anything. Do you want to know the worst part? Sally said she would have purchased the product over and over again, but the salesperson never asked. Ask early and ask often, you just might be surprised how many times you receive a yes!

Let’s face it, fear and doubt will creep in when we least expect it, but you don’t have to let it be the thing that comes between you and your sales goals. Once you have awareness (like you do in this moment) you can decide that you will never stop again. Whenever you notice yourself stopping, you can choose to push through instead.

When you start to master this on a moment by moment basis, you WILL reach your sales goals! Finally, it is important to develop a circle of clients, mentors, strategic partners, friends and family members who can remind you to keep going even when you want to stop.

Don’t stop. Keep going.

Surrender or Achievement: Which Will You Choose?

admin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:18:03 +0000

What is it about the holiday season that allows us to reflect on our lives? It pushes us to think about how we are living, why we are living that way, and what we really need to change. That usually translates into a New Year’s resolution or two and a promise to ourselves that we won’t keep doing things the way we’ve been doing them (insanity, right)?

Spending time with my sister, Anna, on the farm over Christmas reminded me of the importance of the simple things in our lives. There is something special-and spiritual-about the farm that forces you to slow down for a moment and evaluate your life. The farm invites you into its peace. It’s quiet. Begging you to let go of the trappings of a modern society that have pulled you away from your center.

As we were walking, I asked myself one simple question. Why? Why am I doing all of this? Why am I working so hard? Why do I strive to achieve, achieve, and then achieve again? When is it ever enough?

At first, I heard nothing. Just crickets in my head. The truth was, I didn’t know who I was really asking. Who was going to answer me?

Then an answer seemed to pop into my head out of nowhere. The voice was unfamiliar. I heard it say, “Let go. Just let go.”

Really? But there was so much truth in the voice that I had to exhale. Then one more word, “Surrender“.

Random House dictionary defines surrender as “to give (oneself) up to some influence, course, emotion, etc.” Looking back, I realized that I had allowed myself to be influenced by our society’s ideas of achievement. That to be successful, things had to look a certain way or be a certain way, but standing on the farm that day, I realized that none of that really mattered. Yes, I still have goals that I want to achieve, but whether or not I achieve them does not define who I am. It also doesn’t define the goals that I might achieve in the future. In that moment of recognition I realized that I could let go. A peaceful feeling washed over me and I knew the truth. The truth was that everything can come easily, magically at times, when we just let go.

I have often gone through this process of surrendering and letting go, but, as humans, we easily forget what we know and get pulled back into our old ways. The reminders always come though. The feelings of frustration, emptiness, and even depression can remind us to focus on what’s most important in our lives and it’s never the goals that we want to achieve.

I’m not saying to not focus on the goals. What I am saying is that when you know who you are and you are clear on your values and priorities, the goal-achievement process begins to flow again. Choosing surrender over achievement is the key to the magic that makes it all look so effortless!

Do you need to let go and surrender? Test yourself with the following 5 questions to find out:

1. Do you often compare your success to the success of others?

2. Are you disappointed in your lack of goal achievement?

3. Do you often think that if you could, “just accomplish that“, you’d feel better?

4. Do you have feelings of frustration when you think about the goals you’ve set for yourself?

5. Do you procrastinate on your goals?

If you answered yes to any of the questions above it’s possible that you are focused so much on achievement that it is taking the joy out of your life. Over the upcoming days and weeks, notice when you are getting pulled into the old “achievement” or “compare and contrast” trap. Remind yourself of your priorities and give yourself time to rejuvenate. Sometimes just taking a walk outside and being in nature is enough to pull you out of the funk. Keeping a gratitude journal every day is another excellent way to stay in that place of surrender and flow.

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” Do that thing, but give yourself the gift of surrender along the way.

Think Bigger! 50 Goals for 2012!

admin — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 22:41:01 +0000

What if you could have anything you desired in 2012? What would you ask for?

Since I was in my early twenties, I have been researching the topic of goal achievement incessantly. I have read hundreds of books (my book shelf and Kindle are overflowing!) on the topic so that I could more easily achieve my goals and help my clients do the same. My hunger to find books on the topic is insatiable. Used bookstores, new bookstores, Kindle – they are all like a magical land to me! Some say that you just need to read ten books on any topic to be considered an expert. What does it means when you’ve read one hundred or more?

For me, it means that I can now help my clients answer this question, “What is the fastest and easiest way to reach my goal?” That is the question that I tell all of my clients to ask themselves when they get clarity on what they want. But sometimes the hardest thing is for them to figure out what they want.

