Ryan James Miller: Recent Episodes
Ryan James Miller
| In the modern professional world, the term “imposter syndrome” has been bastardized with increasing frequency.Yet, as someone who has navigated the treacherous waters of self-doubt and emerged on the shores of self-assurance, I propose that the concept, while rooted in real feelings, may not fully encapsulate the journey many of us are on. These feelings, often dismissed as mere symptoms of being an “imposter,” are indeed real, but they are not impostors themselves. They are signposts pointing toward deeper, underlying issues that demand our attention.At the heart of what many call imposter syndrome lies a quartet of culprits: – Fear of failure – Self-limiting beliefs – A fixed mindset, and – Deficiencies in emotional intelligence (EQ)For most professionals, these challenges are not just obstacles but opportunities for profound personal and professional growth. My journey serves as a testament to the strength that lies in confronting these issues head-on.The real battle is not with an external label but with the internal narratives that hold us back. Fear of failure paralyzes us, keeping us from taking the risks necessary for growth. Self-limiting beliefs act as chains that bind our potential, whispering that we are not enough, and that we cannot achieve greatness. A fixed mindset convinces us that our abilities are set in stone, leaving no room for development or improvement. Meanwhile, deficiencies in emotional intelligence prevent us from navigating the complex web of our own emotions and those of others, leading to miscommunications and missed opportunities.I have learned that the antidote to these challenges lies in developing an unwavering self-belief, cultivating high-performance habits, and aligning faith with professional endeavors. By acknowledging our fears and limitations, we can begin to dismantle them. We replace fear of failure with the courage to fail, understanding that each setback is a stepping stone to success. We challenge our self-limiting beliefs with affirmations of our inherent worth and capability. We shift from a fixed to a growth mindset, recognizing that we are ever-evolving works in progress. And we bolster our emotional intelligence through reflection, practice, and seeking connection with others.We do not need to be defined by our past traumas or current challenges. Instead, we are shaped by our resilience, our capacity to grow, and our unwavering commitment to aligning our professional success with our deepest values. Let us not be held back by the label of imposter syndrome!Instead, let us confront the real issues, armed with faith, perseverance, and the knowledge that we possess the strength to overcome.Step out of the shadows of doubt and into the light of your true potential, guided by your faith and fortified by your experiences.–Like what you read?Subscribe here for more! |
The post Unlocking the Myth of Imposter Syndrome: Embracing Our True Selves first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In this episode, Ryan James Miller reflects on the highlights and challenges of 2023. He shares personal achievements such as officiating weddings, participating in the CrossFit Open, and launching his book, “Wounds: How Hurt, Heartache, and Tragedy Become the Keys to Unlocking Greatness,” which you can get from https://woundsbook.com/
Ryan also discusses professional challenges, mental struggles, and his decision to stop drinking alcohol. Looking ahead to 2024, he emphasizes the importance of doing hard things, aligning actions with God’s vision, nurturing relationships, and driving growth in his coaching program.
Grab your free guide, “A Guide To Personal Reflection, Realization & Reinforcement”: https://bit.ly/Guide-Reflection-Realization-Reinforcement (this link takes you to a free PDF on Ryan’s website).
Join our Private Unlocking Greatness Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/unlockinggreatnesscommunity
Takeaways from this episode:
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Reflecting on the past year can provide valuable insights and help set goals for the future.
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Challenges and setbacks can lead to personal growth and transformation.
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Choosing to do hard things can empower and inspire personal development.
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Aligning actions with God’s vision can lead to fulfillment and success.
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Nurturing relationships and focusing on personal well-being are essential for overall happiness and success.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:01 Reflecting on the Year
02:26 Highlights of 2023
04:20 CrossFit Competition
07:39 Concerts and Trips
09:29 Personal Transformation
11:23 Launch of Ryan’s Book, “Wounds”
13:51 Consulting Deal and Financial Challenges
15:07 Mental Struggles and Reflection
18:22 Alcohol Challenge and Reflection
28:12 Goals and Vision for 2024
36:20 Focus on Relationships and Growth
40:01 Call to Action and Conclusion
Subscribe to the Authentic Conversations with Ryan James Miller podcast:
Spotify: http://bit.ly/spotify-authentic
Apple: http://bit.ly/apple-authentic
YouTube: http://bit.ly/youtube-authentic
Connect with Ryan James Miller:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rjmsalespro/
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/rjmsalespro
Web: http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RyanJamesMiller
Get Ryan James Miller’s book, “Wounds: How Hurt, Heartache, and Tragedy Become the Keys to Unlocking Greatness”: https://woundsbook.com/
Living a life of authenticity requires us to know ourselves, to be ourselves, and to strive to become the best version of ourselves.
Authentic Conversations highlights the best, the most successful, and the most fulfilled business leaders and influencers. Those who have mastered the art of authenticity through self-reflection, self-awareness, and the constant pursuit of their best.
As you learn from my guests and grow from their experiences, I challenge you to not only be inspired by their authenticity but to strive for and master your own!
This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.successwithstories.com.
The post 2023 Reflections first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Welcome back to Authentic Conversations, where we’re continuing the conversation on how an individual’s own hurt, heartache, tragedy, and struggle has shaped them as a person and allowed them to see themselves for who they were created to be.
In this episode, I’m wrapping up this first part of the season before taking a brief break over the summer. I’m diving into the transformative power of surrendering to God’s love and grace in order to find lasting peace and restoration.
We’ll get into:
- A little update on future content coming your way
- My own story of breaking free from addiction through unwavering faith.
- How to develop a deeper connection with God by prioritizing His divine plan in your life
- Why self-reflection and prayer are essential to your emotional and spiritual well-being
If you want to learn more about my book, head to www.woundsbook.com and sign up for our interest list.
Direct links to podcast:
Spotify – http://bit.ly/spotify-authentic
Apple – http://bit.ly/apple-authentic
YouTube – https://bit.ly/youtube-authentic
This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.successwithstories.com.
The post The Ultimate Healer: How Jesus Restores Our Brokenness first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In our last two blog posts, we discussed lead generation and techniques to attract and engage prospects. Generating leads is critical for sales success, but it’s not enough. You also need to be able to convert those leads into paying customers.
In this post, we’ll share strategies to help you convert leads into paying customers.
First, make sure that you’re targeting the right prospects. It’s important to ensure that you’re reaching out to prospects who are a good fit for your product or service and have a genuine interest in what you’re offering.
Second, establish trust with your prospects. This can be done through social proof like testimonials, case studies, and reviews. Additionally, providing valuable content and resources can help establish your expertise and build trust with your prospects.
Third, make sure to follow up with your leads. Many prospects will need multiple touchpoints before they’re ready to buy, so it’s essential to stay top-of-mind and continue to provide value throughout the sales process.
Finally, make it easy for your prospects to buy. Provide clear and simple instructions for how to purchase your product or service, and make sure that your pricing and offerings are easy to understand.
Remember, converting leads into paying customers takes time and effort. But by targeting the right prospects, establishing trust, following up consistently, and making it easy to buy, you can increase your chances of converting more leads into paying customers.
Taking Action: Establish Trust and Be Consistent
To convert leads into paying customers, you need to establish trust. One of the most effective ways to do this is through social proof. This can include testimonials, case studies, and reviews from satisfied customers.
Following up with your leads is essential to moving them through the sales funnel. Make sure to follow up consistently and provide value at every touchpoint. This can include additional content, special offers, and personalized messaging.
The post Tips for Closing More Sales first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Welcome back to Authentic Conversations, where we’re continuing the conversation on how an individual’s own hurt, heartache, tragedy, and struggle has shaped them as a person and allowed them to see themselves for who they were created to be.
In this episode, I’m joined by Sue Flynn, an experienced employee benefits specialist and passionate volunteer with the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking. Sue is here to share her knowledge and spread awareness on the human trafficking crisis in America.
We’ll get into:
- Challenges and rewards of advocacy work
- The sad realities of human trafficking in America
- Current and future efforts towards erradicating human trafficking
- Being cautious as a parent and teaching your kids to be careful
- Making an impact one person at a time
Connect with Sue:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-flynn-113385b3/
Direct links to podcast:
Spotify – http://bit.ly/spotify-authentic
Apple – http://bit.ly/apple-authentic
YouTube – https://bit.ly/youtube-authentic
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rjmsalespro/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.successwithstories.com.
The post Why We Must Stand Together Against Human Trafficking with Sue Flynn first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Generating leads is all about creating a steady stream of interested and qualified prospects who are ready to buy.
One of the key takeaways from our last post is that there are many different lead generation techniques that you can use. In this blog post, we’ll dive deeper into techniques to attract and engage prospects.
First, content marketing is one of the most effective ways to attract and engage prospects. By creating valuable content that addresses your target audience’s pain points and challenges, you can establish trust and authority and attract interested prospects.
Second, social media is another powerful lead-generation tool. By using social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, you can engage with your target audience and build relationships with potential customers.
Finally, email marketing is a highly effective way to engage with prospects and move them through the sales funnel. By providing valuable content and offers via email, you can establish a connection with prospects and convert them into paying customers.
Remember, the key to lead generation is to find the techniques that work best for your business and target audience. By using a combination of techniques like content marketing, social media, and email marketing, you can attract and engage with interested prospects and move them through the sales funnel.
Taking Action: Create Valuable Content
Once you’ve defined your ideal customer, the next step is to create valuable content that addresses their pain points and challenges. This can include blog posts, whitepapers, webinars, and social media updates.
Make sure to create content that provides real value to your target audience. This will help establish your expertise and authority and attract interested prospects.
The post Keys to Effective Lead Generation first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Welcome back to Authentic Conversations, where we’re continuing the conversation on how an individual’s own hurt, heartache, tragedy, and struggle has shaped them as a person and allowed them to see themselves for who they were created to be.
In this episode, I’m sharing some of the subject matter for my upcoming book, “Wounds”. Writing it was an exploration of the wounds that I have incurred over the course of my life and how those have impacted me, and I can’t wait to share the full story with you soon. For now, I’m breaking down the different kinds of wounds from our past that could be preventing us from performing our best today.
I’ll get into:
- 9 different kinds of wounds and how they happen
- How we are ill-equipped to deal with devastation
- How each wound can come up later in life and challenge us
Join the “Wounds” Book Community: https://rjm.mykajabi.com/wounds-book-community-opt-in
Direct links to podcast:
Spotify – http://bit.ly/spotify-authentic
Apple – http://bit.ly/apple-authentic
YouTube – https://bit.ly/youtube-authentic
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rjmsalespro/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.successwithstories.com.
The post Breaking Down the 9 Different Kinds of Wounds first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Welcome to the next phase of our sales performance series. In the first three blog posts, we discussed the importance of personal branding, identifying and communicating your unique value proposition, and establishing yourself as a thought leader in your industry.
Now, we’ll dive into the next key strategy: lead generation. In this post, we’ll provide an introduction to lead generation and why it’s significant for sales success.
Lead generation is the process of attracting and converting prospects into potential customers. It’s a critical part of the sales process because without leads, you won’t have anyone to sell to. Generating leads is all about creating a steady stream of interested and qualified prospects who are ready to buy.
There are many different lead generation techniques that you can use, such as content marketing, social media, and email marketing. The key is to find the techniques that work best for your business and target audience.
Taking Action: Define Your Ideal Customer
The first step to effective lead generation is defining your ideal customer. You need to understand their pain points, challenges, and needs so that you can create targeted messaging and marketing materials that resonate with them.
Start by creating buyer personas for your ideal customer. These should be detailed descriptions that include demographics, behaviors, interests, and challenges. By creating buyer personas, you can better understand your ideal customer and create messaging that speaks directly to them.
The post The Significance of Lead Gen first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In our last two posts, we discussed the importance of personal branding in sales and how to identify and communicate your unique value proposition (UVP).
Building an authentic personal brand and communicating your UVP are essential to success in sales. But to take your sales performance to the next level, you need to establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry!
In this post, we’ll share strategies to help you establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry.
First, share valuable content that showcases your expertise. This can include blog posts, social media updates, and industry reports. By sharing valuable content, you can position yourself as an authority in your industry and attract more leads.
Second, speak at conferences and host webinars. These are great opportunities to showcase your expertise and build credibility with your prospects. Additionally, publishing articles in industry publications is another great way to establish yourself as a thought leader. Just make sure that you are speaking in places where your prospects are (not just your peers).
Finally, make sure to stay up-to-date on industry trends and challenges and provide unique insights that demonstrate your expertise. By staying ahead of the curve and providing valuable insights, you can establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry.
Remember, establishing yourself as a thought leader takes time and effort. But by sharing valuable content, speaking at conferences, and staying up-to-date on industry trends, you can establish yourself as an authority in your field and attract more leads.
Taking Action: Establish Yourself as a Thought Leader
To establish yourself as a thought leader, start by sharing valuable content that showcases your expertise. This can include blog posts, social media updates, and industry reports. Make sure to provide unique insights that demonstrate your expertise and stay ahead of the curve on industry trends.
Additionally, speaking at conferences, hosting webinars, and publishing articles in industry publications are great ways to establish yourself as a thought leader. Make sure to position yourself as an authority in your field and provide valuable insights that demonstrate your expertise.
The post Establishing Yourself as a Thought Leader in Your Industry first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In our last post, we discussed the importance of personal branding in sales. Building an authentic personal brand can help you establish trust with prospects, differentiate yourself from the competition, and ultimately, close more deals.
But to establish a personal brand that resonates with your target audience, you need to identify and communicate your unique value proposition (UVP). In this post, we’ll provide tips to help you identify and communicate your UVP.
First, start by thinking about your ideal customer and their pain points. What challenges do they face, and how can you help them solve those challenges better than anyone else? This is the foundation of your UVP.
Next, make sure to communicate your UVP clearly and consistently across all your messaging and marketing materials. Focus on the outcomes you produce for the clients you serve, rather than just the features of your product or service. Customers are more interested in how you can help them solve their problems than in the technical details of your offering.
Finally, make sure to back up your UVP with social proof. Testimonials, case studies, and other forms of social proof can help establish trust with your prospects and show that you’re the best choice to help them solve their problems.
By identifying and communicating your unique value proposition, you can establish a clear and compelling message that resonates with your target audience and sets you apart from the competition.
Taking Action: Identify Your UVP
To identify your UVP, start by thinking about your ideal customer and their pain points. What challenges do they face, and how can you help them solve those challenges better than anyone else? This will be the foundation of your UVP.
Make sure to communicate your UVP clearly and consistently across all your messaging and marketing materials. Focus on the benefits that you offer, rather than just the features of your product or service. Remember, customers are more interested in how you can help them solve their problems than the technical details of your offering.
The post Tips to Identify and Communicate Your Unique Value Proposition first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Welcome back to Authentic Conversations, where we’re continuing the conversation on how an individual’s own hurt, heartache, tragedy, and struggle has shaped them as a person and allowed them to see themselves for who they were created to be.
In this episode, I’m so excited to be joined by John Eldredge, an author, counselor, and lecturer on Christianity who is best known for his best-selling book, Wild at Heart. He’s also written other incredible titles like Get Your Like Back and Resilient, and he founded the One Minute Pause app. John has touched the lives of thousands, if not millions of people and has been an outstanding role model in the Christian Community. You won’t want to miss everything we unpack today about faith, courage, and mindfulness.
We’ll get into:
Having resiliency in the face of tragedy
Digging into your faith to find your humanity
The lessons we’ve learned through pain
The different sides of masculinity
Connect with John:
Website: https://wildatheart.org/
Podcast: https://wildatheart.org/podcast
Direct links to podcast:
Spotify – http://bit.ly/spotify-authentic
Apple – http://bit.ly/apple-authentic
YouTube – https://bit.ly/youtube-authentic
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rjmsalespro/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.successwithstories.com.
The post Reconciling Your Past to Find Peace and Closeness to God with John Eldredge first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Welcome back to Authentic Conversations, where we’re continuing the conversation on how an individual’s own hurt, heartache, tragedy, and struggle have shaped them as a person and allowed them to see themselves for who they were created to be.
In this episode, I’m diving into a topic that has been building up and weighing on my heart for a long time. In the wake of the recent tragedy in Nashville, I felt the need to lean into my faith more than ever, but sharing my faith-based opinions with others doesn’t always go to plan. I want to share my faith with others with love and understanding, and without fear, so I invite you to listen in on this conversation about my love for God and my faith in the path he has laid out for me, and for all of us.
I’ll get into:
- Adopting a respectful and empathetic approach while addressing contentious issues
- Understanding what it means to love others as God loves them
- Cultivating love and understanding for others despite having differences
- Conquering fears and getting past hurdles to progress spiritually
- Defending faith in a respectful and considerate manner, without condemning others
Direct links to podcast:
Spotify – http://bit.ly/spotify-authentic
Apple – http://bit.ly/apple-authentic
YouTube – https://bit.ly/youtube-authentic
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rjmsalespro/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.successwithstories.com.
The post How to Share Your Faith in a Loving Way first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Welcome back to Authentic Conversations, where we’re continuing the conversation on how an individual’s own hurt, heartache, tragedy, and struggle have shaped them as a person and allowed them to see themselves for who they were created to be.
In this episode, I’m joined by Blake Brewer, the founder of the Legacy Letter Challenge and an advocate for empathy and mental health in leadership. After experiencing the loss of his father at a young age, Blake was inspired by the powerful letter his dad left behind. Recognizing the impact that a simple letter can have, he made it his mission to help one million parents make an impact with their own legacy letters.
We’ll get into:
- The significance of empathy in leadership roles
- The incredible power of a parent’s word
- Encouraging emotional intelligence in your children
- Deepening your connections with others
- Facilitating your family’s connection with their faith
- Leaving behind a legacy of love and support for your children
Connect with Blake and check out the Legacy Letter Challenge:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakecbrewer/
Website: legacyletterchallenge.com/
Direct links to podcast:
Spotify – http://bit.ly/spotify-authentic
Apple – http://bit.ly/apple-authentic
YouTube – https://bit.ly/youtube-authentic
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rjmsalespro/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.successwithstories.com.
The post A Life-Changing Mission to Write a Million Legacy Letters with Blake Brewer first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Welcome back to Authentic Conversations, where we’re continuing the conversation on how an individual’s own hurt, heartache, tragedy, and struggle has shaped them as a person and allowed them to see themselves for who they were created to be.
In this episode, I’m joined by Donald Bialkowski, a psychotherapist and coach whose passion is to work with men in midlife and teach them how to get unstuck and live their best life. Having struggled with depression, substance abuse, and harmful stigmas around men and mental health, Donald’s story is striking and inspiring, and a lot of us can learn from the messages he has to share.
We’ll get into:
- Masking your problems with self-medicating behaviors
- How men are socialized to have smaller emotional vocabularies
- Expectations of men when it comes to mental health
- Leading an open and honest household by example
- Working through realizing your suppressed emotions
- The importance of support from your family or partner
Connect with Donald:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donald-bialkowski-5b714790/
Website: onpurposementoring.com
Direct links to podcast:
Spotify – http://bit.ly/spotify-authentic
Apple – http://bit.ly/apple-authentic
YouTube – https://bit.ly/youtube-authentic
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rjmsalespro/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.successwithstories.com.
The post How to Work Through Depression and Mental Health Stigma with Donald Bialkowski first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Welcome back to Authentic Conversations, where we’re continuing the conversation on how an individual’s own hurt, heartache, tragedy, and struggle has shaped them as a person and allowed them to see themselves for who they were created to be.
In this episode, I’m flying solo for a deep dive into our past hurt, and the idea that harboring our wounds from the past can hinder our ability to be successful and achieve the things we desire. We all want the best for ourselves and those we care about, and understanding our past hurt and actually dealing with it is a difficult but necessary thing to do if we want our desires for success to be realized.
I’ll get into:
- Three ways that past hurt can haunt us
- Dealing with emotional baggage
- Taking control of your inner dialogue
- Getting over your fear of failure
This week also marks the 200th episode of Authentic Conversations, so join me for a drink while you listen and stay tuned to the end for some free gifts!
Direct links to podcast:
Spotify – http://bit.ly/spotify-authentic
Apple – http://bit.ly/apple-authentic
YouTube – https://bit.ly/youtube-authentic
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rjmsalespro/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.successwithstories.com.
The post How to Get Over the Hurt From Your Past first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Welcome back to Authentic Conversations, where we’re continuing the conversation on how an individual’s own hurt, heartache, tragedy, and struggle has shaped them as a person and allowed them to see themselves for who they were created to be.
In this episode, I’m sharing my belief that the reason people fail to achieve what they want in life comes not from the outside, but from within. We all have wounds, struggles, and doubts, but we can’t let those things hold us back forever. There needs to be a way through them to reach the success we were created to achieve, and I want to help you find it.
I’ll get into:
- Finding that something inside of you that is holding you back
- How childhood experiences can affect your self-image even now
- Working with someone who will give you brutal honesty
- Practicing mindfulness and becoming more self-aware
- Setting goals to achieve, not to impress
- Overcoming these struggles and building forward momentum
Direct links to podcast:
Spotify – http://bit.ly/spotify-authentic
Apple – http://bit.ly/apple-authentic
YouTube – https://bit.ly/youtube-authentic
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rjmsalespro/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.successwithstories.com.
The post What’s Holding You Back From Being You? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Welcome back to Authentic Conversations, where we’re continuing the conversation on how an individual’s own hurt, heartache, tragedy, and struggle has shaped them as a person and allowed them to see themselves for who they were created to be.
In this episode, I’m joined by Juliet Peay. She is a personal brand coach, but today she’s here for a conversation on labels and identity and becoming comfortable with yourself and your faith, even when you aren’t always putting your best foot forward.
We’ll talk about:
- Making sure your job isn’t your entire identity
- Finding a healthy balance of life, relationships, and work
- Redefining your own success
- Putting faith in Christ for motivation
- Self-doubt and being afraid to share it
- Talking about your struggles to help others
Connect with Juliet:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliet-peay-personal-brand-copywriter/
Website: yourpersonalbrandcoach.com
Direct links to podcast:
Spotify – http://bit.ly/spotify-authentic
Apple – http://bit.ly/apple-authentic
YouTube – https://bit.ly/youtube-authentic
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rjmsalespro/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.successwithstories.com.
The post Being Honest About Struggles, Failures, and Setbacks with Juliet Peay first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Welcome back to Authentic Conversations, where we’re continuing the conversation on how an individual’s own hurt, heartache, tragedy, and struggle has shaped them as a person and allowed them to see themselves for who they were created to be.
In this episode, I’m giving you a look inside my head and my heart as I share my experience from a 3-day fast I completed with my local church- while I’m still fasting! Throughout my journey with this fast, I was able to reconnect with and appreciate parts of my faith that I’ve wrestled with over the years, and I had the chance to gain more perspective on where I’ve been and where I’m going in life. This was an incredibly powerful and emotional experience, and I hope that this episode encourages you to look deeper into your own faith and consider doing a fast yourself.
Direct links to podcast:
Spotify – http://bit.ly/spotify-authentic
Apple – http://bit.ly/apple-authentic
YouTube – https://bit.ly/youtube-authentic
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rjmsalespro/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.successwithstories.com.
The post Experiencing the Power of Fasting first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Welcome back to Authentic Conversations, where we’re continuing the conversation on how an individual’s own hurt, heartache, tragedy, and struggle has shaped them as a person and allowed them to see themselves for who they were created to be.
In this episode, I’m joined by Jenn Walsh, the Founder and CEO of GenuineShift, a coaching and consulting business that works with insurance brokerage firms of all sizes to fuel growth, optimize profitability, and minimize friction. But Jenn isn’t here to talk business, she is here for an authentic conversation about her experience with caregiving and losing a parent.
We’ll talk about:
- Preparing yourself for the loss of a parent
- Navigating the process of end-of-life care
- Balancing your emotional response with practical solutions
- Moving through your day-to-day job while losing a family member
- The importance of acknowledging and talking about pain
Connect with Jenn:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/walshjenn/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BenefitsLady
Direct links to podcast:
Spotify – http://bit.ly/spotify-authentic
Apple – http://bit.ly/apple-authentic
YouTube – https://bit.ly/youtube-authentic
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rjmsalespro/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.successwithstories.com.
The post Moving Through Caregiving and the Death of a Parent with Jenn Walsh first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Welcome back to Authentic Conversations, where we’re continuing the conversation on how an individual’s own hurt, heartache, tragedy, and struggle has shaped them as a person and allowed them to see themselves for who they were created to be.
In this episode, I’m talking about some recent negative feedback that was triggering for me, and how I was able to deal with it and ultimately bring some good from it. In my own life, I’ve been on a journey to get better at empathizing and showing empathy in my content, but it isn’t always easy. I hope that sharing my experience with triggering feedback will encourage you to take negative feedback and turn it into something positive for yourself and your life.
Direct links to podcast:
Spotify – http://bit.ly/spotify-authentic
Apple – http://bit.ly/apple-authentic
YouTube – https://bit.ly/youtube-authentic
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rjmsalespro/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.successwithstories.com.
The post Knowing Your Triggers and Leading With Empathy first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Welcome back to Authentic Conversations, where we’re continuing the conversation on how an individual’s own hurt, heartache, tragedy, and struggle has shaped them as a person and allowed them to see themselves for who they were created to be.
In this episode, I’m joined by Rachel Fox, the Director of Business Development at Sunny Day Fund and proud mother of 3 children after countless rounds of IVF and NICU stays. Rachel opens up about her experience with infertility and getting through the grief and anger of miscarriages and failed treatments.
We’ll talk about:
- The realities and challenges of infertility treatments
- What it’s like to watch friends and family having children while struggling with infertility
- Really getting to know your partner in times of grief
- Allowing someone to be present in their grief
- The power of sharing your journey and struggles with others
Connect with Rachel:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-fox-142li/
Website: www.sunnydayfund.com
Direct links to podcast:
Spotify – http://bit.ly/spotify-authentic
Apple – http://bit.ly/apple-authentic
YouTube – https://bit.ly/youtube-authentic
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rjmsalespro/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.successwithstories.com.
The post Overcoming Anger and Grief from Fighting Infertility with Rachel Fox first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Welcome back to Authentic Conversations, where we’re continuing the conversation on how an individual’s own hurt, heartache, tragedy, and struggle has shaped them as a person and allowed them to see themselves for who they were created to be.
In this episode, I’m going solo to share some of my own experiences. I’ll be talking about the mistakes I made in my youth and the lessons I learned that are still with me today. I hope that by sharing these stories, I can not only encourage others to learn from my mistakes, but also to look into our own pasts to accept who we were then and who we have become today.
Direct links to podcast:
Spotify – http://bit.ly/spotify-authentic
Apple – http://bit.ly/apple-authentic
YouTube – https://bit.ly/youtube-authentic
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rjmsalespro/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.successwithstories.com.
The post The Struggles and Mistakes of My Youth first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Welcome back to Authentic Conversations, where we’re continuing the conversation on how an individuals’s own hurt, heartache, tragedy, and struggle have shaped them as a person and allowed them to see themselves for who they were created to be.
In this episode, I’m joined by Jonathan McGinley, the host of The Intentional Man Podcast and a Maxwell Leadership Certified coach helping young professional men live intentionally and grow to their full potential. Jonathan’s story of divorce and the struggle to find his own purpose in life has inspired him to work with other men to transform their personal and professional lives.
We’ll get into:
- Why men should be living their lives with intentionality
- The story of Jonathan’s divorce and the lessons he learned
- Getting stuck in a bad season of life and getting complacent
- Making commitments and sticking to them no matter what
- Understanding why God sends challenges your way and what he might be preparing for you
- Turning your own struggles into tools for helping others
- Finding your passion in life again
Connect with Jonathan:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-mcginley/
The Intentional Man Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-intentional-man-podcast/id1636019714
Direct links to podcast:
Spotify – http://bit.ly/spotify-authentic
Apple – http://bit.ly/apple-authentic
YouTube – https://bit.ly/youtube-authentic
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rjmsalespro/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.successwithstories.com.
The post The Difficulties of Divorce and Hard Lessons Learned with Jonathan McGinley first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Welcome back to Authentic Conversations! I’m so excited to be starting out a brand new season and to shift the focus of our conversations to the stories of heartache, hardships, and tragedy that ultimately led to triumph. These are the stories that connect us and help us understand not just each other, but ourselves as well.
In this introductory episode, you’ll get to hear why this topic is so near and dear to my heart, and how my own story is what drives me to have these conversations with the incredible individuals you’ll be meeting throughout the season.
Direct links to podcast:
Spotify – http://bit.ly/spotify-authentic
Apple – http://bit.ly/apple-authentic
YouTube – https://bit.ly/youtube-authentic
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rjmsalespro/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.successwithstories.com.
