Category Archives: Authenticity

Express yourself – authentically

Authenticity, Creativity, Dignity, Education, Goals, Loving Life, Performance, Top Ten Principles of Selling, Uncategorized, Winning

May I have my algorithm, now, please?

Leave a comment

May I have my algorithm, please? Remember when dating sites first came out? I don’t know if they still do this, but they used to promote this thing they “did”.

Finding your perfect mate…mathematically! 

Here’s how it works. You enter answers to a survey. Do you smoke? What is your age? What was your GPA during college? What is your profession? Are you an outdoors person? Do you like to drink pickle juice in the middle of the night, watching TV in your swimsuit?

You know, the usual.

And then, they would run all of this data using an algorithm against all other data – and POW! Your perfect match! We did the math and here he is!

It was always a little hard for me to buy

I found myself deeply suspicious that anyone’s algorithm could take all of this “perfectly” correlated data and find me the right guy.

Unfortunately, this is how most “Sales Training” works

We are trained that if we can capture a bulk of the circumstances; the level of the decision-maker, the industry, the economy, the average length of a sales cycle, the ferocity of the competition, and the number of pixels on our marketing pieces (as a sample set) – and we can put this all into a formula and POW! – we will have the right approach to CLOSE THE DEAL!

To that I say ‘hooey’

Each sales transaction, every one, is a complex and delicate social and psychological transaction. Whether you’re selling your three-year-old on eating his peas, or selling an airplane contract to Boeing. Procurement departments are put in place to keep this complexity out – but that just adds one more element to the mix.

How to use sales training

Here’s what I’ve found to be VERY useful. When I hear something that makes sense, I give it a try. See if it works FOR ME. If it does, I keep it. If it doesn’t, I tweak it or toss it. I don’t spend a lot of time trying to figure out what is wrong with me that it does not work.

When I hear something that makes me sick to my stomach, I ask WHY I am being trained that way. There “might” be a good reason. If there isn’t, I scrap it!

When I have worked for a company who insists on a certain way, I found my self-expression in it – or moved on.

There is NO exact formula or mathematical algorithm to sales. It is a constant dance and an unending opportunity for refinement and education. It challenges and fascinates me. And I love it. I have found my voice in it.

I wish the same for you and am willing to help in any way I can (and willing to learn EVEN more than I now know!)

So, let’s keep this community going! It is a beautiful art we pursue! 

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

Love ’em UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

Authenticity, Creativity, Performance, Winning, Wisdom

A life without limits?

Leave a comment

I have been contemplating this a great deal lately. What do I admire? Who do I admire?

I look at Richard Branson (who doesn’t?) and wonder…what do we admire so much about him?

I think I most admire that he seems to live his life without limits.

But, it’s an illusion. I think.

When I look at my own life…what makes me shrink back…is that it *seems* rough when I confront my limits. I am looking for what is comfortable, so I stay away from the “limits”.

Yet, when I GO FOR IT and confront the limits…it is as if they disappear!

Am I living in an illusion of limits?

I watch my dog, unable to cross the boundary of my laptop cord plugged into the wall. It is illogical. He could easily cross over it. In fact, my other two dogs cross over the cord without a thought. Somehow, this one dog has created that crossing over that cord is impossible.

What have I created as impossible that is as simple as crossing over a laptop cord? Do my two dogs look like a “Richard Branson” to my other one dog?

I hope you will join me in this inquiry. What have we created as barriers, in our minds, that aren’t actually barriers?

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

Hmmmmm…….

Love ’em UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

Authenticity, Buyers, Creativity, Customer Service, Dignity, Education, Irreverence, Performance, Winning, Wisdom

The BUYER makes the biggest difference of all…

Leave a comment

A true story that involves a Real Estate Agent
I had dinner with a very good friend of mine on Saturday. She is a ROCK STAR real estate agent. She works her fanny off for her clients and she KNOWS the market where I live. She knows simply everything about everything in our neighborhood. She is a great connector. She is the REAL DEAL. She IS an Irreverent Sales Girl (meaning she says it straight and she produces results).

Here’s the story she told. My good friend has a problem, one that most real estate agents face. She was talking about the inherent disloyalty of representing a buyer in the marketplace. NOW, no matter what you think of the value of real estate agents or the commissions they make or any of the rest of it, I want you to put that aside for one minute. It will be worth it.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

Buyers are often disloyal. They will work with an agent to get educated, have that agent schlep them all over town looking at the houses that fit their desires, and then they go find a property they love, act on it, and cut the agent out of the deal. It’s not wrong. It is how the system is designed.

