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212º

212º – the boiling point of water. Funny thing...at 211º, water is hot; at 212º, it boils and becomes steam. And steam is energy. It can fuel freight trains, heaters, and more. All that in a difference of 1º.

Do you have 212º in you? Champions do. Look at these examples:

• From 2000 - 2006, the PGA Championship winner took home an average of $1,060,714. The second place finisher – $600,000. The margin of victory over these years – 1.71 strokes, or less than 1/2 a stroke each day.
• The Olympic margin of victory in the men's 800m race - 0.21 seconds.
• The Olympic margin of victory in the women's 1000m speed skating - 0.07 seconds.
• In the 2000s, Super Bowl Champion margin of victory is less than 11 points.

In sales, 212º could be the difference between a sale and a stall, it could be the difference between a contract renewal and an expansion, it could be the difference between loyalty and raving advocacy.

We all have extra in us - the question is, "Where are you going to put yours?" What does your 212º effort look like?

jkl

 

Soar without Fear!

What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail? I've been asked this, as I'm sure you have, in various group settings and I always find the answers people give amazing. For me, I'd be a rock star. I don't really know why, exactly, but I think it would be a blast! 

OK, that's a bit of a pipe dream, but what might you do in your "real" job if you knew you couldn't fail? Would you be more daring, more ambitious, more positive? So many times, we hold ourselves back because we psyche ourselves out, we convice ourselves that we can't do it, we won't make it, we aren't that good. Instead, we should reinforce our strengths, live each moment, and push ourselves to reach higher and farther without fear.

This concept reminds me of an eagle. An eagle can't fly if its wings are folded. Rather, it can only sit on a branch; in essence, going nowhere. But let that regal bird extend its wings and watch out – you witness a beautiful sight as it soars higher and higher. In human form, I think of a diver. You can step off a diving board and you plummet, going only down. But extend your arms and a beautiful swan dive ensues as you are propelled out from the board before arching to the water. 

That's the way it is with the 90 Day Sales Makeover, or any new endeavor you take on. You have the choice: fold your arms around you and sit...or extend your wings and soar, fall straight down...or complete a stunning swan dive. The theories, skills, and exercises are extremely valuable, but only if you truly use them to propel yourself forward. 

What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail? Sit or soar? Then do it!

jkl

 

90 Day Sales Makeover: Core Belief - Dive Into the Program With Passion and Have Fun!

What are you passionate about? Perhaps you're passionate about people - family, friends, colleagues. Perhaps causes - education, disability, the environment. Perhaps hobbies - skiing, hiking, model planes, video games. The cool thing about real passion is that you can tell if someone is passionate about something by his or her attitude and actions.

I'm passionate about interior decorating. How would you know that? By my attitude and actions related to interior decorating. I spend discretionary time learning about new decorating concepts, I love the process of picking out paint colors, fabrics, and stonework, and can spend hours finding the perfect thing. I readily help others with decorating projects and give advice when they ask; I don't consider their questions or requests an intrusion but, rather, a welcome challenge. It might be a chore for others but it's fun for me!

That's the same way to approach the 90 Day Sales Makeover. Are you passionate about helping your prospects and customers succeed?  Are you passionate about succeeding yourself? Then spend time learning new sales and customer experience concepts, explore the processes you use to prospect and close and delve into new ways of doing those things, find accountability partners and hold each other to task, practice, and share what works. Approach your makeover with zeal! Improving and succeeding in your chosen profession shouldn't be a chore...it should be fun!

So whether you're taking on the 90 Day Sales Makeover ­– or doing something else that critically matters, dive into it with passion and have fun! You'll be amazed at the results you get when you truly give yourself to it!

jkl 

Sportsmanship – An Amazing Video

I received this link from a friend of mine and had to pass it on. In a world too often filled with competition, back-stabbing, and bickering, we sometimes get a glimpse of true heart and character...and in situations that catch us by surprise. I hope this story inspires you as much as it did me. Take a peek.

Game Winning Homerun Turns Tragic - Inspiring Display of Sportsmanship

Have a superb day and let your best heart and character shine!

jkl

Spring Cleaning Your Business – 10 Things to Do

I’m getting Spring Fever. The temperature in Denver was 70 degrees Wednesday and that did it – I’m ready for spring!  In fact, I might even do some spring cleaning this weekend…you know, take a good look at the closets, the cabinets, determine what I need and what I don’t, perhaps even file our 2010 bills (no, I haven’t gotten to that yet).

All this thought of spring cleaning reminds me that I should take a good look not just at my house, but also at my office and my business.  Is it time for your business spring cleaning too?  There’s no time like the present…here are some things to review:

1. Look at your business plan. Perhaps you haven’t dug it out for a few months, maybe even several years. Are you hitting your targets? If not, why?  If so, what are your next milestones? Create next steps.
2. Look at your sales projections. If you haven’t made them for 2011, get busy. If you have, how are you doing against them?  Do you need to step up the pace, keep going, set the projections higher?
3. Look at your offering, whether product or service. Is it a relevant offering in today’s market? How does your competition stack up against you and vice versa? Do you need to add or lose any products or services?
4. Find your offering’s sweet spot. Build a differentiated message around that sweet spot to be used in your sales and marketing materials.
5. Systematize at least one WOW factor in your customer experience. Make it happen every time it should.
6. Talk to your customers. Ask them how you’re doing via survey, focus groups, or just asking them when you see them.
7. Thank each of your favorite customers with a phone call, hand-written note, or personal token of appreciation.  No form letters or cards, please.
8. Thank your employees and your colleagues. Without these people, you probably wouldn’t be where you are today.
9. Take a class or continuing education course in something you need to learn about your business. We all have room to learn!
10. Get your company involved in the community. Enough said.

These ten things will take some time, just like spring cleaning your house, but they will pay back both professionally and personally.  Shake that winter dust off and welcome spring! 

jkl 

 

How Do You "Spring Forward?"

Did you jump out of bed yesterday morning?  How about today?  That “spring forward” thing can really bite you right where it really hurts, can’t it?

But as I was pondering getting out of bed this morning while it was still pitch black outside, it struck me that “springing forward” is what we should be doing all the time in our business, every day, in every initiative, with every prospect or customer.  When I think of “springing forward” in my role, here’s what it looks like:

• Looking forward to Monday and truly being excited about going to work
  • If you aren’t excited about what you do, do something else or find a different place to apply your talent and expertise.  We all spend way too much time working to not enjoy what we do.
• Viewing things that come up as opportunities instead of problems
  • My daily mantra is, “I will embrace the day and everything it offers.”  Some days I have to say it many, many times, but it really helps me approach everything as an opportunity.
• Always searching for how I can improve what I deliver
  • At the end of each project, I think about how I can improve the next one…and then I apply that. There’s nothing like experience to highlight where you’ve got it – and where you have opportunity (see above not on opportunities vs. problems!)
• Delivering WOW Moments^TM and Small Significants^TM  for my prospects, clients, and colleagues
  • Homemade cookies are kind of my signature “thing.” I love to bake and cookies bring smiles. And while they are my “thing,” I also look for clues that help me identify times when a Small Significant would make a big impact…perhaps a word of encouragement, a hug, a cup of their favorite coffee…a small action on my part that will make a big impact.
• Learning, learning, learning
  • Reading, attending a great webinar or conference, talking to people that know much more than me…I learn every chance I have.
• Challenging myself and trying new things
  • I have a friend who, every year, did something of which she was terrified just to prove to herself she could do it. Now that’s springing forward!)
• Helping others forward their cause, be it their business, their career, their passion
  • I’m passionate about finding a cure for multiple sclerosis because my mom has it. Over the past 8 years, I’ve raised over $80,000 for the cause.  I didn’t do it alone – many people were there with me, sponsoring me, encouraging me, and helping me. I do the same for others, whether their passion is in their professional arenas or personal lives.
• And because it’s difficult to be healthy at work if I’m not healthy and home, taking care of my family, my friends, and myself
  • I wish I could say I work out every day, but that would be a tale. But I do try to take care of myself physically, mentally, and spiritually, so that I can be at the top of my game in all the things I do.

So even though I don’t like to get when it’s still dark outside, I do look forward to getting to my day, to springing forward to see what lies ahead!

How do you “spring forward” every day?  Share your ideas with us! 

jkl

 

Pop In to Say I Love You...Not Just on Valentine's Day

Do you and your special someone celebrate the day or is it simply a Hallmark holiday for you?

It seems to me that the trend is for people in their teens, twenties, and maybe early thirties to celebrate. After that, something else takes over. Then it’s more about the little things done on an ongoing basis, or something special when the other least expects it, that makes Valentine’s Day last the whole year.

I received a card from a friend the other day. It was totally unexpected, so when I got it from the mailbox, I was curious. It was, of course, the first piece of mail I opened. Inside was a card with a tiny kitten on it (I’m a cat lover) and a handwritten note about how she was thanking God, thinking of me, and hoping I was doing OK. That was it…very simple, very authentic, and very profound for me as the recipient of that message. When I saw her, I thanked her for thinking of me. Then she really blew me away. She remembered that I was in the hospital recovering from emergency surgery a year ago and just “popped in” to my day to make sure I was doing OK now. WOW! To say I was pretty warm and happy is kind of an understatement. Guess where that card now sits? On my desk, front and center, so that I can get that warm, happy feeling on a daily basis when I glance at it. And I think of her every time I see it. Think about this…I think of her every time I see it.

You might do things like this on a personal basis. But can you transfer that same practice to your business? Absolutely!

So much of marketing revolves around staying top of mind with your prospects and customers. Creating and delivering WOW Moments^TM and Small Significants^TM when clients least expect it allows you to “pop in” to their minds. And all it takes is a little thought, a little planning, and a lot of diligence.

• Perhaps it’s the anniversary of something they purchased from you
• Perhaps it’s because of a life event of which you’re aware
• Perhaps it’s an anniversary you celebrate and wanted them to be part of it
• Perhaps it’s because their child was featured in the paper for an accomplishment
• Perhaps it’s just because you thought of them that day

The possibilities are endless.

Last December, I received an “anniversary” card from Direct TV for three years of being a customer. They also gave me an anniversary present – three months of Showtime channels. Did that cost them a ton of money? No, not even on the scale of the Direct TV customer base. Did it make a positive impression? It sure did! In fact, it will likely boost their pipeline as some customers who receive this gift will enjoy it such much, they’ll upgrade to an expanded package. And it made them top of mind in my mind at a time when I certainly wasn’t thinking on my TV service. I’ve thought about Direct TV more often in the last three months than I had all year.

Why not “pop in” to your customers’ minds at unexpected times to stay top of mind? You’ll definitely stand out from the crowd, you’ll make them feel special, and you’ll bolster your business all at the same time.

Happy Valentine’s Day – Happy Valentine's Year!

jkl

 

A Couple Secrets About Networking

You love to network, don’t you?  What?  Not so much? You’d rather slog through three inches of mud in heavy coveralls and work boots on a rainy day to hand-feed slop to pigs?

Some of us truly love to network, others of us don’t mind it, and then still more of us really abhor even the thought of it. But networking is important for most, if not all, of us. 

Over the years, I’ve found two simple tricks that help me get psyched for networking, increase my confidence throughout the process, and make my networking efforts more productive. 

1)    Always meet the next person.

2)    Be authentic.

Always meet the next person. In most business networking events…in fact, in most life settings, there’s always another person you don’t know. So meet them. Who knows what will happen? They may be - or know - someone who really needs your help. They may be someone who can offer help you - or someone you know - really need. They may be someone who can offer great new insight into your business. But you'll never know any of this unless you meet them. Be confident, take the first step, extend your hand, and meet them. 

