Category Archives: Creativity

Creativity, Customer Service, Dignity, Goals, Loving Life, Performance, Uncategorized, Winning

Making the most of my conference attendance!

Leave a comment
Going to the Big Conference

Here’s one for those who attend conferences. Some juicy tips that will help you make the MOST of your dollars.

I’m headed out to a big fat conference in New York this week. All of the decision-makers in my industry are attending.

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

I’ve gotten to be a bit of a pro at this (at least for myself) and would like to share my favorite tips for making the VERY most of the time and money you are spending to attend:

1) To booth or not to booth
I am attending this industry-standard conference as a vendor. But, NEVER as someone with a booth. Know why? I find it’s a waste of money. If the conference will let me attend as a vendor without a booth, I DO IT! I circulate more. Meet WAY more people. And spend less money. Geez, I hope the conference organizers aren’t reading this 🙂  If I MUST have a booth to attend, I work to get myself on as many panels and invited to as many parties as possible.

2) Pre-conference Prep
I email my entire list of current pipeline prospects and people I haven’t spoken to in quite some time. I ask them, are you attending the such-and-such conference? I will be there and I would LOVE to meet. This accomplishes a few things. 1 – it gives me credibility as someone who is keeping up-to-speed as a thought leader. 2 – it gives me the chance to set up appointments to meet people face-to-face, which allows for some nice efficiencies. 3 – It gives me a reason to be in touch. 4 – it allows me the opportunity to be a resource to my customers who can’t make it to the event – I touch base with  them when I get back about the top 3 things I learned – or with people I’d like to connect them to.

3) Opening the conversation
I used to find this to be the hardest thing to do at a conference. What do I say that won’t annoy the daylights out of someone who is there trying to get educated in their field (and avoid vendors, frankly). Now, it’s easy. I simply ask: “What do you most want to get out of this conference?” or “What is the thing you would say has been most valuable about your time here?” This opens the conversation for what THEY care about. Often, I’m able to serve as a resource with some of their key issues. SCORE! (And they’re glad to talk to me because they are talking about themselves. Critical.)

4) Don’t drink
I leave the alcohol consumption to the celebration of all my new business when I get home. If I am really going to work the conference to its best advantage, I need all the stamina and sharpness I can get. I go to the parties and join in on the fun, but I keep it straight. This is my business, after all.

5) Bring LOTS of business cards, but leave the presentations at home
Conference attendees do NOT want one more thing to drag home with them. I bring plenty of cards, and make sure I get theirs!

6) Carry the Thank You notes and stamps along with me
Yep. The hand written Thank You note again. When I am REALLY on my game, I write the cards out before I go to bed. At least I have them on the plane with me for my ride home. I believe people are impressed that they get something personal from me right away on their return.

7) Set a goal
I set a goal of how many meaningful connections I am going to make at the conference. Connections that could lead to a sale. My goal for this three day conference is 20 meaningful connections. Obviously, I will make many more connections than that, but I’m talking about the ones that will lead directly to further conversations about working together. I hold myself to my goal and I don’t quit until I’ve made it. It’s a great game!

8) Be a stalker
This is only for the VERY accomplished. If I am listening to a keynote or a panelist who is a big deal at their company (my favorites are the Fortune 500 CEOs), this CAN be an ideal time to connect with them. But, I am careful. I MUST have something MEANINGFUL to say that takes about 5 seconds and addresses core issues they just mentioned. I ask them for a CONNECTION at their company, not for THEIR time. These can be magical moments.

9) Love ’em UP!
When I get home, I’m quick to put a bullet-point summary of the value I got from the conference. I send this to all my peeps who I did not see at the conference. I become a thought leader and valuable resource! Then, I connect with all the *meaningful connections* to set future action. I do NOT let this wait until sometime next week. I will take off Tuesday afternoon, as a reward- as long as those communications go out ASAP!

10) Balance the drawer and then we’re out!
I take care of my finances. It’s never fun, but I challenge myself to finish my expense report and turn it in within two business days. No use carrying balances for the work I have done.

Great! I’m ready to rock ‘n roll! What strategies do YOU use to make the most of your conference time? I can’t wait to hear!

Love your peeps UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

Appearance, Creativity, Customer Service, Dignity, Goals, Irreverence, Loving Life, Top Ten Principles of Selling, Winning, Wisdom

Are you HOT?

