Keys To Networking Success

1. Nurture Your Network ... Patiently

Don't be a "business-card ninja" ... meaning you walk into a party or gathering, throw 50 business cards around, and leave. When you make a new contact, make a point of remembering something specific about each person. Jot yourself some notes after the event. Most importantly, follow up ... even though you're not sure you can help each other. Think of networking as talking to people when you don't need something. You never know how you might be able to assist each other down the line.

2. Ask How You Can Help

To paraphrase JFK: Ask first not what your contact can do for you, but what you can do for your contact. Find a win-win situation for you and your contact. Be sure your focus is on them and what they need ... not on what you are hoping to get out of them.

3. Know When to Ask – and How

Be conscious of your message. If you are in a true networking situation, the others in the room may want to drag the conversation down by harping on the "poor economy" or "tough market." Be the island of positivity in the sea of negativism! People will be naturally attracted to you.

4. Make the Web Work for You

Be conscious of the time you spend online. Make those 30-40 minutes a day count! Use LinkedIn to stay connected so even if someone switches jobs, you don't lose their contact info. It's even easy to make initial contact with business owners. See if they're on Twitter and become a follower. A gentle contact one day could lead to a great meeting the next!

5. Shake Some Hands

You never know where you might meet your next client. We have heard time and again how successful networkers have picked up clients on the plane on the way to/from family or business trips! Pay attention next time you are in any social setting. A social introduction one day can lead to a new client down the road.

So, before you set out on your networking journey, be specific with your goals, use technology properly, and go in with an attitude of "give before take." You will get noticed!

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Formula for Success Overview

Athletes hire coaches; highly successful CEOs hire coaches; individuals struggling with transitions hire coaches. What is it that coaches really do? I believe this formula, if worked backwards, illustrates the Formula for Success and how effective coaches use it with individuals.

Start with the question: What is it you want? IR stands for Improved Results – personally or in your organization. How do we get IR? Improved Results come by employing positive behavioral changes. We get them by analyzing our attitudes, skills and knowledge; setting goals and then examining our values and beliefs that are affected by our early conditioning (usually negative conditioning).

Your coach or mentor can help you clarify, identify and problem solve through this simple formula (once it’s broken down into its parts!):

(A)ttitudes & (S)kills & (K)nowledge directed by

(G)oals delivers

(P)ositive (B)ehavior (C)hange which yields

(I)mproved (R)esults both (org)anizationally and (per)sonally.

The (A)ttitude development process requires the examination of

(v)alues and (b)eliefs which are fed by

(C)onditioning because 88% of (B) behavior, what we do, is at the sub-conscious level.

How have your attitudes and beliefs affected your personal or professional success?

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How to Maximize Cash Flow

Do you know the number one financial reason that companies go out of business?

Lack of cash!

Now more than ever, we need to be proactive to take control of our finances. It's not enough to wait around for the economy to get better. Whether we own the business or we manage a department, we can find some spare cash. Its almost like digging for coins in the sofas at Grandma’s when you were little. There’s some cash somewhere that we can use.

As the leader in your business, it's your responsibility to make sure your business has the financial stability it needs to make it through tough times. If we weren’t prepared for this turn, then we need to make sure we learned the lesson!

The financial health of your business depends on cash and how it flows through your company. Your goal, of course, is to increase the cash coming into your business, and to decrease the cash going out. To do that, you need to know where your cash is, exactly. When you know where to look, you may find cash hiding in areas you didn't even know about.

• Find the cash in your business to increase financial momentum and stability
• Eliminate idle cash
• Increase revenues and decrease cash expenses
• Make the most out of your current resources and inventory

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Find some Hidden Cash in your Business

You may have more cash than you think you do... Let's find it 1, 2, 3!

Step 1

Reevaluate all expenditures – are there any avenues that did not pan out as expected. Can we eliminate or combine any expenses in marketing, training, or travel expenses. Are any redundant?

Step 2

Reevaluate all streams or sources of revenues. Can we find sales from our existing clients? Have we conducted a survey recently? Is our customer loyalty rating as high as it could be? Did we uncover areas to be improved?

