Things your mom taught you about success
“If you can do it then why do it?”
~Gertrude Stein
Interesting, right?
Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/
Love your challenges UP!
The Irreverent Sales Girl
You’re in a sales conversation. Things are going pretty great. The questions your customer is asking are easily answered by your solution.
THEN, they throw the zinger at you. The question you can’t answer easily. The problem they want to solve, but you don’t have a plug-and-play answer.
You wrack your brain…you start making things up
You start thinking crazy things like…”Hmmmm….If they are asking for it, they must need it.” OR “Wow, my competition must be able to help them and I CAN’T!” OR “Help! I’m going to lose this sale!”
PAUSE. Take a moment.
Then say, “That’s a great question. What Are You Doing About That NOW?”
This question ALONE is a money-maker.
Now, listen. Their answer will be VERY telling. It will give you access to FOUR options which will help you shine like a ROCKSTAR and ONE option that will help you stop wasting your time.
Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/
The FIVE power options
1) They will tell you that they AREN’T doing it now, but they would really like to.
This will give you the chance to commiserate with them. “Yes, that WOULD be great. Unfortunately, we don’t do that now. Why is that important to YOU? Have you heard of anyone else who does that, because I haven’t.”: (NOTICE: Now you are on THEIR side of the table and you can gain valuable information about any competitors who might be in the mix.)
2) They will tell you the painful way they are handling that now.
This will give you the chance to commiserate with them. Then, you can talk about OTHER possible solutions to their problem that you CAN help with. You can use examples of other clients who have had similar issues and have solved them with YOU!
3) They will tell you the way they are working around the problem.
This will give you the chance to encourage them to continue to use their workaround and YOUR solution. Then, you can launch into how YOUR solution is going to solve so many of their other problems that this workaround might be less painful.
4) They will tell you that your competitor DOES offer a solution.
This will give you the chance to find out what your customer’s TOP priorities are. Is the competition able to deliver the more important solutions that YOU can deliver? Then, ask them if they would be open to you sharing the solution your competitor offers with your manager so that your company can possibly start working on a baked-in solution for your service.
5) They will tell you that they currently have a good solution to that particular problem or that your competitor offers a good solution for them.
This will give you the chance to find out if the solution you DON’T have is a deal-breaker. If it is, bow out gracefully and thank them for considering doing business with you. (You will STILL look like a ROCKSTAR, by the way, you just won’t be closing the business. Funny thing is, sometimes when you bow out on the “deal-breaker”, you find it wasn’t a deal-breaker after all and they appreciate your honesty – AND THEY BUY!)
So, when you get into a jam. And you customer wants something you can’t help with. Be calm. And confidently ask, “Hmmmmm….What Are You Doing About That NOW?”
Love your selling UP!
The Irreverent Sales Girl
I am creating my incredible 2013 – with the help of this truly wonderful resource: http://leoniedawson.com/shop/k
I am going to shamelessly steal from the planner (please go get it – so inexpensive – so powerful – WE CAN DO IT TOGETHER!)
From Leonie Dawson (who you will LOVE):
“The Entrepreneur’s path can be the most spiritual experience of your life [btw, salespeople ARE entrepreneurs]
You will be called on to change every part of you that holds you back, so that you may step into your brightest magnificence.
Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/
The path of growth, of expansion, of transformation, of change, is not always the easy one.
It will cause you to face your fears, all the parts of you that are undeveloped.
You have no choice but to step into this, whole of face and whole of heart.
This is the path that is calling you, the path that has been destined for you.
This is the path that is calling your greatness out of you, it is the path that calls you to dream your biggest dream.”
Salespeople ROCK!
Love your Courage, Brilliance, and Perseverance UP!
The Irreverent Sales Girl
OK. If you can distract yourself from the distracting picture, let’s have a serious talk. (hee hee, serious?)
Wanna have EVERYTHING you ever wanted?
STOP TAKING YOURSELF SO SERIOUSLY
If you have the talent of laughing at yourself…you can have whatever you want.
Stop it with the white-knuckled approach to life…”If this doesn’t turn out, IT’S ALL OVER!” Really? Really? (Not really!)
BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN TO YOU
Period. What makes YOU special that bad things won’t happen?
