Business Success Coaching

And leave the rest to someone else.

Do what you do best.

How many of us try and do everything instead of doing what we do best?

A great line I picked up from the biography of Steve Jobs.

If it wasn’t for Steve, Woz’s great innovation would just be in a hobby shop some place.

I want you to really think about that.

Woz was the expert engineer, but Steve was the expert marketer.

Each did what they did best.

The result of course is history – Apple.

The point we need to take with us today is simply this – we need to let our people do what they are really good at and find someone else to do what they are not very good at.

By doing this we create tremendous unbelievable success.

If you are a great sales person, why are you trying to be the CEO?

If you are a great sales person, why are you trying to run the ops part of your organization?

Why aren’t’ you concentrating on what you do best.

A great story from my past. Once upon a time, I thought I was one of the best software development people in the business. And I was good. I could develop code with the best of them.

Then one day I meet my good friend Rich, and Rich was so much better than I at code.

And I was smart enough to know that – let Rich do the code, I will do the sales.

And we did very good as a team.

We had some excellent success together.

Because we each did what we did best.

That is the point.

We need to do what we do best.

And when we find someone who does what we do better, get them on our team, bring them in.

Let those that are best, do what they do best.

Remember also that this is not just an entrepreneurial thing.

It also applies to all you executives out there trying to build careers.

Stop trying to do everything

Focus on what you really do well.

When we take the time to think, we know what we are good at, we know what we excel at.

We know what it is that when we touch it, it sparkles, it shines, it takes off.

So start the sparkle and watch what happens.

Four simple keys:

1. Find what you are good at.

Make a list of the three things that you excel at.

Go out and buy Strength Finder buy Marcus Buckingham

Tremendous book.

(special note – Marcus Buckingham will be at the Chick-fil-A Leadership Cast on May 4, 2012– get in). What his book gives you is a test so you see what you are good at – take it.

Then start putting your time, effort and energy into doing what you do well.

2. Spend time, energy and effort at getting better and better and better.

Forget that old think about fixing what you suck at.

Start excelling at what you already do well.

Get even better and stronger – move to outstanding.

3. Find someone else to do the things you are not good at.

This is the problem that most of us will never touch.

We continue to do what we suck at.

Stop it.

Today.

4. Watch watch happens

You will be amazed once you focus on what you do well.

It is amazing what happens when we leave our ego out and we focus on doing what we do best.

The problem in many cases, especial for corporate people, we have created an environment where that does not work. We have become so territorial, property protective, we have to protect our own turf. Instead of excelling at what we do best, we play political games.

That doesn’t work

Success doesn’t come from protecting your own turf.

Success doesn’t come from knowing how to do it all.

Success doesn’t come from doing to much.

Success comes from doing what you are great at.

Start today and watch what happens.

Or do you suffer from Decidophobia?

Decidophibia is the fear of making decisions?

Do you suffer from it?

Does your company?

Does your team?

Does your family?

Do you realize what an effect it can have on your organization, life, career, business?

To be successful you have to be good at making decisions.

You have to be good at making the right decisions.

You have to be good at moving forward.

As we enter this new year, is this an area you need to work on?

Trust me, I have been there.

Before I knew how to do it, I was held back from being all a could be.

Once I learned how to do it, there was no stopping me.

Every step you take to learning how to get better at making decisions is a step forward.

According to John H. Patterson:

“An executive is a person who decides.

Sometimes he/she decides right.

But he/she always decides.”

Did you get that?

Hesitation will in most cases not make it better.

Waiting may not get you any closer to the decision.

Not making a decision in to many cases will be worse than making one and then having to change it.

The root cause, of course, is our fear of being wrong.

Once you remove that fear, then you can move on.

Once you can tell yourself that not making a decision is worse than making the wrong one.

Then you move forward – the fear is gone.

From my mentor and from my life:

“I can tolerate employees who make mistakes.

But I have no room for those who fear or hesitate or cannot make a decision.”

Four simple steps. Try them this week.

1. Gather all the information you can up to the time you need to make the decision.

But remember what Jeffrey J. Fox says in his book “How To Get To The Top,”

“Incomplete data is not an excuse for dithering.”

