Wednesday, July 28, 2010

The Wheel


Spinning wheel …
What pictures and thoughts come to mind when you hear “the wheel of life” or “spinning wheel”? 
Are you thinking about how the world is always turning as we move through it?  Or are you thinking more like a coach and picturing the different parts of your life that should balance together to make up the whole?  Or …is the image that comes to mind the little wheel found in a hamster’s cage and you’re in it running non stop!
Do you ever feel as though you’re stuck on the treadmill of day-to-day life, just going through the motions?  Your success is directly proportional to the degree you’re growing and learning, yet you may find yourself so caught up in the mundane tasks of living that you neglect your personal growth and the growth of your business.
By consciously deciding to take small steps toward both personal growth and building your business, you’ll make daily progress toward your goals.
Success and personal fulfillment are really just a matter of being disciplined enough to do a little bit on a daily basis.   I bet, most of what you need to do falls into two categories: working on yourself and talking to people.  
Here are some small steps you can take every day that will, over time, make a huge difference in your personal life and in the life of your business.
1.  Spend 15 minutes focusing on your goals.  This is your opportunity to review the big picture of why you do what you do and how you’re going to realize your vision.  Think in terms of personal and professional goals – short and long-term.
2.  Spend 30 minutes a day on your professional growth and education.  Divide up your week and spend some time reading trade specific magazines or articles found on specific websites that offer information and knowledge on the industry you work in.  On the other days of the week read articles that will help in other areas of your personal and professional development.  Don’t like to read as much?  Why not listen to webinars and books on CD.
3.  Read even just ten pages of a good book.   Whether you choose to read literature or a self-help book, reading broadens your horizons and gives you food for thought.  Reading “for fun” is also a great way to enjoy a break and a little “me time”.
4.  Set a goal to grow your database and find opportunities to gain new leads every day.  Get out and meet and greet!  Set a goal to exchange business cards with 5 people each week and offer your business opportunity to at least 2 warm prospects per week. 
5.  Follow up every day!  If you are meeting new people every day than you should always have people to follow-up with everyday!
You don’t need to overwhelm yourself with the work you do every day.  But  you do need to have a plan and time block for the activities that will help you not only be productive but successful and consistent.  
If you can incorporate these 5 tips into your routine on the days you do work, these are the activities that will make you a superstar!

Monday, July 12, 2010

Referrals Rule!


Three Ways to Get More Referrals
  1. Leave your house.
  2. Ask for them.
  3. Expect them.
Sounds easy, doesn’t it?  Well it might be simple but for some of you it may not come as easy.  But those three factors are probably at the core of understanding how to get more referrals for your business. 
I believe that sales is a contact sport!  That means you have to make contact with someone in order to sell them something!  Be pro-active and look to make connections.  Seek opportunities & events that will lead to those connections.  Your ability to connect with people & network to build relationships will have the biggest impact on your business.  It will always lead to more referrals.  Now I know you can do a lot of “networking” on-line today however nothing will generate more business than the face to face contact you make with people. 
Devote time each week to getting out & doing just that.  Whether it is to attend an event dedicated to networking or just participating in life!  Community & social events can prove to be great opportunities to promote yourself & your business.  But, please don’t “sell” while you are networking!  The key to success in sales is to understand that you must build relationships first.
Be your genuine self.  Enjoy the people & the atmosphere you are in.  People will always do business with people they like, so show them your personality first!  Volunteering is a great way to give back as well as meet new people.  When others see you in such a positive light they will want to get to know you & that will give you an opportunity to talk about what you do & offer your services to them.
And most importantly have confidence & belief in yourself & your business!  Believe in yourself and the world will believe in you too! 
Be confident, ask for referrals!  Expect them!   There is truth in the saying, “ask and you shall receive”!  Especially ask for business where you give business.  For example, your hair dresser, your trainer, your auto mechanic, banker, accountant, insurance agent … you are giving all of these individuals your business; are you asking for theirs?

Saturday, July 3, 2010

It's not business as usual.


Right now, during these times it is not really “Business as usual”.  It is more about staying flexible during change.  Easier said than done, right?  Not really.  As long as you have the right mindset!
What you think of yourself will always be true.  Now more than ever to survive in business you must think of yourself as stretchable, expandable and able to adapt to anything new.   Who wants to view themselves as static, inflexible and unable to adapt anyway?  Periods of change can be unpredictable as the recent economic events of the last 18 months has shown us.  I’m sure you have found yourself needing to learn to adapt to changes that you were not able to anticipate. 
Some of the things you have always done may not work for you today.  In order to stay flexible and thrive rather than just survive in your business, try to follow these new ideas and guidelines:
1.  Establish more short-term goals.  While I always think it’s important to establish big goals, I think now is the time to “chunk it down” and learn to establish more short-term goals in shorter time spans to help you better accomplish the long-term goal(s).  In changing times it’s best not to think too far ahead of yourself.   Focus on goals and tasks that can be accomplished in the immediate future.   That way you can achieve measurable and attainable results, instead of abandoning your mission because of ever-changing circumstances. 
2.  Work when you feel inspired.  Learn to get more done when you feel that burst of energy, inspiration and creativity.  I have heard this referred to as the “blitz mentality” .  Complete tasks with intense periods of creative output that produce concrete results.  That way we have measurable outcomes that motivate and inspire us to continue our work and, in the process, better embrace change.
3.  Focus on team efforts.  You know the saying.  There is strength in numbers.  Well this may be true when working on your business.  Seek out others who have similar goals and aspirations.  Talk to those who seem to be thriving and doing well today.  Working with others in a Mastermind group or coaching group can provide you with support and motivation to move you closer to your goals.  
4.  Plan for change.  The most important strategy for staying flexible during change is to prepare for it!  If you understand that change happens and you create a plan for each possible circumstance, you might be more  prepared to engage change in any way that might affect your business.  This gives you more flexibility, greater confidence, and makes you more likely to be successful.