The problem is that you make problems out of things that AREN’T a problem.
That person didn’t call you back. The sky rained on you. You didn’t get a sale today. Your washing machine caught on fire (OK, that one might be a bit of a problem).
Let me postulate something…
YOU ONLY TAKE YOURSELF SO SERIOUSLY BECAUSE YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING TO FAIL
I’ll give you a minute with that one.
…
…
If you KNEW you were going to succeed, you would get a KICK out of the mis-steps. The human foibles would give you a chance to let off some steam.
Yes! You did hit “close” on that program without saving the four hours of work you just put in. HI-larious!
Yes! You opened the wrong Power-Point at a meeting.
Yes! An instant message from your lover showed up on a web presentation.
Not professional, sure! But, still HI-larious. Laugh! Acknowledge the amazing imperfection of it all!
The secret?
WHEN YOU LAUGH, YOU ARE INFECTIOUS!
The Universe acknowledges that YOU get it! And then you get whatever you want.
SO, NEXT TIME YOU GET TOO SERIOUS
Put on a rockin’ good song and dance your booty off. Call a great friend and tell them how crazy you are for being freaked out by NOTHING. Write a vulnerable email – uncovering your humanity. Roll on the Floor Laughing.
Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/
BECAUSE SUCCESS IS YOUR BIRTHRIGHT
And if you knew THAT you would laugh heartily at taking yourself so seriously! You don’t laugh when you make mistakes, because you don’t believe you are destined for greatness. Period.
Laugh and the universe laughs with you.
Love yourself UP!
The Irreverent Sales Girl
Wanna be wildly successful? (pretty sure the answer here is “yes”)
I have a secret for you.
Pick your boss.
When I was seventeen, I got my first job in sales. I sold shoes for a national chain (NO, Do NOT stop reading – selling shoes can be a proud profession!)
I lucked into a position, frankly.
I just wanted a job. What I got was a mentor. My manager was amazing! He was a wizard! He was completely invested in my success. He taught me how to make buying a pair of shoes an EVENT for the customer. It was wonderful training and I thrived.
Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/
I was made the Assistant Manager of the entire store as a seventeen-year-old student. I out-sold everyone ‘cuz of him.
Enter CARS
Then, right out of college, I got a job with a major car company as a Manufacturers Rep.
By sheer LUCK, I was assigned to a very special dealership in California. The family who owned this dealership was WILDLY successful and a pillar of their community.
(Aw, geez, I lost you on car sales, didn’t I? Come back. It’s worth it.)
This family was AMAZING. They took me under their wing and taught me how to sell a car so that people feel like coming back, year after year after year.
I became #1 of nearly 200 reps because of them.
AND THEN THE LIGHT BULB TURNED ON
I had been lucky. I had great bosses and great influences. They PROPELLED me.
For my next jobs, I took what I had learned (from my sheer luck) and started interviewing BOSSES, rather than interviewing for jobs.
I wanted someone who would SHOOT me to the NEXT LEVEL
So, I started interviewing with two things in mind.
FIRST, do I like the company I am working for? Do I value their values?
SECOND, is the person I will be working for interested in my success?
These were critical questions
What I found was that I could get paid a WHOLE LOT OF MONEY for working with slimy companies and nasty managers.
BUT What I “picked” instead, was working for great companies with ambitious leaders who valued my growth and valued the work we did. The money came in time.
And it has worked!
Year over year, I am number ONE in sales – no matter where I work.
I am satisfied. I am happy. I am a leader. I am confident.
MORAL OF THE STORY
Today I was on a call with Jack Canfield. He said that when he was first getting started, at VERY low pay, he worked for W. Clement Stone (a Big Deal in that time). Jack credits his roots of success from the things he learned from this very powerful man. He didn’t even mention the nature of the work he was doing, just the man he was working for.
Forget the money, forget the hours, forget the benefits…PICK A GREAT MENTOR.
AND YOU WILL GO FAR!
Love your career UP!
The Irreverent Sales Girl
My New Year’s Resolution for 2013:
For an ENTIRE QUARTER, I will NOT hire any coaches. I will not pay for a seminar. I will not purchase a “how-to” guide.
