Five Ways to be Unforgettable

Five Ways to be Unforgettable

The most effective networkers and salespeople have certain qualities that make them unforgettable. Whether you are meeting a prospective customer or presenting a new marketing campaign to your staff, it is important that you leave a lasting impression. Your impression is as important as your content, so keep the following tips in mind when you want to leave a memorable impression.

1 Maintain a positive attitude. Your own attitude about what you are saying is the first thing that people will notice. Not only must you truly believe in your words, but you must display a positive attitude and enthusiasm as well. Demonstrate this with your bright smile and light-hearted tone of voice. Most importantly, let your personality shine through, and your positive attitude will be contagious.

2 Use logic in your presentation. Using facts and reason injects logic into your presentation, and if done effectively, can eliminate any doubt or hesitation. For instance, in a sales pitch to a prospective customer about high end cutlery, one experienced representative always asks the customer to show him the drawer full of cheaper, lower quality knives that are no doubt stashed in the kitchen. The salesperson then asks how often the customer must replace the utensils and how much it costs each time. After showing the prospect on paper the amount that has been spent on low quality products over the last ten years, he then presents the cost of his product to show that because it never needs replacing, the customer is actually saving money in the long run. Numbers don’t lie, so this is an effective way to use logic in a presentation.

3 Tap into emotions. Logic will take you far, but not all the way. Your prospect needs to feel something about your content in order to take immediate action. The cutlery salesperson can tap into a customer’s feeling of accomplishment after preparing a delicious meal for her family with ease. A team leader can tap into the staff’s excitement about beating out the competition with the new marketing strategy. Do your research ahead of time to find out the best way to appeal to people’s emotions.

4 Be concise. No matter how infused your presentation is with a positive attitude, logic, and emotional appeal, it will all mean nothing if you go on for too long. Say only what is necessary, and don’t lose focus by going off on tangents or straying from the topic at hand. Be respectful of others’ time and mindful of average attention spans.

5 End with a creative idea that has impact or something visually powerful. The ultimate part of your presentation must be memorable. Don’t waste the opportunity to pack one last punch by summing up what you’ve already said. End with a creative call to action or a stunning visual that will solidify your overall presentation. The cutlery representative, for example, strategically places his different product samples throughout the customer’s kitchen during the pitch, and ends with asking him or her to take a good look at this new and improved cooking space. Having given the customer’s kitchen a makeover of sorts has a lasting impact and provides a visual that is hard to refuse.

The keys to being unforgettable are to truly believe in what you are presenting and to infuse your own individuality into your pitch. What would you add to our list? Please share your ideas below!

Blog

Becoming a Money Wise Woman

We have only to examine a few statistics to understand why it’s important to become educated on financial issues and begin planning our futures now. Between raising children and taking care of parents, women are losing an average of 14.7 years from the workplace. A woman who is out of the work force for one year must work five years to recover lost income, pension coverage and promotional opportunities. In spite of our best intentions, between the 43% divorce rate and the fact that women tend to live seven to ten years longer than men, the reality is that if we aren’t already, most of us are going to be the sole person responsible for our financial security at some points in our lives.

Marcia Brixey

Women are by nature, caretakers. We take care of our children, husbands, partners, grandchildren and parents. We take care of everyone, but ourselves. But, ladies we need to be proactive and make an investment in ourselves. The investment we make now will determine our quality of life both financially and personally in the years ahead.

I wrote this in my first Kitsap Sun article – Becoming a Money Wise Woman in January 2003. Although 10 years later the statistics are still much the same, Money Wise Women has provided thousands of women with the tools and education to live financially healthy. More than 6,600 women have attended 70 Money Wise Women Conferences in Washington, California, Idaho and Oregon since November 2002.

Several years ago Money Wise Women joined forces with the Direct Selling Education Foundation (DSEF) to educate and empower women on their financial and business goals through the Money Wise Women Teleseminar Series. The free teleseminars (thanks to DSEF’s sponsorship) cover a variety of topics relating to finance and business. Topics include investing, credit reports, credit card debt, goal setting, time management and much more.

