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Get Your Mind Right, Then You Can Worry About the Rest

27 Mar

"What's on your mind?" should be the first question you ask yourself when trying to uncover the mysteries of success. Everything starts with having the proper thought processes.

Recently I gave a presentation on the power of mindset in business and I thought I would share with you some of the ideas and a few short clips.

Take some time today and reflect on what it will take for you to start thinking differently about yourself, your relationships, and your business.

Many years ago, I learned (from my Mom actually) that no matter what happens in business – no matter how successful I become, people will remember me for how I manage my emotions. If I lost my cool, was rude, or had a breakdown, it wouldn't matter if I had an amazing year in sales or not. People would remember me for how I made them feel. That was a lesson I learned years ago and always try and remember to this day. Thanks Mom!

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Posted in Attitude and Motivation

 

Hey Leader, Check Your Ego at the Door!

19 Mar

Recently I dove into a brilliant book called 5 Levels of Leadership by John C Maxwell.  Once in while, something like this just slaps me in the face with a reality check and gets me inspired!   I don't know why I had not read it yet, but I am glad I picked it up, and it got me thinking, "What kind of leader have I been lately?"    So I got to work on taking my own personal notes, and even did some work on my whiteboards which is something I suggest you do with anything you are trying to learn – see my post on Are You Truly a Professional? Then Develop Yourself.  Without diving into the book in detail like a book report, I thought I would share with you the insights I gleaned and offer some suggestions on how to use it for yourself. 

Start by asking yourself if you truly want to be a leader and inspire others, or are you content just holding onto your position in management?  Leadership is there for the taking, if you are willing to start working on YOU first.  Ego has no place in leadership, that's what managers are for. 

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Posted in Leadership

 

Profile of a Business Coach – Rosemary Smyth

14 Mar

Today you are in for a treat!  Recently, I had a chance to sit down for a dual-interview with an amazing member of our business community, Rosemary Smyth.  Have a look at the profile she did of me in her recent newsletter HERE.  Rosemary is a business coach who goes above and beyond for her clients at Rosemary Smyth & Associates and she has recently written a book titled 101 Success Tips and Strategies for Financial Advisors.  Check out her website to see how she may help you.  Rosemary has built an outstanding career for herself and is extremely active in the community.  I am lucky to be able to tap into her knowledge and she is always the first to give freely of herself to others.  This is the mark of a true leader and is why she has been able to build such a strong referral network. 

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Posted in Networking is THE Number One Skill

 

Follow up, Follow Through, or Follow Behind – 6.5 Steps to Getting Your Calls Returned

02 Mar

Let's cut to the chase – we are the worst predictors of our own future behaviours. 

  • "Of course I'll be there!" 
  • "You can count on me."
  • "I will 100% do that."
  • "I will call you on Monday to dicuss that."

 

Sound familiar? Well it happens all the time.  And this is not just in regards to sales, but to everyday life.  How reliable and consistent are you in what you say you are going to do?  In today's world, we have unlimited ways to communicate, manage our time, and organize our thoughts – but people seem more disorganized and unreliable as ever!  It is time to simplify. 

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Posted in Fortune is in the Follow Up

 

4 Steps to Take Control of Your Life and Stop Feeling Sorry for Yourself. I CAN.

23 Feb

As the song goes, "Obladi, Ohblada, life goes ooooonnn!!!"  Life is moving at a frantic pace and we are all currently in the moment right now.  And also now.  Oh, and now.  See that?  At least three moments have passed you by!   Most people are constantly concerned about being somewhere else, they forget about being present and being in the moment.  The question is what are you going to do about YOUR moments?  Are you happy with your current situation?  Are there some things you would like to change?  Are there relationships that need attention?  Understand that it takes conscious thought about who you are being in each of life's moments to begin the process of changing your situation.

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Posted in Attitude and Motivation

 

Are You Truly a Professional? Then Develop Yourself

14 Feb

You want freedom?  Continuously improve yourself.

I am writing this on the eve of my trip to North Carolina to attend an international training conference with guest speakers Donald Trump and Darren Hardy.  I booked my flights last minute.  Do you think I paid a ton for flights?  YOU BET.  Will it be worth it?  YOU BET.  I will have my notebook, recording device, and full attention so that I may take even one golden nugget of information to use for my success.

Self Check:  How often do you read a book, study online, or attend attend a seminar to learn something new?  Or do you only go to MANDATORY training put on by your employer?  Or are you simply content just realzing that you already know everything there is to know?

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Posted in Personal Growth and Self Development

 

Network Marketing May be New to You, But Pay Attention To The Business Model!

31 Jan

 “…between 50% and 65% of all goods and services sold in this millennium will be through network marketing.” It is a business model that is perfectly suited to the “information age.” The Wall Street Journal recently did a 40 page spread on the direct selling industry. Have a look at the articles HERE.

Pyramid scheme,  get rich quick,  and marketing hype.  Some will make millions and some will make nothing.  It is much harder work than they tell you.  There is only a small percentage of people in the industry who are truly successful at it. 

All of these things are true about network marketing.  And all of these are true about every other job you will ever have.

But the difference is that the network marketing model has the ability to be the great equalizer.  Perhaps Robert T. Kiyosaki, author of the Rich Dad, Poor Dad series, said it best. “The richest people in the world look for networks. Everyone else looks for work.”