FOR ONE QUARTER, I’M GOING TO SEE WHAT I’VE GOT
As many of you know, I am a FIRM believer in coaching and education. I spend 10% of my income on educational materials. Some resources I buy are to learn more about business, some are specific to sales, some are personal development.
Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/
I know I have grown as a person and a professional because of my willingness to invest! Yet, sometimes I’m left wondering…maybe I rely too much on others’ advice and I don’t spend the time to research for myself, or dig deep and do the thinking, or (most of all)…
…TRUST MY OWN INSTINCTS
So, this quarter. I’m giving myself the chance to shine. To show what I’ve got. To bring ME to the table. See what I’ve got. Find things on my own. Do my own reading, my own researching, using my FREE resources.
I’ll bet my future investments pay off even more after
this hiatus because I will have a new-found confidence in my ability to create the advice I need from listening to my heart.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Do you rely on the advice of others too heavily? Do you use resources to build your effectiveness OR to prop up your insecurities? Is it time to take a break? Is it time to invest more? Only you can ever really know.
Love your SELF UP!
The Irreverent Sales Girl
Thank you, all, for making 2012 the most incredible year yet.
Most of all, I am grateful for the people that took time to meet me, speak with me, and educate me. There are SO many – and my life is enriched beyond measure.
I am now going OFF THE GRID until January 2.
Enjoy your holidays. Get some love in, maybe some rest. BE with your loved ones. Play board games. Refresh. Read a book that has actual pages. Touch your life.
Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/
Back to the magic of technology in 2013.
Love your life UP!
The Irreverent Sales Girl
An Incredible 2013
The amazing Rochelle Moulton (www.consultingchick.com) turned me on to a SUPER-fun planning workbook and calendar for 2013. I have already gotten started and I am loving it. You can view it at: http://bit.ly/Leonie2013.
The most powerful question yet
As I work through my plan, Leonie has asked me to pick one word that will be the theme for 2013.
Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/
I have been chewing and chewing on this one. If there were one word that would focus me on my next steps, what would it be.
On my walk in the woods with my puppies today, I thought….”I’ve got it! The word is DISCIPLINE! THAT is what I am going to need to take my business to the next level. I will need new habits, new ways of doing things, new structures in place to suppport all the goodness!”
My next thought was:
“UGH! Discipline!”
This theme was NOT going to do the trick. It would not take me through the planning workbook, nevermind all of 2013. Still, there was something in there. Something I KNOW would make the difference.
And then it came to me like a Lightbulb coming on!
If I were bringing discipline to all my new habits and practices and ways of doing business and relationships, I would be displaying…
HONOR
Honor for my loved ones.
Honor for my clients.
Honor for my puppies.
Honor for my commitments.
Honor for my financial health.
Honor for the privilege it is to be alive.
Honor for my body.
Honor for YOU!
I have discovered MY theme. What is yours?
I invite you – as you create your Incredible 2013. What will your theme be? What word will you use to focus you on what is next and most delightfully important.
Love your 2013 UP!
The Irreverent Sales Girl
People value that I am consistent. My company values that I have consistently been the top sales performer since I’ve been on board (over nine years).
My customers value that I behave consistently with them. I am always on time and I get back to them with meaningful information when they have questions.
So, my consistency is a GOOD thing.
But, I am looking to see where my consistency might not work in my favor! Perhaps my predictability also has LIMITING ramifications in my life. What barriers DON’T I break because someone might say, “That’s not LIKE you!”?
Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/
The Plot Turns on a Dime
Know how when someone in the movies breaks through a behavior – they say the thing you’ve been wanting them to say, or they take the new action that turns the plot on a dime?
I’m thinking of things like Rapunzel when she cuts her hair off in Tangled…taking power away from the Wicked Witch.
Or, in the Karate Kid, where Daniel-son fights in spite of a torqued knee.
That’s not like YOU…can set you free! It is exhilirating! The crowd cheers!
What things do you NOT do (or say) that would open up a whole new world…but you do not do (or say them) because That’s Not LIKE You?
Help me out below with some of your own ideas – or some other favorite movie examples!
Love your “Not Like You” UP!
AND, shouts out to Cindi Carlson, Rob Bartlett, and Dan Polley, new “fans”. I am SO glad you are here.
The Irreverent Sales Girl