Walking into the room, my heart pounds. Averting all eye contact, I make my way to the back row, certain no one will desire to talk with me. I will remain alone and unnoticed, as if I am the only one in the room. The meeting over, I leave quietly having accomplished nothing other than the monumental task of showing up. I leave empty with a sense of having missed out once again.
Does this experience sound familiar? I've let this scenario play out in my life too many times. I say allowed because that is exactly what I did. I chose to allow the experience to be negative instead of positive. I now feel free from acting isolated and alone. Knowing that I can choose a more powerful strategy for interacting, I no longer feel weak and empty in these public interchanges.
Many friends tell me I always appear so confident when I walk into a room and that I seem to know everyone. Here is the truth about that: I'm not and I don't! I experience the same fears and insecurities as everyone else. The difference is (most of the time) I choose not to let these fears and insecurities prevent me from experiencing the joys of life. I would much rather leave a room knowing I made others feel connected and noticed and in the process, receive much joy.
Recently, I attended a conference where I knew no one. I had exchanged emails with many other attendees, but had never met any of them face to face. At dinner one evening I found myself looking into the faces of people I knew very little or nothing about. I had a choice to make. I could choose to keep my eyes on my food, speak only when spoken to and just endure the hour or two I was going to be with them. Or, I could take a deep breath, look them in the eyes, and ask personal questions with the goal of making them feel noticed and valued. It didn't matter if they asked me any questions. What was going to matter to me was that my dinner companions walk away feeling like they had a new friend and that someone cared.
What did this cost me? NOTHING. What did I gain? A deep sense of confidence and joy in the knowledge that my interactions had built others up and made their own experience more enjoyable.
Confidence comes from within. Confidence does not distinguish between plain or beautiful people. The plainest person can have all the confidence in the world: a person of outward beauty can be riddled with insecurities. The mind is a funny thing. It can play games with us. Our minds can be filled with lies about who we are or are not and what kind of value we are to this world.
Let me tell you a little secret. You were fearfully and wonderfully made, God did not make any mistakes. You were created to be of value to this world, just as you are. Each one of us brings value through our uniqueness. No one can fill YOUR place in the world like you can.
Today or tomorrow, or very soon, you'll enter a situation where fear and anxiety may begin to plague you. Here's what I want you to do:
1. Take a deep breath
2. Pull your shoulders back and keep your head up
3. Walk confidently to your destination
4. Look people in the eye
5. Greet others with a confident handshake (I prefer hugs)
6. Ask questions of others
7. Walk away knowing you made some feel valued and noticed
I take a deep breath, pull my shoulders back, keep my head up and walk with confident expectation into the room. I glance around to see who's there, making eye contact and giving people a smile. I notice a woman sitting all alone and walk over to her. I ask if the chair next to her is taken. She looks at me with a startled gaze, tells me it's not, and I sit down. I introduce myself and only a few quick questions begin to reveal all we have in common.
Throughout the meeting we banter back and forth, enjoying ourselves and the ease our new relationship has added to our experience. As the evening closes, we can't believe how quickly time has past. Each of us has had a more pleasurable evening, made a new friend and have someone new to wave to across a conference room tomorrow. We each leave with confidence boosted, with friendship affirmed, and with a sense of joyful belonging.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Dealing with Price Objections
Have you ever heard, "Your prices are too high."
The dreaded pricing objection. We've all had to deal with it at some point in our careers. Regardless of what form it takes, it can be one of the most frustrating challenges sales professionals have to face.
If price always seems to become an issue for you, one of the most effective strategies is head it off and deal with it right up front. This goes with any objection you hear often. Don't be afraid of the issue. Train yourself to bring it up first and get it on the table as early as possible in the sales dialogue.
Try telling your prospective client something like:
"You need to know that ours is not the cheapest product available. You will always find someone who is less expensive than us, and you will always find someone who is more expensive than us. We are always competitive. Knowing that we are not the cheapest, does it make sense for us to go ahead?"
When you ask this question, one of two things will happen: The sales cycle will end right here because the client only wants the cheapest product and you don't have it. There's no point wasting your valuable time with someone who has no intention of doing business with you anyway.
