What Holds you Back?

One of the worst things that hurt individuals is the inability to grow. We all have skeletons that haunt our past- if we let them. Previous issues, phobias and concerns can be like anchors on boat, they can continually drag you down until you reach the bottom; and they can sink you.

If you feel you are held back, it just might be past ghosts. The focus must be on the present and the future- not the past. You cannot alter the past; you can only impact your future.

I learned this imperative life lesson many years ago as a survivor of child abuse. After many years of physical and mental anguish I was forced to mature quickly while making many life-altering decisions. Now as a professional entrepreneur and more importantly a joyful father and husband I understand the power of focus and future. Life from time to has been volatile but if you remain focused and positive you can create the future you desire. Here is what I have learned along the journey:

1. It is imperative to have goals and to write them down. When the mind views something on paper there is an implicit contract that gets committed to memory. Additionally, focus on time frames so issues you desire remain in reach.
2. Dreams are those visuals that instigate and instill our desires. Never let anyone tell you dreams are folly. Those that do are stuck in their own hubris.
3. Guilt is negative thoughts derived and devoured by self-deprecation. The “pity pot” cements us. Positive thoughts instill better outcomes.
4. Franklin Roosevelt once stated, “The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.” This is not a trite statement but very true. Fear similar to guilt stops you. Fear derails you. Fear stops growth. The best attitude against fear is risk. Higher risk means a greater opportunity for high returns.
5. Similar to fear, procrastination when manifested will derail future growth. Procrastination is the resultant of both fear and guilt. To stop procrastination, one must create motion. Motion creates energy and with it the more speed to get more accomplished.
6. Stop engaging with negative individuals, they only sink you. You are the summation of the individuals you associate with. If those around you do not love you unconditionally then you need to find new people. Altering your associations will bring significant changes in attitude and behavior.
7. Never lose hope and never lose faith. Life has some hurdles and it is how you operate through and around them not avoiding them. Hurdles are unavoidable but can be speed bumps with the right attitude.
8. No matter what God you believe in, never lose faith. God does not want anyone to fail and is always with us in the shadows walking right behind or beside us.

©2010. Drew Stevens PhD. All Rights Reserved.

Drew Stevens is one of the world’s leading authorities on business development and sales. Drew is the author of the successful sales process book Split Second Selling. He is also the creator of the Sales Leadership Certificate one of only 14 programs in the United States offering an accredited degree in the profession of selling and has a top ranked podcast called Sales Fitness. To discover how Dr. Drew can assist your organization to increase their business development skills visit him at www.stevensconsultinggroup.com

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Warm Up those Cold Calls

One of the most difficult responsibilities for any selling professional is lead generation. And one of the oldest methods of generating leads is through cold calling. With little preparation and a lot of angst, selling professionals are sent adrift to call countless individuals in pursuit of income.

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http://www.allbusiness.com/company-activities-management/sales-selling/14422985-1.html

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Overcoming Adversity

Has life been a struggle? Do you continue to either procrastinate or morph on self pity? Listen to Overcome Adversity the new Sales Fitness Podcast and accelerate your successes both on and off the field of play.

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Cold Calling Secrets Revealed

http://www.allbusiness.com/company-activities-management/sales-selling/14422985-1.html

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Creating Sales Luck

I am oftentimes amazed at selling professionals that lament about how others are more lucky or fortunate than they. As John Gough once stated, “If you want to succeed, you must make your own opportunities to do so”. If selling professionals desire to make more money and subsequently close more business then consider the following:

1. Stop the procrastination, pick up the telephone, and call a client you have not spoken to in a while.
2. Frequently seek referrals from you clients. There is strength in numbers; the more clients called the more referrals. Alternatively you might ask for one referral per client.
3. Always seek opportunities; have business cards with you wherever you go and never fear announcing your value proposition to others.
4. Continually network; being a desk potato does not help to grow business.
5. Use slow times for self-development and enhanced learning. It is not your company’s responsibility to invest in your educational future.
6. Defy the law of attraction. Negative people bring on additional negativity. Network with those that strengthen you.
7. Read voraciously. Reviewing newspapers and other periodicals allow you to discover new methods to service clients.

©2010. Drew Stevens PhD. All rights reserved.

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Customer Service Killers

1. Using email to respond to clients. Failure to directly engage with a client is lazy.
2. Procrastination. Stop putting off the call to a client, nothing is more important.
3. Professionalism must always be present. You are required to dress professionally and ready to serve. Dress codes must be upheld, you are a direct representative of the company that employs you.
4. Using electronics to veil your personal side. Write thank you notes; send formal quotes and reply to customer issues in written form. Customers are the reason you are in business.
5. Customers are not an interruption to work they are the purpose for it. Failure to embed this into a company culture is one of many reasons to cease operations.
6. Even the most onerous customer is to be treated with respect.
7. Divorce clients that take too much time and money from the bottom line.
8. “The reason for business is to create a customer.” – Peter Drucker. Make it so. All activities must be directed to client acquisition and retention.
9. Greetings are discourteous. Frontline employees are the first thing customers seek. Cashiers, receptionists, etc must be empathetic to the customer.

10. Subordinate transfer. A customer past to subordinates is not delegation it is narcissism.  When executives and managers spend more time behind desks then with clients they are removed from the vibrancy and raison d’etre.

©2010. Drew Stevens PhD. All Rights Reserved.

Drew Stevens is one of the world’s leading authorities on business development and sales. Drew is the author of the successful sales process book Split Second Selling. He is also the creator of the Sales Leadership Certificate one of only 14 programs in the United States offering an accredited degree in the profession of selling and has a top ranked podcast called Sales Fitness. To discover how Dr. Drew can assist your organization to increase their business development skills visit him at www.stevensconsultinggroup.com

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10 Flaws that Kill Sales

1. Spending too much time with gatekeepers and others that are not key decision makers. Unless you are using them to gain access to economic buyers.
2. Not using action steps to move the sale forward. Do not expect the client to do your work.
3. Being ready and available for every call. Dress the part and dress professionally daily. Casual dress is a rote excuse for laziness.
4. Procrastination. Use a planner and take time for personal issues. Do not use work as an excuse not to spend time with family. Never use poor planning as an excuse not to return imperative client calls.
5. Not using a small percentage of each day for lead generation. The fuller the pipeline the more available the opportunities.
6. Not spending time in self-development. Learning is a continuous process. Do not use learning as criteria for weakness. Your organization is not responsible for your future development- take responsibility.
7. Using electronic media instead of meeting directly with buyers. Face and voice time are more important than the veil of the Internet.
8. Not using a process. Over 90 percent of sales professionals lack a formal roadmap that helps to efficiently find and close business.
9. Failing in customer service. Over 50% of every client interaction involves customer service. Kill them with kindness to have them return.

10. Responding to proposals not requested by buyers. Responding to blind RFI’s is simply a waste of time.

©2010. Drew Stevens PhD. All Rights Reserved.

Drew Stevens is one of the world’s leading authorities on business development and sales. Drew is the author of the successful sales process book Split Second Selling. He is also the creator of the Sales Leadership Certificate one of only 14 programs in the United States offering an accredited degree in the profession of selling and has a top ranked podcast called Sales Fitness. To discover how Dr. Drew can assist your organization to increase their business development skills visit him at www.stevensconsultinggroup.com

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Busy or Bull – How To Get Around a Lack of Returned Calls

Whatever happened to old-fashioned common courtesy? It appears that the proliferation and excuse of technology allow for too many excuses for busyness. Many will state that there is not enough time in a day to return calls and emails, however no one is that busy. Lethargy is no excuse.

It is impolite when individuals are unresponsive to telephone calls and emails. While some individuals do tend to get sidetracked there is something to be said for professional courtesy. Sellers that attempt to reach clients and prospective clients must take a stand. Simply state, “I know you are as busy as I however, after X voice messages and emails I am certain you received them. This is my last attempt to reach you so as not to be overly persistent and out of respect for our professional relationship. If you are interested please connect with me. ” This will enable sellers to maintain professionalism while attempting to receive some response.

Sellers do not become acrimonious or take the unresponsiveness personally. Simply state the message and move on. The world is too small to be angered each time this occurs and something imperative might be taking precedent. However, your time is valuable too!

©2010. Drew Stevens PhD. All Rights Reserved.

There are seven secrets for selling effectiveness. Click here For a Free Report

Drew Stevens is one of the world’s leading authorities on business development and marketing. Drew is the author of the successful sales process book Split Second Selling. He is also the creator of the Sales Leadership Certificate one of only 14 programs in the United States offering an accredited degree in the profession of selling and has a top ranked podcast called Sales Fitness. To discover how Dr. Drew dramatically accelerate your business development and sales skills visit his sales and marketing website.

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Business Development Optimization

I went out this past weekend to play golf with my son and I took notice of how the game might be aligned with the world of selling. One of my frequent issues with selling is the lack of a process. This is simply because there is a lack of focus on hecustomer. Selling requires a constant and intense focus on the company’s most vital asset.

Coincidentally, the weekend golfer typically lacks focus in the one area of the game that is most important-the cup. Most golfers will attempt to hit the ball onto the take as far and wide as they can in the hope of being close to the cup. Unfortunately with only 18 chances the statistics do not favor the golfer. The most important and strategic portion of the game is known as the short game. Golfers need to focus on establishing as few strokes as necessary to get the ball into its final destination. It seems at times that golfers become more cognizant at the end rather than the beginning. This gameplan is too erratic and provides for more luck than grace.

Sellers too become most erratic when selling without a process. When focus is maintained on the client there is a better opportunity of closing business. Rather than hacking away at luck the true seller is constantly involved with creating less steps, less labor and more value to the potential client. Unlike golf they do not focus on only the beginning but the entire game plan. Some of the best sellers reach their short game with:

1. Preparation-every call in every visit is carefully planned to ensure a proper beginning and proper closure.

2. Relationship-the true seller is always involved in building and maintaining relationships with proper economic buyers.

3.Questions-sellers always have available questions related to objectives and measurements of success.

4. Risk-good sellers always take prudent risk to move the sale forward.

5. Productivity-good sellers do not waste time with unnecessary items, they optimize their day based upon prioritization.

6. Strategy-those sellers the strategic lead less volatile roads because they prepare for most circumstances.

7. Customer Service-good sellers are always ladies and gentlemen to ladies and gentlemen, 45% of every sale involves customer service.

Before heading out onto the sales golf course is best to have a good strategy so as to lessen labor and focus more on the end game-the customer. Being too tactical only wastes time and strokes. While you’re setting up your next shot your competitor is already on the green.

©2010. Drew Stevens PhD. All Rights Reserved.

There are seven secrets for selling effectiveness. Click here For a Free Report 7 Secrets to Selling Success

Drew Stevens is one of the world’s leading authorities on business development and marketing. Drew is the author of the successful sales process book Split Second Selling. He is also the creator of the Sales Leadership Certificate one of only 14 programs in the United States offering an accredited degree in the profession of selling and has a top ranked podcast called Sales Fitness. To discover how Dr. Drew dramatically accelerate your business development and sales skills visit his sales and marketing website.

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Increasing Sales Team Productivity for Sales Executives

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ExecSense Publishes Webinar on Increasing Sales Team Productivity for Sales Executives Led by Drew J. Stevens, PhD – President, Stevens Consulting Group

(San Francisco, CA) (April 8, 2010) Drew J. Stevens, PhD – President, Stevens Consulting Group, has been selected by the speaker board of ExecSense (www.ExecSense.com) to lead a webinar on How Sales Executives Can Better Engage, Incentivize, and Maximize the Productivity of Their Team. The webinar is now available for download and watching on a computer, mobile device, iPod or printed and viewed offline at http://ExecSense.com/details.asp?id=921

In How Sales Executives Can Better Engage, Incentivize and Improve Relationships with Their Team, ExecSense examines why sales executives need to spend the time to make sure their key people are happy, being challenged, and incentivized in a way that ties in with the goals of their team and company. Take the 60 minutes to view this webinar (on your computer, mobile phone, iPod or printed out) to learn easy-to-implement tips and tricks for how other leading sales executives are currently getting the most out of their team, regardless of the state of the economy.

According to Catharine Lloyd, head of speaker relations for ExecSense, “We were honored to have Dr. Stevens lead a webinar on this topic.  His work is highly regarded in the industry and the webinar is a great resource for Sales Executives.”

According to Dr. Stevens, “One of the greatest issues sales managers have is motivating and energizing their teams. Now is the time to obtain the needed information as the push for more productivity grows post recession”.

For complete information or to purchase this webinar, please visit http://ExecSense.com/details.asp?id=921 or call us at (415) 453-3003.

About ExecSense Webinars

ExecSense is the largest producer of executive webinars in the world, developing over 500 webinars a year led by hundreds of C-Level executives (CEO, CFO, CTO, CMO, CLO) and partners from 60% of the largest 200 law firms. ExecSense enables business and legal executives to be in-the-know on the most important topics that impact their profession. News breaks every day, however the news stories and trends written about in newspapers, magazines and web sites are too general in nature or not explored in enough detail. To provide executives with more in-depth insights tailored specifically to their profession, ExecSense produces individual webinars as well as titles in our Instant Impact, What Executives Need to Know About…, SpeedBriefings, Legal Needs, Technology for Lawyers, Technology for CEOs, and What to Know Before… series. Depending on the webinar, it includes audio files and documents in PowerPoint, Word and/or Excel. ExecSense is a privately held company headquartered in San Rafael, California, founded in 2000.

About Stevens Consulting Group

Stevens Consulting Group works with organizations that seek to dramatically accelerate revenue. With over 27 years of experience and research, Drew Stevens Phd is one of the worlds leading authorities on business development and sales skills. Dr. Drew is the author of the successful sales process book Split Second Selling. He is also the creator of the Sales Leadership Certificate one of only 14 programs in the United States offering an accredited degree in the profession of selling and has a top ranked podcast called Sales Fitness. To discover how Dr. Drew dramatically accelerate your business development and sales skills visit his sales and marketing website.

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