1 Comment
Hot Selling
Be hot, sell more

Are you HOT? Let me clarify.

When you are HOT, you have great attitude! People want to buy from confident, self-possessed, passionate people. That’s HOT!

You do NOT need to look like the woman in this pic (who does, really, look like her?) But, the attitude is there!

She is confident, knows who she is, and is going to make sure that YOU look like a ROCK STAR when you buy her products. (This applies to men, too, BTW!)

You may “feel” less-than-confident when you are selling. We all do. Seriously!

One of my best friends once told me — “You can’t judge a person’s insides by their outsides”…meaning, they may LOOK all put together, but it doesn’t mean they are.

Go find your attitude. Find your passion. Find where YOU are HOT (and it may be that you are the EXPERT who CANNOT be denied! See Mike Kunkle as an example)

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

Find it. And go forth and be awesome! Let your HOT shine through (everyone’s got it!)

Love your hot 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

Creativity, Goals, Loving Life, Performance, Winning

Time for the whiteboard…the end of the year CRUSH IT!

Leave a comment

Tomorrow I bring out my favorite FOURTH QUARTER sales weapon. My way to Bring It On Home for the end of the year.

My good old tried and true magnetic whiteboard.

I will write the goal I intend to reach on the far right. I will list every deal I have closed underneath and subtract to get me to the number I desire.

Then, I will create a magnet for each and every prospective customer in conversations with me right now. I will divide my whiteboard into Monday _ Tuesday_ Wednesday_Thursday_Friday and I will move my magnets to the last day I interacted with my pipeline peeps!

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

Nothing slips through the cracks. I can visually see where I am at all times. It works like a charm.

What I can move, I can measure. What I can measure, I can manage.

What do YOU do to keep your business in front of you and moving? I would love to hear!

Love your systems UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

Buyers, Creativity, Customer Service, Dignity, Education, Goals, Irreverence, Performance, Presentation, Top Ten Principles of Selling, Winning, Wisdom

Everybody skims…

4 Comments

This post is designed for YOU to get your message across to the customers that matter.

A recent a-ha moment! 
I recently got advice from the SPECTACULAR Erika Napoletano (of www.redheadwriting.com fame – or infamy – you choose).

Erika gave me the AWESOME offer of submitting a guest post to her blog. So I submitted one. And she generously front-stabbed me (Front-Stabbing: the generosity you offer when you tell people how it REALLY is – to their face. Antonym: back-stabbing..you get the picture).

Her advice about the article I had submitted? Her words…”… try adding some subheadings that make it easy for the reader to skim (we ALL skim!)”

Then I realized…

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

I may not be a great author, but I DO THIS IN SALES!
It occurred to me. I am CRYSTAL CLEAR that people SKIM my messages … in email, letters, and voice mail.

That’s why I get such a high level of response in my sales messages. I give it to ’em the way they want it.

I use BOLDED text for each new point. I use bullet points to make my points. It works!

The best part of the story…
In fact! I had a very interesting challenge a few years back. My “prospect” (for lack of a better term) was WILDLY busy. Beyond busy.

So, every email I sent her was the whole message in the subject line without scrolling. With back-up support in the body – if she could get to it. 20 words MAX.

She LOVED it. She told me that I was the ONLY person who “got” the way she wanted to be communicated with! She always got right back to me – a salesperson’s dream.

Still no guest post
Nearly every day, I revisit the guest post I am to send to Erika. Thank goodness, she is not counting on me for content!

But a great realization!
Please, please, please…when you are sending sales emails, think of the sheer amount of emails that everyone has to read. Put your requests first! Put your backup information in clear, concise terms. GET TO THE POINT!  Remember that the reader is probably emailing from her phone.

This requires work, you will have to think about what is IMPORTANT to THEM. Do NOT expect them to read every line. Boil it down to the juice.

You will ROCK over those TEDIOUS emails your competition is sending.

They will love you. They will read you. They will get back to you. They will buy from you.

And you will WIN!

Love your peeps UP!

And remember, EVERYBODY SKIMS! 

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

Creativity, Goals, Loving Life, Self Care, Winning, Wisdom

What am I doing anyway?

Leave a comment

I woke up yesterday morning feeling a bit bemused. Can I stay in bed just a little longer? What would it hurt?