If the client reacts negatively about the price you will want to acknowledge thier discomfort.
"I sense that you're uncomfortable with that price. What were you expecting?", or"You don't seem happy with that price. Are you only looking for the lowest price?" Notice that both of these questions have two distinct parts. First, you acknowledge that the client appears to be uncomfortable. This will help build trust and get them on your side. Next, you ask a direct question. You can use this formula every time you are faced with an objection.
If the client verbally tells you that your price is too high, your first move is to take a breath and remain quiet for a full three seconds. Then ask them: "I guess you're looking only for the lowest price?"They will either say yes or no. If they say no, you can ask: "Really? What else is there?" If they answer yes, you can say: "Okay, knowing that we will not be the lowest price, does that mean we will never get the chance to do business together?"The most powerful word for handling objections When it comes to handling sales objections, "never" is the most powerful word in the English language. Most people hate it. Very few are willing to commit to it. As a result, the vast majority of prospects will respond to it by saying, "well, no... not never!"In that case, your job is simply to ask: "Really? Why?" The client will then either tell you what it will take to do business with them or ask you for something that you can't provide. Either way, this puts the control back in your hands by letting you choose between making the sale or turning down the deal and walking away.
If a client is dead set on getting the lowest price and you know you can't offer it, then you may as well end the conversation right now and get to work on deals that have a better likelihood of closing. Spending time trying to sell to someone who is never going to buy from you is both a bad decision - and a costly mistake. Brainstorm your best answers.
Finally, take some time to sit down (on your own or with your team) and brainstorm your best possible answers to every potential objection. Practice your responses out loud until you've mastered them. Make them your own. Then review your work each quarter to make sure that everyone on your team knows which responses are working best.If you can reduce the number of objections you receive, you will sell more. Period.
Tips from http://www.engageselling.com
"Choosing Success!"
Gail Wahl
www.homewithmiabella.com
The dreaded pricing objection. We've all had to deal with it at some point in our careers. Regardless of what form it takes, it can be one of the most frustrating challenges sales professionals have to face.
If price always seems to become an issue for you, one of the most effective strategies is head it off and deal with it right up front. This goes with any objection you hear often. Don't be afraid of the issue. Train yourself to bring it up first and get it on the table as early as possible in the sales dialogue.
Try telling your prospective client something like:
"You need to know that ours is not the cheapest product available. You will always find someone who is less expensive than us, and you will always find someone who is more expensive than us. We are always competitive. Knowing that we are not the cheapest, does it make sense for us to go ahead?"
When you ask this question, one of two things will happen: The sales cycle will end right here because the client only wants the cheapest product and you don't have it. There's no point wasting your valuable time with someone who has no intention of doing business with you anyway.
If the client reacts negatively about the price you will want to acknowledge thier discomfort.
"I sense that you're uncomfortable with that price. What were you expecting?", or"You don't seem happy with that price. Are you only looking for the lowest price?" Notice that both of these questions have two distinct parts. First, you acknowledge that the client appears to be uncomfortable. This will help build trust and get them on your side. Next, you ask a direct question. You can use this formula every time you are faced with an objection.
If the client verbally tells you that your price is too high, your first move is to take a breath and remain quiet for a full three seconds. Then ask them: "I guess you're looking only for the lowest price?"They will either say yes or no. If they say no, you can ask: "Really? What else is there?" If they answer yes, you can say: "Okay, knowing that we will not be the lowest price, does that mean we will never get the chance to do business together?"The most powerful word for handling objections When it comes to handling sales objections, "never" is the most powerful word in the English language. Most people hate it. Very few are willing to commit to it. As a result, the vast majority of prospects will respond to it by saying, "well, no... not never!"In that case, your job is simply to ask: "Really? Why?" The client will then either tell you what it will take to do business with them or ask you for something that you can't provide. Either way, this puts the control back in your hands by letting you choose between making the sale or turning down the deal and walking away.
If a client is dead set on getting the lowest price and you know you can't offer it, then you may as well end the conversation right now and get to work on deals that have a better likelihood of closing. Spending time trying to sell to someone who is never going to buy from you is both a bad decision - and a costly mistake. Brainstorm your best answers.