The post Kicking Off Season Three of Authentic Conversations first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
For the final episode of season 2, I wanted to do something special and bring on my wonderful wife, Michelle, to talk about our marriage from her perspective, and the lessons we have learned in our marriage that I know my listeners can benefit from. We’ll get into: Direct links to podcast: Spotify – http://bit.ly/spotify-authentic […]
The post Lessons on Marriage with My Wife first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This week, I’m switching things up from this season’s conversation on manhood and masculinity. Alongside every man in a marriage is a woman that deeply desires to see her husband be the best that he can possibly be, but many women are not getting everything they want out of their marriage. I want to address […]
The post A Message to Wives and Women first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This week, I’m diving into a topic that comes from a listener’s comment on a video I did about a husband’s duty to be loyal to his wife and not engage in behavior that is disrespectful to her. This listener was curious about his friendships and what to do when there is pressure from his […]
The post Do Your Values or Your Friendships Come First? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This week, I’m on my own to continue the conversation on manhood and masculinity as I have observed it in my life and in the lives of others. Today’s topic is one I’m definitely not fond of: toxic masculinity, known as the set of behaviors that is expressed by a man that does harm to […]
The post Understanding Toxic Masculinity first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This week, I’m going solo for the first of a few shorter but super valuable episodes that will hopefully give some insight to married men, engaged men, or men who want to be married someday, on being better equipped to take on the role of a husband, a father, and a friend to their spouse. […]
The post Lessons and Tips for Marriage first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Today, we continue the conversation on manhood and masculinity and gain yet another perspective on what it means to be a man. This time we’re focusing on a more holistic approach to masculinity and really tapping into the heart and soul of who you are as a man. For this conversation, I’m joined by Jake […]
The post Holistic Masculinity and the Power of Fatherhood with Jake Smith first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This week, we’re pivoting the conversation to the fracture we have in our nation today. It seems there is division in everything our society does these days, and people are charged to fight for their side no matter what, causing confusion and chaos. For this conversation, I’m joined by Peter Montoya, a keynote speaker, personal […]
The post Confusion, Chaos, and Division in Our Society Today first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This week, I’m going solo to reflect on some of these amazing conversations I’ve been having on manhood and masculinity, and I’m diving into some practical things you can start to implement in your life to pursue the calling to be the man God has called you to be. I dive into: The 10 reasons […]
The post Lessons and Tips on What It Takes to Be Happy first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Today, we continue the conversation on manhood and masculinity and gain yet another perspective on what it means to be a man. This time, our guest helps us dive into the biblical influence of masculinity, and how Jesus has set an example of manhood for us all to follow. This week, I’m joined by Mark […]
The post Influences on Your Masculinity and How You Influence Others with Mark Goblowsky first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Today, we continue the conversation on manhood and masculinity and gain yet another perspective on what it means to be a man. This time, our guest helps us dive into the biblical influence of masculinity, and how Jesus has set an example of manhood for us all to follow. This week, I’m joined by Dr. […]
The post What It Means to Be a Sensitive Man with Dr. Andy Garrett first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Today, we continue the conversation on manhood and masculinity and gain yet another perspective on what it means to be a man. This time, our guest helps us dive into the biblical influence of masculinity, and how Jesus has set an example of manhood for us all to follow. This week, I’m flying solo to […]
The post Lessons on Love, Marriage, and Being a Good Husband first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Over the course of this season, we’ve been wrestling with this question of what manhood and masculinity mean to us and how that then informs how we’re living our lives as husbands, fathers, and leaders in the community. This week, in our final throwback episode, I wanted to feature my conversation with Spencer Smith – […]
The post Radical Authenticity and the Art of LinkedIn with Spencer Smith first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
My goal with this podcast is to provide you with authentic conversations with men who by no means have everything figured out, but are trying their best to live out the life they’ve been called to. No one’s perfect and nobody’s ever operating at a 10 out of 10 in every area of their life […]
The post Embracing Vulnerability and Overcome Your Insecurities with Jason Pearl first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Throughout this past season, we have been predominantly talking with other men about what it means to be men. This week, I wanted to take it back to a conversation I had with JD Crouse, a fellow Christian businessman, to discuss masculinity in the context of the bible and our Christian faith and what it […]
The post The Call to Biblical Manhood with JD Crouse first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This week, I want to revisit the time I had the immense pleasure of speaking with my good friend and jack of many trades, Corey Lane. It takes a good man with awareness, discipline, commitment to do the roles he’s been called to – and Corey is just that. In this episode, we discussed his […]
The post Getting Back to What You’re Meant to Do with Corey Lane first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Today, we continue the conversation on manhood and masculinity and gain yet another perspective on what it means to be a man. This time, our guest helps us dive into the biblical influence of masculinity, and how Jesus has set an example of manhood for us all to follow. This week, I’m joined by Joe […]
The post Truth, Masculinity, and Spirituality with Joe Crenshaw first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Our heads and our hearts need to be in a certain place to be successful. In all parts of our lives, whether it be fitness, money, or relationships, having your head and your heart in the right place is what leads to that freedom and fulfillment that we all crave. The potential for success is […]
The post What Does It Mean to Be an MVP? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Today’s episode is a continuation of our conversations on manhood and masculinity as we continue to gain more perspectives that shape our idea of who we are as men and who we want to be. For our guest this week, it starts when men are still young boys, and it’s more important now than ever […]
The post How Has Being a Man Changed and What Does It Mean Today? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
We all have wounds, whether self-inflicted or afflicted by others. We go through life not fully realizing how our wounds affect us and those around us. But, as men, we’re also not always shown and taught healthy ways to deal with them. And until we fully realize who we are and those wounds are a […]
The post Listening to Your Soul: How to Heal Past Wounds first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Today’s episode is a continuation of the discussions that we’re having around manhood and masculinity. It’s far less about how to be more of a man, or “here’s how I built my business on manhood and masculinity,” and much more about the intricacies of men living the lives that they are, and how those experiences […]
The post Why Resilience is So Important, with Scott D Speight, Military Chaplain, and Leadership Coach first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
For a lot of us, being a man means providing for others. And while that is fulfilling, it sometimes leads to feeling emotionally drained and spiritually unfulfilled. Why does this happen, and what can we do to prevent the cycle of work and burnout? This week, I’m joined by Dan Ferren – a life coach […]
The post How to Cultivate Community with Dan Ferren first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Initially, it can be difficult to see common ground between being an effective leader and being a servant. But we Christians know that servant leadership was a big part of Jesus’ ministry and is a call for anyone who takes up the mantle of leadership today. What can we do to bridge the gap between […]
The post Humility, Honesty, and Servant Leadership with Aaron Walker first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
We all face many distractions in our day-to-day life: our phones, the media, work gossip, personal conflicts, etc. It can be easy to start scrolling on our phones when we should be catching up at work. It isn’t hard to get caught up in our political climate instead of focusing on our own well-being. I […]
The post Stop Doing What You’re Doing first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
There are some conversations that we as men need to have, but we don’t because it requires openness, vulnerability, and transparency. Being vulnerable is scary, and it’s not often something we’re shown how to do. So in this episode, we are challenging the closed-off masculinity we see on television. This week, I’m joined by Tony […]
The post Healthy Masculinity with Health and Fitness Coach, Tony Castillo first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Strategies to Stop Living For Approval and To Start Living In Your Purpose Life has a natural rhythm that rewards us for living in alignment. When we live in tune with our purpose and set habits that align with our natural being, we access a flow state that provides peace and balance in our daily […]
The post Stop Walking In Someone Else’s Shoes first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This week, I’m joined by Dr. Chip Roper, Managing Partner at RKE Partners and President of the VOCA Center. He has over 30 years of leadership experience along with comprehensive training in coaching, counseling, leadership, and theology. We dive into risk avoidance and how trust and vulnerability pave the way to more open and honest […]
The post Be Man Enough to Listen with Dr. Chip Roper, Managing Partner at RKE Partners and President of the VOCA Center. first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Each season brings a new identity. Some identities last a lifetime, while others are temporary. It’s important to understand which identity to prioritize in each season. It can be difficult to know which hat to wear when you’re juggling work, being a parent, being a husband, being active, eating healthy, and the list goes on. […]
The post Get Your Life Back: 3 Strategies to Start Living in Alignment first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This week, I’m joined by Dave Chase: the creator and co-founder of Health Rosetta. He and his company are well known for their work to fix the U.S. healthcare system – but today’s podcast reveals a more personal side of his life. We talk about being a father that helps his kids grow into confident […]
The post Unlocking the Potential in Others with Dave Chase first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It doesn’t take an architect to understand a house with a flimsy foundation won’t stand. Without proper groundwork, a house can’t uphold against storms or winds, and will crumble at the slightest provocation. If we build on a solid foundation, our house won’t fall even in the midst of disaster. When we build the foundation […]
The post How to Create a Stronger Foundation for Your Life first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Recently I had the opportunity to speak at the Healthy Human Conference in Seattle, Washington and I wanted to share this talk with you – the main theme being how living authentically is going to give us an opportunity to influence and cause others to act. And there’s nothing more authentic than living as the […]
The post The Freedom to Be first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
When it comes to raising kids, there’s no manual. There’s no guidebook. So on today’s episode, I am joined by Christine Bright, a certified family and parenting coach. We dive into parenting, particularly one area that really stands out to me: single dad’s – and the unique struggles that come with single parenting. We also […]
The post How to Win the Parenting Game with Christine Bright CPC,CFC first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In today’s episode, I am joined by a friend of mine, Austin Cooper – He’s a navy veteran, a husband, a fitness guru, and a new dad. Following the theme of this season, we discuss manhood, finding freedom from always chasing the next thing, and how important it is to set an example for your […]
The post The Importance of Fitness and Fatherhood: Setting the Example with Austin Cooper first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
There are so many competing messages for what it means to be a man today. And the goal of this season is to get different perspectives that hopefully create a similar kind of blueprint on what it means to be a man. On today’s episode, I am joined by a good friend, David Ask – […]
The post The Importance of Knowing Your Identity with David Ask first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Over the course of this season, we’ve been wrestling with this question of what manhood and masculinity means to us and how that then informs how we’re living our lives as husbands as fathers as leaders in the community. This week, I am joined by Spencer Smith – father, husband, all around cool dude – […]
The post Radical Authenticity and the Art of LinkedIn with Spencer Smith first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This week, I am joined by Jason Todd – advisor, speaker, consultant and host of a live show and podcast called “Coffee with Humans.” Together we discuss our faith, the struggles manhood is facing in today’s age and what it means to be the man you were created to be. To connect with Jason and […]
The post How To Be the Man You Were Created To Be with Jason Todd first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I often ask everybody on this podcast the same question. And as we’re talking about authenticity and authentic conversations, it really now stems from this opportunity to talk about manhood in a world where masculinity gets distorted. This week, I am joined by Quentin Hafner. He’s a husband, a father, a licensed Marriage and Family […]
The post The Difference Between Being a Man and Being Good at Being a Man with Quentin Hafner first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This week, I am going solo to share a little bit of my heart on what I believe it looks like to succeed as a Christian in business today. After serving as a pastor for 8 years, I stepped down, realizing I had more to offer the kingdom of God in the business world than […]
The post 4 Tips for Succeeding in Business as a Christian Today first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
My goal with this podcast is to provide you with authentic conversations with men who by no means have everything figured out, but are trying their best to live out the life they’ve been called to. No one’s perfect and nobody’s ever operating at a 10 out of 10 in every area of their life […]
The post Embrace Vulnerability and Overcome Your Insecurities with Jason Pearl, Founder, and President of Nacre Consulting first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
As men, there’s this common expectation that we are supposed to be the providers for our families. That’s all well and good but it can definitely cause some problems. Maybe you’re using this title as a provider as an excuse to run yourself ragged, and never spend any quality time with your family. Or maybe […]
The post Life and Finances from a Recovering Workaholic, with Ian Ullman first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This season we’ve had amazing conversations with so many men who, above all else, are consistent and living as the men that they’ve been created to be. It doesn’t always look perfect, but it is just a beautiful picture of these guys striving to be the best they can for their families, communities and businesses. […]
The post How Self-Awareness and Outside Counsel Can Make You a Better Man first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This week I am joined by Cam Hall, nutritional and lifestyle coach and founder of Fight the Dad Bod, with the mission to lead dads and families in living fit, healthy, and fulfilled lives. Fighting the Dad Bod isn’t just about the body, it is about overall health. It’s about nutrition, fitness, weight loss and […]
The post Fight the Dad Bod with Cam Hall first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Over the course of this season, I’ve been sitting down with a number of different guests, predominantly men, to explore this topic of masculinity and manhood. And we’ve had a variety of different responses to the question, “How would you define manhood?” This week I am joined by Sam Feeney – father of five, author, […]
The post What Does It Mean to Be a Man? Conversations on Stewardship with Sam Feeney first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This week I am going solo to bring you the final Authentic Conversations podcast episode recorded in 2021. It’s crazy to think about how fast this year has gone by. And as we are going into a brand new year, I want to talk you through my thoughts around reflecting on the year that I’ve […]
The post My Reflections From the Last Year first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This week I am joined by Bill Harris, who is a 20+ year veteran of the Navy and served in the Special Forces and that really led to him having a deep understanding of what it meant to deal with his own levels of PTSD, anxiety, stress and depression. And he’s taken that experience and […]
The post Where Does Vulnerability Fit Within Masculinity with Bill Harris first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Let’s take a look into the future. Welcome to 2022…a new year with new opportunities. Last year you worked so hard on skills to improve. You built better habits. You even became more disciplined. But what about your mindset? Did you spend enough time on that “soft skill”? I say soft skill because growing our […]
The post Let’s take a look into the future first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Throughout this season, we have been predominantly talking with other men about what it means to be men. And this week, I sit down with JD Crouse, a fellow Christian businessman, to discuss masculinity in the context of the bible and our Christian faith and what it means to be men of God who lead […]
The post The Call to Biblical Manhood with JD Crouse first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
But how do I process everything I did? I received multiple versions of that question after last week’s email (find it HERE). Provoking thoughts around the year’s accomplishments led many of you to start thinking about how 2021 affected you as well as how it has prepared you. You likely asked yourself: How was 2021? […]
The post How Do I Process Everything I Did? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
The dictionary definition of success is the achievement of a target or aim. But that’s so generic, what do you even do with that? Not to mention that it’s constantly evolving with whatever stage of life you’re in. This week, I sit down with Collin Meeves, a fellow coach and podcast host, to discuss all […]
The post Unlocking Your Success and Reimagining Masculinity with Collin Meeves first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
As the calendar year winds down, we find ourselves looking back on what we did and looking ahead to what we are going to do. But do you have it all wrong? Are you looking to “doing” instead of “being?” Pat Tillman, former NFL Star, Army Ranger, and forever American Hero once said: “Somewhere inside, […]
The post Are you looking to “doing” instead of “being?” first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
For so long in society, manhood has meant financial provision. But providing financially is such a small component of what we can contribute as men to our friends and family. This week, David Gieselman and I explore the changing concept of masculinity and what it means to provide not only financial security but also time, […]
The post Sobriety, Parenthood and Masculinity With David Gieselman first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This week, we are joined by Brittany Krystle. Brittany is a personal branding & growth expert with almost a decade of experience in personal brand development, content strategy, and marketing. She helps entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurial-minded to build influence online that gets real results. We talk about Brittany’s journey into law and the decisions that […]
The post The Power of Pivot with Brittany Krystle first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
So often men feel like they have to keep everything inside, push everything down, or just push through…until they break. Matthew Deibler knows this first hand. For years he suffered from OCD, anxiety, and panic before ultimately succumbing to a nervous breakdown. We talk through his journey in overcoming his anxiety instead of running away […]
The post Faith and Anxiety: Dealing with Mental Health as Men of God first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This season we’ve been working through the tough conversations men don’t always like to have, talking about emotions and manhood, topics surrounding business and family. Each week, we ask, “what does it mean to be a man?” To Michael Pedalino, it’s balancing providing for your family but also being there for them. Being a provider […]
The post How to be Present for Work and Family first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
A major theme of this podcast is the question, “what does it mean to be a man?” The aim for this season is for us to learn from other men about the steps they took in order to achieve the best results in their marriage, family, and businesses. For Chip Brown, this meant taking the […]
The post Prepare Yourself for Tough Situations with Chip Brown first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This week, I have the immense pleasure of speaking with my good friend and jack of many trades Corey Lane. It takes a good man with awareness, discipline, commitment to do the roles he’s been called to – and Corey is just that. We discuss his transition from drummer and musician to stock trader/investor, the […]
The post Getting Back to What You’re Meant to Do with Corey Lane first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It was an absolute pleasure speaking with Tom Avery. Tom has been married to his wife and best friend for nearly thirty years and through life has learned the importance of a strong partnership and close relationships. Together we discuss marriage, parenting daughters, and opening up to others about life’s struggles, as well as the […]
The post The Power of Vulnerability in Men first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Men, this is a conversation you need to hear. In this episode, we talk about how John Troutman completely burned out after 20 years of ministry because he wasn’t being authentic to what was going on inside. In this episode, we talk about how to know when you need to take a break and also […]
The post Take Ownership Over Your Life and Emotions with John Troutman first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I was absolutely thrilled to talk this week with Steve Watson, founder of Trendbreakers about raising children and masculinity. Steve has raised several boys and in this conversation, we dive into how to teach your children love and respect and some of the things Steve is doing to help his boys become men. We discussed […]
The post How To Raise Boys To Be Men with Steve Watson first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Julie Foucher is a multi-time Crossfit Games competitor and podium finisher, a doctor, and the Host of the Pursuing Health Podcast. But I think that what stands out most about Julie is her character. It’s not just something people like me observed. It’s something you hear so many of her peers confirm over and over […]
The post The Fight to Be Who God Has Created You to Be with Julie Foucher first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
John Reed, CEO and Co-Founder of Bosscat Kitchen and Libations and Ten Restaurant is an absolute bada$$. John’s social media plea for his employees early in the pandemic caught my eye, but it was his relentless pursuit of authenticity and excellence that drove me to hunt him down and convince him to chat with me. […]
The post Relentless Authenticity and Excellence with John Reed first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
How can we be so “free,” and still feel so confined? I sat with that question for nearly two years after the awful events of October 1, 2017 at the Route 91 concert massacre in Las Vegas. How could I be successful and accomplished, happily married, with a great family living in the sunny shores […]
The post Paving The Way To Achievements That Last first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I was fortunate to be invited back on the Influencer Networking Secrets Podcast with Paul Edwards. Paul is a great friend and a content contributor to a lot of what you see me sharing on social media. In this episode, he and I discussed recent transitions and changes I have been making in business and […]
The post Ruthless About Real featured on Influencer Networking Secrets Podcast first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Peak performance is far less about everyone meeting a single bar and far more about individuals figuring out how to perform at their best…and then doing it. One of the greatest skills high performing individuals possess is the ability to proactively avoid distractions. Which means those that don’t avoid distractions, don’t achieve peak performance. Underperformers […]
The post Becoming Indistractable with Ryan James Miller first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It was several years into my adult life, before I understood why the California freeway system has “mile markers.” It took me even longer to make my own habit of mile markers – recording my victories. If you get stranded on the side of the freeway and need to call a tow truck, it’s good […]
The post The Top 3 Reasons People Feel Like They’re Getting Nowhere first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Kelli Maxwell is the Whiskey Coffee brewing CEO, a Podcast Host, and Content Creator. A mutual friend happened to tag me in one of Kelli’s posts talking about whiskey so I had to chime in :). Based on my friend’s recommendation and Kelli’s witty content, I knew I had to have her on the podcast. […]
The post When Princesses, Coffee, and Whiskey Collide with Kelli Maxwell first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I was never much of a sailor, but the feeling of being “lost at sea” can easily happen on dry land. All you have to do is try one of those adventure mazes they have at amusement parks, where every wall and corner looks like the one you just came from. After a while, you […]
The post The Vision Map You Must Create To Approach The Future Boldly first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Alexandra Galviz is the OG of Authenticity, inspiring and educating people through corporate keynotes and workshops, enormous LinkedIn influence and coaching, and more. She is the co-creator of LinkedIn Live as well as a LinkedIn Learning Author. I was drawn to Alex when we co-presented at a LinkedIn event in LA back in 2018. Her […]
The post Transforming Trauma into Triumph with Alexandra Galviz first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Some people think that doing the right things boils down to willpower. “Force yourself to take on good habits and disciplines and you will.” What a load of garbage! Frankly, we need something a lot stronger than willpower. We need desire, the deep burning one that connects who we are to what we want most […]
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Let me start by owning my junk – I have taken the bribe I’m about to unpack in this story. I don’t want you to think, “Oh boy … here’s another ‘expert’ (who happens to pastor a church) come to tell me how little I understand my own life.” No, I’m a sucker in recovery, […]
The post How “Progress” Without “Purpose” Robs You of Happiness first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Joel Lalgee is a LinkedIn powerhouse, teaching recruiters how to create better content and generate inbound leads. What Joel has done better than near everyone else on LinkedIn is taking his online connections offline. When Joel and I connected on LinkedIn nearly two years ago, he quickly followed up to schedule a call. We chatted […]
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We often think that one of our biggest problems is that we play too many roles in life. I challenge that. One of our biggest problems is that we don’t prioritize the roles we play and therefore, do not assign the appropriate value to the ones that matter most to us. Episode 130 will help […]
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Life was so simple when we were kids, wasn’t it? It didn’t really matter whether our words and actions aligned, because nobody expected them to. I sometimes watch little kids argue, and they say the typical, harmless threats of childhood: “You’re not my friend anymore!” It lasts for about five minutes until both of the […]
The post Restoring Authenticity Through Self-Reflection first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It doesn’t matter how much you fit the “socially desirable template” … you will begin to die inside if you refuse to deepen your identity and character…to truly know yourself. The sooner you know who you are, the sooner you will be experiencing the freedom to live the life you dream of. So, here are […]
The post From Unknown to Known with Ryan James Miller first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It’s human to want “the best of everything.” But people hear that phrase and they think of the material “high life” – houses, cars, fine clothes and luxury goods. Those things are certainly nice, but they’re only tokens of appreciation for what we’d truly chase, if we understood it – the best of life. Rich […]
The post Recovering Peak Performance Amid a Hurricane of Distractions first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
The 3 Best Habits to Have in Life I’m sorry if you were hoping for specifics. I’m not going to tell you to make your bed, get up early or have a daily meditation time. Those are good habits, but many people fail miserably trying to adopt them. Usually, it’s because they mistake them for […]
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Danielle Grant is the Founder of Your Mindset Mentor, helping entrepreneurs step into their highest self, next level, and desired reality. Immediately after Danielle and I were introduced through LinkedIn, I knew we were meant to connect and have this conversation. She’s a powerhouse with a keen sense of self that she utilizes to help […]
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3 Ways to Restore Your Time To Proper Balance Remember 2019? It feels like an eternity ago, if you go by the news stories. It’s like they want us to believe life is much more manageable in 2020, because we’ve been forced to stay in our homes and neighborhoods. I’ll agree this year is less […]
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Shari Lueck is the Founder of Unfiltered & On Fire, as well as a Best Selling Author and Integrative Emotional Wellness Coach. Shari recently released an amazing book last year titled “My Skeletons Have Names” and that alone was intriguing enough to draw me into her story. Our conversation spanned so many topics, but maybe […]
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Living a life of authenticity presents many potential challenges. One such challenge for some people is that sharing the things they believe could cause them to lose a job, lose a client, lose a friend, or even lose a family relationship, aka, being canceled. I was asked a question in this context on a webinar […]
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Brian Schulman is the Founder & CEO of Voice Your Vibe™, a Forbes Featured Entrepreneur, as well as a Linkedin Top and Video Creator. More importantly, Brian is one of the kindest and most positive human beings you will ever know. I had the pleasure of meeting Brian for the first time back in 2017 […]
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Living a life of freedom requires you to strip away everything in your way as you build the life you were created to live. In this episode, I share the 9 Pillars that I help my One to One Clients and Foundations to Freedom Academy members build so they can live the life of freedom […]
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Lester Morales is a self-proclaimed healthcare nerd, disruptor, and public speaker as the Founder and CEO of Next Impact. He found his way into the health insurance world as a product of it. His dad’s devastating diagnosis caused Lester to dig deep into health care and lit the fire necessary to begin making the amazing […]
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We all want to be confident. And it’s likely all of us fight against some lack of self-confidence. So what do we do? On this episode of Authentic Conversations, I share 4 things that I believe will be helpful to you in fighting against the negative and becoming the confident person you want to be. […]
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JC Cummings is a leader in Human Resources and has made an impact on many large (and recognizable) organizations. But the impact she is making in bringing light to dark places in people’s lives is even greater. JC was very transparent in sharing her upbringing in a home riddled with addiction and dysfunction, how she […]
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Would you be surprised to hear me say that Punky Brewster inspired this episode? Ok, Soleil Moon Frye did. But if you know, you know. Her recent documentary, along with the quote below, inspired me to record this episode on some of the benefits and blessings of living an authentic life for the rest of […]
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Paul Edwards leads “The Ghost & The Machine,” a TEAM of writers, graphic artists, publishing and marketing strategists. They work with servant-leader influencers, executives, coaches and consultants, delivering DONE-FOR-YOU content, marketing assets and finesse with words that spur RESULTS. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Paul and his team for the last few years, […]
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I recently found a news article that sounded absurd on the one hand … and it moved my heart with compassion on the other. John Roa, a former Chicago-based tech entrepreneur, wrote a memoir of leading his company, AKTA, to huge success. They grew by over 1100 percentage points in 2014, and began to attract […]
The post WHO IS THE REAL YOU? Recovering Joy In Your Core Identity first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This week’s episode is a clip from a recent training I did called “Get Real Get Raw”. While this training was directed specifically towards men, I believe everyone can gain from listening in. Check it out and if you are a man interested in learning more, check out the link below. www.restoringyourmanhood.com Direct links to […]
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Jason Lauritsen is a Keynote Speaker, Author, Adviser and Leadership Trainer. He is passionate about Employee Engagement and Workplace Culture. Jason believes work is a relationship and relationships are the best way to engage employees and we talk about that a lot. He also shares reasons why passionate people need to exercise a lot of […]
The post Unlocking High Performance Work with Jason Lauritsen first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
“If I just impact one person, I will be happy.” I heard a successful entrepreneur say that recently and I didn’t really believe him. Not because I think he isn’t genuine about helping people, but because I believe most people want more in business than to simply impact one person. So, on this week’s new […]
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Frank Mengert is the Founder of EBM, a 5X Start-up Founder, Speaker, Social Superstar, and all-around amazing human. As you will hear on the podcast, my first time meeting Frank made an impression on me as to his character that I will never forget. On this episode, we talk about his shift from selfless to […]
The post From Selfish to Selfless with Frank Mengert first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Accepting an invitation to Be Authentic seems like a no-brainer, right? Authenticity, “to be of undisputed origin” as well as “to be true to one’s own personality, spirit, or character”, is something we should all strive for. But it isn’t that easy, is it? To Be Authentic is unknown, it’s hard, it may feel shameful, […]
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Krista Mashore is a digital marketing coach that helps professionals utilize video and social media to become the go-to authority in their community. She is also the author of Four best-selling books focusing on digital marketing. Krista and I had a wonderful conversation in which she shared why she transitioned from a successful real estate […]
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A few months back, I was blessed to be invited onto the Rockstars Rocking Podcast, hosted by Eric Silverman. Eric has become a great friend over the last couple of years and even a client. In this episode, Eric and I discussed how I started my business with $500 bucks to my name how I […]
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Jamie Hawkins is the Founder and CEO of BTR – Benefit Technology Resources, a firm delivering value to its clients through innovative solutions and product partnerships that set the standard of excellence for HR technology. While I have been fortunate to serve Jamie’s team in a few capacities over the years, I am far more […]
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Harris III is a world-renowned speaker, storyteller and entrepreneur. He is the creator of Transformation Theory and author of the bestselling book, The Wonder Switch. Harris impacted my life personally back in 2017 when in the midst of a magic show that he was performing for a business conference I attended, he told a story […]
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In this solo episode of Authentic Conversations, I open up about the burnout I started to experience at the end of 2020, what led to a resurgence in my desire to create, and why ENOUGH became my theme for 2021. Direct links to podcast: Spotify – http://bit.ly/spotify-authentic Apple – http://bit.ly/apple-authentic YouTube – Authentic Conversations Channel […]
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Jake Jordan is the Chief Clarity Officer for Quirk Advertising, the Founder of Impact Over Attention, and a double podcast host (yup, two). He is focused on improving content and messaging performance for cause-driven organizations. Jake and I met through LinkedIn and I was immediately drawn to his desire to do right and his relentless […]
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The year-end often has us considering how well we did, where we measured up, and what we are going to do the following year. While there are other great practices (and many really bad ones) for reflecting on your year, as well as setting yourself for a new one, I wanted to share a few […]
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Andy Neary is a keynote speaker and performance coach. He’s also a former professional baseball player, Ironman athlete, and 20-year veteran of the health insurance industry. But most importantly, at least to me, is he’s a good buddy. Andy was on the podcast last year and after all of the growth he’s experienced in his […]
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I was recently given the opportunity to close out an amazing session on gratitude with 100+ colleagues and friends. In this week’s episode, I share my closing excerpt on how we can look at gratitude and thankfulness in 2020. I challenged the audience, and I will challenge you, to: Dig deeper into the area of […]
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Derek Doepker is a content marketing and digital marketing consultant. His certifications include an NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) Trainer Certification, Digital Marketer Copywriting Certification, and the Digital Marketing Content Marketing Certification. You can find his work in Forbes, Entrepreneur, SUCCESS magazine, and other world-renowned publications. This was a fun conversation for me, as Derek and I […]
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Brian Bogert’s story is a crazy one. As a young man, his arm was literally ripped from his body in a freak accident. Twenty four surgeries later, his arm was rebuilt to function once again. Crazier, many years later he nearly lost that same arm a second time. From that point forward, and throughout Brian’s […]
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We’ve long heard people say that talking about politics, religion, and other socially-charged issues were no-nos in business or even at the Thanksgiving dinner table. While I get the reasons why this is the case, I just don’t feel that’s the approach to take if we ever seek to reunite a deeply divided nation. What’s […]
The post Politics, Religion, and Other Off-limits Topics with Kody Fairfield (part 2) first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
We’ve long heard people say that talking about politics, religion, and other socially-charged issues were no-nos in business or even at the Thanksgiving dinner table. While I get the reasons why this is the case, I just don’t feel that’s the approach to take if we ever seek to reunite a deeply divided nation. What’s […]
The post Politics, Religion, and Other Off-limits Topics with Kody Fairfield (part 1) first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Eddie Williams is a former 5-year NFL veteran, a pastor and the creator of Ex Nihilo Health, a site for biblical wellness. Eddie and I get right into discussing the lack of control we really have and how today’s volatile culture demonstrates that so (unfortunately) well. This episode spanned so many topics, including leadership in […]
The post The Limited Nature of Human Kind with Eddie Williams first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I cannot believe I made it to 100! A simple idea in early 2018 has created some of the most amazing relationships, best conversations, happy moments, hard discussions, and lots in between. Episode 100 was a chance for me to share time with my beautiful wife Michelle and my good friend and business partner John […]
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Episode 99 is a solo one. And in it, I wanted to catch you up on where I am while sharing a few things I’ve been learning (which could help you too). One thing I have really learned is that making the most of the time we are in doesn’t require us to make big […]
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Chad Burleson is the owner of multiple The Camp Transformation Center franchises in Southern California. As you can expect, the first half of 2020 has presented many potential challenges for Chad, his team, and his fitness community. But as you will hear him say, we need to continue moving forward regardless of the circumstances around […]
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By mid-June 2020, the United States was being further and further divided over issues of race and health concerns. These two severe issues were compounded an already significant problem driven by division over politics (amongst other things). I decided it was time to use my platform to share my voice on these issues. This episode […]
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Robert Clark is an income protection specialist, providing Executive Disability Insurance to employer groups and high-comp business leaders. More importantly to me, Robert is a client and dear friend. He has the utmost integrity and is all about adding value to everyone he comes in contact with. Right out of the gate, we discuss the […]
The post The Value of Life and How to Protect It with Robert Clark first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
We all know referrals are an amazing way to create new business opportunities. And we hear many people say that they get “tons” of referrals. But are you really getting the referrals you deserve? In this episode of Authentic Conversations, from AC 12 Live, I share the exact referral strategy every business professional should adopt. […]
The post Your Lack of a Referral Strategy is Killing your Business | from AC12 Live first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Jenn Kennedy believes that when your business is driven by impact, your income will grow as your impact does. I appreciate this statement so much because we often hear things like “put it out there and it will come back” and yet, Jenn’s statement is much more meaningful, and practical, than that. In this episode […]
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Welcome to Authentic Conversations hosted by Ryan James Miller, an awesome new look featuring more valuable content than ever before. Authentic Conversations highlights the best, the most successful, and the most fulfilled business leaders and influencers. Those who have mastered the art of authenticity through self-reflection, self-awareness, and the constant pursuit of their best. As […]
The post The 4 P’s Necessary to Achieve Success | AC11 Live with Ryan James Miller first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Adrian Conway is a four-time CrossFit Games Athlete, a three-time CrossFit Games Team Champion, the co-owner of FNX, CrossFit Affiliate owner, Coach at Brute Strength, and a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer. He is also a husband, father, and committed community member in his home state of Utah. This conversation quickly became one of my favorites […]
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This episode of the podcast is from Authentic Conversations 10. I went back to answering questions I’ve been getting over the last few weeks regarding sales, marketing, habits, performance, productivity, and more. Here were a few questions I directly addressed. What obstacles are you seeing with Covid-19 and how are you responding? What is the […]
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Dr. TJ Ahn is a first-generation Korean immigrant who came to America alone when he was only 19 without any connections or ability to speak English. Determined to live the American Dream, Dr. Ahn spent the next 30 years honing his medical and business skills. Dr. Ahn has established a successful podiatry practice in the […]
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Mental toughness is a term often thrown around. It’s often associated with the positive attributes that help a person to deal with and overcome difficult situations. People often believe it has to do with how smart or strong they are. That would be too easy. Join me on this week’s episode as I share 7 […]
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Josh Schachnow is a Canadian immigration lawyer helping international students and skilled workers navigate Canadian immigration. He co-founded Visto.ai, a free platform that brings both parties together by helping skilled workers navigate the immigration process on their own, making the immigration journey – from applying, to finding a job, to settling in Canada – as […]
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Join this live, interactive session of Authentic Conversations. I will be answering a few questions submitted prior to the webinar as well as questions submitted by you on the spot. I will also be highlighting a few past topics that have generated lots of follow up discussion. All participants will have the ability to be […]
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LinkedIn has become my number 1 source of income generation. It didn’t happen by selling myself. It didn’t happen with “creative marketing”. It didn’t happen with ‘lead generation services”. It didn’t happen by spending a bunch of money. I am going to share with you exactly what I did and how you can achieve the […]
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In the midst of one of the most difficult times our country, and the world, has ever faced, we are presented with many opportunities. And I believe I need to share one of these opportunities with you. Just know that this one will be quite different than you may think, and it may not be for everyone. […]
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Emma Fox is a partner and the COO of E Powered Benefits; the nation’s only completely transparent benefit consulting firm. She is also the founder of Empowered Community where she has built a group of equally resilient leaders to form a coaching circle in an effort to help others walk a slightly easier path than […]
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I often hear people talk about referrals and how their business thrives off of them. But few people can articulate what they have done to earn the referral other than “doing a good job”. Is that really it? I doubt it! Join me as I share the keys to being “referrable” as well as how […]
The post Authentic Conversations 12 – Becoming Referrable first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In this episode of the podcast, I share the audio from Authentic Conversations 7 where I took time to answer questions submitted by registrants and my community at large. A couple of my favorite questions focused on: Communicating with a challenging CEO (or manager) Selling for the right reasons Working from home productively What pushes […]
The post When Sales, Communications, Habits, and Struggles Collide first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Achieving success, either by way of monetary or positional achievement, is best done by building a brand that is: Professional Proficient Value-driven This episode of Authentic Conversations will provide a practical roadmap to build the above brand for yourself. Register here – Authentic Conversations 11 Miss the live broadcast? Watch the archive here – RJM […]
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Joy McAdams is the Chief Relations Officer for MedSnake Media, a firm that helps medical practices put together specialized marketing and business strategies that bring them back to life and produce growth. She’s also a wife, a mother, and an IRONMAN (yup, she’s hardcore). During this conversation, Joy and I spent time talking about some […]
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I’ve said it before and I will say it again. Motivation sucks! Well, at least external motivation does. On this week’s Authentic Conversations, I began by sharing a few thoughts as to why I believe motivation sucks. I then discussed the importance of creating sustainable rhythms to achieve the goals and outcomes you have been […]
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Michaela Alexis is a LinkedIn Trainer, Keynote Speaker, Author, and all-around amazing human being. She’s had social media articles go viral, her LinkedIn follower count exceed 150k, and she even has her own K-Swiss shoe! I was introduced to Michaela back in 2018 and ever since then, I have appreciated her heart, her consistency, and […]
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This Friday, April 10 at 11:00 am PST, I am going to hosting Authentic Conversations 8 over Zoom. On this week’s webinar, I will be talking about my personal LinkedIn experiences. LinkedIn has become my number 1 source of income generation (yup, it’s 100% true). But it didn’t happen by: – selling myself – using […]
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This episode is from Authentic Conversations 5 – Selling in this Season. I shared my thoughts on why you should sell, and how to sell, during this season so long as you abide by a couple of important rules. I was also joined by my business partner and friend john Welches, who provides great insight […]
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The best conversations are two-way, in-person ones. We can’t do that right now but I would love to answer some of your questions. Questions can be related to: – Professional or personal development – Leadership – Sales & marketing – Mindset – Health and fitness – or anything you think would be great to hear […]
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Darren Rowe is the Chief Innovation Officer of Wamberg Genomic Advisors, an organization working to improve health, wellness, and longevity by delivering clinical-grade genomic programs and services to people around the world through their trusted employee benefits brokers and life insurance companies. Darren and I had a great conversation and really pushed in the belief […]
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This Friday, April 24 at 11:00 am PST, I am going to hosting Authentic Conversations 6 over on Zoom. I’ve said it before and I will say it again. Motivation sucks! Well, at least external motivation does. On this week’s Authentic Conversations, I am going to share a few thoughts as to why I believe […]
The post Authentic Conversations 6 – Motivation Sucks and What Really Works first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
From a live webinar I recently I hosted, I shared the guaranteed ways to ruin your team as a leader and what to do instead along with the convictions that: 1. Our purpose in our organizations is to become a great leader that serves our people and our customers (no title required). 2. We must […]
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Andrew Richburg is the CEO of C3LX, an organization transforming health and healthcare through deep one to one technology-enabled patient engagement. As I was out hunting for great leaders to speak to for the podcast, one of Andrew’s employees nominated him as a must-have guest. In this episode, we talked a lot about the leadership […]
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This Friday, April 10 at 11:00 am PST, I am going to hosting Authentic Conversations 4 over Zoom. In it, I will share with you the guaranteed ways to ruin your team as a leader as well as what I believe are far better ways to lead, including the convictions that: 1. Our purpose in […]
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Over the last few weeks, I have been getting a lot of questions from colleagues, clients, friends, and even strangers in regards to how I am doing during the quarantine. I felt like now was a good time to share my answers, and help other people answer these wonderful questions for themselves. After answering them […]
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Mark Metry is the bestselling author of Screw Being Shy, the host of the Global Top 100 Humans 2.0 Podcast, a sought-after speaker, a Forbes contributor, and has been featured on Amazon Prime’s The Social Movement. I had the pleasure of hosting Mark on the podcast and we dug deep into the reason for his […]
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I was fortunate to be invited onto a yet-to-be-named, soon-to-be-launched podcast with my close friends and CrossFit coaches, Collin Meeves and Kody Fairfield. We set out to talk about stress and as we got going, we uncovered holes in our self-awareness and realized the necessity of being vulnerable. While this conversation was set for their […]
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Bob Burg is a speaker and author, most known for co-authoring The Go-Giver. The Go-Giver, a Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek Bestseller, has sold over 950,000 copies and was rated #10 on Inc. Magazine’s list of the Most Motivational Books Ever Written. Early in 2019, I read The Go-Giver for the first time and it […]
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Kyle Elliott is a Career and Life Coach focused on helping people to find their fabulousness. He has served over 1,000 clients to date, been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, The Ladders, and The Muse, is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), and an annual Disneyland Annual Passholder (this is important to him!). Kyle and […]
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Alison Brown is a 20-year award-winning fitness and nutrition expert, founder of The Switch Project, Co-Owner of New U Personal Training Studio, and a best-selling author of Making the Switch. Alison and I had an opportunity to talk about the need to focus on the internal in order to affect the external, the importance of […]
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I reached out to my network to share questions they wanted me to answer. Here were the 4 I addressed. How do we continue to use the language of optimism in business, particular as consultants, to gain new clients when it has been co-opted by scammers and fake gurus? How do you define success? With […]
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Ryan Sprance is the Founder and Chief Strategist of Kaihatsu Media, a digital media agency focused on developing brand awareness and sales growth through social media, optimizing digital marketing spend and developing Influencer Marketing programs. He is also the Co-Founder and Managing Partner for Awestruck, a digital media agency focused on the travel, tourism, hospitality, […]
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Chantel Soumis is a Brand Sorcerous, a Motivational Keynote Speaker, and an Advocate for the Differently Abled. She’s showing up on a regular basis in major publications, large live events, and all over social media. Chantel’s life has been one of significant challenge and while those challenges would have shut most people down, it fired […]
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Fear. Is it good, bad, or something else altogether? We decided to have a conversation on this topic after a Linked post that John made a few weeks (here – https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwelch…). We talk about the good things fear produces, the bad things, and ways to work through both sides of it. John Welches is a […]
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Jennifer Bashant is the CEO of Building Better Futures, LLC. She is a trainer, coach, and speaker with the mission to empower people to live their best lives. Her work takes her into the corporate world as well as into the education system. Jennifer and I got right into a few wonderful topics, including: The […]
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In this first episode of 2020, I couldn’t help but take some time to reflect on how amazing 2019 was. Now that doesn’t mean that 2019 was all rainbows and unicorns because I was presented with some significant challenges, but what it means was that even through all of that, I am more fulfilled then […]
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Mikhail Alfon is the Founder and President of Blue Light Media, a digital marketing and advertising agency located in Costa Mesa, CA. He and his team at Blue Light have developed an industry-leading content planning, production, and distribution process and teamed up with some of the best technologies in the industry to create results that […]
The post Why People Make All the Difference in the World with Mikhail Alfon first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I deeply believe that I have been called to do the work I do. And that through the work I do, I have the amazing opportunity to glorify God. Recently, I was able to preach a sermon entitled “Work to the Glory of God”. After listening back, I thought that this would be great to […]
The post Work to the Glory of God first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Natasha Hazlett is an inspirational speaker, business marketing consultant and best-selling author of “Unstoppable Influence: Be You. Be Fearless. Transform Lives.” She empowers entrepreneurs around the world with the clarity, confidence, and strategies they need to boost their income and influence while working less. Natasha came out hot, giving insight into what she did to […]
The post Creating Unstoppable Influence with Natasha Hazlett first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Every so often, I am blessed with an opportunity to be on the other side of the microphone as a guest on someone else’s podcast. And recently, Ryan Sullivan invited me to do just that on his podcast, Fatherhood on Fire. Here’s what he had to say to describe our conversation together. Ryan brings the […]
The post Fatherhood on Fire: Building a Foundation for Fulfillment first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
As crazy as it sounds, Tim Lomakin has been flying airplanes since he was 8 years old. A deep passion for flying coupled with hard work and commitment has earned him the role of President at Wing Aviation Group. Tim has been a close friend to me for many years so I enjoyed digging into […]
The post The Journey from Pilot to President with Tim Lomakin first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In this week’s episode, Michelle is back so we can discuss a near-awful moment I had, having difficult conversations in marriage, and much more. I also got an email last week from a married couple that we discussed. Plus, it’s Thanksgiving week and we talk about being thankful (duh, right?). Connect with Michelle: Instagram – […]
The post Sunday Download: Difficult conversations in marriage and a near-awful moment first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I was sitting with a friend that shared this crazy story of one of his clients climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. The more he shared, the more I realized how much I wanted to hear the story from her. And doing so on this podcast seemed like a fitting context Heather Falcone is the CEO of Thermal-Vac […]
The post The Collective Effort to Sustain the Journey with Heather Falcone first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Rachel Druckenmiller is the Founder & CEO of UNMUTED. She is a Keynote Speaker and passionate about Humanizing the Workplace and Beating Burnout. During this conversation, we covered so many different topics including a need to gain approval from those around us including family, friends, and co-workers, bringing hope to others by sharing our story […]
The post Striving to Live an Unmuted Life with Rachel Druckenmiller first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In this episode of the Sunday Download, Michelle and I chat about dealing with anger (how we deal with it, why we lash out more at people we love, and how to grow), my doubt to do well when speaking (whether in business or church), Michelle’s peeve with a dirty froyo shop, and my tendency […]
The post Sunday Download: Dealing with anger, speaking when necessary, and dirty froyo first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
People often ask why I help others without asking for anything in return. In January 2014, my business was in a good groove. My calendar was full of clients and I was more than providing financially for our family of 4. Then an implosion happened in March of 2014… One of my clients was acquired […]
The post Value without expectation first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
TK Kader is an international best-selling author, angel investor and life and business strategist. TK is the Founder of the organization, Unstoppable Life Accelerator, an organization that helps people reduce Sunday anxiety and create a life plan to lead more proactive lives. He is also the author of How to Punch the Sunday Jitters in […]
The post How to Punch the Sunday Jitters in THE FACE with TK Kader first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In this Sunday download, I introduce my wife to the podcast. We discuss structure and goals, parenting, dating in marriage, and why you never tell your wife not to eat cracker jacks. My hope is to continue to share the Sunday Download hosting responsibilities with my wife as it brings a fresh voice and new […]
The post Sunday Download: My wife’s perspective, weekly structure, and cracker jacks first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Nate Randall is the Founder and President of Ursa Major Consulting as well as the host of the Illuminate HR Podcast. Previous to that, he led HR and benefits roles with Washington Mutual, Safeway, and Tesla. Nate and I dug deep into the ways in which the HR role needs to change and why that […]
The post Changing the HR Game with Nate Randall first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I’m kicking off a new weekly podcast episode called Sunday Download. My goal is to do my best to download what happened during the previous week and share what I’ve learned. This week, I am talking about underforming in the gym, mindgames, and servant leadership. I would love your feedback as I try this new […]
The post Sunday Download – Underperforming, mindgames, and servant leadership first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Hannah Moyer is the Head of Paid Media for Blue Light Media and hosts a successful podcast called Candidly Caffeinated. She is a recent transplant to California from Nashville (who leaves Nashville?) though originally from Philly. While Hannah and I had a lot to talk about, a large majority of our time was spent discussing […]
The post Taking Personal Responsibility Amidst a Broken Healthcare System with Hannah Moyer first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
At face value, Collin Meeves is the head coach at Resolution Crossfit in Yorba Linda, CA. But there is far more than meets the eye. In this episode, Collin and I definitely talked about Crossfit including what it takes to compete at an elite level, what coaches should really be doing, and the mentality in […]
The post Turning the Life We’re Given Into the Life We Want with Collin Meeves first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Paul Edwards connects entrepreneurs, executives and other leaders to business advice, coaching and strategic partnerships through cutting-edge podcasts, an international bestselling book and mastermind groups. In this episode of the Exsellence Mindset podcast, Paul and I talked about the ways his military experience developed his ability to coach and lead others. We dug into many […]
The post The Humility of Silence and Asking Questions with Paul Edwards first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In a recent post on Linked, I shared a few of my bigger failures in life and business. And it caused quite a lot of response and engaging conversation (find the LinkedIn post here). One of the comments I received included this question “if you had to provide 5 practical points to consider to bring […]
The post Bringing About Change After Failure first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
My friend Ryan Pauly joined me for episode 48 of the Exsellence Mindset podcast and it was an awesome conversation. Ryan is a Christian apologist, a teacher, a public speaker, an author, and a podcaster himself. He’s smart, kind, and passionate about what he does. In this episode, we talk about the importance of defending […]
The post Making a Defense for the Truth with Ryan Pauly first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
On this solo episode, I take an opportunity to brag on my amazing wife as well as share 5 things that have been extremely beneficial in building a healthy relationship. And trust me, this goes far beyond marriage! This one is for husbands and wives, business leaders, and all people fighting for healthy relationships. Connect […]
The post Fighting for Healthy Relationships first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Randy Brothers is a third-generation contractor, entrepreneur, podcast host and business coach. He launched the Roofing Academy in 2018, a consulting firm and virtual training platform, which helps roofing companies propel their business to success. He’s the podcast host of “The Start Build Grow Show” and he also authored Start It, Build It, Grow It: […]
The post Scrapping the Tough Guy Mentality and Getting Emotional with Randy Brothers first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
One year ago today, I originally released this episode with my good friend Chad. Over the course of the year, Chad has continued to grow his business and gain significant recognition for it. I want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to hear the amazing insights he shares as an entrepreneur, fitness enthusiast, husband, […]
The post Exsellence in Business, Family, and Fitness first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I am super fired up to have my friend Kris Macchiarola back on the podcast. If you remember, Kris was my guest on Episode 9 (Exsellence in Emotional Intelligence) and we had an amazing conversation. It’s my most-listened-to episode to date and if you heard it, you know why. This time around, we shoot right […]
The post No Approval Needed with Kris Macc first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This episode features the audio from a keynote I recently shared titled “Building a Brand that Sells Itself”. While the audio is not to the quality I prefer, I believe the content and takeaways are worth listening to. More on this keynote: By creating a visible and consistent personal brand that demonstrates expertise while communicating […]
The post Building a Brand that Builds Itself – Keynote from WBM19 first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Jay Campbell is a 3X International best-selling author, Hormone Optimization Expert, Founder of TOTRevolution.com, host of TRT Revolution Podcast and co-founder of FabFitOver40.com. He has successfully used testosterone optimization therapy having spent 18 years as a patient after suffering a sports injury when he was 29-years-old. Campbell has written three books on testosterone and his […]
The post Living a Fully Optimized Life with Jay Campbell first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I often find myself helping clients work through difficult situations, which in turn regularly require difficult conversations. I wanted to share a few things I have found useful to managing these conversations well. I hope this solo episode provides you value and helps you to become an amazing conversationalist, leader, partner, and person! Connect with […]
The post Difficult Conversations with Ryan Miller first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Matt Gagnon is the founder of Life Story Coaching. He works with high performers, executives, and entrepreneurs – people who are tired and burned out from living life for others. He helps people take control of their life, reclaim their identity, and empower them to live the life they have always wanted by rediscovering their […]
The post Living with a Courageous Heart with Matt Gagnon first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Andy Neary is a former professional baseball player and a 20-year veteran of the health insurance industry. He focuses on the significance mindset plays in achieving success. In this episode, Andy shares what he believes are the 3 C’s necessary to achieving success: * Confidence – Competence – Clear course of action * While his […]
The post Confidence, Competence, and a Clear Course of Action with Andy Neary first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Robert Clark is the Regional Vice President for Peterson International Underwriters. He partners with employee benefits producers to design and implement executive disability solutions for their high income earning clients. During our time together, Robert shares the story of his father’s sudden passing and how that inspired him to enter the world of finance. We […]
The post The Money Mindset to Enjoy Life Now and Protect the Future with Robert Clark first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Vision is so important for business….and for life. Through great tragedy, I was inspired to reflect on the very idea of who I had become professionally. I thought I had it dialed in before only to realize I had lost a sense of who I was, clouded by my past successes and failures. Thankfully, my […]
The post How to Get a Vision for Your Business (The Influencer Networking Secrets Podcast) first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Yesterday was Memorial Day. And as I considered those who sacrificed their lives for us, I couldn’t help but think of the time I shared with Robert Valentino. I didn’t know Robert was a former US Army Ranger until we were already recording and while that was surprising enough, the story he told me of […]
The post Re-release: Achieving a Lean Culture and Habit of Exsellence with Robert Valentino first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Matt Johnson is the Founder of Pursuing Results, a podcast production agency, and the Creator of The Podcast Pitch Assistant. Matt helps business coaches, consultants and creatives own their niche or break into new markets through new media strategy and training. In this episode, Matt and I discuss podcasting as a new form of networking, […]
The post Creating Demand for What You Do with Matt Johnson first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Eric Silverman is considered one of the most recognized authorities and disruptive forces in enhanced employee funded benefits (the industry formerly known as “voluntary”). Widely known as a subject matter expert with nearly 20 years of employee benefit sales, marketing, management, and recruiting experience. He is often sought after and interviewed by various industry journalists […]
The post Breaking the Status Quo and Taking a Stand to Do What’s Right with Eric Silverman first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Recently, a friend DM’d me on Instagram because she received a bad review. She went on to ask how I deal with bad reviews, negative feedback, and unsatisfied clients. She then recommended I share my response on the podcast so here we are. In this episode, I talk about how I deal with them, what […]
The post Negative Reviews and Bad Feedback with Ryan Miller first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Omozua Isiramen is a Certified John Mattone Executive Intelligent Leadership and Neuroscience-based Life Coach, with focus on Emotional Mastery, helping executives, entrepreneurs, and new leaders understand how our brains are wired. This helps good leaders become GREAT and new leaders to LEAD WITH CONFIDENCE. In this episode, Omo and I discuss the human connection in coaching […]
The post Human Connection and Mastering Your Emotions with Omozua Isiramen first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
On this episode of Exsellence Mindset, I address a couple of topics that I get asked quite a bit by clients, colleagues, and on social media. Some of the things I share include: How to create and maintain a daily routine How and when to take risks How to stay excited in the role you […]
The post Daily Routine, Taking Risks, and Staying Excited in Business with Ryan Miller first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Time is so valuable. And it’s something we often think about. Specifically, we think about how we are spending our time. Often we commit to getting more done, spending more time with people, or simply not wasting the time we have. As you are more focused on time, I wanted to offer you some encouragement […]
The post How Are You Doing on Time? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Erin Urban is the founder and career strategist powering UPPSolutions, LLC. She is a Forbes Coaches Council Member and a self-proclaimed recovering perfectionist with over 10 years in mentoring and coaching successful professional transformations. In this episode of the Exsellence Mindset podcast, Erin and I discuss what her life looked life after she admitted to […]
The post Life After Perfectionism with Erin Urban first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Erin Urban is the founder and career strategist powering UPPSolutions, LLC. She is a Forbes Coaches Council Member and a self-proclaimed recovering perfectionist with over 10 years in mentoring and coaching successful professional transformations.
