You should listen more than you sell

A sales conversation or call shouldn’t start with your pitch. You should never offer your products or services without first getting a clear understanding of the potential client’s needs and desired outcome.

Sales professional will always listen twice, maybe even three times more than they speak. As a small business owner, you need to be sales professional. You are the face of your business. You are not only selling your product or service, you are selling yourself. There are some basic sales skills that you should not only practice; but also perfect. Getting a handle on these skills and making them a habit will help your product or service sell themselves.

First, listen, listen and listen some more. Before you offer any professional opinion or advice, really listen to your potential client’s concerns, needs and desired results. Let them speak without interrupting and have them elaborate when you are unclear or don’t understand. This requires dialogue not a monologue. Engage your customer in problem solving dialogue by asking intelligent and open-ended questions to draw out the real issues. Never guess what their needs are, let them tell you. There will be plenty of opportunity for you to discuss things from your perspective.

Acknowledge that you have not only heard their concerns but clearly understand them. Be sure you speak to them in a clear straightforward manner without jargon or rhetoric. Reflect back on what you have heard by summarizing your client’s points. Follow-up with questions of your own to clarify your understanding; seeking first to understand and then to be understood.

Ask what their desired outcome looks like. Don’t be afraid to encourage and endorse your client’s good ideas; but offer them a new perspective. Explain what it will be like working with you and using your product or services. Give them examples of how you have assisted other clients and achieved their desired outcomes. Let them know what they can expect and what will happen. Do you offer a guarantee? Be specific. What are the terms of service? Be clear about your business process. And now is not the time to shy about your expertise and capacity.

It’s time to close the deal. Ask for the sale. Be confident in your product or service and your ability to meet your client’s needs. Be assertive and give them solid reasons why they should work with you and INVITE them to take action now and get started. Do not say, “what do you think?” Encourage them to take advantage of this opportunity to buy from you or work with you.

Prepare yourself for your next sales conversation. Refrain from verbally assaulting your clients and spend more time listening. Have some open-ended questions already prepared. Know what aspects of your business you are going to highlight that will benefit the client. Speak with assurance. No one likes to be “sold to.” Everyone wants to be heard and listened to. This is especially true in sales.

Can Your Clients See Your Passion? Or Can They See Your Pain?

With the economy and market the way it is, it’s no wonder many of us have forgotten about the JOY and PASSION in what we do. Change is always a difficult process, especially when we are forced to. Change requires us to challenge our thought process, alter our habits and embrace that which may be uncomfortable and unpleasant.

Life is short and time is fleeing. Can you really afford to jeopardize your health AND the success of your business by refusing, denying or avoiding the personal and professional changes needed to move forward? Are you on life’s treadmill or are you riding the waves from shore to shore?

Try focusing on how you are going to improve today. Just today. Tomorrow is not promised to any of us. Business is business; but your business is not the whole of you. It does not define you. You define your business. You have the power to cultivate a business environment that is conducive to how you want to live your life. You have the power to instruct clients and colleagues how you wish to be reached. If you respond to messages at all hours of the day and night, you will continue to receive calls at all hours of the day and night. They expect you to be available because you “told” them you would be; not so much with your words, but with your actions. You have the power to change that. Use your voicemail, use your auto-responder, post your work hours; it is your right to do so.

Sometimes technology is NOT our friend. We rely on it for just about everything. It is okay to use technology, but you have to know when to TURN IT OFF. You control technology; don’t let technology control you. The world won’t end if you miss a non-emergency phone call. And you have to admit most calls are of the “non-emergent” nature. That is why they invented voicemail. Remember what it is for and why it was invented: to leave a message when you are unavailable. Life goes on with you AND without you.  Do you want to get run over or do you want go along for the ride?

Learn how to recognize what is important and what is urgent. Everything may be important; but everything is not URGENT. Yes, there are things that must get done, but how much work do you think you would get done if a doctor restricted you to only working 2 hours per day for health reasons? You would immediately shift and only work on that which was URGENT. You would also quickly find out that a lot of things just aren’t that URGENT; important yes, but urgent… not so much. Even the important things need to be put into perspective.