2. Ask all the questions you feel you need to within a limited amount of time.

Yes, you can go on forever asking questions. Your first decision – I have all the

data I am going to gather, let me now make the decision.

3. Get input from all you can.

But be careful. As Creflow Dollar says, “do not allow your feelings to govern your decisions. Else you will be tossed all over the place.”

4. Then make the decision and move forward.

According to the book Jesus CEO, “one study shows that people equate making a decision with the same stress level as being given a shot.”

Is that you?

Come on now, make the decision – WILL YOU PLEASE.

Joyce Meyer puts it very simple when she says, “You cannot drive a parked card. God has only one gear – forward. You see, sometimes we need to do something just to keep from continuing to do nothing?

Da?

Ever been there?

Are you there now with some major decisions?

Stop.

Make the decision.

Watch what happens.

The greatest thing about making a decision is that once made, things start to move forward.

Once made things start to happen.

Now, what happens if you made the wrong decision?

You quickly make another decision to do what you need to.

That is how it works.

It does work and it will make your life, career, business and family so much more enjoyable and successful.

Make a commitment in this new year. Tell yourself: “self, I am going to start making decisions.”

Then do it.

What did we say last week?

Easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.

Now go do it.

So you have spent the last week working and getting to understand persistence and are now ready to roll forward with discipline. I think one thing you may just have learned, persistence requires discipline. But you will now also learn that discipline requires persistence.

“The everyday process of focusing on what you want. And striving for it relentlessly until you get it.” Jeffrey Gitomer – Sales Bible.

“The secret of discipline is motivation, when a man is sufficiently motivated, discipline will take care of itself.” Alexander Patterson.

Two excellent quotes. How are you doing with discipline in your life, business, career and family. Do you have or don’t you?

Today a want to share with you some simple keys of being disciplined. I will share them though the use of an acrostic of the word discipline. What discipline means and how to make it happen in your life. How to take control and create greater success in all you do. So here we go.

D – Decision making ability.

To be disciplined you have to be able to make decisions and make them at the time they need to be made. This is one of those great skills that so few ever get hold of. But it might just be the most important skill you ever attain.

I learned it in my first real management job. My boss, Nate was just plain the best. He did not beat me up for doing the wrong thing, he did not give me a hard time about what I did. He gave me a hard time about not making a decision. He taught me the principle I have lived and work by since that time in my 20’s. Simply put – make a decision, if you make the wrong one, then make another one. At least you are moving. You all know that is how I operate and try to teach you, it is simply easier and more effective to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.

I – Integrity

The lost art of living and telling the truth. How can you have disciple if you have to keep remembering what is truth and what is not. If you live and work and operate only under the truth, life becomes so much simpler and discipline becomes so much simpler.

If you want to have great discipline, then keep it simple and always tell, live and work the truth. Try it an see what happens.

S – Short cuts

Forget short cuts. Instead learn to take the narrow road. The wide road, or the road of least resistance is also the road of least success. That road is not for you. When you get to those forks in life, when you have to make those tough decisions, remember, take the right road, not the easiest road.

This is a major problem today and why fewer and fewer people today have integrity. We are always looking for the easy way out. We know what has to be done to get the job done. But instead of just doing it, we try to find the short cut. Disciplined people know what has to be done to make it work, and they do it.

C – Character.

Do what you said you where going to do, when you said you where going to do it, the way you said you where going to do it.

“The ability to make yourself do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not.” Elbert Hubband

Imagine the difference when you walk this way.

I – Investor.

To be disciplined you must be an investor, not a gambler.

When I tell people it is easier to ask forgiveness than permission, they sometimes put that into the realm of gambling. I think it is actually the other way around. You see by doing nothing, you are gambling that it will be OK. In most cases doing nothing makes nothing happen, that is a gamble. Make the investment in taking a risk, in making the decision, in doing what you need to do. Then watch what happens.

P – Prepare.

You cannot prepare when it is time to get rolling – it is to late.

For many of us, our mom’s taught us this simple principle, but as we grew we though we knew better – we didn’t.