Step 3

Decide on goals and specific action steps to increase revenues in at least three areas of the business. Assign targets and dates and who is responsible. Research current trends and see if there are new products or services to add to your lines. Find ways to motivate those responsible for the increases.

Make sure all are onboard and a part of the goal setting. Double check your vision and are these new goals in alignment with them.

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Exceptional Salespeople are Exceptional Communicators

Great salespeople do not have to win speaking contests or major awards for their communication skills but they need to communicate effectively in order to clearly understand their customer’s needs.

Introverts or extroverts can be equally as effective if they learn and apply the basic principles of effective communication and how it will directly influence their performance.

The ability to understand what the customer needs and how and why they feel the way they do, will help you prepare your presentation and the sales process for each individual customer. The ability to ask the right questions is also very important.

Listening skills are critical. Knowing how and when to respond is equally important to your success. Top performers understand and apply the basic principles of effective communication with preparation and attention to detail.

Many salespeople do not plan but count on their knowledge to “wing it” and that lack of planning is the reason they fail to get the order. Planning helps maximize your efforts and implementing your strategy for the sales call.

Good, qualified prospects are hard to come by and too expensive to replace. Your preparation and thoroughness allows the prospect to know they are dealing with a professional.

Good communicators and salespeople will fail more often than they win but they refuse to give up. They continually plan and rework their presentations so their “batting average” will improve. They are committed to improvement.

Becoming a high achiever and excelling in the sales profession will depend upon your desire, your willingness to learn and to improve. How much of a price in learning and practicing are you willing to pay?

And lastly, it depends on your ability to apply your knowledge. Find a mentor, coach or a program designed to develop your skills and it will enrich your professional and personal life!

How much more would your business results grow, if everyone in your company was developed to “sell” your company’s benefits? Go to Key Coaching Associates to sign up for Key Strategies FREE newsletter for more timely articles and tips.

Six Areas in which Successful Sales Pros Excel

Gaining and sustaining knowledge in your field is an important cornerstone of your success. Improving these six areas will position you for maximum competitive advantage.

Product Knowledge – What needs of your customers can you satisfy with your product or service. Listen to their answers to your critical questions in the discovery phase of selling.

General knowledge – Be well versed in the world around you. This gives you information and insight to relate more effectively to your customers.

Industry knowledge – Know the history of your industry, what’s current and what the trends look like so you can plan for what you expect to happen.

The Competition – Know where your customers can buy similar products or services and how you compare to your competition.

Skills knowledge – Both your sales and people skills will affect your ability to excel in the sales profession. You must effectively interact with your customers, your peers, other departments within your company, and with people in general.

Self Knowledge- Success in sales and success in your personal life happens when you are in harmony with your self image. Know yourself, your dreams, your goals, your strengths, and those qualities which you can develop.

Successful professionals continually strive to learn, evaluate, and integrate new knowledge from these areas into their sales presentations and conversations with prospects.

How much more would your business results grow, if everyone in your company was developed to “sell” your company’s benefits? Go to Key Coaching Associates to sign up for Key Strategies FREE newsletter for more timely articles and tips.

Success Qualities of Successful Sales Professionals

Success always leaves clues. Choose a mentor, someone you admire or a developmental process to help you incorporate the traits that successful people demonstrate.

Successful professionals have high expectations of themselves. They set and achieve goals, they plan, they prioritize and they establish balance. They act on their action plans.

They project a positive self image. They are able to visualize themselves achieving their goals. You will think and behave like a successful pro when you keep a positive self image.

If you want to improve, begin first with improving the way you think. The way you see yourself is critical. See yourself bursting with knowledge and skills. Picture yourself helping others buy the right products and becoming a repeat customer or client. Hear yourself promoting the company, the offerings, the services or products. This will give you the competitive advantage.

How much more would your business results grow, if everyone in your company was developed to “sell” your company’s benefits? Go to Key Coaching Associates to sign up for Key Strategies FREE newsletter for more timely articles and tips.