Each monthly listeners have the opportunity to listen live to my interview with powerful women who are experts in their field. We tape the teleseminar allowing women to listen and learn at their leisure in the comfort of their own home. Upcoming Money Wise Women Teleseminars include:

Treating Your Business Like a Professional with Deb Bixler
May 7, 2013
A Single Woman’s Guide to Retirement with Jan Cullinane
June 11, 2013
Calling All Super Complainers with Michele Corey
July 9, 2013
A Man is Not a Financial Plan with Candace Bahr and Ginita Wall
August 13, 2013
Business in the You Economy with Tara Gentile
October 8, 2013
Communicating with Many Generations with Jennifer Fong
November 12, 2013

If you’re ready to get financially healthy and/or take your business to the next level visit Money Wise Women Teleseminar website – www.moneywisewomengetsmart.com to listen to past teleseminars and sign up for upcoming teleseminars.

“Whatever you think you can do or believe you can, begin it. Action has magic, grace and power in it.” Goethe

About Marcia Brixey

During her 26 years working for the Social Security Administration Marcia Brixey met thousands of women who experienced financial difficulties resulting from a personal crisis – husband’s death, divorce, illness or loss of a job. In August 2002 she founded Money Wise Women Educational Services to ensure every woman is financially articulate, confident, secure and independent. Today she hosts and speaks at Money Wi$e Women Conferences throughout the Western United States. Marcia also hosts the popular Money Wi$e Women Teleseminar Series. She is the author of The Money Therapist: A Woman’s Guide to Creating a Healthy Financial Life (Seal Press). Ms. Brixey regularly blogs for Money Wise Women and Forbes.com.

Ms. Brixey’s been the featured speaker at numerous conferences including the Women’s Money Conference in Reno and Las Vegas; Central California Women’s Conference in Fresno, CA; Prudential Financial Stepping Out Conference in Santa Clara, CA and Chicago IL; Choice Hotels Convention in Orlando, FL; Oklahoma Society of CPAs Invest in Herself: Journey to Financial Freedom Conference in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, OK; Washington State Employed Women in Vancouver, WA; Today’s Woman Expo in Boise, ID; Invest in Yourself Strategies for Women Conference in Costa Mesa, CA; and Northwest Women’s Show, Seattle WA and Portland OR. She’s also spoken at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, MI.

Marcia is a former columnist for The Kitsap Sun newspaper, which serves the Kitsap Peninsula in Western Washington. She has been a guest on Northwest Afternoon (Seattle, KOMO TV), View from the Bay (San Francisco, ABC affiliate), Good Day Sacramento, About the Money (Seattle, PBS affiliate) and Sonoran Living Live (Phoenix, ABC15 TV). Marcia’s been interviewed on numerous radio shows and featured on CBS Report of the Week with Brian Banmiller. Marcia’s print media appearances include Quick and Simple, Redbook, Family Circle, Reader’s Digest, Ladies Home Journal, Puget Sound Business Journal, Seattle Woman Magazine, and US News and World Report. She is a member of the My Own Business Institute Advisory Panel. Ms. Brixey received the 2006 YWCA Woman of Achievement award in Kitsap County.

Marcia was inspired to take early retirement from her public relations job with the Social Security Administration in August 2002 after reading the quote “Our purpose in life is to find our gift, perfect it and give it back to others”. Ms. Brixey’s experience with the Social Security Administration includes District Manager, Supervisor, and Public Relations Specialist. She graduated from California State University, East Bay with a B.S. degree in Business Administration.

Blog

Eight Ways to be a Great Leader

Eight Ways to be a Great Leader

Effective leadership is not an easy skill to master. It usually takes years and years of experience, trial and error, and self-reflection. However, the more others respect you as a leader, the more successful your business will be. Here are a few tips on how to become the kind of leader you’ve always wanted to be.

1 Keep your word. It doesn’t get much simpler than that. If you say you’re going to do something, be sure to follow through in a reasonable amount of time. You may have unanticipated circumstances arise, but a constant pattern of not doing what you said you would do will quickly cause others to lose their trust and respect. Giving someone your word should really mean something, so be sure to follow through.

2 Be inclusive, welcoming, and make others feel safe. There is nothing worse than an intimidating leader who only seems to associate with a select few. Include everyone from entry-level employees to team leaders and executives within a work environment that rewards hard work and fosters a collaborative feeling. If others are afraid of you, their work will suffer.

