The 80/20 Rule

By Heather Colquhoun

The 80/20 rule says that approximately 80% of the results come from 20% of the input. It has been said that 80% of fat comes from 20% of your food, 80% of profit comes from 20% of a company's clients and 80% of your quality output comes from 20% of your activities. This fraction is applied in many situations. The point of focusing on the 80/20 rule is to call attention to the things that produce the best results. It is not about doing more things; it is about doing more of the right things.

Step 1: Determine where your daily activities fall.

The first step to applying the 80/20 rule in your life is determining what activities fall within the 80% category and which fall in the 20%. The things that fall in the 80% category are the tasks you do that take a lot of time and effort but produce moderate results. In comparison the 20% category is filled with responsibilities that take less effort and turn out great results.

Start by making a list of the all of the things you do that produce moderate results. These tasks are often items that:

• Someone else wants you to do.
  
• Seem to take a lot of time and are draining.
  

Are there tasks that always manage to fall to the bottom of your list until there is a firm consequence for not getting it done? These belong in the 80% category. Things you enjoy doing and become energized from belong in the 20% category . These are the tasks producing 80% of your success.

Step 2: Focus on your strengths.

Examine your 20% list; you should find the activities in this list revolve around or are closely tied to your strengths. According to Marcus Buckinghamm, author of several books including “Now, Discover Your Strengths,” to be the most efficient, you need to focus more time and energy on improving your strengths than you spend on addressing your weaknesses.

You need to invest exponentially more time in getting moderately better at something you are bad at than the time you need to improve your strengths. For example, if one of your strengths is connecting with clients one-on-one and one of your weaknesses is giving group presentations, you could spend hours upon hours practicing for a presentation. This practice will yield some improvement. However, if you have an associate who is great at giving presentations and you concentrate on improving your already strong networking skills (both which are essential to your relationship with a client) you will be more successful in the end.

Step 3: Find someone better than you to do the 80%.

To spend more time focusing on the tasks that produce the best value, chances are you will need to find someone to take on the responsibilities that are on your 80% list. There is someone who is better for this job or more motivated to do it than you are. Find that person and those tasks and give them up. If you are having trouble letting go and delegating ask yourself:

• Is there someone better at this task than I am?
  
• What could go wrong if someone else does this job?
  
• If something does go wrong will the mistake be caught?
  
• If a mistake isn't caught what will the consequences be?
  

If you can live with the answers to the above questions, delegate the task or it will continue to be the part of your 80% that drags you down, taking away from your resources to work on your strengths.

Step 4: Make the most of the time you have.

Finally, you may not be able to get rid of all of the things that take up your time and effort. Spend the time you need to on these tasks. Do not spend the time you have for them. If it takes you an hour to pay your bills each month but you have two hours chances are you will use the time that you have allotted. Be realistic and determine how much time your 80% tasks should take you, set a timer and get it done in that time. It will leave more time for your 20% tasks, becoming stronger in the areas that produce valuable results.

Optional: An Email Diet?

Do 20% of your e-mails already produce 80% of your results? If so put your team on an e-mail diet. Ask them to reduce the amount of time they spend on e-mail. E-mail is a primary form of communication; however, it often takes longer than speaking to someone in person. One way to reduce time spent on e-mail is to stop "e-mail conversations." Anytime an "e-mail conversation" goes on longer than two replies around one topic, stop typing and pick up the phone. Most people are more effective at communicating their point verbally, there is less chance of misinterpretation, and a decision can be made more quickly than the endless structure of "write, edit, send, wait for reply, read, decide what to say, write, edit."

Heather Colquhoun is the Director, Training & Development at Kaleidoscopic Consulting, a training and consulting company specializing in elevating organizations to peak performance through conflict management, diversity awareness, and teambuilding. She can be reached at (416) 238-7454, by email at Heather@kscopic.ca or via the Web site at www.kscopic.ca.

Published in Networking Today, June 2007

Is Your Value Proposition Strong Enough?

By Jill Konrath

A few weeks ago, I sent out a newsletter announcing my new Web site "Selling to Big Companies." The next day I received an e-mail from a subscriber that said, "You did a good piece of selling in the e-mail. I read all the way to the bottom, and I had NO intention of doing so when I glanced at it. You must know your stuff!"

While I enjoyed the compliment, what really surprised me was that it was from a professor in the Pharmacy Sciences Department of Midwestern University. Why was a Ph.D. reading a newsletter on selling? It wasn't logical.

So being the curious (or nosy) person that I am, I e-mailed and asked him. Turns out that he and a colleague were starting a consulting practice. When they told me about it, I was floored because they have one of the best "value propositions" I've heard in a long time! But before I tell you what it is, let me define what that term means.