Prepare for what you have to do.

Get the stuff together.

Get what you you need to do the job.

Be ready, have it together when the opportunity presents itself.

When you are prepared – you cannot be stopped.

L Listening.

When you open your ears and shut your mouth you will be amazed at how different things look. You will be amazed.

Listen to what is going on around you.

Listen to those on your team.

Listen to your inter self.

Then make a decision and move forward.

I Initiative

It doesn’t just happen and if you think it does, you are wrong. You have to make it happen through your action. Stop thinking about it and start moving forward.

How many are sitting around still waiting for it to happen?

To many.

Discipline requires you to do something, to move forward, to make it happen.

N – No.

Busy people don’t know how to say no. That is why instead of being productive, they are busy.

To be disciplined you have to know how to say “NO”.

You have to be willing to say “NO”.

You have to say “NO”.

Think about all the times you got into trouble.

You got to much to do – because you could not say “no”, now you have to take short-cuts.

You knew you couldn’t do it, but you could not say “no”.

You know you shouldn’t, but you can’t say “no”.

Am I getting through? Learn to say no and say “NO”.

E – Extra mile.

Discipline people don’t just get it done, they get it done right. They do more than the minimum.

They go that extra mile.

They do things, but they don’t just do them. They do them to the best of their abilities and then even more. Are you ready to do that? Can you do it?

Simple enough right?

Can you do it?

This week, start working these simple steps and watch what happens to your life. Once you learn real discipline you will be amazed at the results.

So stop thinking about it, stop hesitating and get moving.

Build yourself into that very disciplined person – starting today.

The new year is upon us and I want us all to hit the road running and knowing that this will be the greatest year ever for us. Whatever happened last year is now done. We cannot change it, hopefully we have learned some lessons from it and are ready to roll forward. Ready to hit the road running with strong and totally driven “persistence”.

“One thing we all know, if one does not possess persistence, one does not achieve noteworthy success in any calling” – Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich.

“If one has persistence, one can get along very well without many other qualities.”

Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich.

According to Napoleon Hill in this book, Think and Grow Rich, “there are four simple steps which lead to the habit of persistence. They call for no great amount of intelligence, no particular amount of education, and but little time or effort.”

Today I want to take a brief look at these four very basic habits and see how they can help us to make this next year our greatest year every.

But first I have to ask you a simple question – do you believe that you can make this new year, your best year ever. If you do not have this belief I ask you to stop right now and get it. For without belief, the rest has no possibility.

According to Mr. Hill, the first thing you need “is a definite purpose backed by burning desire for its fulfillment.”

So what is it you are going to do in this new year?

What is it you are going to accomplish this year.

Do you have a burning desire to make it happen?

Are you ready, willing and able to make it your driver.

Take a piece of paper right now and write it down.

This is what it is.

Only you can know this and only you can make it your burning desire.

This year I am going to break 1 millions dollars in sales. I am committed to make it happen, totally.

This year I am going to write that book that will help millions of people change their lives.

This year we are going to get 25 new members.

This year I am going to get my degree and graduate.

This year I am going to become debt free.

This year I am going to find a job that I really want.

What is it?

What is it that is going to drive you this year.

Second according to to Mr. Hill, “a definite plan, expressed in continuous action.”

You now know the what, now you need the how.

You need a detail plan of how you are doing to make it happen.

You need goals, measurements and accountability.

You need the road map.

You can have all the desire you want, but without the road map you will just go around in circles.

If you don’t have the plan, stop and get started putting it together today.

Right now get out that paper, computer or whatever you use and write out your plan.

A plan with goals, tasks, measurements and accountability.

Without a plan you are wasting your time, you will not get there.

So take time right now and put it together, today. It is really that important. Now.
Third, you are going to have to get that inter strength you need. That ability as Napoleon Hill says, “A mind closed tightly against all negative and discouraging influences including negative suggestions of relatives friends and acquaintances.”

Success has to be achieved by you.

You have to have that inter strength to make it happen.

There are many who will try and stop you, not necessarily on purpose, it just seems that way.

