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How well do you see the big picture?

2011-04-13T12:39:00.001-04:00

1. Don’t Strive for Certainty

Big-picture thinkers are comfortable with ambiguity. They don’t try to force every observation or piece of data into pre-formulated mental cubbyholes. They think broadly and can juggle many seemingly contradictory thoughts in their minds. If you want to cultivate the ability to think big picture, then you must get used to embracing and dealing with complex and diverse ideas.

2. Learn from Every Experience

Big-picture thinkers broaden their outlook by striving to learn from every experience. They don’t rest on their successes, they learn from them. More importantly, they learn from their failures. They can do that because they remain teachable.

Varied experiences—both positive and negative—help you see the big picture. The greater the variety of experience and success, the more potential to learn you have. If you desire to be a big-picture thinker, then get out there and try a lot of things, take a lot of chances, and take time to learn after every victory or defeat.

3. Gain Insight from a Variety of People

Big-picture thinkers learn from their experiences. But they also learn from experiences they don’t have. That is, they learn by receiving insight from others—from customers, employees, colleagues, and leaders.

If you desire to broaden your thinking and see more of the big picture, then seek out mentors and counselors to help you. But be wise in whom you ask for advice. Gaining insight from a variety of people doesn’t mean stopping anyone and everyone in hallways and grocery store lines and asking what they think about a given subject. Be selective. Talk to people who know and care about you, who know their field, and who bring experience deeper and broader than your own.

4. Give Yourself Permission to Expand Your World

If you want to be a big-picture thinker, you will have to go against the flow of the world. Society wants to keep people in boxes. Most people are married mentally to the status quo. They want what was, not what can be. They seek safety and simple answers. To think big-picture, you need to give yourself permission to go a different way, to break new ground, to find new worlds to conquer. And when your world does get bigger, you need to celebrate. Never forget there is more out there in the world than what you’ve experienced.

From the How Successful People Think Workbook

Why Business Owners Should Never Be Happy

2011-03-15T11:25:00.001-04:00

Every successful company is a work in progress, so your pursuit of better performance needs to be relentless.

by Mark Stevens from Entrepreneur.com

Let's say you are quite happy and content with the state of your business.

Sorry, but I'm disappointed to hear that. Not because I don't like good news but because I know an insipient problem when I see one. The hard truth is you should never be "happy and content" with the state of your business simply because every successful enterprise must be a perpetual work in progress. You -- the entrepreneur, the owner and manager in chief -- must be restless in pursuit of ever-higher levels of performance.

I used to visit a client -- a chief executive of a major enterprise who started out as a man with a dream and $30,000 home-equity loan and built his company into a juggernaut. On his desk was a sign that read for all to see:

The Boss Is Not Happy!

This was his way of declaring war first on himself and second on everyone who worked on his team. It was not destructive, mean spirited or evil. It was instead a perpetual battle against the cancer of complacency that can and will inevitably set in when the leader gets "happy and content" with the state of her business.

To build profitable, proud, innovative and truly productive businesses that meet the ultimate test of being scalable and sustainable, we all must declare war on ourselves now. And not let our guard down.

What to do? I suggest the following actions:

Stop asking if your customers/clients are satisfied. Satisfied customers are easy prey for aggressive competitors. We have to raise the bar, shooting for a new standard: Thrilling the people we serve. When you are thrilled you are a customer for life.

Get out of the office and into the field. Do the "dirty work" now and then because it's not really "dirty" to get behind the grill and cook a burger, show a guest to a room, answer the phones when the public calls. When Charles Revson was building Revlon into a powerhouse, he would allocate part of his time manning the customer complaint line. We wanted a clear, undiluted sense of how the company was pleasing, or failing to do so, the women who spent money on his products.

Of course you have to spend most of your time making leadership decisions, but if you watch Undercover CEO, you will see that every time the boss goes out and does what she used to think was below her, she comes away with a powerful epiphany.

Terminate anyone on your payroll you have warned about their subpar performance, but you have failed to cut the chord because you don't want to be disliked or you feel sorry for them. You're not engaged in a popularity contest and furthermore making an exception for one slacker is a slippery slope that almost always leads to a systemic problem: a "can't do" culture. Try taking that to the bank.

Give yourself a pay cut any year the company underperforms. You need to feel the pain too. Sitting alone in an isolated bubble of generous compensation removes the hunger, the drive, the rubber hits the road mindset that keeps companies alive, agile and vital in spite of the inevitable challenges they will face.

Try something you always thought was wrong or inappropriate for your business. As entrepreneurs, we can sell ourselves a bill of goods that is pure nonsense.

For the first 14 years of my company's evolution, I refused to advertise, thinking that public relations, social media and referrals were the only way to go. But after a TV appearance where I suggested to the viewers that they try something new, I took a shot at radio advertising. I declared war on my own closemindedness.

That first $12,000 flight produced $230,000. Now advertising is a mainstay of our marketing and I have tripled down, investing $30,000 per month, and I am now preparing to double that.

No Leader Rides Alone

2011-03-03T16:39:00.003-05:00

by John Maxwell

In recent years, people in the business world have rediscovered the significance of teams. In the 1980s, the buzzword in business circles was management. Then in the 1990s, the emphasis was on leadership. Now in the twenty-first century, the emphasis is on teams. Why? Because nobody does everything well.
Not everyone recognizes that those closest to you will make or break you. There are still leaders who hold up the Lone Ranger as their model for leadership. One of the best illustrations of how unrealistic that ideal of leadership really is can be found in American Spirit by Lawrence Miller:
Problems are always solved in the same way. The Lone Ranger and his faithful Indian companion … come riding into town. The Lone Ranger, with his mask and mysterious identity, background, and lifestyle, never becomes intimate with those whom he will help. His power is partly in his mystique. Within ten minutes the Lone Ranger has understood the problem, identified who the bad guys are, and has set out to catch them. He quickly outwits the bad guys, draws his gun, and has them behind bars. And then there was always that wonderful scene at the end [where] the helpless victims are standing in front of their ranch or in the town square marveling at how wonderful it is now that they have been saved.
What baloney! There are no Lone Ranger leaders. Think about it: If you’re alone, you’re not leading anybody, are you?
Leadership expert Warren Bennis was right when he maintained, “The leader finds greatness in the group, and he or she helps the members find it in themselves.” Think of any highly effective leader, and you will find someone who surrounded himself with a strong inner circle. You can see it in business, ministry, sports, and even family relationships. Those closest to you determine your level of success.

from The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
and
John Maxwell
Distinctive Inc
Distinctive Inc Facebook

Important Lessons To Give To Young Or Emerging Leaders

2011-02-24T10:48:00.004-05:00

1. The toughest person to lead is yourself.
2. Leaders will either serve others or they serve themselves.
3. A person’s talent can sometimes take them to where their character cannot sustain them. See Tiger Woods.
4. People don’t need information. They already have an abundance of that. People need inspiration.
5. The most intimidating leadership assignment I have is husband and father because I am sending people forth into a time I cannot see. – Crawford Loritts
6. The best leaders come out of crock pot, not a microwave. They are made over time.
7. Don’t rush to judgement. Gather information at one level and then make decisions at the leadership level.
8. There is great power in a good compliment.
9. Take risks. The fruit is out on the limb, not close to the tree trunk.
10. You will either prepare or repair.
11. No one likes change but a baby. However, change is desperately needed.
12. Embrace your uniqueness because no two leaders are alike. They come in all different shapes, sizes, backgrounds, temperaments, etc…
13. People have to like you. You have to have a team that CAN help you. You must also have a team that WANTS to help you.
14. Leaders are readers.
15. The most valuable commodity a leader has is time. Don’t ever waste a person’s time. It’s the one thing that once you have taken it, you can’t give back.
16. The only difference between ANGER and DANGER is a “D”. Your temper can destroy your influence.
17. Great leaders don’t want a position. They want influence and to make a difference.
18. What you say “No” to is more important than what you say “Yes” to.
19. Generosity is the new evangelism, both in business and relationships.
20. The success of a leader is determined by those closest to them. Build a great team. – John Maxwell
21. Nowhere in the Bible does God call someone to an easy task. Therefore, have courage because it is not going to be easy.
22. Leadership has some very lonely times.
23. There are great perks to leadership. Everyone wants those. There is also a great price to leadership. Few are willing to pay it.

