Quote of the Week

"The key is not to prioritize what is on the schedule, but to schedule your priorities." -- Stephen Covey

How in the world is it already mid-October? With the days flying by, time management has been a big part of my thoughts lately. I've tried a lot of different strategies, and I've found that getting the big things scheduled and out of the way first is always best. Then you'll be able to sail through the little tasks feeling good about everything you've accomplished!

What time management strategies work for you? Let us know in the comments!

Fourth Quarter Victory

We're nearing the end of the year, and if you're struggling to make sure you meet your goals, then this advice from sales trainer George Ludwig is for you! Today he shares his strategies to manage your time down to the minute, and fit in all those prospective sales still sitting in our pipeline. Read on, and get started!

Be a Time Management Master

Ludwig suggests you evaluate your sales funnel right now to determine which opportunities should be pursued. Come up with a short list by looking at factors like:

1. What's the size or profitability of the sale?
2. What's a realistic evaluation of where the potential sale is in the process and the probability of closing it by year-end?
3. What resources and actions are necessary to close the sale by year-end?
4. Are there any specific adverse customer behaviors as a result of economic conditions that may preclude them from being a hot-targeted prospect?
5. Are there any previous buying patterns the target has demonstrated as it relates to price, value, and purchasing urgency that might affect the opportunity?

After assessing these issues, prepare a brief strategy position for each opportunity on your list.

--Aim for the fruit closest to the ground. Consider a Q4 selling promotion targeted toward your current customers. In hard economic times, customers want to make safe choices with their limited funds, so they look to companies and products they know and trust. This is a good time for the sales department and marketing to team up and offer specific price promotions targeted to hit the sweet spot of current customers who are in the best position to purchase by year's end.

--Grease the skids with quick communiques. One way to save precious time in Q4 is to reach out to your customer and prospect database, especially your identified targets, using a variety of time-saving communication tactics. Email, snail mail, faxes, and telephone all complement direct sales efforts and keep you in mind, which helps close sales quickly.

George Ludwig is President of GLU Consulting which specializes in helping clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, and Northwestern Mutual improve their sales performance. George is the bestselling author of Power Selling and a widely recognized authority on sales success and peak performance psychology. www.GeorgeLudwig.com

Turn off the computer!

I think we can all agree that The Internet, social networking, and other breakthroughs in technology have changed the way we do business. It seems like everyday we're hearing about a new way to connect with our customers without ever having to see them or talk to them. According to referral expert Joanne Black, "The rise of social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, and LinkedIn have lured many sales pros into scaling back their personal interactions and relying on social media to surface 'qualified leads.'"

Today Joanne Black gives us her opinion on social media - and how it should be incorporated into your sales.

Get Real
Social media is a powerful tool for three things and three things only:

1. Search engine optimization—use your key words and raise your presence on the web
2. Find out who people are - learn about a person's background and your connections
3. Find out who people know - look for close connections that you can leverage

Some salespeople tell me they actually get clients through social media. Well, maybe if you have a commodity business. Could it happen? Yes. Do I rely on it? Absolutely not. I only count on what I bring about - through a proactive, intentional, referral strategy with personal introductions.

To Know You Is to Like You
There's a saying in sales: Clients buy with emotion and justify with fact. If our clients don't like us or don't feel comfortable with us, they won't buy from us. You can wow your clients with technology know-how now and try to win them over later, once they find out you're honest and reliable. But the reality is, you need people to start liking you within the first few seconds of your relationship. You need to start off on the right foot. Fancy gizmos won't make that happen. But a trusted referral and a personal connection will.

Eric Schmidt, Chairman and CEO of Google, in his commencement address to the graduating class of the University of Pennsylvania in May 2009, urged college graduates to step away from the virtual world and make human connections. "Turn off your computer. You're actually going to have to turn off your phone and discover all that is human around us."

To Like You Is to Trust You
The most important business decisions are still based on personal relationships. There is significant research about why customers make buying decisions. Bottom line: It's because they like and trust the salesperson and his organization. Think about it. We're selling services, investments, systems, products... we're asking for people's time and money! Why would they work with someone who hasn't been referred?

3 Winning Tips
That said, a social media presence is a must-have in today's world. Start this way:

1. Develop a social media strategy - Like a sales plan or a marketing plan, write your social media plan. What is your goal, who is your audience, what do you communicate? Leverage social media as part of your go-to-market strategy. How does your strategy link to your customer's needs and your business priorities?

2. Establish relationships - Take the time to build your personal connections, pick up the phone and talk to people. Just because you have a name in hand, doesn't mean you have a relationship.

3. Communicate useful information - Social sites are not for selling. They are for establishing connections, identifying ways to collaborate, and providing value. What tips can you provide? Link to other sites that you recommend. Be recognized as the expert and build your web presence. Be a resource.