Sure, there is a million and one things that you need to get done; but you are an army of ONE and the reality is that you can only get done what gets done. Learn how to download and ease your own burdens. Before you go to bed at night, write down all the things still fluttering around in your head, things you forgot, things you need to do, things that just “popped up.” Do your body, mind and soul a favor and sleep well.

One more thing, “take time to smell the roses.” Some of us need to take time and simply “breathe.” Take an hour, take half a day, take a whole day (oooh, you’re living dangerously now) to re-evaluate your goals, priorities and where your passion lies. Make sure they are still aligned with your business values and how you have been conducting your business. Can your clients see your passion or can your clients see your pain?

Submitted by A.Michelle Blakeley

Simplicity, Inc. |Because you don’t have time to waste.™ |866.927.5888 x1

Ask about our PROVEN Coaching and Mentoring Services.

Copyright Notice: Visitors to the Simplicity Mastered™ website may not reproduce, republish or redistribute material found on the website in any form without the express written consent of Simplicity, Inc.. For all requests for use of copyrighted material from the Simplicity Mastered™ website, please contact amichelleblakeley@yahoo.com

Small business is BIG business

Small business is big business. Every big business was once a small business. Whether you are plotting your course to grow your business regionally, nationally or globally fundamental business practices are the same. Sometimes we get so caught up in the day-to-day operations, we forget to cover the basics.

Do you know how many clients or sales you need to break-even? Do you know what your client profile looks like? Your target market? What does your average sale look like? Learn how to break down your numbers; not just annually, but month-to-month and week-to-week if you must. When Costco did a study on their sales and members, they found that they generate more revenue from memberships than from selling products. As a result, they target their advertising efforts toward getting people to come back into the store to buy things on a regular basis; which requires them to maintain their membership. Pretty ingenious? No, they simply did the work to develop a system that provides an alternative proposition their clients cannot refuse i.e. for an annual membership fee, they have access to discounted bulk items.

What is your system for sustaining existing clients and bringing in new clients? Is it diversified? Is it flexible? When advertising becomes too costly, know how to get free media. When your clients have limited resources, know how to provide alternative propositions they can’t refuse. Develop distribution and marketing channels your competitors know nothing about or are not adept at utilizing. Always look for new ways to be innovative and creative without losing your identity or muddying your marketing message.

Most small businesses fail for 1 of 2 reasons: undercapitalization or poor management. Poor business operations stifle sales and revenue; and without revenue, the business will ultimately fail. It is imperative you have a process for identifying your priorities. Having a functional work system, sticking to it and perfecting it and repeating it builds rhythm and creates habits. Creating good business habits by focusing your time, energy and efforts on priorities and getting them done first on a daily basis is key to productivity and generating revenue. It is like an exercise or diet program that yields results only when you’ve established a system and developed consistency.

Our history reveals slow markets and recessions provide incredible opportunities to start, expand and grow businesses. Hewlett and Packaged started in the Great Depression and Microsoft was launched in the quagmire of the 1980’s. If you carefully and objectively assess your position and plan your work and work your plan your chances for exceptional growth and profits are enormous. Many large corporations lack flexibility and carry large overhead costs. They immediately cut back on innovation and plans for growth. Don’t make that mistake!  Your ability to establish and balance sound business practices with flexibility puts you in an advantageous position. A great position in which you are able to sustain your business successfully before the market bounces back; because when the market recovers, you have gained market share and are then positioned for exponential growth. Where will you be when the market recovers?

What’s Wrong with This Picture?

Far too many business owners come up with an idea or concept, order business cards and put the “open” sign in the window. What’s wrong with this picture? Where’s the planning? There is another group of small business owners. They take the time to create a plan, but like New Year’s resolutions, they start fast and finish slow. Within 90 days, they are in autopilot, haven’t looked at the plan and constantly putting out fires.

Can you imagine corporations like Apple, Nordstroms and Southwest functioning without a written plan? Seriously, where would they be? Planning your work should not be cumbersome or a passing thought. It should inspire you. Knowing where you are going and how you are going to get there should inspire you to manage your time, take calculated risks and adapt to market changes with minimal impact.  No one really knows why small business owners don’t take their business serious enough to develop a written plan.