3 Encourage creative thinking. You want your employees to think outside the box, so the best way to get them to do this is to model it on a regular basis. When assigning a project, give a clear idea of what you want the outcome to be, and reinforce your desire for higher level thinking and creative ideas. Don’t let others be afraid to take risks.

4 Allow people to share ideas and concerns. You most likely will not agree with many of the ideas and concerns that are brought to your attention, but it is of utmost importance that those who work under you feel free to express them. A business is not a dictatorship, and you want your employees to know that their ideas have value. Give others a voice within your business. You never know what you could be overlooking.

5 Support others and help them grow. When someone makes a mistake or doesn’t seem to be up to par with their colleagues, don’t use it as a chance to knock them down. Give them the opportunity to improve by providing practical suggestions, frequent support, and positive reinforcement when possible. The same applies to those who are consistent achievers; make sure they know you appreciate their hard work and that they have your full support.

6 Keep things running smoothly. Efficiency is the key to a successful operation, so although you may have assigned others to only focus on certain areas of the business, it is your job to ensure that everyone is working together, communicating with each other, and contributing equally to the business as a whole.

7 Maintain an exciting and fun atmosphere. Don’t let the day-to-day goings-on take over the feel of your workplace. Incorporate excitement and fun by planning team-building activities, allowing others to express themselves in a way that is professional and light-hearted at the same time, and even tapping into your spontaneous side. One office manager picks a random day of each month to reward one member of her administrative staff with an employee of the month type of award that includes a silly trinket, a funny song to celebrate, and his or her favorite lunch. Make your business a place that people look forward to working each day.

8 Hold others accountable for their actions. Bending the rules for some and not for others is a slippery slope. If your employees begin to feel that there are different rules for different people, morale will go down and productivity will suffer. When a person messes up, acknowledge it and act on it appropriately. The same goes for people who do something exceptionally well. Be sure to acknowledge it and encourage them to keep up the good work.

You can become a great leader who is well-respected by making sure you level the playing field and encourage creativity and hard work. What are some other qualities you feel make an effective leader? Please share your ideas below!

Blog

Six Easy Ways to Attract More People

Six Easy Ways to Attract More People

Whether you’re looking to attract more customers, recruit new employees, or network with influential people, there are a few simple things you can do to increase your chances of success. Take a look at our list to see how you can attract more people to you and your business.

Engage everyone with a friendly greeting. Sometimes we get caught up in our own worlds and don’t take the time to greet each person properly. Initiate a friendly exchange by greeting each person. A simple opening such as, “How are you this morning?” or “It’s a pleasure seeing you again,” can suffice. More often than not, such pleasantries can lead to a friendly conversation. When people know you are genuinely interested, they will not only remember you, but will look forward to interacting with you again.
Focus on the individual. Although your ultimate goal may be to attract a certain number of people, forget that number when interacting with one person. For that moment in time, focus solely on the individual. What are his or her needs? How can you be of service to the person? What message is the person trying to convey to you? Don’t inadvertently turn people off by engaging them in generic conversations. Tailor your interactions to that particular person.
Avoid arguments. You will not always see eye to eye with each person you come in contact with. Arguing, however, is unprofessional and will turn people away. Be proactive and avoid potentially controversial topics such as politics and religion. Even if you do these things and a disagreement happens anyway, take the high road and “agree to disagree.” People will respect and appreciate your honesty and courtesy.
Assume everyone is good. By doing so, you demonstrate that you are a positive person who sees the good in others. This feeling is contagious and often reciprocated. Everyone makes mistakes, but giving others the benefit of the doubt will encourage a sense of trust and will likely strengthen your relationship. Besides, wouldn’t you want others to think the best of you?
Be helpful. This can be done in so many ways, and a good deed will definitely be remembered by others. For example, the owner of a local pizzeria found a gold bracelet on a table left behind by one of his last customers of the night. He had no idea who she was or how to contact her, so he put it aside in case she came in again. She returned a few weeks later, and he asked her if she had lost it. The woman was so grateful she was nearly in tears; it turns out the bracelet was left to her by her recently deceased grandmother. She told everyone who would listen how generous the man was and became a loyal patron of the establishment. It would have been just as easy for the owner to toss the bracelet or keep it, but his helpful nature earned him something that was priceless for his business.
Get involved. Reach out to your customers, your staff, and your community. Involving yourself in a good cause will show others that you truly care. People are attracted to others who are generous with their time and skills. Demonstrate your sincere desire to give back to those around you.