In this episode of the Exsellence Mindset podcast, Erin and I discuss what her life looked life after she admitted to being a perfectionist and how that launched her into an extremely successful professional career, both working for others and as a coach to professionals globally today.
Here are a few of the many great things we discuss:
- What the life of a recovering perfectionist looks like
- What to do with a negative performance review
- Tools to improve self-awareness
- Building and nurturing relationships
- How to create better lines of communication between leaders and their teams
- The lack of appreciation for oneself
Connect with Erin:
Email – eurban@uppsolutions.net
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinurban/
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – @millerryan78
Twitter @rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
The post Life After Perfectionism with Erin Urban first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Patrick Ward is the Marketing Manager at Dogtown Media and the creator of #WordsWithWard. A writer by trade, Patrick has worked extensively across the insurance, real estate, finance, travel, and tech industries, with notable clients including Allianz, Cathay Pacific, and Fiji Airways. Currently, he lives in LA, having been born and raised in Sydney, Australia, and is a diehard Steelers fan.
In this episode we talk about taking risks, being exactly who we are, how to be an exceptional, and real, marketer, and so much more.
Highlights include:
- Truth-telling being the key to marketing
- Getting back to the fundamentals to better yourself
- Jackhammers and hummingbirds (seriously)
- Reasons employees stay loyal to their employers
- The power of LinkedIn
- What Words with Ward is all about and so much more!
Connect with Patrick:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickjamesward
Email – patrick@dogtownmedia.com
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – @millerryan78
Twitter @rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
The post Marketing, Employee Loyalty, and Why Words Matter with Patrick Ward first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Patrick Ward is the Marketing Manager at Dogtown Media and the creator of #WordsWithWard. A writer by trade, Patrick has worked extensively across the insurance, real estate, finance, travel, and tech industries, with notable clients including Allianz, Cathay Pacific, and Fiji Airways. Currently, he lives in LA, having been born and raised in Sydney, Australia, […]
The post Marketing, Employee Loyalty, and Why Words Matter with Patrick Ward first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
A high-performance coach specializing in leadership effectiveness, Tracey Grove helps executives from diverse lines of business all over the world deal with individual and inter-personal issues, communication challenges, and organizational shifts. She is a highly sought after speaker as well as the author of a brand new book, Taming the Sabertooth. In this episode of the Exsellence […]
The post Taming the Sabertooth with Tracey Grove first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
A high-performance coach specializing in leadership effectiveness, Tracey Grove helps executives from diverse lines of business all over the world deal with individual and inter-personal issues, communication challenges, and organizational shifts. She is a highly sought after speaker as well as the author of a brand new book, Taming the Sabertooth.
In this episode of the Exsellence Mindset podcast, Tracey and I dig deep in how we “tame the Sabertooth”, how people become great leaders, and the tools necessary to deal with difficult situations and conversations.
Some highlights:
- Dealing with resiliency and leaders
- The humility required to overcome challenges
- How to work with leaders that are difficult to deal with
- Ensuring your values as an employee align with the values of the organization you work for
- Following leaders that lead from the heart
Buy “Taming the Sabertooth” on Amazon
Connect with Tracey:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/traceygrove/
Email – info@puresymmetry.com
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – @millerryan78
Twitter @rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
The post Taming the Sabertooth with Tracey Grove first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
A few weeks ago, I was thrown deep into an anxious pit. It wasn’t the first time, but it was definitely the worst time. I knew what got me there, and how to get out, but I was numb to taking action. That experience caused this episode to happen. I reached out to two dear […]
The post Anxiety Issues, Answers, and Opportunities first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
A few weeks ago, I was thrown deep into an anxious pit. It wasn’t the first time, but it was definitely the worst time. I knew what got me there, and how to get out, but I was numb to taking action. That experience caused this episode to happen.
I reached out to two dear friends, Jessica Gaye and Kody Fairfield, and asked them to join me in a very real conversation about dealing with anxiety. We talk about what’s helped each of us, what’s hurt us, and how people around us can help.
Whether you struggle with anxiety yourself or know someone that does, I pray that this conversation will be an encouragement to you.
Connect with Jessica:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/j__gaye/
Connect with Kody:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/kfairfield4/
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – @rjmsalespro
Twitter @rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
The post Anxiety Issues, Answers, and Opportunities first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Stacy Ennis is a well-accomplished author, writer, and consultant. She co-founded Next Level Women’s Leaders and spoke of the TEDx stage on “How to Raise Brave Kids”. In this episode of the Exsellence Mindset podcast, Stacy and I speak about many things including her best-selling book, Growing Influence, and what I found to be so […]
The post Growing Influence, the Gender Gap, and the Mindset to Make a Difference with Stacy Ennis first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Stacy Ennis is a well-accomplished author, writer, and consultant. She co-founded Next Level Women’s Leaders and spoke of the TEDx stage on “How to Raise Brave Kids”.
In this episode of the Exsellence Mindset podcast, Stacy and I speak about many things including her best-selling book, Growing Influence, and what I found to be so fascinating about it, the gender gap and bias in business today, stay-at-home-dads, and the importance of good conversations to better understand someone else’s struggles.
I hope you enjoy this episode and feel free to contact me with any feedback you have!
5:37 – Why another book on influence?
9:55 – Telling stories to teach business principles
14:44 – Did you intend to challenge gender bias?
16:02 – Something women can relate to and men can gain perspective on.
20:37 – Co-founding Next Level Women’s Leaders
26:36 – Is our fight against bias causing other bias?
29:15 – Things that lead us to change our perspective
34:01- Sometimes it’s hard to understand someone else’s struggle
36:49 – Becoming aware of others
40:44 – Those that lash out are often experiencing deep hurt themselves
41:49 – The mindset that contributes to gender and race issues
46:09 – Stay at home parents
Contact Stacy Ennis:
Email – stacylynnennis@gmail.com
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacylynn
Stacy’s TEDx Talk “How to Raise Brave Kids”
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – @millerryan78
Twitter @rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
The post Growing Influence, the Gender Gap, and the Mindset to Make a Difference with Stacy Ennis first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Amanda Kroeker is the founder of Valley Vintage Soap Co., a small business offering natural products for the skin and hair. With sensitive skin, she and her family tried an endless variety of products to make it resemble “normal”. Many products caused breakouts (even laundry soaps). They wanted all natural products, but most they found listed some ingredients that were baffling (even some of the “organic” ones), or they were ridiculously out of their price range. Being the lover of handmade items, they set out to make their own. They loved knowing & being able to pronounce all the ingredients. They loved how their skin felt & looked. They loved it so much, they wanted to share. Thus, Valley Vintage Soap Co. was born and remains a small owner-operated family business.
I met Amanda after being blown away by their products (Delicious Beard balm for the win!) and reaching out to thank her for her great product and service. It didn’t take long for me to consider Amanda a great guest for the podcast.
In this episode, Amanda and I talk about going the extra mile in serving customers, never compromising even when it costs you, and powerlifting! Check it out and let me know what you think!
5:42 – The extra mile to serve customers
8:00 – Why Amanda started Valley Vintage
12:11 – Having goals in business
14:30 – Who and what influenced Amanda’s pursuit of success
15:30 – Values define what money can’t
18:00 – The temptation to compromise
20:25 – Dealing with mistakes the right way
28:25 – Taking pride in customer praise
33:45 – Protecting personal time as an entrepreneur
39:45 – Beard balm protects CrossFit hands
42:45 – An unassuming love for powerlifting
Connect with Amanda:
Email: valleyvintageshop@gmail.com
Instagram: @valleyvintagesoap
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – @millerryan78
Twitter @rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
The post Delivering a Superior Product and Experience Means Never Compromising with Amanda Kroeker first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Amanda Kroeker is the founder of Valley Vintage Soap Co., a small business offering natural products for the skin and hair. With sensitive skin, she and her family tried an endless variety of products to make it resemble “normal”. Many products caused breakouts (even laundry soaps). They wanted all natural products, but most they found […]
The post Delivering a Superior Product and Experience Means Never Compromising with Amanda Kroeker first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Miranda VonFricken is passionate about all things personal and professional development. She is a certified life coach with her Master’s in Motivation and Professional development. Her mission is to guide people towards their best life possible, both professionally and personally.
In this episode, Miranda and I talk about the intersection of business and life coaching, the importance of building confidence in and loving yourself in order to get that promotion or achieve that goal, and why good feedback is an important tool for our growth.
Connect with Miranda:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirandavonfricken/
Email: mastermindcoachmiranda@gmail.com
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – @millerryan78
Twitter @rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
The post Miranda VonFricken on Motivation and Inspiration Being the Glue for Education first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Miranda VonFricken is passionate about all things personal and professional development. She is a certified life coach with her Master’s in Motivation and Professional development. Her mission is to guide people towards their best life possible, both professionally and personally. In this episode, Miranda and I talk about the intersection of business and life coaching, […]
The post Miranda VonFricken on Motivation and Inspiration Being the Glue for Education first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I am often asked how I got started in business, or even, what led me to where I am today. My journey has been crazy but I believe it is worth sharing. Both as an opportunity for you to get to know me better and as an opportunity to possibly encourage you to share your own story.
The short version of this story is that through crazy risks, deep heartaches, and immense support, the business I started with $500 to my name is now providing for a family of four in Orange County. I walk the talk I give to my clients. But many want to know more, so here goes.
In November of 2011, my wife and I decided that it didn’t make sense to go work for anyone else. The knowledge I gained over 15 years in sales and marketing across many industries, coupled with an insane passion to help people and a stop-at-nothing work ethic would absolutely produce a successful sales training and consulting business. The problems (yes multiple) were that we had $500 to our name with no savings and no 401k, my wife stayed home with our then 9-year-old and 2-year-old daughters, we had a mortgage (in OC), 2 car payments, and too many other financial obligations to list. But after much thought and prayer, we went for it anyway.
The next year and a half was filled with many ups and downs. We only ate when I hunted well. And that pressure definitely drove me to work really, really hard. Certain seasons were filled with an abundance of clients while others weren’t. There were a few times that weren’t going to make our mortgage, or even put food on the table, but a gift card or a check would show up in the mail from an anonymous person (some of the specific stories would blow you away!). Every time we considered pivoting, God would call us to continue.
By late 2013, I hit my stride. I was training groups of 5-500, I was consulting a couple of really cool companies on sales and marketing strategy, and a dozen or so individuals called me coach. They were seeing results and I was feeling great about it. I was also getting more comfortable supporting non-sales related needs. Things like leadership development, productivity training, and using social media to expand your professional presence (it was coming on strong by that point).
In June of 2015, after consulting with one particular client for 6 months, I was offered a wonderful opportunity to lead their sales team. I went all-in to the world of healthcare and loved to learn of all the ways we could make a difference. The business went from a 30 employee regional firm to a national powerhouse. While I knew that one day I would go back into business for myself, it was far off in the distance. That was until October 1, 2017.
On October 1, 2017, my wife and I along with 5 of our closest friends were attending Route 91 in Las Vegas when gunshots rang out. You can read of my complete reflection here but the short version is that one of our friends was one of the 58 lost that day. Dealing with the loss of Nicol, along with the personal impact of experiencing the event first hand, called into question a few things I hadn’t considered in quite some time. Was the professional life I was living aligned with what mattered most to me and what I felt called to? That answer would become clear 7 months later.
In May of 2018, with a deep conviction and unknown future, I walked into my boss’ office and resigned my role with a fantastic organization. And to be honest, much like the time I first started, I had very little to fall back on and nothing set to look forward to other than exactly what God wanted me to do (which is pretty much everything). Thankfully, within days of making that news public, I was back doing the very thing I was called to do all along.
I coach high performers (and aspiring ones too). We work together to achieve all that they want out of life and business. While everyone person looks a little different, I help each of my clients get clear of their purpose and then help them to create a process for achievement.
I consult industry leaders. This often includes creating a strategic sales and marketing plan, developing leaders, and ensuring a great culture. There are many moving parts in these relationships and I do my best to support my clients in any way I can.
I host The Exsellence Mindset podcast. The purpose of this podcast is to provide opportunities for people to hear how others pursue and achieve exsellence. To hear what drives success, what habits are important, what roadblocks are typically present, and more.
I love what I do and I would be happy to share it with you.
The post How Did I Get Here? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I am often asked how I got started in business, or even, what led me to where I am today. My journey has been crazy but I believe it is worth sharing. Both as an opportunity for you to get to know me better and as an opportunity to possibly encourage you to share your […]
The post How Did I Get Here? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Do you seek validation from your audience? Can you use personal stories to leverage business? When is “enough enough” in when pursuing success?
These are just some of the insights that John Welches, president of Red Mallard, shares in this podcast. If you recall, John was my first guest on the Exsellence Mindset podcast. I was fortunate to listen to another wave of wisdom in entrepreneurship, how he handled some setbacks in his company, and what lessons he’s learned dealing with business and life in general.
4:30 – Delving into the cool world of video marketing in LinkedIn
6:30 – Of being unique, different, and creative in LinkedIn
8:00 – A dilemma of perception: Is there an agenda in what you’re doing?
10:00 – Are you trying to serve people or are you trying to get more business?
10:30 – LinkedIn: Connecting people, pushing content, and sharing your purpose
11:20 – Don’t seek validation: Just knuckle down and do it
12:30 – Leveraging your business with personal stories
13:20 – Don’t force a different persona to seek validation from your audience
16:45 – Demonstrate what you’re going to do with your success
18:00 – Setbacks in business are just normal
19:00 – Investing in yourself and your family
19:30 – Dealing with new and existing clients
20:20 – The value of the right client
22:30 – Why is there never an “enough” in business?
25:30 – Money is just a tool
27:10 – Build what you dream into your lifestyle
29:00 – The need to slow down versus the culture of “more”
31:30 – Include a habit of rest in your system
33:50 – Don’t let your day ruin your family’s night
Thank you for sharing the wonderful insights, John! And it’s an honor to be back here with you. Get in touch with John using the contact details below:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwelches/
Website: http://redmallard.com/
Email: john.welches@redmallard.com
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – @millerryan78
Twitter @rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
The post #23 Marketing, Entrepreneur Margin, and Nonsense Talk first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Do you seek validation from your audience? Can you use personal stories to leverage business? When is “enough enough” in when pursuing success? These are just some of the insights that John Welches, president of Red Mallard, shares in this podcast. If you recall, John was my first guest on the Exsellence Mindset podcast. I […]
The post #23 Marketing, Entrepreneur Margin, and Nonsense Talk first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Managing a team can be challenging. Managing a young, growing team thousands of miles away and whose members are of a difficult culture is a totally different level altogether. But Devon Higgins, VP of PhotoUp, did it smoothly. How? By providing opportunities for better lives and professional growth for young, creative, and talented people over […]
The post Exsellence in Building a Cross-Cultural Culture first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Managing a team can be challenging. Managing a young, growing team thousands of miles away and whose members are of a difficult culture is a totally different level altogether.
But Devon Higgins, VP of PhotoUp, did it smoothly. How? By providing opportunities for better lives and professional growth for young, creative, and talented people over in the Philippines. In this podcast, he explains how PhotoUp was able to bridge the cultural and language gap between two cultures through a genuine, mutual desire to help one another.
The PhotoUp team lives its core values every day, in and out of the office, through the amazing FRESH brand. Listen to the stunning story of how FRESH took off, which is now wholeheartedly embraced by the entire PhotoUp organization.
Devon also reiterates that businesses must focus on helping people realize their goals, and not just making bucks. Finally, he talks about the discipline of staying true to your organization’s integrity, vision, and purpose.
2:27 – Coaching soccer to youth teams
6:08 – Stepping into the world of PhotoUp
7:10 – Falling in love with the PhotoUp business, culture, and team
7:30 – Reducing brain drain: Giving better lives and providing opportunities for young, talented individuals in the Philippines
9:30 – The culture of PhotoUp drew Devon into the industry
10:40 – Figure out who you want to work with
12:50 – Building relationships is the most important thing in all aspects of business
17:00 – The fine art and challenges of connecting different cultures
18:00 – Local directors are empowered to help bridge the two different cultures
19:00 – Local directors sharing the company’s vision, learning, and experiences to the team
20:11 – The FRESH brand: Living the company’s core values
23:38 – Taking FRESH outside the office
26:05 – Building a fun, happy culture around FRESH
27:50 – Bringing a piece of Philippine PhotoUp culture to the US
30:15 – PhotoUp’s value proposition and purpose: Giving value to real estate photographers
32:10 – A glimpse into PhotoUp’s niche market
34:00 – It’s about supporting photographers and making their lives and business better
36:20 – Staying true to PhotoUp’s purpose, mission, vision, and integrity
41:10 – The man who made an impact
43:30 – Keep doing what you’re doing, go after it, and be okay with it
To get in touch with Devon and PhotoUp, use these contact details:
Email: devon@photoup.net
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devon-higgins-34003423/
PhotoUp website: https://www.photoup.net/
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – @millerryan78
Twitter @rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
The post Exsellence in Building a Cross-Cultural Culture first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In the pursuit of exsellence, we often find ourselves feeling discontent with our current situation. But it shouldn’t be that way. I decided to take a stab at working through some very practicals tips to help people find joy, and be content, with the life they currently have as they pursue the life they want. […]
The post #21 Living Contently While Pursuing Exsellence first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In the pursuit of exsellence, we often find ourselves feeling discontent with our current situation. But it shouldn’t be that way.
I decided to take a stab at working through some very practicals tips to help people find joy, and be content, with the life they currently have as they pursue the life they want.
4:00 – How do we pursue exsellence while living a content life?
5:15 – To be content, should you get rid of your fear?
6:30 – What I fear and how it fuels me.
9:45 – To be content, how must I view myself?
12:39 – To be content, what types of people must I rid myself of?
14:50 – To be content, where must I stop looking?
16:45 – To be content, what must I stop worrying about?
20:35 – To be content, what must I quit doing?
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – @millerryan78
Twitter @rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
The post #21 Living Contently While Pursuing Exsellence first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Many say that if you’re young, you have to spend eons to be successful. You have to lick the feet of great people to be successful yourself. Not Fabio Marrama. At just 28 years old, he has become a successful LinkedIn strategist brand builder, a marketing and relationship specialist in First Ontario Credit Union, and […]
The post Exsellence in Hard Work, Hunger, and Humility first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Many say that if you’re young, you have to spend eons to be successful. You have to lick the feet of great people to be successful yourself.
Not Fabio Marrama. At just 28 years old, he has become a successful LinkedIn strategist brand builder, a marketing and relationship specialist in First Ontario Credit Union, and a coach for entrepreneurs. He has been featured in top publications such as Social Media Examiner and Forbes. In 2017, he received a Top 40 Under 40 Award.
What’s his secret? A mindset of hard work, giving value to yourself and others, and a no-to-quitting attitude. In this podcast, Fabio shows us how to acquire that mindset. He talks about having an impact no matter who you are, how to view failure, the importance of setting good habits, and much more. Fabio also explains the great advantages of building your brand on LinkedIn.
Let’s listen to these insightful words of a young, successful achiever.
1:40 – Fabio’s Impressive Professional and Personal Achievements
3:30 – A Short Insight Into Ascentra Credit Union
4:30 – Of Being a LinkedIn Strategist
5:30 – A Journey in LinkedIn: Extracting and Giving Value to Self and Others
9:45 – Harnessing the Drive to be a Positive, Genuine Influencer
10:30 – Everyone Can have an Impact
11:55 – Failure: It’s a Test and a Part of Learning
13:30 – Fear Comes From Worrying About What Will People Think
15:10 – How Other People Negatively Mask Their Fears
17:16 – Just Ask: There are People Who Are Willing to Help
18:50 – Be Genuine and Help Others
19:48 – The Drive to Be Good at What You Do
25:00 – Schools Should Opportunities for Students to Learn and Mold Themselves
26:33 – Don’t Wait, Take Action, Take the Helm, and Grab the Opportunity
28:22 – Connecting To and Influencing People
31:00 – The Advantages of LinkedIn
34:30 – Of Experiencing Failure and Discovering and Pursuing Your Passion
37:52 – A Vision for the Future, Opening Up for the Unexpected
40:25 – Setting Goals is Good, but Setting the Right Habits Is More Important
44:35 – Set Priorities and Make Your Family a Strong Support System
48:30 – Greatest Fear: Being Not Able to Control Pride
To know more about Fabio and what he can do for you and your organization, use these details:
Website: https://www.fabiomarrama.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabiomarrama
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FabMarrama
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FabioMarrama
Email: contact@fabiomarrama.com
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – @millerryan78
Twitter @rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
The post Exsellence in Hard Work, Hunger, and Humility first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I was half-joking when I made the statement that this woman wears a lot of hats and likely runs her home better then you run your business. But once you give this episode a listen, you may think that statement isn’t too far from the truth. Julee Huy is a full-time mom and wife (not […]
The post Exsellence in Life, Marriage, and Being a Momma first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I was half-joking when I made the statement that this woman wears a lot of hats and likely runs her home better then you run your business. But once you give this episode a listen, you may think that statement isn’t too far from the truth.
Julee Huy is a full-time mom and wife (not to mention one of my dear friends). In this episode of the Exsellence Mindset, we discuss internet trolls, the value of mom’s in the office and in the home, balancing control and flexibility, loving oneself, and instilling discipline in the household.
Julee considers organizing and structuring her time as a crucial aspect of her life. Giving good structure to your personal life, family life, or business, gives you focus and direction. It encourages you to go for what you have always wanted.
6:15 – Creating Structure in Your Day or Life is Necessary
7:15 – Setting Goals and Priorities Within 30 Minute Time Blocks
7:50 – A Typical Day in the Life of a Mom with 10 Kids
10:22 – The Advantages of Organizing Your Day in Increments
11:37 – How Do You Know that Today was a Job Well Done
13:00 – Feel Free to Change Aspects of Your Structure
14:20 – How Julee Discovered the Passion for Structure
15:00 – Striking a Balance Between Structure and Free Rein
16:00 – No Structure or Discipline in Raising Children Can be Dangerous
17:20 – Dissecting the Concept of Stay-at-Home Moms
21:00 – The Biggest Accomplishment: Able to Influence Someone’s Life
23:00 – A Mom’s Thoughts: Where Do You Want to Be When Your Kids Have Grown to be Independent
24:30 – It’s Important to Pay Attention to Yourself
28:20 – Identifying, Marking, and Maintaining a Family Brand
32:00 – An Analogy: A Business and a Family
35:30 – Supporting, Encouraging, and Respecting Each Other
41:00 – Of Self Affirmation, Self Encouragement, and Setting an Example
43:00 – Trivial Accomplishments are Part of Big Victories
48:00 – Goals at 40 and Beyond and Looking Back Without Regrets
50:00 – Sometimes, You Gotta Say No
52:30 – Welcoming People Into Your Life
59:00 – Just Because It’s Chaotic Doesn’t Mean You Have to Live in Chaos
1:03:00 – You Don’t Have to Control Everything
Follow Julee:
Twitter – https://twitter.com/huyones
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – @millerryan78
Twitter @rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
The post Exsellence in Life, Marriage, and Being a Momma first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
If you’re a health practitioner, take no chances when it comes to your patient’s health. Don’t fall into the trap of believing incorrect inferences and using archaic methodologies. Dr. Rhett Polka is the founder of TheOne80 system, a revolutionary, science-based evaluation and treatment method for physical therapists, chiropractors, athletic trainers, and the like. A professional […]
The post Exsellence in Doing a One80 first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
If you’re a health practitioner, take no chances when it comes to your patient’s health. Don’t fall into the trap of believing incorrect inferences and using archaic methodologies.
Dr. Rhett Polka is the founder of TheOne80 system, a revolutionary, science-based evaluation and treatment method for physical therapists, chiropractors, athletic trainers, and the like. A professional physical therapist and expert in physiology, he gives us a peek into the physical therapy industry and how methodologies change over time.
Dr. Polka explains why people are addicted to quick fixes to improve their health. He warns that these should be avoided, opting that you work hard for good health. He also discusses the importance of identifying the root cause of patients’ physical ailments, not just treating the symptoms.
These and more on this episode of the Exsellence Mindset.
2:05 – Ditching the Conventional Model of Physical Therapy
2:50 – The Non-Traditional Way to the One80 System
5:18 – The Tipping Point
7:10 – Working Back Towards The Fundamental Goal of Physical Therapy
8:30 – Working on a Different Specific Mindset
9:15 – Going for the Root
11:10 – The Addiction and Error of Quick Fixes
12:30 – Relationship Between Physicians and Physical Therapists
14:05 – Falsehoods of Unprofessional Advice, Gaining Trust, and Word of Mouth
16:00 – Having a Team That Shares Your Standards and Mindset
17:15 – Incorrect Inferences vs Experiential, Well-Researched, and Factual Realizations
20:00 – Falling for Repackaged Old Concepts
21:00 – Faulty, Ineffective, and Dangerous Physical Therapy Techniques
24:36 – Self Replication: Growing, Expanding, and Managing One80’s Reach, Services, and Knowledge
28:55 – Managing Responsibilities
31:05 – Taking One80 to the Next Level
33:25 – Getting Into the One80 System
37:20 – Great Influencers Can Make a Difference
For more information about TheOne80 system, get in touch with Dr. Rhett Polka using the following contact details:
Email: rpolka@one80pt.com
Website: http:/theone80system.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theone80system
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – @millerryan78
Twitter @rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
The post Exsellence in Doing a One80 first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
New Year. New Commitments to Fulfill. In this episode of Exsellence Mindset podcast, I am sharing how Bob Burg’s 5 Laws of Success have guided my life, well before I even read his book. I also talk about the role of how defining one’s value can help in fostering healthy relationships with different types of […]
The post Applying the 5 Laws of Success to Your Life and Business first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
New Year. New Commitments to Fulfill.
In this episode of Exsellence Mindset podcast, I am sharing how Bob Burg’s 5 Laws of Success have guided my life, well before I even read his book.
I also talk about the role of how defining one’s value can help in fostering healthy relationships with different types of people.
01:21 – What is Value?
01:47 – My Commitment to Creating Value This Year
03:17 – Introduction to the Five Laws of Success of Bob Burg
03:39 – The Law of Value
04:08 – The Law of Compensation
04:24 – The Law of Influence
04:43 – The Law of Authenticity
05:04 – The Law of Receptivity
05:25 – Bob Burg’s Idea of Value
07:07 – Determining Your Assigned Value in the Relationship
11:00 – The Importance of Value
11:20 – Determining The Return You Get in A Relationship
14:42 – The Fear of Getting Advantaged
16:13 – Determining How to Put People’s Desires Before Yourself
19:44 – Offering Yourself As A Gift To Others
23:03 – Applying the Law of Receptivity in My Life
30:53 – Lessons Throughout The Years
34:04 – Best Quote in Bob Burg’s Go-Giver
Check out the Go-Giver on Amazon.
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – @millerryan78
Twitter @rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
The post Applying the 5 Laws of Success to Your Life and Business first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Meet Kody Fairfield, a CrossFit Coach at Resolution CrossFit and a student of Physical Therapy. He is also quite a thinker, which makes him an awesome person for those who want to hear deep, insightful thoughts on important issues and current events.
In this podcast, Kody talks about a variety of topics such as obesity, the political landscape of the US, routes in making good choices, and more. All these insights are aimed to help you instill a mindset that you have complete control over your decisions. You can steer your life in the direction where you want to go. You are created for a purpose.
2:35 – Obesity: Replacing Famine as a Major Health Threat
4:41 – Thinking Vs Having Emotional Reactions Issues
5:05 – Feeling the Need to Qualify What You Say
6:30 – Dealing With Obesity: You Have a Choice
7:00 – Your Flaws Makes You Unique
7:30 – Obesity in the West vs In Other Countries
8:20 – Application Responsibility
8:45 – You Always Have a Control of Your Decisions
10:30 – Everyone is Living in an Equal Playing Field
11:45 – State of Health of American Adults
15:58 – Obstacles and Routes in Making Good Choices
17:00 – Educating Yourself and Being Self-Aware To Make Better Choices and Decisions
20:30 – Life is a Burden Because You Have to Be Responsible
21:44 – Obesity Continues Due to a Lack of Emotional Response and a Lack of Ability to See the End Result
24:20 – Instant Gratification is About Misusing a Valuable Tool
26:00 – Information is Everywhere but It’s All About Taking Action That Matters
28:25 – No Cutting Corners: Learn to Acquire Appropriate Habits to Sustain What You Want in Life
30:15 – Cutting Corners in the American Political System
32:42 – Making Yourself Valuable to Yourself and Other People
36:33 – Without Belief in Your Purpose, You Become a Non-Playing Character
38:00 – You Have Been Created for Something Great
40:00 – Bringing People to The Positive Ethos You Created
40:30 – Same Values, Different Placement of Values
44:00 – Americal is an Idea, A Unique Set of Ethos
45:00 – Fear is a Powerful Albeit Negative Motivator
48:45 – Defeating Victimhood: Motivate Yourself
51:00 – Always Connect What You Do to Who You Are
53:00 – To Be of Service to People, You Have to Be Competent and Give Value to People
56:45 – If We’re All The Same, Life Isn’t Worth Living
Learn more about CrossFit, health, life values, and ethos. Get in touch with Kody Fairfield using the following contact details:
Email – kfairfield4@gmail.com
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/kfairfield4
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – @millerryan78
Twitter @rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
The post Exsellence in Mindful Thinking first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Meet Kody Fairfield, a CrossFit Coach at Resolution CrossFit and a student of Physical Therapy. He is also quite a thinker, which makes him an awesome person for those who want to hear deep, insightful thoughts on important issues and current events. In this podcast, Kody talks about a variety of topics such as obesity, […]
The post Exsellence in Mindful Thinking first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
According to Lyall Watson, dancing is surely the most basic and relevant of all forms of expression. Nothing else can so effectively give outward form to an inner experience. Darren Wong is a member of The Kinjaz from NBC’s World of Dance and has been teaching, performing and choreographing in the Hip Hop community for […]
The post Exsellence in the World of Dance first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
According to Lyall Watson, dancing is surely the most basic and relevant of all forms of expression. Nothing else can so effectively give outward form to an inner experience.
Darren Wong is a member of The Kinjaz from NBC’s World of Dance and has been teaching, performing and choreographing in the Hip Hop community for 14 years. He has choreographed and played for artists such as Nicki Minaj and Rich Brian. He has also been a part of world-renowned Hip Hop organizations such as Culture Shock LA and Kaba Modern.
He spent four years on the faculty of the Claire Trevor School School of the Arts at the University of California, Irvine as an adjunct lecturer of Breakin’ and currently a faculty member of Glendale Community College teaching Hip Hop Dance. He has been sharing his experience and knowledge by teaching and training dancers of all skill levels, from college performing arts programs, dance studios, and online students from around the world, how to dance with the knowledge that he has been fortunate enough to gain.
In this episode of the Exsellence Mindset, Darren discusses how dance has helped him and the people around him. He talks about the importance of discipline in achieving success in the field.
01:10 – Who Is Darren Wong?