Common responses from small business owners without business plans are that they are time-consuming, only needed to secure funding and too expensive. The truth is: there is no law that states business plans need to be 30-50 pages long and cost thousands of dollars. In fact, a business plan can be as simple as a one page document that clearly states the “who, what, why, when and how” of your business. Having it on one page ensures you “cut the fat” and deal with the facts.

Corporations have plans. They have a methodic way of producing their products/ services, servicing their clients and communicating their marketing message. Being a small business owner does not negate the fact that you need to operate your business in the same manner as large corporations do. All you are doing is scaling down corporate practices to fit your small business needs. Incorporate, implement and utilize their best practices to help develop your own level of professionalism and standards.

Investors, partners and interested parties want to know and look for specific things when they review business plans. Why not provide that essential information from the get-go and cut to the chase? YOU want to know how you are going to get your business from Point A to Point B. Why not be as clear and concise as possible and put your ideas in actionable tasks?

Is your business as functional as it should be? Whether or not you take your business serious or not will depend on whether or not you are actively planning for its success. It is one thing to have a plan, but no plan is worth anything, if you are unwilling or unable to execute it. Not having a clear and concise written plan of action for your business is a problem and the opposite of “problem” is “proactive.” Most people are happy to the degree they feel they are in control. Are you satisfied with the current condition of your business? Are you in “control?” Are you “happy?” Why not take a few steps that will not only boost your productivity; but also give you a sense of real accomplishment and focus? 

Focusing on your short-term goals (daily, weekly, monthly) can be very effective when you have a wide variety of projects to complete.  At a minimum write down your goals and objectives for your business and start to brainstorm and plan on what is needed to accomplish them. Then you can turn that list in to (monthly, weekly and daily) action items and begin to actively participate in the success of your business!

Don’t Re-invent the Wheel; Change the Tires

Exactly how many ways can you market the same product or service? Competition for clients and resources is fierce.  Small business owners need an edge to not only survive; but stake out their share of the market.

Whether you are just starting out or run an established business, your needs are the same: increase traffic and close more sales. It is the same whether the economy is good or bad. You are either generating revenue or your not. Make sure your focus is not on the economy, but on what you need to do to keep potential clients and existing clients engaged in your products and services. Don’t re-invent the wheel; change the tires.

You can increase your traffic and inquiries and stay top of mind with your existing clients with just a few simple “tweaks.”

1. Brand your logo, image and business. Be consistent. Narrow your marketing message. Do not try to cover all of your products and services at one time. Make sure your marketing message is clear, concise and compelling. Use content that is interesting, action-oriented and results-oriented. Gain new market share with originality, change your market geographics (go regional, national or global) if you need to or create a new niche.
2. Increase your online presence and credibility with current and relevant information. Engage your readers with useful information, resources and practical tips.  Thanks to modern technology and innovative tools, micro and small business owners can develop their client market base anywhere in the country; or world! via newsletters, blogs, webinars and social networking platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Fast Picth!, Biznik, and Sta.rtup.biz.
3. Re-define your client profile. If you review your database, you will probably recognize some common denominators amongst your clients. Do they prefer being contacted via mail, email, by phone, via the internet? Do they share an industry? Do share a gender or profession? Use appropriate marketing tools and venues. Know how to reach and communicate with your market. Know how your clients what to communicate with you.
4. Make your clients your silent partners. Ask for testimonials and use their quotes in your marketing material. Conduct short surveys for after-service care. Cross-promote when appropriate.
5. Enhance your client service and hone in on your clients’ needs. Make an effort to personally contact your clients, at least once per year, with new ideas and tips they need to know. List all of your old leads within the past 6-12 months, prioritize them, contact them and let them know what’s new and exciting about your business.

And always remember to track and evaluate your results, do not put all your eggs in one basket; use a mix of email and low-cost advertising to increase inquiries, attract new clients and stay top of mind with existing clients.

In a world where we expect immediate results from new products, processes and techniques; sometimes what works best is few simple tweaks to the old ways of doing things. Take some time to think about the successful systems you have used in the past. Think about why they worked. Why couldn’t they work today? And do not use “the economy” as an excuse. Small businesses have an incredible ability to adapt to change when managed properly. If it was good enough to generate business for you before, make sure you understand why those techniques won’t work today. Perhaps they WILL work in today’s world. Maybe the old wheels just need some new treads.