-Brian Dodd

Finding a vision’s “true north” By John C Maxwell

2011-02-09T18:45:00.003-05:00

Have you ever been part of a team that didn’t seem to make any progress? Maybe the group had plenty of talent, resources, and opportunities, and team members got along, but the group just never went anywhere. If you have there’s a strong possibility that the situation was caused by lack of vision.
Great vision precedes great achievement. And every team needs compelling vision to give it direction. A team without vision is, at worst, purposeless. At best, it is subject to the personal (and sometimes selfish) agendas of its various members. As the agendas work against each other, the team’s energy and drive drain away.
In contrast, a team that embraces a unified vision becomes focused, energized, and confident. It knows where it’s headed and why it’s going there.
Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, a leader of troops during World War II who was called a “soldier’s general,” wrote that “every single soldier must know, before he goes into battle, how the little battle he is to fight fits into the larger picture, and how the success of his fighting will influence the battle as a whole.” People on the team need to know why they’re fighting. Otherwise, the team gets into trouble.
If you lead your team, then you are responsible for identifying a worthy and compelling vision and articulating it to your team members. However, even if you are not the leader, identifying a compelling vision is still important. If you don’t know the team’s vision, you can’t perform with confidence. You can’t be sure you and your teammates are going in the right direction. You can’t even be sure that the team you’re on is the right one for you if you haven’t examined the vision in light of your strengths, convictions, and purpose.
For everyone on the team, the vision must be compelling. But how do you measure that? You check your visionary compass. In fact, a team should examine the following five compasses before embarking on any journey.

Image courtesy of photobucket
A team’s vision must be aligned with…
1. A moral compass (look above)
A moral compass brings integrity to the vision. It helps all the people on the team to check their motives and make sure that they are laboring for the right reasons. It also brings credibility to the leaders who cast the vision – but only if they model the values that the team is expected to embrace. When they do, they fuel the vision, keeping it going.
2. An intuitive compass (look within)
A vision must resonate deep within the leader of the team. Then it must resonate within the team members, who will be asked to work hard to bring it to fruition. That’s the value of intuitive passion. It produces the kind of heat that fires up the committed – and fries the uncommitted.
3. A historical compass (look behind)
Anytime you cast vision, you must create a connection between the past, the present, and the future. How? Tell stories. Principles may fade in people’s minds, but stories stick. Tell stories about the people who have been in the organization a long time, and they will feel valued. At the same time, stories from history give newer team members a sense of security, knowing that the current vision builds on the past and leads to the future.
4. A directional compass (look ahead)
Poet Henry David Thoreau wrote, “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” Vision provides direction for the team, and part of that direction comes from having goals, which give targets to aim for.
5. A strategic compass (look around)
A goal won’t do the team much good without steps to accomplish it. The value of a strategy is that it brings process to the vision. It identifies resources and mobilizes specific members of the team. People need more than information and inspiration. They need instruction in what to do to make the vision become a reality.
The vision of a team must look beyond current circumstances and any obvious shortcomings of current teammates to see the potential of the team. And a truly great vision challenges people. The great artist Michelangelo prayed, “Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I can accomplish.” If you can confidently measure the vision of your team according to the above compasses, and you find them all pointing in the right direction, then you’ll know that the vision is worth stretching for.

2011-02-03T11:26:00.001-05:00

Are there moments in your life when you think “I simply cannot make it another day?” When those times of fear and frustration set in, I want you to remember the story of Dennis Byrd. Dennis played defensive line for the New York Jets from 1989-92 when his career was tragically cut short due to a spinal injury (see picture above).

Dennis had collided with another teammate on November 29, 1992 and was immediately unable to move his limbs from the neck down. However, ten weeks later he held a press conference and walked out of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.

Current Jets head coach Rex Ryan asked Dennis to speak to the team prior to their recent playoff game against the New England Patriots. Still feeling the effects of his injury, the following are some of the quotes from that pre-game speech courtesy of ESPN.

“Life has its everyday struggles.”
“For the last 18 years I’ve still been competing.”
“A man has a body, a mind, and a spirit. There are times in a man’s life when his body will tell him he cannot go on. Where his mind will tell him the task set for him is too hard for him to accomplish. Those two don’t matter. It’s a man’s will, a man’s spirit that will tell him you can do it. And it will make the mind and body follow along.”
“Every physical possession I have, if I were to have the genuine opportunity to trade them in for one more game, one more play, I would do it.”
The following comments were posted by WR Braylon Edwards on his Twitter account shortly after the speech:

“I just heard the most inspirational message of my life from former jet Dennis Byrd, who suffered a career ending neck injury…As God is my witness I have never been more ready to perform in my life. Dennis Byrd I respect, salute, and honor you.”

There is a sign in the Jets’ offices that states “Make Today Your Day”. Dennis, your life inspires us. Thank you for reminding us that not only can we make it another day, we can make today our day.

How do I maintain a teachable attitude? By John C Maxwell

2011-01-27T06:30:00.002-05:00

Teachability is not so much about competence and mental capacity as it is about attitude. It is the desire to listen, learn, and apply. It is the hunger to discover and grow. It is the willingness to learn, unlearn, and relearn. I love the way legendary basketball coach John Wooden states it: “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”
When I teach and mentor leaders, I remind them that if they stop learning, they stop leading. But if they remain teachable and keep learning, they will be able to keep making an impact as leaders. Whatever your talent happens to be – whether it’s leadership, craftsmanship, entrepreneurship, or something else – you will expand it if you keep expecting and striving to learn.
Futurist and author John Naisbitt believes that “the most important skill to acquire is learning how to learn.” Here is what I suggest as you pursue teachability:
1. Learn to listen.
American writer and philosopher Henry David Thoreau wrote, “It takes two to speak the truth – one to speak and one to hear.” Being a good listener helps us to know people better, to learn what they have learned, and to show them that we value them as individuals.
As you go through each day, remember that you can’t learn if you’re always talking. As the old saying goes, “There’s a reason you have one mouth and two ears.” Listen to others and remain humble, and you will learn things that can help you expand your talent.
2. Understand the learning process.
Here’s how learning typically works:
STEP 1: Act.
STEP 2: Look for your mistakes and evaluate.
STEP 3: Search for a way to do it better.
STEP 4: Go back to Step 1.
Remember, the greatest enemy of learning is knowing. And the goal of all learning is action, not knowledge. If what you are doing does not in some way contribute to what you or others are learning in life, then question its value and be prepared to make changes.
3. Look for and plan teachable moments.
If you look for opportunities to learn in every situation, you will expand your talent to its potential. But you can also take another step beyond this and actively seek out and plan teachable moments. You do that by reading books, visiting places that inspire you, attending events that prompt you to pursue change, and spending time with people who stretch you and expose you to new experiences.
4. Make your teachable moments count.
Even people who are strategic about seeking teachable moments can miss the whole point of the experience. I say this because for many years I’ve been a speaker at conferences and workshops – events that are designed to help people learn. But I’ve found that many people walk away from an event and do very little with what they heard.
We tend to focus on learning events instead of the learning process. Because of this, I try to help people take action steps that will help them implement what they learn. I suggest that in their notes, they pay special attention to
Points they need to think about
Changes they need to make
Lessons they need to apply
Information that they need to share
Then after the conference, I recommend that they create to-do lists based on what they took note of, then schedule time to follow through.
5. Ask yourself, “Am I really teachable?”
I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: all the good advice in the world won’t help if you don’t have a teachable spirit. To know whether you are really open to new ideas and new ways of doing things, ask yourself the following questions:
Am I open to other people’s ideas?
Do I listen more than I talk?
Am I open to changing my opinion based on new information?
Do I readily admit when I am wrong?
Do I observe before acting on a situation?
Do I ask questions?
Am I willing to ask a question that will expose my ignorance?
Am I open to doing things in a way I haven’t done before?
Am I willing to ask for directions?
Do I act defensive when criticized, or do I listen openly for truth?
If you answered no to one or more of these questions, then you have room to grow in the area of teachability. You need to soften your attitude, learn humility, and remember the words of John Wooden: “Everything we know we learned from someone else!”

10 Lessons We Learn From The 10 Best Football Teams Of All-Time by Brian Dodd

2011-01-26T08:42:00.002-05:00

Most of us lead or are part of teams. We constantly search for new ideas or missing ingredients that will make us a great team. The January 17th edition of the Sporting News profiled their list of the Top 10 NFL teams of all-time.

One section I found interesting was entitled “We changed the game”. If you are looking for innovative ideas that will enable your ministry, non-profit, or organization to operate at a higher level, read this list.

Skill To Task – The ’72 Miami Dolphins were the first team to do situational substitutions. Head coach Don Shula says “We always tried to get the best combination of players on the field for different game situations.” Leaders, is your team aligned based upon the challenges you are facing.
Open Space – The ’84 San Francisco 49ers perfected the West Coast offense which focused on getting the receivers the ball in open space allowing them to run. Leaders, do you free up those on your team to perform at a high level. For more on this concept, click here.
Pressure – The ’85 Chicago Bears introduced the 46 defense which put extreme pressure on quarterbacks. Leaders, when your team feels tremendous pressure, they will not perform at optimum levels.
Aggressiveness – The ’78 Pittsburgh Steelers led by defensive coordinator Bud Carson blitzed from a variety of angles with a variety of players. The defining characteristic of leaders is that they make things happen.
Talent – The ’62 Green Bay Packers were one of the first teams to put two talented running backs on the field simultaneously rather than having one back up the other. Leaders, the more talented people you have on your team, the more successful you will be.
Leadership - John Maxwell teaches that the difference between two equally matched teams is leadership. The ’58 Baltimore Colts had Johnny Unitas at quarterback. If the game was close, he would find a way to win.
Celebration – The ’92 Dallas Cowboys, led by Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, and Emmitt Smith, were brash and loved the spotlight. They enjoyed their success. Leaders, celebration creates the desire to continue to pay the price for success.
Unselfishness – “The revolutionary thing we (’04 New England Patriots) accomplished is what now is the model for teams in the NFL: players putting the team first before individual gain.” – LB Tedy Bruschi. Leaders, does your team put team success before individual success?
Creativity And Innovation – The ’77 Dallas Cowboys were the first team to utilize the shotgun formation. Leaders, what new feature are you implementing that cause you to be distinctive and gives you an advantage?
Flexibility – The ’76 Oakland Raiders could win with the power running game or a vertical passing attack. Leaders, can you find multiple ways to success if needed?
Skill To Task, Open Space, Pressure, Aggressiveness, Talent, Leadership, Celebration, Unselfishness, Creativity, Flexibility. Leaders, are you talking about these traits with your team? Are they part of your DNA? If so, you could be one of the best ever at what you do as well?

Dodge For Charity

2011-01-22T09:22:00.001-05:00

In trying to come up with creative ideas to raise money for the amazing charity, Operation Smile, Distinctive Inc decided to hold their first Dodgeball Tournament. "We wanted to make it fun for the office and allow our friends and family to participate as well. Dodgeball is what we came up with, and it achieved just that," Eric Chapman, President of Distinctive Inc says.

The tournament featured 12 teams who competed against each other in brackets in their most creative attire, some coming dressed as The Smurfs, while others were decked out in the best 80's gear. Teams competed in categories including "Best Uniform", "Most Money Raised" along with "Best Team Spirit".

