8 tips for more successful goal setting

[Here is the unabridged version of my article from the August 2011 BLI newsletter.]

We have all heard the one-liner, “If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.” I’d like to share some of thoughts on goal setting with you. Let’s make this applicable to our personal life as well as our professional life.

Goal setting may be defined as planning for success and achievement. Let’s take it seriously, because it can be the difference between success and failure.

1) Make the goal your own. This needs to be your ambition, not someone else’s expectation. Your personal happiness and fulfillment is what is important. Make sure you are the beneficiary. Define what you want and go for it.

2) Write your goals down, and make them specific and thorough. This will help keep you on track.

3) Have a long-range goal and have it broken into a number of short-term goals. Celebrate the success along the way. Success breeds success.

4) Make the goal achievable but “stretchy.” If goals are too easily achieved, a person may get bored and abandon it. On the other hand, if the goal is beyond achievement, one may become frustrated and abandon it.

5) Prioritize. List goals in order of importance. May I caution you to make this list genuine — not what is seemingly important or fun. Don’t procrastinate or misrepresent the priorities. If you control this facet of your plan, your success will happen quicker.

6) Share your goal with a trusted friend. This will give you accountability — as he/she will check on you. This friend will also encourage you and give ideas to help achieve your goal.

7) Plan and plan well. This is the map of your journey to success. Research your plan. Look for “bumps in the road” and plan accordingly. If the completion date needs to be changed, change it — but stay focused.

8) Be patient. Patience gives rise to consistency and is a key factor in overcoming obstacles to victory. Impatience leads to anger, distractions and failure. Goal achievement requires patience mixed with enthusiasm that will continue after the initial hype.

When you achieve your goal, congratulate yourself. This is a noteworthy achievement. Share the news with your friend and/or support group. Acknowledge their contribution great or small. If you have attached a reward — be sure to treat yourself.

Go for it!

How to Remain UPbeat during an ‘Economic DOWNturn’

[This article has been republished from our April 2011 newsletter. To view the full newsletter, log into the Dealer's Area and click "Newsletters."]

One of the many benefits of my job is the opportunity to visit with dealers face to face.

I was recently on a trip and saw a lot of long faces. The economy is down and people are not buying buildings. Dealers were hoping tax returns would translate into building purchases.

When I got back, I received a call from Mike and John Taylor in Wichita Falls, Texas. They had turned their entire inventory in the last week!

“WOW! How did you do that?”

Here’s what they told me:

• They had recently moved and held a grand opening type of celebration.
• They blitzed radio, TV, and the front page of the local Thrifty Nickel.
• They targeted their advertising to those who have been using the self-storage mall for a long time. They emphasized that they could have storage in their backyard and eventually own it.
• They offered no money due now. (It would be due upon receiving the building.)
• They offered hotdogs and sodas on Saturday.
• Sunday, though they did not offer refreshments, they had just as many visitors.

This continued into the following week, and now, their days are spent delivering buildings!

“We heard there were tough economic times, and we decided not to participate,” John said.

What can you do to bring in more customers?

Price vs. Value: Self-Evaluation (4 of 4)

Image courtesy of http://www.resumepower.com

As business people, we cannot talk enough about the difference between “price” and “value.” It’s a concept we must constantly re-teach ourselves, because in a world of bargain bins and big-box stores, it’s easily forgotten.

This blog entry is last in a series on that very topic.

After you have taken a value-driven approach to sales, you should take time for a self-evaluation. Based on your evaluation, tweak your presentation. Try new methods of focusing on value over price.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Have I really listened for the true needs and expectation?
• Can my product or service meet or exceed these needs?
• Is there an alternative method or better product that would be better suited?
• Have I determined expected product use?
• Have I made purchase recommendations based on the information?
• When they compare your product to competition are the differences obvious?  Is it easy to justify the higher price?
• Make sure it is good for you, company and customer. You want a win-win-win situation.

In what other ways can you evaluate your sales approach?

Price vs. Value: Presenting Your Product (3 of 4)

Image courtesy of http://www.heritagelog.com

As business people, we cannot talk enough about the difference between “price” and “value.” It’s a concept we must constantly re-teach ourselves, because in a world of bargain bins and big-box stores, it’s easily forgotten.

This blog entry is the third in a series on that very topic.

At this point we’ve talked about focusing on value instead of price and how to prepare for value-focused sales.

Now, let’s discuss how to present your product to the customer in a way that best showcases its value.

• Spend the most time asking questions. Listen to what they say. Determine what they need or want. Understand their values. Take notes.
• If they aren’t volunteering information, ask permission to share your product’s value. If they are not talking, ask, “May I share with you a few reasons why our building has more value?”
• When talking with them, build value throughout the conversation. When you stress expertise, knowledge, etc., you make price less of an issue.
• Sell the benefits of your product. Explain your product’s quality and performance; the product’s unique value; service and support after the sale; financial impact; your knowledge and expertise; peace of mind; ease of doing business.
• Use the term “investment.” Don’t use “price” or “cost.”
• Boost the benefits of paying for value. How much will they spend in repairs for the cheaper product?
• Do not oversell. When they say “yes,” write the order.

What are other ways to present your product’s value?

Price vs. Value: Preparing the Presentation (2 of 4)

Image courtesy of homebuildingremodeling.com

As business people, we cannot talk enough about the difference between “price” and “value.” It’s a concept we must constantly re-teach ourselves, because in a world of bargain bins and big-box stores, it’s easily forgotten.

This blog entry is the second in a series on that very topic.

We know how price and value differ. We know which is most important to focus on during a sales presentation.

But how do we go about doing that?

• Differentiate yourself as a person. Create a positive first impression, both for yourself as a person and for your business.
• Convey responsibility, concern and confidence. You are a knowledgeable professional with integrity.
• Know your product and its value. Be familiar with features and benefits and how they apply to the customer.
• Know your competition. Understand and demonstrate your unique selling position. What makes you different from your competitors?

What other steps can you take to prepare for a value-driven sales presentation?

Price vs. Value: The Facts of Life (1 of 4)

As business people, we cannot talk enough about the difference between “price” and “value.” It’s a concept we must constantly re-teach ourselves, because in a world of bargain bins and big-box stores, it’s easily forgotten.

This blog entry will be the first in a series on that very topic.

Years ago I saw a comic strip. Two bums (“homeless people,” to be politically correct) were sitting on a park bench. One said to the other, “I was always a low bidder.”

As salespeople we do not want to get in a price war. If price is an issue, then we haven’t separated ourselves from the competition. How many of us would be comfortable purchasing the cheapest barn? Would we as salespeople be proud to sell the cheapest product? If we have the lowest price, are we giving the impression our product is inferior?

Customers are willing to pay more if they feel they are getting more for their money. The bitterness of poor quality lasts long after the sweetness of a cheap price is forgotten.

Here are David Yoho’s 12 Facts of Life for selling to a price-conscious buyer:

1. There will always be someone with a lower price.
2. There will always be price objections.
3. You will always lose some business to lower prices.
4. Everyone wants a great deal.
5. Negotiation begins at the moment of first contact.
6. If the alternatives appear the same, decisions are usually made on price.
7. Trust and credibility probably outweigh the issues.
8. You have to sell by price, pressure or personalization.
9. Unsupported claims detract an unequal amount of value.
10. The party who knows the most about the other has the power to control.
11. You have to know when to say “no.” You have to be able to afford to say “No.”
12. Time is usually critical to value.

I’ll let you chew on those. In my next entry, I’ll talk more about preparing for a sales presentation in which value is stressed more than price.

What “Facts of Life” could you add to Yoho’s list?

‘One Solitary Life’

I ran across this poem a number of years ago. The first time it was seen in print was in 1926. Dr. James Allen Francis had it in a sermon or in his writings. It was and is pretty special to me. Why is it special to me?

Because it is about Jesus Christ. He has affected the world more than any other person and continues to do so.

Because of His effect on me.

Because He is my friend.

During this season when we celebrate His birth, let’s take time and reflect on how that One Solitary Life has impacted our lives in 2010. Let’s allow Him to go deeper into our lives and affect us even more.

One Solitary Life
by Dr. James Allen Francis

He was born in an obscure village,
The child of a peasant woman.
He grew up in still another village,
Where he worked in a carpenter shop
Until he was thirty.