Why is it so hard for humans to figure out what they want? It’s difficult because our belief system gets in the way. Just as an idea pops into our heads regarding what we want, our ego pops up and says, “Really? You can’t have that! You’re not _______ !” Our ego is there to keep us safe by creating fearful thoughts to stop us in our tracks, but it’s only a problem if we believe what it tells us.

The truth is, you don’t have to believe your ego. You don’t even have to listen to it. You can simply say, “Thanks for sharing–next!” Training your ego to take a back seat is an ongoing commitment. You have to be committed to stopping your thoughts in their tracks, listening to them, and then being conscious of what you want to do with that thought. For example, if you want to create a seven-figure business but your ego says, “That’s great, but you don’t know how to do that!” You can stop the thought in that moment and say, “Is that really true? Do I not know how to do it?” The answer is that perhaps you don’t have enough information, but it’s not true to say that you don’t know. Through my research I have discovered that when I get out of the “how”, the answers and next steps show up.

A fun exercise to figure out what you want is to create a list of fifty goals. Yes, fifty! It might seem like a stretch, but the more goals you have, the more easily it will be for them to show up. I recently read, “Happy Pocket of Money: Infinite Wealth and Abundance in the Here and Now” by David Cameron Gikandi and Bob Doyle. In that book, David shared that having hundreds, if not thousands, of goals is the key to manifesting what you really want. At first that seemed overwhelming to me, but then I understood what he was saying. By having so many goals you can strengthen your manifestation muscle. Having the list is the first step, but then you get to watch the goals begin to show up, or at least the next step will show up!

So, I decided to take my own advice and make a list of fifty goals to see how quickly they would manifest. What was interesting is that it was a stretch to come up with fifty. I’m used to setting ten or twenty at a time because I always thought that less was
somehow better. But what I found was that fifty allowed me to really dream. Fifty got to the bottom of those things that I had been afraid to ask for or that I was telling my ego I didn’t need or maybe didn’t deserve. Fifty goals unleashed some possibilities that I hadn’t thought about in a long time. Fifty allowed me to get really excited about what is possible
in 2012!

Intentional Action:
Make a list of your fifty goals for 2012 (or more!). Make sure to focus on all of the areas of your life: Financial, Career/Business, Health, Spiritual, etc. Then, prioritize them. Post them somewhere you can see them regularly. Watch what starts to show up for you!

Now that you’ve created your list of what you want to show up in 2012, it’s also important to think about what you want to leave behind in 2011.

What do you want to let go of? What do you want to release? Make a list of those things as well and then shred them or get rid of them in some way before 2012 arrives.

The simple act of letting go makes room for your fifty goals to manifest! 2012 can truly be your best year yet!

Ursula

7 Ways to Significantly Increase Your Sales by Being in Service and On Purpose!

admin — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:13:27 +0000

Significantly increasing your sales does not have to be painful. You don’t have to work harder. In fact, if you would just relax more and go with the flow, you’d probably close more sales!

Let me give you an example. I was recently referred to meet with someone new by a strategic partner who thought we might be able to support each other in business. So I went into the conversation thinking that was the purpose.

The second I sat down, however, I knew I was in trouble. Within two minutes flat, they were doing a “hard sell” on me. Yes, a hard sell! He hadn’t asked me any questions about my business to even know if I had a reason to care about what he was pitching. It goes against everything that I teach, so I was in complete shock as I sat there for 30 minutes and let him speak. I hadn’t been sold to like that in years!

If he hadn’t been a referral, I probably would have stopped him. But all I kept thinking was how great of an example it was of what not to do that I let him keep going! And my next thought was, “I will have to write about this in my next ezine”! (By the way, I have changed many of the details to protect the innocent!)

Eventually, he stopped talking. I sat there for a second to make sure he was done. He was. He took a deep breath, looked at me and said, “So, what do you think?”

Really?

I think he talked too much. He didn’t ask me any questions. He didn’t appear to want to get to know me or even understand if I was a fit for his services or products. I don’t think his ears work. And, long term, I don’t think he’s going to make it in his business unless he changes some things. I wasn’t able to share all of those things with him, though, because it
wasn’t my place and he wasn’t paying me for coaching (and I don’t think he would have listened, anyway). So instead, I’d love to share with you what I wanted to share with him. I hope it helps!