Not to be rude, but the bottom line is very simple, “I don’t care what you think, I know I can do this”

Can you make that part of your driving force or can’t you.

Are you going to listen to the voice inside you which drives you to success, or are you going to let everyone else stop you.

Stop listening to those who settle for less than they really want.

Stop listening to those who are looking for just enough.

Stop listening to those who have no dreams.

Start listening to those who have done it, to those how still have dreams.

Your inter strength will drive you beyond what you ever through, if you let it.

Believe in YOU.

Finally, according to Mr. Hill, you will need “a friendly alliance with one or more persons who will encourage one to follow through with both plan and purpose.”

Who is going to help you?

Mastermind groups are great for this, are you part of one?

Coaches and mentors make this happen, do you have one or both?

What about real friends who are their to help you and encourage you. Who listen to you and support you and help you.

You see, encouragement is so important. With it, you can move mountains.

So there you have it.

Four simple keys from the master of success – no not me, Napoleon Hill.

Put these into practice this year and watch what happens to you.

Persistence will make this your greatest year ever – the only question is, are you ready.

Do you have it in your organization – or do you just think you do?

Does everyone answer the phone – the right way?

You might and should have a written policy.

But if it is not followed – how good is it?

Does everyone in your organization know it, follow it, live it?

Do they understand it?

Do they understand what you expect?

If not, you could be on your way to some problems.

I was meeting with an organization the other day.

I just listened as the phone was answered, a very simple piece of customer service.

Most people don’t even know or believe it is customer service.

But trust me, the way you answer the phone, specially if I have never called there before, might be the difference between a new customer and a hang up.

So first I listened to what should have been the normal answering to a phone call.

Hello – this is NA, Inc. Thank you for calling us, how can I be of service to you today?

Nice, I liked it.

It told the people they had the right place.

It thanked them for calling – even before anything else.

And it laid out there the ground work for the next step – how can I be of service.

Nice touch I told them.

This is what everyone in the organization should have been saying, but as you learn from the following, they were not.

Instead, here is what you heard when you called and others answered.

Hello – how can I help you.

Joe.

Mary.

Yea.

NA, Inc.

What can I help you with today?

And a few more – some not even this good.

Well – is it a big deal or not?

I can tell you this, you better take some time and see how your phone is being answered.

If you are the caller – what would you think?

If you are calling for the first time, looking for help – what would you think?

The real issue is that most of the time, the problem is not the people working for you. For some reason we think everyone knows how to answer the phone – most people do not. They never were trained in how they should do it. Further, no one ever called them on it for the way they were doing it. So things just go on.

Today’s simple rule: Define, train and enforce how your phone is to be answered. Every time, by every one. It is a big deal. Just think of how many potential customers may never have gotten to you or your team?

This is an easy one to fix, but the payback can be huge. I love to call my customers and my prospects just to see how the phone is answered? How is your team doing?

Note: Those of you who are solo entrepreneurs, the only one in your business – this applies to you just as much. How are you answering your phone? Difference between deal and no deal!

I love that title which was from a quote by Ty Boyd the king of customer.

Ever think about the fact that satisfactory customer service is just not an acceptable solution?

In fact, it is an oxymoron when you think about it.

It is truly time that we got it – it is time we provide customer service that was outstanding.

To understand customer service, start by remembering the root word and understanding what service really is – service is to serve.

No more talking about it – that doesn’t work.

Customer want great customer service – they want great service..

So – let’s go provide it for our customers and see what happens.

Unfortunately, the bottom line is that most organizations provide satisfactory customer service and they think they are doing the customer a favor. They think they are doing something great. They create all kinds of measurements and talk about it all the time. Pat themselves on the back.

You see, great customer service comes from always knowing you can do it better.

Then doing it better.

Then doing more than anyone expects.

Knowing you are good, but knowing you need to be outstanding is what makes it work.

To get to outstanding customer service, first remove customer from the word pair.

Then take a moment and really understand what service means.

Service means serving – and serving means providing more than is expected.

Don’t take that lightly

Are you serving or is it just a job function in your organization?

The style of the person in charge of customer service – are they a servant?

Do they walk, talk and live service.

Does everyone know that service is what they stand for?

Really take a look.

When you describe them, do they bring the word service to your lips.

Do they have an attitude that is to serve?

If not, why are they in charge of one of the most important functions in your organization.

To get great customer service, give the function to a person who is a great servant.

Simple question – give me the name of a company that went out of business in the past 4 years, by continuing, even when things got tough, to provide the outstanding customer service.

You would be hard pressed to find any – because service is the last thing people want to give up and the first thing they expect always to be there.

The attitude in your organization has to be, “we are here to serve our customers”, “The customer is always right.”.

Understand, the customer is not always right.

But – and please brand this into your mind and the mind of all you work with and never forget it:

“The customer is always the customer.”

If you are unhappy with the customer – if they just done fit – fine. There are customers you have to fire. So fire them and move on.

But, as long as they are the customer – they are the customer and you need to suck it up and provide outstanding customer service.

Today I want you to make a commitment – satisfactory customer service is no longer and never again will be acceptable in my organization. We will create outstanding customer service.

Then, commit to doing it over the next 12 months and watch what happens to your organization. In this time of economic downturn, when you get great customer service, it means even more.

So give it to your customers and you will find new success in your business.

It doesn’t matter what you sell.-

if you don’t qualify the buyer,

you are wasting your time.

Qualify the buyer as early in the

process as you can.

That does not mean you forget building

relationships.

That does not mean you are rude.

It simply means, buyers are buyers

and everyone else is everyone else.

Your selling energy need to stop

being wasted on people who are

never going to buy.

You need to stop being afraid of

moving on.

You need to be honest with yourself –

not keep thinking – “well, maybe”.

To many times, people would rather

keep trying to sell a person who will

never buy than to move on.

I think it is just plain human nature.

You want to be successful at building –

then you need to learn to move on

when you have found a non-buyer.

You need to stop thinking that the prospect

is good if you really know they are not a buyer.

How many times I see this problem.

Sales people trying to sell products and services.

Companies trying to sell people they want to hire.

Churches trying to sell new members.

People trying to sell relationships.

Stop being afraid to move on.

Many companies go down because they

keep trying to selling people who will never buy.

Many sales people are fired everyday because

they spent their time trying to sell the non-buyer.

Many organizations are stuck and cannot grow,

because they are trying to sell those who never will buy.

To be successful, you have to have a process

that asks the tough questions upfront. Early in

the process. And you have to be willing to walk

away when you know the answers and they don’t fit.

You do not have a genie in a bottle.

You do not get three wishes.

Here are a few simple things to try.

1. Ask, “what is your budget”?

How much can you spend?

If you sell a $10,000 process and they

can only spend $500 – ask yourself, is

this really a prospect?

No it is not.

Stop being afraid to ask the tough questions.

If you don’t know this answer – you will keep

selling to a person who can never buy.

Do you get this?

2. Push for a number if they don’t give it to you.

If they won’t give it, ask, “is $5000 to much?”

Just watch their face for the answer.

If they keep hiding everything from you,

ask yourself, “is this really a buyer”. No.

3. Who makes the financial decision to buy

and release the funds?

Hesitation usually means they do not –

that means you need to meet the person

who does.

Never, never, try selling a couple without

both of them not there. Never try selling

a partnership without all the key partners there.

Problem is, the one that will talk with you is

usually not the buyer.

You need the decision maker at the meeting –

the one who signs the checks.

Ask, can you sign the check?

Yes, or you don’t have the buyer.

4. What is the time table to buy?

Is this a fishing trip or are they going to buy.

Yes, you need to build relationships and

build for the future.

But if you have people who need to buy

this week, don’t spend time with those who

are going to buy next year.

When do you think you will make the decision?

Ask the question.

5. Are you just a final quote they need before

they buy from someone else.

Ask.

Find out.

To many times people already have a decision,

they just need another price before they buy.

And it really doesn’t matter what your price,

service or ability is. Remember, all things being

equal, people buy from people they like, and all

things not being equal, people still buy from

people they like.

Are you in the running for this deal? Yes or no?

6. Why are you looking at our product/service?

This will tell you much.

Watch the face.

If they have a great reason to look at you, they

usually have a great reason to buy from you.

Why are you looking at us? Ask the question.

It is a great question.

Stop being afraid to ask.

7. What are your expectations of our product/service?

Can you meet their expectations?

If not, you better move on.

What do they expect from you, your product,

your service.

Are their expectations valid. If not, why would

you sell to them?

Simply put.

1. Do they have the money to buy your product or service?

2. Do they have the authority to write the check?

3. Are they going to make a decision within your buying cycle?

4. Can you meet their expectations?

You got to have all four or you need to move on for now.

Yes, you do need to sow seeds.

But make sure you are not sowing when you need to be harvesting.

Qualify, qualify, qualify.

You don’t! You can keep going the

way you are and doing the things you

are doing and expecting things to be

be different? But guess what? They

won’t be different.

How are you going to create real

success in all you do?

Have you addressed these questions.

1. Is fear of failure holding you

back from real success in all you do?

2. Are you holding back making

decisions because you might be wrong?

3. Are you afraid of taking the

risk because you might look bad?

Or it might cost you a great deal.

Why not ask these questions in a much

more positive manner – what if:

1. You took the risk and it worked out?

2. You failed and it gave you more

confidence in trying again?

3. It didn’t work, but led you to

something even greater

As you begin your journey into the new

year, there are 3 questions on the table that

you need to address and 13 keys to

addressing them.

1. Where are you going?

2. How are you going to get there?

3. When are you going to get started?

First one – where are you going?

1. Do you have a vision – do you know

where you are headed?

2. How innovative are you in what you

are doing? Are you doing everything from

inside a box which limits your potential?

Are you in the box?

3. How is your attitude? Do others want

to be like you? Do others want to follow you?

Or, do others avoid you because your

attitude stinks?

4. How much courage do you have?

Remember the opposite of courage is conformity.

Second – how you going to get there?

5. Do you have a written plan that

addresses and shows you how you are going

to get to where you want to go. A written

plan with written goals, measurements and

someone to keep you accountable.

6. What have you learned from this

year and the past? Positive and negative.

Remember, if you don’t do a lessons learned,

you will keep making the same mistakes.

7. Do you have a servant attitude?

How can I help you today?

8. How is you time management –

not paper forms or schedules that are so

detailed no one could ever follow them.

I am talking about priority, priority, priority.

Simple put, are you working the highest

payback items first.

So, once you know were you are going

and how to get there, the third step is simple –

get up and do it.

9. Action – no matter what – if you do

something, then something will happen.

If you do nothing, then nothing will happen.

10. Persistence – do you refuse to give up?

Do you refuse to lose? Do you keep on rolling

even when it gets tough? Do you keep on

rolling even when you “don’t feel like it?”

11. Disciple – simply put – do you do

what you said you would do, when you said

you would do it. Or has all that gone out

the window?

12. Practice – you know how I feel on

this one. I don’t care how long you been

doing it. I don’t care how good you think

you are. I have been selling for 30 years.

I still spend 30 minutes almost every work day

reading and learning to get better. Practice

does make perfect although I am not there yet!

13. If you got this far, you are in

business. The final step, or the step that

encompasses it all. Listening. How good

are you at closing the mouth and opening

both ears. The better you are at it, the greater

next year will be.

Get some help, implement you dreams, your

vision, your goals. Make it happen in the

next year.

Why do you need a coach?

According to Guerrilla Selling,

“They’re called ‘cold calls’ because

of the shiver that runs up our spine

every time we have to make one.”

Fear of the 25 pound phone which

we just can’t pick up.

Fear of rejection.

Fear of a dozen other things.

How about fear of not making our

numbers?

Cold Calling Does work?

But have we really tired it lately?

Do we understand that it might just

be something that could work for

us today?

It might just be something different.

While the world goes crazy emailing –

maybe we should try something different.

How much email do we get all day

long from everybody.

To much might be the right answer.

How much email do we read?

Little if any?