What SHOULD I be doing?
And, then, it struck me! I am living with far too many SHOULDS in my day. Nothing is pulling me out of bed – no voice saying “let’s do this today” “let’s take a chance” “let’s GO FOR IT”.

Huh! I wonder where that voice went? As I canoodled with this question, it started to become clear. So many things I do in my life are “in order to get somewhere else”…well, maybe not quite that. More like “in order to have my life NOT suck” just keep the wheels in motion to not backslide, to prevent chaos and dismay.

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 thought, well….what IF I sat down and thought about what I would LOVE my life to look like in a year, three years, five years. I started to canoodle on this, too. Little alarms started going off in my head. “Danger! Danger! Danger!” I found out that I don’t know WHAT I want my life to look like in five years. Or even tomorrow.

This is the pitfall of living a life I always imagined. I have the great job that I do pretty well. I have the love of my life. I have a beautiful home. I have amazing friends. I have three wonderful dogs.

So, why do I feel so “blah”?
Well, I think the reason I feel so “blah” is that my life is just far too much about me. My eye is far too much on my stuff.

Do I have everything handled? Is my home in perfect shape? Am I financially free? Am I in optimum health? Is my business even remotely where I want it to be? Absolutely not! But getting by seems to be suiting me just fine.

What is going to fire me up? It is not going to be a new car…that’s just not enough. It is not going to be more money…I would LOVE more money, but it’s not enough to get out of the lovely cocoon of my warm and happy bed.

Is there life beyond FEAR?
In the past, what always got me out of bed was ABJECT FEAR. Fear that I was going to lose my job if I didn’t perform. Fear that I wouldn’t be able to pay the bills. Fear that I would look bad if I didn’t show up on time. Fear that I would fail a presentation if I wasn’t prepared. Surviving.

Now, I am faced with the challenge of living a truly invented life. Designed for no other reason than that I say it is important. I have to look inside and outside to see … what am I here for?

I have gotten so good at performing for others on their agenda. Do I have enough character to strike out on my own and claim a created life. Do I have what it takes to LIVE LIFE?

Learning a new skill
It is time to learn a new skill. And, what is that new skill? The one I have no facility with?

I don’t know how to have FUN. I take everything far too seriously. No wonder I want to keep the status quo and do the bare minimum. No wonder it all looks like drudgery. I KNOW how to do that! I know how to be stressed out. I know how to “pull it off”.

I don’t know how to be free! In love with life! Kick-up-my-heels delighted!

Frankly, I am not sure even where to start. What if I start having fun and everything else falls apart? (Can you hear the survival kicking in?)

Today I declare that I am learning the new skill of HAVING FUN. That is worth going for. That will be the voice that whispers in my ear and gets me out of bed in the early morning hours to go dance in the dew of the new day. It is my new mission.

Any suggestions on where to start? Are you good at having fun and living a full, abundant life where it all works? I want to hear from you. I want to interview you. I want to learn.

Love your life UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

Buyers, Creativity, Customer Service, Dignity, Goals, Performance, Presentation, Top Ten Principles of Selling, Winning

Keeping the wolves at bay

Leave a comment

Keeping the wolves at bay…

I have had a client for a long, long time. They are a signature client and many other clients come on board with me because of THEM! They are important to my past, present, and future success.

Recently, they decided that they wanted to start looking around at other options. New, sexy, exciting, (unproven) options! They have included me in the process and are giving me the chance to stay in the game with them.

Tomorrow, I present to their team – and here’s why I’m 90% positive I am going to keep the relationship…because every chance I get, I talk to them about all the great things we’ve been able to do together over the years. We have a PARTNERSHIP. When THEY wanted to make a big, unprecedented splash in their industry, I was there. IT was awesome. When they wanted to expand their reach, I was there, we have results to show for it. When they wanted to support new markets, I was there and it made a huge difference.

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

But, if I weren’t communicating these wins with them (like a walk down memory lane), then it’s easy for them to forget when something new and sparkly shows up on the scene. It’s why I am going to keep this business (they even let ME select the position I wanted in the order of presentations. I picked LAST, of course).

The principles I’m talking about are easy to apply in any industry. They go like this:

When you get a new client

Send at least a handwritten thank you note, if not a gift. AND thank the person who sent them to you. This works with selling cars, furniture, appliances, real estate, mortgages, farming equipment, office supplies … ANYTHING.