A value proposition is a clear statement of the tangible results a customer gets from using your products or services. The more specific your value proposition is, the better. Most people and companies have lousy value propositions. They're weak – and I mean really weak. Often they're simply a description of features or capabilities. Or they're filled with self-aggrandizing puffery.

Here are a few examples of weak value propositions:

· It's the most technologically advanced and robust system on the market.

· We improve communication and morale.

· We offer training classes in a wide variety of areas. My product was rated the best in class by leading authorities.

You're probably saying, "So what?" That's exactly what most customers think when you share a weak value proposition. They've heard lines like that a zillion times before and don't believe you one little bit. Besides, you haven't shared what's in it for them-and that's all customers care about.

With today's tight economy and overburdened decision makers, you need to have a strong value proposition to break through the clutter and get their attention. That means you need a financially oriented value proposition that speaks to critical issues they're facing. And, by including specific numbers or percentages, you get the decision maker's attention even faster.

Now back to the two professors. In researching various pharmacy benefit managers (the companies behind your prescription drug card), they found that some firms offer much better deals than others.

One of their clients switched to a plan they recommended and saved $800,000 in the first six months, without reducing services to their employees.

Now that's a REALLY STRONG value proposition. I can't imagine any Chief Financial Officer turning down an appointment with the two professors after hearing those figures.

Let me give you another example: A while back I was having lunch with the president of a half-billion dollar division of a major corporation. She told me that if someone called her and said he could reduce her waste by just one percent, she'd meet with him immediately.

Now a one percent savings seemed miniscule to me, so I asked her why. She told me that she knew exactly how much her company spent on waste – and it was a big chunk of change. Every penny she saved would go right to her bottom line as additional profit. Strong value propositions deliver tangible results like...

· Increased revenues

· Faster time to market

· Decreased costs

· Improved operational efficiency

· Increased market share

· Decreased employee turnover

· Improved customer retention levels

Documented success stories make prospective buyers believe in you. That's why the two professors have such a compelling value proposition.

So how does your value proposition look? Can you describe what you do in terms of tangible business results? Do you have documented success stories? Or do you need to do some work to enhance your value proposition?

If it's not strong enough yet, don't despair. Most people, and companies, too, have a much stronger value proposition than the one they use. They just get caught up describing "what" they make or "how" they do things.

Here are several things you can do right now to enhance your value proposition:

1. Brainstorm with your colleagues:

2. Review your marketing material and what you say to customers to get their attention. If you're not talking tangible results, keep asking each other "So what?"

So what if it's an efficient system? So what if we have a replicable process? So what if it's high quality? By asking this question over and over again, you'll get much closer to the real value you bring to customers. If you're a sole proprietor, do this exercise with a group of small business owners.

3. Talk to your customers: To find out what value you bring, your existing customers are your best resource. Tell your customers you need help understanding the real value of your offering, and you'd like their feedback.

Most people are afraid to ask their customers for feedback. It took me awhile to take this step, but what I learned was a real eye-opener. Not only did it change my value proposition, but it also changed my offerings and self-perception.

Don't let another day go by with a weak value proposition. A strong one literally opens the doors of major corporations, while a weak one keeps you on the outside.

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Jill Konrath, President of Selling to Big Companies and Leapfrog-Strategies Inc., helps sellers create value, differentiation, and demand in competitive markets. For info on speaking, training or consulting services, please call: 651-429-1922 or email: mailto:jill@sellingtobigcompanies.com

Published in Networking Today, June 2007

By Barb Smith

From the early days in the classroom, and throughout our adult life, learning new skills and improving our education has been seen as the road to career success. “You can never learn too much,” we’ve been told. Yet, it is not uncommon for a job seeker to be told they are over-qualified.

It may seem unreasonable that an employer wouldn’t hire someone with more skills and experience than they need, especially if they are getting that person for the same salary as the less-qualified candidate. Why wouldn’t an employer take advantage of such a situation? Well, they actually have some very good reasons:

1. Equity Issues Good employers pay attention to their employees’ perceptions of fairness. It is important that employees feel fairly compensated. Employers feel (and often rightly so) that employees who are being paid less than they are worth will eventually feel unfairly treated, and this will either have a negative impact on the quality of their work, or cause them to leave the position altogether, requiring the company to repeat the hiring process – an expensive endeavour.
   
   
2. Co-worker/Manager Issues When a new hire is placed in a position, it is natural for that individual to want to prove themselves and to show what they’re capable of. When that new hire is over-qualified, their desire to “show their stuff” could end up alienating and de-motivating co-workers, and even the manager, as the new hire hits home-run after home-run. Co-workers might be left wondering if they are needed at all.
   