7 Ways to Significantly Increase Your Sales by Being in Service and On Purpose:

Remember, it’s not about you: First and foremost, focus on the other person and whether or not you can help them.
Ask great questions to see if there is a match-if not, let them know that you can refer them to someone else if you can’t help. You can even start the conversation by saying, “My goal is to get to know more about you today. I’m not sure if I can help you, but if I can great, and if not, I will be happy to refer you to someone else.” That question is disarming and will allow the other person to be fully present because they aren’t worried that you are going to try to “sell them something.”!
Connect with Intention: Connecting with Intention is all about getting to know someone. After all, you cannot offer
someone a product or service if you don’t know anything about them or their business. Be present and don’t let your mind wander.
Practice active listening: Not letting your mind wander is key in making the connection. By being fully present
and in the “now”, you will not miss the important things that this person is trying to convey to you. The best way to practice active listening is to repeat back to the person what they just said to you. That way they will know that you are listening. Nodding at them and keeping full eye contact also indicates that you are actively listening to what they are saying.
Be the Problem Solver: Your product or service solves an important problem for your prospects and clients. Your job
is to solve as many problems as you can because the more you solve, the more people you will help and the more your sales will grow. Your prospects will be grateful that you showed up to solve their problem. Remember, selling is not telling. Selling is solving problems!
Offer to help first: Show up in the spirit of giving and you will have people buying your products and services
simply because they like you! Have you ever had the experience of buying something and not even knowing why? That’s what I am talking about! New York Times Bestselling author,Dr. Ivan Misner, teaches us through BNI that “Givers gain”. Begin with a spirit of giving.
Be empathetic: Sympathy means that you feel pity for someone. Being empathetic means that you can stand in another person’s shoes and imagine what it might be like to be them. Others will appreciate your empathetic and caring ways (it must be genuine) and want to connect with you even more!
Set another time to meet: Finally, after you connected with intention, offer to schedule a meeting with them to see
if there are additional ways that you can help. This allows you to have more time to explore whether or not you can serve
them.

As you can see, by Connecting with Intention and taking someone through this process, you can ease them through the sales process. Plus, you are coming from a place of integrity and by asking meaningful questions and being empathetic, you can truly
determine whether or not you can help serve.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE? You can use this article in your e-zine or web-site as long as you include the following complete statement: Ursula Mentjes, M.S., ACC is the founder of Sales Coach Now, and the author of Selling with Intention and One
Great Goal. Ms. Mentjes has helped clients double and triple their sales revenue in as short as two months! If you want to do the same, then visit her web-site at www.salescoachnow.com and subscribe to her e-zine by clicking on the sign up box and typing in your email address. You will receive a FREE downloadable MP3 recording, “7 Ways to Sell More in a Doom and Gloom Economy”.

Proven Strategies to Build Powerful Business Relationships

admin — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 20:04:03 +0000

Building strong business relationships is an important aspect of any successful business. Yet, it is usually an area that is overlooked or doesn’t receive a lot of attention due to busy schedules. But business relationships can make or break your business, especially in a down or “different” economy. One of my business colleagues recently pointed out that those businesses that survived the recession tended to have deep and committed relationships with their clients and colleagues.

When I think about my business today, I am grateful for the business relationships that I have, and many of them have grown into friendships. When I was working in the corporate world, we were taught to keep a high-level “professional relationship” with clients and colleagues. We didn’t talk about being authentic or really connecting with our clients, we were just taught to close the sale. When I started my own business, I quickly realized that the corporate attitude wasn’t going to sustain me. Plus, being in business can be lonely, so I quickly reached out to others and started to build long-term business relationships.

Recently a business colleague reached out to me through LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a social networking tool that allows you to build your network of business relationships online. I’ve been building my LinkedIn account for years and have just recently passed 500 connections. When this new colleague reached out to me, he pointed out that he was impressed with my 500 connections. While the number was great, I was even more excited about the fact that those 500 connections represent business connections with individuals that I value at a deep level. Unlike Facebook where I have some contacts that I barely know, LinkedIn holds my treasured group of business relationships that have helped me grow my business to where it is today.

Those relationships have lead to incredible synchronicities and opportunities that I only dreamed of when I first started my business. Your relationships are like an invaluable asset that just keeps growing as you invest your time and energy. I have found that there are five key strategies to easily and effortlessly build strong business relationships-with intention.