To Trust You Paves the Way
The most energizing and exciting part of our work is the relationships with our clients - the interaction. We enjoy learning about our client's business and matching our solutions to their needs. In an era dominated by ever-expanding technology and social media pressures, always remember that personal connections, referrals, and earning trust are what count. Yes, it requires brainpower. But isn't that what we love about what we do? Indeed.

Joanne Black is a leading authority on referral selling and the author of "No More Cold Calling: The Breakthrough System That Will Leave Your Competition in the Dust" from Warner Business Books. Learn more at her website: www.nomorecoldcalling.com

A Surefire Way To Turn Prospects Into Buyers

If you're running into resistance from clients one of the main reasons could be that you haven't gotten them interested. The path of least resistance is for your prospects to say, "Tell me more!" Today sales trainer Jim Klein shares several ways you can get your prospect excited and ready to buy.

Make a Big Promise

You need to break your prospects preoccupation, and make a big promise. A big promise is something you know you can provide, or you believe you can help them achieve, and you know there's probably a pretty good chance they want it.

State a Feature That Backs Up Your Big Promise

What is a feature of your product or service? It's something that your product or service has to offer your prospect. It should be a major feature of your product or service, and preferably one your competitors do not have. In other words, fire your big gun, if you know what I mean. Hit them with the biggest and best feature you can offer.

Don't save it till the end of your presentation, because if you don't get their interest, this will be the end.

Give Them a Logical Benefit

Step three is to give them a logical benefit. People buy products or services based on emotion; however, they justify their purchase based on logic. So give them a real strong logical benefit to justify their purchase. Something you're sure that most of your target market and your ideal clients would want.

Give Them an Emotional Benefit

I'm sure you already know, as I stated before, people are driven by emotions. They make decisions, especially buying decisions, based on emotions. So, you want to give them a real strong emotional benefit they will receive by buying and using your particular product or service. An emotional benefit they will feel at the very core of their being.

There are 10 emotional triggers to make people buy.

Here they are:

1. make more money
2. save money
3. save time
4. look better
5. learn something new
6. live longer
7. be comfortable
8. be loved
9. be popular
10. gain pleasure

Some other emotional benefits are feelings of luck, success, recognition, security and freedom.

Back Everything Up With Evidence

Talk about how you've done the same for other people or companies just like them. If you have worked with someone they might know or recognize, maybe a top person or company in their industry, then get specific and use the name.

You want to show them you understand the industry, and you've been successful helping other people or companies with your product or service. If possible, let them know the exact results you have helped others attain.

Ask For Permission to Ask Questions or Probe

Many salespeople will just jump in and begin the qualifying process, assuming the prospect knows you are meeting so you can ask questions about their situation. However, it is common courtesy to ask the prospects permission to ask your fact-finding questions, and it will put the prospect at ease. It also shows respect, and sets a positive tone for the sales presentation.

Furthermore, because many of your competitors will not employ this simple courtesy, asking the prospects permission will set you apart from your competition, and will continue to build deeper rapport and trust with your prospect.

Your lead in to the fact finding portion of the sales process can be as simple as:

"Now I would like to ask you a few questions, is that okay"?

"By creating interest before you start probing for the problems you can solve with your product or service, you put the prospect in a 'tell me more' mentality," says Klein. "Put it all together and you will create excitement and willingness in your prospect that will allow you to dig deeper to uncover their true motivation to buy."

Jim Klein is the president of From the Heart Sales Training, a company that wants to make all sales "from the heart," rather than "from the hip." Learn more and sign up for his Sales Advisor Newsletter at www.fromtheheartsalestraining.com

Get into Gear!

Who isn't busy these days? With everything you have to do in a day, it's likely you've become the ultimate multi-tasker - firing off emails to "talk" to potential clients, making calls while picking up the kids, and checking emails during meetings. While they are certainly efficient, sales expert Colleen Francis believes these behaviors cause us to lose sight of the real purpose of sales; to create engaging and memorable relationships with everyone in our network.

"There is a difference between connecting with someone and engaging with them," says Francis. "That difference is trust. And creating trust requires being nice, staying focused on their needs and treating them with respect."

What is respectful behavior in your relationships?

1. If you receive an email that you feel is challenging or upsetting, pick up the phone and call. Speak with them with genuine curiosity and respect.
2. If you must deliver bad news to a client or a colleague, use the phone or meet with them face to face to have a real conversation with them.
3. Listen, do not interrupt. A simple rule to follow is wait three seconds after someone has finished talking before you start. This will ensure you don't jump in, interrupt or overrun their conversation.
4. If email is the only option, write it once, save as a draft. Sleep on it and review your text the next day. Better yet - send an email that only says, "please can we talk".
5. Keep your private communications private - no need to tell the whole office or your networking group about an incident you had with a client, prospect or manager
6. Show acknowledgement and appreciation. In Honesty Sells Steven and I teach a technique called "getting into Gear". This technique works for client and internal relationships and it goes like this:

G: Genuine. Say it only if you mean it. People know when you are being insincere.

