21 Tips in 21 Days to Get You Into Selling Shape for 2012

By Jim Domanski
Are your 2012 sales a little sluggish? Need a little momentum?

Here are 21 tips that you can apply one day at a time over the next 21 days to help kick start your sales for 2012. These tips are in addition to your normal everyday selling activities. Why 21? Because 21 is approximately the number of business days in a month and because it is roughly the amount of time it takes to create a habit. If you get into the good habit of doing something a little extra to improve your skills or enhance your productivity and effectiveness your sales are bound to grow.


The 21-Day Get Sales Fit Program

Day 1 - For the next five business days, arrive 15 minutes earlier and use the time to prospect. Sometimes earlier in the day is the best time to reach decision makers. Of course what it really does is translate into 75 minutes of business development. Focus exclusively on dialling. Don't get distracted.

Day 2- Send out 10 thank you cards to your top 10 clients. Simply tell them 'thank you' for all the business in the past. Tell them you don't take them for granted. Hand write the card and envelope. Use a real stamp. Go here for more information on this simple but highly effective task.

Day 3- Ask your manager to monitor five of your (completed) calls today and provide feedback on how you can enhance and improve your approach to a call. A good coach means good results.

Day 4 - Identify 15 inactive clients (a customer who has not bought something in the last 12 months) and give them a call. Ask them questions to get a feel for their current situation. Identify needs. Pay attention to them. Groom them. Reactivate them.

Day 5 - Today, implement a "passive referral" program i.e., a means of soliciting referrals from clients (and prospects) using a variety of methods (e.g., e-mail). For more information on this process go here.

Day 6 - For the next 5 business days, stay 15 minutes longer and make cold calls and develop new business opportunities. Sometimes later in the day is the best time to reach your decision makers. Try it and see for yourself.

Day 7- Today you want to get "some skin in the game" and invest in yourself. Go to a books store or visit Amazon and buy a book on selling. Find something to enhance your approach to selling. When you invest in a product you are more apt to read and apply the techniques in order to get an ROI. (See the Book recommendation following this article)

Day 8- For today, identify your top 5 selling products and list 2 add on sales for each these products. Jot them on a sheet of paper and when appropriate cross sell or up sell on these products. Do this today and for the rest of the 21 days. Watch the average value of your sale increase.Go here if you'd like more information.

Day 9- Swap five of your prospects who are not returning your calls with 5 prospects from a co-worker. Sometimes a new voice and new approach generates new sales.

Day 10 - Scan the internet and find an industry or product related article that you can send or e-mail to 25 clients. Add a little note that says, "I thought of you when I found this article. Enjoy!" This creates value. It positions you as a 'resource' and not just a 'source.'

Day 11 - Call 10 of your "B -level" customers and ask them if there are any projects / sales three to six months down the line. Not only are you scoping out long term opportunities, you are staying 'top of mind.'

Day 12 - Eat lunch at your desk and spend the time making cold calls - maybe to a different time zone. That'll give you an extra 50-60 minutes of business development opportunity. See what happens.

Day 13 - Call your top 10 clients (the same ones to whom you sent the thank you cards on Day 2 and who probably got your industry related article on Day 10.) Ask them for a referral.

Day 14- Today, create an e-prospecting letter and send them to 15 prospects. For tips on e-mails go here.

Day 15 - Make follow up calls to the 15 prospects who got your e-mail on Day 14. Timing is everything.

Day 16 - For the next five days, come in 10 minutes earlier and stay 10 minutes later. That means an additional 100 minutes of business development activity. Ten minutes on either end of the day? Heck, that's easy.

Day 17- Monitor 5 calls from three of your co-workers (15 calls in all). Get a feel for what they do. Maybe you'll get some fresh new ideas or approaches.

Day 18 - Call five clients and ask them for a testimonial quote that you could use in an e-mail or letter or presentation. When you get them, be sure to leverage them!

Day 19 - Call or e-mail those who have given you a referral and given them an update on the status of the referrals you received.

Day 20- Send a thank you card - not an e-mail- to those who have given you a testimonial quote.

Day 21 - Evaluate all that you have done over the past 21 days. What has been the net result? If you've missed anything implement it. Now, build your 'little extra' plan for the next 21 days. Keep the momentum going.


The above tips are easy to implement and take very little time. Do the extras. The extras will give you the edge and make things happen.


By Jim Domanski of Teleconcepts Consulting. Please visit Jim's web site at http://www.telesalesmaster.com/ for additional articles and resources for tele-sales professionals


George Torok Host of Business in Motion Business Speaker
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Contrarian or Team Player - Which are You??

