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The Golden Rule of Sales Success

February 5, 2010 No comments »

THE GOLDEN RULE OF SALES SUCCESS:

Treat others the way they would like to be treated©

Do You Want to Be Successful? Meet the Right People

Want to “Have It All”?

Successful people ‘Have It All’, not because they are smarter or better looking but because they know how to meet people and communicate. They know how to talk to people. Don’t believe it? Have you ever waited in line to get into a restaurant and someone with no reservation just walked by and got the next table. Same thing in life.

If you want to meet the right people for business and for personal success, this book is for you. Never again be prevented from the success you deserve because you just didn’t know what to say or do.

“The Golden Rule of Success” provides a foundation for communicating and growing your success and happiness. The Golden Rule means you come from a rock-solid belief that you can “Have It All”. Even better you can get there by caring, sharing and giving.

“Treat others the way they would like to be treated”

Perhaps best of all, the strategies here apply to every part of your life – business, friends and family. Life balance means being who you are, all the time.

The Right Things happen fast when you meet the Right People. You must be ready to turn potential into ‘making it happen’. Meeting the right people and making it happen is what this e-report is about.

How To Use This E-Report

How would you like to learn how to meet the right people in 5 minutes? That’s why this e-book design is modular. Each of the four sections is divided into mini-sections that take about 5 minutes to learn how to apply. They will help you meet the right people. Each section will focus on a powerful strength you can develop, and why it works so you can remember it. Here are the sections:

1. PREPARE

2. MAKE CONTACT

3. RELATE

4. “CALL ME”!

“How To” make the most of it.

Everything here is about getting a better understanding of what’s happening and then acting on this information to get the results you want. Getting those results means freedom and security so we can never lose sight of results.

Use the “Strengths and Passions” approach. That means go to a section you already feel you are good at and you are interested in. This way you will do well and stick with it – call it self-motivation!

The exception is if there is an area you are determined to improve in and feel it is necessary and important to you. Then work at that as well.

Three good things happen with the “Strengths and Passions” approach.

  1. If it’s already a strength you become a master very quickly
  2. Whatever you apply yourself to, the other areas will automatically improve
  3. You will be successful, have fun and stay motivated to keep raising the bar

Please log what happens. Your Action Log (pg. 13) This means giving yourself credit for your achievements. Apply what you learn. Then take 5 minutes and write down the results. The self re-enforcement is huge in creating a new habit. Chances are you’ll remember to do it again next time. You’ll build a bank of things to say and do that work best for you! .

Read “The Golden Rule of Success” introduction first, then just roam to whatever section you like. At first make it something you are already good it and something you like to do.

Once you have a basic understanding of what we are doing here it’s time to apply it – build some new habits and maybe some new beliefs.

Each section includes a Bullet Point summary for quick reference. You can print it out and carry it with you.

Contact us and let us know what works for you. venturesnow@gmail.com

The Golden Rule of Sales Success:

Treat others the way they would like to be treated©

INTRODUCTION

We care, take an interest in the other person and do what it takes to make our contact with people valuable for everybody. That’s what building relationships is all about.

Enter the ‘Golden Rule of Success’:

“Treat others the way they would like to be treated” ©

It’s kind of simple and maybe a little cheesy. Well it sure is basic and that’s why it works. Most core beliefs are like that.

When I ask people ‘how’ they would like to meet new friends or business contacts they say, “I like it when it is natural, not forced or artificial.” Let’s include ‘interesting, exciting and fun’”. Add in “It felt great and they helped me with…..” That last bit is the value part.

The ‘natural’ part probably comes first from being in rapport with the person you are meeting. Call it good chemistry. ‘Interesting’ could mean talking about or learning about something or someone we are interested in – common interests often become a starting point of great relationships. Being interested in similar things is one of the strongest ‘natural’ rapport builders as well.

‘Exciting’ makes me think of adventure, new ideas and discovery.

‘Fun’ is anything that makes us feel good and smile and makes for pleasant company. With a smile, both the feeling and the moment are meaningful.

OK, so meeting new people, or old friends, or simply doing business is like that. It is when it’s done based on “The Golden Rule of Success”. Basic core principles are like foundations for skyscrapers. They support everything we do and they stand up to the test of time. Think about it: Self Confidence and general happiness depend on having things we believe in and knowing what they are.

BUILDING ON THE GOLDEN RULE

The Golden Rule of Success is the foundation, so what do we do with it? How do we build on it?

It’s a great question for business or social get togethers or just about any other time you are meeting people. It helps to understand some ‘people’ facts.

Most of us know if we are looking for products, services or relationships, at any given moment sometimes we are actively looking, sometimes we will be looking in the next few months, or maybe over the next couple of years and sometimes never. The good news is it’s the same for everybody else!

Let’s look at this concept in terms of hypothetical numbers:

3-5% Looking right now

10-15% Looking in the next few months

40-50% Looking in the next couple of years

30-40% Aren’t likely to be looking

Exactly what these numbers are will vary widely from one place to another however the trends are the same.

At any given moment about one in twenty people in a group are looking for what we offer. When we insist on pushing our ‘agenda’ to everybody, we get lots of Rejection. It can color our experience so dramatically sometimes we even quit trying.

With these odds is it any wonder people just give up?

The answer lies in knowing the trend and applying the Golden Rule of Success. Interact without an agenda. Learn what the other person wants and give it to them. Sales and results are still there, we just get to them the way the other person (and us) would like to be treated.

So how do we know who’s looking for what we’ve got? How do we communicate with them and stay true to “The Golden Rule of Communication”. Let me use an example of a business communication from Tom Wood of Mastery TV.

You first meet and introduce each other. “What do you do and how can I help you?” Response is “What do you do?” After a brief description of what you do, ask for more about what they’re looking for. If it’s general then look for more detail – an explanation could be that you know a lot of people & may be able to help them.

The conversation starts and is based on getting to know each other and looking for ways to help each other. This is an example of making contact, no matter how it happens. Fortunately there are some things most of us want:

  • Someone who is interested in what we are interested in
  • To be genuinely listened to
  • An injection of positive energy
  • To be given the space they need
  • Good information or help when requested/needed

So if the obvious immediate ‘need’ does not come up right away, it will as you get to know each other. From there on it is a matter of showing where you can help and continuing the contact if you feel it’s a win-win!

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What Does Being Ready For Self Management Mean?

August 6, 2009 No comments »

All companies self manage to varying to degrees. The range can be from a command and control, completely responsive environment to decision making and progression at the individual level. The question is, which level of self management best suits a given company? 

The characteristics that make up a self-managed culture include taking initiative and increased responsibility, being accountable and keeping commitments. By nature this philosophy requires a self motivated perspective for employees. 

The result of this appoach is dedicated, self-motivated employees who are a great fit to the company culture.  They work hard and smart and self manage.  The result is a culture where making and keeping commitments  and taking responsibility are ‘normal’.

The Performance Equation: 

 Talent X Habits (Effort & Attitude) X Opportunity

represents the core of this philosophy and provides a constant point of reference for managers and employees to use both as a diagnostic and as a guide in planning. It is at the heart of Self Management.

These fundamental pillars are the basis for the recruiting and hiring programs in self managing companies. The result is a consistent process that is in alignment with the self management culture. Hire self managers in the first place. Profiles are adjusted according to the type of self manager required for a given role – eg. more proactive in a sales role, more responsive in a service role.

There is a great opportunity to further integrate self management training into any company system at many levels. SM has proven effective at  in a number of applications however it could well be a fit in a much broader way. Here’s where the leverage comes in.

Where the principles of self management are a fit for a company’s culture and hiring practice, the individuals you are hiring will embrace core principles trained in self management programs. These core principles provide a common language and expectation among employees - for example, if you make a commitment it is fully expected it will be kept.

The integration of hiring profiles and performance training is a powerful combination. The Self Management Group is an example of a company that has embraced this  approach.

The core principles can be applied to any new skills development and are therefore effective over and over again – they become a part of your employees. This helps managers manage and coach in a consistent manner. They are more effective because there is a clear foundation for meaningful coaching conversations and an understanding of expectations.

Managers are provided with additional employee information – insights they can only get from profiles – to help them coach more effectively. One soccer coach who uses the Sports Pro told me he gained a couple of months in coaching a new team because he understood them that much better.

As I work with more companies and come from a culture perspective it is clear the approach is very powerful and can be integrated into the organization. Where it makes sense it can be ‘white labeled’ as part of the everyday environment.

Please have a look at the following URL as a point of reference from our clients’ perspective. It includes both profile and self management training viewpoints.

https://www.selfmgmt.com/wabout/clientperspective.asp#managing

Please share your thoughts on this exciting approach.  Note: Harvard Business Review recently addressed Self Management:
http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/5507.html

 Training and Coaching:

            Our training, development and coaching strategies are based on the knowledge that to build and retain high potential people benefits from a management team of effective coaches and partners.  All of this training has been conducted in HSBC.  Self management training is also important for existing employees so they understand how to become better at taking responsibility and accountability for their day to day success. 

Examples of key programs that are proven to strengthen the level of self management, performance, coaching skill and retention include:

  1. 1.    Self Management
  2. 2.    Managing Effort

All of these programs are explained in detail at:

https://www.selfmgmt.com/wlearn/managers_coaches.asp

Two specific case studies where clients have integrated our services into their system over time are detailed in Appendix ‘F’.

Comments from clients can be found at:

https://www.selfmgmt.com/wabout/clientperspective.asp

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BEING THE BEST MEANS CREATING A SELF MANAGING CULTURE

July 23, 2009 No comments »

Self Management is the #1 Competency of Successful cultures and of successful people. Take a look at any top performers or top company and the clues to their success are evident.
They make and keep commitments, are self driven, and focus on the value the bring to those they serve and those they work with. Managers coach through meaningful conversations and walk their talk.

The #1 Competency of top performers in any situation is the ability to self manage, on all levels.

This is a bold statement (pun intended) and is based on core principles that provide a foundation for everyday action and decisions, large and small. Some of them are:
• Making and keeping commitments
• Understanding and accepting accountability
• Understanding and accepting responsibility
• Knowing the difference between accountability and responsibility
• Self Motivation through committed action
• Managing by Effort

In this environment people grow and companies grow because everybody knows the rules of the game. For example, if a commitment is made you can take it to the bank it will be done.

The opportunity is there for everybody to be treated equally since these basic principles are understood and apply to all. The self management culture creates an expectation that each individual will help themselves however if help is needed it is available.

As an added critical benefit, self managers are self confident. True Self Confidence is based on knowing what you need to know plus knowing you can trust your colleagues and company to support you and believe in you.

Coaching evolves from ’supervision’ to encouraging self motivation through meaningful conversations. Conversations based on ‘asking’ rather than telling.

The result is a self management culture where a core set of values are applied to all situations and that’s where the power comes from. The expectation to achieve and succeed is a day to day reality.

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New Sales Managers Life Savers

June 29, 2009 No comments »

“New Managers Lifesavers!” Those were the words a couple of new managers in one of my retail training groups used. They were referring to coaching with the ’self management’ philosophy that helps develop Self Managing Sales People. The concepts are simple however building self managers takes stretching a bit to get your head around it.

Life Savers (1)

It starts with having meaningful conversations with Sales Reps. This can be achieved by being interested in what your reps are interested in. Sometimes a little listening and enthusiasm by a manager can really get a salesperson going.

Think of the TV show, “Survivor”.How many of the contestants fail to start a fire? Even after 30 days with flint and tinder they still struggle. The answer successful survivors use is to fan the spark. And get the fire going.

Same kind of thing with a Sales Rep’s ideas. These ideas are fragile too, at the beginning. It works wonders. Fan the fire in your Reps ideas!

After all, what are we more motivated to prove successful, our idea or our boss’s? It’s a solid example of a meaningful conversation becoming a start point to hatch the new sales plan.

When it comes time to execute the plan, how much should the manager ”help” the Sales Rep? One of the things that makes the self managing approach really work is to keep things clear – ie.who is doing what. The commitment to specific actions is what makes it work.

Life Savers (2)Self Managers do what they say they’ll do. Managers who coach by supporting and coaching when Sales Reps keep commitments build self managers and amazing performers. New managers may lose traction (and make a lot of work for themselves) when they jump in to help out if a Sales Rep doesn’t keep their commitment. It sends the wrong message.

These were a couple of ideas managers told me helped them to build stronger, self managing Sales Reps – the kind people point out as an example of a “Real Pro”.

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The Golden Rule of Communications

June 1, 2009 No comments »

This piece came out of a discussion with Nellie Jacobs, http://www.ignitingimagination.com/, around how people connect and what communication is all about…..
Ultimately this change in understanding can increase the number of contacts and clients you develop by 500%. Read on to find out how.

When we hear expressions like, “It’s a numbers game!”, we have to know this is one of the world’s great half-truths. Whether we are talking about a financial consultant, a real estate agent or a guy looking for a date, the problem is the same. That’s the “Talk to everyone and keep saying, ‘Next’ if it doesn’t work out.” approach and it’s brutal for everyone. The result is a woman saying, “You have to kiss a lot of frogs to find your prince….”.

Rejection. And a good thing too. Otherwise we’d be jammed up all day with useless meetings and forced polite conversation!

Enter the ‘Golden Rule of Communications’:

» Read more: The Golden Rule of Communications

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How to Hire and Train Self Managing Top Performers

April 2, 2009 No comments »

The Self Manager Series May 2009

Each month this e-letter will provide key information on how these companies select their self managing talent and how they train them to be even better.

Hiring Self Managers

So how do you really know what you are getting when you hire a new candidate who then becomes a part of your company?