(MY advice: If you are so smart that you can ‘go it on your own’, then ‘go it on your own’ the whole way through.)

But, here’s the inspiring part
She went on to tell a story that I loved. She told me of a client who she had been working hard for. He was in the market. He tripped across a home he loved. It was For Sale By Owner. He was ready to buy.

Know what he did?

He said, up-front… “I don’t make a move without my agent. I want HER to manage the deal..from inspections, to attorneys, to reviewing the deal.”

He was no dummy. He has his own business. Something HE knows everything about. And he REALIZED that she does, too. She actually KNOWS something about the pitfalls of buying, the places he could get screwed up, the team of professionals required to make the deal go down, so that it benefits HIM.

He honored her professionalism and valued her expertise. She got paid. He got what he wanted.

So, what’s the point?
Here’s the point. By now, you probably know that my MISSION IN LIFE is to transform the world of selling. For everyone!

When you think about it…People LOVE to buy things they want or need, and they especially love to buy from people they LIKE!

So, where did it all go wrong? Where did sales get such a bad rap?

Well, I think we all know where…from crummy snake oil salespeople who took advantage of trusting buyers.

BUT, times they have a-changed.

From Buyer-Beware to Buyer-Be-Great
I am going to say something radical now.

How YOU are, as a buyer, makes a difference.

If you honor the expertise, the wisdom, and the education you receive from a GREAT salesperson, you will make the world better for yourself, and for everyone else.

Yes, go out and get the best deal for yourself. Yes, work with real pros. Yes, say NO to salespeople who are not getting you what you want.

BUT, be a person who is WILLING to be great in the sales process. Send thank you’s to those who have put their time in – even if you aren’t going to use them. LISTEN for just a minute to what someone has to say. Put aside the need to “protect” yourself (you are bigger than that, anyway.)

Value the work that people do on your behalf. If you are willing to wear the big-boy pants and hold people accountable for doing their work well, AND you are willing to take FULL responsibility for your choices, then we actually HAVE A SHOT at making sales great. By all means, cut OUT the salespeople who are doing it badly, and cut them out FAST. Learn to do business with style and courtesy. As a buyer.

The buyer, more than anyone else, can transform the world of sales into a beautiful and celebrated profession. One where we can ALL get exactly what we want. Please start today. That person SELLING you something may actually have your best interests in mind. Take the time to find out.

Love buying UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

Authenticity, Dignity, Goals, Loving Life, Performance, Presentation, Self Care, Winning, Wisdom

BEWARE the laurel resting…

3 Comments

I’ve been having a pretty great Summer and Fall. Closing business like crazy at work, making all sorts of great connections with incredible people. Getting very cool opportunities for work and play.

I’ll say it straight. I’ve been feeling pretty great about myself.

So much so, that I had the brilliance of giving someone my opinion about them recently (an opinion that is nowhere grounded in any sort of fact). Somehow, I’d got myself thinking that I can say any old thing I please and everyone is just going to eat it up.

(Think :BIG SHOT by Billy Joel – you can hum it in the background as you read this post).

Well, I got the wake up call today. Not only did this person not appreciate my opinion (the one based in ABSOLUTELY no fact – mind you) but neither did her best friends – who happen to be in my business AND personal world.

Fortunately, these friends have had the generosity to share with me the damage I have done. I was so full of myself, I didn’t even notice.

Now, I get to go about the business of cleaning it up with everybody…looking around and seeing where I’ve left all the loose ends untied – (“Why should I have to take care of THOSE things when I’m clearly so awesome?”)

I have to learn that if I AM going to be more successful than I’ve ever been before, I’d better develop a much larger character than I have displayed lately.

Fingers crossed that I will be able to restore my friendships first. I may never be able to restore the professional relationships after this incident.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

If there is anything I can offer from this horrible mistake I made, it is to share it with you. If I want to go big places, I  have to be bigger than I’ve been before. No use “beating myself up” (that’s just MORE of being irresponsible), But there are consequences and I will deal with them – they are MINE – I have earned them after all. And I will clean up what I can and learn and grow and even be grateful that the Universe keeps making sure that I become who I REALLY want to be – not some “shiny” replica with a hollow core.