Be authentic. We’ve all been the victims of “those people,” right? Those people who attend a networking event simply to shove their card into the hands of everyone they see. They have no desire to know – or to even meet – you. Don’t be them. Take the time to get to know you are talking to, what they do, and determine whether you should meet again. Actively listen and engage. But don’t feel you have to spend the entire networking event with them. After all, you’re there to meet a lot of people, right? So after a few minutes of chatting, simply say something like, “It was great to talk with you. There are a lot of people I’d like to meet, but I appreciate the time we’ve spent together.” That’s being authentic.

The next time you’re gearing up for a networking event, try these two tricks and see if they help you. For those of us who would normally rather feed slop to the pigs, they may just help you trade your work boots and coveralls for your work shoes and suit.

jkl

 

It's All in Your Mind

“Come on now, it’s all in your mind!” It’s a pretty common saying and it’s often said to bring us back to reality. But how powerful is your mind? 

The right mindset is critical for success in sales and customer experience. And that becomes even more important when sales are difficult, when customers are difficult, and when you’re so desperate to hang onto clients you’ll do almost anything to keep them.

Boy, it’s easy to see yourself as a victim in the atmosphere we’ve all lived through over the past two years. But that can be dangerous…it can become a downward spiral that reaches bottom only when you do. And the funny thing is, no one can get you out of it but you…because it’s all in your mind. What do you do?

Adopt a affirmation.

Tomorrow, instead of being a victim, take charge. Write or find a daily affirmation that builds you up and makes you responsible for how you view the day (and by the way, that view should be positive). Say it every morning and then throughout the day when you need to (because we all need to every now and then). Once you have that down, expand that affirmation to bolster your confidence, spur your action, and strengthen your commitment – in essence, whatever it takes to make the affirmation fit you perfectly. Keep saying it. Keep saying it. Keep saying it.

In 30 days, you’ll have created a new habit, a habit that will absolutely positively impact your success. Keep saying it and watch what happens! It’s amazing what your mind can do.

jkl

 

There's No "I" in Team

Give me just one more post on football (two in total, that’s not bad for a college football freak, is it?). In watching the bowl games, I was continually reminded of just how focused the players are as individuals. Repeatedly, announcers would talk about the drive, the work ethic the players have in order to be a successful quarterback…or lineman…or receiver. But once these individuals get out on the field, it’s no longer about themselves as individuals – it’s about the team. If you watched The Orange Bowl on Monday night, you witnessed exactly that. You saw a bunch of Stanford individuals come together to create a mighty force that won them their first bowl victory since 1996.

I think the idea of individuals working together to create a successful team is just as important in business as it is in sports. In sales and account development, where individuals are typically held to individual quotas, it’s pretty easy to forget the team. In customer servicing, where individuals are interacting with customers on a one-on-one basis, team dynamics don’t tend to play into the strategy all that often.

But what if they did? What if the team’s success was deemed as important as the individual’s success?  What if individual sales, development, and servicing people viewed their ability to be successful as critical for the team’s success, not just their own success? And – hold on – what if each of these individuals also saw themselves as members of their prospects’ and customers’ teams, critical to helping them succeed? How would that change the energy, the – forgive the pun – teamwork of your sales and servicing processes? I think it would radically change every one of these.

If you listen to the interviews of the MVPs of the bowl games, you rarely hear an individual talk about his own stellar performance. Rather, he gives credit to his teammates for holding a strong offensive line, for making great passes or catching those passes, for being aggressive defenders.

In sales, development, and servicing it should be the same. If sales and account development individuals relied on their teammates to back them up, if service people were quick to help their colleagues, if, heaven forbid, these all played nicely in the collective sandbox to make their customers successful, you’d be well on the way to a highly-functioning and highly-productive team. And think how much advantage you’d have over your “opponents.”

Teamwork – it’s not the answer to everything, but it sure makes you a stronger competitor. 

jkl