Submitted by A.Michelle Blakeley

Simplicity, Inc. |Because you don’t have time to waste.™ |866.927.5888 x1

Ask about our PROVEN Coaching and Mentoring Services.

Copyright Notice: Visitors to the Simplicity Mastered™ website may not reproduce, republish or redistribute material found on the website in any form without the express written consent of Simplicity, Inc.. For all requests for use of copyrighted material from the Simplicity Mastered™ website, please contact amichelleblakeley@yahoo.com

Just How Much Time Are You Wasting?

Some mistakes can be corrected, but not the mistake of wasted time. When time goes it has gone forever.”– Napoleon Hill.

There are so many products on the market that were created to simply make our lives a little easier. Time savers, organizers, reminders, information management, client management, the list goes on. These tools could prove to be invaluable to us “do-it-yourselfers” i.e. solopreneurs.

What tools are you using to streamline and simplify the way you do business? Are those tools effective? Are you using them fully and consistently? How much time are you wasting on unnecessary duplication, partial integration and on hold on the phone?

When you are a solopreneur and small business owner, time is SERIOUS money. Your time should be focused on client service and revenue generating activities. And every minute you waste being disorganized or unprepared will cost you money.

Regardless if you are a tech savvy or not, there is a system that exists that will enable you to organize your operations, streamline your processes and become a more efficient business owner.

The following 7 technology platforms will certainly change the way you do business. They will help you save valuable time, organize your business operations and increase your productivity. (click on each name for more information)

1. Mind42 – Need to visually see your ideas and projects? Need to brainstorm with a client or business associate? Mind42 is a web-based mindmapping site. Isn’t 42 the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything? Well, in this case it means FOR TWO and indicates the collaborative character of mind42. Manage all your ideas, whether alone, twosome or working together with the whole world -collaborative, browser-based and for free.
2. Evoice Receptionist – Just because you are small business owner, doesn’t mean you have to function like one. Think professional. Full featured virtual phone system. Professional greeting, multiple lines, no hardware/software and access anywhere.
3. Doodle – Need to arrange meetings but have trouble coordinating schedules? Need to take a quick poll? Doodle makes it easy to find a date and time for a group event or conduct a quick survey. How does Doodle work? Create an event or poll. Forward the link to the poll to the participants. Follow online what time works best or what the participants vote for. Doodle is a free online coordination tool which requires neither registration nor software installation.
4. Chrometa – Do you need to track the time you spend on each client? Are you worried you might be underbilling? Track all PC-based work for your clients with NO data entry. Easily piece together what you did days, even weeks earlier.
5. Timeout (MAC) – having trouble stepping away from the computer? It is very easy to fall into bad habits when using a computer for hours on end. When you care about what you are doing, so can sometimes push yourself too far, or over-strain yourself. The human body isn’t built to sit in one position for endless hours, gripping a mouse or typing on the keyboard. Dejal Time Out is here to help. It will gently remind you to take a break on a regular basis.
6. Nozbe –  Project management for the solopreneur. Overwhelmed by all the stuff that needs to be done?
A traditional to-do list hasn’t helped? Nozbe combines the power of projects, next actions and contexts that not only help manage tasks, but actually getting them done.
7. Fonolo – Do you make a lot of sales calls? Don’t have time to wait through phone menus? With Fonolo, never listen to a phone menu again. Use deep dialing to avoid dealing with phone menus and use their intelligent history to track your calls. Fonolo transcribes the phone menus of large companies, so you can navigate them visually. Skip the navigation. Get right to the business.

Whichever system you decide to implement or are currently using be aware of the following:

• Take time to explore ALL of the options and tools your system provides
• Customize your system so that it fits and meets your needs
• Consistently use your system. Nothing will work, unless it’s used.

Use technology to your advantage and take ownership of finding practical solutions.

Submitted by A.Michelle Blakeley

Simplicity, Inc. |Because you don’t have time to waste.™ |866.927.5888 x1

Ask about our PROVEN Coaching and Mentoring Services.