Love the lessons UP (even when they suck)!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

Authenticity, Creativity, Goals, Loving Life, Performance, Purpose, Quotes, Winning, Wisdom

On Perception

Leave a comment

I was reading a perfectly lovely blog post on Olga Herman’s The Choice Driven Life – I’ve referenced it below – it is called The 3 Things You Need to Discover the Life You Were Born to Live. 

Pulling out of a VERY dark week last week, it was exactly what I needed to hear. Perhaps you’ll find some gold in it as well. It is a bold and courageous approach to illustrating what really works about a life that works.

Now, you probably already know these things, because YOU are someone who has their life together. But, me, sometimes I am a HOT MESS and it turns out that EVERY time I go about the business of making a bigger life for myself, things get EVEN messier.

My favorite quote comes from the third section on Perception. Mostly, I love this quote ‘cuz it’s just a fun thing to think about – but it also reminded me that when I’m going after the NEXT BIG thing, perhaps it’s time to look at things a little differently. I felt the overwhelm I’ve been feeling the last couple of weeks slipping away. Here’s how it goes:

“You know the story of David and Goliath. When David saw Goliath, his perception of that challenge was totally different from that of his brothers and the entire armies of Israel; they perceived Goliath as too big to kill. When David looked at him, he thought he was too big to miss. Same giant, same problem, a different perception.”

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

It just tickles my funny bone and makes me giggle at how BIG and MONSTROUS I create my huge dreams and ambitions to be. Maybe my goals are simply TOO BIG TO MISS!

In fact, as I was walking my three labs today on the beach – I thought about this very thing. Often, people will pass me on the street with these three energetic, sometimes bull-headed puppies and they will say, “Wow! You look like you’ve got your hands full with THEM!” Today, I walked thinking next time I will reply “Actually, THEY’VE got their hands full with ME!” HA! A whole different experience, dontcha think?

I hope you have some fun with Olga’s insights!

Love your big challenges UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

http://www.thechoicedrivenlife.com/3-things-you-need-to-discover-the-life-you-were-born-to-live/

 

Authenticity, Dignity, Goals, Loving Life, Performance, Purpose, Winning

Stuck?

2 Comments

Yesterday I was REALLY REALLY stuck! I had a piece of business that was CERTAINLY going to move quickly and be a BIG HIT. I was WORRIED that I wasn’t ready for the onslaught of work that all of this new activity was going to generate when my client said “yes”. I was battening down the hatches. I had prepared my client, and I was ready.

Then, I made the presentation, and ….. CRICKETS. No response. Don’t call us, we’ll call you.

UGH. I tossed and turned all night wondering what I was going to do about this. Should I remove the offer as if it had been snapped up by someone else? (It hadn’t). Should I pretend that someone else was interested and they might lose their chance? (They weren’t?) Should I perservere in winning the business???? Aaaaaggghhh. Hours of churning.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

Then, I had a flash of inspiration. I got everyone on the phone who had anything to do with this project. The people who had helped me set it up and the people who were in line to execute on the business. THIS WAS HARD FOR ME … because I always feel that people expect me to have the answer, the direction. I didn’t have it this time.

I laid the situation out on the table and even bared the naked truth of some of the dishonest things I had been considering doing (we have a strict policy of honesty and transparency – big no-no!). I asked, “What should we do now?”.

It was GREAT! They knew more about what was happening with the customer than I did (remember how I always work with people smarter than me?). They told me that… as we spoke, people on the client’s side were working to sort out budget, timing, they were EXCITED about the prospect of working with us.

They also forgave me for considering alternate means.

Just goes to show.

Stop tossing and turning. GET ON THE PHONE! Lay out the options. Let your leadership be that you take immediate and decisive action on the things your team needs from you to get the job done and then GET OUT OF THE WAY!

This is the hardest part that I am learning about building a wildfire business. Other people are the fire. Not me. Let it roar!

Trust your peeps UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

Authenticity, Creativity, Customer Service, Dignity, Irreverence, Loving Life, Welcome, Winning

Where TRUE professionals win their chops!

2 Comments

If you are a true professional, it is LIKELY that you have Narcissistic Tendencies.

I know I do.

I want to achieve MY goals! I truly do.

Yet..I have realized..I MUST GET OTHER PEOPLE what they want for me to get what I WANT.

I don’t care if you are religious…this story still applies.

C.S. Lewis wrote an essay about Heaven and Hell.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

In each scenario, everyone had a BANQUET laid out in front of them at the table. The trick was that everyone had splints on their arms which prevented them from getting their hands to their mouths.

In HELL, everyone sat around the table – lamenting that they could not feed themselves from the sumptuous table.

In HEAVEN, everyone fed each other.

WHO ARE YOU? Are you looking to feed yourself OR looking to feed others and trust that you will be fed? It’s an important choice.

LOVE your community UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

Authenticity, Creativity, Irreverence, Loving Life, Performance, Welcome, Winning, Wisdom

Know when you are Irrelevant…

Leave a comment

Oftentimes, I hear people refer to me as The Irrelevant Sales Girl…and EACH TIME it cracks me up! I LOVE IT!

Because, I AM Irrelevant.

You are the ONLY thing that matters. You don’t give a ……about what I HAVE ACHIEVED! YOU care about what you have achieved and what you are GOING to achieve.

My ONLY job is to find out how I can help you get there. Period!

People keep telling me to “come out from behind the avatar” of The Irreverent Sales Girl.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

I’m not going to do it. Here’s why. The Irreverent Sales Girl inspires you. There is nothing to resist. She is a Cartoon Character for God’s Sake. Today, YOU are The Irreverent Sales Girl. Not “me”.

YOU matter. What YOU have to say is important. I want you to BE The Irreverent Sales Girl. (Or whatever you choose.) I will do it, too. We will do it TOGETHER!

Together, we become a community of WE MATTER! We have a voice!

You want to know who I am? Go to Twitter and look up @isalesgirl and ask for a phone call. I will have it with you! I WANT to know who you are and if I can help and what you are up to!  BUT, you have to PROMISE that you won’t reveal my true identity to CNBC when they call you! Pinky swear?

Let’s go out and create something magical! What do you say?

Love your OWN LIFE UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

Authenticity, Dignity, Goals, Irreverence, Loving Life, Performance, Welcome

Find someone smarter than you…

Leave a comment

I am a lucky girl!

Everyone around me is smarter than I am.

It makes me better.

And you? Who do you need to bring on? Who do you need to cut loose?

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

Just sayin’

If you are going to be your best, surround yourself WITH the best! As far as your eye can see! Surprise yourself!

Love it all UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

Appearance, Authenticity, Dignity, Loving Life, Performance, Presentation, Purpose, Winning, Wisdom

Sometimes what you love hurts you…

4 Comments

This is a personal post.

Today, I was playing with my puppy. He has this lovely way to wake me up. (He is a 65-pound Labrador Retriever). Here’s what he does. He jumps on the bed and lays COMPLETELY on top of me and puts his nose in my face. I love it!

Today, we were wrestling around…and his back feet fell off the bed. He scrambled to secure himself…(you can picture it, right?) Front claws flying he dug in to anything that was solid…which included my left eye socket. WHOA!

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

Right away, I knew something was wrong. Yet, I had NO IDEA how wrong it might be.

I was bleeding. From my eye!

Tom took me to the ER. (I love him). I was a mess. I wasn’t a mess because of what had ACTUALLY happened. I was a mess because of what COULD HAVE HAPPENED!

Turns out, I didn’t even need stitches. They super-glued my eyelid to heal.

But, here’s what I had to deal with:

1) I value my looks and wonder if I could be successful as a de-formed woman – how deep is my commitment? What if he’d ripped my eyeball out?
2) I love my dog – this isn’t his fault. Sometimes the people we work with are just finding their own way and they hurt you, but they are not to be punished for it.
3) I am vain. I am judgemental. I look at the outside to determine if I want to be involved.
4) Tom was AMAZING with me, even though the entire hospital staff must have been looking at him like, “What did you do to her?”

How does this apply to sales or success? It doesn’t. Yet, it reminds me that I MUST DO SOMETHING NOW that is important. Risk it all. What we “think” we have, we don’t have. It can all turn on a dime!

Let’s go get WIGGY on what is important to us. Let’s remember WHO WE ACTUALLY are…in the face of anything.

Today, I was a scared, anxiety-ridden person — over scratches. I saw that I think my looks make me who I am! HA!

Now, I have to deal with that! This week, I am going to present to a Fortune 500 company…and I will do it, and I will be great. AND, I willl warn them that I look a little crazy.

Toooooo many lessons in this post. My favorite is…PUSH THE DOG TO THE FLOOR WHEN HE IS SCRAMBLING! Then, take THEM to the vet if need be. LOL.

Love your luck UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl