Some NEWS!

-->

At Last!

You can now get my “Essential Sales System for Small Business” as a download – Details here 

 

I would say that this programme will really benefit you if you can say yes to one or more of these questions...

• Do you love what you do but you dislike the selling bit?
• You just don’t believe you’re all that good at selling?
• Learning new sales skills is on your list but you haven’t got round to it yet?
• You think selling is a necessary evil?
• You haven’t the time, or money to attend expensive workshops?
• You’ve ‘tried everything’ and yet you’re still not getting the level of sales you need? 

If these ring any bells with you then I suggest you click here and find out more.

 

You could be on your way to sales success in less than 5 minutes from now!

 

More details here  

 

All the best

 

Leigh    

PS: Don’t just take my word...

 “My perception of selling was a poor one…and I would put off the dreaded sales activity with a lame excuse. I’ve put into practice the positive ways to turn situations around that would previously have been a huge challenge to me. Leigh is the “John Lewis” of the sales world! She delivers what she promises and I trust her!!”

Lynn Batham - Alan Batham Digital Photography.

Click here for more comments...

results@sales-consultancy.com

020 7903 5426

www.sales-consultancy.com

"You don't get what you want in life; you get what you expect"‏

Some questions for you... 

  

Do you know where you’re heading? In work? Away from work? In Life? Where is it all leading to? Does it have to lead anywhere anyway?   

 

A bit deep for a Wednesday? Maybe. Let’s drill it down to your business, even your sales, especially your sales... What actions are you taking to get you to where you want to go?  

 

That's assuming you know where you want to go!  

 

How much of a plan have you got? So many sales professionals I meet have lack-lustre goals, if they have any at all; "I want to reach budget", "I want to achieve the annual bonus", "I want to progress", "I want more money" and so on. Often not specific. Often just so so.   

 

How about sprucing things up a little? 

 

You can have mere wishes...   

...or you can have dynamic expectations that really motivate you to reach for the stars. When you have mediocre goals - and let's face it, "I want to reach target" is fairly mediocre, you're setting yourself up to be ordinary.   

Shouldn’t you really be aiming for outstanding?  

 

It's wonderful to experience the curiosity and confidence of young children. They believe that everything is possible. But what happens between the age of children and teenage years? And beyond? Something comes up that gets in the way of those early dreams.  

 

It's all about expectations  

I’m not sure who said this but I wholeheartedly agree with it... “You don't get what you want in life; you get what you expect”. There’s a massive difference. Most people expect ordinary. In fact many sales people expect ordinary. Many business owners expect ordinary. That’s fine if you want ordinary - because that’s exactly what will show up... 'better to aim low and not be disappointed' and all that.   

 

But what if you’ve had enough of ordinary? What if you want more? To start with, how about expecting more? What if you decide that instead of settling for mid table in your sales league you expected to be in the top three? Instead of growing your business at 5% next year, what if you decided to expect 10% growth? And instead of converting your leads at the same 25% as the last few years, how would expecting a conversion rate of 35% sound?   

 

Goals  

I don't know where you are right now on your journey but what I do know is that most people who don't achieve the things they want in life usually have pretty mediocre goals and mediocre expectations to start with.   

 

How often do you start work with clear outcomes to achieve that day? How often do you set really aspirational objectives for the month? How engaged are you with the goals of your team?  

Challenge yourself... 

How could you increase your expectations tomorrow? Or today! What would your new expectations be for Friday 20^th June 2014? What does real sales success mean for you? Maybe in terms of units sold, revenue, profit, lead conversion? What should you really be expecting in your career between now and three years from now? Where do you expect to be? What are you expecting to be doing? And who with?  

Play with this. Imagine. You already know that tomorrow’s realities start with today’s thoughts – so get thinking! Put some meat on the bones. Really raise those expectations. Get used to wearing them. Be comfortable with them. That’s where you’re heading after all.  

 

Raise your expectations and you’ll have started a journey. A journey that will encourage your brain to deliver new, better and imaginative ideas to achieve those expectations and goals.  

 

Think Big: Expect Big: Plan Big: Act Big 

 

Until next time.

 

Leigh

PS: Check out my recent article for O2's "The Business" - Click Here to access "Losing Sales? Here's Why" 

 

results@sales-consultancy.com

020 7903 5426

www.sales-consultancy.com

For previous 'Tricks of the Trade' go here

Steve Peters, the England World Cup Squad - and You‏

The World Cup is looming. That thought will fill you with massive anticipation...or complete dread!  

 

This time round there’s a new member of the England Team...who won’t kick a ball for the whole of the tournament. His name is Steve Peters and he will be going to Brazil as the England team psychologist – you can read more in this recent article.  

 

The England management team have identified just how important it is for the players to have the right mindset if they are to achieve their potential in the tournament.  

What about your mindset?  

How often do you focus on YOU? You too should be ensuring you’ve got the mindset you need to get success in your role.  

Imagine you or your team being able to quickly and easily conjure up the necessary elements for success - confidence, determination, calmness, or anything else that's needed, at will...whenever it's needed. 

 

You can! 

It's with a technique called 'anchoring'. Anchoring allows you to take those success traits you feel and experience when you're at your best - and resurrect them when you're not!  

My preferred anchoring technique is the 'Circle of Excellence'. It's easy, fun and works with everyone. Try it out, go with it - and let me know how you get on.  

Here we go...  

The Circle of Excellence   

First, find a quiet area where you won't be disturbed.  

Think of a resource you would like to have immediate access to in the future. This could be confidence, calmness, determination...anything.  

 

Think back to a time when you demonstrated this very resource in the past. Relive that experience in detail. Then associate a colour with that state.  

Now imagine an invisible circle on the floor in front of you. Paint it the colour you just chose. Make it about 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet in front of you. Now add whatever you'd like into the circle that represents or supports that wonderful state you want to replicate. Do whatever you need to do, add whatever you need to add, so that your circle is as perfect as it can be.

 

Think of situations...
...in the past where you have possessed, and used, huge amounts of the very resource you now want to access. Think of at least 3 past events where you displayed the very traits that you want to bring into your circle of excellence. Really associate into the experiences. What were you doing? What were you saying? How were you feeling? What were you seeing? See yourself in the circle being magnificent and exhibiting these qualities.  

 

When you have built up your circle, step into it and experience the multiple effect of having those resources again here and now. Feel your power! Really enjoy yourself.   

 

Step out of the circle.

 

Check with yourself...  

...do you need to add anything to your circle? Add whatever you want to further build up those resources that you need.    

 

Step back into the circle and notice how you feel again. Really ramp up the feeling. Imagine you have a dial that increases the intensity and turn it up as much as you can stand!  

 

Then...pick up your circle and put it somewhere that you can access...maybe an imaginary pocket. You can call it your resource pocket...and know that you have access to it whenever you need it. When you do need it, roll out the circle in front of you, step into it, and feel your power and resources increase straight away as you conjure up the necessary elements for your sales success! 

 

You don’t need to be a member of the England World Cup Squad to experience the magic of the mindset.

 

It's all about the psychology of selling.

 

Until next time.  

Leigh

PS: Check out my recent article for O2's "The Business" - Click Here to access "Losing Sales? Here's Why"

 

results@sales-consultancy.com

020 7903 5426

www.sales-consultancy.com 

For previous 'Tricks of the Trade' go here

What Manchester City can teach you about selling‏

Did Manchester City win the English Premier League because they made the least  excuses? 

As the football season progressed I definitely detected less regular excuses from the manager of Manchester City than I heard from the managers of the other major contenders.  

 

“The referee cost us the match” “We can’t play our football if they won’t let us” “we’ve had too many injuries” “The fixture list is unfair”. That's what the others said.  

 

But whilst others made excuses, Manchester City took the initiative.

 

What excuses are you making?

Excuses can be very easy to find when it comes to explaining away disappointing sales performance - and especially when we allow ourselves to go and search for them. In 30 years in selling I’ve heard them all...  

 

“The economy is against us” 

“The competition is much cheaper”  

 

“Our stuff just doesn’t appeal to old/young people, or men/women, or rich/poor people”  

“Their budgets are frozen for three months”

 

“He’s leaving, I’ll have to wait for the new person to settle in”

 

“The leads we are being given are rubbish”  

 

“Nothing but timewasters today”

And so on...

The problem is...   

if you focus on searching for reasons and excuses for under-par results, sure enough you'll end up with a world class list of reasons why you don't have to reach your sales targets!

You’re in what I call ‘The Valley of Reasons and Excuses’.   

Being in ‘The Valley’ is when you're letting things happen to you and then using these circumstances as an excuse for a lack of action and lack of results. You're being affected by stuff, letting it influence your thinking and stifling any actions you could take.

Take 100% responsibility for your sales results

Let's be clear here - you are not responsible for the recession. You are not responsible for your customers being made redundant, or for their spending budgets being frozen. You are not in charge of every challenge that gets thrown at you as you set about trying to reach your sales targets.

But...you ARE ALWAYS responsible for how you respond! This is Sales psychology 101!

We can all find an excuse to shift the blame and place it on something or someone else when it comes to sales - but finding that reason doesn't bring you any closer to your sales target. In fact it hinders you.

SO STOP LISTENING TO YOUR EXCUSES

 

Before you start believing them! Instead, just keep asking yourself one magical question...  

"OK, so if all that is true...what action can I take to get me closer to where I want to be?"   

Everyone goes into The Valley at some stage, but the most successful people get out of The Valley the quickest and restore 'normal service'.

Instead of languishing in The Valley, take control of your thinking - and your actions. Instead of thinking about reasons for a lack of performance, think about what options you have. It is this subtle change in thinking that can change your whole outlook - and results.  

When you feel yourself going into The Valley - all you need to do is ask yourself that one question... I repeat it here 

"OK, so if all that is true...what action can I take to get me closer to where I want to be?"   

And repeat that question to yourself every time you spot yourself entering The Valley of Reasons and Excuses. Instead of scouring for excuses, your brain will search for solutions.

Take back the responsibility for your sales results.

It’s all about the psychology of selling
 
Until next time.

 

Leigh

results@sales-consultancy.com

020 7903 5426

www.sales-consultancy.com

For previous 'Tricks of the Trade' go here