   
3. Could it be you? Another factor that can come into play here is confidence. It’s not unusual for job seekers who have been let go from their job or whose search has been a long one to question themselves and their abilities. In response they often apply for jobs they know they could do with their eyes closed. When they are turned away as being over-qualified, they may doubt themselves even more (“I’ve got a university degree and I can’t even get a job in a mailroom!”) This can lead to a downward spiral that can be difficult to overcome. Don’t go there!
   
   
4. The Key to avoiding the “over-qualified” problem Apply for positions that you are uniquely qualified for. There is no one else on the planet with exactly the same qualifications you possess. It’s all about understanding what the employer needs and matching your qualifications to those needs. The closer the match, the better your chances of receiving an offer. So pump up your confidence, research your target companies, and make that match.
   

Barb Smith is a professional Job Search Coach in London, Ontario who applies the employer’s perspective when helping individuals find satisfying jobs with a minimum of stress and frustration. For more information, contact Barb at 519.691.0218 or email barb@barbsmithjobsearchcoach.ca. www.BarbSmithJobSearchCoach.ca

Published in Networking Today, June 2007

Estate Sales & Staging

By Catherine Brown

Without a doubt, one of the most stressful and emotional times of our lives is when a parent or loved one dies. Add to that the work of sorting through a lifetime of possessions, preparing the home for sale, and coordinating the multitude of tasks with grown siblings…and you could have a recipe for disaster on your hands.

Houses where families have grown up and gathered a lifetime of memories don’t reflect the model home image. Personal keepsakes, clutter, lingering odours, and dated furniture can hamper the selling process. A professional home stager can help your family de-stress and get top dollar in the process. The goal of staging is to create a “model home” atmosphere in a resale house – or simply, to reflect an idealized version of how a buyer could live in the home.

One of the best characteristics of a model home is that they are impersonal. A staging professional can rent contemporary furniture and accessories to help prospective buyers envision themselves in the house. Plus, she can help with the overwhelming prospect of de-cluttering. Not only does clutter take up valuable space but it has a personal significance, which can prevent a prospective buyer from moving in mentally. But there is a limit – don’t clear away too much stuff. If it looks like something’s missing, such as a coffee table, it can attract attention for all the wrong reasons. A staging professional can help you decide what to keep, toss, auction, give away, pack away, and where to store it.

If you and your siblings cannot agree on what needs to be done, or just don’t have the time and energy, start by removing personal items and clutter then hire a cleaning crew and gardener. A staging professional will organize these tasks.

Some sellers believe that listing the house “as is” will result in a smoother transaction. Unfortunately, when buyers see these listings they smell a bargain and a desperate seller – and often approach the transaction more aggressively. Listing “as is” does not prevent buyers from asking for a home inspection, requesting that defects be fixed, exercising their rights to cancel the sale based on a contingency clause, or deducting dollars from your asking price.

If extensive work is needed, spread your fix-it dollars throughout the house rather than focusing on one room. For example, you may think a new kitchen will draw attention away from other areas, but it is more likely to cause prospective buyers to focus on what needs to be done by comparison.

As with any renovation, speak with your realtor to get a feel for the Return on Investment. You don’t want to have most expensive house on the block. Likewise, fixing up on the cheap is not recommended either. The resulting poor workmanship and missed deadlines will end up costing you money when trying to sell.

Working through an estate sale is an easier process when you know what works and where to turn to for help. A home stager can help. Not only will your stress be diminished, but your best interests will be taken care of professionally.

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Catherine E. Brown is an Accredited Staging Professional and owner of Staged to Move. Catherine is committed to helping clients sell their home for the best price in the least amount of time. She can be contacted at (519) 868-7171 or by email at catherine@stagedtomove.ca. Visit her Web site at www.stagedtomove.ca.

Published in Networking Today, June 2007

Athletes Train: Why Don’t You?

By Susan Friedmann

There’s nothing like watching an athlete at the top of their game. The sprinter racing to the finish line or the star center sinking the game winning shot depict excellence. They make it look absolutely effortless, as if it was the most natural thing in the world for them to perform so well.

Appearances can be deceiving. What you don’t see are the long, grueling hours of training star athletes put in behind the scenes. Consider the endless laps around the track with no one watching and the skill drills like jump shot after jump shot after jump shot.

The same is true for exhibiting. The truly great exhibitors don’t just show up at the show and automatically know how to turn in a great performance. They’ve trained for the event; making sure that they’ve got a good grasp of the fundamental skills needed. They can focus on the game-day strategy critical to ensure success.

What type of training routine does your exhibiting team have? Most companies, if they answered honestly, would have to say little to no time is devoted to practicing the skills needed to do a good job on the show floor. It’s assumed the skills necessary to be a good salesman or manufacturer’s rep in the field will automatically transfer over to the show environment.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Someone who jogs everyday, even if they run for miles at a time, does not automatically turn into a top-notch marathon runner. You can work out in the weight room twice a week at the gym but that doesn’t mean you’re anywhere near ready to compete in Olympic level power lifting!

There are some essential differences between the everyday routine your sales reps face and the high-pressure intense situation they encounter on the show floor including:

1. Extremely limited amounts of time your team has with each attendee.

2. Length of the event to the sheer numbers of people one talks to in the course of the day.

Managing the two is like maintaining lightning quick reflexes like a boxer for hours on end like a marathon runner. You need to provide your team with the training and practice opportunities they’ll need to succeed if you want to break the ribbon, bring home the gold medal, or claim the trophy.

This training takes place "behind the scenes" yet yields visible results. Sharpening skills for tradeshows will also improve performance in the everyday sales environment. For maximum results, training efforts should be consistent throughout the year, intensifying as major events draw closer.

Active listening, for example, will help your team focus on the customer, truly understand their needs, and deliver accordingly. This will deepen and reinforce existing relationships, as well as make establishing new relationships easier. Consider having your own “Spring Training Camp” sessions before the exhibiting season begins, to refresh booth skills, learn new information, and familiarize your team with the product lines and demonstrations you’ll be featuring.

Spring Training is mandatory for the baseball crowd, and it should be mandatory for your team, too. Nobody is too experienced, too important, or too busy to do what is, at the core, the most important aspect of everyone’s job: focus on the customer. Additionally, training together can help form valuable team bonds, a critical resource when you’re functioning in a high pressure environment.

Many times, training is viewed as a valuable perk. This is especially true as the pool of employees skews younger. Employees today tend to place a higher premium on knowledge for knowledge’s sake than previous generations did. Savvy enough to realize training comes with expectations of enhanced performance, they also continually cite chances for education and career skills development as one of the factors they consider critical when choosing employers. If retaining your most valuable asset—your employees—is important to you, that’s just one more reason to put training on the schedule.

To review:

· Training is essential to ensure top-notch performance from your team.

· For maximum results, provide training that is relevant, consistent, and of high value.

· Everyone should participate, with a focus on educating your staffers and strengthening team bonds.

When it’s time for your team to take to the field, they too will turn in a top notch performance and make it look like it’s the most natural thing in the world!

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Written by Susan A. Friedmann,CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, internationally recognized expert working with companies to increase their profitability at tradeshows. Author: “Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies,” and “Riches in Niches: How to Make it BIG in a small Market” (May 2007).www.thetradeshowcoach.com

Published in Networking Today, June 2007

The Company Welcome Mat... How to Keep Customers Knocking on Your Door

By Nancy Friedman, The Telephone Doctor

"What is the biggest and most costly customer service mistake in business today?" Our answer is simple: "We’re just not friendly enough."

Customers should be treated as welcome guests when they call an organization. Instead, they’re often treated like an interruption or, even worse, an annoyance. More than 90 percent of all customer service includes a telephone call even though customer service mistakes happen anytime and in many ways.

These customer service tips will help you start or benchmark your own customer service training program. Bring your staff together at a time when everyone can attend and talk about any frustrating customer events. Discuss the outcomes and how they could have been. The meeting can be a short 15 minutes and it doesn’t need to be daily—but it does need to be done. Not having a customer service training program in place can cost every organization customers. Poor customer service creates a negative image for the entire organization, no matter how wonderful the products or services are that you offer.

Here are 3 of the biggest service mistakes that are most likely to anger customers into lifelong resentment toward an organization:

Mistake 1: Not Smiling.

Solution: Smile. It sounds insanely simplistic, doesn’t it? Since the telephone is the most commonly used mode of communication, we need to understand why a smile works. Customers can hear a smile. We recommend keeping a mirror by your desk, so when you pick up the receiver, you can tell if you’re smiling.

Smile even when you don’t feel like smiling. The caller doesn’t care if you feel like smiling or not. At Telephone Doctor, smiling before you pick up the phone is a condition of employment; not smiling is grounds for termination. Yes, I have exercised that option. With customer service as our top priority, we simply don’t tolerate not smiling before you pick up the phone. Frankly, I’d rather have the caller think your office is closed than to have you answer the phone in a negative mood.

Mistake 2: Not acknowledging a caller's request or problem.

Solution: Rapid response. We have a so-called "mental stamp" at Telephone Doctor that reads "RR," which means, "This request or piece of information needs an immediate and rapid response." Requests and problems need to be handled quickly. Delaying a request can cause more problems than the original request may seem.

Another good habit to get into is to ask the customer for a timeline. Our surveys found that when a customer is asked when he or she would like to receive the needed information, 80 percent did not automatically respond, "I need it now," as you might expect. This, eliminated needing to "get that to you right away." Often, callers won’t need something until tomorrow or next week. Asking for a timetable is good customer service.

Confirm a date or time. "As soon as possible" is not a time.

Mistake 3: Immediate rejection of a request.

Solution: Be a "double-checker." It’s so easy to tell people, "We don’t have it." or "Sorry, it’s past the deadline." or "We ran out of that report." Instead, try a soft rejection: "The last time I checked it wasn’t available but, let me double-check on that for you." It’s a wonderful way to defuse any disappointment about you not having what they called for in the first place. This simple statement immediately defuses some of the tension of not being able to fulfill a request completely. Double-checking allows us time to find a way to get what the person wanted after all.

You now have three simple techniques to kick-start or benchmark your customer service training program. To make these techniques happen, the entire staff needs to embrace the customer service program or it won’t work. Be firm. The organization’s entire image is at stake since it is unlikely to get a second chance.

Make the time to do this. What or who is more important than those customers? You’ll be surprised at how much fun it is to hear a customer say, "Thanks, you’ve been super."

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Nancy Friedman is president of Telephone Doctor®, an international customer service training company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, specializing in customer service and telephone skills. She is a KEYNOTE speaker at association conferences and corporate gatherings and is the author of four best selling books. Call 314-291-1012 for more information or visit the Web site at http://www.telephonedoctor.com/.

Published in Networking Today, June 2007

The Curse of Being Over-Qualified

By Barb Smith

From the early days in the classroom, and throughout our adult life, learning new skills and improving our education has been seen as the road to career success. “You can never learn too much,” we’ve been told. Yet, it is not uncommon for a job seeker to be told they are over-qualified.

It may seem unreasonable that an employer wouldn’t hire someone with more skills and experience than they need, especially if they are getting that person for the same salary as the less-qualified candidate. Why wouldn’t an employer take advantage of such a situation? Well, they actually have some very good reasons:

1. Equity Issues

Good employers pay attention to their employees’ perceptions of fairness. It is important that employees feel fairly compensated. Employers feel (and often rightly so) that employees who are being paid less than they are worth will eventually feel unfairly treated, and this will either have a negative impact on the quality of their work, or cause them to leave the position altogether, requiring the company to repeat the hiring process – an expensive endeavour.

2. Co-worker/Manager Issues

When a new hire is placed in a position, it is natural for that individual to want to prove themselves and to show what they’re capable of. When that new hire is over-qualified, their desire to “show their stuff” could end up alienating and de-motivating co-workers, and even the manager, as the new hire hits home-run after home-run. Co-workers might be left wondering if they are needed at all.

Could it be you?

Another factor that can come into play here is confidence. It’s not unusual for job seekers who have been let go from their job or whose search has been a long one to question themselves and their abilities. In response they often apply for jobs they know they could do with their eyes closed. When they are turned away as being over-qualified, they may doubt themselves even more (“I’ve got a university degree and I can’t even get a job in a mailroom!”) This can lead to a downward spiral that can be difficult to overcome. Don’t go there!

The Key to avoiding the “over-qualified” problem

Apply for positions that you are uniquely qualified for. There is no one else on the planet with exactly the same qualifications you possess. It’s all about understanding what the employer needs and matching your qualifications to those needs. The closer the match, the better your chances of receiving an offer. So pump up your confidence, research your target companies, and make that match.

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Barb Smith is a professional Job Search Coach in London, Ontario who applies the employer’s perspective when helping individuals find satisfying jobs with a minimum of stress and frustration. For more information, contact Barb at 519.691.0218 or email barb@barbsmithjobsearchcoach.ca. www.BarbSmithJobSearchCoach.ca

Published in Networking Today, June 2007

How to Build Trust and Rapport Quickly

By John Boe

If you're working hard, but aren't consistently generating enough sales or referrals, chances are it's a matter of trust. One of the most critically important and yet frequently overlooked aspects of selling is creating a solid foundation of trust and rapport.

Successful salespeople have a knack for making people feel important. They understand the value of building trust and rapport early on in the selling process. For you see, it really doesn't matter how knowledgeable you are about your product line or how many closing techniques you have mastered. Unless you earn your prospect's trust and confidence you're not going to make the sale period.

Gain the Competitive Edge

Whether you like it or not, people form impressions about you based on such factors as appearance and attitude. When it comes to building trust and rapport, there is nothing more important than making a favorable first impression. In most cases, your prospect's first impression of you will be made over the phone or from a voice message you leave.