You can attract more people by treating others kindly and going the extra mile to show them you care. What can you add to our list? Please share your ideas below!

Blog

Five Ways to Find New Opportunities for Your Business

Five Ways to Find New Opportunities for Your Business

By doing more of the things you love and are good at, you can actually maximize your chances of finding a great opportunity for your business. Tap into your desire to interact with and help others, and you’ll find that it benefits your business. Take a look at our list to start making the most of your talents right away.

Talk to more people. Perhaps it sounds too easy, but striking up a casual conversation can lead to countless positive outcomes. Whether you’re at a professional workshop, on the train during your evening commute, or in the waiting room at the doctor’s office, initiate friendly conversation when appropriate. Sometimes even just the mention of what you do for a living will evoke more questions from the other person, and you never know what lies ahead. For example, a former schoolteacher who operates a tutoring business out of his home initiates some small talk with a fellow customer while waiting in line at the grocery store. It turns out the person is looking for contributions to an article she is writing for the local newspaper about the pressures high school students face applying to college. Someone who works so closely with these students in a different way than their regular teachers would make a great addition to the article, and a mention about his business certainly would increase his exposure. Not every casual conversation will end in such an opportunity, but taking this step may lead to more opportunities, so stay alert!
Be more curious. Don’t be satisfied with the status quo. What else can you learn about running a successful business? What is happening in the industry right now that could directly affect you? How do your employees and customers feel about your business? Asking yourself such questions on a regular basis will renew your motivation to move your business forward. If you aren’t constantly looking to improve, you may be in danger of falling behind. Make a commitment to be more inquisitive in your pursuit of success.
Show your passion. What exactly is it that you truly care about? What drove you to start your business in the first place? The former teacher decided to start up his tutoring business after realizing how much he enjoyed the small group extra help sessions he used to hold after school. He was able to connect with his students, which in turn increased their achievements. The regular classroom setting didn’t allow for this, and he found himself wishing his job consisted solely of these after school sessions. Becoming a professional tutor has allowed him to do just that, and his passion for helping young people is finally being fulfilled. Demonstrate the things you are passionate about, and others will be drawn to your drive and enthusiasm.
Constantly ask for introductions. This is similar to asking for referrals, but on a much broader level. Ask friends and family to introduce you to people in their lives that could provide a business opportunity. Take it even further and introduce yourself when possible, such as when at a social gathering. Even when you’re “off the clock,” don’t forget that possible business opportunities can be just a conversation away.
Try new things. Have you ever snuggled up on the couch with your favorite blanket knitted by your grandma and thought about taking up crochet? Or maybe you have an adventurous side and always wondered what it would be like to go white water rafting. If you have other desires outside of your business, find the time to explore them. You will be exposed to a whole new group of people, and a host of possible business opportunities you may not find elsewhere. And hey, you’ll also have fun!

The best way to find a new business opportunity is to know where to look and how to grasp it. You may not always get one in the end, but being active in your search will certainly help move your business forward. How do you maximize your business opportunities? Please share your ideas below!

Blog

10 Tips for Reducing Financial Stress

Financial stress is never a comfortable feeling. Worrying about how a bill will be paid or if you’ll have enough money at the end of the month can cause pressure in relationships and take the fun out of what you do each day. Fortunately, there are some specific things you can do to reduce financial stress and enjoy life more. Here are some tips:

Get Educated on Finance – Far too many people have not received a proper financial education, and are unacquainted with how to properly manage their finances. This causes stress, because we often fear what we do not understand. Fortunately, it really isn’t complicated, and there are many good resources out there, including books, conferences, websites and more, that you can use to learn about topics such as how to create a household budget, get out of debt, and live free of financial stress. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is one good site to check out: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb/, as is the Women’s Money organization: http://www.womensmoney.org/
Keep a Spending Journal – Often we spend money throughout the week without really having a clear picture of where it goes. So record every single purchase in a small notebook you keep with you, or on your smartphone (there are a number of apps out there for this purpose.) Take a look at what you’ve spent your money on, and decide what you can cut out. You may find you can significantly reduce your expenses just by keeping track of what you spend.
Get a Clear Picture of Your Current Finances – Knowing what you spend while out and about is only part of the picture. Sit down and write out what you earn each month, as well as all the places your money goes. Write down your payments for rent and utilities, debt and interest, activities for your children, donations, etc. Be sure you know where every cent is coming in and where it’s going out. Once it’s all written down, you will know exactly how much you earn and how much you’re spending. Are you spending more than you earn? Then you have two choices: Reduce what you spend, or make more money. It’s really that simple.
Create a Budget (and Stick to It!) – Now that you know what the current state of your finances is, you’re ready to create a budget. We talked about creating a budget for your small business last week. You also need a household budget. Include your income, along with your expected expenses. Aim to spend no more than 90% of your income on a regular basis, so you can begin to accumulate some savings. This free Money 101 online course from CNN Money has information on creating a household budget, along with many other tips to using and growing your money wisely.
Pay Off Debt – It’s important to pay off debt to reduce your financial stress. After all, every interest payment means the thing you initially bought is costing you more and more money. Was that thing really worth it? So for example, if you have credit card debt, call your creditors and see if they are willing to reduce interest rates. If you’ve got good credit, they may be willing to work with you. Then focus on one card at a time, and pay more than the minimum each month. Set yourself a time limit, and work to eliminate that debt as quickly as you can, so you can keep more of the money you earn and stop spending money on interest instead of things that your family can use and enjoy.
Reduce What You Spend – In addition to getting rid of debt, look for ways you can spend less. Some of this is simply related to making daily choices based on your spending journal. But you may also be able to reduce payments on things you use. Call your television, phone and utility companies and see if they have a lower rate you qualify for. Maybe you can reduce your television package or switch to another provider offering a better deal. Also consider changing some of the things you’ve taken for granted. For example, if you’ve always sent your kids to a certain camp for the summer, look around and see if there might be a less expensive…but still fun!…option. You might even take a week or two off from camp and create your own home “camp” that helps you build family memories your kids will never forget.
Create an Emergency Fund – Many families fall into financial stress due to unexpected expenses. One of the best ways to combat this is by having an emergency fund. If you’re focusing on spending only 90% or less of your income, take the other 10% and put it into an emergency fund that you set aside for unexpected expenses. Keep it in a savings account which you can access when the funds are needed. But remind yourself that this savings is ONLY for emergencies. Resist the urge to dip in for a vacation or other luxury. If you want to go on vacation or redo your kitchen, add a separate budget line item to your household budget, keep a separate savings account, and put money away for what you want there.
Add Extra Income – Sometimes you’ll look at your budget, reduce what you spend, and still find that you aren’t making enough. At that point, it’s a good idea to find a way to add extra income to your budget. You could start a home-based business or get a second job. Take a good look at your schedule and carve out the times you could spend on another job. A new stream of income can be a great way to reduce stress, pay off debt, and reach your financial goals. And it can also be a way to add something you love to your life. Don’t just settle! Since you’re cutting into your free time to do this, look for an income opportunity that will be something you enjoy. For example, if you love cooking, you might look for a direct sales company opportunity that allows you to do cooking shows.
Sell Things You Don’t Need or Use Anymore – In addition to working an additional job, you may find that there are things you have around your home that you don’t need or use anymore. Considering selling these things through consignment or online. While this won’t bring long-term income, it can be a way to pay off some immediate debt or start an emergency fund. Plus, reducing the clutter in your home can be a stress reducer!
Realize There is More to Life than Finances – Taking control of your finances is exceptionally important. Every family should keep track of what they are earning and spending, and pass this knowledge on to the next generation. But keep in mind, too, that there is more to life than finances. Take time to be with your loved ones and appreciate the moments that pass far too quickly, but add joy to life. Don’t let finances keep you from embracing the wonderful gifts you have in your life, because they are things that money can’t buy.