Why We Need Contrarians in The Workplace

This article by Barbara Moses published in the Globe and Mail suggests that contrarians are valuable additions to every workplace team - whether they are appreciated or not.

But is a contrarian really appreciated by a group of team players? Are the two labels polar opposites, or is one a different shade of the other?

I agree with the position of the article that the concept of being a team player has been over hyped. I think to the point of blind obedience.

In my experience good team players:

• Go along with the rest of the group
• Are unwilling to offend others
• Do not place a high value on their own time
• Are willing to sacrifice results for group harmony
• Avoid embarrassment

In my experience contrarians:

• See things differently
• Ask bold and challenging questions
• Are willing to take a postition
• Are willing to oppose the group
• Accept that they will make mistakes

  

George Torok Host of Business in Motion Business Speaker Listen to Business in Motion audio PodCasts On iTunes Business in Motion on Facebook

10 Tips to Make 2012 More Productive and Profitable

Kick off the new year by listening to George Torok's "Top 10 Tips to Make Your 2012 a More Productive and Profitable Year".

Listen to this 30 minute radio show with host, George Torok.
10-tips-to-make-2012-more-productive-profitable

Here is a summary of the tips.

10 Tips to Make 2012 a More Productive and Profitable Year


1. Fail Fast, Fail Often and Fail Cheap

Be willing to make, and learn from your mistakes. Treat mistakes as part of the growing process – not an end. Think ahead by limiting the cost of possible failures. This tip is courtesy of Jim Estill.


2. Be Clear on Your Purpose

Why are you doing this? Ask that question of yourself more often before you invest your time, money or effort. Clarify the purpose of each meeting, promotion or decision before you commit.


3. Fundamentals

Revisit the fundamentals. Technology changes rapidly. Techniques adapt to circumstances. But the fundamentals never change nor fail you. Don’t wing it, understand the fundamentals.


4. Stop Chasing Perfection


You will never be perfect. Chasing perfection will result in repeated frustration. Instead strive to be better every time. Then you can experience a chain of small wins and progressive successes.


5. Stop Doing Things

What do you need to stop doing to allow you to do more of what you really want to do? Write your “Stop doing list”. This is as important as your “To do list.”


6. Scare Yourself

Face at least one thing that scares you. That’s how you grow. Courage is not being without fear – it is facing your fear. You’ll discover more about yourself when you scare yourself.


7. Ask Better Questions

Ask better questions of yourself, others and the world around you. You’ll be amazed at the answers you’ll get. It takes more thought to ask good questions than to answer them.


8. Review and Use Your Resources

You have resources that you aren’t fully using. Check your tangible and especially intangible resources for new opportunities. You already have what you need to succeed. Check your pockets.


9. Visit Other Worlds

Life is best observed through a kaleidoscope. Discover other cultures, opinions and perspectives. Volunteer for a charity, read about history and listen to other views without judging. Walk around the block with your eyes open.


10. Accept the Mess in Your Head

You are the best person to deal with the mess in your head. That will include a mix of ideas, questions, unfinished thoughts, self doubts, fears, anxieties, hopes, dreams…

No one else will ever know about the mess in your head. And you can work to organize some of that mess.

Listen to the podcast of this radio show here.

Best Interviews from 2011

It's difficult to select the best because many of these radio interviews with business leaders are so good. Here is our selection for this year. Click the links to listen to the interviews. Enjoy. Be inspired.


Murray Hogarth, Founder Pioneer Gas Stations

 

Murray Hogarth launched the first Pioneer gas station in 1956. Today there are more than 150 Pioneer gas stations across Ontario.

 

• Pioneer donates 1% of profits – not revenue to charity.
• Murray Hogarth was instrumental in the formation of CAFE – the Canadian Association of Family Enterprises.
• Pioneer is the largest independant gas station chain.
• Murray Hogarth was voted the Entrepreneur of the Year by the Burlington Economic Development Corporation for 2010.

Listen to the radio interview with Murray Hogarth

 

 

Bruce McDougall, The McDougall Group

Who is Bruce McDougall?

He is the founder and president of The McDougall Group, a financial planning company in Burlington, Ontario. A past president of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce he is a long time active Rotarian. He is a marathon runner, tri-athlete, a past competitive racquetball player and an avid golfer.

Listen to the interview Bruce McDougall


Kathy Bardswick, The Co-Operators Group



Kathy Bardswick has been with the Co-Operators for 32 years. She worked her way through various roles with the company. A working mom with four children she was inspired by her own mother (with six children) who encouraged her to pursue her dreams. Kathy earned her MBA at McMaster University.


Listen to the interview with Kathy Bardswick

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