Finally, take some time to sit down (on your own or with your team) and brainstorm your best possible answers to every potential objection. Practice your responses out loud until you've mastered them. Make them your own. Then review your work each quarter to make sure that everyone on your team knows which responses are working best.If you can reduce the number of objections you receive, you will sell more. Period.
Tips from http://www.engageselling.com
"Choosing Success!"
Gail Wahl
www.homewithmiabella.com
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
The Sea of Mediocre Customer Service
How is your Customer Service?
This morning my husband and I were talking about our recent roof job. We have a shake roof and in the summer storms we lost a few shingles. We also had some leaks around our sky lights. The roofer came and fixed the leaks in the sky lights. My husband noticed this morning that they left the few shingles that had blown off in the wind this summer and wondered why they hadn't fixed those.
I asked him if he had ASKED them to do this. He said, "No, but they had extra shingles up there. I would have thought they would have noticed them right by the window and fixed them."
My response was that most people don't do what they are not ASKED to do. That is the state of Customer Service these days.
I then thought about my OWN Customer Service habits. Do I give more then asked? Do I give above and beyond? Do I stand out, or drown into the sea of mediocre customer service.
How about you? Something to think about today.
"Choosing Success!"
Gail Wahl
http://www.homewithmiabella.com/
http://www.iwantamiabella.com/
This morning my husband and I were talking about our recent roof job. We have a shake roof and in the summer storms we lost a few shingles. We also had some leaks around our sky lights. The roofer came and fixed the leaks in the sky lights. My husband noticed this morning that they left the few shingles that had blown off in the wind this summer and wondered why they hadn't fixed those.
I asked him if he had ASKED them to do this. He said, "No, but they had extra shingles up there. I would have thought they would have noticed them right by the window and fixed them."
My response was that most people don't do what they are not ASKED to do. That is the state of Customer Service these days.
I then thought about my OWN Customer Service habits. Do I give more then asked? Do I give above and beyond? Do I stand out, or drown into the sea of mediocre customer service.
How about you? Something to think about today.
"Choosing Success!"
Gail Wahl
http://www.homewithmiabella.com/
http://www.iwantamiabella.com/
Monday, November 12, 2007
Take "Prospecting" Action This Week
We've been talking about prospecting for the last couple weeks. Today I want to give you some actions for the week:
Prospect every day. Block some time in your calendar every day and devote it exclusively to making introductory calls to uncover new leads. Generally, you ought to be able to make 10-15 calls a day. This should take about an hour a day.
Start tracking your prospecting effort. I suggest that you track every day the number of prospecting calls, emails and meetings you have, how many voice mails you left, how many meetings you secured and how many call backs you received. At the end of the week you will be able to see trends. With these trends you can start to make changes to your approach and scripts to improve your results.
"Choosing Success!"
Gail Wahl
10K Diamond Team Leader
www.homewithmiabella.com
www.IWantAMiaBella.com
Prospect every day. Block some time in your calendar every day and devote it exclusively to making introductory calls to uncover new leads. Generally, you ought to be able to make 10-15 calls a day. This should take about an hour a day.
Start tracking your prospecting effort. I suggest that you track every day the number of prospecting calls, emails and meetings you have, how many voice mails you left, how many meetings you secured and how many call backs you received. At the end of the week you will be able to see trends. With these trends you can start to make changes to your approach and scripts to improve your results.
"Choosing Success!"
Gail Wahl
10K Diamond Team Leader
www.homewithmiabella.com
www.IWantAMiaBella.com
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Reward Your Accomplishments
As a parent I have found that rewarding my children for tasks keeps them a lot more motivated than if they were encouraged to do them "just because". Yes, I know this may be considered a bribe, but when you are parenting, you do what works. :o)
Staying motivated in the area of prospecting is essential. Prospecting is a tiresome job. It gets old fast. That's why it's important to remember that the tasks that get rewarded are the tasks that get done.
Reward yourself for meeting a goal of contacting prospects each day, and then each week. The bigger the accomplishment the bigger the reward. For instance, let's say you make a goal of contacting 10 people a day. You can reward yourself daily, or, if you meet your 50 calls a week you give yourself a lunch with a friend.
You can put time frames around it as well and if you make your 10 contacts first thing in the morning you may reward yourself with Starbucks that day. Whatever it takes.
"Choosing Success!"
Gail Wahl
10K Diamond Team Leader
www.homewithmiabella.com
www.IWantAMiaBella.com
Staying motivated in the area of prospecting is essential. Prospecting is a tiresome job. It gets old fast. That's why it's important to remember that the tasks that get rewarded are the tasks that get done.
Reward yourself for meeting a goal of contacting prospects each day, and then each week. The bigger the accomplishment the bigger the reward. For instance, let's say you make a goal of contacting 10 people a day. You can reward yourself daily, or, if you meet your 50 calls a week you give yourself a lunch with a friend.
You can put time frames around it as well and if you make your 10 contacts first thing in the morning you may reward yourself with Starbucks that day. Whatever it takes.
"Choosing Success!"
Gail Wahl
10K Diamond Team Leader
www.homewithmiabella.com
www.IWantAMiaBella.com
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Consistency
Be consistent in your business habits.
Sports pros do not get better by practicing now and then. They get better by continually practicing and continually building on their skills. Your business is no different.
"Choosing Success!"
Gail Wahl
10K Diamond Team Leader
www.homewithmiabella.com
Sports pros do not get better by practicing now and then. They get better by continually practicing and continually building on their skills. Your business is no different.
"Choosing Success!"
Gail Wahl
10K Diamond Team Leader
www.homewithmiabella.com
Monday, November 5, 2007
Tracking your Progress
Happy Monday!
We've been talking about how to keep your prospecting pipeline full.
The tip for today is Track your progress
Track consistently your process. What calls you made, what mailings you sent out, what emails you sent. Also keep track of your Ads and closings. By looking back at your trail you will be able to gather a picture of what is or is not working for you. You will need to adjust your plan based on your results.
There are many ways to track your progress; spreadsheets, calendars, tracking packages. Choose one that works for you. I find that a notebook is my best friend. I can take it wherever I go. Here is what one of my logs looks like:
10/30/07 Sally Jones FD (where lead came from) CO (State lives) Phone #
10/30/07 Sent Free Drawing Packet
10/30/07 Called - no answer
10/31/07 Called - (notes on call)
11/3/07 Entered my AWEBER
11/5/07 Signed up
As you can see this is nothing sophisticated. But it works for me.
"Choosing Success!"
Gail Wahl
10K Diamond Distributor
www.homewithmiabella.com
We've been talking about how to keep your prospecting pipeline full.
The tip for today is Track your progress
Track consistently your process. What calls you made, what mailings you sent out, what emails you sent. Also keep track of your Ads and closings. By looking back at your trail you will be able to gather a picture of what is or is not working for you. You will need to adjust your plan based on your results.
There are many ways to track your progress; spreadsheets, calendars, tracking packages. Choose one that works for you. I find that a notebook is my best friend. I can take it wherever I go. Here is what one of my logs looks like:
10/30/07 Sally Jones FD (where lead came from) CO (State lives) Phone #
10/30/07 Sent Free Drawing Packet
10/30/07 Called - no answer
10/31/07 Called - (notes on call)
11/3/07 Entered my AWEBER
11/5/07 Signed up
As you can see this is nothing sophisticated. But it works for me.
"Choosing Success!"
Gail Wahl
10K Diamond Distributor
www.homewithmiabella.com
Friday, November 2, 2007
Don't put all your eggs in one basket
The way we Prospect for new customers/prospects can become a habit. We often find one avenue that works for us and we stick with that. Shake things up a bit. Try new avenues.
Ideas:
Leads (can be purchased on-line)
Networking Groups (local and on-line)
Lifestyling (day to day contacts)
Blogs
Message Boards
Newsletters
Articles
Newspaper Ads
Online Ads
Expos
Keep your options and your mind open to the possibilities.
"Choosing Success!"
Gail Wahl
10K Diamond Distributor
http://www.homewithmiabella.com/
Ideas:
Leads (can be purchased on-line)
Networking Groups (local and on-line)
Lifestyling (day to day contacts)
Blogs
Message Boards
Newsletters
Articles
Newspaper Ads
Online Ads
Expos
Keep your options and your mind open to the possibilities.
"Choosing Success!"
Gail Wahl
10K Diamond Distributor
http://www.homewithmiabella.com/
Thursday, November 1, 2007
When do you call prospects?
We often get in the habit of contacting customers/prospects at the same time each day. Most often this is because it is what is most convenient for us.
Mix things up a bit. Try making your calls at a different time this week. See if this doesn't shake things up a bit. Perhaps YOUR most convenient time isn't the best time for others.
Gail Wahl
10K Diamond Distributor
www.homewithmiabella.com
Mix things up a bit. Try making your calls at a different time this week. See if this doesn't shake things up a bit. Perhaps YOUR most convenient time isn't the best time for others.
Gail Wahl
10K Diamond Distributor
www.homewithmiabella.com
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Show up for work
Working from home can bring you so many distractions. We must decide every day to show up for work.
Showing up and being ready to work is a business habit that many people never master. So much of a person's success can hinge in part on being on your feet and ready to catch that golden opportunity when it avails--and that often happens when you least expect it.
How long does it take you to get ready to start your day each morning? Are you one that spends time each morning living in slow motion....just getting prepared to work?
Try something different today. Make a promise to yourself that you will make prospecting your first order of business--as opposed to, say, reading your email. I know I personally would much rather answer emails than make calls.
"Choosing Success!"
Gail Wahl
10K Diamond Distributor
http://www.homewithmiabella.com/
Showing up and being ready to work is a business habit that many people never master. So much of a person's success can hinge in part on being on your feet and ready to catch that golden opportunity when it avails--and that often happens when you least expect it.
How long does it take you to get ready to start your day each morning? Are you one that spends time each morning living in slow motion....just getting prepared to work?
Try something different today. Make a promise to yourself that you will make prospecting your first order of business--as opposed to, say, reading your email. I know I personally would much rather answer emails than make calls.
"Choosing Success!"
Gail Wahl
10K Diamond Distributor
http://www.homewithmiabella.com/
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Why Write Articles?
Writing articles and submitting them to online publications is one of the most effective ways to get free advertising for your business. Most e-zine and Web site publishers are constantly looking for free, quality content to publish. You simply write something short and sweet and e-mail it to them.You then allow these publishers to reprint your articles for free in exchange for your SIGNATURE FILE being included at the end of your article.
I've been submitting articles for a few years now and this is an area I hadn't really given much thought to until recently.
I started noticing other people's SIGNATURE FILES in their articles and thought, "Wow, that's impressive." I set mine up over two years ago (when I was green) with some of the places I submit articles and didn't give it much thought since. I went back and read my SIGNATURE FILES and was NOT impressed.
I now have a NEW signature file.
As you can see, I'm not advertising my business here. I'm advertising myself. I'm BRANDING myself. Make sense?
I'm learning that the SIGNATURE FILE is the key. It is the"acceptable ad" that makes these free articles work in your favor. Your SIGNATURE FILE can include all or some of the following:Your name, business name, e-mail address, web address, a brief mention about your business, e-zine subscription address, autoresponder address or a freebie.Articles usually pull more response then regular ads because if people like your article they will read your SIGNATURE FILE to find out more information. This will lead them to visit your web site, subscribe to your e-zine or e-mail your autoresponder. But again, the article has to have a SIGNATURE FILE in order to act like a soft-selling ad. The number of places to submit your articles are growing by leaps and bounds every day. There are millions of e-zines and Web sites with thousands of new ones being added everyday. Many of the sites you advertise on probably have places to submit your articles. Just do a search on "article submission" and you'll see all the possibilities.Plus, most of these e-zines and Web sites deal with only one subject, so they are highly targeted. By writing and submitting just one article you have the chance to be published in front of thousands, maybe even millions of targeted people!