It helps to know, as close as possible, what you are looking for. Clients have found over the years that the time they spend deciding what that is pays back big dividends. Once you know, as they say, “Accept nothing less”.

The Hiring Manager seeks this lofty goal and must also deal with the demands of finding that right person, and doing it now! It’s possible to let the system do more of the sorting. Before getting face to face with a candidate, because that’s where the time really begins to burn up, there is a lot of information available.

The resume provides basic background and qualifications, plus a record of skills, and gives a place to start. The psychometric profile provides key behavioural information and predicts success with your company.

The profile used for selection is most effective when it is ‘normative’ (based on stats from your company population) and can be validated and adapted to your needs.

Good data saves you time because you are now interviewing for confirmation of Effort and Fit to the company. Time saved means good selection, means good performance which means good retention. Committed employees that stick with us for a long time are just as important as good clients that stick with us for a long time. It’s quality of life and good profit all around.

Training Self Managers

How is an accountant self manager different from a sales self manager?

» Read more: How to Hire and Train Self Managing Top Performers

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Five Minute Easter Egg Miracle

March 9, 2009 No comments »

Five Minutes to Fame and Fortune – an Easter Egg gift to you

This is the five minute Easter Egg miracle. Last night my son was starting a journal entry for an English assignment on Othello. Something about writing a love letter to Desdomona….

I suggested he use a technique taught to me by Steve Manning. Steve taught me that you could write an article in 5 minutes, using just about any idea – in his case he used three randomly chosen words.

It worked. Everyone in our How To Write a Book in 14 Days class completed a short piece, yes, in five minutes!

Since then I have used the same approach many many times with incredible results. Sharing it with you is a special pleasure.

The idea is, take anything you can think of that you want to get done, get into or get on with. Then sit down and for five minutes, by the alarm clock, start writing and keep writing. Do not let the pen leave the page or you fingers stop punching the keys if you are writing electronically, as I am now!

The results are nothing short of amazing. Simple, eh? You bet!

It works.

Procrastination is a real killer. I just completed a customer letter that was due back a while. It took me a little more than five minutes but the five minute idea got me started. He was delighted to hear from me and we are back on track and in business with a mini-project in the works.

Innovation pays. I wanted to send out a contact letter to my clients, and wanted to do it for a while. I applied the 5 minute principle and wrote it. Then, what do you know, one of my colleagues said he wanted to test his new distribution system and sent it for me. $15,,000.00 in orders later I was smiling – it was simple and was appreciated.

Each day I commit to innovation and writing about what I am doing. Getting a job done, fixing the BarBQ or something, and it works out.

New Ideas become action and reality. The five minute miracle means I can write down my idea and keep it safe. I don’t need to worry about forgetting it because the really key stuff is on paper and I can take it where it needs to go when I am ready.

The 5 minute Easter Egg miracle is: challenge yourself to write about what you are thankful for in your life right now. Write for 5 minutes and remember, what makes it work is you keep writing until the alarm goes off!

Cliff Sutton

416-930-6165, www.getsalesconnected.com/ csutton@self-management.com

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Self Management in Tough Times

February 28, 2009 No comments »

We are all looking for solutions, particularly when and the media and our personal experiences feature fear and uncertainty. What do we do about it? The secret to creating a successful life in any tough times or in any times may well be in self managing. My wife, Moira, read from James Ray’s book, Harmonic Wealth: The Secret of Attracting the Life You Want and reminded me of the story he told of Ivy Lee consulting with Charles Schwab, the Bethlehem (and later US Steel) Steel entrepreneur around the turn of the century.

Schwab was looking for high value advice and Ivy Lee suggested he write down 6 things he wanted to do the next day and then put them in order of priority. The next day he committed to start with number 1 and finish it, then go to 2 etc. but not to be distracted or stop until he had completed all six, and to move any left over to the top of the list the next day.

Schwab found this advice so compelling and effective he tried it for a few weeks and then sent Lee a cheque for $25,000.00 in appreciation (average wages were about $2.00 a day at the time).

This is a fantastic example of Self Management. Make a plan. Prioritize it. Stick to it and evaluate.

The article below expands a little, from a Sales Perspective.

This blog will be all about sharing ideas and information that really works. Not simply theory, rather tried and true, tested in the arena of life and work, concepts and ‘how to’ that is proven. I encourage you to share your gems and we can all grow richer together. Best for last, it has to be something I and you can get passionate about – for me the source of fun and meaning.

Self Managing Dog

Self Managing Dog

Are you ready for the Self Managing Salesperson?

» Read more: Self Management in Tough Times

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