Copyright Notice: Visitors to the Simplicity Mastered™ website may not reproduce, republish or redistribute material found on the website in any form without the express written consent of Simplicity, Inc.. For all requests for use of copyrighted material from the Simplicity Mastered™ website, please contact amichelleblakeley@yahoo.com

Your Time is Valuable, Network the Smart Way

With so many social networking sites and events to attend, it is difficult to know which ones will bring you the most value. Not all groups and networks are the same and to help grow your business, you’ll want to be connected to more than one. However, time is money and you can’t afford to aimlessly attend networking events or spend valuable hours online. Before you attend your next networking function or sign-up for that new social networking site, set some ground rules for yourself. Know what it is you need and expect in return from your participation.

Each networking group may offer you something another does not. The more you know and understand your needs as well as well as your clients needs, the faster you can recognize real opportunities to connect and make a sale. Be prepared to not only connect with potential clients, but with potential power partners (businesses that provide complimentary products or services) as well.

Consistency in attendance and contribution is key for ensuring people have an opportunity to get to know you, what you have to offer and how they can help you.  For online venues, make sure your profile is updated regularly, contribute to discussions and reach out to participants. For live venues, always be prepared with business cards, offer to meet for coffee or a conference call to continue your discussions and learn more about each other; and keep in touch.

1. Participants – Know beforehand if there will be potential clients (those that match your client profile) in attendance. For online venues, are the members geographically located near you and does that matter? How many leads or referrals can you anticipate from your networking efforts per month? Just as important as potential clients is connecting with potential collaborative business partners. You can find this out ahead of time by reviewing the membership roll or directory.
2. Opportunities – Know beforehand how many will be in attendance or how many are members? For live venues, will there be an opportunity for you to give your elevator pitch or speak to the group? Also, are the same people showing up each week or month? Is the group stagnate or constantly looking for ways to grow and expand? For online venues, do they include platforms that will allow you to directly connect with potential clients and collaborative business (i.e. live chat, IM, etc.)? Depending on the amount of potential clients and collaborative partners, you will need to determine how much time you have to devote to connecting and cultivating relationships with members.
3. Benefits – is there a membership fee? Take advantage of the free trials; but use them when you have an adequate amount of time to really go through and utilize the site. Find out about all of the member benefits. You need to be able to justify the membership fee with the likelihood of generating actual sales. You should track your conversion rates as well for benchmarking purposes. In addition, do they allow for corporate sponsorships for increased exposure? For online venues, can you cross-promote or advertise your business on their website? Does the networking group promote referrals to members?
4. Time – For live venues, when, where and how often do they meet? How will that affect your current workload? Online venues are generally more flexible with time. You can log-on at your convenience. However, again, consistency in regards to your presence and participation is imperative.

Get back to basics and focus on the fundamentals of operating your business. Ensure your business tasks and activities are revenue generating or conducive to the growth of your business.

 

http://amichelleblakeley.wordpress.com/

10 Ways to Measure Your Time Effectiveness and Efficiency

It’s true that what we focus on tends to expand. When we watch the clock, time moves at its slowest pace. However, when we are conscious of what actions, tasks and activities we give out time to, we have more of it. If you don’t know how your time is spent, keep a time log for one week. Track how much time you spend on each activity throughout the day. Once the week is done and your notes are complete, sit down and analyze how you’ve been spending your time and make the appropriate adjustments. You should be able to identify pockets of time that are being misused on the phone, on the internet, with non-clients, too much networking, in front of the TV, sleeping, chatting on non-relevant, etc. That’s not to say you shouldn’t be doing these things, but you do want to make sure they are not stealing valuable time.

Conduct an honest evaluation of yourself and your daily work habits. An honest reflection on your daily work habits will reveal exactly “who, what, where, when and how” contributes to your productivity or lack thereof. Ten ways to measure your time effectiveness and efficiency, ask yourself:

1. Am I being productive or just active? Know the difference.
2. Am I inventing things to do to avoid the important tasks and activities?
3. What are my non-negotiables? (i.e. how late am I willing to work, do I really need to attend 3 networking events a week?)
4. Are you willing to train your unconscious with new techniques? If I keep doing what I’ve been doing, I’ll keep getting what I’ve been getting.
5. It takes longer not to write things down than to write them down. My plans, goals and activities don’t need to be complicated, but they need to be written. That which is written, gets measured.
6. What have I learned and am I willing to correct what needs to be corrected? This should include mistakes that should not be repeated. Get it right and move along. Time allocated to actually serving clients earns money. Time allocated to administrating and soliciting clients, costs time and money.
7. What am I currently doing? What actions have worked? Not worked? – Detail the effectiveness of specific tasks. Did each task achieved do what was intended to support the larger goal? Detail actions taken that did not provide the expected benefits.
8. What progress has been made, if any, by my current system? Does this system work for me? Does it meet my needs?
9. What adjustments to my plan are necessary for maximum results?  What can I plan to do differently? What should I do less of, more of, and what should I stop doing altogether?
10. What should I add to my plan that I now realize is missing? 