Remember, I was green when I started. Often I STILL feel green. But that hasn't stopped me from moving forward. You learn as you go. No one starts out as an expert. You grow as you go.
"Choosing Success!"
Gail Wahl
10K Diamond Distributor
http://www.homewithmiabella.com/
I've been submitting articles for a few years now and this is an area I hadn't really given much thought to until recently.
I started noticing other people's SIGNATURE FILES in their articles and thought, "Wow, that's impressive." I set mine up over two years ago (when I was green) with some of the places I submit articles and didn't give it much thought since. I went back and read my SIGNATURE FILES and was NOT impressed.
I now have a NEW signature file.
As you can see, I'm not advertising my business here. I'm advertising myself. I'm BRANDING myself. Make sense?
I'm learning that the SIGNATURE FILE is the key. It is the"acceptable ad" that makes these free articles work in your favor. Your SIGNATURE FILE can include all or some of the following:Your name, business name, e-mail address, web address, a brief mention about your business, e-zine subscription address, autoresponder address or a freebie.Articles usually pull more response then regular ads because if people like your article they will read your SIGNATURE FILE to find out more information. This will lead them to visit your web site, subscribe to your e-zine or e-mail your autoresponder. But again, the article has to have a SIGNATURE FILE in order to act like a soft-selling ad. The number of places to submit your articles are growing by leaps and bounds every day. There are millions of e-zines and Web sites with thousands of new ones being added everyday. Many of the sites you advertise on probably have places to submit your articles. Just do a search on "article submission" and you'll see all the possibilities.Plus, most of these e-zines and Web sites deal with only one subject, so they are highly targeted. By writing and submitting just one article you have the chance to be published in front of thousands, maybe even millions of targeted people!
Remember, I was green when I started. Often I STILL feel green. But that hasn't stopped me from moving forward. You learn as you go. No one starts out as an expert. You grow as you go.
"Choosing Success!"
Gail Wahl
10K Diamond Distributor
http://www.homewithmiabella.com/
Monday, October 29, 2007
They say BLOGS are the "thing!"
I've been hearing so much about BLOGS in the last year. I am usually one to jump slowly onto a band wagon. I've been told I'm not very teachable. I prefer to think that I am a watcher. I don't want to waste my time with the latest fad. I want to spend my time wisely. So I have been watching the BLOG phenomenon for about a year.
My initial impression of blogging was that it was like writing in a journal. I have never been one to keep a diary so this really didn't interest me. I think in the beginning that is what blogging was. But now, like many things, blogging has become an incredible tool; a smart part of on-line business.
So now that I am on the "band wagon" and I have caught the vision of the incredible tool this can be, I'm taking the leap and will journey with you in my new HomeWithMiaBella.com Blog.
I will promise you that this blog will not be a daily dialogue of my life, because frankly you have more important things to do than hear about how my dog Sandy chewed up my garage door frame. Fact, but not interesting. Nor does it bring you closer to reaching your goals and ambitions.
My goal is to use this blog as a tool to bring you tools, thoughts and inspiration that will lead you toward an exciting and fulfilling life.
"What you achieve through the journey of life is not as important as who you become"
Anon
"Choosing Success!"
Gail Wahl
10K Diamond Distributor
http://www.homewithmiabella.com/
My initial impression of blogging was that it was like writing in a journal. I have never been one to keep a diary so this really didn't interest me. I think in the beginning that is what blogging was. But now, like many things, blogging has become an incredible tool; a smart part of on-line business.
So now that I am on the "band wagon" and I have caught the vision of the incredible tool this can be, I'm taking the leap and will journey with you in my new HomeWithMiaBella.com Blog.
I will promise you that this blog will not be a daily dialogue of my life, because frankly you have more important things to do than hear about how my dog Sandy chewed up my garage door frame. Fact, but not interesting. Nor does it bring you closer to reaching your goals and ambitions.
My goal is to use this blog as a tool to bring you tools, thoughts and inspiration that will lead you toward an exciting and fulfilling life.
"What you achieve through the journey of life is not as important as who you become"
Anon
"Choosing Success!"
Gail Wahl
10K Diamond Distributor
http://www.homewithmiabella.com/
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