Here are some suggestions to help you create a favorable first impression:

1. Show up on time and be well prepared.

2. Maintain a well-groomed appearance and dress appropriately for your market.

3. Be upbeat and personable without becoming overly familiar.

Adjust to Your Prospect's Temperament Style

Research indicates people are born into one of four primary temperament styles: Aggressive, Expressive, Passive, or Analytical. Each of these four behavioral styles can be easily identified by observing their body language patterns. Once you learn how to identify each of the styles, you'll be able to close more sales in less time by adjusting to your prospect's preferred buying style.

Understand Body Language

Body language is a mixture of movement, posture, and tone of voice. Research indicates that in a face-to-face conversation, more than 70 percent of our communication is nonverbal.

If your prospect's words are incongruent with his or her body language gestures, you would be wise to rely on the body language as a more accurate reflection of their true feelings. Be mindful of your own body language gestures and remember to keep them positive by unfolding your arms, uncrossing your legs and smiling frequently.

Create harmony by "matching and mirroring" your prospect's body language gestures. Matching and mirroring is an unconscious body language mimicry by which one person tells another they are in agreement. An effective way to begin matching your prospect is to subtly nod your head in agreement whenever your prospect nods his or her head, or cross your legs when they cross their legs etc.

By understanding the meaning behind your prospect's body language, you will minimize perceived sales pressure and know when it's appropriate to close the sale.

Use Active Listening Skills

Successful salespeople take notes, listen attentively and avoid the temptation to interrupt, criticize, or argue with their prospects. It's a good idea to occasionally repeat your prospect's words verbatim. By occasionally restating your prospect's key words or phrases, you not only clarify communication, but also build rapport.

During the first fifteen minutes or so of the appointment, you should listen more than you talk. Keep your attention focused on what your prospect is saying and avoid the temptation to interrupt or dominate the conversation. The quickest way to destroy trust and rapport is to interrupt another person. If you do interrupt, minimize the damage by apologizing and asking them to please continue.

Establish Your Credentials

It's important for you to establish your credentials as an expert in your industry early on during your initial appointment. Hand out your business card and or company brochure, then mention two or three reasons why you like working in your industry and for your company. Make sure your marketing materials look professional and are kept up-to-date. If you conduct appointments in your office, I recommend you display your awards and certificates of accomplishment.

Look for Common Ground

Before you begin your sales presentation or demonstration, you must first "warm up" your prospect and make them feel comfortable. A great way to establish common ground during the warm up is to discuss the weather, sports, or a local news story. If you're meeting your prospect in his home or office, look at personal items on display such as pictures or awards. People enjoy talking about their hobbies and past accomplishments.

In today's highly competitive marketplace, your prospects have many options and are looking for a salesperson they know they can trust to work in their best interest.

Salespeople who fail to put an emphasis on developing trust and rapport actually do a disservice to their customers and in effect, leave the backdoor open to their competition. In addition to generating new sales, developing strong relationships will keep competitors at arms length and your business on the books.

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John Boe presents a wide variety of motivational and sales-oriented keynotes and seminar programs for sales meetings and conventions. John is a nationally recognized sales trainer and business motivational speaker with an impeccable track record in the meeting industry. To have John speak at your next event, visit http://www.johnboe.com/ or call 877 725-3750. Free Newsletter available on website.

Published in Networking Today, June 2007

The 80/20 Rule

By Heather Colquhoun

The 80/20 rule says that approximately 80% of the results come from 20% of the input. It has been said that 80% of fat comes from 20% of your food, 80% of profit comes from 20% of a company's clients and 80% of your quality output comes from 20% of your activities. This fraction is applied in many situations.

The point of focusing on the 80/20 rule is to call attention to the things that produce the best results. It is not about doing more things; it is about doing more of the right things.

Step 1: Determine where your daily activities fall.

The first step to applying the 80/20 rule in your life is determining what activities fall within the 80% category and which fall in the 20%. The things that fall in the 80% category are the tasks you do that take a lot of time and effort but produce moderate results. In comparison the 20% category is filled with responsibilities that take less effort and turn out great results.

Start by making a list of the all of the things you do that produce moderate results. These tasks are often items that:

• Someone else wants you to do.

• Seem to take a lot of time and are draining.

Are there tasks that always manage to fall to the bottom of your list until there is a firm consequence for not getting it done? These belong in the 80% category. Things you enjoy doing and become energized from belong in the 20% category . These are the tasks producing 80% of your success.

Step 2: Focus on your strengths.

Examine your 20% list; you should find the activities in this list revolve around or are closely tied to your strengths. According to Marcus Buckinghamm, author of several books including “Now, Discover Your Strengths,” to be the most efficient, you need to focus more time and energy on improving your strengths than you spend on addressing your weaknesses.