When you have had a client for awhile

Check in to see how they are using your products. Has anything changed in their life? What is coming up that you should know about?  If you are a car dealer, you will find out that a daughter is about to turn 16 and a new car is in order (probably for mom and dad, but a new car, nonetheless). If you are in furniture, you will find that a baby is on the way, or that an aging couple is moving to a smaller place and needs help with the new setting.

When you have had a client for a few “seasons”

Send tokens of appreciation and schedule a coffee, simply to “walk down memory lane”. If you are in real estate, you can reminisce about how far that couple has come from their “first home buyer” experience to upgrading to a home for babies and for helping the first child get their first home. If you are in appliances, you can chortle about the surprise new range that he bought for his wife on their fifth anniversary.

The point

The point is…if you want to have a successful book of business that builds on itself, you will keep it personal and you will remind your clients of the partnership you have developed over the years.  This may seem like a lot of work, but BELIEVE ME…the repeat business and referrals you will receive FAR OUTWEIGH the cost and effort it takes to keep getting NEW clients.

Love the partnership UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

Creativity, Customer Service, Dignity, Goals, Irreverence, Loving Life, Performance, Top Ten Principles of Selling, Winning, Wisdom

What I learned from Galaga this week

1 Comment

Have you ever played Galaga (the video game)?

I LOVE that game. Haven’t played in years.

This weekend, I went to a resort in the Smoky Mountains that had the vintage game Galaga! YAY! I was so happy.

I started playing. I was having a blast. Playing and playing and then…something interesting happened.

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

I started approaching the HIGH SCORE! YAY! I was going to beat that high score. WOW! The first time EVER I was going to be on the screen for being the HIGH SCORE.

So, what did I do? I started playing the game with an eye on the score…and GUESS WHAT!

GAME OVER at 10 POINTS UNDER the high score. Aaaaargh!

Isn’t that just how it goes? You are playing like a winner and THEN you look at the score and GAME OVER.

I played another game after that and came nowhere near my first score. Then, I just turned the game off.

The lesson? Keep your eye on playing. Let the score INFORM you, but keep your eye on the game.

When I am being my best and doing everything I know to make my customer happy, game on! When I calculate against what someone else has done or the “score” I am hoping to achieve…it comes to a DEAD STOP!

Love the game UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

Buyers, Creativity, Dignity, Irreverence, Performance, Presentation, Winning

The Big Wig is falling ASLEEP?

Leave a comment

I’m in a meeting today at a Fortune 500 company that I’ve been selling to for about 6 months now. My key contacts have asked me in to present to all the Very Important Executives who help make the buying decision.

My contact is GREAT she’s got everyone there – the VP of This, the Head of That, and the Boss of All of Them (BOAT). Sounds like a great set-up, right?

Except my job is to make my contact look like a ROCK STAR, address all of the angles that everyone is looking from, AND keep it on time.

Still, not a problem really, but about 5 minutes in, it is clear that BOAT has other things on his mind, and he’s doing his best to not fall asleep, the dear. Oh, and the Head of That is 40 minutes late but wants to cover everything.

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

It was crazy…but I decided to have some fun with it…here’s what I did

I used BOAT’s name from time to time
Instead of pretending that he wasn’t interested, I used BOAT’s name from time to time in the examples I was giving, this kept him awake, and amused, and even interested (you must do this gracefully and appropriately and not single him out.) Pretty soon HE was asking great questions. Once I even CRACKED HIM UP

I asked each person what they wanted to learn from our meeting
That way, I could keep it HIGH LEVEL and on point and everyone knew where we were going.

I graciously welcomed the Head of That when she walked in the room, but kept on point
Once BOAT even started answering her questions.

I respected everyone’s time
I stayed late with Head of That, but made sure that VP of This and BOAT had everything they needed by 5 minutes before the hour, so that they could cut out for their next thing

I made every word count
I did not give an unnecessary stories or expansions on my answers. Straight, to the point and I gave every word energy with an intent to communicate

I was flexible with my presentation
Of course, I have a way that I normally show my product, but I followed their lead. If they asked about something, I went right there and I kept it all on point. (You have to KNOW your product INSIDE OUT to do this)

I loved ’em ALL UP!
I took them all JUST THE WAY THEY WERE and made sure they all won and got to be great.

AND my contact looked like a ROCK STAR. She was so grateful.

So, if you get in a jam, SWING OUT, have some fun and

Love ’em UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl