Author, Business Keynote Speaker | Dean Lindsay, Sales, Customer Service, Leadership, Business Networking Speaker

Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

If you’re like the millions of people struggling to market and sell effectively during this economic recession then I have a solution that I know you’re going to want. My friend Sean Piket, CEO of Sales Integrity and Co-Founder of SalesDiscipline.com, has created a way for you to eliminate the road blocks that have been holding you back and taking money out of your pocket.

Sean will host and MC an information-rich sales and marketing conference titled “Stimulate Your Sales in a Down Economy” this Friday, May 15th at the Studio Movie Grill in Addison, Texas. You will get to learn from 8 national sales and marketing experts, 4 powerful keynote presentations, and 1 amazingly insightful panel discussion on the topic of “The Impact of Social Technologies on Sales & Marketing”. Sean will also open the panel discussion up to the audience members to ask the panelists questions.

You should know that I will be on stage for an hour presenting my most updated “Cracking the Networking Code: 4 Steps to Priceless Business Relationships” Keynote Presentation and I would like to personally invite you to this powerful and exciting event. Because Sean is a friend I asked him to provide his best and final discount to my customers, business associates and friends and he agreed! Sean has agreed to a huge $244 discount off the retail ticket price of $299. So that means you will attend this powerful event for only $55! You heard that correctly – $55! This is the best and final pricing as we fill the remaining few seats for this event. So make sure to hurry and reserve your seat ASAP before they are all gone!

You only need to do two things to receive this discount. 1) Go to http://www.salesdiscipline.com and register as a member of The Sales Improvement Community (at no cost to you). Members of SalesDiscipline.com already receive a $50 discount for this event just for being a registered member. 2) While logged on to the SalesDiscipline website, go register for this event within the SalesCalendar. Make sure to use the special Promo Code of “DEAN” to receive an additional $194 discount. This is a total discount of $244 and will bring the price to just $55 for you!

If you are the type of person that would like to learn new ideas on how to grow your business and sell more effectively in a down economy then you will want to take advantage of this generous offer now before there are no more seats left!

So ACT NOW and register for this event by visiting http://www.stimulateyoursales.com.

Sincerely,

Dean Lindsay

If you’re like the millions of people struggling to market and sell effectively during this economic recession then I have a solution that I know you’re going to want. My friend Sean Piket, CEO of Sales Integrity and Co-Founder of SalesDiscipline.com, has created a way for you to eliminate the road blocks that have been holding you back and taking money out of your pocket.

Sean will host and MC an information-rich sales and marketing conference titled “Stimulate Your Sales in a Down Economy” this Friday, May 15th at the Studio Movie Grill in Addison, Texas. You will get to learn from 8 national sales and marketing experts, 4 powerful keynote presentations, and 1 amazingly insightful panel discussion on the topic of “The Impact of Social Technologies on Sales & Marketing”. Sean will also open the panel discussion up to the audience members to ask the panelists questions.

You should know that I will be on stage for an hour presenting my most updated “Cracking the Networking Code: 4 Steps to Priceless Business Relationships” Keynote Presentation and I would like to personally invite you to this powerful and exciting event. Because Sean is a friend I asked him to provide his best and final discount to my customers, business associates and friends and he agreed! Sean has agreed to a huge $244 discount off the retail ticket price of $299. So that means you will attend this powerful event for only $55! You heard that correctly – $55! This is the best and final pricing as we fill the remaining few seats for this event. So make sure to hurry and reserve your seat ASAP before they are all gone!

You only need to do two things to receive this discount. 1) Go to http://www.salesdiscipline.com and register as a member of The Sales Improvement Community (at no cost to you). Members of SalesDiscipline.com already receive a $50 discount for this event just for being a registered member. 2) While logged on to the SalesDiscipline website, go register for this event within the SalesCalendar. Make sure to use the special Promo Code of “DEAN” to receive an additional $194 discount. This is a total discount of $244 and will bring the price to just $55 for you!

If you are the type of person that would like to learn new ideas on how to grow your business and sell more effectively in a down economy then you will want to take advantage of this generous offer now before there are no more seats left!

So ACT NOW and register for this event by visiting http://www.stimulateyoursales.com.

Sincerely,

Dean Lindsay

Selling in the ZONE

The old adage- People hate to be sold, but they love to buy – is truer than ever. The days of the ‘ Sure Fire Closing Statement’ and the ‘Glad Handing Slick Salesman’ are thankfully things of the past. Today it is imperative for sales professionals to truly get to know prospects and help prospects get to know them.

Selling today is about relationships. It is about attraction. It is about Trust. The customer has a need- a step they need to take. They must trust we can meet that need- help them take that step. They need to trust our belief in ourselves, in our companies and in our products / services. Trust comes easy when we sell (and live) in the ZONE

ZEST – Emerson said, “ Enthusiasm is the mother of effort, without it nothing great was ever accomplished.” As sales professionals, we must have authentic enthusiasm for our work. If we want prospects to get excited about our products and services, we need to have that excitement first. We need an air of gusto. Likewise, if we want people to believe in our products and services, we must believe in our products and services first. This shows in the way we hold ourselves and in the passion we have for our jobs and our lives.