How much of it is relevant to

what we do?

To our business?

Come to think of it, when was the

last time some one actually cold

called on us?

When was the last time we actually

did any cold calling?

Could it be that we just might get in

to see that person that we never can

get to respond to our emails simply

by stopping by?

Could it be that we just might get

someone on the phone just by calling

them? Even though they never

return our emails.

Why don’t we give it a try?

We are so into electronic media

today that we have forgotten all

about the cold call.

And I know many people are happy

not to do them.

But listen.

Part of being successful is doing

things differently.

Part of being successful is not doing

what everyone else is doing.

While everyone else is emailing,

what would happen if we were

making calls and visits?

Some people like to tell us that we

don’t need to cold call anymore.

Baloney

Cold calling is still the meat and

potatoes of successful selling.

Why don’t we give it a real try and

see what happens?

It could it be that cold calling might

just be that thing that propels us

over the top.

Instead of complaining about how

bad things are.

Instead of talking about how we

can’t get any leads.

Instead of talking about how we

can’t get any appointments.

Why don’t we try something different.

Why don’t we work a building from the

top floor down and see if we get any leads.

Why don’t we work an industrial park,

one street at a time and see how many

places we can get into.

Why don’t we pick up the phone and

make 50 calls today and see how many

people we can talk to.

We might just be surprised at the

reception we get.

We might just be surprised at the

results that we get.

The one great thing about cold

calling is results are immediate.

So, if we need something to spark

us up or spark out team up.

Let’s do some cold calling.

Cold calling is not dead.

Instead, it might just have become

the tool of the new outstanding

sales person.

What are we going to do today?

Me and my team – we are going

cold calling.

Facebook this.

Twitter that.

Linkedin the other.

What is a person to do to keep

his/her sanity?

You have to be on Facebook and

you have to send out 4, 8, 12 messages

a day.

You have to twit at least 4 times a day

or 6 times a week or 42 times a month.

You have to have at least this many

Linkedin connections or you could

look bad? Do you want to look bad

on Linkedin?

Are you blogging yet?

If not, forget it, you will never get

any business.

You might as well close it up.

Had enough yet?

Relax.

Building relationships has not changed

in thousands of years and no matter

what the tools are, the process is still

the same.

1. Relax – regardless of what “they”

tell you, you are probably no further

behind than most people. In fact, if

you know a little you are already

ahead of many.

2. If you want to learn about

social media, look on the internet,

there are thousands of free classes.

Look in your local area, there are

classes. Take a few classes and learn.

3. Talk with people you know

who are good or who have been

working with it. Not the people

who tell you there is no other way,

just people you know and trust

who can tell you the real story.

4. Connect with a few good

companies that can help you with it.

There are many good companies out

there. But there are also many “not

so good” companies out there.

Bottom line is very simple.

Social networking is just networking

with a different set of tools.

These rules always have and always

will apply to networking.

1. First you have to make a friend

before you make a client.

Facebook, Linkedin, or a face to face

networking event.

People are still buying from people

they like.

2. Stop telling everyone about you,

you, you and start learning about others.

Just like the person at the chamber

meeting who gets in your face. People

can get in your face on the social

networking arena as well.

3. Honesty is still the way to go.

You will get caught and that is a fact of life.

But the bad thing is that once caught on

a social network, many, many, many people

will know. – Very quickly.

4. It is not about quantity, it is still

about quality. Even in the social

networking world.

So you have thousands of followers on

Twitter – what does it get for you?

So you have over 2000 friends on Facebook –

is it getting you business?

So you are part of the “over 500” connections

on Linkedin – if I called you to refer, do you

know all those people enough to just call them?

There is no magic – regardless of what they

might tell you.

There are some tricks of the trade.

There are some right ways to do it.

There are some better ways to be successful.

But there is no magical solution that will

bring all business your way.

Those who are successful in networking

are those who build the best relationships.

You need to learn the tool, because you

already know the process.

You already know how to effectively network.

Now learn how to use the tools that are

being used today.

Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin are great tools.

Used correctly, they can help your business grow.

But, but, they are just that, tools.