SALES MEETING - ARE YOU STALE?

By Karen Connor

I feel something brewing, something stirring up in my belly and warming my heart and soul. At first I was thinking, WHAT have I done? WHAT was I thinking? How can I start a club and educate and excite others?

Well, I’ve gone crazy! I’ve gone to E-mail meetings, read books, researched online, joined newsletters, talked to friends and peers and it’s happening. I’m feeling the excitement of SALES. The energy of tackling a new goal, a new client, and a new mind set.

Of everything I have read, seen, and gotten my hands on I have found you have to have the right tools.  You have to have the attitude, desire, persistence and art of communication. 

Attitude is the most important of all! You can come to your job everyday and think “How I am going to get through this day?” “I have sales calls, meetings,  e-mails and fires to extinguish.” Why not come to work th thinking…”I HAVE SALES CALLS! I HAVE MEETINGS AND E-MAILS. I HAVE FIRES TO GET BLAZING AND OTHERS TO CONQUER.”  It’s all in the mind set. 

How have I started to rekindle my optimistic positive attitude? Eat right, exercise, don’t watch the news, don’t read the paper, read books, newsletters (let the information come to you), keep a fun circle of friends, and stay close with your family.

Eat right. You have heard this from EVERYWHERE but you should truly commit.  My husband signed me up with a personal trainer for 6 weeks as a Christmas gift. I thought, “Merry Christmas; You’re Fat.” But after I got over the first thought I began to think.  I am tired, no energy, and often sick…I HAVE to change my way of life.  I met with the trainer, started a new exercise and diet and I feel fabulous. I seriously haven’t found this energy in myself in quite sometime.  And you know what? This energy has made me want to improve more in myself, in my WORK and in my life.  You have to take the attitude that when you are eating and exercising you are doing it for YOU. It is YOUR time, your “ME” time.

I know a lot of you will not like my “no news” suggestion. But, listen for 5 minutes to the radio on the way to work and you will have enough news to stay informed without wanting to slit your wrists.  News is a depressant; there will be enough people in your office and enough

pop-ups on your computer that will allow you to stay informed.  Take time to read inspiring books, focus on your family and focus on your job.  News programs tell us the recession isn’t over or that in another 6 months we will be doing better. I say let’s determine the sales of our company – business is BEING DONE so let’s be the ones to GET the business. Many times staffing agencies are the predictors of future economy.  Maybe we will get the economy rolling; maybe our attitude with our clients can comfort them. We can convince our clients, to make money you need to spend money.  To make business, you build business.

Reading has helped me rekindle my fire. I have been reading The Sales Bible by Jeffrey Gitomer, Rich Dad Poor Dad by Rob Kiyosaki, Who Moved My Cheese by Dr. Spencer Johnson, free e-newsletters, the INFO FAX that arrives hot off my fax machine with “Today’s Business Tip” and magazines that deal in business and in life. For example, INC. Staffdigest.com, Working Mother, RedBook.  Sign up for anything you can get FREE and that comes to YOU!  The easiest way to browse for the information you want is to search www.google.com and type in what you’re looking for:  sales tips, selling tips, selling ideas, how to sell, etc.

Some that I have signed up with:

• Speaking Connection
• INC Articles
• Sales Training & Management Institute

Keep a fun circle of friends and meet with them monthly. Many of my friends are in SALES and most of my FAMILY is in SALES. If you think about it we ALL are in sales. We all sell something. Whether it be our product, customer service, the integrity of our company, or the view we want others to have of ourselves….we are constantly selling.  Friends are important – we vent with friends, we relax, we laugh and we rejuvenate.  Taking time out to discuss your life is part of life.  Don’t miss the opportunity to reflect on who you are through others.

Stay close with your family.  They are the magnifier of who you are. Bounce ideas off them; they will tell you honestly what they think.  Keeping an open positive relationship is one of the healthiest things you can do.  Knowing that you have family support can be the back bone of self-confidence.

If you are eating right, having fun and staying positive you will have desire. Not just to meet people, make new connections, and expand your network but also to SELL.  Desire goes hand in hand with persistence.  You are going to get rejected over and over and over. But who makes the first call and closes the deal? (The salesperson who isn’t going to be there when their client calls back.)  Persistence means calling, contacting, and creating a relationship with your client.  Persistence means politely asking for a future follow up, asking for the sale, and creating a positive memory in your future clients mind.   

Ahh…and the art of communication.  If you aren’t a good communicator, work on being one.  If you can’t start a conversation and keep others interested in what you have to say, work on it.  If you’re having a hard time with communication join Toastmasters, read books, and listen to tapes. 

I’m not saying a good communicator dominates the conversation; it’s actually the exact opposite.  To communicate you must listen, listen, listen, listen, and then talk.  That is why GOD gave us two ears and one mouth. We are supposed to be listening twice as much as speaking. 

Communication is asking intriguing questions, showing an interest in others and what they have to say, what they want to share, and what they need from you.  How can you sell to someone until you know what they need?  They aren’t interested in your benefits, fees, show up time. They are interested in how you are going to fix their current issue, how you are going to increase their bottom line, and how you are going to make their job easier.  How can you know the answer unless you listen? 

This is all beginning to brew; I think we have something here.  I would really like to start conversations with any of you who are reading the same books or ANY books that you’d like to discuss, or anything that you’d like to discuss.  I am putting myself out there to network with you, to discuss with you your ideas and thoughts. 

Feel free to call me (800.888.5894) or e-mail me (kconnor@coats95.com) and let’s get this Sales Club hopping, networking, and on our way to more SALES!