01:58 – the Start of Darren’s Dancing Journey
05:44 – Dancing: a Career for Darren
06:58 – Darren’s Purpose of Teaching
08:14 – On Dancing and Money
11:24 – Darren on Things He Should Not Have Done
13:43 – Darren and the Feeling of Success
15:16 – on Managing Frustrations and Disappointments
19:30 – Darren on How He Manages Client Expectations
21:42 – Teaching the Basics: the Darren Way
23:28 – Darren on Going Back and Work on Fundamentals
25:16 – What Does He Love Doing Most Professionally
26:30 – Darren and His Styles of Dancing
27:25 – Darren and the Things That Drives Him to Work every day
29:25 – Why Darren Is the Best Person to Work With
32:00 – Great Dancers Are Not Always the Best Teachers
34:00 – Darren on Challenges in Opening His Studio
35:01 – How Darren Teaches Culture to the People He Works With
36:31 – Does He Have Any Regrets?
37:11 – The Advantages of Being Trained in Another Discipline
39:22 – Darren After 12-18 Months
40:22 – Asians and Dancing
42:13 – Darren on Plans for the Future
To get in touch with Darren, use the following contact details:
Website: https://www.darrenrwong.com/
Email: darren@kinjaz.com
Instagram: @darrenrwong
Twitter: @darrenrwong
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenrwong
Connect with me:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – @millerryan78
Twitter @rjmsalespro
Web – http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
The post Exsellence in the World of Dance first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
On this episode of the Exsellence Mindset podcast, I am talking failure and what to do about it.
As we accept the inevitability of failure, we need to:
- Make sure it doesn’t define you.
- Not allow it to discourage us.
- Keep making attempts.
Enjoy this episode and as always, I look forward to your feedback.
Also, I mention a few things in the podcast that I want to connect here.
My superstar golf coach – Max Allen, Golf Code 360 – @maxagolf
Personal brand superstar – Brittany Krystle – @brittanykrystle
–
Connect with me online:
Website – http://www.ryanjamesmiller.com
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/millerryan78/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/rjmsalespro
Email – ryan@ryanjamesmiller.com
The post What Do I Do With Failure first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
On this episode of the Exsellence Mindset podcast, I am talking failure and what to do about it. As we accept the inevitability of failure, we need to: Make sure it doesn’t define you. Not allow it to discourage us. Keep making attempts. Enjoy this episode and as always, I look forward to your feedback. […]
The post What Do I Do With Failure first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I took to Instagram and asked my followers what questions they had related to achieving goals in business.
It’s the end of the year and it’s time to start talking about goals right? Kind of. Now is the time to DO something about goals. If you are at all like me, talking about things (like goals) doesn’t accomplish much. When it comes to goals, it is too easy to:
- Talk about them but never take action.
- Set them and forget them.
- Set wrong ones and miss them.
In order to set goals AND achieve them, you need these 3 things.
- Right perspective
- Serious motivation
- All-star tools
I also talk about evaluating your long-term business plan and/or strategy. This isn’t a set it and forget it so what must you do?
Enjoy this episode and as always, I look forward to your feedback.
Connect with me online:
Website – http://www.ryanjamesmiller.com
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmsalespro
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/millerryan78/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/rjmsalespro
Email – ryan@ryanjamesmiller.com
The post Business plans and 3 successful goal strategies first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I took to Instagram and asked my followers what questions they had related to achieving goals in business. It’s the end of the year and it’s time to start talking about goals right? Kind of. Now is the time to DO something about goals. If you are at all like me, talking about things (like goals) […]
The post Business plans and 3 successful goal strategies first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
If your sales team isn’t motivated to perform, will incentives really help?
They can.
To a point.
The incentives companies offer a struggling salesperson run the gamut of everything from cash bonuses and vacations to special gifts and other perks.
However, these external ways of recognizing your salespeople may not work over the long run because they don’t necessarily change attitudes.
Standard sales performance incentives barely scratch the surface
There are two sides of the motivation coin you need to consider.
An intrinsically motivated person is interested in doing something because of their personal drive/interest, joy or mastery aspirations, while an extrinsically motivated person is compelled to go for the carrot stick such as more money, and materialistic things.
While both camps can be persuaded to work toward achieving a common sales reward, it’s actually far more advantageous to ensure these individuals are getting real job satisfaction and meaningful experiences from doing their work. Translation? Help them feel more fulfilled as individuals.
How does company culture help motivate people?
Organizations need to tap their people to bring out their highest potential and value. That’s not to say it’s a bad thing to offer incentives but it can’t be the be-all and end-all of measuring performance.
In today’s workplace, employees across all levels of organizations are hungry to be valued for their contributions and to feel like they matter. When you roll out the red carpet and really engage your salesforce beyond typical rewards, you could see a much higher productivity rate and return on investment.
But first, take stock…are you making their jobs easier by:
- Ensuring your salespeople have access to enough information and training so they can comfortably carry out their work
- Setting realistic sales goals
- Re-evaluating your commission sales structure so it aligns with the times to reflect market changes
- Recognizing them when they hit milestones and sharing their success with the rest of your company in a meaningful way
Change things up – stop using the old one-size-fits-all solution. You need to get to know your salespeople; what’s important to them at work and at home so you can help them succeed.
One of the best resources for understanding human motivation comes from author Daniel Pink. In his book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, he reveals the science behind why dangling the carrot stick is not necessarily what motivates people to go for the prize.
It’s time to rethink how organizations support salespeople to do their best work.
Are you ready to crush your 2019 sales goals? If so, schedule a free consultation by clicking here: http://ryanjamesmiller.com/book-a-consult
The post A new paradigm shift needed for motivating your salesforce first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
If your sales team isn’t motivated to perform, will incentives really help? They can. To a point. The incentives companies offer a struggling salesperson run the gamut of everything from cash bonuses and vacations to special gifts and other perks. However, these external ways of recognizing your salespeople may not work over the long run […]
The post A new paradigm shift needed for motivating your salesforce first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
When people hear ‘motivation,’ they often think of classic incentives like bonuses, extra paid time off, and maybe the super-powered inspirational talk. In truth motivation is elusive, because it so often depends on the individual and what makes them tick at any given moment. And that’s why motivation sucks! In this episode, answer these main […]
The post Why Motivation Sucks first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
When people hear ‘motivation,’ they often think of classic incentives like bonuses, extra paid time off, and maybe the super-powered inspirational talk.
In truth motivation is elusive, because it so often depends on the individual and what makes them tick at any given moment.
And that’s why motivation sucks! In this episode, answer these main questions:
- Why does motivation suck?
- How do we get to the why?
- How can we align what we want with what they want?
For more Exsellence Mindset, follow us on Twitter @rjmsalespro and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RJMSalesPro/. You can also subscribe to our website at http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
The post Why Motivation Sucks first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Your success or failure in life or business depends on how you perceive yourself. Dr. Natalia Wiechowski is an internationally known keynote speaker who specializes in personal branding. She is also a LinkedIn marketing strategist. Dr. Natalia believes that how you view, treat, and regard yourself permeates all aspects of your personal life, career, or business.
Join us in this episode of the Exsellence Mindset as Dr. Natalia highlights the importance of digging deep in knowing who you are. She wants people to define their long-term goals, reinvent themselves for the better, and adapt to change. Be sure to listen to one of the most poignant points in this podcast about the ideal attitude towards change, which is a painful, messy, and uncertain process.
2:00 – Who is Dr. Natalia Wiechowski?
5:28 – The Birth of an Inspiration to Help Others
6:39 – Being Great at What You Do Doesn’t Always Translate to Success
7:15 – Success and Rewards Depends on How You Brand Yourself
9:04 – Know Your Why, Define Your Long-Term Goal
9:50 – Do You Know Who You Really Are?
11:37 – The Need to Harmonize With The Person You’re Helping
12:21 – Reinventing Yourself
18:37 – Changing Your Approach to People and Organizations
22:41 – Taking on Challenges, Doubts, and Fears with a Positive Mindset
29:15 – Surrender to the Certainty that You Can Do It
31:30 – Failure is an Opportunity to Learn and Grow
34:16 – Pain Prompts Change, and Change is Painful
37:20 – Don’t Judge Yourself. Just Let Go
41:05 – Being Open to Other Options, Reasons, and Interpretations
42:50 – What People Think: Should You Care?
46:50 – Natalia’s Goal of Writing Books
47:55 – Greatest Regret: Trying to be Everyone’s Darling
48:29 – Greatest Fear: Getting Out of the Comfort Zone so You Can Go Somewhere
To learn more about personal branding, get in touch with Dr. Natalia Wiechowski using the following contact details:
Email – action@thinknatalia.com
LinkedIn Profile – https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliawiechowski/
For more Exsellence Mindset, follow Ryan James Miller on:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ExsellenceMindset
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/exsellencemindset/
You can also subscribe to our website at http://exsellencemindset.com/
The post Exsellence in Personal Branding first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Your success or failure in life or business depends on how you perceive yourself. Dr. Natalia Wiechowski is an internationally known keynote speaker who specializes in personal branding. She is also a LinkedIn marketing strategist. Dr. Natalia believes that how you view, treat, and regard yourself permeates all aspects of your personal life, career, or business. […]
The post Exsellence in Personal Branding first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
By nature, humans are emotional creatures. Even in business, it is impossible to take emotion out of the equation. How you manage your emotions can make or break your professional growth.
Kris Macchiarola is an emotional intelligence (EQ) champion who specializes in creating business cultures where team members feel engaged, energized, and motivated. She is a professional coach who focuses in bringing the human factor in an otherwise supposedly emotionless business environment.
In this episode of the Exsellence Mindset, Kris discusses the role of emotions in the workplace. She talks about the importance of EQ and IQ and how these affect personal and professional growth as well as overall business culture. Kris also explains how the human mind works, how to manage emotions constructively, and how to set goals.
2:55 – Who is Kris Macchiarola personally and professionally
3:49 – Separating Emotions in Business is Impossible
6:09 – How Kris Championed Emotional Intelligence and Quotient
7:00 – Top Performers and their Emotional and Social Skills
10:44 – Real Hindrances to the Application of Psychology to Professional Development
12:40 – Financial Incentives Relating to EI and EQ
14:49 – How Our Brains are Wired for Safety, Security, and Survival
16:53 – Seeing Your Blind Spots through Other People’s Honest Feedback
18:55 – Triggers to Emotion: A Tale of Two Daughters
23:35 – What Happens When We Assume Bad Intentions
25:43 – Planning Your Conversation: Reducing Emotional Response
27:32 – Definition of Success and How Do You Measure It
31:17 – Kris’s Contract With Herself
32:45 – “It’s maybe the journey isn’t so much about becoming anything. Maybe it’s about unbecoming everything that isn’t really you so you can be who you were meant to be in the first place.”34:00 – Ripping and Burning Out What’s Not Needed In Your Personal Unwritten Rulebook
36:47 – The Importance of Writing It Down
40:09 – The Disparity Between Inner Truth and the Way You Want to Project
42:14 – The Imposter Syndrome
43:54 – Using Fear, Trusting Others, Being Optimistic, and Grabbing Opportunities
47:55 – Go Ahead and Invest in Your Dreams and Passions
48:40 – Hard Work, Success, and How to Handle Success
To get in touch with Kris, use the following contact details:
Website: https://kmaccsolutions.com/
Email: kris@kmaccsolutions.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedincom/in/kris-macchiarol
Instagram: @kris_macc18
For more Exsellence Mindset, follow us on Twitter @rjmsalespro and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RJMSalesPro/. You can also subscribe to our website at http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
The post Exsellence in Emotional Intelligence first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
By nature, humans are emotional creatures. Even in business, it is impossible to take emotion out of the equation. How you manage your emotions can make or break your professional growth. Kris Macchiarola is an emotional intelligence (EQ) champion who specializes in creating business cultures where team members feel engaged, energized, and motivated. She is […]
The post Exsellence in Emotional Intelligence first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
What you wear speaks a lot about you. Meet Dave Welch, a fashion analyst, chief image officer, and founder of b.spoke Clothing. Wanting to make the world a better place one better-dressed person at a time, he and his team make sure that clients get an awesome experience. His company is not just about selling […]
The post Exsellence in Creating an Amazing Client Experience first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
What you wear speaks a lot about you.
Meet Dave Welch, a fashion analyst, chief image officer, and founder of b.spoke Clothing. Wanting to make the world a better place one better-dressed person at a time, he and his team make sure that clients get an awesome experience. His company is not just about selling great-looking garments.
In this episode of the Exscellence mindset, Dave provides insights on the importance of looking good so you’ll feel sure and confident about yourself in every situation. He explains their “product of your product” approach, which identifies the core advantage that the customer will be getting if he purchases your product. As an entrepreneur, Dave also emphasizes the importance of both genuine client and team interaction.
Finally, Dave shares awesome tips on men’s fashion and branding yourself through the clothes you wear.
2:36 – How does b.spoke Clothing work?
5:55 – The Product of Your Product
9:15 – A Personal Story: How Dave Entered into the Custom Clothing Space
13:32 – The Change of Times
14:15 – Making the World a Better Place One Better-Dressed Man/Woman at a Time
15:30 – Why Cheap Isn’t Always a Good Option
16:46 – Make Your Product an Experience, Not Just a Commodity
21:49 – Of Connections, Self-Image, and Genuineness
25:55 – Why You Should Analyze Client Interaction and Situation
29:11 – Be Genuine With Your Team
32:41 – Take Ownership for Your Mistakes and Learn: It’s More Genuine
37:52 – Tips in Branding Yourself Through Your Wardrobe
44:36 – The Right Fit For You Is Everything
51:12 – The Evolution of “Bespoke”
To get in touch with Dave and b.spoke, use the following details:
Website: http://bspokestyle.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bspokestyle
Instagram Profile – @bspokestyle
Email: info@bspokestyle.com
For more Exsellence Mindset, follow Ryan James Miller on:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ExsellenceMindset
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/exsellencemindset/
You can also subscribe to our website at http://exsellencemindset.com/
The post Exsellence in Creating an Amazing Client Experience first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Like many successful entrepreneurs, Aaron Zapata started out working for an agency. After 12 years of helping his employer build his business, he realized it was time to follow his own path to success. Using those 12 years of experience as pillars, he established his own real estate firm, Impact Properties. Aaron, together with his […]
The post Exsellence in Real Estate Leadership first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Like many successful entrepreneurs, Aaron Zapata started out working for an agency. After 12 years of helping his employer build his business, he realized it was time to follow his own path to success. Using those 12 years of experience as pillars, he established his own real estate firm, Impact Properties.
Aaron, together with his team, does not just sell dream homes. Impact Properties also provides mentorship and training for real estate agents that strive to be the best.
In this podcast, Aaron shares his knowledge about the challenges of entrepreneurship. He talks about helping others, factors that make a great leader, hope and inspiration, and more. He provides surprising yet enlightening insights to the point that he discourages you from venturing into a business that you’re not passionate about. Finally, he explains the value of a reliable team and reasons why businessmen should have people to critic their actions.
Check out this episode of The Exsellence Mindset.
1:00 – Aaron’s Journey: From Agent to Impact Properties Founder
4:25 – Why Establishing A Business of Your Own is The Right Decision
6:21 – Proving to Oneself and Helping Others at the Same Time
8:52 – Handling Disapproval and Dislikes
10:05 – Don’t be Afraid to Decide
13:06 – The Role of Family in Business
22:20 – The Value of a Trusted and Devoted Team
24:42 – In Business, You are Either All In or You are Out
29:12 – Hope vs Inspiration
34:20 – The Need for a Mentor
35:55 – The Culture of Impact Properties
40:09 – Are You Competing With Other People or Yourself?
45:04 – If You’re a Leader, You Have to Grow and Get Better
Follow Aaron by clicking on the following links:
Podcast: IMPACT Real Estate SUCCESS podcast
Email: aaron@aaronzapata.com
Web: www.impactprop.com
For more Exsellence Mindset, follow Ryan James Miller on:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ExsellenceMindset
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/exsellencemindset/
You can also subscribe to our website at http://exsellencemindset.com/
The post Exsellence in Real Estate Leadership first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
On this episode of the Exsellence Mindset podcast, I share the fear I have of wasting my life, honesty around that fear, and ways to prevent living in mediocrity by beginning with the end in mind. Experiencing personal tragedy and near-death caused me to reconsider where and how I was spending my time. I sought, […]
The post Beginning with the end in mind first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
On this episode of the Exsellence Mindset podcast, I share the fear I have of wasting my life, honesty around that fear, and ways to prevent living in mediocrity by beginning with the end in mind.
Experiencing personal tragedy and near-death caused me to reconsider where and how I was spending my time. I sought, I prayed, and eventually it caused huge changes for me.
I hope this episode helps you to consider what you are spending your time on and where you are going.
Here’s a couple links to things I mentioned:
7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen Covey
Good to Great – Jim Collins
For more Exsellence Mindset, follow us on Twitter @rjmsalespro and on Facebook @RJMSalesPro.
You can also subscribe to our website at www.ryanjamesmiller.com
The post Beginning with the end in mind first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Ubiquitous yet mysterious. Simple yet complicated. Such are the mysteries of sales and marketing, the primary driving force of a business’s survival and growth. In this podcast, entrepreneur Dennis Carlson shares his thoughts about the intricacies of sales and marketing. Being in the insurance and employee benefit industries, Dennis delves deeper into about the disconnect […]
The post Exsellence in Marketing Acceleration first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Ubiquitous yet mysterious. Simple yet complicated. Such are the mysteries of sales and marketing, the primary driving force of a business’s survival and growth.
In this podcast, entrepreneur Dennis Carlson shares his thoughts about the intricacies of sales and marketing. Being in the insurance and employee benefit industries, Dennis delves deeper into about the disconnect between sales and marketing, measuring success, pride of knowledge, and more. His insights are surely valuable eye-openers for those salesmen and marketers.
3:00 – Dennis’s Responsibility and Agency Leverage
5:15 – The Benefits and Passion of Human Relationship in the Employee Benefits Industry
9:47 – Pride and Pleasure of Having Special Knowledge
14:56 – Explaining the Disconnect Between Marketing and Sales
19:56 – Apathy as an Obstacle in Sales
22:02 – The Quality of Family Life as a Measure of Success in Business
30:26 – Show Up, Commit, and Be Passionate
36:00 – Establish a Business that You’re Passionate About
41:35 – Dennis’s Dad as a Figure of Influence and Inspiration
45:30 – Fear of Unrelentless Growth
48:54 – Just Do Something About It
51:12 – “The Hard Thing About Hard Things” by Ben Horowitz
You can check out Dennis using the following links:
LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/denniscarlson/
Email: dc@agencyleverage.com
For more Exsellence Mindset, follow us on:
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ExsellenceMindset
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/exsellencemindset/
You can also subscribe to our website at http://exsellencemindset.com/
The post Exsellence in Marketing Acceleration first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
On this episode of The Exsellence Mindset podcast, I provide practical resources and debunk poor belief about having confidence throughout the sales process. This includes picking up the phone, moving the deal along, and closing the sale.
The three most important things to building confidence in the sales process are:
- Be prepared
- Know your stuff
- Serve your audience
In regard to preparation, I mention my Meeting Prep Tool a few times. You can find it here – RJM Meeting Prep Tool
For more Exsellence Mindset, follow us on Twitter @rjmsalespro and on Facebook @RJMSalesPro.
You can also subscribe to our website at www.ryanjamesmiller.com
The post Confidence throughout the sales process first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
On this episode of The Exsellence Mindset podcast, I provide practical resources and debunk poor belief about having confidence throughout the sales process. This includes picking up the phone, moving the deal along, and closing the sale. The three most important things to building confidence in the sales process are: Be prepared Know your stuff […]
The post Confidence throughout the sales process first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I joined the All Mindset Podcast.
We talk Lakers, LeBron, life events, coaching, and the top 3 positive habits successful people do!
For more info on All Mindset, visit www.allmindset.com or follow @allmindset on Twitter.
You can connect with Ryan:
Instagram – millerryan78
LinkedIn – rjmsalespro
The post Life Events, Coaching, and the 3 Necessary Habits first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I joined the All Mindset Podcast. We talk Lakers, LeBron, life events, coaching, and the top 3 positive habits successful people do! For more info on All Mindset, visit www.allmindset.com or follow @allmindset on Twitter. You can connect with Ryan: Instagram – millerryan78 LinkedIn – rjmsalespro
The post Life Events, Coaching, and the 3 Necessary Habits first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Sean Kelley started out as a lifesaving firefighter. He has now found another noble calling. He wants to help people acquire their dream homes. Answering to the call, Sean became a mortgage professional to help people achieve the American Dream. In this podcast, Sean shares important insights about being a businessman. He gives emphasis on […]
The post Exsellence in the 5 Fs first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Sean Kelley started out as a lifesaving firefighter. He has now found another noble calling. He wants to help people acquire their dream homes. Answering to the call, Sean became a mortgage professional to help people achieve the American Dream.
In this podcast, Sean shares important insights about being a businessman. He gives emphasis on identifying priorities and parameters to organize how you run your business. Sean also mentions other important aspects such as patience, re-evaluation, and sharing knowledge to attain happiness and success.
2:55 – Entry into the Mortgage Industry
4:30 – Accountability to Oneself
6:20 – Discipline is all about Setting Priorities and Parameters
8:46 – The Five Fs
10:00 – The Role of Friends and Other People in Your Own Happiness and Motivation
15:00 – Mastering Patience is an Important Key to Success in Life and Business
18:00 – The Illusion of Money and Instant Gratification
23:20 – Passing Your Knowledge Forward
26:00 – Evaluating Risk and Worth
30:45 – Greatest Fear
35:28 – The Role of a Supportive Wife
39:22 – When Everything Fails, Re-evaluate
42:05 – The Joy and Value of Learning
Sean can be found online by visiting:
Website – http://www.cacoastalloans.com/sean-kelley
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/california-coastal-loans/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/CAcoastalloans
Email – sean@cacoastalloans.com
For more Exsellence Mindset, follow us on:
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ExsellenceMindset
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/exsellencemindset/
You can also subscribe to our website at http://exsellencemindset.com/
The post Exsellence in the 5 Fs first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In a recent response to my Instagram story, I was asked to discuss the topic of personal accountability. I love this topic, but before I get to practical steps, I need to address the deeper philosophical issue(s).
Solo episode 2 of The Exsellence Mindset is me getting to the root of some of our problems around productivity and accountability. Then finishes with a few key takeaways along with recommendations for more support and help.
Things to consider:
- Does what you’re doing matter?
- Are you more focused on getting everything done than getting the right things done?
- Do you go towards urgency or importance?
- What should be important?
To dominate your day, check out this blog post I wrote – Dominate Your Day by Planning It
Book recommendations:
First Things First – Stephen Covey
7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen Covey
For more Exsellence Mindset, follow us on:
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ExsellenceMindset
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/exsellencemindset/
You can also subscribe to our website at http://exsellencemindset.com/
The post How to create accountability for oneself first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In a recent response to my Instagram story, I was asked to discuss the topic of personal accountability. I love this topic, but before I get to practical steps, I need to address the deeper philosophical issue(s). Solo episode 2 of The Exsellence Mindset is me getting to the root of some of our problems […]
The post How to create accountability for oneself first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Chad Burleson is a man of many talents. A 37-year-old fitness guru, entrepreneur, devoted husband, and amazing father, he owns The Camp Transformation Center together with his wife Jenn. The Camp focuses on helping people regain control of their physical, mental, and emotional health.
In this podcast, Chad shares practical insights into being an entrepreneur. He explains how important family life is and where it fits in business. Chad also mentions the need to invest in yourself and keep moving forward to attain success.
3:35 – The Way to Entrepreneurship
6:00 – Where Does Family Fit in a Successful Business
7:35 – Confidence is All About Being Prepared
9:15 – Of Accountability and Long-Term Goals
10:40 – Business Is All About Helping People
12:35 – Health Is All About Mental, Emotional, and Physical Improvement
14:20 – The Value of Commitment
16:10 – No Quick Fixes or Shortcuts in Accomplishing Goals
23:30 – The Drive to Be a Good Example to People
28:40 – Living in Regret: The Greatest Fear
31:20 – Failure Opens Opportunities
32:45 – The Definition of Exsellence
Chad can be found online by visiting:
The Camp Transformation Center website: http://www.thecamptc.com/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/Chad.TC/
Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chad.tc.3
For more Exsellence Mindset, follow us on:
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ExsellenceMindset
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/exsellencemindset/
You can also subscribe to our website at http://exsellencemindset.com/
The post Exsellence in Business, Family, and Fitness first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Chad Burleson is a man of many talents. A 37-year-old fitness guru, entrepreneur, devoted husband, and amazing father, he owns The Camp Transformation Center together with his wife Jenn. The Camp focuses on helping people regain control of their physical, mental, and emotional health. In this podcast, Chad shares practical insights into being an entrepreneur. […]
The post Exsellence in Business, Family, and Fitness first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
After some thought and discussion with others, I decided to create some shorter podcast episodes along the way that address questions I get from business owners, entrepreneurs, and sales people as it relates to their pursuit of exsellence and success. These questions vary on everything from sales and marketing to productivity and habits. This week, […]
The post How should a small business owner incorporate sales into their daily routine? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
After some thought and discussion with others, I decided to create some shorter podcast episodes along the way that address questions I get from business owners, entrepreneurs, and sales people as it relates to their pursuit of exsellence and success. These questions vary on everything from sales and marketing to productivity and habits.
This week, I received a question through an Instagram story response and the person asked:
“How should a small business owner incorporate sales into his/her daily routine?”
This is a great question and one I get asked often. In this episode, I provide some relief as well as a few practical tips to “Just Do It!”
I hope you enjoy.
To participate in future question submissions:
Follow me on Instagram at @millerryan78 and @exsellencemindset.
Email me at exsellencemindset@ryanjamesmiller.com.
And if you haven’t already, subscribe to my podcast on your favorite app here – https://www.blubrry.com/exsellencemindset/
The post How should a small business owner incorporate sales into their daily routine? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Robert Valentino is a Lean Six Sigma consultant and a former US Army Ranger. The experiences, skills, and mindset he acquired during his time in the military are related to Lean Six Sigma. Lean Six Sigma is a life and business approach that involves team effort to improve performance and achieve excellence. In this podcast, […]
The post Achieving a Lean Culture and Habit of Exsellence first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Robert Valentino is a Lean Six Sigma consultant and a former US Army Ranger. The experiences, skills, and mindset he acquired during his time in the military are related to Lean Six Sigma. Lean Six Sigma is a life and business approach that involves team effort to improve performance and achieve excellence.
In this podcast, Robert discusses the culture in the military and how it applies to life and in business. He believes that servant leadership, perseverance, going beyond your threshold, trust in your team, and adding value are the true keys to achieving success and excellence.
1:00 – How Robert uses Lean Six Sigma to steer businesses and teams to success
4:30 – Robert’s experience as a US Ranger
7:00 – Servant leadership in the military
9:33 – Perseverance inspires others
10:30 – Encouraging others by going beyond your threshold
16:00 – Excellence is a habit
18:30 – The value, requirement, and sacrifice of real teamwork (the story of Sgt. Dwayne Luis)
21:00 – Creating a culture with the mindset of adding value
25:00 – The journey is the success
27:00 – Obstacles are important
31:00 – Do not fear failure
34:00 – On honesty and humility
35:50 – Ray Dalio’s “Principles”
Robert can be found online by visiting:
Website – http://www.leancoach.com/
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/leancoachllc/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LSSCoach/
Email – Robert@LeanCoach.com
For more Exsellence Mindset, follow us on Twitter @rjmsalespro and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RJMSalesPro/. You can also subscribe to our website at http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
The post Achieving a Lean Culture and Habit of Exsellence first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I was featured on the Health-Wealth Podcast hosted by Dr Josh Luke, discussing non-traditional and alternative healthcare funding models. Check it out here: Episode 8 Health-Wealth Podcast
The post Discussing Non-traditional Insurance Models with Dr Josh Luke first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I was featured on the Health-Wealth Podcast hosted by Dr Josh Luke, discussing non-traditional and alternative healthcare funding models.
Check it out here: Episode 8 Health-Wealth Podcast
The post Discussing Non-traditional Insurance Models with Dr Josh Luke first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Darren Drennan, vice president of a successful transportation and logistics company, shares his passion for baseball and how a lot of aspects of the sport apply to achieving success in life. Teamwork, motivation, perseverance, and many things essential to playing sports are important factors in reaching your goals.
Darren discusses how important it is to have a mindset of excellence. However, he recognizes that people have different characters and may not share that mindset. He gives tips on how to achieve excellence not just in business but also in relationships and life.
2:45 – Darren’s passion for baseball
4:50 – Not a quitter
6:08 – Application of sports psychology, mentality in business
6:45 – ‘I wanna be the best’ mindset
10:25 – You need to coach and motivate team members
12:15 – The pursuit of excellence in relationships. Simon Sinek ‘Why Do I Do What I Do”
15:30 – Having a purpose-driven life. Eckhart Tolle “The Power of Now”
18:00 – Investing in people. Travis Bradberry’s Emotional intelligence
21:58 – Getting a mentor
23:25 – Greatest fear
27:00 – Finding purpose in life
Darren can be found online by visiting:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-drennan-a106834/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/darrendrennan/
For more Exsellence Mindset, follow us on Twitter @rjmsalespro and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RJMSalesPro/. You can also subscribe to our website at http://ryanjamesmiller.com/
The post Exsellence in Purpose Driven Leadership and Lifestyle first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Darren Drennan, vice president of a successful transportation and logistics company, shares his passion for baseball and how a lot of aspects of the sport apply to achieving success in life. Teamwork, motivation, perseverance, and many things essential to playing sports are important factors in reaching your goals. Darren discusses how important it is to […]
The post Exsellence in Purpose Driven Leadership and Lifestyle first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
John Welches, President of Red Mallard, is a story teller, content marketer, and all around amazing guy.
In this episode of the podcast John shares his experience in starting a business after leaving his job, asking for help from friends and family early on, differentiating in a noisy marketing world, and ultimately pursuing exsellence in all he has been creating to be.
03:45 – Why he left his full time marketing gig and started his own agency.
08:00 – When friends and family are all we have in business.
10:00 – The $500 website experiment.
11:45 – The definition of exsellence.
14:20 – (Enough) confidence comes before success.
18:30 – Why John considers himself successful.
22:10 – A big statement…”what else would I do.”
26:00 – Greatest failure or regret (and should we be smoking a pipe right now).
30:05 – How can you be so confident that what you are doing is what you’re supposed to do.
37:40 – What would you tell your 20yo self.
A big thanks to John Welches with Red Mallard. You can find John below:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwelches/
Website – http://redmallard.com/
The post Exsellence in Running a Business and Telling Stories first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
John Welches, President of Red Mallard, is a story teller, content marketer, and all around amazing guy. In this episode of the podcast John shares his experience in starting a business after leaving his job, asking for help from friends and family early on, differentiating in a noisy marketing world, and ultimately pursuing exsellence in […]
The post Exsellence in Running a Business and Telling Stories first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I am often asked how I work towards exsellence* in my life. Honestly, working towards exsellence requires a layered approach. It must include where you are going and how you will get there. “Where you are going” is described as personal leadership (what the right things are) while “how you will get there” is described as personal management (putting things into practice).
Here is how I break those areas down:
Personal leadership (working from high view to ground level)
- Mission and values: A personal mission statement.
- Vision (or life goal): Your overarching life calling or goal.
- Long-term goals: Specific, measurable goals that include micro-goals and check-ins.
- Roles: The specific everyday callings of your life.
Personal management
- Projects: What you are working on.
- Next actions and calendar
- Contacts, checklists, journals, files
What do you think? Are these the things you pursue/focus on?
*Everything in business is about selling, thus we use the term ex-sell-ence.
The post Exsellence – How to Navigate Life and Work first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I am often asked how I work towards exsellence* in my life. Honestly, working towards exsellence requires a layered approach. It must include where you are going and how you will get there. “Where you are going” is described as personal leadership (what the right things are) while “how you will get there” is described […]
The post Exsellence – How to Navigate Life and Work first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I have long-wanted to launch a podcast and it is finally coming to fruition. Why you may ask? Well, here’s my purpose in adding another podcast to your playlist. The purpose of this podcast is to provide opportunities for people to hear how others pursue excellence. To hear what drives success, what habits are important, […]
The post Exsellence Mindset Podcast Launching Soon first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I have long-wanted to launch a podcast and it is finally coming to fruition. Why you may ask? Well, here’s my purpose in adding another podcast to your playlist.
The purpose of this podcast is to provide opportunities for people to hear how others pursue excellence. To hear what drives success, what habits are important, what roadblocks are typically present, and more. My guests will cover a broad range of backgrounds, professions, and success stories.
Join my email list or keep an eye on my blog for episode 1 launching in mid-June.
And if you would like to be a guest on a future episode, please email exsellencemindset@ryanjamesmiller.com.
The post Exsellence Mindset Podcast Launching Soon first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It’s been just over a week since Route 91 in Las Vegas, and I still can’t shake the thought of losing a dear friend. The tears may not be as often, but the emptiness remains. I haven’t even started to process the personal impact to bullets flying over my head, the thought of dying or […]
The post Loving One Another: A Survivors Reflections on the Las Vegas Massacre first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Approximately two weeks ago, I set out to find a sales management trainer and/or coach for me. I am all about personal and professional development so when my boss asked if I’d like to find a trainer I jumped at the opportunity. Unfortunately, it didn’t start out so well. Check out the screen shot below to see my rant.
This was a huge blessing in disguise. As the result of my LinkedIn post both on my own feed and in a sales group, I received a TON of great recommendations, responses, and connections. Check out all the responses!
While not every LinkedIn message I received was great, the majority were. This gave me confidence that there are a lot of great trainers and consultants out there. As a matter of fact, the first guy I spoke with, a gentleman by the name of Richard Harris, told me in the first 3 minutes that he wasn’t a good fit for me but spent the next 30 giving me advice and recommendations of others to call. Since then I have spoken to 6 other people that poured quite a bit into our conversation and I learned a lot.
Being on this side of the aisle (as a sales leader instead of a consultant myself as I once was) and having this experience has led me to start writing again. I am going to resurrect my blog and (hopefully) provide one or two articles a week that should be a help, and possibly encouragement, to other sales leaders like myself looking for as much support as they can get.
Oh, and I think I’ve narrowed my search down to two (or three). I’ll let you all know soon!
The post Professional Sales Rant first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Approximately two weeks ago, I set out to find a sales management trainer and/or coach for me. I am all about personal and professional development so when my boss asked if I’d like to find a trainer I jumped at the opportunity. Unfortunately, it didn’t start out so well. Check out the screen shot below […]
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The Secret to a Great Email Subject Line
We’ve all probably spent countless hours trying to come up with the perfect subject line – the subject line guaranteed to capture your audience and move them to action. People receive so many emails daily, it can be extremely difficult to stand out from the crowd. After years of struggling to develop a powerful new subject line for each piece of content marketing I sent out, I finally pulled together a helpful list of styles to refine the process and pick the perfect subject line for each email.
Humorous or Joking Subject Lines
We can’t be serious all the time, and I have found that people appreciate a break from serious emails every now and then. However, you have to know your audience well and respect their humor. Creating a targeted, funny opening can win you a lot of admirers. For example, Buzzfeed does a great job of giving its readers a daily dose of sarcasm and humor in one line, like: “Not Cool, Guys”
No-nonsense, to the Point Subject Lines
Use these lines when you have important information that shouldn’t be misconstrued or requires an immediate response. This helps your reader prioritize their inbox without having to spend time viewing the text of the email. Typically, this approach is used for notification emails such as payment reminders or subscription renewals. They may not be the most creative, but they are the most straightforward.
Single Word Subject Lines
One word subject lines stand out against sentences and cater to our short attention spans. If you can use one word to grab your reader’s attention and let them know what to expect in the email, you have won half the battle. While it might not be entirely relevant to your work, emotionally charged one liners have the ability to really increase your open rates. For instance, “Panic” vs “Sale”.
Questions
Using a question as your subject line is a great way to engage your reader even before they open the email. I find using questions primes my clients for the contents of the email and gets them thinking about sales and marketing from the beginning. I want them to be in a place where they can invest time into considering and interacting with the contents of my email. Questions can address the emotion or the more practical, like: “Tough Day at the Office?” or “Need to Increase your Conversions?”
While there are many more styles, use those listed above to give you a good foundation for compiling effective subject lines. You can also check out Hubspot’s list of the 18 best subject lines from various companies for added insight.
The post The Secret to a Great Email Subject Line first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
The Secret to a Great Email Subject Line We’ve all probably spent countless hours trying to come up with the perfect subject line – the subject line guaranteed to capture your audience and move them to action. People receive so many emails daily, it can be extremely difficult to stand out from the crowd. After years […]
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How often do you think you are successful at being persuasive? Do you have a good idea of how you influence others? As a sales or marketing professional, you understand the importance of the art of persuasion. Today, I want to discuss the intricacies of the persuasive speech. Whether your speech is given during a […]
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How often do you think you are successful at being persuasive? Do you have a good idea of how you influence others? As a sales or marketing professional, you understand the importance of the art of persuasion. Today, I want to discuss the intricacies of the persuasive speech. Whether your speech is given during a sales call or delivered at the annual conference, it is essential to be fully prepared to persuade your audience with finesse and ease.
I find that the most important key to unlocking your powers of persuasion, is to recognize the influence you already exhibit on a daily basis. My experience working with clients over the years has proven to me just how much people underestimate their influence or persuasion. Your’re Already More Persuasive Than You Think, a blog published by the Harvard Business Review, highlights the incorrect assumptions people hold about their own influence. Participants in one study were extremely surprised at how easily they were able to complete an activity that required persuading strangers to do various tasks.
Now, recognizing your own influence will not happen overnight. An important component of this process is building and maintaining your professional confidence. For more tips on harnessing your professional confidence, see my previous blog post here. As you work on recognizing your influence, pay special attention to situations in which you have exerted influence or persuasion and received positive feedback. You’ll begin to notice that you tend to successfully persuade individuals on a daily basis!