You need to invest exponentially more time in getting moderately better at something you are bad at than the time you need to improve your strengths. For example, if one of your strengths is connecting with clients one-on-one and one of your weaknesses is giving group presentations, you could spend hours upon hours practicing for a presentation. This practice will yield some improvement. However, if you have an associate who is great at giving presentations and you concentrate on improving your already strong networking skills (both which are essential to your relationship with a client) you will be more successful in the end.

Step 3: Find someone better than you to do the 80%.

To spend more time focusing on the tasks that produce the best value, chances are you will need to find someone to take on the responsibilities that are on your 80% list. There is someone who is better for this job or more motivated to do it than you are. Find that person and those tasks and give them up. If you are having trouble letting go and delegating ask yourself:

• Is there someone better at this task than I am?

• What could go wrong if someone else does this job?

• If something does go wrong will the mistake be caught?

• If a mistake isn't caught what will the consequences be?

If you can live with the answers to the above questions, delegate the task or it will continue to be the part of your 80% that drags you down, taking away from your resources to work on your strengths.

Step 4: Make the most of the time you have.

Finally, you may not be able to get rid of all of the things that take up your time and effort. Spend the time you need to on these tasks. Do not spend the time you have for them. If it takes you an hour to pay your bills each month but you have two hours chances are you will use the time that you have allotted. Be realistic and determine how much time your 80% tasks should take you, set a timer and get it done in that time. It will leave more time for your 20% tasks, becoming stronger in the areas that produce valuable results.

Optional: An Email Diet?

Do 20% of your e-mails already produce 80% of your results? If so put your team on an e-mail diet. Ask them to reduce the amount of time they spend on e-mail. E-mail is a primary form of communication; however, it often takes longer than speaking to someone in person. One way to reduce time spent on e-mail is to stop "e-mail conversations." Anytime an "e-mail conversation" goes on longer than two replies around one topic, stop typing and pick up the phone. Most people are more effective at communicating their point verbally, there is less chance of misinterpretation, and a decision can be made more quickly than the endless structure of "write, edit, send, wait for reply, read, decide what to say, write, edit."

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Heather Colquhoun is the Director, Training & Development at Kaleidoscopic Consulting, a training and consulting company specializing in elevating organizations to peak performance through conflict management, diversity awareness, and teambuilding. She can be reached at (416) 238-7454, by email at Heather@kscopic.ca or via the Web site at www.kscopic.ca.

Published in Networking Today, June 2007

How to Reduce Procrastination

By Barbara Bartlein

Procrastination is on the rise and affects more men than women (about 54 out of 100 chronic procrastinators are men), according to Piers Steel, a Canadian industrial psychologist. And why not procrastinate? There are so many temptations that make it easy; Internet, TV, cell phones, Blackberries, iPods, and games. In fact, wasting time is little more than a mouse click away for most of us. “That stupid game Minesweeper—that probably has cost billions of dollars for the whole society,” says Steel.

Procrastination is epidemic in all countries, occupations, and age groups. There is actually a national Procrastination Day, though no one has gotten around to identifying the date, and several Procrastination Societies. The International Society for the Promotion of Procrastination has a Web site that requests potential members send in an application but then states, “If you actually get around to buying a stamp and mailing the envelope, you are obviously not qualified for membership and will not be accepted.”

So how do you reduce procrastination in your life? Here are some techniques and tips that can work for you: Start each week with a planning session and review the plan for 5 minutes each morning. Use a daily planner and write down all important appointments and deadlines. Make sure that your priorities for each day are clear. Use a yellow highlighter to note anything that is ASAP or urgent.

Plan your days according to your personal energy. When are the most productive hours of your day? Focus on doing the most difficult tasks during these times when you are least likely to procrastinate. Do at least one undesirable task first thing in the morning. The rest of the day you can feel that you at least accomplished something. If it was something you were avoiding, it will free up your energy.

Put a time limit on what you feel like avoiding. Knowing that there is an end in sight can give you new energy to get started or keep moving. Even the most unpleasant task becomes more bearable when you know that you don’t have to do it all day or until it is finished. Divide big projects into smaller, doable pieces. This is where a chart can be very helpful with specific dates and timeframes.

Do one step at a time. I am often asked how I find time to write books. I reply, “I don’t write books. I write 250 words at a time.” Much less intimating. Control interruptions. Anticipate potential interruptions by turning off the phone, not answering the door, and letting others know that you are working on a special project. And remember not to interrupt yourself with frequent email checks, or getting up for yet, another cup of coffee.

Balance your day and reward yourself. Use enjoyable tasks to fill in between those you are not so thrilled about doing. Take a walk or get outside for a break. It gives you something to look forward to and will give you new energy to tackle the rest of the day. Practice learned industriousness. It is often said that success breeds success. There are times in our lives when we are “on a roll” and things just keep happening. This is because of a basic learning mechanism called classical conditioning. Hard work that leads to success is very rewarding. That is why successful people find it easier to work hard, they know the success is worth it.

When you start a new task, make sure that you structure it so that your early efforts are successful. This will give you the conditioning to proceed. Regulate your energy. “I’m too tired to work, (exercise, clean the yard, play with the kids, etc.), is a common refrain for procrastinators. Especially work that requires concentration or physical exertion becomes hard to start when we feel energy depleted. Make sure you are doing the basics; eight hours of sleep, healthy meals, and exercising. While you may feel too tired to exercise, it actually increases your energy level over time. Sometimes you just have to force yourself to get started!

Get an accountability partner. When you tell someone you are going to do something, set a timetable and then have to report, you are much more likely to complete the task. Or better yet, form a MasterMind group with other professionals in your field and meet once a month to discuss career issues, projects, etc. It will help you stay focused and rapidly advance your career. Remember, procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

Barbara Bartlein is the PeoplePro®. She offers keynotes, seminars and consultation to help you build your business. She can be reached at 888-747-9953, by email at: barb@thepeoplepro.com or visit her website at http://www.whydidimarryyouanyway.com.

Published in Networking Today, June 2007

The Media Is Not the Message

By Roy H. Williams

"I'm in the furniture business. Which media should I use?"

"I'd like to target people who are afraid of the dentist. Can you recommend a good mailing list company?"

"My uncle uses television ads to attract new customers and they work really well for him. Television ads have made him rich. What's your opinion of TV?"

"No one in my town listens to the radio anymore. Everyone has satellite or an iPod."

"I tried advertising. It doesn't work for my kind of business."

People say things like this and expect me to have an intelligent response. What usually happens is that I stand there, dull-eyed, with my mouth hanging open. These are not my favorite moments.

When my brain finally recovers and I tell them the truth they need to hear, they act as though I've sidestepped their question.

Here's the truth they needed to hear. Maybe you need to hear it, too:

Relevance is what determines whether an ad works or not.
Every media fails when it delivers a message no one cares about.

Have you ever run an ad that failed?
Let's pull aside the curtain and look backstage to see what really happened:

1. The ad was so predictable that few people even noticed it.
SOLUTION: Get a new ad writer or remove the handcuffs from the one you've got.

2. Prospective customers noticed the ad, received the message and understood it perfectly. They just didn't care.
SOLUTION: Dump the irrelevant subject matter. Discover what people actually care about and talk about that instead.

3. The ad's message would have been relevant, but it was unclear.
SOLUTION: Remind your writer that creativity often gets in the way of clarity. Remind your layout artist that the prettiest ad is rarely the most effective. You're running a business, not a magazine. Make sure the dynamic duo understands that their continued employment depends on creating ads that sell the product.

4. You committed to an ad campaign that was shorter than your product selling cycle. If people buy your product once a week, don't expect your ads to return a profit during the first week. If people buy once a month, don't expect to break even on your advertising during the first 30 days. If your product selling cycle is longer than 2 years, you can expect to lose money on your ads – even if they're good – the first 4 to 6 months. You'll start pulling ahead during the second six months. Your real growth won't happen until you begin reaching that same group of people for a second year.
SOLUTION: Commit to an ad campaign commensurate with your product selling cycle.

5. The listener failed to be engaged because the ad was written from a cultural perspective other than the customer's own. (This is why Anglo-conceived Hispanic campaigns usually fail. Translating language is easy. Transferring cultural perspective is nearly impossible.)
SOLUTION: Hire a different ad writer to create the second campaign. Make sure the writer is from the cultural background he or she is trying to reach.

Bottom Lines:
Ads that fail in one media would usually have failed in any other.
The media is not the message.
The message is the message.
And the message is what matters most.

To deliver a pointless message powerfully is the definition of hype.

To deliver a powerful message pointlessly is the result of weak creative.

To deliver a powerful message powerfully is the first step in making a fortune.

Now go do it. And good luck.

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Nicknamed "the Wizard of Ads" by an early client, Roy H. Williams and his staff have often been the unseen, pivotal force in amazing come-from-behind victories in the worlds of business, politics, and finance. With more than twenty branch offices in the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia, Wizard of Ads, Inc., is now serving the advertising and marketing needs of business owners around the globe. For more information, visit their Web site at www.WizardAcademy.com or call 512-295-5700.

Published in Networking Today, June 2007