How do you reduce financial stress? What tips would you give? We’d love to read them in the comments.

As part of National Financial Literacy Month, we at DSEF are proud to sponsor the Nevada Women’s Money Conference. This important event helps women learn the skills they need to create a secure financial future for themselves and their families. While Reno is sold out, there is still room in the Las Vegas session on April 27, 2013. Best of all, we’re providing full scholarships to the conference for women in DSA member companies! For more information, visit this page: http://dsef.org/what-we-do/womens-entrepreneurship/nevada-womens-money-conference-a-new-vision-for-women-and-money/ And please, pass this along to the women you love in Nevada. This is an amazing opportunity that can make a HUGE difference in a woman’s life! Thanks for helping us spread the word!

Blog

8 Ways to Get Positive Results

8 Ways to Get Positive Results

In order to get more consistent positive results out of all that you do, the first thing you need to do is to maintain a positive attitude about every situation. Although we cannot control the behavior of others, we certainly can control the way in which we ourselves behave. Even if you are feeling less than enthusiastic, commit to finding the positive in every situation. Here are some ways you can incorporate being positive into your everyday routine and increase your chances of positive results.

1. Write down your expectation for the day. The act of writing down your expectation solidifies your commitment to following through. By doing this at the start of each and every day, you are making an affirmation that helps you focus your mind and maintain your motivation no matter what challenges the day may hold.

2. Make a plan and prioritize. Writing down your expectation is a great start, but it is only the beginning. How will you go about meeting this expectation? Create a plan and prioritize which tasks are most important; tackle those first. For example, if your expectation is to organize your cluttered office, create a list of what steps need to be taken and in what order. You cannot file pending paperwork away without first purging old files and making new ones. You cannot dust and vacuum the furniture and carpeting without first clearing out the clutter and putting everything in its proper place. Making a list will keep you from becoming sidetracked and will allow you to get the positive results you are looking for.

3. Smile at everyone you see. A little smile goes a long way. Smiling at colleagues, clients, and even strangers on the street will bring out the happiness inside you and will even encourage reciprocal smiles and happiness in others. When people see you as a positive person, they will want to be around you. You will also enjoy your day much more when everyone is in a good mood and pleasant with each other.

4. Make your conversations positive. When someone asks how you are doing, it might not be a good idea to start spouting off negative comments about your team or how stressed you are about tax season. There is a time and place for such venting, but in your everyday conversations with others in a work environment, emphasize the positive. Talk about how excited you are for an upcoming trip or how you can’t wait to debut a new product line. Positive conversation begets more positive conversation, and both parties will appreciate the good feelings.

5. Seek the good in others. Give people the benefit of the doubt by assuming they are good. Everyone makes mistakes, but by seeking out the good in others, you give them a chance to be their best and redeem themselves if necessary. For instance, if a client has made a payment late, only to give you a check that bounces, don’t assume the worst and make an angry phone call. Maybe the person is experiencing personal difficulties that are causing financial strain. Keep this assumption in mind when dealing with adverse situations.

6. Eat healthy and enjoy your exercise. There is a meme circulating the internet that says, “When I eat garbage, I feel like garbage.” We all need to splurge once in awhile, but don’t make it a habit. When you eat right, you have more energy and you feel equipped to take on the day. Furthermore, enjoy the exercise you get, whether it be walking around the block or attending a high-impact Zumba class. The endorphins you produce while you exercise can make you feel re-energized and freshly motivated.

7. Don’t worry about the small stuff. Not everything is a matter of life and death. Learn to recognize what things require immediate attention and deserve your stress, and what things are out of your control or trivial in nature. A leaky roof is a valid thing to worry about, but finding that you have run out of stamps isn’t something to get upset about.

8. Start a daily gratitude journal and end the day with what you are grateful for. At the end of your day, write down the date and jot down what you are thankful for. Do it in a way that makes most sense to you: in prose, stream-of-consciousness, a basic list, or just some key words. If the last thing you think about before going to sleep at night is positive, you will rest easier and be able to continue the positive cycle again tomorrow.

It isn’t always easy to remain positive all the time, but sometimes you have to “fake it ‘til you make it.” Committing yourself to positive behaviors each day will actually help you feel more positive and achieve the results you want.