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Posted in Networking is THE Number One Skill

 

Networking is Not Just for Business. It is About Personal Growth and Relationships.

20 Jan

Once in a while we need a sharp reminder that we are human.  I got one last night and I think many others did too.  I attended an excellent networking event last night hosted by my good friend Philip Bisset-Coveneiro and his team at the Young Entrepreneurs Society (YES Group) www.victoriayesgroup.ca.  We always have a great time, meet talented people, and hear amazing speakers, but last night they brought in an inspiring speaker from Mercy Ships.  www.mercyships.ca  I had heard of Mercy Ships before, but this was amazing. 

Have a look at this video to see what I am talking about:

 

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Posted in Networking is THE Number One Skill

 

Resolutions Suck. How Badly do You Want Success in 2012?

05 Jan

OH NO, not  another resolutions article!  Everyone starts preaching about what you have to start doing and what you have to stop doing.  There is a lot of pressure to come up with a plan for the year, especially since the holidays have most likely consumed much of your money! 

But it is not about what you say you have to do or don't do this year.  It is about mindset.  And more importantly, it is about setting a long-term mindset. 

Maybe this year, something will click and you will be one of the few that make changes for the RIGHT reasons? 

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Posted in Attitude and Motivation

 

3.1 Steps for Dealing with “Old School” Employees

16 Dec

“I don’t know if that applies to me because I am just old school.”  We hear this quite often in business when new ideas and technology are introduced.  And it is not just from the older workers.  So when you hear this, flags should go up because what the term old school usually implies is resistance to change and quite often fear.   Someone is holding onto their old ways of doing things because it is safe.  Change is scary.  Old school could also mean that we perceive the old ways of doing things as the best way, regardless of the truth of it.  But success in business requires the ability to handle change effectively and manage the resistance to it. 

So how do you address these “Old-Schoolers?”

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Posted in Change Management

 

Your Facebook Friends are NOT Your Customers

09 Dec

Your friends could be your customers, but right now they are not, so don’t abuse that friendship by selling to them.  We all know someone who just doesn’t get how to Facebook and uses it to sell you whatever it is they are into.  I’m not talking about sharing of ideas (like posting this blog on MY wall).  I am talking about the ever-aggressive “buy something from me” blatant use of the social media platform.    It is the social equivalent of inviting someone for a coffee, and then trying to get them to give you money for some multi-level marketing idea.  Or coming to my house and asking me to pitch your business to all my friends.  NOT COOL.

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Posted in Online Marketing

 

5.1 steps to Get Marketing and Sales to Play Nice in the Same Sandbox.

25 Nov

History has always been filled with great rivalries:

  • Dogs vs Cats
  • Tom vs Jerry
  • Pepsi vs Coke

And now in the 20th Century – Sales vs Marketing. 

There has always been a disconnect between these two groups, and much blame gets passed to one another.  Marketing works hard to create a brand strategy that will make the phone ring and the website light up.   Sales gets leads but complains Read the rest of this entry »

 
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Posted in Marketing and Sales Teamwork

 

The Sales Formula to Crush Your Numbers. What to do TODAY to Hit Your Target for the Year.

22 Nov

To succeed in sales, you need to plan.  In order to plan, you need to understand.  Successful salespeople know that achieving aggressive targets does not happen by chance, it happens by design.  There are a million little steps that must be made each year to do it right, but sometimes that becomes daunting.  Most salespeople who don’t hit their targets lack one of three things:

  • Selling Skills
  • Belief in Themselves
  • A Plan

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Posted in Goal Setting

 

If You’re an Expert, Have an Opinion! Especially When it Comes to Customer Service

18 Nov

Sometimes the best way to understand better business practices is to experience similar emotions in different situations.  I recently spent some time in the hospital with a loved one who was dealing with cancer. We spent our time in and out of appointments, dealing with multiple members of the care staff, and waiting (A lot of waiting). I made the mental connection to business when we were dealing one of the many Doctors. He was carefully explaining the results of a procedure to all of us, asked considerate questions, and even cracked jokes. When we asked what options were available, the Doctor took the time to explain exactly all of the information we were hoping to find out. Many of the previous Doctors we dealt with were not as thorough, compassionate, or even cooperative. Some of them even said things like, “Surgery will be risky, so it’s up to you. It doesn’t matter to me what you decide, you just have to make a decision.” These interactions make patients feel scared, confused, or even ashamed and embarrased for bothering the Doctor.

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Posted in Customer Service

 

You Want To Succeed in Sales? Give a Shit.

16 Nov

Don't be this guy.

Being in sales is a tough gig.  You don’t get “off-days” and you are constantly scrutinized.  It is no wonder that when you get into a slump, it is so terribly difficult to get back on track.  And many times, when you start feeling burned out, you begin to make excuses why you can’t sell – we have all done it.  Excuses like; the economy has changed, my price point is too high, we aren’t getting quality leads, etc.  So salespeople and managers begin to look for ways to drive their business with ideas on how to present their product, closing techniques, or even negotiation tactics.  Many times they forget there is one simple secret to success in business – especially sales.  Read the rest of this entry »

 
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Posted in Attitude and Motivation

 
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