Throughout my career, I have found a few persuasion principles to be particularly powerful:
- Persuasion is not forceful coercion! Do not use your powers of persuasion forcefully, or you will just be manipulating people. Persuasion is an artform that effectively and efficiently provides clients or individuals with the information they need to make informed decisions that benefit you and them.
- Only compliment sincerely. Compliments are fantastic ways to connect with people and make them more amenable to your persuasion. However, we can all tell when someone is just saying nice things to say them. Don’t give empty compliments.
- Practice clear communication. You can only be persuasive if your audience understands exactly what you are saying. Clear communication is much less common than people assume. Practice being clear, concise and accurate at all times through all communication channels.
While there are many more principals to help drive influence and persuasion, starting with the above will give you a very persuasive speech. As your work on your influence, be patient, and perhaps most importantly, show your interest in the topic or sale!
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The difference between a building a good sales team or a great sales team could mean the success or failure of your latest venture. The foundation of your business will depend on your ability to build and maintain a great sales team. At this point, you probably have a good idea of how to hire […]
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The difference between a building a good sales team or a great sales team could mean the success or failure of your latest venture. The foundation of your business will depend on your ability to build and maintain a great sales team. At this point, you probably have a good idea of how to hire the right people. Now, I want to help you bring those people together to create an outstanding, successful team of sales professionals.
Goal 1: Centralize Command
Don’t leave your team wondering who is in charge. As the sales leader, you are responsible for defining and shaping the sales culture of the organization. Strong leaders typically dictate the processes, establish and maintain codes of behavior and delegate efficiently. Exhibiting strong command does not mean using forceful strategies with your team members, rather, a strong sales leader will lead through motivation and success. Create an environment that champions healthy competition, but highlights team success as the most important goal. Within your team, you should be encouraging autonomous decision making that supports and conforms to the goals and objectives set forth by the leadership.
Goal 2: Make Time Management a Priority
I’ve written about avoiding common time management mistakes, which still holds true. However, you will need to make time management one of the highest priorities for your sales team. The more time your sales team spends networking, the less time they have available for sales outreach – the more time they spend with current clients, the less time they have to respond to emails, and etc… Create a systematic time management strategy that can be applied across all members of the team. Don’t forget to give your team the tools and resources they need to increase efficiency. This may mean introducing a new CRM or implementing a process flow chart.
Goal 3: Institutionalize Feedback Loops
Most likely, you have pulled together an extremely capable, experienced sales team. Your team has great insights into successful sales strategies, efficient processes and programs, and positive office culture. By taking the time to solicit feedback from your team and incorporate that information into your goals and objectives, you are cultivating a participatory team that leverages experience and knowledge. The most difficult part of this goal will be creating a timeline and institutionalized process around collecting feedback from your team. Consider collecting feedback specific to the sales process in a way that stresses anonymity. Be clear about how you plan to use this feedback and why this is important for the team.
Final goals and thoughts
A great sales team takes a lot of effort to build and maintain. Be patient with your team members, and listen to their thoughts and opinions. It will be up to you as the sales leader to set the working culture. This is a great opportunity to leverage experience, encourage continued education and delegate effectively. Healthy competition can be a great motivator for your sales professionals as well. Have fun and good luck!
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Need to know how your latest marketing campaign was received? Interested in finding out what your leads think about your sales approach? Feedback from clients and leads can be an invaluable source of information for your growing business and the best way to collect that data is surveying. Far too often, marketers and sales leaders […]
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Need to know how your latest marketing campaign was received? Interested in finding out what your leads think about your sales approach? Feedback from clients and leads can be an invaluable source of information for your growing business and the best way to collect that data is surveying.
Far too often, marketers and sales leaders send out long, complicated surveys that fail to gather actionable or helpful data. Creating short, efficient, and simple surveys that people want to complete can be a tricky endeavor.
To make sure you get the most out of your survey, I have put together some guidelines that will help you attract more respondents and ask the right questions in the right way.
5 Guidelines for Creating a Successful Survey
- Explain why individuals should take your survey
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You must be willing to convince your respondents that taking this survey is worth their time and energy. We all have a million things on our to-do lists, and rarely have time for surveys that fail to include information about the importance of the information that will be collected. Explain to your audience why you want to solicit their feedback and how you plan to use the resulting data.Take time to create a thoughtful, honest introduction to your survey that conveys your specific objectives. You will find that people are much more willing to help when they understand how important this data will be for your future marketing and sales endeavors.
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Keep it short
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I bet there are a thousand things you want to ask your clients about their experience with your business, your marketing efforts or even your competitors. Yet, you must keep it simple and short. Think about how much time you would be willing to give to a survey that was not for your benefit. Typically, people are willing to spend 10-15 minutes taking a survey if you have outlined why the information you collect is incredibly valuable to you. Always show an appropriate amount of respect for your clients time.
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Include at least one open answer
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Keeping a survey short, accurate, and effective usually requires using a likert scale for most of your questions. However, it is important to allow people the opportunity to add their own thoughts, and concerns to their survey response. Consider ending with a sincere thank you and the option for respondents to add any additional comments. Also consider adding an open answer option on specific questions where respondents can expound upon their answer.
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Take your own survey
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After you have put the finishing touches on your survey, sit down and take your own survey. Ask yourself these questions:
- Have I built a compelling case for why someone should take this survey?
- Is this the kind of survey my respondents will realistically start and finish?
- Are all of the questions I’m asking critical to my objectives?
- Does the language in this survey take into consideration the language that my respondents use and understand?
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Close the feedback loop
- It would be a horrible business practice to ignore a customer after they had converted from a lead, just as it would be a horrible survey practice to fail to tell your respondents more about the information you collected. The more your share with your respondents about how they responded and what you plan to do with the data, the more likely they are to participate in your next survey. Respondents love to know that you are actively using the feedback they provided. This timely and honest sharing of information creates a strong foundation for future feedback loops.
These tips should give you a solid foundation for soliciting feedback through a survey. If you have additional questions, feel free to contact me directly. Happy surveying!
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Part of my daily routine is to spend time reading my top 5 sales and marketing blogs. These blogs cover a variety of topics, and I find they help me stay on the cutting edge of sales and marketing discussions. In order to serve as a thought leader in the sales industry, I need to […]
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Part of my daily routine is to spend time reading my top 5 sales and marketing blogs. These blogs cover a variety of topics, and I find they help me stay on the cutting edge of sales and marketing discussions. In order to serve as a thought leader in the sales industry, I need to know what the top sales leaders are discussing and the strategies they are employing.
- Sales Hacker – This is a great starting place for B2B companies and sales reps. The Sales Hacker community is dedicated to presenting actionable and timely topics. I find their blogs to be interesting, and full of good advice. Blogs are typically written by individuals working in the sales and marketing sectors, so they tend to be relevant to my work. Don’t forget to check out their other resources!
- Sales Loft – One of the best highlights of this site is the Q&A series with top sales leaders. I find it insightful to hear from individuals doing similar work. I can read about different strategies and comment on their various approaches. Consider signing up for their newsletter to stay on top of their latest sales developments and leadership info.
- Digital Marketer – I am constantly impressed by the marketing blogs on this site. Each time I search for advice or strategies related to digital marketing, Digital Marketer seems to have just the thing. The site is operated by marketers who have their own products and services to sell and can highlight valuable and effective marketing techniques.
- HubSpot – While they are largely known for their sales and inbound marketing software, Hubspot has a great collection of blogs. I find the material easy to read, relevant and written by knowledgeable individuals. You’ll be able to find blogs about sales, marketing, agency, and even web design.
- Salesforce Blog – Salesforce is quickly establishing itself as one of the most influential sales brands. You’ll find real time information from their leading sales developers and great marketing tips from their extensive marketing team. In addition to sales and marketing, you can find information about small business and customer service practices.
How about you? What do you read on a daily/weekly basis? I could always use new, great reading material to improve my sales efforts!
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I recently gave a presentation about maintaining professional confidence when sales challenges arise, and I wanted to share two key points from my discussion with those sales leaders. The two concepts outlined below can serve as powerful strategies for efficiently, effectively, and confidently navigating any professional challenges.
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Become an expert – One of your greatest strengths as a sales professional will be understanding and articulating your products and services. The more you understand the service, your clients and how they use your services to solve their pain points, the more prepared you will be to address challenges.
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Practice patience – Becoming an expert does not happen overnight or even in months, be patient, and ask a lot of questions. Learn from your mistakes and never make the same mistake twice. Additionally, your colleagues and managers can serve as excellent mentors – seek out someone that has been at your company or in the business longer and regularly meet with them.
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You’re not a know-it-all – The very best people in every role (athlete, doctor, CEO, and salesperson) continue to improve through education, coaching, and more. Don’t be afraid to express your knowledge.
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Take accountability and respond decisively – Sales leaders begin to diffuse the challenge the moment it happens by taking accountability and addressing the issue. Responding decisively will leave little to no room for doubt, and you will be viewed as confident, capable, and composed.
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Timing is key – Don’t wait until 3 days have passed before taking accountability – this will serve no purpose except to make you appear lazy or too busy to deal with the challenge at hand.
- Responding decisively does not mean irrationally or frivolously – It is important to understand the sales challenge at hand. Have a good idea of the timeline for your potential client, their pain points and how the challenge or issue came about. This will help you follow the necessary steps to problem solve and come to a mutually beneficial solution.
- Anticipate challenges and issues before they arise – By paying attention to the challenges that might loom with certain clients or the pain points that might cause issues, you will be ready to address such things as they arise. You will use far less time trying to analyze the situation if you have even a tiny indication of what challenges might arise and how you would address them. These things will ensure you act in a timely, decisive manner.
To learn more about scheduling time for me to come and talk to your sales leaders about maintaining professional confidence or any of the other many topics I cover, send me an email.
The post Professional Confidence first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I recently gave a presentation about maintaining professional confidence when sales challenges arise, and I wanted to share two key points from my discussion with those sales leaders. The two concepts outlined below can serve as powerful strategies for efficiently, effectively, and confidently navigating any professional challenges. Become an expert – One of your greatest […]
The post Professional Confidence first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Your sales pipeline is probably an integral part of your sales process, but how well is it managed on a daily basis? I have clients that spend far too much time simply staring at pipeline reports, unsure what to make of the information, and others that admit they don’t know how to successfully manage their sales pipeline. If you hope to close more sales, successfully manage your sales team, and attract more prospects you’ll need to start managing your sales pipeline much more effectively. The following three strategies will be extremely helpful as you begin to reevaluate how to manage your pipeline.
- Commit time daily and/or weekly to review and manage your sales pipeline – Don’t be afraid to allocate time to review and adjust your pipeline daily or weekly. Your sales pipeline is an incredibly important part of your sales cycle, give it the time it deserves. Reviewing your sales pipeline requires analyzing the robustness of your opportunities – are you constantly adding to your pipeline without closing sales? A slim, well thought out pipeline tends to produce stronger, more significant sales. Spend time with your sales team going over successful pipeline opportunity examples and strategies for maintaining a slim pipeline. If you are having trouble finding the time to incorporate daily sales pipeline management into your schedule, be sure to avoid these common time management mistakes.
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Analyze results – In order to understand how your pipeline is working (or not working), take the time to analyze both your wins and losses. This will help to paint a clear picture of who typically moves through your timeline, and the strategies that closed the sale. Start by looking at your results twice weekly. Use these metrics to set up consistent, regular data comparisons.
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Number of opportunities at each stage
- Average size of the prospects in your pipeline
- Average number of opportunities that make successfully make it through your pipeline
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Average amount of time deals stay in each stage of your pipeline
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Designate a member of your sales team to be the Pipeline Manager – A pipeline manager will be able to pull metrics every week or so, analyze the results, and commit time to pipeline management. If your team is small, consider rotating the management position. This will allow your team to participate in the management and analysis of your sales pipeline without taking too much time away from sales calls and activities.
Starting with these steps will create a good foundation for your pipeline management. For more information on sales success, download my 10 Tools for Sales Success and get started today!
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Your sales pipeline is probably an integral part of your sales process, but how well is it managed on a daily basis? I have clients that spend far too much time simply staring at pipeline reports, unsure what to make of the information, and others that admit they don’t know how to successfully manage their […]
The post 3 Strategies for Managing your Sales Pipeline first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It’s time for summer vacation! With your summer schedule packed full of vacation time and evening events, why not reevaluate your time management approach to make sure you don’t miss that epic BBQ, the Warrior’s game, or your kid’s soccer championship. Make the most of you time this summer, work efficiently and smart, and avoid these all too common time management mistakes.
- Skipping prioritization – Sure, that expense report is easier to complete than the comprehensive sales strategy you promised to create, but the expense report won’t move you as far towards your goals. During your most productive times of the day, focus on your most important tasks.
- *Failing to set daily goals* – Be realistic and formulate your daily goals based on your weekly and monthly goals. Always leave room for flexibility, you never know when that elusive client will call with a special request.
- *Succumbing to distraction* – Ever spent the day checking email, reading the news, or surfing the internet instead of working? We all have. No doubt you will get distracted throughout the day, however, it is essential to set aside times when you shut off your email, close your internet browser and tuck away your phone. After your work is complete, reward yourself with a 10 minute internet session.
- *Neglecting to take breaks* – Far too often, I have tried to work through the day without stopping. I end up being less productive, and more stressed. Take time to recharge, grab a coffee or go for a short walk. I think you’ll find these breaks help make your day more enjoyable, and more productive.
- *Multi-tasking –* On paper it sounds like a good idea, but in reality it produces less than stellar results. Check out this article on why you should start single tasking.
- *Failing to reevaluate your schedule* – When you start your day, take time to look at your schedule and run through your goals. If you no longer need a meeting, cancel it. This will help you prioritize, schedule breaks, set daily goals and avoid having to multitask. If you are flexible, you’ll be better equipped to handle the unexpected client call at 4:45pm on Friday.
Hopefully, being aware of these common time management blunders will increase your productivity and help you enjoy more of the fun things this summer.
The post Avoid These Common Time Management Mistakes first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It’s time for summer vacation! With your summer schedule packed full of vacation time and evening events, why not reevaluate your time management approach to make sure you don’t miss that epic BBQ, the Warrior’s game, or your kid’s soccer championship. Make the most of you time this summer, work efficiently and smart, and avoid […]
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How can you stand out in the crowd if you don’t know what the crowd looks like? Last week, I focused on the importance of clearly defining your target audience, and provided guiding questions to help you clarify your client personas. Since you’ve taken the time to define your target audience, it is wise to […]
The post Demystifying the Competitive Landscape first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
How can you stand out in the crowd if you don’t know what the crowd looks like?
Last week, I focused on the importance of clearly defining your target audience, and provided guiding questions to help you clarify your client personas. Since you’ve taken the time to define your target audience, it is wise to now spend some time defining and analyzing your competition. The competitive landscape within your sector is likely packed with people and companies doing similar work, with similar clients, and with similar objectives. By defining and analyzing your competitive landscape, you’ll be able to identify your strengths and areas for improvement, and position yourself to excel within your market.
As you begin to look at your competitors, it will not be enough to simply identify your competitors, rather, I recommend completing an analysis of the landscape and creating a company profile that compares your company to those of your competitors. The first step to creating your competitive landscape profile is to clearly define the market in which you will be working. This will allow you to account for new businesses entering the market, and changes to your products and services.
Once you have set the market parameters, I find it easiest to create a chart or other sort of visual representation to allow for simplified comparisons. Your competitive landscape profile should include:
- Products and services offered by each company
- Strengths and weaknesses of each company
- Marketing and sales strategies of each company
Compiling this information will take some time, be patient and focus on creating drafts that can be adjusted as you find more information. When you’re finished creating the first draft, you and your team will need to draft a plan for utilizing and updating this information. How will you use this to improve your strategies? How can you address the areas that your competitors miss?
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You’ve likely spent countless hours building your brand, honing your sales process, and training your team – just as I have. Yet, how well can you define your target audience? If you can’t accurately and specifically define your potential clients, you’ll spend a lot of time talking to the wrong people. Many of my […]
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You’ve likely spent countless hours building your brand, honing your sales process, and training your team – just as I have. Yet, how well can you define your target audience? If you can’t accurately and specifically define your potential clients, you’ll spend a lot of time talking to the wrong people. Many of my clients have difficulty defining their target audience which can lead to wasted marketing dollars and pointless sales conversations. Don’t let this happen to you!
Even to the most tenured professional, it may seem like an obvious step to define your target audience, yet, more often than not companies and individuals don’t know their potential customers as intimately as they should. As you continue to reach out to prospects and build your business, you’ll need to gather as much information as possible about your target audience. To get started, use the following questions to define your client personas.
- What’s their job title? What does that mean within their company? – Recognizing what your clients do and understanding their role within their company or business will go a long way in helping you talk to the right people each time.
- What are their demographics? – Are you targeting women, teenagers or only people that meet a certain income threshold? When you have detailed information who you want to reach, you’ll be able to identify the most appropriate avenues for contacting them.
- What are their values? What is their “why”? – Connecting with your audience means connecting what you both value. Understand what they value, and why they do what they do – then, use this to create a bridge between your values and theirs. This will ensure your partnership is productive and meaningful to both of you.
- What are their pain points? – You will not be able to increase the value of your services until you understand your clients’ pain points. You have to understand how they have tried to solve these problems in the past, and where they attempted to find those solutions. With this information, you will be primed to address their concerns, and explain how you can create a beneficial partnership.
- What, if anything, will stand in the way of them doing business with you? – If your potential clients have a strict budget that your services exceed, or they cannot legally work with corporations outside of their home state, these might be nonnegotiable barriers to working together. The important thing will be to recognize the barriers that are negotiable and work to render them insignificant.
- What are their preferred media channels? – Does LinkedIn top their list of most visited sites or do they prefer to engage in short Twitter conversations? Know your clients media choices and you will better understand where and how to engage your leads.
After you have spent time collecting all of this information about your target audience, think about creating particular client personas that you can use to segment your audience. This approach can be beneficial for executing target marketing and sales, and keeping each client persona up to date with relevant information and messaging.
Did you know that I address this topic in the 10 Tools for Sales Success? If you haven’t previously, I highly encourage you to download a copy of the 10 Tools now. Just click here and it’s yours, for FREE!
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Summer is quickly approaching, and so is the opportunity to meet potential customers in a variety of informal settings. Whether you find yourself on the golf course, playing tennis or strolling along the boardwalk, it is essential to be prepared with a simple, relevant elevator pitch. The right elevator pitch has the potential to captivate your audience and win you a more in-depth sales conversation – after the golf game, of course.
A solid elevator pitch should be short, effective, and intriguing to your particular audience. When confronted with potential clients, it is important to understand which elevator pitch will be most appropriate. For example, the CFO of a company will require a different approach than a consultant or a hiring manager.
To keep your pitch simple and relevant, follow these tips:
- Be concise. The goal of an elevator pitch is to be as succinct as possible – you have the elevator ride to explain who you are, and your value proposition. Be respectful of your potential clients’ time, especially during the summer months, as people are distracted by family, activities, and, of course, beautiful weather.
- Emphasize your impact. It isn’t enough to simply tell people what you do, you must present a clear picture of how your particular approach or skills have impacted your clients. Keep your listener engaged and intrigued by giving them a glimpse of your successes.
- End with a call to action. Make it easy for your potential client to get to the next step in the sales cycle. Ending with a call to action allows you and your new lead to continue the conversation long after the elevator doors have close.
- Practice. Far too often, elevator pitches sound rehearsed and impersonal. When meeting people in informal settings, it is essential to be able to tailor your pitch in the moment. The most efficient and effective way to do this is to be familiar and comfortable with your specific pitch – so, practice, practice, practice.
Once you have your elevator pitch down, you’ll be ready for any setting. Happy pitching!
ONE MORE THING! I was wondering….are you an ULTIMATE SALES PROFESSIONAL?
Follow the link below to see 5 characteristics of an ultimate sales professional and even better, see where you stack up against others (who doesn’t love a little healthy competition?).
ARE YOU AN ULTIMATE SALES PROFESSIONAL
The post 4 Tips to Develop Your Best Elevator Pitch first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Summer is quickly approaching, and so is the opportunity to meet potential customers in a variety of informal settings. Whether you find yourself on the golf course, playing tennis or strolling along the boardwalk, it is essential to be prepared with a simple, relevant elevator pitch. The right elevator pitch has the potential to captivate […]
The post 4 Tips to Develop Your Best Elevator Pitch first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Whether you like it or not, LinkedIn is a social media force to be reckoned with. Don’t believe me? Check out these statistics:
350 million+ users
187 million+ unique visitors per month
40% of users check their profile daily
17 minutes is the average time a user spends on LinkedIn per month
Few, if any, of our websites see activity like that. Could you imagine what it would be like to receive 187 millions hits on your website every day? How about if you could get your visitors to sit on your site for up to 17 minutes per month? Not likely, right? But what we can do is leverage LinkedIn for our personal benefit. Let me share with you 7 ways to make sure that your LinkedIn profile is gaining the right exposure.
- The Title – Be specific and understandable. Don’t get creative.
- The Headline – Include keywords as to what you do and how you provide value.
- The Summary – Include your unique value proposition and key client achievements. Don’t write a resume but instead tell a story.
- The Skills – Include all skills you possess which relate to career, and benefit your client.
- The Content – Post content relevant to your company, your position, and your clients. Keep it interesting.
- The Image – Include a current, professional picture. And make sure all content posted is professional as well.
- The Invitation – Invite all past colleagues, friends, customers, and partners to connect. Make sure you are building relationships, not seeking transactions.
Hopefully following those steps will help you to build the ultimate LinkedIn profile, and leverage the amazing statistics I shared above to benefit your business. Those 7 items were taken from The LinkedIn Sales Pro, a course I have created to help business professionals build the ultimate LinkedIn profile and create valuable LinkedIn relationships. If you’d like to learn more about that course, and receive a couple of FREE downloads from that course, just click the link below.
BUILDING THE ULTIMATE LINKEDIN PROFILE
I hope you really do use these. I’ve made LinkedIn a huge part of my marketing plan, and YOU SHOULD TOO!
The post 7 LinkedIn Profile Must-Have’s first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Whether you like it or not, LinkedIn is a social media force to be reckoned with. Don’t believe me? Check out these statistics: 350 million+ users 187 million+ unique visitors per month 40% of users check their profile daily 17 minutes is the average time a user spends on LinkedIn per month Few, if any, […]
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The content of this post was created by Pure Chat and originally shared over at www.purechat.com. I was really blessed to share some sales secrets with them (audio at the bottom).
Recently we surveyed our customers to find out what they would like to see on our blog; and on top of wanting more Pure Chat tips (see our previous blog post for the first one of those!), many of you were also looking for ways to increase sales and improve your bottom line. So taking your feedback into account, we started brainstorming ways to bring you this content.
Of course our initial idea was the typical “5 Ways to do ______” blog post approach, but those are a little tried and frankly, aren’t that fun to write. So, with both of our best interests at heart, we began toying with the idea of a podcast for two reasons:
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They’re more engaging. Rather than a static article, we’ll now be able to offer you an audio talk show, video-based interviews and a written transcript, so you can learn in whatever way appeals to you.
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Instead of learning from one pundit (i.e.: the brilliant Pure Chat team), you’ll get to hear from a ton! Each episode will feature a different expert who has a unique core specialty, so you can start learning new things about every aspect of the marketing, customer service and sales pipelines.
Now without further adieu, feel free to check out our first episode with sales coach and 18-year industry veteran Ryan James Miller about improving your businesses’ sales process.
The post Pure Chat Sales Success Interview first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
The content of this post was created by Pure Chat and originally shared over at www.purechat.com. I was really blessed to share some sales secrets with them (audio at the bottom). Recently we surveyed our customers to find out what they would like to see on our blog; and on top of wanting […]
The post Pure Chat Sales Success Interview first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I hear it over and over again. Isn’t there an easier way to do this? More often than not, the answer is “NO.” Successful sales people don’t succeed based on shortcuts (at least not over the long term).
Below are 3 common shortcuts you can’t use in sales.
1. You can’t force the sale
I get it, you want that prospect to buy from you. They fit the ideal profile (hopefully) and you’ve undercovered pain (hopefully). They are prime and ready for you to pitch. WRONG! Don’t move too quickly through the sales process because you may end up missing important information, or worse, ask before the customer is ready and blow your opportunity altogether.
2. You can’t avoid follow-up planning
Companies are getting (sales) smarter and structuring time each day for prospecting. Unfortunately, that is normally focused on sourcing new leads and uncovering opportunities. But what happens when that customer wants info next week? Or what if they weren’t interested when you spoke, but they didn’t cut you off either? You (or your salespeople) need to plan for follow up…everyday. Put just as much effort into follow up as you do into the initial hunt.
3. You can’t move on before you hear “NO”
I’m not suggesting you beat a dead horse. But what I am suggesting is you keep a qualified (or potentially qualified) prospect in your rotation until you hear a “no.” If you’ve been calling on them for quite some time without a positive response, get them on the phone and ask for a no.
Hopefully you can avoid those 3 shortcuts (and many more!). If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. I am always open to chat!
The post 3 Common Shortcuts You Can’t Use in Sales first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I hear it over and over again. Isn’t there an easier way to do this? More often than not, the answer is “NO.” Successful sales people don’t succeed based on shortcuts (at least not over the long term). Below are 3 common shortcuts you can’t use in sales. 1. You can’t force the sale I […]
The post 3 Common Shortcuts You Can’t Use in Sales first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Do you know what it will take to attract prospects…and keep them interested? Honestly, some of these things are so simple, but are too often overlooked. It’s all about clarity and consistency, so here you go! 1. Create a Process You need to create an amazing process that will enable success for your team. Make […]
The post 5 Ways to Attract Prospects and Keep Them Interested first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Do you know what it will take to attract prospects…and keep them interested?
Honestly, some of these things are so simple, but are too often overlooked. It’s all about clarity and consistency, so here you go!
1. Create a Process
You need to create an amazing process that will enable success for your team. Make sure that it can be repeated and measured. This process (I call mine the 21 Day Prospect Pursuit) should include a variety of contact methods.
2. Don’t Use Lame or Cheesy Email Tactics
Create a professional look at feel to your email campaigns. Make sure the content (both graphic and text) is professional, and make it compelling enough that someone wants more of what you have. Quit talking about yourself and address the needs of your audience.
3. Track Your Activity
If you aren’t able to determine who is engaging your content, you might as well quit doing it. Technology is too smart for you to not be taking advantage of it. Use your tracking efforts to learn about your audience and distribute more relevant and valuable content (see #2 above).
4. Follow Through
Use a task app, to-do list, or CRM to keep track of follow up. You do not want to let a single prospect fall by the wayside. And this isn’t just for the loss of revenue, but also the loss of credibility (which is a lot more valuable in the long run).
5. Measure Results
What is the point of all the work you are doing if you don’t know whether it is working or not? Make sure you are regularly (at least once per week) reviewing your sales efforts and then be prepared to double down or pivot.
By putting these 5 things to great use, you will begin attracting (more) prospects…and you will keep them interested. Quit wasting your efforts (time and money). It’s about time you start getting paid for all that you have invested into your business!
The post 5 Ways to Attract Prospects and Keep Them Interested first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Unless you live under a rock or on another planet, you at least know that March Madness is happening. While I am not a huge college basketball fan, I absolutely love March Madness. I probably don’t love it for the same reason die hard fans love it, or team fanatics love it, but nonetheless, I love it.
Every college basketball team trains in some way throughout the year. Some train harder and in better programs but they still train. Some focus on specific areas while some take a broad approach. Some take days to rest while others never stop. But when March rolls around, something special happens. So what happens in March, and why do I love it?
I love March Madness because it’s more about heart than anything else. That’s why you see huge underdogs upset number one ranked teams. And you, as a business professional can do the same.
If you have been in business for any length of time (and don’t have an overinflated ego) you know that there are people out there that are better than you and have deeper pockets. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I speak to too many people that don’t want to admit this fact. Just deal with it. Allow it to drive your heart in ways that most people believe are impossible. Your heart is something nobody else can match. It’s something nobody else can take from you.
One college team will win the 2015 NCAA College Basketball Championship. It may be a big underdog. And even if it isn’t, think about how much farther some of those long shots will get? Maybe a lot more successful than anyone else thought because they put all their heart into it.
My challenge to you is to check your own heart. Hopefully you’ve put in the preparation for the big game and now it’s time to give it everything you have. So what will you put your heart into this week? What success will you achieve as a result of giving it your all?
The post March Madness first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Unless you live under a rock or on another planet, you at least know that March Madness is happening. While I am not a huge college basketball fan, I absolutely love March Madness. I probably don’t love it for the same reason die hard fans love it, or team fanatics love it, but nonetheless, I […]
The post March Madness first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Salespeople are famous for asking their manager or owner for the newest, latest, and greatest. They say they need things like lead generation tools and automated marketing software. But all too often they are making excuses for their lack of production. Think about the good old days for a second (which I wasn’t a part […]
The post Quit Saying You Need Things to Succeed first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Salespeople are famous for asking their manager or owner for the newest, latest, and greatest. They say they need things like lead generation tools and automated marketing software. But all too often they are making excuses for their lack of production. Think about the good old days for a second (which I wasn’t a part of but heard much about).
Salespeople didn’t have smart phones (or any cell phone for that matter). This meant they had to plan their days ahead of time and use a Thomas Guide to get around. Additionally, if there was an emergency they had to stop and use a pay phone. And still, they succeeded.
Salespeople didn’t have email. This meant that actually had to visit prospects and clients face to face. They had to rely on great presentation skills to attract customers and close deals. Nobody was able to hide behind email. And still, they succeeded.
Salespeople didn’t have fancy software. This meant they had to log all their prospects and clients, including all pertinent data and notes, into a spreadsheet (or a notebook). They stayed organized without bells and whistles. And still, they succeeded.
Salespeople didn’t have as many excuses, and that separated the good from the bad. My advice to you as a salesperson is to quit saying you need things to succeed. My advice to you as a business owner or sales managers is to quit accepting that your salespeople need things to succeed.
Don’t get me wrong, I love using a CRM, email marketing software, project management tools, email, and a smart phone, but I won’t buy into the fact that I need any of them to succeed.
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Every business needs to create content and distribute it throughout all of their marketing channels…website, social media, carrier pigeon, and more. And often the goal? To grow your subscribers, fans, and followers to new heights so more and more people read your content. But that goal isn’t a great one, well at least not in […]
The post 5 Ways To Make Content Convert first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Every business needs to create content and distribute it throughout all of their marketing channels…website, social media, carrier pigeon, and more. And often the goal? To grow your subscribers, fans, and followers to new heights so more and more people read your content. But that goal isn’t a great one, well at least not in and of itself.
The goal is content marketing should ALWAYS be conversion. Conversion is the only way we will succeed in business. There is too much content produced which will never convert. So what will it take to create great content that converts? Here are a few tips:
- Your topic must solve a problem. Your audience, whoever that is, is looking for a solution to their problem(s). You must know what problem(s) they have so do your research. Check the web, social media, and interview your existing clients. They will buy if you have the solution.
- Put your heart into it. Seriously, provide content on things you are passionate about. A half-hearted piece will produce a half-hearted response. And half a heart produces no love! You need to produce sales, and great content leads in that direction.
- Offer substance. Don’t dangle a carrot in front of your clients, attempting to bait them into something more. Give your audience something they can run with. The more value you provide, the more necessary they will believe you to be. You should rarely sell yourself in your content distribution.
- Be the expert. Make sure you speak to what you know…well! Don’t fake it or copy what already exists if you are just trying to distribute content. Be the expert in your field and people will be asking to buy from you.
- Your content isn’t the end. Your content is early in the sales funnel. You create content to build a long lasting relationship. You create content that causes another action. Whether you call for your prospects to pick up the phone or hit your landing page, make sure you are building on a series of contact points. Great companies are in it for the long haul, and not looking for a one and done sale.
I admit that content strategy and distribution is not my expertise. But I am passionate about it because great content converts and as a sales guy, I’m all about sales conversion. If you’d like to talk with a content expert, call my close friend and colleague John Welches with Red Mallard. He will blow your mind with all the great ways to use content to convert prospects in customers!
John Welches
john@redmallard.com
Red Mallard Content Services
The post 5 Ways To Make Content Convert first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Have you ever purchased a new car (whether brand new or new to you) and then noticed that same car everywhere? Before you purchased, you rarely saw them but now it’s as if a few thousand people in your area bought the same car on the same day as you.
As improbable as that scenario is, it does give us great indication of our senses. It shows us that once we make ourselves aware of something, we become much more aware of it (Captain Obvious right?). This happened to me recently as I began working with a new client, Veracity Colab. Veracity is a video marketing agency pumping out some amazing material. They not only create the video, but they handle all scripting and production. So now that I am working with Veracity, I am noticing video or the lack of video in people’s marketing efforts everywhere I turn.
Entrepreneur magazine called video the “Holy Grail of Online Marketing.” It’s no longer a question of if you need video, but how often and where you should be using it. Unfortunately, I am not an expert in this area. But I can shed light on a few reasons why it’s so important
- Your clients spend more time on video than any other medium.
- 4 billion Youtube views a day.
- Almost 80% of the population view 1 video per week.
- Over 50% of the population view 1 video per day.
- Video has the potential to be an SEO monster.
- With the right SEO strategy, video can propel your website rankings to the top.
- Video provides education, entertainment, and inspiration.
- We have all been driven to new heights or brought to tears with a video and this is because we engage in a greater way when we view great content.
- Video can be measured.
- You are able to determine who watched, when they watched, for how long they watched, and what they did next. This is a marketers dream!
Video is definitely not as simple as shooting a 30 second selfie with your cell phone. It requires great content, top-notch production, and effective distribution. But do not let that overwhelm you. A great quote from the above linked Entrepreneur magazine article says, “As it turns out, the means for effective storytelling no longer resides exclusively within your four walls. Outsourcing for the creativity, production value and distribution you need to compete in the age of video makes sense now more than ever before.”
Below is a link to what I feel is one of the best video options available without breaking the bank.
Simple Sixty Video
Oh, and by the way, don’t fall into the low-cost video solutions phenomena. It is a poor representation of you and your brand that hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people will see.
The post Now I See It Everywhere first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Have you ever purchased a new car (whether brand new or new to you) and then noticed that same car everywhere? Before you purchased, you rarely saw them but now it’s as if a few thousand people in your area bought the same car on the same day as you. As improbable as that scenario […]
The post Now I See It Everywhere first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In today’s competitive landscape, standing out amongst the crowd might seem tough. But there are some really simple things you can start doing today to gain an advantage above the competition:
- Make them feel good. You know that one person in your social circle? The one who always knows how to turn a frown in to a smile, a bad day in to a good one, and just with their presence makes you happy and at ease? Be that person. There’s this little tip I heard once a long time ago that’s stuck with me: Greet every person you meet as if they’re wearing a sign that says, “Make me feel good!” Now go out there and make someone’s day. It never hurts.
- Mind your manners. Old- fashioned thank you notes, a birthday card, or a simple “Congratulations!” when your client lands a big deal. These simple gestures show your prospects a few things: You notice. You care. And you’re not going anywhere.
- Show some face time. If you’ve read some of my other blog posts, you know I’m a big fan of LinkedIn for developing new business and keeping in touch with clients. However, too many are forgetting about the importance of connecting with their prospects face- to- face. Get out to as many networking and industry events as you can. It could be the one factor distinguishing you from the competition.
- Be a connector. Put your clients in touch with other businesses or potential clients of their own. It might seem like you’re not gaining anything (immediately, at least) from this transaction, but you’re developing something the other guys aren’t: trust. Help people out every now and then without helping yourself. It will surely come back around.
- Check-in. Know what’s going on with your prospects even if you’re sure it won’t result in a transaction. Again, it never hurts. You might gain some new industry knowledge or identify a potential opportunity ahead of your competition.
These are just a few things that have worked for me and that I teach my clients. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment box.
The post 5 Ways to Stand Out in the Crowd first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In today’s competitive landscape, standing out amongst the crowd might seem tough. But there are some really simple things you can start doing today to gain an advantage above the competition: Make them feel good. You know that one person in your social circle? The one who always knows how to turn a frown in […]
The post 5 Ways to Stand Out in the Crowd first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Fraidy Cat
If you got past my half-humored title, you are about to see why I say “so many organizations I run into employ a bunch of fraidy cats.”
Let me start out by asking you a couple of questions. How many clients bought from you in 2014? Now, how many of those clients will provide a referral for you this year that will produce revenue? My guess is that that number will be less than 10% (probably more like 5%) of the total. Why is that? You guessed it, fraidy cats.
You are the very best at what you do, right? You provide an exceptional level of service and every time that you promise something to a client, you deliver, don’t you?. Your value proposition is so spot on that you’re saving your clients time and making (or saving ) them money with every sale, aren’t you? If you answered yes, and I believe for many of you that I know personally you did, you would have no fear in asking your clients for a referral.
It’s time to reevaluate your sales strategy to existing clients. Here are a few tips to get you going:
- Have a process in place that allows your client to provide feedback from initial engagement to post-close. This can be in the way of a questionnaire, an online form, or a tool like Client Pulse. If you are a salesperson, don’t bail out once the deal closes. Keep a pulse on your client, either directly or through another member of your team that is more appropriately involved.
- Identify the point at which you will begin asking for a referral. For most, it’s once you have provided your deliverable and some time has passed. That’s probably too late. Ask just before you deliver, or at delivery. It’s most fresh in their mind and they will be talking to everyone about the experience they had.
- Determine what you are going to say when you ask for the referral. Be considerate of your client, be aware of their demeanor, be professional, and be willing to get transparent. By transparent, you should be able to honestly explain the importance of asking for and receiving referrals from your clients.
Let’s be honest, referrals are the best way to gain new business and if we do a great job, there are a lot of referrals available to us. But we are so afraid to directly ask for referrals that we end up missing out on many opportunities.
Whether you’re afraid of failure, afraid of not knowing what to do or say, or afraid something else altogether, it’s time for a change. Just imagine if 50% or more of your clients from 2014 referred a client to you in 2015? Ya, you’d be doing pretty well wouldn’t you?
The post Fraidy Cat first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Fraidy Cat If you got past my half-humored title, you are about to see why I say “so many organizations I run into employ a bunch of fraidy cats.” Let me start out by asking you a couple of questions. How many clients bought from you in 2014? Now, how many of those clients will […]
The post Fraidy Cat first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It’s a serious question. Are you passionate or persuasive? Both, when used correctly, are beneficial characteristics. But one absolutely trumps the other when it comes to long term success of a business, specifically when selling products and services.
Persuasive is defined as being “good at persuading someone to do or believe something through reasoning or the use of temptation.”
Passionate is defined as ”showing or caused by strong feelings or a strong belief.”
Persuasive salespeople seem to make quick sales, but their customers do not often rebuy.
Passionate salespeople seem to take a little longer to make sales, but their customers will buy from them over and over again as needs arise.
Persuasive salespeople seem to have a great way with words.
Passionate salespeople seem to speak from their heart.
Persuasive salespeople seem to miss out on customer referrals.
Passionate salespeople seem to have referrals fall in their lap.
Persuasive salespeople seem to burn out.
Passionate salespeople seem to build up.
My list isn’t exhaustive, or definite. There are exceptions to every rule, and this rule is no exception.
I do believe that there is a lot of passion missing from the market. I am saddened by this, because passion is what caused some of the greatest achievements and successes this world has ever known. If I had to pick one, passion would win every single time.
How about you?
The post Passionate or Persuasive first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It’s a serious question. Are you passionate or persuasive? Both, when used correctly, are beneficial characteristics. But one absolutely trumps the other when it comes to long term success of a business, specifically when selling products and services. Persuasive is defined as being “good at persuading someone to do or believe something through reasoning or […]
The post Passionate or Persuasive first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Have you ever had an amazing idea, or dream of accomplishing some huge goal, only to remember that every dream before it fell by the wayside? You wouldn’t be the only one.
Now before I go any further, let me say that dreams are wonderful and have led to some of the most amazing accomplishments and opportunities this world has ever seen. But for most of us, dreams don’t amount to much. So today, I’d like to give you 5 ways to help your dreams become realities.
- Make sure your goals are written down (with an end date) and are known by someone else.
Without writing down your goals, they are nothing more than empty thoughts. Additionally, bringing someone else into the know provides support and accountability.
- Be clear to separate necessities from desires.
I often hear young/new business owners share these big goals like “I would love to make $10,000 per month.” That is wonderful, but if you are currently earning $1,000 per month, that $10k number may not be appropriate for now. At the same time, if you need to make $4,000 per month, be clear about that. Needs typically drive us to achieve our goals in a more effective manner.
- Be in good company.
If you are around a bunch of dreamers that haven’t achieved their goals, you don’t have speaking into how it’s done. Find successful people that will not only inspire you to dream, but enable you to achieve by offering valuable tools and tips along the way.
- Quit doing what isn’t working
It sounds simple enough, but often times it is not. Quitting things we have grown comfortable and accustomed to doing can be very difficult, especially when we have found some previous success doing them. But if they aren’t currently working, think hard about changing things up.
- More time and effort
When people set goals, or dream dreams, they think in terms of the path of least resistance. That’s great, but the reality for most everyone is that it takes a lot longer and involves more investment (energy and money) than they planned for. And because of that, they become burnt out or broke before they achieve their goal(s). You know you best, so add a buffer :).
Dreams are awesome, and necessary for the greatness we all depend on to progress. But if we aren’t bringing them to reality, it does not good for anyone.
I have been fortunate enough to help multiple business owners and salespeople create the right processes which lead them to achieve success. If you are interested in doing the same, give me a call or shoot me an email so we can have a conversation to discuss making your dreams realities.
Contact Ryan today!
The post 5 Ways Dreams Become Realities first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Have you ever had an amazing idea, or dream of accomplishing some huge goal, only to remember that every dream before it fell by the wayside? You wouldn’t be the only one. Now before I go any further, let me say that dreams are wonderful and have led to some of the most amazing accomplishments […]
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Have you ever crossed the finish line after a race without collapsing or maybe finished a really tough workout without puking? Either of those endings would lead me to say that you had more in the tank. Now don’t get me wrong, we do need to pace ourselves, but proper pacing should till end with […]
The post It’s Time You Empty the Tank first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Have you ever crossed the finish line after a race without collapsing or maybe finished a really tough workout without puking? Either of those endings would lead me to say that you had more in the tank. Now don’t get me wrong, we do need to pace ourselves, but proper pacing should till end with an empty tank.
You may be asking how this pertains to business. Well, if you aren’t seeing the results you want (or need), there is a good chance you aren’t emptying the effort tank. You haven’t done everything you could to succeed. Instead, you’re doing just enough to get by. Let me share a few things that you should be doing to make sure you empty the tank every day.
- Plan your day. Whether it is the night before or the morning of, having a plan is necessary if you are going to give everyday your all.
- Find accountability. You can post your goals, your to-do list, and whatever else in plain sight for you to see everyday, you can invite a colleague to follow up with regularly, or you can hire a coach to keep you on your toes. Accountability often leads to exhaustion in striving for goals.
- Reject failure. Wallowing in failures will stall momentum. Instead, dig deeper and give everything you have to succeed.
- Be careless. This is NOT all-encompassing. But I will encourage you to be careless in expending energy on good things. Who cares how hard you have to work, how much time/money you have to invest. If they support your goal, empty the tank!
Those that succeed have done so by emptying the tank over and over again. The only way you and I will do the same is by pushing ourselves to the brink of collapsing or puking (well, maybe not puking!).
I’m not sure about you, but I’m ready to ethically do whatever it takes to succeed. How about you?
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If you’re in the sales business, you’re in the people business. Believing in your product and convincing others to believe in your product (enough to buy it!) is at the heart of your profession. To do this effectively you must develop a deep understanding of who your customers are and how your product can improve […]
The post Care-less People Sell Less first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
If you’re in the sales business, you’re in the people business. Believing in your product and convincing others to believe in your product (enough to buy it!) is at the heart of your profession. To do this effectively you must develop a deep understanding of who your customers are and how your product can improve their lives. Knowing your customer is more than understanding demographics and target markets, it’s recognizing their deepest needs, desires, motives, and goals.
Envision the most effective sales people you know. Would you consider them empaths? Or would you consider them cold, unfriendly, and apathetic? Chances are, the most successful salespeople you will meet are extremely good at connecting with potential buyers on this human-level. They build authentic, lasting relationships with their clients, which not only gives them opportunities for repeat business, but also opens the door to referrals and new business.
You might be asking how.
- Be sincere. Small gestures like asking the client, “Is now a good time?”, when making an unexpected phone call can set you apart from the competition.
- Ask smart questions and focus the conversation on the client, not on the product you’re selling. Once you’ve build solid rapport and have cultivated a deep understanding of your client’s objectives, then you can use that knowledge to discuss how your product/service can help them.
- Be more than just “good enough” to convince someone to agree to a transaction. Consider each prospective client as a new, budding relationship – the foundations of which being trust and credibility.
I would love to hear how you are implementing these tactics into your own practice. Feel free to share in the comments section below.
Cheers to a prosperous New Year ahead.
–
If you’re looking to hit 2015 running, and feel like support from a coach would help, please reach out to me at ryan@ryanjamesmiller.com.
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It’s the end of the year and it’s time to start talking about goals right? Wrong! Now is the time to DO something about goals. If you are at all like me, talking about things (like goals) doesn’t accomplish much. When it comes to goals, it is too easy to:
- Talk about them but never take action.
- Set them and forget them.
- Set wrong ones and miss them.
In order to set goals AND achieve them you need right perspective, serious motivation, and all-star tools. Let me explain.
Right perspective
Often when setting goals, we don’t see ourselves clearly enough. Typically this produces bad goals. Did you even know you could set bad goals? Bad goals are any goals that do not support your giftings and/or your long term strategy. They can also be goals that are too far out of reach or are near impossible (if not impossible) to measure. Having the right perspective will enable you to see what needs to be seen and set what needs to be set, leading to success.
Serious motivation
Everyone (ok, almost everyone) starts out something new with serious (ok, somewhat serious) motivation. That’s why gyms fill up and planning meetings are full of energy at the beginning of the year. But as time goes on and often unrealistic goals are being chased (see above), the motivation is lost. Motivation can only be managed by self for periods of time (for some people this is shorter than others). You need serious motivation if you hope to succeed.
All-star tools
You need to have the best in order to be the best. But many, if not most, of the tools necessary for sales and business success are not instantly acquired. These tools must be developed over time. Think about working out for a second. Someone with a 150 pound bench press cannot outright buy a 300 pound bench press. You can buy equipment, trainers, and memberships, but not the press itself. It has to be worked at.
If you put all of the above together, you will be on your way to success like you have never seen. It’s going to take more than a little planning. You need to do what you’ve never done.
I have decided to take that last sentence to heart. I am going to be somebody’s right perspective, serious motivation, and all-star tool provider in a way I never done before. I am going to let one person name their terms. Here are the details:
- You share your current company, position/role, and 2014 YTD earnings.
- You share why you feel you would benefit from the right perspective, serious motivation, and all-star tools in your sales efforts.
- You name your monthly financial commitment (anything goes but remember, investments dictate returns).
- You agree to stick with me for one year.
I will share in more detail if you are chosen. For now, it’s up to you. The first person to respond gets first crack at this. It’s not automatic as we may not be the right fit for each other but I suggest you make quick of this. There are no strings attached. No bait and switch. Just something I have wanted to do for awhile and God has put me in a position to do it.
The post 3 Successful Goal Strategies first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It’s the end of the year and it’s time to start talking about goals right? Wrong! Now is the time to DO something about goals. If you are at all like me, talking about things (like goals) doesn’t accomplish much. When it comes to goals, it is too easy to: Talk about them but never […]
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It’s about time you start thinking about the time you are spending every day. Too often, we don’t think about time because we don’t visually see it going away. I mean, at the end of the day we realize that the day has gone. Or when we hit 30 years old, we wonder where the […]
The post It’s About Time first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It’s about time you start thinking about the time you are spending every day. Too often, we don’t think about time because we don’t visually see it going away. I mean, at the end of the day we realize that the day has gone. Or when we hit 30 years old, we wonder where the years of our youth went. But in the present, we don’t see time passing us by so we aren’t as urgent with it as we should be.
Imagine if time was money, literally. Each morning, you woke up with one thousand four hundred and forty (1,440) dollar bills in your pocket (there are that many minutes in a day). Then each minute that went by you set fire to a bill. Could you imagine the anxiety and hesitation in doing that? This would become especially evident when you got to the halfway point of your stack and could actually see it dwindling. What would you do to protect that stack? What are you doing to protect your time?
In July of 2013, I read one of the most helpful blog posts of my life. It seemed so simple, but it profoundly changed the way that I handle each day. There are definitely some days that are better than others but the mere fact that I have a structure to follow has made me more productive than ever before. I wanted to offer some thoughts in regards to time management that I think are important for us all to remember, whether for personal or business use.
- Failure is inevitable. There will be days that we just cannot get everything done. It’s at those times that we realize that we are fallible (surprise surprise) and that we can continue to grow in planning our time appropriately.
- *You’re not the savior.* I find myself trying to do a TON of stuff because I feel like I need to. The truth is, nobody’s life depends on me solely (that’s what God is for). I may play a key role in specific areas of a person’s business or personal life, but if I say “no” to a request, it will most likely get completed by someone else.
- Quit being lazy. Don’t take the above statement as a license to be lazy. If you took that as a way to just have other people do your work, you have other problems much more serious than time management. Get after every task with all you have to offer. Build enough into your day to keep you on your toes. If you put the right amount of focus on your efforts, they will get done more efficiently.
- Play nice with others.Find other people to do some of your tasks. Again, this isn’t a way to get you out of doing work. This is a way to get your work done more efficiently, and hopefully you will be more productive as well. Michael Hyatt, a well respected author and speaker, recently posted in a blog that you should outsource the things you don’t like. I agree with him and would add: outsource the things you aren’t good at. It’s ok to admit either one!
If you can take the above points seriously, than putting together a solid schedule is what you need to do. It won’t be perfect out of the gate and you may have to tweak it as time goes on (and things change), but I believe that a solid plan will change your life and your path towards business success.
Instead of letting those (figurative) dollars bills burn, spend them in such a way that you get great return on your investment. It’s about time you check that next task off your list anyway!
If you struggle to structure your days and/or make progress daily, let’s chat. I have learned a lot and grown a lot in this area and I would LOVE to share it with you. If you’re local, buy me a cup of coffee and I’ll share with you as much as I can before I finish the cup!
The post It’s About Time first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Why is it that some people succeed and others do not? There are a lot of schools of thought here (and unfortunately a lot of ignorant statements), but I’d like to suggest one overarching problem. What’s worse is that it is pretty easy to overcome if you want to. Problem – SURPRISE, they don’t want […]
The post The Biggest Problem Causing a Lack of Success first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Why is it that some people succeed and others do not? There are a lot of schools of thought here (and unfortunately a lot of ignorant statements), but I’d like to suggest one overarching problem. What’s worse is that it is pretty easy to overcome if you want to.
Problem – SURPRISE, they don’t want it enough!
This isn’t necessarily an effort thing. If it was, Rudy would have won the Heisman Trophy. Effort is important, but more so that that is the deep desire to work hard on the things most people don’t want to. What is it that you don’t want to deal with/are too lazy to deal with/think is beneath you? I have run into a lot of business people that dodge the hard things and instead are looking for the easy way out (or up in this case). It’s possible to succeed through the easy way, but that possibility is just too slim to waste your time on.
I personally know a man that did some hard things to get what he really wanted. In his past life, he was a successful business owner who fell on extremely hard times. He went to work for a large local company as a delivery driver just trying to make ends meet and keep a roof over his head. He heard the night janitor position was open and decided to volunteer, knowing that the (little) extra money would help him finally get ahead. The CEO started to take notice of his hard work and willingness to do “anything” (this man always thought ethically first). Before long, he was given a position in the office. That led to a sales job, which led to the Vice President of Sales, making a solid six-figure income. While that was the Cliff Notes version of his story, I share it to demonstrate that the people who work hardest doing what others won’t are the ones that have the highest rate of success.
What don’t you want to do?
- You HAVE to cold call (get help here).
- You MUST regularly network with people (my weapon of choice is BNI).
- You NEED to produce stellar content for your audience (or have this company do it for you).
- And most of all, you are REQUIRED to get off your butt and meet people that will make your company successful (not just your friends).
Email me at ryan@ryanjamesmiller.com if you are serious about achieving success.
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If we’ve spent any time together on the phone or over coffee, you know how much I despise cold calls. They just aren’t enjoyable to me. But I have come to believe that they are just necessary. Maybe you’ve been blessed to rely primarily on referrals but that is really the minority. Most people, in […]
The post 3 Ways to Become a Cold Calling Master first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
If we’ve spent any time together on the phone or over coffee, you know how much I despise cold calls. They just aren’t enjoyable to me. But I have come to believe that they are just necessary. Maybe you’ve been blessed to rely primarily on referrals but that is really the minority. Most people, in order to build a solid business that makes them good money, need to cold call here and there (or always).
Here are 3 ways to become a cold calling master.
- Pick up the phone and do it. Because most of us don’t like cold calling, we will put it off time and time again. Get out your list, schedule the time in your calendar (yes, like any other appointment), and hammer the phone. Ignoring your calls kills more opportunities than anything else you do (or don’t do). Michael Jordan said “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” So lovingly I say, quit being afraid of rejection, prepare a solid phone script, pick up the phone, and cold call!
- Get over yourself. All too often “experienced” professionals believe that cold calling is below them. Or maybe you’ve gotten some referrals so you think you can live that way forever. Think again. If billionaires have to cold call, so you do (just ask Mark Cuban). If you want to be successful, you will have to do the things others don’t like doing (ie: cold calling). The quicker you get over yourself, the quicker you will achieve your goals.
- Use Your Gifts to Succeed. If you aren’t great on the phone but you shine in person, take your cold calling on the road. If you feel more comfortable sending emails, then shoot an introduction via email that includes a promise to follow up via phone (with a specific date and time) and then look to #1 above! If you are a coffee or beer connoisseur, invite all your prospects to a local spot and win them over with your passion for drink. Basically what I am saying here is that you have been gifted in specific areas. Find out what those are and capitalize on them.
I cannot say enough how unfun I find cold calling to be but doesn’t mean I get to delete that action from my sales process. I will say that after three years of being in business, I have been successful enough to hire someone else to do the front end of those calls. I worked hard, created scripts, and recruited others who are willing to do it. But from time to time, when the prospect is a really good one, I pick up the phone and throw everything I have at them. I just want it that bad! How about you?
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I wanted to share with you one thing I have diligently put into practice recently and one huge caution in that process. I have become very direct in asking for something of both potential clients and referral partners. This revelation (if you will) has led to an increase in business revenue and has deeply encouraged me.
Have you ever sat with a potential client and thought to yourself “boy I could do so much to help this person” or “this person has such a great personality and I would love to work with them,” yet you did nothing to move that along? Maybe you were unprepared to ask for business? Maybe you felt unworthy of helping them? Or maybe you asked in some roundabout, non-confrontational, unassuming way? Did I peg you with one of those?
It’s really a shame to think of all the (good) business we let slip away as a result of not asking for it. But more specifically, due to not being direct in asking potential clients for business. Let me share with you a simple yet effective way to do this.
Say This
When I sit with a potential client, I express my desire (if I honestly have one) to get involved with them and for what reasons I feel that way. This means I have to understand my own business very well and how it provides real value to others. I also have to have a whole lot of integrity behind my statement. If there is any “salesmanship” or “fakeness” behind my word, it will be detected. For me, I believe deeply in what I do and thank God, I have past-client examples to prove I do what I do well.
Caution!!!!
There are people I really want to work with and I definitely need new clients to build my business, but handling this the wrong way will come off sounding too desperate (and even pathetic). When being direct, we need to consider our motives. Do I say what I say just to build my business or am I truly seeking help others first (in previous positions, I couldn’t always say that)? Am I offering a blanket statement to that potential client or have I thought through my response to their comments (don’t fire off elevator memorized elevator pitches)? Coming across desperate absolutely destroys your credibility with the person you’re speaking with as well as any audience that may overhear you (verbally or through online media).
The Reward
I have personally seen great response from this new approach. It isn’t full-proof but I will continue to examine my motives and perfect my client deliverables. For me, building a company full of clients that I really want to work and that benefit greatly from my services is my dream. Slowly but surely that is happening for me. How about you? If you’re not there yet, what’s missing?
If you have any questions about this idea please feel free to call or email me. I would love to share with you in more detail!
The post Be Direct, But Not Desperate first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I wanted to share with you one thing I have diligently put into practice recently and one huge caution in that process. I have become very direct in asking for something of both potential clients and referral partners. This revelation (if you will) has led to an increase in business revenue and has deeply encouraged […]
The post Be Direct, But Not Desperate first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In past blogs I have mentioned how much I enjoy Shark Tank. If you don’t watch it, you really should. As a business professional, it is a great educational tool for both running a business and selling it’s products and services. One thing I really enjoy is the question asked of most of the entrepreneurs “How much do you have invested in your business?” Let me share with you both why I love the question and how you can apply it to your business (efforts).
Why
I love the investment question because it proves real skin in the game. Too many people in today’s business marketplace are looking for easy ways to make money or achieve notoriety (or both). Investment into a business or job demonstrate that the person is all in and willing to do whatever it takes to succeed. Alternatively, if someone has just thrown a bunch of money into the pot to “buy-in”, this can identify a red flag for lack of need to succeed. If someone doesn’t need to succeed, in the long run they won’t.
How
How does this apply to you, especially if you do not own a business or are a business owner with little money? Let me offer two ways.
- Investment isn’t always about money. Often the better investment is blood, sweat, and tears. Regardless of owning the business or not, many of us have put these elements into our profession and it shows in the way we value the company we work for or the industry we serve. If you are just getting started, or haven’t invested much to this point, it’s never too late to do it. Go all in and trust that the investment of yourself will pay dividends.
- Investment can come in the form of personal education and growth. Maybe you have read a motivational book or attended a seminar. That’s a great start but don’t stop there. Investing in yourself means stretching your abilities and adding new ones. Ask your coworkers and colleagues what they do to invest in themselves. Look online for like-minded (and similar industry) professionals and see how they push themselves. Subscribe to a podcast or a magazine (I recommend Entrepreneur magazine). Find a mentor or hire a coach. Realize you will never graduate from this process but most likely continue to add to it.
During past Shark tank episodes, I have heard entrepreneurs seeking hundreds of thousands of dollars from the sharks answer the investment question with measly answers. Don’t be that person. If you seek multiples of success in your own business, whether you work for yourself or someone else, you will NEED to invest your own time, talent, and treasure. So what are you waiting for? Don’t miss out on the biggest deal of your life because you passed on investing ahead of time!
The post Don’t Miss Out On Success first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In past blogs I have mentioned how much I enjoy Shark Tank. If you don’t watch it, you really should. As a business professional, it is a great educational tool for both running a business and selling it’s products and services. One thing I really enjoy is the question asked of most of the entrepreneurs […]
The post Don’t Miss Out On Success first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Business professionals, it’s time that you get it together or get out. I see too many business owners and salespeople that are all over the place. Their business (segments or the whole thing) is disorganized and often their life is too. Getting things done takes an act of God. If you can’t get a handle on yourself you need to question your ability (and effectiveness) to lead others or be a prominent influence in your industry.
Here are a few practical tips so please examine yourself carefully.
- Whatever you offer your clients, you must be doing or using yourself (if you’re able). It drives me nuts to see people pushing things on others that they don’t believe in or aren’t doing. Be the best at what you do. Buy into your products and services. be the ultimate professional.
- Present yourself in a way that is both personal AND professional. If you want people to believe in and trust you it’s important that you be yourself unless that self doesn’t fit well with your audience. In that case, be an honest yet modified version of yourself. Rubbing someone the wrong way is an easy (and unwise) way to lose out.
- You can’t run a business effectively with 50,000 emails in your inbox. I challenge that you can’t even do it with a couple hundred. You’ve got to delete the junk and clean that thing up. Create folders and get organized. You may be missing out on really important emails.
- Fulfill your commitments. Whether it is with an employee, a partner, a vendor, or a client, follow through on what you say. If you find yourself regularly missing the mark, rethink your level or frequency of commitment. You may be in over your head.
- Be honest in admitting your weaknesses. This will allow others to come alongside and support you. It will also provide limits for your colleagues and clients. Nobody has super powers so be comfortable in your competencies. If you want to grow, seek avenues for growth.
So there you have it. 5 ways to help you get it together (or get out). I don’t want to see you get out. I want to see each of you get it together and be successful. Just be honest and press forward.
The post Get It Together or Get Out! first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Business professionals, it’s time that you get it together or get out. I see too many business owners and salespeople that are all over the place. Their business (segments or the whole thing) is disorganized and often their life is too. Getting things done takes an act of God. If you can’t get a handle […]
The post Get It Together or Get Out! first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Preparation is of utmost importance when going to battle. Could you imagine showing up to a gunfight with a knife? Or going to nuclear war without a gas mask? You might as well sign off on your own death certificate. And this my friends is the way many people approach sales calls. They show up unprepared or improperly prepared and they’ve all but lost before they even started. So how can you prevent that happening on your next call? Follow these simple steps:
- Do some background research on your prospect. Find out what they like and dislike. See what their company’s overall mission and vision are. Attempt to discover what has worked well (or not) for them in the past in your area of expertise.
- Refine your skills. This may sound ridiculous for those of you who have been in your business a long time, but it is wise to do. Make sure you are in top selling form. This includes presentation, delivery, and product/service knowledge.
- Plan for the best. If the client asked you to buy right there on the spot, are you ready? Have clear next steps spelled out should the customer determine to move forward. I have actually seen salespeople unprepared to make the sale in these instances so don’t think it doesn’t happen.
- Plan for the worst. How will you deal with that and what will be your plan of attack moving forward. Often, the worst outcome you can imagine is rejection and if that’s the case, will you fumble to try and win the prospect back or will you accept rejection and move on. Neither are best, so prepare properly.
- Bring huge ears and a tiny mouth. For sales people, this is so difficult. They want to throw up all their features and benefits. This is both unwise and can come off very unprofessional. Listen to what the prospect has to say and take tons of notes. Don’t have immediate answers for every question. Allow there to be moments of silence so you can both gather thoughts and formulate intelligent responses.
To some of you these may sound so simple but I addressed them today because I’ve seen many sales people take knives to gunfights. If that was you, thankfully you didn’t die the last time so you have the opportunity to learn from past mistakes, grow in this area, and claim victory the next time you meet with a prospect.
Sales Training
Did you know I offer both one-one-one and group sales training? Whether you want to work on one small area you need improvement in or you want to complete my entire series, I have something for you. Let’s chat! You can call, email, or fill out the simple form by following the link below.
I’d Love to Learn More About Your Sales Training Offerings
The post Preparing for Battle – 5 Things You Must Do first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Preparation is of utmost importance when going to battle. Could you imagine showing up to a gunfight with a knife? Or going to nuclear war without a gas mask? You might as well sign off on your own death certificate. And this my friends is the way many people approach sales calls. They show up […]
The post Preparing for Battle – 5 Things You Must Do first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Simon Sinek started a whole new revolution in business when he delivered “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” at TEDx. The concept of asking why isn’t new. One of the first questions we learn as young children is “why?” Why do I have to? Why can’t I…? When we are asking why, we are attempting to […]
The post Why? Is there a more important question? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Simon Sinek started a whole new revolution in business when he delivered “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” at TEDx. The concept of asking why isn’t new. One of the first questions we learn as young children is “why?” Why do I have to? Why can’t I…? When we are asking why, we are attempting to reach the purpose of the action (unless it’s a pre-teen asking why she must make her bed, but that’s for a whole different subject!). When Simon Sinek addressed this topic at TEDx, he inspired business leaders everywhere to rethink what they were doing. It was great and I highly recommend you view his talk (found here). More than finding your why, I’d like to cause you to think about it’s importance. Is there a more important question than “why?” in your business?
There are many driving factors for business people. Some do it for the money while others for the fame. Some are in business to give themselves something to do (so they don’t get bored) while others to tell people what to do (power trippin’). But those “whys” aren’t what will push you beyond your own limits, to a place where you will stop at nothing to achieve your goals. The whys that matter are those that, most likely, include a piece of your life’s experience. Your why should strike a personal chord. Why am I in business?
“Because every business professional that strives for success deserves to achieve it.”
I’ve personally been held down and held back in my life, both professionally and personally. I worked in many environments where those that worked the system succeeded and those that worked hard, and honestly, were left behind. I have seen people done dirty by more experienced business people taking advantage of them. I’ve watched business professionals buy into programs that weren’t good for them but did so because they were sold dishonestly. I used to believe in survival of the fittest at all costs. I refuse to allow that nonsense into anyone’s business if I can help it.
What about you? What were some of your greatest tragedies and failures? What moments in your life have changed the way you lived it? What inspires you?
I would love to hear your why! Why you live life the way you do or why you do business the way you do. Would you inspire me with your story? Make it as long or as short as you’d like. Just send an email to ryan@ryanjamesmiller.com. It would be a privilege to receive.
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If you have been following me long enough, you know that I believe there are right and wrong sales. The right ones fit neatly within your core competency to support your ideal client while generating a reasonable profit. The wrong ones have you doing things you shouldn’t with people you don’t need at little to no profit. Because we all want what is best for our business’ (and our sanity), I would like to share with you 3 ways to make the right sale.
- Know what you do best: This sounds simple but the longer I am in the business world, the more I see people offering to do things they have no business getting involved in. Look deep inside yourself and your business to determine what you can offer that nobody else can. Selling what you do best will help you to make the right sale.
- Know who your ideal client is: I am sure everyone can use what you offer, but they aren’t all great for you. Narrow it down to a few select client types and then run them down. Selling to those who appreciate you the most will help you to make the right sale.
- Know your numbers: Most business owners and salespeople do not know how much profit they actually generate (your paycheck is most likely not your profitability indicator). You must know exactly what every product and service you offers costs. This includes materials, labor, business expenses, cost of customer acquisition, and more. Selling what makes the most profit will help you to make the right sale.
For some of you this may be business 101. But for others, these things aren’t easy. If you would like a little more help, I am going to offer a free training video to you. All you have to do is click the link below and fill out the simple response form. The point that receives the most response by Thursday at 5:00pm PST will be addressed in a 15 minutes video. It will then be distributed only to those who responded (regardless of the number you selected).
So the ball is in your court. Would you like to know more? Submit your response now by clicking the link below.
3 Ways to Make the Right Sale – Response Form
The post 3 Ways to Make the Right Sale first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
If you have been following me long enough, you know that I believe there are right and wrong sales. The right ones fit neatly within your core competency to support your ideal client while generating a reasonable profit. The wrong ones have you doing things you shouldn’t with people you don’t need at little to […]
The post 3 Ways to Make the Right Sale first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
There are really 3 reasons (your) customers are leaving (and none of them rely solely on price though many think so). They are pretty simple and straightforward, but course correcting can be like making a u-turn in a semi on a two lane highway. Reason #1 – The customers weren’t actually “yours” to begin with. […]
The post 3 Reasons (Your) Customers Are Leaving first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
There are really 3 reasons (your) customers are leaving (and none of them rely solely on price though many think so). They are pretty simple and straightforward, but course correcting can be like making a u-turn in a semi on a two lane highway.
Reason #1 – The customers weren’t actually “yours” to begin with.
Customers are not a possession. We may think they are. We may wish they were. But in reality, they are their own independent business/person and unless you sell some sort of life-support device, they just may make a decision to go with someone else once the shade of grass on the other side appears a bit more green.
Reason #2 – You aren’t providing value.
They bought from you. So what? The transaction may have been nothing more than an impulse decision. Or more likely, you have a great service or product but lack the demonstration of it’s value. Think “selling a Ferrari to a blind man.” He can neither see the beauty (unfortunately) nor experience the speed (again, unfortunately). So unless vanity of ownership is all that the customer desires, he will soon be gone.
Reason #3 – You rely on what you did, not what you are doing.
Remember that one time when that customer placed that monster order? Ya, that one! Wait, what? That was last year? Yes, you did a wonderful job and made some money. And the customer was satisfied. But that shininess wore off and it’s now just a lump of coal. They are looking for the new thing, and unless you are regularly reminding them of how great you can be on the new thing, someone else will receive that order.
It’s time we (yes, me too) step up our game, shatter (in a good way) client expectations, and run our businesses in ways that others can only dream of! In doing so, (your) customers won’t leave, but beg to buy some more!
The post 3 Reasons (Your) Customers Are Leaving first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Can the photographer doing the favor really offer the same wedding experience as the photographer charging $2500? Maybe. Can the real estate agent offering a no commission deal to his family friend provide the same service as the real estate agent receiving 3% commission? Possibly. But do you really want to take that chance? Competing […]
The post Way Better Than Free first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Can the photographer doing the favor really offer the same wedding experience as the photographer charging $2500? Maybe. Can the real estate agent offering a no commission deal to his family friend provide the same service as the real estate agent receiving 3% commission? Possibly. But do you really want to take that chance?
Competing with free can be tough. If you’re in business, you’ve probably run across a time when somebody offers one of your clients the same service you offer for free. But is it the same service? Ask yourself. Is it worth it for your customer to pass on free? Do you really offer something better than free?
What you say in your messaging is important. How you are portrayed by your customers is crucial. But delivering in a way that causes people to intentionally act (and buy) is all that really matters. You’ve got to be way better than free!
I’m looking for sales professionals
Not participating in regular sales meetings, lacking a sales manager, and/or not having regular sales education opportunities for growth is no way to become the ultimate sales professional!
Do you know an independent or unsupported sales rep who would like to become the ultimate sales professional?
Click here for more info
The post Way Better Than Free first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
“I want to lose weight, but I don’t want to eat right.”
“I need to get a job, but I don’t feel like going on interviews.”
“I want my business to grow, but I am not willing to make cold calls.”
You can’t really pick and choose the good parts only when it comes to achieving a goal. As a matter of fact, you probably wouldn’t be in business (or sales) if it was an easy job to do.
Too often I hear business professionals stave off the difficult tasks in hopes that they will magically get done. It doesn’t work that way. You have two options when it comes to tackling the difficult tasks. You can either suck it up and do them, or you can hire someone to do them for you. But hoping for a third result is really jjst a recipe for disaster. Realistically, if you are waiting on the third, just quit now and save yourself the issues later.
Below are a few tips when facing the difficult to-do’s of your business (or even just your day).
- Have a plan on how you will tackle them. Just attempting to do them can be tough but if you plan your mission, it can be much easier to accomplish. Here is a previous post I shared on planning (Dominate Your Day by Planning It).
- Remember that you have overcome that challenge before. Whether it is cold-calling, following up on a stale lead, or asking your current client for a referral to a new one, you’ve been there before. Success can be easily replicated if you remember how you achieved it before.
- Hire someone to do it for you. This definitely varies with the task(s) at hand, but hiring outside support is much easier than you think. I currently have to virtual assistants that support much of what I do and I believe they have been key to growth in 2014 for me. If you need help hiring a virtual assistant, let’s talk!
So to review…You don’t get to pick the good parts only! You need to do whatever it takes (ethically) to succeed! There are ways to overcome the challenges you face everyday!
The post If You’re Not Willing to Do It All, Quit Now! first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
“I want to lose weight, but I don’t want to eat right.” “I need to get a job, but I don’t feel like going on interviews.” “I want my business to grow, but I am not willing to make cold calls.” You can’t really pick and choose the good parts only when it comes to […]
The post If You’re Not Willing to Do It All, Quit Now! first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
We have all heard the term “preconceived notion.” This is where we form an idea or an opinion before we can prove it’s usefulness (or truthfulness). Unfortunately we are somewhat programmed to create these preconceived notions. We do it with other people, with places we go, and even with ourselves. But today I would like to share with you why developing preconceived notions is one way to ruin every sale you are presented with.
I am a huge advocate for profiling a prospect or client prior to meeting with them. You should know their likes and dislikes, their tendencies, their past buying experiences (concerning your products and services), and more. I am also a huge advocate for knowing how your products and services can fit into their business. You’re the expert so be prepared to speak like it. BUT……
Knowing things about your client and being an expert in your field lends itself to you telling the client what they need. That is not your purpose, especially prior to you making the sale. Prior to making the sale, your sole purpose is to listen. Telling leads to failure. Listening leads to success. So what should you be listening for? Here are five simple things:
- If the client could solve anything in their business (whether related to your business or not), what would it be?
- What is the biggest challenge they face daily in their position (related to the above or not)?
- Why are they taking time to speak with you about your products and services?
- Do they already purchase what you offer and are unsatisfied?
- Are they interested in what you have to offer though they’ve never bought before?
- Did you sell them on the idea of getting in there though they have no interest (in this case, quit wasting your time)?
- If they have expressed interest in your products and services, ask them what they think your offerings will do for their business.
- Have them prioritize these areas when it comes to purchasing a new product or service.
- Support – this could be related to an issue or even just delivery of your product/service.
- Relationship – do they desire a deep level of continued interaction between the sales rep and themselves?
- Value – is it important that they can measure (in time or money) the return they receive on purchasing from you?
- Price – strictly the cost associate with your product/service.
- Compatibility – your product/service fitting with what they already do.
I hate to see people ruin sales, yet I am led to believe it happens way too often. If you think you are ruining sales, or just want to make sure you aren’t, let’s talk. I’d be more than happy to talk through your needs analysis questions with you and come up with the most effective approach.
As always, you can call or email me anytime you need. Just don’t ruin another sale!
The post One Way to Ruin Every Sale and Five Ways to Overcome It first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
We have all heard the term “preconceived notion.” This is where we form an idea or an opinion before we can prove it’s usefulness (or truthfulness). Unfortunately we are somewhat programmed to create these preconceived notions. We do it with other people, with places we go, and even with ourselves. But today I would like […]
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It is quite sad to me to see so many business owners spending money on marketing (creating, curating, distributing), only to have little to no increase in sales revenue. I mean, how is that even possible right? Your open rate on email marketing has increased, Facebook page likes are up and people are commenting on your posts, they are entering your drawings and answering your polls, and they have even clicked on your website. So why isn’t all that activity converting to sales revenue? Because you aren’t converting it!
Your marketing won’t work without the appropriate tools to convert your audience into quality prospects, and then finally into customers who buy. Let me share with you a few basics that you must address if you intend to market your business.
- Have a place where you input EVERY person that engages. Preferably, this is a CRM (like Zoho or Salesforce) but a spreadsheet will do.
- Have a plan for every person that engages your website, social media, email marketing, etc. This can include a follow up phone call or email, or maybe you input them into a drip campaign. Doing nothing means you wasted the opportunity, thus wasted your money marketing to them in the first place.
- Know what you will do with the segment of your audience that doesn’t engage. For me, it’s a semi-annual list purge. I shoot an email out to everyone who is unengaged on a regular basis from my communication and I give them a clear option to opt-out. The title of this email is typically something along the lines of “It’s Time to Unsubscribe.” They are doing nobody any good by staying on a list they don’t care about.
Marketing is necessary in business. Further, great marketing is necessary to a successful business. But without a plan and a process to convert those leads, you are wasting your time and money.
If you are looking into marketing opportunities, I suggest you connect with a colleague and friend of mine, John Welches of Red Mallard. His firm provides managed marketing services (web, email, social, print, and so much more) for companies of all shapes and sizes. You can email him right now at john@jwelches.com.
If you would like to review your current conversion process or discuss some simple options should you have no process at all, let’s get connected. You can email me at ryan@ryanjamesmiller.com and I will be more than happy to schedule a 30 minute call to offer up some suggestions.
The post Your Marketing Won’t Work Without This first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It is quite sad to me to see so many business owners spending money on marketing (creating, curating, distributing), only to have little to no increase in sales revenue. I mean, how is that even possible right? Your open rate on email marketing has increased, Facebook page likes are up and people are commenting on […]
The post Your Marketing Won’t Work Without This first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It’s no secret that we need to grow in order to succeed in business. The problem is that as we grow we develop amnesia. What do I mean by that? Let me share my story (quickly) of starting a business. In late 2011, I started RJM Professional knowing that I a) needed to make money and […]
The post Amnesia is Killing Your Business first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It’s no secret that we need to grow in order to succeed in business. The problem is that as we grow we develop amnesia. What do I mean by that? Let me share my story (quickly) of starting a business.
In late 2011, I started RJM Professional knowing that I a) needed to make money and b) had some skills necessary to do so. I had an idea of the services I was going to offer (though not completely clear as that came over time) and I had a target audience so I went for it. By went for it, I mean that I did everything I could to earn business. I called old clients, I cold-called new ones, I networked in various environments, and I talked to every stranger I could about what I was doing or wanted to do. But as time went on and I got busy, I did less of that. I started to recognize late last year that I wasn’t calling strangers much anymore and I wasn’t networking in new environments. I developed amnesia. This amnesia caused me to forget what got me here. How about you?
Let me offer a bit of advice if you are ready to grow another level in your business.
Set aside a full day to think about:
- Why you started your business.
- What you did in the beginning to attract customers.
- How you made your first sale, and your first big sale (if they are different).
- Why you don’t do what you used to do.
- What you need to reimplement the good things you used to do.
In the end, the goal is to overcome the amnesia and make some money. Whether you are successful or not right now, getting back to the basics is a great thing for every business pro.
The post Amnesia is Killing Your Business first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
If your customer needs the product or service you are selling, there are only two possible outcomes. Either you will 1) Ask for the commitment and they will say yes, or you will 2) Ask for the commitment and they will say no. Seems pretty stinkin simple right? WRONG! It’s not simple because salespeople don’t make it simple. They throw a third possibility in there which really doesn’t even exist. They allow for the maybe.
The definition of maybe is “a mere possibility or probability”. There is no commitment in that definition at all. I mean, could you imagine if a man asked a woman to marry him and her response was “maybe”? The guy would freak (hopefully). Or what if on payday you asked your boss for your check and he said “maybe?” Maybe doesn’t work in those instances and we shouldn’t let it work in the sales conversation either.
If you are getting a “maybe” from a customer, they are probably saying:
- I have no intention of buying but I don’t have the heart to tell you, or
- You didn’t show me any reason why I should buy from you, or
- I need what you have but can’t afford it and I am too ashamed to admit it, or
- You are a terrible salesperson and I would never buy anything from you (ok, so hopefully you never have a customer thinking this).
So what is it that you do in the event of a maybe? You make them tell you no. I know, I know, it sounds a bit crazy right. I mean you don’t really want to encourage a “no”, but if you handle the conversation well, it won’t always end that way. Years ago I was in a Sandler training course and they shared a variation of this exercise with the class. I thought it was ridiculous but when I did it, I ended up purging a huge “sales pipeline” and actually converting a few leads that had been lingering forever. I learned two lessons that day actually. The first was that this exercise works, and the second was that I don’t know everything (I am continually learning that one!). So let me share with you a few practical steps to trying this, and then perfecting it as time goes on.
- Find ten prospects that have been on your list for the longest period of time. The main reason for doing this is you need some practice, and the old ones are good ones to practice on.
- Do a quick review as to what sales opportunities you had/have with them.
- Pick up the phone (no email or text here) and call them.
- Use a simple script like this:If they ask you to keep them on your “list”, find out why they want you to continue. Maybe your information is valuable to their business or maybe they do intend to buy some time down the line. Get a definitive answer and don’t take anything less. If they aren’t specific, again push to possibly remove them. This takes practice but because most people don’t like to hear “no” (you telling them no), their urgency to buy from you or commit to you may increase.
- Hey “Bob”, we have been trying to connect for sometime regarding “service/product”. While I would love to work with you, it doesn’t seem to be a priority for you at this time. Unless you see a reason for me to continue contacting you, I am going to go ahead and remove you from my follow up list. (**at this point, wait for their response. If you don’t get a solid yes or no, push for it).
- If they ask you to keep them on your “list”, find out why they want you to continue. Maybe your information is valuable to their business or maybe they do intend to buy some time down the line. Get a definitive answer and don’t take anything less. If they aren’t specific, again push to possibly remove them. This takes practice but because most people don’t like to hear “no” (you telling them no), their urgency to buy from you or commit to you may increase.
- If they agree to be removed, do two things. 1) Ask them if they know of anyone who may find value in your product/service, and 2) Put them on to a drip campaign or something similar.
This process takes time. But when you are able to make them tell you no, you will become more efficient in your prospecting and sales conversions, which turn into increased sales success.
If you are interested in learning more about this, or any other sales activity, I suggest you sign up for my 9 session online sales training, Ryan Educate. Or better yet, call me first and let’s discuss your needs. Who knows, I just may tell you NO :).
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If your customer needs the product or service you are selling, there are only two possible outcomes. Either you will 1) Ask for the commitment and they will say yes, or you will 2) Ask for the commitment and they will say no. Seems pretty stinkin simple right? WRONG! It’s not simple because salespeople don’t […]
The post Make Them Tell You No first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Sales is a very dynamic process. Not only does it change with the times, but it changes with the industry, provider, salesperson, strategy, customer, goal, and more. I am not sure of a better way to stay on top of the ever-changing dynamics than to be involved in continuing education, more accurately labeled “sales […]
The post The Need to Grow first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Sales is a very dynamic process. Not only does it change with the times, but it changes with the industry, provider, salesperson, strategy, customer, goal, and more. I am not sure of a better way to stay on top of the ever-changing dynamics than to be involved in continuing education, more accurately labeled “sales training” in our industry. I have been in some great programs during my seventeen year sales career, and I have been in some awful programs during that time. What determines that statement for me is typically a combination of how I felt during the training (content) and how easy it was to see results once I applied it in a live environment (application). The good ones have helped me to grow into a better sales person, business owner, and industry leader.
A great thing that has happened over time with sales training is the increase in availability, the reduction in cost, and the ease of accessibility. I participate in online training sessions and it works well for me because the resources are there, the cost is fairly low (for good stuff), and I can do it from the comfort of my office chair (or couch). With that thought, and the fact that I believe I have great content to share with my audience, I created a nine session online sales training series labeled RJM Educate. But I wanted to do more than just offer an online video presentation to watch.
RJM Educate offers a forty five to sixty minute video session each month along with a supporting worksheet. But I didn’t want to stop there. What if someone got stuck trying to apply my tools? I didn’t want to leave them hanging. So I decided to throw in follow up email support. This way, discussions can be had to walk them through the process and prevent the let down. What about topics? Check them out below.
- Session 1 – Achieving Results, Not Completing Tasks (it’s about quality, not quantity)
- Session 2 – Identifying Your Unique Value Proposition (set yourself apart)
- Session 3 – Listening Effectively (hear and don’t tell)
- Session 4 – Exposing Pain (uncover the real need)
- Session 5 – Delivering High Impact Presentations (present to the specific need)
- Session 6 – Collaborating With the Team (use all resources for the most profitable result)
- Session 7 – Getting the Commitment (never leave empty handed)
- Session 8 – Advancing the Sale (create value and rapport)
- Session 9 – Managing Your Strategy (maximize revenue through analysis and management)
With what I have mentioned so far, I have definitely satisfied two of the struggles I had as a rep, content and application. The third thing I thought may be important was cost. I considered many options but when it came down to it, I wanted this to be affordable to everyone so I hit it head on. The entire program is being offered for $97.00. I am confident any employed salesperson can afford $97.00 for nine months worth of content.
So I shared with you what’s important to me and how I delivered. But what about you? Are these things just as important? Share with me here your thoughts. And if you or someone you know is interested in this program, follow the link below and sign up today. The sessions are ready and you can begin at any time. The only problem with waiting is that you are costing yourself sales success!
Ryan Educate Online SessionsThe post The Need to Grow first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I was recently interviewed on a podcast (online radio show) and wanted to share this with you on my website. You can listen to the podcast below or read the transcript.
An important part of building a business is to make sure that your sales process is as efficient and effective as possible. Today, we’re talking with Ryan Miller of RJMProfessional.com about how to identify specific parts of your sales process that you can make more efficient in order to produce better results for your business.
Ryan Miller is a sales trainer, sales coach and a sales consultant that enables business owners, sales managers and sales people to grow revenue in their organization. He does this by developing and executing a customized and strategic sales process for each client’s specific needs.
For more information on Ryan’s service, visit http://ryanjamesmiller.com
Full Transcript of Audio Below We’ve transcribed the audio into text and formatted it for easy reading below. Please excuse any typos or odd wording, as this transcript is taken directly from the spoken word within the audio above.
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Interviewer: An important part of building a business is to make sure that you have your sales process as efficient and effective as possible. Today what we’re talking about with Ryan is how to identify specific parts of your sales process that you can make more efficient and to produce better results for your business.
Your Sales Efforts Should Follow a Process Interviewer: So Ryan, before we get into some of the specifics, can you share with us, if business owners that you typically work with seem to have a really specific process for their sales structure or are they just kind of approaching selling the way they’ve always done selling? Do they usually have a good process in place?
Ryan Miller: Yeah. I don’t see business owners today having any sort of articulated process when it comes to their sales efforts. What I’m seeing as a trend, probably more still now than ever, is;
- People that are very good at their trade -an expert architect, or a plumber, or whatever it may be; an IT specialist.
- They got into business for themselves because of a specific circumstance and they felt they were really good at what they did and so they went out into the marketplace, did some research and felt like they could provide a great service.
- So they get in the business for themselves and they’re able to provide a wonderful service for themselves.
But what they don’t stop and think about, is the fact that how are they actually going to sell that product or service?
- They don’t have any formalized training.
- They don’t even know how to think about selling their product or service.
- They just know that they can sell it or that they can perform that service well.
So I think that’s where they hit a road block immediately. They’re good at their trade but they just have really not a good understanding of what it means to sell.
Identify Issues Within The Sales Process Early On Interviewer: Where would you say that road block usually becomes apparent to the actual business owner? For example, it may be apparent for you coming in or for another consultant coming in and saying “Wow you definitely don’t have this process as good as it could be” But when does the business owner start to see the symptoms of that in their actual business?
Ryan Miller: That can definitely vary depending upon industry, the circumstance that brought an end to the business for themselves, maybe they carried a big book of business into business for themselves and so maybe it takes a little bit longer. But I would say that;
- Typically there is that honeymoon phase for anybody who started a business for themselves. Usually that first year is kind of the honeymoon phase.
- Even though you’re grinding it out and it’s very difficult and you’re figuring out a whole lot, you can usually use that whole first year to make excuses as to why a business isn’t performing well especially if you have some money tucked away so it doesn’t hurt yet but you’re not generating a lot of revenue.
- So typically at about that one year mark and it could be nine months, it could be 18 months, but typically at that point you have to start growing that business.
There are some key factors that have come into place as to why they need to grow the business. Lack of money or whatever it may be, I think that’s when they really start to see that “Oh my gosh what am I doing? How do I even go out and stop?”
An Example – Fixing a Sales Process Interviewer: That’s definitely a good insight and we’re going to get into some specifics that the listener can use to actually find those issues within their sales process. But before we do that can you give me an example of a business that you were able to identify some situation in their sales process that wasn’t ideal and what were you able to do to actually help them make that process better and then what were the results?
Can we provide kind of a clear example to the listeners before we get into the “How to” information?
Ryan Miller: Yeah absolutely. It’s going to sound kind of funny because this one probably took this guy a little bit longer.
- I sat down with an entrepreneur who was doing digital marketing and brand consulting, and he had come out of the industry working for other people, had done a really good job, wonderful quality of work.
- He got into business for himself and I think it was about two and a half years.
- He started to feel like he needed some help and he wasn’t sure what it was.
- So we sat down and we just kind of open air, had a discussion as to where he thought he was coming up short and
- I started to realize, it’s in his head, he had an idea of what it was going to take to grow his business but he didn’t know how to get there.
- So over the course of a three month period, we sat down and really built a sales process for him.
It was many pieces to that, that we could spend hours upon hours talking about but the end result, ended that being;
- I’m still working with that client a year later and
- We have seen a five times increase in revenue monthly recurring as a result of him being able to articulate that sales process
- It has increased the quality of his work,
- It has increased the quality of his life,
- It has increased the appreciation of the client to receiving.
So there are a lot of benefits to it, for the client alone. A five times increase on revenue for anybody would make people do back flips.
Interviewer: Definitely.
Identify Your Unique Value Proposition Interviewer: One of the things I want to investigate a little further though is you mentioned helping him be able to articulate what the value proposition was and then you also talked about building out an entire sales process.
Can you explain where the biggest problem was with this particular client?
- Was it on how to actually communicate that value proposition and really figure out exactly what the value proposition was, or
- Was it more on the process of generating leads, following up with leads, proposal generation?
What side of those two options was the biggest problem on?
Ryan Miller: Gosh I hate to say this but my answer would be yes. I think that a lot of people and with this guy in general or specifically, he did struggle with his unique value proposition.
I think some of it was probably, and I think;
- Anybody that is solo especially, or even if you’re a business owner and you don’t have a lot of support,
- If you have a hard time seeing how good you really are at what you do, then
- Because you have a hard time seeing yourself for that,
- You have a hard time demonstrating that to people that you’re trying to sell to.
So you don’t even know what your unique value proposition really is because you don’t really see that for yourself.
So I think that was definitely what step one was. I’m able to see insight of other people but a lot of times that they’re not able to see insight of themselves. So by being able to see that in him, and beginning to instill confidence in him that say like “No no no, you are really good at what you do.
- Let me explain to you why” and so sometimes it just takes an outside resource to be able to look at someone and say “Not only this is what you’re good at but this is why you’re good at it”.
- And then this is how it’s going to play out into the rest of your sales process.
If you don’t have a unique value proposition, I think that everything else after that just completely stalls.
Interviewer: And how do you extract some of that? From a business owner that you’re speaking with, how do you get to the “Why they’re good at what they’re doing”. Is this something you can do within an initial consultation on maybe in hours conversation or is this the fruits of maybe a 30 day process that you’ve gone through with that particular business owner? How do you extract that type of really valuable information?
Ryan Miller: It’s kind of a multi step process but typically a consultation is key for anything.
- Learning as much as I can from them just talking about themselves, talking about their business, their experience, their lifestyle, there’s so much to that. And then,
- Depending upon the complexity of the product or service that they’re selling, really determines whether that could be done in an hour, not the consultation but the follow up meeting, that could be done in an hour or it can be done over the course of a few months.
The more complex the offering, sometimes the more complex that articulation of the unique value proposition really becomes.
5 Steps That Make An Efficient Sales Process Interviewer: So it sounds like it’s definitely something that you dig in deep and you kind of use your experience of having done this probably a few times to really help a business owner that’s not sure how to do that, get the information out there.
Can we go through a little bit more about some of the processes, the process side of the sales process, not so much the value proposition and the messaging side of things, but can we talk through some of the process part of sales such as;
- How to manage your follow up process,
- How to keep track of deals that are in your pipeline,
- What are some of the challenges that you see business owners have there and
- What are some tools and systems that they can use to address some of those challenges?
Ryan Miller: Yeah absolutely. I kind of believe that there are five main steps to any business’ sales process. First and foremost, and I could spend hours upon hours on each one of these, but just to briefly kind of give you an understanding.
First one is identifying your ideal client – If you don’t know who you’re going after, then you’re going to have a hard time building a sales process because you just don’t know who you’re catering to. So that’s step one and that could include the type of business, the industry, the specific buyer, what they look like, smell like, and talk like, there’s depth to that.
How are you going to engage your prospects once you identify who they are? How are you going to engage them? That is a depth of marketing in itself.
- The vehicles that they’re going to use,
- the frequency by which they’re going to communicate and then
- what kind of accountability are you going to instill with into your organization to make sure that what you’re putting out there is actually providing a return.
How you then turn those prospects into clients, a callback activating. How are you going to make them a client?
- What steps is it going to take?
- Do you have to have them sign a contract, do you have to go through a multifaceted process to make sure that your team on your end is all in place and ready to accept whatever business may come in as a result.
- So you need to make sure that each one of those steps is properly written down and understood by all parties involved to make sure that you’re delivering the best product possible.
So that’s three. Identifying, Engaging, and Activating.
The client experience – You want to create the best client experience possible. I’m sure that many people on the call today have heard that people provide great customer satisfaction, number one in satisfaction. The funny thing is you probably hear very much about somebody like JD Power and associates being touted as Sole Source of Satisfaction.
- Everybody provides satisfaction nowadays but what is the client actually expecting from you? It’s much more than satisfaction, it’s expectation.
- So what does your client want, when do they want it, and how do they want it?
- It’s not one size fits all anymore, regardless of what you’re selling.
- You want to be able to limit your client’s sacrifice.
I heard a great story one time about the fact that everybody is willing to give up something to get something else. Maybe for you;
- You go to your favorite restaurant because they serve the best steak imaginable but you’re willing to drink diet Pepsi even though you love diet Coke.
- So you’re sacrificing you drink preference because of the steak that you’re eating.
- Well every customer in your business, when they make a buying decision, they’re sacrificing something for something else.
- You need to understand what they’re willing to sacrifice and then limiting that.
Maximize revenue from your clients – You want to ensure the greatest amount of revenue per client and I don’t mean taking advantage of clients. This is where some people misstep.
- You don’t want to get too much out of the client but you want to make sure that your clients understand what you offer, what they’re buying and can they use more of what you offer.
- Sometimes people are happy to just land the client and you totally miss out on providing them product B, C, D, and E because you’re just happy to get product A sold to them.
So those are typically the five steps that I believe any business should have if they are to say “I have a great sales process and it’s something that I can begin acting upon”.
Focus on Selling to the Right Prospects Interviewer: So I think it’s really helpful to put it into a simple five step process like that. One of the things I’d like to conclude on, is giving somebody a very specific next step that they can use out of today to actually implement some of this within the next one to two hours.
So related to those five steps that you mentioned, what steps can a listener do today within the next one to two hours of time to actually make their sales process better or help them develop the sales process from scratch, what would you say is what they should they spend their next one to two hours on for this?
Ryan Miller: I definitely think that the key for any business owner is to identify step one, which was the type of client that you’re selling to, the type of client that you want to sell to, and where you think you’ve missed the boat if you are not selling to your ideal client.
The reason that I say that that’s really important is because you, selling to the wrong clients, has a majority of random occasions. One is obviously, it can just drive you absolutely crazy when you’re selling to people that you want to, but secondly and probably more importantly, especially the smaller the business that you have, so the less time you have to do things.
- When you’re focused on the wrong clients you are missing the boat on the right clients and
- It’s the right clients that will pay you more, they’ll be easier to deal with, and they’re going to have a greater appreciation for what you’re providing to them
- Which then will allow them to go tell more people about you, which grows your business, and
- They want to buy more from you which grows your business.
Ahead of that first identifying category, you can really get a lot of approve.
Interviewer: I definitely agree and I was thinking that would be the answer that you put out there for this particular question. Just to summarize for the listener.
Quick Recap And Next Actions Interviewer: There are really three key things I think you can get out of today’s interview.
- Focus on your sales process – The first thing is that you need to make sure to actually focus on your sales process. You’ve probably been in business for a while, you’re definitely good at what you do, but you might not have a really defined process for how you actually sell in your business and that’s something that Ryan was really helpful to provide some insight on, specifically Ryan talked about a five part process.
- Identify your ideal client – Figuring out how you’re going to engage with them. How are you going to turn those prospects, from prospects, into clients? How are you going to make sure that they have a good client experience that you’re meeting and exceeding their expectations and that you’re making sure to not sacrifice things that they’re not willing to sacrifice?
- Maximize revenue from clients – Then lastly, making sure you maximize revenue from your clients by providing the most value that you can. That five part process was really helpful and Ryan clarified at the end, that’s figuring out who your ideal client is. That you should actually be targeting and working with is really the key piece to all that.
So as an action item out of today, you can visit Ryan’s website to see his 9 session sales training course or the free content that he has on his website. You’ll be able to learn specific things that you can use to help improve your sales process and also some exercises that you can go through within the training program to actually identify your ideal client to improve your sales process.
Thank you so much for your time today Ryan.
Ryan Miller: Thank you.
The post Your Sales Efforts Should Follow a Process first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I was recently interviewed on a podcast (online radio show) and wanted to share this with you on my website. You can listen to the podcast below or read the transcript. An important part of building a business is to make sure that your sales process is as efficient and effective as possible. Today, we’re […]
The post Your Sales Efforts Should Follow a Process first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
As I entered my sales career over seventeen years ago, I was told my “gift of gab” would be of great benefit. There is some truth in that for sure. Being comfortable talking to anyone, about almost anything, has taken me a long way in building relationships with clients and colleagues. But what happens when our “gift of gab” turns into “death by babbling?”
We have all sat in on a meeting, or been sold to by someone else, where the person speaking talked and talked until our ears bled (not really, but close). Typically, babbling happens as a result of said person lacking in educated information to share. They default to what they are comfortable talking about, which usually includes how great they and/or their offerings are, whether it is relevant to us or not. This just isn’t the way we want to present ourselves in front of prospects and clients. So what can we do?
- Study your business, it’s offerings, and it’s value to others – I have sat down with many a sales people who have a hard time articulating what it is they do, and how it benefits their clients. If this is you, you need to take a step back. Study your business. Understand in depth what it is you do and why you do it. Study each of your products and/or services. Know their positives and their negatives. Study the value you bring to the customer. This must measurable and credible, so think hard before you just throw numbers around.
- Study your prospects and clients – There is nothing worse than sitting down with someone who is going to attempt to sell me their offerings, and they aren’t clear on what it is I do. You should know your prospects and clients very well. Jump on the internet and do as much research as possible. What do they offer? Why do they offer it? Who do they offer it to? Taking this time before your meeting will save you a lot of potential embarressment during the meeting, and could save you many more discovery meetings with the same person down the line.
- Write out an outline for your meeting – You do not have to memorize what it is you are going to say during a meeting. Write an outline including your overall goal for the meeting, questions you want to make sure you ask, possible objections to your offerings, and notes about your prospect. Use it as a reference and check things off as you go, so you don’t miss a thing and improve your chances of advancing the sale.
- Record your meetings and listen back – This is great, especially if you are newer in sales or in need of improvement in presenting yourself. Listen back to yourself after the meeting study what it is the prospect said, what you said, what was responded to well, and what wasn’t. This will help you to deliver even better the next time around. Don’t feel awkward about this because it’s a great learning tool. Just make sure you ask permission of whomever you are meeting with.
The ultimate goal in all of this is to make the most of every sales call you make. Sometimes, you only get one shot and making a great impression. By doing work ahead of time, and continually studying your methods and messages, you will become more effective in closing deals. The last thing you want to die a death by babbling.
Want to practice? Pick up the phone and call me. Try and sell me whatever you have to offer, and I will provide a free evaluation at no charge.
The post Death by Babbling first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
As I entered my sales career over seventeen years ago, I was told my “gift of gab” would be of great benefit. There is some truth in that for sure. Being comfortable talking to anyone, about almost anything, has taken me a long way in building relationships with clients and colleagues. But what happens when […]
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This is the third blog in a thirteen part series based on “Every Good Endeavor” by Tim Keller.
Intro
I recently finished reading a book by Tim Keller called “Every Good Endeavor.” Tim Keller the lead pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York. He has a doctorate, he has successfully published many books, and was a professor. And through all of that, he has gained a whole heck of a lot of knowledge and wisdom in the area of work.
I am going to be blogging on each chapter’s main point, while inserting my own thoughts and practical applications along the way. I guarantee you will find benefit through this and if you aren’t 100% satisfied, I’ll give you your money back :)!
Chapter 2 – The Dignity of Work
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:26-27
In ancient times many of the most well educated people believed work to be punishment, and a barrier to the highest kind of life. In mythological systems, work hindered ones ability to reach the ultimate realm and domain with the gods. If you did have to work, it was regarded much higher to work with your mind than with your hands. If you look back on ancient Greek culture, only intelligent minds were recognized. Aristotle actually said in Politics I.V.9 that “some people are born to be slaves.” He meant that some people are not as capable of higher rational thought and therefore should do the work that frees the more talented and brilliant to pursue a life of honor and culture (see EGE pg 46). While we no longer believe in slavery (well, most of us anyway)we do posses some of those very same attitudes and it is saddening.
Work is seen as a necessary evil, and the best work is work done with the least amount of effort for the most amount of money. We believe taking a job for less money and/or notoriety is below us. That really is what has pushed us into such a broken class system here in the United States.
Work as a Mark of Human Dignity
The Bible has something much different to say in this area. Work is not the result of sin or punishment but rather the product of a God glorifiying creation in which God himself worked long before the fall of man. Man also worked before the fall. God calls us to specific work based upon his will for our lives. A favorite quote of mine is from C.S. Lewis in which he says; “It is not your business to succeed, but to do what is right; when you have done so, the rest lies with God.” He hit that nail right on the head. It shouldn’t matter what we do as long as we put everything we have into it. God will ultimately produce the results.
Work has dignity because it is something that God does and because we do it in God’s place, as his representatives (see EGE pg 48). God worked hard with his hands, so should we. God worked hard with his mind, so should we. While many religions view God as some decorated king (which he is) or brilliant leader (which he is), he came to this earth as a carpenter to show us that the call to work is what matters and not the work itself.
What is scary in business today is that times have gotten “desperate” for many. There were owners literally willing to sell their souls to succeed. There were employees who stepped on teammates in order to get ahead. Instead of doing the best they could with what they had been given, and supporting others in any way they could, they have turned it into a survival of the fittest. Too many have gotten hurt and worse yet, few have made it out the other side. How do we resolve this issue in our work?
For starters, we must understand that creation is good because God created it, and work is dignified regardless of what work it is because God called us to it. We must realize that God created us to be very different in gender, race, and desire, but equal in value before the king.
“Food that nourishes, roofs that hold out rain, shade that protects from the heat of the sun…the satisfaction of the material needs and desires of men and women…when businesses produce material things that enhance welfare of the community, that are engaged in work that matters to God.” (see EGE pg 51)
We should desire to be amazing janitors and CEOs, to love the job as a drive-thru attendant at Starbucks just as much as the job as Starbuck’s CFO. We have the freedom to work a job that suits our gifts and passions. We can seek the job we love, regardless of the economy, because God will provide what we need. We do not have to feel less than another based upon our position.
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This is the third blog in a thirteen part series based on “Every Good Endeavor” by Tim Keller. Intro I recently finished reading a book by Tim Keller called “Every Good Endeavor.” Tim Keller the lead pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York. He has a doctorate, he has successfully published many books, […]
The post Every Good Endeavor Part 3 first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
As an avid Crosfitter I am regularly striving for more. More weight, more repetitions of a specific movement, and more time cut from a workout. The longer I Crossfit, the more I understand my body and what’s it’s current limitations are. If I try for more than I am able at that time, I ruin the chances of efficiently doing what my current ability will allow. Sometimes failure is great in Crossfit, but pushing myself into a bad “zone” isn’t actually good for my body and may do damage instead of good. I have long term goals and if I am going to achieve them, I need to pace my progress for optimal gains. But surely, this business post isn’t about Crossfit.
Business owners and sales people alike want more. More more clients, more money, or maybe more time at home with their family. But just like Crossfit, every business professional must know their limitations. If you try and do more than you are physically (or mentally) able, you will most likely experience failure and potential burnout. Failure isn’t always a bad thing, just ask Barbara Corcoran from Shark Tank (the best 15 minutes on failure, seriously!). But what happens when failure gets the best of you and you don’t know how to overcome it? I would like to give you a few tips so you can pace yourself in your business, be as efficient as possible, and achieve whatever your “more” may be. Many of these are better accomplished with a second set of eyes and ears, someone like a mentor or coach. Oh, and make sure you write them down.
- Determine your goals, and set realistic milestones. These may be 3 month, 6 month, 1 year, etc.
- Identify your strengths and weaknesses. Both are necessary!
- Identify people in your life (family, friends, colleagues, and partners) that can help you with your weakness. These may be people that can teach and train you, or people that can fulfill the needs themselves.
- Determine the amount of time you are able to spend on your business efforts. Be sure to include time for surprises (yup, they will come).
- Estimate your points of failure (based upon your weakness).
The biggest mistakes you can make are trying to take on too much volume (time) or trying to do what you are not able (expertise). Either of these will lead to failure of the wrong kind (yes there is good failure). Know your capabilities, pace yourself, and then go out there and crush your goals!
If you need help with the above tips, I would be honored to support you. I can offer a one hour session by phone for a very small fee, and a bit more if you would like to meet in person. Just email me to set something up. But don’t procrastinate as this could get you on the track you have been hoping for!
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As an avid Crosfitter I am regularly striving for more. More weight, more repetitions of a specific movement, and more time cut from a workout. The longer I Crossfit, the more I understand my body and what’s it’s current limitations are. If I try for more than I am able at that time, I ruin the chances […]
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“Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” Proverbs 15:22
Independence is a virtue that many business leaders possess. There are great benefits in having the capability to do things yourself. You don’t have to depend on others to accomplish things. You don’t have to wait for someone else in order to finish a project. And it is great to save from paying someone else to do what you are able to do yourself. But what happens when you aren’t producing the quality you should, at the rate you should, or with the power you should? In comes an advisor. Let’s look at how the NFL (National Football League) handles production of it’s players for a great example to our own businesses.
The typical NFL team has upwards of 16 coaches (1 head, and 15 assistants). Let’s see how some of these coaches would fit in our businesses. And for the sake of this blog, we as business professionals sit in the position as head coaches.
The head coach gets the most credit for winning games, and the most flack for losing them. Sound familiar? As the business owner, you must be casting vision for the team. It is up to you to ensure you have an amazing coaching staff, and that every player is the best they can be. You have a lot of say so (if not all) in who is hired and who is fired. You (should) want to win more than anyone which means that you work harder than anyone else.
The offensive coordinator develops the offensive game plan and works with the head coach to make sure the right plays are written, and practiced. For business owners, this is your sales coach or sales manager. They must write the sales plan, and make sure that it is implemented and executed to perfection. Anything less than that and you will lose every “game” you play.
The defensive coordinator protect the structure of the team, and strive for excellence in executing the teams vision. They don’t want to give up a single point and stop at nothing to do that. For business owners, this is your business consultant or potentially, your operations manager. They must protect every player, every play, and create an environment where nothing gets left on the table (money, materials, etc).
The special team coach is working with younger players finding their calling on the team. They are constantly training and mentoring to build up the team for greatness. For business owners, this is often times a hired trainer or coach working one on one, or in small groups, with your team. The goal is to build up your team so there are no weak links.
There is also a quarterback coach, offensive line coach, defensive line coach, linebacker coach, secondary coach, strength coach, and many many more. Some of those may fit your business somewhere as well.
Do you have each of these spots filled in your organization to build the best winning team possible? If not, you many want to consider training them into these roles or finding others to fill these roles. As the head coach, if you want to win badly, you will stop at nothing!
But what about the solopreneur, or even the business of only a few employees? You have a head coach and a few players. What do you do? My recommendation is to quickly find one or two good assistant coaches (consultant, or trainers) that can help you to be the winning team. It doesn’t take a large coaching staff in house to be a successful one.
Without the appropriate coaches (advisers) on your team, all the success plans in the world will be nothing more than words on paper!
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“Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” Proverbs 15:22 Independence is a virtue that many business leaders possess. There are great benefits in having the capability to do things yourself. You don’t have to depend on others to accomplish things. You don’t have to wait for someone else in order to finish […]
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I hear it more often than I’d like. “I don’t need any more business” or, “I’m doing great and don’t need to add any more clients.” Are you kidding me? There are many reasons why these statements are poor for any business professional but for sake of space, I will just include a few. More business […]
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I hear it more often than I’d like. “I don’t need any more business” or, “I’m doing great and don’t need to add any more clients.” Are you kidding me?
There are many reasons why these statements are poor for any business professional but for sake of space, I will just include a few.
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More business than you need creates a sense of success.
- Without that “feeling”, you will fall into a sense of complacency that really isn’t good for any business professional.
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More business stirs up a passion and drive.
- When there is more on your plate than you are comfortable with, the need to dig in and get to work drives the good to be great.
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More business keeps your competition from taking what you already have.
- There is someone in your business that is more hungry than you. If you let up, even for just a minute, you are opening a floodgate you may never be able to close. And the larger they get, the harder it will be for you to keep the clients you currently have.
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More business shows people you care.
- A successful professional attracts others. They see how much you care about providing a great product or service, and it gets them to believe that what you are doing really does bring value.
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More business is why you got into business.
- It’s not about taking over the world or even becoming a billionare (well, not for all of us) but you work to be successful. While we have different measurements for success, more business allows us to achieve the goals we desire for our life.
If you have ever said that you don’t need business, I ask you to stop believing your own lie. And when you can’t stop believing it, refer those clients over to me. I will find someone that will be more than happy to take the business on themselves!
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*In order to provide the best experience for our prospects and clients (us too), we must create a plan ahead of time for each of our meetings.* This includes establishing goals, a clear next step, and assignment of roles during the meeting. I would also suggest you send your prospects and clients some sort of agenda ahead of time if the meeting involves multiple layers or an in-depth presentation.
I want to give you some practical steps that you can step through off before you head out to a meeting with a prospect or client.
1. What goals do you have for that meeting?
- Is this meeting about discovery? Then the goal should be to find out everything you can about the company include it’s background, it current state of affairs, and it’s goals for the future. Don’t forget to ask about other employees in complementary positions to your buyer/decision maker. All of these questions will lead you to uncover needs within the company. Simply asking, “what struggles are you having” doesn’t typically work.
- Is this meeting about presenting a solution to an uncovered need? If so, the goal should be to address the specific need, and do your best to leave everything out of your presentation that doesn’t specifically address it. This can be difficult because we all love bells and whistles, but anyone that has eaten at the Cheesecake Factory should know that when faced with too many choices, often times we make rash decisions (yes, I love food and am constantly overwhelmed by their menu though I love their food).
- You don’t want your customer to be overwhelmed so give them what they need, and save the bells and whistles for another time when you already have a sale made.
2. What will be the next steps once you accomplish your goal in the meeting, or if you don’t?
- Make sure that you go into your meeting with a plan. If you discover a whole bunch of info, what will you do with it and how will you disseminate it in your organization to move the sale along?
- If the goal is to make a sale and you do, what needs to happen next in order to fulfill that sale and make the customer happy?
- Or what if you don’t get the sale you hoped for? Often this is where deals are made or broken. Plan to follow up, get them on a drip campaign, or do something….just don’t do nothing (yes, a double negative).
3. Who will fill what role during the meeting?
- If you have more than one employee from your company, plan this ahead of time so people aren’t talking over each other or contradicting each other. I have seen it before and it gets real ugly real fast, and the customer sees it.
- If it’s just you and the customer, determine who you want to lead what areas of the conversation. You may be thinking that it is all about you dictating the pace and flow, but it’s not always the case. Often times, setting the customer up to drive allows you to listen more effectively, and leads you to a sale in a more efficient manner.
4. Agenda, agenda, agenda…did I say agenda?
- If you want to prevent distractions, and increase the probability of a sale, send your customer an agenda ahead of time. It doesn’t have to outline time breakdowns and every single step, but if you send them an outline of what you would like to talk about, and even some things they can do to prepare ahead of time, you will thank yourself later.
So there you have four helpful areas to address when preparing for a meeting with a prospect or client. If you would like to talk more about that please feel free to contact me. I can share with you some additional information as well as offer you some long term solutions.
The above information is part of The 10 Tools for Sales Success. Click the link below for a free download of all 10 Tools.
Download your FREE copy of The 10 Tools for Sales SuccessThe post Formulating a Meeting Plan first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In order to provide the best experience for our prospects and clients (us too), we must create a plan ahead of time for each of our meetings. This includes establishing goals, a clear next step, and assignment of roles during the meeting. I would also suggest you send your prospects and clients some sort of agenda […]
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You failed to close the sale again. It seems to be getting more and more repetitive. You are saying all the right things, at all the right times, to all the right people. There wasn’t a thing wrong and yet, the client told you “no”. What were they thinking? What was their problem? Don’t they understand what you were offering?
Ok, it’s time to pinch yourself and wake up. The above scenario sounds ever so familiar, because that’s how we play out most deals after we lose them, but the reality is that it typically goes down much different. So let’s think through this together.
Pre-meeting prep
What kind of prep did you do ahead of time? Was this a follow up meeting? Did you study your notes from the last meeting? Did you have any notes from the last meeting? If this is the first meeting, did you do any research on the client? Did you know who you were talking to (what they like, don’t like, expect, etc)? Did you bring relevant content to the meeting (brochure, testimonials, etc)?
Meeting approach
Did you go into the meeting ready to close the sale? If so was that an appropriate expectation? Why did you approach the meeting the way you did? Did the prospect offer up information or suggestions which led you to believe the way you approached the meeting was the right one? Were you prepared to close a deal or did the client surprise you when they tee’d up the sale?
During the meeting
What types of questions did you ask? Did you even ask questions or just throw up a bunch of information? Why did you say what you said? Were you following a script (could be bad or not)?
Self Evaluation
There are a slew of other reasons why you may or may not have closed the sale. The most important thing that I encourage you to take away from this post is that you should be evaluating every single meeting afterwards. We definitely don’t do things right all the time. The post-meeting dream conversation that I had with myself at the beginning of this article is one that many of us often have. That just demonstrates that we see things a lot differently than other people see things. If that wasn’t the case, we would have closed the sale. Take time to ask yourself as many questions as you can. Ask what went wrong. Ask what went right. Ultimately the goal is to perfect our sales conversation so that we can close more sales and become more successful salespeople.
If you have questions regarding this post, or need help with your sales conversation, let’s talk. I would love to help you become more successful!
Email me HERE
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You failed to close the sale again. It seems to be getting more and more repetitive. You are saying all the right things, at all the right times, to all the right people. There wasn’t a thing wrong and yet, the client told you “no”. What were they thinking? What was their problem? Don’t they […]
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I quit! Seriously, I just can’t do this anymore. It is too hard to look at. It is too hard to passively participate in. It is too damaging to those around me. I don’t smoke and I rarely have a drink, so it’s not those types of things that I am quitting (though I have […]
The post I Quit first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I quit! Seriously, I just can’t do this anymore. It is too hard to look at. It is too hard to passively participate in. It is too damaging to those around me. I don’t smoke and I rarely have a drink, so it’s not those types of things that I am quitting (though I have a few vices, albeit healthier, that I could kick). I vow to quit watching as people regularly miss out on achieving their goals.