What do you do to achieve positive results? Please share with us below!

Blog

Three Ways to Close the Deal

Three Ways to Close the Deal

So you’ve gotten that sales meeting, prepared for each possible scenario, made friendly conversation, and have conveyed your ideas and pitch to the best of your ability. Your job is not finished yet, however, because you still need to close the deal. This, for the majority of people in sales, is the most difficult part of the business. The key to successfully closing a deal is to be proactive about why a person may say no and to eliminate his or her reasons for doing so. Here are three techniques to help you close more sales

Understand hesitation and address it by solving the problem. From your point of view, there is no reason to hesitate. You know what a great value you are providing and have no reason to doubt yourself. So put yourself in the other person’s shoes. If you can understand the reason why they may be hesitant, you can deal with it head on, and may be able to overcome the objection altogether by demonstrating how your product or service can solve a problem. For example, a hair stylist and colorist operates her own business doing her clients’ hair in the privacy of their own homes. She is offering new and current customers a package for purchase in which they can have monthly coloring touch-ups, all paid for in advance. While pitching this service, a prospective customer seems hesitant to pay for services that wouldn’t be rendered for months into the future. The stylist validates this concern, and also points out that because customers wait too long in between coloring treatments, the service takes longer and costs more. So by having monthly touch-ups, money would be saved in the long run and hair color would always be properly maintained. She winds up closing the deal because she did not dismiss the client’s concern, but rather confirmed it and then followed up with a solution to the problem.
Fine tune your market and focus on a niche. In an effort to cast a wide net and appeal to as many customers as possible, you could be missing out on success within a niche. The hair stylist mentioned above certainly provides services that likely appeal to a broad range of people, but because she makes house calls and provides a monthly touch-up service, she focuses mostly on working mothers over age 35. This population of women have several things in common that make the stylist a valuable asset to their lives: they’ve started coloring their hair to cover up grays, they need to maintain a professional appearance, their work schedule is too demanding to regularly visit the salon,and when they are not working, they need to be home to care for their children, so an in-home appointment is most convenient. Knowing her target market allows the stylist to put the most time, money, and energy into attracting clients in this population for increased success. Think about a niche that might be most interested in what you have to offer, and come up with ways to specifically appeal to the needs of this market.
Take the focus off business/sales and make it fun. More and more companies are looking to gamification to attract new clients. Consider simple ways to incorporate more fun into a sales pitch or other type of client meeting. For example, to educate potential clients about your product or service, consider a mini-trivia game in which your prospect guesses the correct answers for a small prize. Use whatever fits the situation and personalities of those involved, such as music, video, gaming, comedy, etc. A sales meeting should not be an unpleasant experience for either party, so by making it fun, you are increasing your chances of closing the deal. However, be sure to balance fun with the professionalism needed for the situation.

Closing the deal requires that you understand the needs of the customer, and then highlight how your products or services meet that need. Remember to always be honest, and let the strengths of what you have to offer and your enthusiasm shine through. When the customer understands how your product or service fits their situation, and trusts that you have their best interests at heart, you are more likely to close the deal.

What tips do you have for closing the deal? Please share them below!

Blog

Five Things You Should Do Every Week to Build Momentum

Five Things You Should Do Every Week to Build Momentum

Your business should be in constant motion, moving forward all the time. If this does not happen, your business becomes static and can eventually fizzle. In order to build momentum consistently, you can do a few simple things that maintain your progress and renew your motivation. Start with this list to continue moving your business forward.

