I have been living and teaching accelerating business growth for over 30 years; the principles in this program have allowed me to operate five successful businesses during three recessions. Now, I will show you how to thrive in economic uncertainty and where to find hidden treasures of gold.

Remember, to be on the field of play you need to take action. I have reserved a spot for you to be one of the first to learn about this program. Take action and join us on Thursday December 18, 2008, learn the “Secrets” and start your New Year in blazing speed.

If you would like to make a reservation, please visit:
Click here to Register or follow this link: http://TinyWebLink-001.com/?pid=4542695

You need to register today, my lines are limited and the last one was completely sold out.

Wishing you success,

Drew Stevens

P. S.  For the first 50 registrants I am offering my FREE Special Report - “Thriving in the Current Economy”. This 15-page report provides techniques and strategies to find business now!

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http://www.salesopedia.com/content/view/1773/10479/

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No business grows without acquiring new customers. In fact, nothing happens to your business without a sale. Utilities do not function, employees do not get paid and you do not receive compensation without a sale!

To grow business, acquire and retain clients and gain financial prosperity requires a single focus and most important accountability. Coaches assist elite individuals uncover underutilized strengths and hide weaknesses. Coaching helps provide a single focus and work towards the tip of the arrow rather than just the target.

In addition, in a time pressured world and multi generational environment modalities of learning change. Professionals desire assistance wherever, however and whenever they need it. Using the power of technology coaching is available throughout the day!

Finally, Athletes practice, attorneys practice, students practice and musicians practice. Business professionals must practice! . Too many individuals attempt things once and quit. Whether a diet, gym membership or other life altering experience, individuals try one time and leave without moving forward. The key to self-mastery is continuing. You must practice everyday. Just like you body is an investment, so is your mind!

Join our Fast Track Selling Club and watch your business dramatically accelerate!

For additional information click here…

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As you sit at your table this week, and as those how lover you gather around, give thanks to those that love you thanks to those that support you and thanks to your Creator for life, liberty and happiness.

I thank you for your support, and your appreciation for my work.

Blessings and Peace to you and your family!

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Customer Service
Eighty percent of most organizations believe they deliver exemplary customer service. Ironically, less then twenty percent do. According to research by consultancy Bain and Company, only eight percent of companies really deliver on customer service. In fact, U.S. corporations lose half their customers every five years. Loyal customers become adjuncts to the marketing department. Make certain your business invests in programs that promote customer loyalty.

Competitive Intelligence
Customers no longer desire focus on product; they want to understand results. Most important, results are only part of the equation and clients seek value from a trusted partner. Understandably, associations build over time, clients desire trust and respect, and such tools are gained by understanding client issues. The only method to augment this issue is the creation of a client-competitive intelligence program. Use investigative tools that promote the client’s organizational comprehension, industry knowledge, and even competitive trends and pressures. A sincere understanding of client issues assists in promoting a strong relationship.

Morale
Many organizations hire for behavior and not skill. Selling is a skill and some of it is not teachable. Selling professionals must be gregarious, curious, and aggressive. Selling professionals must have passion for the product, the industry, and the customer. Morale or lack of is a huge obstacle with customer relationships, if conviction and energy are void.

Relationship
The only differentiation from competitive forces is the relationships with clients. In addition to using some of the tools above, it is imperative to remain in contact with clients consistently. Connect with all of your clients (large and small) at least once per month or per quarter. Your avoidance only provides an opportunity for your competitor to have a similar discussion.

Closing
Remember this: always be closing! Ask questions, make presumptions, engage with clients; however, always seek to ask the question. When they get to the closing stage many professionals become bashful. If you want business you must ask for it. If you do not, your competition will.

The hardest part of change is change. If you seek new methods to assist your selling success, you must change. If you seek better or different results, you must change. Moreover, if you want new methods to aid your success, use some of these methods, create some change, and become more effective.

© 2008. Drew J. Stevens. All rights reserved.

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1.    Ignore the small stuff. There is only so much that you can control and you cannot control everything. Only worry about things that matter. Automobile issues are for mechanics; the rising price of produce will not stop because you complain; and rude people will always exist, so ignore the pressure to respond. Let the little things – and they are little things – roll off your back like rainwater off a rose.

2.    Learn self-mastery. Frustration arouses us because we have not mastered a sense of self. It is imperative to look in the mirror and recognize our accomplishments. We must rationalize our success. Stress stems from a focus away from self onto others. Learn to become a master of the mirror and see what lurks within.

3.    Stop limiting your beliefs. “Insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and getting the same result.” To seek new methods you must change your limiting beliefs. For example: if you believe you are poor, you are; if you believe you make less then others, you do; and if you believe you are treated unfairly at work, you are. Limit beliefs focused on the negative. Stop the insanity, look in the mirror, gain acuity in thought and realize all you have to offer. Begin focusing on positive issues and positive results will happen. What do you think Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy and Frank Lloyd Wright said to limiting beliefs? All you can become already exists!

Stress is the audacious component of heart and liver disease, diabetes, obesity, etc. Extend your life, your passions and your relationships by learning to downplay stress and expand your capabilities.

2008. Drew J. Stevens. All rights reserved.

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In the last 10 to 15 years, an emergence of business casual attire has adopted from the East Coast to the West. It is common for professionals to wear jeans, T –Shirts and sneakers or boots to the office. While I enjoy fashion trends, one worth terminating is business casual.

Casual dress inspires casual conversations and behavior. In the 10 to 15 years, it has become noticeable for productivity to decrease at work. There exists a potpourri of information on productivity in the workplace and many point to dress code. Casual dress simply promotes apathetic behavior.

Second, numerous business professionals engage with client’s daily. Clients desire to conduct business with those they trust and exemplify expertise. If there were a need to visit a cardiologist or an investment banker, what might be your feelings if they greeted you in blue jeans and a polo shirt? Would you prefer someone that dresses the part?

A diminishing trend seems to exist. In the last two to three years, I am noticing more men and women wearing business suits. Airports that once greeted polo shirt and khaki passengers are filling with grey and blue pinstripes, leather soles, and pumps. If you want to look the part, you must be the part. Invest in your business, in your profession and in your closet. Resist the population and settle for professionalism. Seek out clothing that embodies your professional image; purchase a nice briefcase, pad folio, and pen. In addition, watch accessories that dampen your appearance such as watches, rings, and bracelets. Dress for success and watch your image flourish.

© 2008. Drew J. Stevens. All rights reserved.

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Here is a brief description of our discussion:

Conceptually sales and marketing departments have different philosophies and different cultures. Marketing continually blames sales if revenue falters and sales blames marketing for poor development. A classic case is a firm that spent almost $300,000 on a trade booth. Marketing helped to create a stellar eye-opening booth but not one sale was attributed to the show. The most imperative culture issue is that marketing believes that selling professionals are too focused on meeting customer budget not needs and sales believes that marketing is out of touch with client issues.While the two groups are working towards a similar goal, client acquisition, both follow opposing paths to achieve the same result. In order to refrain from conflicts and to achieve efficiency in the process, culture must change. Selling culture is achieved from sales closure; marketing culture is attuned to programs. Based on recent research with several clients, aligning the culture reduces conflict and speeds efforts. Further recent 2007 surveys illustrate that average quota attainment is below 60%; forecast accuracy hovers at 50/50 requiring a better method to achieve selling efficiency and who better to help than the marketing department.
In order to help augment culture, influence is required. Sales and marketing behaviors are influenced by both beliefs and attitudes. Once behaviors change, departments enact interdepartmentally, sharing responsibilities and becoming more strategic with accounts and more importantly eliminating the fences that divide.

Listen to this fabulous eye opening session and gain new insight.

About Drew Stevens

Drew Stevens helps individuals dramatically accelerate business growth. Drew has built four profitable and growing businesses during three economic downturns. Drew’s coaching and mentoring you with a return on investment never to look back!

About Linda Popky

Linda Popky is the founder and president of L2M Associates, Inc., a strategic marketing company that helps organizations dramatically improve their bottom line by more effectively leveraging their investments in marketing programs, processes, and people. She can be reached at http://www.l2massociates.com/

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While the available research is useful, it encapsulates issues denoting immediate change. The primary challenges are that in order to change results, beliefs must change, and further change can result from an event such as training or a workshop. Organizations, employees, and notably behavior will not change with one program. Changing beliefs requires a process. This helps stimulate attitudes and beliefs. When organizations develop a process methodology, silos decrease, productivity increases, and morale improves.

During our 15 years of research with hundreds of small and multinational organizations and business leaders, we find a lack of process. We believe that business functions similar to athletics; they both require commitment, energy, and practice. Leaders must take new processes, allocate accountability and time, and apply process principles. We developed PRACTICE to assist leadership deployment.

P – Personnel Comes First
The vital asset of any organization is an employee. Internal stakeholders are the nucleus of organizational function and production. Loyal core provides results and profits. Leaders must acquire, develop, and communicate to the core. Organizational culture exemplifies employee assets. Personnel retention and morale are higher when culture focuses on employees. Loyal employees like loyal clients assist in profitability.

R – Relationships with key Stakeholders
A study by the Corporate Leadership Council reveals the tremendous impact managers have on an employee’s level of commitment. It is imperative to note that individuals do not leave companies - they leave poor managers. Failure to build inter-office and departmental relationships contributes to negative morale. Research shows that taking time to build relationships with employees through personal interaction is a key step for high morale. Employees need to feel trust and respect.

A - Attentiveness to Strategy
Many leaders pay many large consulting firms, exorbitant fees for strategy. The only problem, the research remains in an office bin or shelf. The problem with strategy is two-fold, 1) executives that do not understand or believe it and 2) a failure to communicate the strategy to all organizational stakeholders. Strategy cannot sit on a shelf. Similar to blood through veins, strategy must produce within all functional levels. Failure to communicate speed, direction, and fuel consumption eventually leads to a tragic crash or a lost vehicle.

C – Communication Essentials
Research into leadership illustrates an interesting correlation with famous and egregious leaders. Ironically, both groups exemplify superfluous oratory. Leaders understand the need to communicate. Announcements good or bad provide feedback required by employees to understand purpose and direction. A failure to communicate is a failure to lead.

T – Talent Acquisition
1. Start with the right people. No firm we work with ever hires on a proactive basis. Most firms conduct employment searches reactively. Seek employees that fit with the organizational culture and with the obligatory skills. Never wait!
2.    Hire for skill – Talent is innate. Organizations hire for personality and behavior first and skill second. Skill is not interchangeable, behavior is. A great hire might have a wonderful temperament and lack the skill to plug a socket into an outlet. I recall a five star hotel that hired another level of housekeeping to repair floors. Hire the right people for the right job and lower costs.
3.    Look at best practices from best people – Management focuses on “fixing those that cannot” rather than “improving those that can”. Icons of performance exist in your organization. Discover what they do right and encourage others to emulate it.
4.    Passion – In the 1980’s Sylvester Stallone appeared again as Rocky this time with a theme, “Eye of the Tiger”. What a great metaphor for valuable talent. Seek to acquire talent that truly loves work.

I – Investments in Assets
Investment in the number one asset- people is vital. Never terminate training when results lower, rather increase them. The time for improvement is when things need improvement not when they are working well.

C – Cultural Strategies
Leaders develop the culture and those that do, have skin in the game. Apple UPS, Southwest, and many others illustrate an uncompromising need to serve clients and treat employees well. Develop cultures that strive for greatness not adversity.

E – Evolving with the Enigma
Organizations are enigmas just when you gain a resolution they change. Organizations must be open to and flexible with change. However, doing so requires critical, consistent, and collaborative analysis. Obtain a team that provides honest feedback, timeliness, and insight.

Similar to the athlete striving for perfection, leaders too must practice to alleviate imperfections. The best leaders constantly evaluate, seek success, and adopt new methods of improvement.

© 2008. Drew J. Stevens. All rights reserved.

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I am willing to bet that you believe that the economy is holding you back from quota. I am willing to believe that stress is increasing. How bad do you think the economy really is? Do you believe the economy is why you cannot sell anything? Well, here is some interesting information for you.

•    Halloween spending this year is $6 Billion.
•    Christmas spending on the Internet will increase by 22%
•    According to a recent CNN report, Americans save only 1% of their income.
•    Review your interstates and local roads; notice all the new automobiles.
•    American football stadiums are still selling to capacity crowds.
•    Fast food and restaurant capacity has decreased only marginally; people still go out to eat!
•    Beer and liquor products are holding up well.
•    Seven of every ten firms are holding an annual holiday party!

So, if the economy is down, why is there so much spending? While I do not suggest you ignore the issues, however, media outlets seeking viewers contrive much of the news. Selling professionals need ignore these unnecessary distractions and simply sell. Stop getting distracted and stop listening to the negative. You must find methods that provide the inside track and get your sales into 5th gear.

The following are items you influence to take you from worst to first!

Do not – watch the news and ponder the negative. Rather discover trends that enable you to assist clients. Look at trends that buck recessionary trends. This time of year, there are budgets that still require spending.

Do not – hover around negative people. They only make you negative. Rather discover new associations that build your business. Find networking clubs and associations seeking positive volunteers.

Do not – listen to rumor. Rather only, act on information that proves to be factual. Review statistics and seek honest information sources.

Do not- waste time with unnecessary meetings. Rather, understand objectives and agendas before you attend. Your precious time needs to be spent selling.

Do not – waste time. With extra time yielded by canceled appointments, discover methods to improve your craft. Attend a class or read a book that provides professional improvement.

Do not – sweat the small stuff. You will gain some additional canceled engagements and letters of intent. Do not focus on the negative hold onto relationships for future growth and opportunities.

Do not – treat non-paying and terminating clients badly. Research proves that 40% of every selling situation is based on customer service. The world is flat and the world is small, your present non-pay might become a future long-term prospective client.

Do not – look for the gloom but the gold. The New Year, the new President brings change. Change provides new opportunity. Change provides light in what appears dark.

The current economic issue will eventually become coffee table conversation. Change provides renewal and growth. Within the next several years, growth returns and these issues are past experiences. To maintain perspective and gain the inside track you need to operate in 5th gear. While your competitors downshift to first gear congruent with economic trends, now is the time to press down on the pedal and accelerate past the competition. Begin doing things the others don’t.

2008. Drew J. Stevens. All rights reserved.

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Put simply, sales professionals are problem solvers, much like a physician trying to understand the reason for an illness sales professionals know how to ask the correct and pointed questions to understand the issue and move immediately to problem identification and resolution. And if a sales professional gets stumped for an answer they know where to go to get it. It is not too often that sales professionals at least prepared ones will know how to get an answer and where to get it from.

Planning is one of the most important parts of sales preparation. Selling without planning is much like going on a blind date. You do know that the person is male or female, they want to meet you and communicate with you yet that is all. One cannot be a problem solver if you do not understand to whom you are speaking and how you can understand the issue.

Specifically there are three resources that you can use that cost no if little money to better understand client issues and how you can aid them.  They include the annual report, news and company and industry information. For most companies, this information can be found online.

Susan sat down at the conference with the market development team of a Fortune 500 company. After receiving the invitation to meet, she’d spent weeks researching the company, their competition and their corporate culture. She came prepared with an approach that dovetailed her research into her company’s products. She also came prepared to take the lead on the meeting. The meeting began with introductions and then the director said, “Well, Susan. Here’s what were looking for, why don’t you take it from here…”

Purpose & Passion
You must have an intention for each and every conversation, call, proposal and action you take. Not to say that all is calculated but you must have a reason for why you are doing what you are doing.

Purpose helps you to answer three vital and dynamic questions:
•    Who is the client?
•    What do they need?
•    Why me?

Your ability to reply to and have good content to these answers will assist you with understanding what you bring to the table and how you can assist the client to derive pleasure from the current pain. Your purpose gives you direction as if the compass and helps you to drive to the shortest destination in the least amount of time.

Successful sales professionals love challenges, are exceptional about adversity and love the product or service that they represent. They are never shy, they are never non-conversant and you can sense their spirit and their passion when they speak. In fact, I heard a South Aftrican word the other day, enbutu, meaning from the spirit. Successful sales professionals have an aura of spirit, of love, of passion, of commitment in everything and anything that they do. The more you can create enbutu in your sales presentations and your sales day the more energetic and more representative you can be for your client.

Your passion will also help you with persistence. The successful salesperson is someone that is willing to go the distance when fatigued or stumped so that they create value, vision and viability for the prospective client that yearns for a resolution.

2008. Drew J. Stevens All rights reserved.

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