In addition to heated physical play on the court, each player donated a minimum of $10 that goes directly to Operation Smile, a non-profit service organization that provides cleft lip and palate repair surgeries to children worldwide. To date, Operation Smile has provided reconstructive surgery to more than 150,000 children and young adults in more than 50 countries.

"The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" won 1st Place in the tournament, while team "Revenge Of The 80's" emerged
in second place. Best Uniform went to Shannon who dressed as Luigi from the popular video game, Super Mario Brothers. Achieving the Most Money Raised was a tie between Jamie and Maria, while Best Team Spirit went to Brandon.

Already raising more than $1,200 in December, Distinctive Inc managed to raise more than $1,000 at this event in a matter of just a few hours. Last month, Distinctive wanted to raise the bar to more than $2,000 and have now surpassed their goals and are extremely excited to be able to help fund a mission in Peru for Operation Smile.

"It's amazing how much of an impact we can have in such a short amount of time." Eric Chapman states, "We are looking forward to holding more events and helping out where we can for those less fortunate."

Eric Chapman attends the 9th Annual Smile Gala

2010-12-13T11:32:00.002-05:00

LOS ANGELES - Every year for the past nine years, Operation Smile, a worldwide children's medical charity, holds a gala event to honor those that have donated their time to humanitarian efforts. Among those that were honored this year were Actor Harrison Ford and Actor/Producer John Stamos. Hosted by AccessHollywood's Billy Bush and entertaining the crowd were the cast of famous TV show GLEE, attendees were touched by the stories and pleased by the performances.

Eric Chapman, president of Distinctive, Inc., and his wife attended the fundraiser at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, CA. Eric had heard about the charity through a friend, and after finding out more about it wanted to get involved. He also heard about the Gala and flew there to show his support for the cause.

Accepting the John Connor Humanitarian Service Award was Harrison Ford for his unbelievable efforts, in particular his efforts during the Haiti Earthquake where Harrison Ford, flying himself, made several trips over a two-day period to a remote dirt landing strip in Haiti and delivered a team of Operation Smile volunteers along with critical medical supplies.

Also receiving awards were long time supporters of Operation Smile actor/producer John Stamos and philanthropist Susan Casden were presented with the Universal Smile Award and Wallis Annenberg Public Service Award respectively.

Operation Smile is a non-profit service organization based in Norfolk, Virginia that provides cleft lip and palate repair surgeries to children worldwide. To date, Operation Smile has provided reconstructive surgery to over 150,000 children and young adults in more than 50 countries.

The need for quality care is critical. Cleft lip is the fourth most common birth defect in the US. Repair of a cleft palate or cleft lip may require multiple surgeries and children do not usually have that luxury without the help of Operation Smile and their supporters. This is why Eric Chapman has joined the team of Operation Smile along with his company, Distinctive, Inc., to raise $2000 to fund an entire mission to Peru.

You can help donate by clicking here: Distinctive Inc.'s Operation Smile Donation Page

Distinctive Inc. Attends the Mid-Atlantic Baltimore Conference

2010-11-22T11:20:00.002-05:00

Distinctive Inc. attended the Baltimore Regional Conference this past Sunday where a record 220 guests attended. It took place at the Sheraton Hotel in the Inner Harbor in the beautiful downtown Baltimore area. 18 managers from across the Mid-Atlantic spoke about various topics including goal setting, developing high performance teams, effective planning, time management, and defining values.

There was also a focus on the company's largest philanthropy project to date; Operation Smile, a mobilized force of medical professionals and caring hearts who provide safe, effective reconstructive surgery for children born with facial deformities such as cleft lip and cleft palate. Barbara Majeski, a strong supporter and endorser of Operation Smile spoke of the goals that she envisions for the cause, "Just $240 covers the cost of one life changing surgery".

Eric, President of Distinctive Inc., has plans for his office to raise $2,000, which will be able to fund a mission to Peru this coming summer.