One: Connect with Intention. Connecting with intention requires active listening skills and being present in the moment. It is easy to be preoccupied with other things that are going on in our lives, but if you are always thinking about the past or the future, then it is impossible to be present. Others can feel whether or not you are present , and if they feel that you are disconnected, they pull back, stopping a relationship in its tracks. Be present, ask great questions and take the time to get to know someone.
Two: Be Authentic. Mike Robbins once said, “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.” In business, there is a lot of pressure to “act a certain way” or model other’s behavior. However, I was listening to a speaker recently and she said that the more authentic she is on stage, the more her sales increase. I have found the same to be true. The more authentic I am, the more “me” that I allow to show up, the more clients and speaking engagements I receive. People sense when we are “faking it” and over time those relationships will fizzle away.
Three: Deepen the Relationship. Once you have connected with intention and started to get to know someone, what should you do next? Unfortunately, we have short memories, and we can quickly forget about that “great person” we met at our last networking event. The truth is, they probably won’t follow up with you, even if they want to. Why? Because they are really busy and have been swept back into their business the next day. It’s your job to follow up and build the relationship, don’t rely on them to do it. Lead the way and set the next time you will meet. My guess is they will be really grateful that you took the lead. The more that you take the lead to cultivate your business relationships, the faster you will build your network.
Four: Go Beyond Expectations. These days it’s not enough to just keep your word; that’s a given. The key to building long and lasting business relationships is to go above and beyond expectations. For example, you could invite someone to be a guest at your table for your favorite charity’s annual event. Or, you could offer to assist them with a challenge they are having in their business. There are many ways that you can go beyond expectations, just choose one and deliver!
Five: Be Committed and Available. In a sea of emails and voice-mails, it can be difficult to stay in touch with new business colleagues. However, the beginning of the relationship is when you really need to stay in touch. If they reach out to you, respond immediately or at least within twenty-four hours (this is a great rule, anyway). Make sure that they know they are a priority to you. The more committed and available you are, the more they will trust you and you will be building a long-term, fruitful business relationship.

Action Item: Reach out to five new business contacts this week and schedule a time to meet with them. Determine who you would like to have long-term business relationships with. Then, take the lead and schedule the next time to meet!

As you are meeting new people, it’s important to recognize and filter those individuals to build a business relationship with. Not everyone is a good fit for you, but you will recognize those individuals who are willing to receive support from you and also willing to give as well. Excellent business relationships are built over time. Invest in them just like you would a 401K – knowing that they take time to build and you might not reap any rewards for a long time. However, there will be those people who will really surprise you. They will invest a lot in you and the growth of your business. And, you might just become great friends!

Ursula

Effective Pricing Strategies to Close More Sales

admin — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 19:58:37 +0000

Lately a lot of my clients and colleagues have been talking about pricing. How much should I charge? Am I charging too much? Am I charging too little? This can be a nagging question for Entrepreneurs and Sales Professionals alike. It certainly has been an area that I have struggled with over the years as well. But it doesn’t have to be.

I heard a recent statistic that 20% of our clients will only purchase our most expensive package. And if you own your own company, you might not have even created that product or service yet.

When I heard that statistic, I was shocked. Really? 20% of my clients want a high-end package? After hearing that, my creative mind went crazy and I created a new (high-end) program for clients who want it. And I cannot wait to begin offering it! (I’m selling it for the first time in a couple of weeks, so it will be fun to test the 20% theory!)

A lot of time can be wasted thinking about how much to charge, when to discount, etc.

However, the more confident you are about your pricing, the easier it will be to sell.

I am going to share three mistakes that entrepreneurs and sales professionals make when it comes to pricing and what you can do to change it. Hopefully the ideas presented will allow your sales conversations to flow more freely and make it easier to ask your clients to pay full price.