Whenever possible, people do business with people they like. Passion for our lives and our work makes us attractive. It draws people to us. We must be continually offering people our best attitude. Ask yourself: Would you want to talk to, much less do business with you?

ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS – Structure is vital for the sales professional. Solid self-management (formally known as time management) leads to higher productivity and reduced stress. Our desks need to be workstations, not storage space or shrines to past accomplishments. We must be able to quickly find important information. Being well organized show respect for time (the prospect’s and ours).

Looking sharp is also part of organization. We must always be presentable. If we can’t even get ourselves together enough to look presentable how is someone going to see us as together enough to handle their challenge. Plus, how we present ourselves shouts volumes about how we feel about ourselves and our work.

NETWORKING SKILLS – It is not just who we know, or who knows us. It is also, what we know about who we know and more importantly who TRUSTS us. Being known as a reliable (and likable) resource is the ultimate goal. The more we can present ourselves -in person- in a positive light the better. First impressions are powerful so turn someone on to you by tuning into them. When you meet a new person, show genuine interest in them and invest the majority of the time asking questions about them and their business. Powerful networking is totally linked to the other terms in the ZONE acronym. People are drawn to our enthusiasm, our respect for their time and our…

EMPATHY – Empathy is sympathy without pity. Empathy means understanding that people make decisions for their reasons not ours. Empathy is always thinking “ What that means to you, Mrs./ Mr. Prospect, is…” Empathy is focusing on benefits not features. Empathy is truly committing to doing what is best for the customer and working to help provide the right product or service to meet their needs.

The most powerful way to understand the prospect’s need is to ask questions. In the medical profession, it is known that prescription without diagnosis is malpractice. The same is true in the sales profession. We must ask a variety of open and closed ended questions to diagnosis the situation, so our recommendation (prescription) will meet the need.

Solid listening goes hand in hand with asking powerful questions. We must LISTEN to prospects. I don’t mean listen. I mean LISTEN. Calvin Coolidge said “ No man ever listened himself out of a job.” We must listen as if our life(style) depended on it – because in a large way it does.

Get in the ZONE, and try to help someone.

Be Progress.

“Our answer must consist not in talk and medication, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answers to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual.”
- Viktor Frankl

Exchange the word “Life” with “Business” in this opening quote and you have a powerful truism for business.
Viktor Frankel (1905-1997) really knew what he was talking about. He had this ‘being human thing’ figured out. He was one of the greatest European philosophers and psychiatrists of the Twentieth Century. The U.S. Library of Congress named, Dr. Frankel’s enlightening book, Man’s Search for Meaning as one of the 10 books that “made the most difference in people’s lives.”

Frankel lectured in over 40 countries and even fulfilled a visiting professorship at Southern Methodist University. He developed his philosophy known as Logotherapy in the 1930s (Logos is “meaning” in Greek). I recently had the privilege of participating in the thirteenth World Congress of Viktor Frankel’s Logotherapy. In this challenging time for businesses, we can benefit greatly from a look into his teachings. Here is some wisdom from Dr. Frankel and how it relates to business.

We have the Freedom of Choice. Dr. Frankel’s pregnant wife, his parents and brother were all killed during their incarceration in Nazi prison camps. It was in these camps that Dr. Frankel validated his theories. He lost everything, he said, that could be taken from a prisoner, except one thing; “the last of the human freedoms, to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” As the markets continue to fluctuate and business challenges mount, you have the freedom to choose your reaction. A resourceful attitude towards a challenge is paramount if the challenge is to be met.

Our Responses Count. According to Frankel, it is not what happens to you that matters. It is how you respond to what happens that is significant. Same with business. You can not control all the elements of business. Trucks breakdown. Greenspan sleeps. Things happen. How will you respond to unforeseen events? What will you DO? The only things you can control are your responses, your decisions, your actions.

We Must Fight. Standing up to adversity ( i.e. business challenges, the slowing economy) is something Dr. Frankel believed in . Frankel was an ACTION man. In the face of inescapable uncertainty, you must have unwavering determination to overcome the challenges that face you daily in the business world.

Focus on Fulfilling Unique Potential. We not only have a right, but a responsibility, to fulfill our individual potential, according to Frankel. He stressed the using of one’s inner resources to achieve personal goals and find personal truth. The same truth applies to every corporation or business. Each employee, no matter the position or responsibility, has unique strengths, that when utilized, prove to be vital in creating the future of the organization.

Behavior is Driven by Internal Purpose. Great managers know this. It is imperative to understand what the employee is about. Why are they working for the organization? What drives them? Gaining insight into a person’s reasons for working goes a long way in helping the employee reach their full potential.
Responsible-ness -is the center of Frankel’s work. Each of us must take responsibility for where we are in our relationships, financial situation, job situation and businesses because of our decisions that put us there.

Being Responsible, Finding and Making the Most of Individual Strengths, Overcoming Adversity, the Freedom and Power of Choice, ACTION – Frankel would have been the ultimate sales manager or at least a world class CEO.

Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence.
Talent will not; nothing is more common than
unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.
Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts
Persistence and Determination alone are omnipotent.
- Calvin Coolidge

Many highly revered books on the subject of selling contend that it takes five to 10 follow-up actions with a prospect to make the first sale. Obviously, persistence is a key ingredient for sales success. The greatest sales skills in the world are useless unless combined with the correct amount of persistence. Consider:

Persistence is a Byproduct of Passion. If you see persistence, passion is at work. Passion leads to a zest for the pursuit. Plus, passion is extremely attractive. Passion is dramatically damaged by discouragement, cynicism and apathy. If you are going to be a top sales pro you must eliminate these from your vocabulary and behavior. The challenge is that facing what could be many months of sales effort can be discouraging and lead to a loss of passion. Don’t focus on the long sales process. Instead break it into a series of short steps.

Sell Yourself on Your Sales Goals. To keep the passion, constantly remind yourself of the benefits you are expecting from your efforts. Keeping your thoughts constantly on the benefits of your sales goals will allow you to dispense with failure quickly and decisively re-adjust your sales efforts .

Persistence is Not Pushy. Persistence is sometimes confused with being pushy and a lack or respect for the prospect. Sales persistence demands respect for and good rapport with your prospects. It is much easier to follow-up with someone you have a good relationship with. Your ability to follow-up will determine your success in sales. If you ever feel that your prospect is pulling back because of your follow up, you may want to try saying something like, “I don’t want to seem over eager or as anything less than professional. How would you like me to follow up with you?”

Keep Your Sense of Humor. Professionals who maintain a sense of humor gain respect. Plus it’s good for you. When you laugh, you release endorphins in the brain that make you feel better. You have more energy to tackle sales challenges. People are drawn to people that are upbeat and have a positive jovial frame of mind.

Do Not To Take Rejection Personally. I know this is tough, especially when you have passion for what you do. But consider that a huge reason so many sales people never persist is they take every sales rejection, setback, or failure personally. To an unhealthy degree, they equate the success their product or service with their personal self-esteem and thus each business setback becomes a personal failure. Work hard to get out of the limiting habit of beating yourself up mentally when you can’t get to the decision maker, when the presentation doesn’t go well, when you forget to pop an Altoids in your mouth after that lunch of garlic and onions. By focusing on blaming yourself, you are seriously breaking down your level of resolve and persistence and believe me there are plenty of other people out there who are only too willing to do that for you. Give yourself a break. You ain’t perfect and wouldn’t the rest of us feel weird if you were.

Things Can and Do Go Wrong. Each lost sale, missed opportunity or A / V problem should not be allowed to become an emotional ‘downer’. Self pity is not part of a rocking sales professional’s make up. Re-frame the setback to your advantage. Invest the time in stepping back and analyzing what went wrong. Play the event back in your mind and try to find the words or solutions that might have made the difference. Consider that by eliminating another sales idea that didn’t work, the path to sales success became clearer. Pay constant attention to implementing necessary changes in marketing and sales strategy, while keeping long term goals the same.

Go. Do Try. The average, self-made millionaire in this country was broke, bankrupt or financially destitute 3.7 times before becoming a financial success. Even Wal-Mart, a two billion-dollar corporation founded from nothing, had to struggle to avoid financial collapse in the early days. But Sam Walton was extremely extremely persistent and I hear Wal-Mart is doing pretty good these days. Don’t quit. Keeping doing something you believe will lead to progress. We haven’t lost until we quit trying. As the Japanese proverb teaches, the eventual winners are those who ‘fall down seven times, get up eight.’

Be Progress.

Sell Yourself on YOUR Goals

A new year is upon us. We are setting new goals
or at least carrying over some of last year’s
New Year’s resolutions. We have pledged to make
2005 a great year.

What is a great year to YOU? The year you DO what, BECOME what?? And more importantly-WHY? Why is doing whatever it is you are resolving to do important to YOU?

Here is something to think about:

Everything we do, consciously or subconsciously, we do
because we believe the perceived benefits will be a combination of the following six Ps:

Pleasure
Profit
Peace of Mind
Power
Prestige
Pain Avoidance

This goes for eating, not eating, shopping, exercising, hugging, crying, working, going to the movies – whatever.

At each moment we make decisions based on what we think
will bring these benefits- short term or long term.

One of the reasons that New Year’s Resolutions are hard to stick with is we forget or lose sight of WHY we set them.

When we set them, we feel they will bring us long term pleasure or help us avoid pain long term. As the days and weeks roll on, we are introduced to many faster and easier ways to invest our time that promise pleasure or helps us some pain.

To stay committed to your goals and have a great year,
sell yourself on YOUR goals and continually remind yourself
of the long term benefits to YOUR life.

WHY are they YOUR resolutions? WHY are they YOUR goals? WHY will achieving them make 2005 great for YOU?

“Strong reasons make strong actions.”
– William Shakespeare

WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? Pile on the reasons.
Pile on the Ps.

Make YOUR goals weigh heavy in YOUR mind.

If you have a heavy enough WHY- you will figure out How.
So make your goals Big and Phat. Ask yourself WHY?

For information on our Big Phat Goals program visit:
Big Phat Goals