Become a Consultant to Become Top Sales Performer

2010-11-19T10:33:00.005-05:00

Jane and Bill are two salespeople, able to provide excellent products to their customers by having an extremely reputable client that has extremely competitive prices.

Bill’s issue is that he is too aggressive and has the “old school” mentality of “do whatever it takes to get the sale”. Being too aggressive and “pushy” raises a few questions of Bill’s values and also the future business that will be cut from the customer because they no longer have the trust required to have a successful business relationship.

Jane’s challenge is that she is a ”nice” a girl. But being “nice” isn’t really the problem. It’s more that she’s too indirect and is deathly afraid of being seen as the “Pushy Sales Girl”. So she continues to casually suggest solutions to the businessesshe speaks to, downplaying any sense of urgency so as not to alarm the customer.

“I want to be around for the long-term and don’t want to jeopardize our relationship over a trivial item,” she says. She just doesn’t ask for the business. What this is doing, however, is creating a plethora of problems. The customer doesn’t always know what services or products they need, nor understand the value of some of the products that are being offered.

Sound like the proverbial dilemma? How often is a sale not closed because of fear of sounding too pushy or aggressive? When products or services are not offered to a customer for that fear of being too aggressive or too confident — think about what the client will miss out on if they don’t have your product or service. A salesperson owes it to their customer to be sure they have the best possible solution — the expert’s solution — yours.

A new school of thought about selling has since developed. They have now developed the mindset of the “consultant“.

Consultative Selling is providing products or services your customer’s needs as opposed to the traditional aggressive selling techniques. It simply means doing what’s best for the customer.

This consultative way of selling has been popularized in response to the customers that have been upset by the pushy sales people. Using the hard sell raises the level of expertise and trustworthiness of the sales person.

They are there to help the customer. What that level of trust between the customer and consultant provides is a relationship where the customer will now do what the consultant recommends because they are now considered the expert.

Two things that will help in achieving this sales technique. The first is having the right mindset. When a salesperson thinks, “I don’t care if the customer buys or not, I just want to do what’s right for their business,” this will bring more business as a biproduct.

Secondly, something that will definitely help Bill’s situation, is to “Seek to understand, THEN to be understood”. Listening skills in any sales process is by far one of the most important attributes in any sale.

Looking out for the customer’s best needs doesn’t always provide instantaneous results. But what it will provide, based on the trust and relationship that has developed, is opportunity for a preserved territory and potential earnings.

SPCA - walk for the animals!

2010-04-13T12:33:00.000-04:00

Come out for a good cause - Sunday April 18th.
The March for the Animals is The Maryland SPCA's largest annual fundraiser, raising over $360,000 for the animals. This 1.5 mile walkathon is a great way for animal-lovers to support the SPCA's mission of helping pets and people. The day is full of great activities including: pet contests, an agility course, training classes, pet demonstrations and entertainment. All of the money raised goes toward our adoption center, pet owner education, and the care of lost and homeless animals.

How to Build Sales Through Active Listening

2010-04-06T14:53:00.000-04:00

Being a great listener doesn't mean that you can't still get your point across clearly and consise. Below are ways to improve your skills.

- Ask good questions and then listen carefully to the answers. While listening, watch body language, eye contact, and the energy level of the person. You need to completely understand what it is your customer is looking for.

-Begin a conversation where both parties are involved. Ask open-ended questions, not yes or no questions. Allow the customer to express their needs to you fully. Respond to them by repeating back their needs. Listen again, and ask another question that will get you to their wants. At this point, you will have established a relationship with them, which will mean you have gained their trust.

-Listen attentively. Everyone likes to talk about themselves, and customers fall into this as well. They want to tell you their likes and dislikes and what they are truely looking for. If you don't understand, ask for clarification.

- Don't let your mind wonder! Keep your focus on the customer. Don't worry about what is next or what is around you. Work on solving the issues at hand.

The best salespeople sell themselves, not a product. By asking questions and genuinely caring, you will get to the root of the problem and be able to uncover potential issues.