E: Exact. Explain what you are you acknowledging exactly. Don't just say, "Thanks for doing a good job." Say: "I appreciate the work you did on the Jones project. Your attention to detail on the contract negotiation was outstanding!"

A: At once. Catch people doing something good and acknowledge it right away. Don't wait a week. Do it now. Even if you have to make a phone call or send an e-mail rather than acknowledging someone in person. An immediate acknowledgment is always better than a delayed one.

R: Regular. You cannot harm people by over-appreciating them.

"Your success will be directly determined by your willingness to communicate with your network in a trust building way," says Francis. "In good times or bad, the type of salesperson you choose to be is entirely up to you. Choose to be kind, honest, open, and supportive of your clients. You'll see consistent sales growth; you'll build an excellent reputation; and you'll become a leader in your field - regardless of your market or the state of the economy."

Colleen Francis, Sales Expert, is Founder and President of Engage Selling Solutions. Armed with skills developed from years of experience, Colleen helps clients realize immediate results, achieve lasting success and permanently raise their bottom line. Start improving your results today with Engage's online Newsletter Engaging Ideas and a FREE 7 day intensive sales eCourse: www.EngagingIdeasOnline.com.

Quote of the Week

"When you find yourself stressed, ask yourself one question: Will this matter five years from now? If yes, then do something about the situation. If no, then let it go." -- Catherine Pulsifer

How many times have you found yourself worrying about little things that aren't all that important? For me, it's probably every day! Coming from a long line of worrywarts, I get nervous very easily about little things - did I send the right copy of that proposal? Did I approach that prospect the right way? Did I remember to close the freezer? :)

When I think about my day, worrying about little things takes up more time than I'd care to admit. That's time I could be using much more efficiently! I'm going to tape this quote up in a very prominent place and remind myself that the little things will pass. Recognizing the important things and taking action is a much better use of my time!

The Three R's of Professional Services Marketing

C.J. Hayden is a marketing expert whose advice often applies to salespeople who do their own lead generation. That's why I found this article so interesting - you may not be in marketing, but a marketing viewpoint when it comes to leads never hurts!

Hayden suggests you incorporate into your back-to-business agenda the back-to-basics curriculum of the Three R's of professional services marketing: relationship, referral, and reach.

#1: Relationship

The cornerstone of every independent professional's marketing strategy should be relationship-building. If a marketing tactic you're considering contributes to stronger relationships between you and your prospects, it's worthy of your attention. If it doesn't, think twice before using it, and certainly don't rely on it.

Marketing that leads to better relationships includes activities like lunch and coffee dates, giving educational talks, and personal exchanges via phone, email, or social networking. Marketing that rarely leads to - better relationships - and can sometimes damage them - includes phone calls, letters, and emails with over-the-top hype for your services, anonymous online ads, and besieging your social networking contacts with promotional announcements.

Don't be misled by advice pushing the flavor of the week in marketing. If a new tactic suggested to you isn't relationship-oriented, it probably isn't worth your time.

#2: Referral

Prospects who come to you by way of a referral are more likely to become clients than those who you connect with in almost any other way. They have often already decided to work with you when you hear from them, and are less likely to question your rates or your expertise.

Generating more referrals, then, should be an essential component of your marketing. Instead of expending all your effort on filling the pipeline with unknown prospects and making cold approaches, spend more time cultivating relationships with likely referral sources.

Many professionals mistakenly believe that if they simply provide good service to their clients, the referrals that naturally result will be enough. But this is rarely the case. The best referrals often come from people who have never been your clients - members of your trade association or networking group, other professionals who serve your market, and centers of influence in your community. Time spent getting to know these folks better can be much more productive than approaching strangers.

#3: Reach

Clients don't appear just because you are there waiting for them. You have to reach out. In marketing, reach takes many different forms - for example, you reaching out to people you already know to build better relationships, you reaching out to new potential referral sources, and you reaching outside your comfort zone to have personal interactions with prospects.

The point is that you do have to reach out rather than simply wait and react, even though outreach is often more uncomfortable. It's tempting to rely on build-it-and-they-will-come marketing like websites consisting solely of sales letters, or online "networking" platforms populated by people you don't even know, or classified ads, or directory listings. And there are plenty of vendors doing their own outreach to sell you on these approaches so you don't even have to go looking for them.

But if it was really that easy to get clients - just launch a website, say, or buy an ad, and you'll have all the clients you need - why haven't all the folks selling you these strategies retired to tropical islands by now?

As far as marketing tactics go, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. So get back to basics with your marketing this fall. Build relationships, cultivate referrals, and reach out proactively to prospects and referral sources rather than waiting for them to find you. With the Three R's as your guide, you'll have everything you need to go to the head of the class.

C.J. Hayden is the author of Get Clients Now! Thousands of business owners and independent professionals have used her simple sales and marketing system to double or triple their income. For more information, please visit www.GetClientsNow.com