Mistake #1: Discounting: I was recently talking with one of the MasterMind groups that I participate in and one of the members was trying to decide which company she should choose for a particular service. She was comparing four companies. Three of them were the same price and one of them as 1% lower. After discussing it with the group, she immediately discarded the company that had the lowest price because she figured they weren’t as good as the other three! Your prospects will judge you (often negatively) if you are the lowest price!
- Change it: If someone is asking you to discount your products and services, let them know they can receive a lower price, but it will be in the form of a lesser package. by having two or three packages, and starting with the most costly package first, you can always work your way backwards to a smaller package rather than discounting.
Mistake #2: Only Having One Solution: One of my clients recently shared with me that they weren’t closing as many sales as they would like to. As we walked through their sales process, it became clear that when they came to the end of their sales conversation, they only had one package to offer. Instead of having options, the prospect would just say, “No” and that was the end of the conversation. I worked with my clients and helped them develop three strong packages that they could offer. By having options, they were able to offer real solutions to their clients and close more sales!
- Change it: As I mentioned in the example above, when you are meeting with a client it’s best to give them two or three packages to chose from. That way you can also customize a package for them if they need it. If they are still asking for a lower price (even after you’ve offered a smaller package), you can still give them a payment plan without lowering the price. That way, you still retain the value of what you are offering.
Mistake #3: Lack of Confidence: The biggest challenge that entrepreneurs and sales professionals have regarding closing sales is their lack of confidence. Let’s be clear, confidence sells! Think back to the last high-ticket item you purchased. did the sales person who sold it to you have confidence? If they would have been meek about their approach, do you think you would have still made the purchase? Sometimes a service or product’s brand is so strong that it sells itself, but if it’s not and the salesperson isn’t confident, most people won’t buy. We want to be convinced!
- Change it: Believing in yourself and your products and services is key to getting the sale. If you need help in this area, connect with a coach or mentor who can help you release your limiting beliefs about yourself that are preventing you from being the strong, confident person you were born to be!

Action Item: Follow through on the strategies above and commit to evaluating your pricing successes and challenges at least once per quarter!

One of my favorite quotes is by an unknown author, “To my customer: I may not have the answer, but I’ll find it. I may not have the time, but I’ll make it. I may not be the biggest, but I’ll be the most committed to your success.” Your clients want YOU to be the solution and they don’t want to have to shop around. Believe in yourself and your product so that they don’t have to look for someone else!

Ursula

Get to Yes – And Close the Sale!

admin — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 19:04:21 +0000

Napoleon Hill wrote Think and Grow Rich in 1937 and his teachings and wisdom ring as true today as they did back then. Hill talked about the idea that people often give up on their goals “three feet from gold”. Hill told the story about a Mr. Darby who was mining for gold but then quit, without knowing, that he was just three feet away from the gold he was searching for. Hill wrote, “More than five hundred of the most successful men this country has ever known, told the author their greatest success came just one step beyond the point at which defeat had overtaken them. Failure is a trickster with a keen sense of irony and cunning. It takes great delight in tripping one when success is almost within reach.”

Working with Sales Professionals and Entrepreneurs for the past fifteen years, I’ve learned that their biggest challenge has been getting to “yes” when they have already heard “no”. But there is a way. Often, in the words of Napoleon Hill, their “yes” is “three feet ” away.

So what does it really mean to be “three feet” from a yes? During the sales process, most Sales Professionals and Entrepreneurs never ask for the sale. They might talk a lot. They might assume that their prospect knows what they are asking. They might even ask what their prospect wants to buy. However, they never really ask for the sale, or if they do and hear a “no”, they immediately give up.

Giving up too soon is an epidemic in our country-not only in the world of selling, but really in every aspect of our lives. We give up when things get tough. My husband, Tim and I, have been on a new workout regime for the past nine months. I have always been active, but this new plan has really pushed us to new levels of physical fitness. There were many times I wanted to give up, but I knew that I was getting healthier and stronger, so I continued to push myself.

It is the same in sales-you have to build strong muscles so that are you willing to keep going even when your prospect seems to be leaning toward no. Remember, if you have a strong belief that your product or service solves a major problem for your clients, then it is your duty to ask for the sale.

A few weeks ago, I was delivering a 45-minute workshop at a local venue in Orange County, California on Selling with Intention. After the seminar, I received a Facebook message from one of the attendees. He shared with me that he had used one of the questions that I had taught during the seminar and easily closed a sale the following morning with a prospect that had said, “no” initially.

The question is so simple that you might say, “But I already know that”. My response would be, “Great, but are you asking it?“ The question to ask your prospect is simply, “What would it take for this product or service to be a fit for you?” I love this question because it quickly roots out all of the objections so you can then move into asking for the sale. Once they answer you, you know exactly what they really want and can then solve their problem by offering them a customized solution. After you have the solution, just say, “Great, so which package would you like” or, “Great, which day would you like to begin” and then ask them to sign your contract or ask for their method of payment. It’s really that simple.

Action Item: Find someone to role play with and ask them to give you a “no”. Then, ask the magical question, “What would it take for this product or service to be a fit for you?” Once they tell you, ask them to take the next step and close the sale!

Closing the sale isn’t difficult when you are willing to keep asking your prospect questions and figuring out how to solve their problem. Find out what it will take to serve them-you might just be surprised at their answer!

Ursula Mentjes