Then for three years
He was an itinerant preacher.
He never wrote a book.
He never held an office.
He never had a family or owned a house.
He didn’t go to college.
He never visited a big city.
He never traveled two hundred miles
From the place where he was born.
He did none of the things
One usually associates with greatness.
He had no credentials but himself.

He was only thirty-three
When the tide of public opinion turned against him.
His friends ran away.
He was turned over to his enemies.
And went through the mockery of a trial.

He was nailed to a cross
Between two thieves.
While he was dying,
His executioners gambled for his clothing,
The only property he had on Earth.
When he was dead,
He was laid in a borrowed grave
Through the pity of a friend.

Twenty centuries have come and gone,
And today he is the central figure
Of the human race,
And the leader of mankind’s progress.

All the armies that ever marched,
All the navies that ever sailed,
All the parliament that ever sat,
All the kings that ever reigned,
Put together have not affected
The life of man on Earth
As much as that

One  Solitary  Life.

Create a ‘Buzz’ around Your Home Show Booth

Image courtesy of onehourairofwa.com

The home show season is coming quickly and already here for some. Shows are an ideal way to showcase your products to a large number of prospects at one time and one location. There will be thousands of people actually paying to see your product. The competition will be there. The objective is to make as many contacts as possible. So you want to be prominent and make the most of the opportunity. I have been doing some research about attracting potential customers to your booth and ultimately making the sale.

First, know the size and location of your booth. This will help in planning how you want to coordinate your display. Balloons, music, motion and lighting are all helpful in bringing attention to your booth. You will want to be in contact with the event’s coordinator to be within the guidelines.

Your booth should be an extension of who you are as a company, and you want to stand out from the crowd. Banners are lightweight, portable and easily displayed. Your banner should be clear and simple. You want to communicate who you are and your product. If attendees are unclear as to your offering, they will continue to walk. Feel free to use vertical space: place your banner above the crowd so it can be seen by attendees looking above those crowding around your booth.

Banners will bring people to your area; use posters or a big-screen TV to bring them closer. Have brochures with contact information and business cards available for prospects. Pens, magnets, pads or other appealing giveaways will keep you in front of them after the show. (Be sure to have enough.) A backdrop of a yard with your product would give people a visual application as to what you offer. Consider an instant sweepstakes promotion, like a dartboard, one-arm bandit, etc., to create a “buzz” around your booth. During the show, check out other booths. See where people gather and ask yourself what drew them there.

Your representatives must be on their “A” game. They need a good night’s rest and a good breakfast. There should be no food or drink, no reading material or chairs in the booth. They should be sharply dressed – one step above attendees. They need to be outgoing, able to make eye contact and smile. They represent your company, so they must be professional at all times. They need to be familiar with your product and company. The goal is to make contacts, so they want to get information quickly and in a relaxed manner. Give them breaks to keep them fresh.

A successful show is dependent on following up with leads. Research shows 70 percent of leads are not followed. The longer leads are left unattended, the colder they will become.

I hope this gives you ideas to create a commotion around your booth.

Land of the Free

Image courtesy of www.summersnowart.com

We have in our home a decorative plaque that says, “Land of the free because of the brave.”

Thank you vets for your service to our country.  You gave the best years of your life for us.  You came home and told us very little of what you endured.  I ran across this poem some time ago and appreciate it.

IT’S THE SOLDIER
It is the Soldier, not the minister,
Who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the Soldier, not the reporter,
Who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the Soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who has given us the freedom to protest.
It is the Soldier, not the lawyer,
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the Soldier, not the politician,
Who has given us the right to vote.
It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.

–Charles M. Province

Join us as we celebrate Veterans Day. God bless America.

True Colors

Photo by Jacque Haag

Last week, Scott, Brian and I were in Florida and Georgia working with potential dealers. We met a lot of great people.

As we were traveling, we noted the leaves changing color.  Our local pennysaver newspaper had a blip as to why leaves change color. What happens is that when fall arrives, the production of chlorophyll ceases, and that allows the true color of the leaves to shine.

This got me thinking, and my concern became, “What are my true colors? What is really inside me?” What I put in my mind by what I read, see, hear and allow my mind to meditate on determines what is really inside and who I am.

Our Lord said that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The apostle Paul tells us to think about things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, good, excellence and positive. Let’s resolve to put good stuff in our minds.

How can we begin to “put good stuff in our minds”? What does that look like?