How You, too, Can Finish Strong at the Year End of Your Business

From the Desk of Rich Vincent,  Business Owner and Entrepreneur

Hi,
Again, this is Rich.  Last week,  my Business Coach @ ActionCOACH shared with you what I realized I needed to do in my business to get going and growing!  I attended a workshop at the cajoling of my ActionCOACH, and this is what I learned.  Just thought it might be useful for you, too!

Here were the TEN KEYS for sales in this economy and how to finish the year strong:

1. Trouble line – focus your time on “pay time” activity (green time) and not on “no pay time”.  In other words, more talking with perspective customers and less time developing new marketing pieces
2. Burn bridges – if you are comfortable, get uncomfortable.  Stop hoping for things to get better, don’t take customers for granted and get out of your comfort zone financially
3. Mentally and emotionally touch – discounting transfers problems from your customer to you.  Your belief needs to change to “I am financially independent and I do not need this business”
4. Healthy self esteem – your prospects need your confidence more than your product
5. Cultivate a support group – they need to challenge you
6. Know when to use product knowledge – your prospects don’t need to be educated in your line of work.  Most sales people spend 5 minutes getting the sale and the next 55 minutes talking the prospect out of the sale because they talk to much.  Quit TALKING and start LISTENING!
7. Know your competition – their strengths, weaknesses, etc.  The competition is not only people in your exact line of work – but also other complimentary industries that are competing for your dollars.
8. Attitude and behavioral journal – keep one.  BE AWARE of how you sound and what you say. Stay ABOVE the LINE.
9. Create a prospecting plan.  PLAN!
10. Have a sales system which includes a process as well as a methodology for consistency.

Paying attention to my PAY TIME has brought me results in my business and I was truly surprised at what I used to do with my time - and not getting paid!

Hope you had some BFO's (Blinding Flash of the Obvious). Enjoy learning!

Thanks,
Rich

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STOP IT! You have enough excuses why your business is NOT giving you what you want…

From: Rich

As a business owner,  I am concerned that everytime I look at my business numbers, how many of those little details  (that actually causes the BIG details) I miss about why my business is not giving me what I want!

*Profits

*The capability of paying me, my partners

*The ability to pay my team… and on and on…

Then I asked myself, why am I in business?  Where is the CLARITY of PURPOSE that I had when I believed that I can own a super successful business.  If the business is not giving my what I want, then do I want what I got?

The answer to that is a resounding NO!

So, remembering the words of Jim Rohn: “Never wish that life is easier, wish that YOU were better.”  Hmm, how can I be better? 

The answer came.  It said: STOP IT!

Stop looking for quick fixes – moving funds here, transferring money there, firing and re-hiring, cutting out training for my team, etc.  All I am doing is putting a band aid on my business.  I am not addressing on how to heal the wound to stop the bleeding.

I knew I needed help.  I knew that there is help out there, as long as I am willing to listen and learn! 

Here’s what I did: (I like to keep it simple, and I stuck with 3 things I MUST DO!)

1. I called for help.

2. I listened and learned and hired a Business Coach (of course, they had to be the #1 firm in the world).

3.  I worked on knowing my Break – Even!  Here is a SIMPLE FREE Break Even Calculator. Go to: http://www.actioncoach.com/free-business-calculator-break-even.php or click here

Try it!  One step at a time, you may find yourself back on track.  I did!