06/22/2013
My friend Illene posted these tips and I love them:
Stop Deceiving Yourself- Top Excuses
We can easily get into a rut and deceive ourselves. We are not always willing to do things that are uncomfortable or new to us. That is when the paralyzing words “I can’t” just roll off our tongue. The words really mean, I Certainly Am Not Trying. Stop deceiving yourself with the words “ I Can’t.” Instead learn to think, how can I? Any time you think that you are unable to do something for your business, ask yourself, “Am I just giving myself an excuse not to do something I am uncomfortable doing.”? Then think, “How can I do it?”
Have you ever used one of the following as an excuse not to grow your business?
1. I don’t want to be pushy.
I think it is an excuse for not wanting to hear someone say no. Sharing is never pushy. Sharing is offering and caring is being happy with whatever they say,
2. I can’t find time to work on my business during the summer.
Sharing about your business can be done in 30 seconds or less. Have you ever thought about the fact that sharing five times a day will mean only 2 1/2 minutes a day, I believe we find the time for the things we decide we need to do.
3. I can’t talk to people I don’t know.
Friends that you have now were once people that you did not know. I believe we tell children all the time to make new friends when they first start school. I know that we can do that too. Is it really more about being uncomfortable? Decide that you will enjoy meeting new people. Whether or not they are interested in your business or not, learn to be interested in people and not just what they can do for you. Do not let your happiness or feelings be determined by their response to you? Decide to be happy that you made the choice to share.
4. I can’t attend trainings. Ask yourself, “What do I need to do so that I can be sure I am at our next training?” Make a commitment to keep learning. Make a plan to attend your next training. It is something that is important to do for your success. I want to remind you that we make time for things that have value. Learning new ideas to grow your business is of tremendous benefit.
5. I can’t recruit.
Recruiting is all about giving people an opportunity. Is it that you can’t or is it that you are not doing anything to recruit? Are you always sharing the opportunity? Make a decision that everyone will be invited to join you and you will see that you can recruit. “Just Ask!” If you don’t it is an automatic no.
6. Nobody ever calls me back.
Is it possible you are calling people over and over again who really have no interest. I believe that when you are calling 25 -30 different people every week, there will be people calling you back. Making 100 calls a month to different people will lead to lots of results.
7. I am shy
I use to be. I was so concerned about what people would think of me. Someone pointed out that was pretty selfish. I did not like hearing that. That is when I taught myself to use words that were all about making people feel good so that I could learn to share something I knew could help others.
8. I work full time
I know that working full time and building a business can be challenging at times. Think about it as a challenge though and not a burden. Think positive thoughts. Working on a business can give you lots of choices. Believe that you are so fortunate to have found an opportunity that can work alongside your family and other activities.
9. I am not a sales person
Become a caring person who is eager to share your company with everyone to find those who are interested. Selling is something you do when someone you share with expresses an interest in what you are sharing. They indicate they want to be in the position to make a decision about the opportunities you are offering. I know if I said to you, “Tell me about your products”; I know you could do that. Selling is not convincing. There is big difference to me. A good salesperson informs and allows the customer to make their decision.
Before You Go Out Prospecting Think About This
Do you have an “open” sign on the doors of your business or a “closed” sign?
Prospecting is one of the most important aspects to building a successful business. If you are not sharing your business with everyone, everywhere you go, then you essentially have a “closed” sign hanging on your door. This chapter is going to talk about important factors to take in account before you go out prospecting so that you not only have an “open” sign, but so that you can build a large thriving database of customers.
I have talked to many consultants and leaders who express that during the summer their business typically sees a decline. They attribute this to many factors including more people vacationing and thus not wanting to host a class/show/party or their kids are home and they cannot work.
For those who are actively prospecting you will probably agree that the summer is one of THE best times to prospect. Think about how many places you will be going this summer. Whether it be the pool, barbeques, picnics, parks, vacations, company conventions, or sporting events, think about how many people you will encounter.
EXERCISE ONE- I want you to write down a list of 10 places that you want or need to go to within the next two working weeks. It can be anything from the pool to the grocery store. Here is an example:
1. Grocery Store
2. Michael’s swim meet
3. TGI Fridays to celebrate swim meet
4. Church
5. Movie Theater
6. Gas Station
7. Crofton Park
8. Golden Spoon Yogurt
9. Gym
10. Concert
As you go to these places make a point to talk to at least one person about your business. In many of the places that you go to you can have the opportunity to talk to many people. Make sure it is natural and that you let them know that you would like to follow up with them at a more appropriate time. See if it is something that they would be interested in. This is important because just as you are not going to these places JUST to prospect, these people did not come to these places to hear all about your business. When I would prospect it would take me less than 30 seconds to generate shared interest, ask them if they had heard of my company, and if they would like for me to follow up at a more appropriate time.
FAYC- Forget About Yourself Completely
A very important thing to remember before you prospect is that this process is about them not you. In order to be Heart at work you need to ask people if they are interested in learning more about your business. If they say it is perfectly ok. That is their choice. It should not affect the way you feel about yourself or your business. If you can truly internalize, live and breathe FAYC when it comes to prospecting you will never hesitate to share with anyone. At my seminars I often give an example about bubble gum and an airplane that helps people truly put this into prospective. Imagine you were on an airplane. Your ears begin to pop and you reach into your purse and get out a pack of bubble gum. You are sitting in the middle seat and ask the person to your left if they would like a piece. That person says “no thank you”. Do you then think to yourself “well that is it!"? I am not offering anyone else gum ever again. He said no to me and that was just too traumatizing!” Or, do you simply turn to your right and offer gum to the next person? I would like to think that most of us (if not all) would do the latter. If you can have that same mentality with your business then you are ready to be very successful in this industry.