Connect and follow up socially. Schedule some time during each week when you review your contacts. Connect with those you haven’t corresponded with lately, and follow up with those you may have been playing phone tag with. When appropriate, arrange a social visit with contacts such as a lunch meeting or play date with your children. Interacting with contacts in a way that isn’t always about business will help you stay in touch and will make it easier to reach out to them professionally when the opportunity arises.
Assess and reflect. Don’t let too much time go by in between assessments of your business. Consider taking a look at a different aspect of your business each week. For example, this week will be devoted to assessing the quality of your customer service, while next week’s focus will be your social media presence. Reflect on each element by considering what works and what doesn’t, or what could use improvement.
Make adjustments. Using your findings from these weekly assessments, make the necessary adjustments. If you find that your Facebook page has lots of activity, but your blog is getting very few hits because you don’t post often enough, adjust your writing and sharing schedule to fix the problem. There is no need to tackle too much at once; remember that these assessments and adjustments should happen on a weekly or even monthly basis. If you don’t finish or get too overwhelmed, put it aside and continue the work next week.
Network with influencers and mentors, and partner with others. Reach out to the people who have helped make your business possible. Network with them by asking for referrals or initiating a mutually beneficial partnership. One boutique owner was strongly influenced to start up her business by an old college friend who runs a successful weight loss/nutrition center. A good idea would be for the two of them to hold a joint promotional event where current and prospective customers can find services to complement ones they are already using. These opportunities can’t happen without frequent networking.
Be sociable. Make it a point to socialize with others whenever the chance occurs. Be friendly, ask questions to learn about others, listen carefully, and show that you truly care. It’s easy to get so caught up in our own work environment that we don’t take the time to venture out socially often enough. Give yourself this time at least once a week.

By working these momentum building activities into your weekly schedule, you are maintaining a successful business and taking steps to move it forward. How do you build momentum for your business? Please share your ideas below!

To get your free copy of the eBook, click here: 15 Days to Greater Success. You can download it from our Facebook Page. And while you’re there, you can download our other free eBooks too: Business Owner’s Road Map to Success, Creating Your Success Mindset, and Reflections on Success. They’re all designed to give you an edge in your business, and help you focus on the daily practices that lead to your goals.

Please share this link with the business owners you know: http://on.fb.me/VHcVB3

Blog

Are You Making These Mistakes in Business?

Are You Making These Mistakes in Business?

Throughout your career as a small business owner, you are bound to make the occasional mistake. No matter how prepared you are, how much research you have done, or how smart you and your team may be, mishaps are pretty much a guarantee. However, the good news is that as long as you accept them, take them in stride, and learn from them, the damage will usually be minimal. Here is a brief list of some common mistakes made by small business owners to help you steer clear of preventable missteps.

Inconsistency – Being consistent is an absolute must, whether it pertains to your company policies, customer service protocol, or any other aspect of the way your business operates. Inconsistency equals lack of reliability and will send your customers and staff running to your competitors. For example, your staff handbook clearly states that repeated lateness to work will result in first a warning, then a brief suspension, and finally dismissal. This policy is enforced for everyone except one employee you’ve known since college. Because you and your friend go back a long way, you have turned a blind eye when it comes to her tardiness. Not only is this unfair to the rest of your staff, but it puts a major dent in overall morale. When people feel that there are different sets of rules for different people, they become unhappy in their jobs, and their work suffers. Be fair and consistent in every aspect of your business.
Failure to stay in contact and/or follow up – Acquiring contacts through networking, referrals, or through family and mutual friends is a great way to grow your business. However, you must do your part to maintain such contacts. Implement time in your daily or weekly schedule to make follow-up calls, send friendly emails, or jot down a handwritten note to your contacts. These can be prior customers you haven’t seen in awhile, people you’ve recently met at industry events, or even prospective clients whose information was given to you by a friend. Be proactive and keep that contact list current.
Lack of online presence – Here we are in the year 2013. The importance of an online presence cannot be emphasized enough. Here’s some perspective: the current generation of 20-somethings has no memory of life without the internet and has been using social media their entire young adult and adult lives. You don’t need to get on every single networking site and try to be everything to everybody, but at the very least, have a user-friendly and informational company website as well as a current profile on one or two social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. If you don’t make this a priority, your competitors will easily get the best of you.
Neglecting to listen and respond to your clients – Most people frequent small businesses over their larger corporate counterparts because of the personalized attention they receive. Be sure to make it worth their while by listening to their concerns and responding to their wants and needs. Even if you can’t provide everything they’re looking for at the moment, knowing that you care and that they are being heard will ensure that they remain loyal customers in the long run.

Although many mistakes cannot be avoided, certain mistakes can. Use common sense, listen to others, be fair, and follow industry trends.

What other common mistakes would you add to our list? Please share your ideas below!