Thursday 31 January 2013

"Thinking puts boundary conditions around the limitless boundlessness that is you‏”


No doubt about it - your 'inner state' affects your outer behaviour and therefore your results. 

What could affect your inner state? Maybe something happened - say a customer was rude to you? 
Or something that hasn't happened - that massive potential customer awarded someone else the contract? 
Maybe your inner state is in turmoil over something that's about to happen - a big presentation or networking opportunity?
Hey where's my confidence disappeared to?
I love how the mind works in this situation. You can be the most confident person most of the time and yet your confidence has the ability to run and hide in the darkest corners of your mind when situations like these arise.
Einstein was spot on when he said... 
"Thinking puts boundary conditions around the limitless boundlessness that is you"
You might need to read that again! 
Yet it's so true. 
Add some thinking to a situation and sometimes the uncertainty, then the nerves will come and before long you really can paralyse yourself - and in that state you're no good to anyone!
Changing your inner state 
Take heart because you can give yourself any resource you want...in a heartbeat!
You may have come across the concept of 'anchoring' before. It's a technique that allows you to take the confidence you feel when you're at your best - and replicate it when you are not. Not just confidence either - any state, any situation.
Anchors are really powerful and you'll already have them. Those food smells from your childhood, those memorable songs that transport you back in time. Your embarrassing moments - and of course your biggest sales successes.
When you really associate into those events, it's like you are back there...experiencing those emotions all over again.
You have the potential to transfer this ability into the world of sales and your individual 
selling skills Imagine being able to conjure up confidence, determination, calmness or anything else you need... whenever you need it.
Your turn 
Anchoring allows you to access your inner resources at will! So when you find yourself not in a great state of mind and you need to change and quickly - rest assured that you can do exactly that! 
My preferred anchoring technique is "The Circle of Excellence" - which is covered in detail in my book "iSell" (page 65 if you have it). 
Or click here to go to a previous newsletter where I take you through the "Circle of Excellence" technique.
It's all about the psychology of selling! Getting the edge...and getting those extra sales that make the difference. That's why your inner state matters!
Let me know how you get on!
Until next time
Leigh

Thursday 24 January 2013

Sowing and Reaping


"The mind is its own place and in itself, can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven." John Milton

Do you know just how much amazing potential your mind has?
More than you can possibly imagine.
Your mind controls everything you do...
Most of which is completely unconscious. In fact about 95% of what you do is unconscious. You have no real awareness that it's going on... like the blinking of your eyes, breathing in and out, the blood running through your body, the pulse in your neck and so much more. Until I mentioned them just now you gave those things no thought at all. They just happen.
What's that got to do with sales?

Now that's fine when they have no consequence - but sometimes they have very negative effects that get in the way of your sales success. So if you have patterns of behaviour or thinking that get in your way, start to get excited because you are fully capable of uncovering these hidden and not so hidden gremlins and ridding yourself of them for good! 

So here's some theory for you...

Your mind is split into two parts - the conscious and unconscious mind. Your conscious mind is the logical rational part of you that often talks you out of things. Your unconscious mind is where the deep stuff is. It runs and protects your body. It stores your inner thoughts, values, beliefs and processes them to create the behaviours that serve you. In fact it really wants to serve you... so much that it agrees with everything you tell it.
Your unconscious doesn't know the difference between reality and fantasy.
So whatever you feed it... it will grow!
Your unconscious mind doesn't distinguish between good seeds or bad seeds. So, what seeds did you plant in 2012? What seeds are you planting right now in 2013? 
Plant positive seeds and you'll reap the magic later. Sow negative seeds and you're destined to exist in a sea of negativity and mediocre results.
Creating a great relationship with your unconscious mind is an essential part of your selling skills and creating success! Communicate with it on a regular basis. Get to know it. Nurture it. Think about what you want to harvest - and plant the appropriate seeds. 
Until next time...
Leigh

Friday 18 January 2013

Are You Doing Enough IPA?


Cast your mind back a few days...

You started back at your desk after the Christmas break 100% recharged and ready for action. “Increasing Sales” as your full intent.  
You were ready to concentrate on the big stuff and not get bogged down in detail. You'd made some lofty 2013 goals and were ready to conquer the world.
Then reality took over.
Too many emails. Too many projects. Too much work - not enough time.
No doubt about it, choosing work priorities over a given day, week, month can be challenging. 
Let me introduce you to a couple of concepts that really help me and I think they'll help you too.
1)   "Income...Producing...Activity" (IPA)

I'll define IPA in a moment but firstly I suggest you should be doing IPA for an average of a
least 1- 3 hours per day. If you're serious about generating tomorrow's sales, and the next day 
and beyond, ring fence that time in your diary.
IPA - activities that have a direct impact on creating sales opportunities. By this I mean sales and promotional activity prior to a sale being made. This could be prospect meetings, creating email campaigns, generating referrals... anything that starts or develops new relationships with prospective customers. 
What you do with your client after the deal has been done is around customer service and quality... and is not IPA. 
How much of your time is actually spent on IPA? Go on - be honest. 
1)   "Fastest...Business...Impact" (FBI)
Many years ago I came across the acronym FBI and I have used it ever since. It's simple - and
very effective.
When I've chosen my IPA for any given period, I usually go on to challenge myself and ask "what's the FBI here"? What's going to have the FastestBusiness Impact on my business? 
This really helps me prioritise what's going to create the biggest impact on my sales... then I do that first. 
When I've completed that activity I ask myself again and do the next most important activity. The concept is that simple. But many many people I meet don't apply it - It's just so easy to get caught up with doing stuff that doesn't create sales for you... especially when you're busy.
So - keep checking in if you want your sales success...


"Am I doing enough IPA"
"What's the FBI"
Until next time...
Leigh


Thursday 10 January 2013

Designing Your 2013


2013? Excited? Daunted?

Well it's time to take responsibility for shaping a 2013 that would suit YOU down to the ground.
Yes it's the 'G' Word! Goals. What do you want from 2013? When it comes to December 2013 and you're reflecting back on the year, what must have happened for you to say: "Wow, it's been a fantastic year"?
Enjoy the process below. Find yourself a quiet and inspiring place and get to work! Whether your aims are financial, personal, social or business, write them down. Get in touch if you want help with your goal setting...we're here to help.
Goal Setting for 2013 Well-defined goals are vital in all elements of business and sales success. The following process is one I use in business and personally. Work through the questions and remember that your initial response is normally the most useful.
State in the positive (i.e. what you want, not what you don't want)
What specifically do I want in 2013?

The evidence
What would be my evidence that I have achieved my goal?
How would I know if I were getting my goal?
What would I be doing to get it?
What would I be seeing/hearing/feeling?
What would be a demonstration of it?

The specifics
Where do I want this goal?
Where do I not want this goal?
When do I want this goal?
When do I not want this goal?
With whom do I want this goal?
With whom do I not want this goal?

The actions
What resources can I activate to get this goal?
What resources can I acquire to get this goal?
What can I do?
What can I continue doing?

The future
What will happen if I get this goal?
How will getting this goal affect other aspects of my life?
How does getting this goal benefit me?
What might I lose if it happens?

These questions will really help you define your goals and give you the motivation and a framework to achieve them.

Good luck with your 2013 goal setting!

Bear in mind research on goal setting which concludes that your goal setting will be more effective if you;

1) Take action immediately and often to achieve them (obvious but...)
2) Tell a supportive friend/colleague/mentor what those goals are
3) Regularly update this person on the progress to achieving your goals

Wishing you a happy, healthy and very successful 2013.

Let me know how you get on.

Until next time 

Leigh

020 7903 5426