These questions used to measure your effectiveness are critical to not only establishing a functional system, but getting rid of time consuming non-revenue generating activities and maximizing your work efforts; while strengthening your business. And finally:

• Deal with procrastination – “what if I do it, what if I don’t”
• Establish a standard starting format
• Plan and schedule
• Delegate and trade
• Break down projects
• Set and calendar deadlines
• Consolidate like tasks (i.e. return calls, checking phone/mails, emailing/filing, answering letters, sorting

 

 

 

How to Get 80% Out of Your Day

We’ve all heard about the 80/20 rule – 20% of the day is spent on productive activities, 80% on non-productive. To shift this so that 80% of your day is spent on productive activities and 20% on non-productive activities we need to first determine your priorities. At a very basic level, you should ask yourself? – What if I do it? What if I don’t? Understand that:

• If it’s important and urgent, it may be considered a crisis … these activities almost always costs more.
• If it’s unimportant, but urgent, be careful, these activities can be deceiving. You can get caught up in these types of activity fairly easy and they are usually what consumes the majority of unorganized micro/small business owners time.
• If it’s important, but not urgent, it can be planned appropriately. You can put it on your to-do list or if it has a deadline, put it on your calendar.
• If it’s unimportant and non-urgent – it is likely a time waster. Delegate it or get rid of it.

You should consider what is more valuable to you, to perform the act or pay someone to do it for you? (i.e. non-revenue generating activities, appointment setting, travel arrangements, meeting arrangements, marketing campaigns, website maintenance, etc.) What is your hourly rate and what would it cost to have someone else perform the same activity?

Learn how to be more selective with your time.

• What activities take the majority of time during the day?
• What activities should be give more time?
• What activities should be given less time?

Build a high-impact week by time-blocking your high priority tasks. You can also schedule “client block” time to ensure the revenue generating activities of tending to your clients’ needs get completed with the appropriate amount of time and attention. There is a variety of software and platforms that track specific work performance—tasks, assignments, responsibilities, milestones, goals and deadlines:

• http://www.nozbe.com/gtd/signup
• https://www.mailstreet.net/
• http://www.ringcentral.com/
• http://www.jifflenow.com/

What CAN You Do?

Being a small/micro business owner doesn’t mean you have to know and do everything yourself. There are a variety of ways small/micro business owners can compensate for minimal support and scarce resources. At a minimum, they need to know their strengths  in order to capitalize on their opportunities.

Identifying and knowing your strengths is not as easy as it sounds. Most people relate “strengths” to “characteristics.” Fatal error. Core competencies and strengths are things that you can confidently do far better than anyone else. It is not our “personality” or “work habits.” Knowing that you can create or generate an outcome that exceeds expectations is the sign of understanding your core competencies.

Key to establishing a functional small business is the ability scale down corporate and global practices to fit smaller goals and objectives. Large corporations surely know their strengths and their place in the market. They know their weaknesses as well; but they minimize them. They know and study their competition. They know what they do best and they capitalize on it. They build their brand on it. To maximize your effectiveness as a small business keep the following in mind:

•  Identify and enhance your strengths and core competencies. Delegate tasks and activities that are counterproductive. Outsource, collaborate, partner, barter and trade to compensate for shortcomings and weaknesses. Only tend to weaknesses that may prevent you from doing what you do best.

• Maximize your opportunities by honing and perfecting your strengths. Build your brand on your strengths. Increase your presence in the market via your network channels. Continuously develop your network channels (another subject in itself).

• Understand and know your competition. Know what you are capable of providing. Know how your strengths differentiate your business from your competition. Not your personality, but your strengths and core competencies.

Find, recognize and exploit your strengths and be prepared to capitalize on opportunities.