I have been in business for just over two years now. My ideal clients are small businesses in dire need of sales growth and sales people desperately needing improvement (or else). I have worked with quite a few of those types of clients and had some great successes. But unfortunately, I have attempted to work with many more and had no luck. I am sure this is beginning to sound like a selfish thing and while I do want to see my business take off this year, my greater desire is to help others succeed. If you don’t believe me, test me. If you are in dire need but don’t feel you can invest the money, get a hold of me and if your story is compelling enough, I will make ANY concessions necessary. But the story and your desire better be good.
So back to my quitting. I vow to quit taking it easy on each of you. I have passively sold to most of my connections for fear of boring them, ticking them off, or chasing them away. But what I have is too good and it has proven itself valuable so I will no longer hold back. If I come off too pushy, push back or disconnect. I believe that those who really need me will respond at some point and I am confident that then and only then will they really begin to see their full potential.
Which one will you be?
Will you ignore my blog posts, newsletters, emails, social media posts, and phone calls?
Will you delete me from you database and unsubscribe from my newsletter?
Or will you realize that I only want to help and find a way to get the help you need in order to succeed?
Only you know. Nothing will change your deepest thoughts and desires. If one of those desires is to succeed in 2014, reach out to me now. If it’s not, you won’t have to worry about disconnecting from me, because I will have already quit you!
Thanks! May your year be successful and may God receive your thanks and praise as a result.
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Have you been on a job interview lately? Or maybe even conducted a job interview lately? Not too many years ago, a job interview consisted of an interviewee preparing to be asked a bunch of questions which would qualify whether he was the right candidate for the job or not. Things related to his work […]
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Have you been on a job interview lately? Or maybe even conducted a job interview lately? Not too many years ago, a job interview consisted of an interviewee preparing to be asked a bunch of questions which would qualify whether he was the right candidate for the job or not. Things related to his work ethic, lifestyle, and more. But in recent years, interviewers now expect the interviewee to come prepared with their own lists of questions. They must be ready to ask as often as they answer, if not work. There are a whole lot of whys, hows, and whats.
But this post isn’t about a job interview (well kind of). This post is about the client interview. It’s the interview where you sit down with your clients and interview them to find out the whys, hows, and whats of their businesses needs. This is the interview in which you are given free reign to learn as much as possible about the client you are sitting in front of. Unfortunately, for most of us, WE BOMB THE INTERVIEW. Instead of asking a whole bunch of great questions, we come with one or two (like “what’s your name”) and then we proceed to vomit self-describing information, business features and benefits, and lots of other stuff that won’t get us very far. So what do you do? You must prepare! Below are the types of questions (specific and general) that you should be asking:
This is the interview in which you are given free reign to learn as much as possible about the client you are sitting in front of. Find out as much as you can about the person.
- How long they have been in the position they are in?
- Things they enjoy about their job.
- Things they do not enjoy about their job (among other things, this can lead to you offering stress-reducing solutions).
- What they do for fun?
- What are their personal/business goals?
Find out as much as you can about the company.
- How does the decision making process work?
- What has the business done really well?
- Where does their competition out-achieve them?
- What would they like to see done to improve the business?
If they are an existing customer.
- Why do they use you?
- Where have you missed the mark in their eyes?
- Where have you excelled?
- If your business could add one product/service to your offering, what would they want to see added?
If they are not an existing customer.
- Why are they open to sitting down to speak with you?
- What do they enjoy most about working with their current provider/vendor?
- Where has their current provider/vendor fallen short?
This list is definitely not exhaustive, but for many of you this is a wonderful place to start. Keep your questions focused on learning more about your client. Trust me, you will have plenty of time to tell about you later.
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Massive isn’t always best, especially in business. Yet most business owners strive to be the biggest the world has ever known. These business people believe everyone to be there customer. They market to the masses in hopes of catching whales but instead come home without even a minnow. There are giants out there that can slay giants and that is great. And once in awhile a small guy can slay a big one (just ask David). But more often than not, you catch nothing because you are fishing in the wrong sea.
Typically the smaller your business, the smaller your level of resources is. Spending advertising dollars to go up against those much larger than you probably isn’t wise. Trying to make two hundred cold calls per day may not yield great results. You must utilize each resource in the most effective and efficient manner possible. Here are some practical ways to gauge the right size audience for you to engage.
- How much money can your business make if it ran at full, efficient capacity? This needs to be based on the number of people you have, the number of hours each person can productively work, the number of services you offer, the revenue of similar competitors, the total size of your market, etc.
- How much time/money do you want to put into your business? This depends on your available hours in the day (against additional commitments), the working hours of your prospects/clients, the money you have banked, your level of stress/your ability to take on more stress, etc.
- Are your goals your own or inspired by what others have done/are doing? If you are thinking big because Shark Tank (the tv show) has your brain running like crazy, it may not be the right thought process; Inspiration is good, but reality is necessary.
Those are a few small things to consider when determining your ideal audience.
“(It is) So much easier to aim for the smallest possible audience, not the largest, to build long-term value among a trusted, delighted tribe, to create work that matters and stands the test of time.” Seth Godin
Do what is best for you and what will yield the best results. As for me, I would much rather have a miniature audience loyal to me and my brand!
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Massive isn’t always best, especially in business. Yet most business owners strive to be the biggest the world has ever known. These business people believe everyone to be there customer. They market to the masses in hopes of catching whales but instead come home without even a minnow. There are giants out there that can […]
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Fasting is typically known as a willing act of abstinence from certain or all foods, liquids, or both. As a Christian, this word and practice is familiar to me though I do not practice it very well. If you know me, you know I love food (junk food especially). This makes fasting extremely difficult, even if for a single day. But for the right reasons, a fast is a great way to focus. Unfortunately for us in business, especially entrepreneurs and even sales people in general, fasting occurs often and without good reason.
When was the last time you picked up the phone and called a prospect? Seriously, when was the last time you called out to try and earn business from someone you did not know? As entrepreneurs we need to be regularly calling out in order to make sales, earn income, and grow our businesses yet we would rather sit back and will it to. I am not sure about you, but as strong as my will is (trust me, it’s strong), it doesn’t attract customers to my business. In order for me to close business I need to be actively seeking out prospects. It takes A LOT of effort on my part.
Below I would like to share you with some practical ways in which you can break your fast and get back into the habit of feeding your business instead of starving it.
- Identify the types of clients you are looking to sell to. If you don’t know who you should be calling, you won’t be able to call (simple right?).
- Ask yourself where you are most gifted in communication. Some of us are great in-person communicators. Use that to your advantage and go find out where your prospects hang out. This could be a networking spot, a social hangout, or their office. Others of us are great on the phone. Pick it up and give them the best call they have ever experienced. Use email (direct/newsletter/etc) and social media as last options. Not that these are bad options, but they are easiest to attempt and least effective in today’s environment of electronic noise everywhere.
- Have something to say. Have a great host of reasons as to why you would be great for them. They probably have many choices, so learn enough about them and their business that when you speak to them, you sound more interesting than the others.
- Make a habit of prospecting. This can be a two hour window each work day in which you set aside time to research and reach out to prospects. Or it may be a once per week occurrence where the majority of your day is spent getting after it. Regardless of your schedule, get a schedule and stick to it.
- Seek out some accountability. Just like fasting from food, fasting from prospecting can be hidden very easily. Find someone or a group that will support your efforts, help you stay on top of them, and work with you to grow in this area.
Fasting for the wrong reasons is a path for starvation and eventually death. Fasting for the right reasons is an awesome opportunity to focus your heart and your mind on something of great importance.
Will you choose life or will you choose death?
The post Have You Been Fasting? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Fasting is typically known as a willing act of abstinence from certain or all foods, liquids, or both. As a Christian, this word and practice is familiar to me though I do not practice it very well. If you know me, you know I love food (junk food especially). This makes fasting extremely difficult, even […]
The post Have You Been Fasting? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
“Yes I can do that. Of course I can provide what you need.” It happens all too often. Did you even think about what you said? Did you realize what you were doing? How could you? How could you lie right to your customer’s face? If you were to take a poll and ask the question […]
The post Lies first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
“Yes I can do that. Of course I can provide what you need.” It happens all too often. Did you even think about what you said? Did you realize what you were doing? How could you?
How could you lie right to your customer’s face?
If you were to take a poll and ask the question “What professions contain the most liars”, salespeople would have to be near the top. It is absolutely pathetic to hear of all the unmet expectations, unresolved issues, and unfulfilled promises. It is second nature to say things we don’t mean or don’t know just to get the deal. You make your deal, collect your money, and move along. But what is left is a scarred customer, gun-shy from future salesperson interactions. I wanted to provide some tips to avoid lying to your customers. I hope you find them helpful.
- Know your capabilities. You need to know what you are (and are not) capable of. If you work for a company, dig deep into the company and learn…quickly if possible. If you own your own business, dig deep into yourself and be honest with what you can and can’t do.
- Know what you are best at. Even if you are able to do certain things, you may not do them very well and they may be better left for someone that excels in that area. It’s ok to not be good at everything. When your not, see #5.
- Think before you speak. Understand that what you agree to has ramifications far beyond that transaction. A unfilled promise can hurt your future chances of selling to that company or worse, may do damage to your customer’s business. Allow for a moment of silence to think about what you are going to answer when asked a question.
- Love your customers. You should love your customers enough to do for them what you expect in your own purchase transactions. Better yet, exceed that. You should be willing to NEVER hurt your customers. If that sounds weird or awkward to you, you may just be in the wrong business.
- Find a few solid partners. You need strategic partners that can compliment your weaknesses. As a business owner, this is all but a must. As a salesperson, know people in complimenting businesses that can provide value to your customers even when you can’t (or in addition to your value). I personally have at quite a few that I trust a whole bunch.
- Be willing to say no…to your company. If you are asked as a salesperson to sell something you don’t think your customers will benefit from, don’t sell it. If that means you need to go find another job, do it. The worst excuses I hear come from sales people that blame their employers. If you are good at what you do, your employer may just consider what you’ve said. And if not, you’re good enough to find a new employer to offer success to.
Bottom line is: don’t be a liar. There are enough of those out there and you don’t need to add to the number. If you do the right thing every time you get the opportunity, you will ultimately be successful in your business.
The post Lies first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Last week I read a blog post regarding wantrepreneurs. In case you don’t know, wantrepreneurs are people who want to be entrepreneurs but never really go anywhere with it, or don’t succeed at it. We live in a business economy that has produced MANY successful entrepreneurs, which means it has produced even more wantrepreneurs. It is kind of sad to see people trying to mimic success without a clue as to how to achieve it. The blog went on to share 5 things to avoid remaining a wantrepreneur. I felt those were appropriate for any business today, even many of my friends and colleagues so I wanted to share their points along with my thoughts.
- Quit sitting on ideas. As small business owners, or even outside sales people that work independently, the “failure to launch” mantra is all too present. I hear people all the time tell me that they have been meaning to call a prospect, or get their marketing off the ground, or are going to clean up their inbox, but never do. Quit sitting on an idea, or a future task, and JUST DO IT!
- Quit worrying about money. All the worrying in the world will not produce more money, or change any situation for that matter, so just quit it! I started my business with $500.00 in the bank and though I am no multi-millionaire, I have done pretty well while others in my similar position are draining large amounts of savings and retirement to stay afloat. Find creative ways to do business, do things you’d typically hire out until you can get ahead and then hire out, use every free and inexpensive way to market yourself, and most importantly, get off your butt and SELL. More sales = more money. Simple right?
- Quit procrastinating. Seriously, like right now, quit putting off the things you need to do today. Do you have calls to make? MAKE THEM! Is your inbox bigger than your bank account? CLEAN IT UP! Putting things off just means another day with stress and without success. If you’re like the rest of the population, you spend way too much time on social media and not enough time being productive. That time alone could change your life! And because of #2, you can’t afford to put things off. Find an accountability partner to make sure you are on top off the important things in your business.
- Quit fearing failure. Failure is bound to happen. In my business of sales, the failure rate is somewhere in the 90%+ range. I’ve had to get over it, learn from it, and move on. You should too! And if you need a little motivation about what to do when you face failure, watch this video (Barbara Corcoran TEDx). It is one of the best messages on failure I have EVER heard, and I watch it at least once a week to put things in perspective (I’m gonna watch it right now). Ok, I’m back and inspired all over again. Destroy that junk and succeed!
- Quit setting ridiculous goals. Money is a terrible goal. So is market domination. Though money may come, it should never be a driving factor. Set goals that inspire a customer-centric culture. These include value for your customers and benefits to THEIR businesses. When your customers believe that you care, they will begin to ask for your products and services instead of you asking for their business. This will also make them more likely to refer business to you, which can grow your business exponentially without any additional financial investment (see #2).
Quit wanting to succeed and just do it. If you need help in any one of these areas, find someone who is able and ask.
The post Quit Wanting and Just Do It first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Last week I read a blog post regarding wantrepreneurs. In case you don’t know, wantrepreneurs are people who want to be entrepreneurs but never really go anywhere with it, or don’t succeed at it. We live in a business economy that has produced MANY successful entrepreneurs, which means it has produced even more wantrepreneurs. It is kind of […]
The post Quit Wanting and Just Do It first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It’s about time you start thinking about the time you are spending every day. Too often, we don’t think about time because we don’t visually see it going away. I mean, at the end of the day we realize that the day has gone. Or when we hit 30 years old, we wonder where the […]
The post It’s About Time first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It’s about time you start thinking about the time you are spending every day. Too often, we don’t think about time because we don’t visually see it going away. I mean, at the end of the day we realize that the day has gone. Or when we hit 30 years old, we wonder where the years of our youth went. But in the present, we don’t see time passing us by so we aren’t as urgent with it as we should be.
Imagine if time was money, literally. Each morning, you woke up with one thousand four hundred and forty (1,440) dollar bills in your pocket (there are that many minutes in a day). Then each minute that went by you set fire to a bill. Could you imagine the anxiety and hesitation in doing that? This would become especially evident when you got to the halfway point of your stack and could actually see it dwindling. What would you do to protect that stack? What are you doing to protect your time?
In July of 2013, I read one of the most helpful blog posts of my life. It may seem simple, but it profoundly changed the way that I handle each day. There are definitely some days that are better than others but the mere fact that I have a structure to follow has made me more productive than ever before. And before I share the link to the post with you (don’t scroll yet), I wanted to offer some thoughts in regards to time management that I think are important for us all to remember, whether for personal or business use.
- Failure is inevitable. There will be days that we just cannot get everything done. It’s at those times that we realize that we are fallible (surprise surprise) and that we can continue to grow in planning our time appropriately.
- You’re not the savior. I find myself trying to do a TON of stuff because I feel like I need to. The truth is, nobody’s life depends on me solely (that’s what God is for). I may play a key role in specific areas of a person’s business or personal life, but if I say “no” to a request, it will most likely get completed by someone else.
- Quit being lazy. Don’t take the above statement as a license to be lazy. If you took that as a way to just have other people do your work, you have other problems much more serious than time management. Get after every task with all you have to offer. Build enough into your day to keep you on your toes. If you put the right amount of focus on your efforts, they will get done more efficiently.
- Play nice with others. Find other people to do some of your tasks. Again, this isn’t a way to get you out of doing work. This is a way to get your work done more efficiently, and hopefully you will be more productive as well. Michael Hyatt, a well respected author and speaker, recently posted in a blog that you are should outsource the things you don’t like. I agree with him and would add: outsource the things you aren’t good at. It’s ok to admit either one.
If you can take the above points seriously, than the link below will help you at least as much as it has helped me. You may have to tweak some of it based upon your own preferences or needs, but I believe that overall it will help any person willing to give it a shot.
Instead of letting those (figurative) dollars bills burn, spend them in such a way that you get great return on your investment. It’s about time you check that next task off your list anyway!
“How to Start Your Day Well” by Nick Bogardus
Enjoy!
The post It’s About Time first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This is the first blog in a thirteen part series based on “Every Good Endeavor” by Tim Keller.
Intro
For the last few weeks, I have been reading a book by Tim Keller called “Every Good Endeavor.” Tim Keller the lead pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York. He has a doctorate, he has successfully published many books, and was a professor. And through all of that, he has gained a whole heck of a lot of knowledge and wisdom in the area of work.
I am going to be blogging on each chapter’s main point, while inserting my own thoughts and practical applications along the way. I guarantee you will find benefit through this and if you aren’t 100% satisfied, I’ll give you your money back :)!
Recovering Vocation
In a day and age when everything is all about me (or you if you’re reading this), the thought of others-focused work is a bit foreign. I mean don’t get me wrong, most every job out there serves someone else. If you make a product, someone else consumes it. If you provide a service, someone else needs (or wants) it. But for the super-majority of the population, if you did not benefit from your job, whether it be pay or recognition, you would not do the job. This is a distorted way of serving our customers and one that must be rethought. Robert Bellah, in his book Habits of the Heart says:
“To make a real difference…[there would have to be] a reappropriation of the idea of vocation or calling, a return in a new way to the idea of work as a contribution to the good of all and not merely as a means to one’s own advancement.”
How do you view your business or your job? How would you view that same job if nobody knew it was you doing it or worse yet, if you didn’t get paid? Additionally, if we view our vocation as nothing more than a means to an end, it will end up destroying us as we continually seek more fulfillment. This destruction is realized through stress, anxiety, and an awful work/life balance.
Faithful Work
I believe that we have been called by God to the very job we do (this is also one of Tim Keller’s main threads throughout the book). That can be a Fortune 500 CEO, a delivery driver, or a line cook at the local breakfast joint. By seeing our job as a calling from God, we can “elevate the purpose of work from making a living to loving our neighbor and at the same time removes us from the crushing burden of working primarily to prove ourselves.”
I find it so sad to see so many people trying to “prove” themselves to themselves. Yes, I said that right. Many people I work with, especially entrepreneurs, have a hard time seeing the value they have to offer and so they just beat themselves up trying to validate what they do. The sad thing is that they have already validated themselves but are too blind to see it.
“Everyone imagines accomplishing things, and everyone finds him – or herself largely incapable of producing them.” Tim Keller
Have you found yourself trying to prove yourself to yourself? If you are working hard, and doing everything you can to accomplish the goals you have set for yourself, then that’s all you can do. One of my favorite quotes is from C.S. Lewis and he says:
“It is not your business to succeed but to do what is right; when you have done so, the rest lies with God.”
With all my heart I am convinced that every good result is in the hands of God (James 1:17). This allows me to rest in the fact that I don’t have to live with a measuring stick. I can live in comfort knowing that my best is ALWAYS good enough. And if that wasn’t awesome enough, because I believe in God, and he called me to this work, I know that the fruits of my labor will be enjoyed for all of eternity as part of God’s master plan!
I will finish this introduction with Tim Keller’s last paragraph in his introduction.
“In order to work this way, you need to know the Bible’s answers to three questions: Why do you want to work? (That is, why do we need to work in order to lead a fulfilled life?) Why is it so hard to work? (That is, why is it often fruitless, pointless, and difficult?) How can we overcome the difficulties and find satisfaction in our work through the gospel?”
Until my next post on this topic, get out there and work your heart out!
The post Introduction – Every Good Endeavor first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This is the first blog in a thirteen part series based on “Every Good Endeavor” by Tim Keller. Intro For the last few weeks, I have been reading a book by Tim Keller called “Every Good Endeavor.” Tim Keller the lead pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York. He has a doctorate, he has […]
The post Introduction – Every Good Endeavor first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Late last year I wrote a blog titled “What Should You Be Asking a Coach” (found here). In it, I addressed five keys areas you should consider when hiring a coach (or consultant). Four months later I am noticing that not only are people not asking those questions when hiring a coach or consultant, but […]
The post Business Pro or Average Joe first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Late last year I wrote a blog titled “What Should You Be Asking a Coach” (found here). In it, I addressed five keys areas you should consider when hiring a coach (or consultant). Four months later I am noticing that not only are people not asking those questions when hiring a coach or consultant, but they are actually hiring people who aren’t really qualified in the first place. Don’t be misled into thinking that a certification or even real world experience in your profession instantly qualifies them as a business pro. Why? Because an overweight personal trainer just may be an average Joe with a certificate, an out of work therapist just may be an average Joe with a degree, and an unsuccessful coach or consultant may just be an average Joe with a great sales pitch.
So how can you be confident that the person you hire is qualified? Here are a few practical questions which can be asked to decide whether you are dealing with a “Business Pro or Average Joe.”
- What goals have you set for your own business? Can you share with me one reason why you aren’t achieving the goals you set for yourself?
Most everyone has a goal they haven’t achieved. If someone isn’t willing to be honest and share their own struggles, I would discourage you from hiring hem.
- If you had to choose one type of client to work with, who would it be and why?
It is so important that the person you are hiring know exactly who they want to hire because if they don’t, they may be taking you on as a client for their own gain and not for your best interest.
- Do you consider yourself an organized business professional? What systems do you have in place to ensure you are?
There is an old saying that “the cobbler doesn’t have any shoes”. This implies that the person providing the service doesn’t have time to do it for themselves. While this carries over into some professions, it should NEVER carry over into a coach or consultant. If the person claiming to help you put your business together doesn’t have their own together, I think it would be very unwise to hire them and unprofessional for them to offer services to you. Find out if they manage their time well, their sales and marketing efforts well, and their business finances well.
- How do you define success?
You want what you value to line up with you what your coach or consultant values as best as possible. Things most likely will not be identical, but being close definitely helps build a successful relationship.
- Can you share with me one business failure you have experienced and what happened to you/your business as a result?
While hearing that someone “learned from their mistakes” is good, that is pretty much a coined answer. Dig a bit deeper to see how they handle failure, which will in turn allow you to see how they will help you through your own.
The end goal for you is to find out whether the person you are about to invest time and money into will really get it done for you. We can all make ourselves sound better by putting spins on our stories. Don’t be sold. Be engaged. Be courted.
How do I handle those questions when asked? Let’s set up a consultation and I’d be happy to share with you!
The post Business Pro or Average Joe first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This is the second blog in a thirteen part series based on “Every Good Endeavor” by Tim Keller. Intro For the last few weeks, I have been reading a book by Tim Keller called “Every Good Endeavor.” Tim Keller the lead pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York. He has a doctorate, he has […]
The post Every Good Endeavor Part 2 first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This is the second blog in a thirteen part series based on “Every Good Endeavor” by Tim Keller.
Intro
For the last few weeks, I have been reading a book by Tim Keller called “Every Good Endeavor.” Tim Keller the lead pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York. He has a doctorate, he has successfully published many books, and was a professor. And through all of that, he has gained a whole heck of a lot of knowledge and wisdom in the area of work.
I am going to be blogging on each chapter’s main point, while inserting my own thoughts and practical applications along the way. I guarantee you will find benefit through this and if you aren’t 100% satisfied, I’ll give you your money back :)!
The Design of Work
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation…The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. Genesis 2:1-3, 15
When God created the world, he was hard at work. And by hard, I mean he went to task in creating the whole world and everything in it in just six days (most of us have a hard time following up on an email in that same span). One of the most important things to note, and one that many people do, is that work began as a huge blessing, in a place of paradise (Gen 2:15).
Most cultures, including ours here in the United States, typically view work as a curse. Yet in the beginning, there was no struggle to put man to work. Man did not kick and scream to go to work. It was a great thing God had done and man felt blessed to do it. Work wasn’t a “necessary evil” and it wasn’t even something only reserved for man himself (us). God worked because it brought him joy, and that’s why we should work as well.
The Forms of God’s Work
Keller begins to show his readers that God delights in his work, and he doesn’t do so just to create but also to care. God formed man, planted and watered a garden, and gave him an amazing wife. Throughout the Bible, God continues caring and providing for the world.
My favorite part of this section has Keller explaining that God commissions workers to carry on his work. He uses Genesis 1:28 to back that up as God told Adam to “fill the earth and subdue it.” The world we live in has a whole lot of untapped potential as God made it that way so we could produce. The great reformer Martin Luther says that “God feeds every living thing, meaning he is feeding us through the labor of farmers and others.”
The Goodness of Our Work
It is perfectly clear that God’s good plan always included human beings working, or, more specifically, living in the constant cycle of work and rest. Unknown scholar
This quote allows us to see that work is good and intended by God to be that way. It is not the result of the fall of man as many believe. “Work is as much a basic human need as food, beauty, rest, friendship, prayer, and sexuality; it is not simply medicine but food for our soul.” (pg 35) I believe this to be so true. Producing good work makes us all feel good and unless you are just awful and lazy, not producing some sort of work is a very discouraging thing to go through.
Work is also important because it helps us to understand who we are and in some sense, why we were put on this earth. Now don’t get me wrong, I do not believe who we are is determined by our job, our success, or our production, but I do think that knowing and utilizing our God given abilities helps to shape our identity. Dorothy Sayers says “It (the Christian understanding of work) is not, primarily, a thing one does to live, but the thing one lives to do. It is, or it should be, the full expression of a worker’s faculties…the medium in which he offers himself to God.” (pg 37) What does this mean? Go work with all of your heart. Give it everything you have an enjoy the fruit of it, whether that is personal success or blessing to another, or better yet, both!
The Limits of All Work
Though I just shared that work is good and can help shape our identity, it shouldn’t be all of who we are. There must be limits to what we are doing. Tim Keller says “you will not have a meaningful life without work, but you cannot say that your work is the meaning of your life.” (pg 40) In society today we see many people who make their work their life. They use excuses like “this is just a season so I can get ahead” or “I can do this now because I am single” or “there is nothing else that matters in my life.” All of those things are nothing more than the creation of idols in our own hearts. Work isn’t who we are, it’s just a small part.
We must enjoy the fruits of our labor. When I was younger, I used to live by the quote “work hard to play hard.” I think it is still a pretty good quote but I would modify it to say “work hard to bless hard.” By this, I mean that I want to work as hard as I possibly can in the allotted time I am given to work, but only if it is so I can bless my family and others around me which ultimately blesses me :).
Remember, work because it is a gift from God and it is meaningful to God and his people. Rest so you can recharge and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Until my next post on this topic, get out there and work your heart out!
The post Every Good Endeavor Part 2 first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
We all know that the greater the employee’s title in a business, the greater the perceived power. But the keyword is “perceived”. And while every employee in an organization must follow the proper chain of command and respect those in higher authority, there is a time when aspiring leaders need to begin blazing a trail […]
The post A Title Doesn’t Make A Leader first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
We all know that the greater the employee’s title in a business, the greater the perceived power. But the keyword is “perceived”.
And while every employee in an organization must follow the proper chain of command and respect those in higher authority, there is a time when aspiring leaders need to begin blazing a trail for themselves.
But where do you begin? How do you ask for more leadership responsibilities? How do you prepare yourself for those new found responsibilities? RJM Professional offers a business coaching program in which we will answer those questions for each individual personally. We teach you how to:
- Identify your vision
- Follow your vision and bring others with you
- Create a foundation of trust
- Grow the loyalty of your followers
- Make continual investments in the effectiveness of your leadership
- Use self-discipline to improve who you are and what you produce
Our programs can be customized to specific professions, positions, and individuals. We also offer group training sessions to effectively build your team’s strengths.
You see, a leader can be found in the mail room as easily as they are found in the corner office. Every aspiring leader needs to be encouraged and developed. By doing so, the organization can rise to the elite status it so desires.
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Over the course of my day/week/month, I have experiences with men and women from businesses of all shapes and sizes. They may be clients, colleagues, prospects, or strangers. More often than not, there is a good takeaway from every one of these experiences. Sometimes, it is something I can do to improve myself and other times it is applicable to the other party. I have decided to share some of the stories of client experiences I have. Some may be from passing conversations while others may be from coaching or consulting sessions. I will be changing names for privacy purposes but I hope that sharing these experiences will bless others the way they are blessing me and my clients.
Client A
Client A is a solopreneur who delivers outstanding services and products to his clients. My experience started off at a networking event where during his business overview presentation, I immediately noticed a lack of confidence. Knowing him better now, I realize some of it was humility (a dying but necessary trait) but there was also a hesitancy to stand and declare his phenomenal deliverables.
As time has gone on and our relationship moved from stranger to client, I have further discovered his amazing work and lack of confidence in it. He doesn’t think he “measures up” to others out there. And I agree, he doesn’t “measure up” because he blows most of his competitors away! I have seen hundreds of businesses just like his in the local market and most have no clue how to do what he does.
This lack of self confidence is holding him back from being one of the best in his business. I am thankful he hired me because I see what he does not. I am able to point it out and use it to encourage him and market to his clients in a whole new way. By demonstrating greatness (not cockiness) his prospects and clients will see more value in his work.
This will:
- Create a more deliberate buying process (more value=more urgency)
- Generate more “yes” decisions (more value=more solved problems)
- Attract higher paying clients (more value=more attraction)
- Get his current clients to pay more (more value=more money)
- Increase his self confidence (more self confidence=more self confidence)
Does this resonate with you? Are you lacking confidence in your own ability? Whether you have reason or not to lack confidence in what you do, by correcting this you will begin to see your business grow in great ways.
My encouragement to you is to not put off until tomorrow what YOU CAN start today.
The post Do You See What I See – Client A first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Over the course of my day/week/month, I have experiences with men and women from businesses of all shapes and sizes. They may be clients, colleagues, prospects, or strangers. More often than not, there is a good takeaway from every one of these experiences. Sometimes, it is something I can do to improve myself and other […]
The post Do You See What I See – Client A first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
There is so much power in proper planning and strategic thinking. Too often I speak with sales people who do not have a plan, and many times it’s because the company they represent do not have a plan themselves. When we try and simplify a complex process like selling, we set ourselves up for failure. […]
The post 10 Tools for Sales Success first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
There is so much power in proper planning and strategic thinking. Too often I speak with sales people who do not have a plan, and many times it’s because the company they represent do not have a plan themselves. When we try and simplify a complex process like selling, we set ourselves up for failure.
So what will it take to be a successful sales person? If I could sum that up in a single word, I would be a genius. But I do have 10 tools that I believe are necessary to make any sales person successful. Take a look below and see how each of these fits into your business. They can be customized to fit your needs, but each should be used.
- A Documented Sales Process
- Some companies work within a sales process that is so outdated it’s better not using it at all. Other companies never had a process to begin with. A successful sales process must articulate your vision, your internal sales process, and must be understood and diligently followed by every member of your sales team.
- Ideal Client Identification
- By identifying ideal clients and target markets, you can develop customized sales strategies for each. This will help you to spend your time, effort, and energy on prospects with which you have the best opportunity to close.
- Unique Value Proposition
- You must (yes, MUST) have a clearly defined unique value proposition which communicates to each of your prospects and clients who you are, what you do, and how you help to financially improve companies like theirs, supported by credible statements.
- Elevator Pitch
- An elevator pitch is a simple but effective way to communicate to a stranger who you are and what you do. The key is not to feature dump for 30 seconds. This is why it can be helpful to have multiple elevator pitches and you use them based upon the audience you are speaking to. Keep it simple and relevant.
- Objection Deflection Skills
- Sales is a profession of rejection. How you handle that rejection will determine how you succeed. You need to know why they said no and how you can give an appropriate response which will continue that conversation.
- Competitive Information
- How can you create a winning plan without knowing who you are playing? Knowing as much as you can about every competitor, bot pros and cons, will help you to develop a plan which completely eliminates your competition from the marketplace.
- Needs Analysis Questions
- Every client is making sacrifices or experiencing pain. By asking the right questions, you can begin to understand their pain, the root of that pain, and how you can provide a solution to make the pain go away.
- A CRM (Customer Relationship Management)
- A CRM is a necessity in effectively managing your prospect pipeline and existing client engagement. You must be willing to invest in the system, train each employee on it, and insure it is used daily. I personally recommend Zoho or Salesforce.
- Pre-planning for Meetings
- In order to provide the best experience for our prospects and clients (us too), we must create a plan ahead of time for each of our meetings. This includes establishing goals, a clear next step, and assignment of roles during the meeting. I would also suggest you send your prospects and clients some sort of agenda ahead of time if the meeting involves multiple layers or an in-depth presentation.
- Steps to the Close
- From the onset of the sales process, you should map out a clearly defined set of steps necessary to close the sale. Too often, deals get stuck somewhere in the middle and it is us that kills our own deals. Don’t let a single deal get away.
If you are missing any one or all of these steps (or at least the documentation of each), let’s talk. I would be more than happy to provide a plan and include the necessary steps to get each of your sales people succeeding.
The post 10 Tools for Sales Success first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This question was posed earlier today by a sales professional I follow and it triggered a series of thoughts throughout the day for me. Below I share his question and my response. His question on FB “You don’t have to answer this publicly for obvious reasons but do you believe in yourself? Did you always […]
The post Do I Believe? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
This question was posed earlier today by a sales professional I follow and it triggered a series of thoughts throughout the day for me. Below I share his question and my response.
His question on FB
“You don’t have to answer this publicly for obvious reasons but do you believe in yourself? Did you always or did someone see a light in you, that you, yourself, failed to see? Perhaps someone else is in need of that encouragement. Someone you know, someone you come in contact with. Keep your eyes and ears open and give someone that gift today. Someone took the time to show me my light many years ago and it changed my life for the better.”
My response to his post
I used to think I believed in myself until one day, after much success, I realized that I believed in what I was accomplishing and not in me as a person. Through much personal trial, I found Jesus Christ and that gave me a new perspective on my whole life. Personally, it saved my marriage and family. Professionally, it gave me a whole new perspective to success, desire, and drive. I serve people and seek to bring them success through the same lens I now see. It’s not always about the numbers (though extremely important) but more about how you achieve it.
So what about you? Do you believe in yourself? Who/what has been of influence to help you believe? How does this perception of yourself dictate the success you experience in business?
I would really like to hear from you so please respond in the comments below.
Oh, and don’t be ashamed. What stood out most to me was his mention of “not sharing for obvious reasons.” You, I, we need to share our experiences and our struggles and our successes because every one of them is a blessing to someone else!
The post Do I Believe? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I recently read this wonderful piece written on generating revenue, especially in tough times. This writer’s audience in this piece are subcontractors but this goes for each and every business. RJM Professional can help you achieve these goals with practical tools and effective process.
If you are a contractor you know that leads are the backbone of your business. Every construction project and work opportunity starts out as a lead, and if you want your business to grow you need to know how to do two things: First, you have to constantly look for new leads. And secondly, you need to make sure you do everything you can to earn those awards.
One of the most important practices in business management is tracking and measuring every aspect of your operation. In this case you have to keep track of your lead source services (maybe yourself: RJM note) , their cost (your time investment: RJM note), and the number of awarded contract value. Comparing and tracking these figures will help you see where your money is better spent.
However, finding the project leads and bidding those projects is only the beginning of the process. In order to get awarded work you absolutely have to be disciplined and persistent with your follow-up method. This does not mean a single call and a fax here and there; it means hard, time-consuming work. Builders will overlook you if you do not make a lasting impression on them, causing you to lose thousands of dollars in potential earnings. The importance of a good follow-up routine is pivotal for any contractor. Always remember: If you give the builder a chance to forget about you, they will.
Unfortunately, the reality is that most subcontracting businesses do not have a person or department exclusively dedicated to sales (nor do most small businesses in general: RJM note). This can be a big mistake. Although you may think you are saving in payroll cost, what you don’t realize is that the potential earnings far outweigh the cost of a modest wage for a part-time sales representative.
It is understandable that additional spending of this magnitude can be risky for smaller subcontractors, but there are ways to go around this. The construction industry is changing, becoming more and more competitive every day. If you want your business to survive and succeed you will have to start investing in sales!
My conclusion: I actually don’t believe a sales person, or team, is necessary for sales success in a business. It can be of great help, but if it isn’t in your business budget then look for other alternatives. Hire a consultant (like me) to build you a great sales process, and then go out there and use it yourself to grow sales revenue. If you plan to succeed, you will!
The post Need Revenue? Add Sales! first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I recently read this wonderful piece written on generating revenue, especially in tough times. This writer’s audience in this piece are subcontractors but this goes for each and every business. RJM Professional can help you achieve these goals with practical tools and effective process. If you are a contractor you know that leads are […]
The post Need Revenue? Add Sales! first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I was speaking with a colleague a few days back and we were talking about this other company that has had a really successful niche. He mentioned to me that said company is beginning to diversify and I immediately cringed. I am sure you are asking yourself why. Well, let me share a few things with you.
Diversification attempts usually (not always) happen as a result of one of two possibilities.
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The company has found great success and is expanding the number of offerings to it’s clients.
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The company has not found success and is trying something new to reach clients.
So what’s wrong with either of those options? Let’s analyze them.
Option one presents plenty of pitfalls if not very carefully calculated. Do they have the same expertise in the new offerings or are they relying on past success to carry their unpreparedness? Are these new offerings going to take away from their ability to provide the best client experience in the offering(s) that got them to that level of success in the first place? Do they really need that next level of success of should they reside in what is current and doing very well? There are many more but these are some of my thoughts regarding the company that is currently successful. And in relation to the company above, this is them and that would be my fear. They are much more successful than I so I assume they have it figured out, but I am not sure.
“Oh ya, I can help you with that TOO.” Option two is much more prevalent in today’s business climate. A company, or person, is not finding a whole lot of success in their niche so they start grabbing for whatever is within reach. You know you’ve heard it from people around you. Something to the effect of “Oh ya, I can help you with that TOO.” You see, it’s not just about you doing work that you shouldn’t be doing (yes, I said shouldn’t), but also that you are muddying the waters for people that actually offer that product and/or service.
Ok, so it’s not all bad. There are many, many businesses that have been successful in diversification. And there are plenty of new businesses trying to find their way so as they do, their “niche” will switch. But if this is resonating with you as something you do, it’s time to reevaluate who you are, what you do, and what is best moving forward.
My advice would be as follows:
Think hard about what you love most in business.
Think hard about where your giftings are and how they benefit potential clients.
Think hard about whether you are scrambling to diversify out of benefit to others or lack of strategy/effort/success in your own business.
Above all, stick to what you do best and leave the rest to the experts!
The post Stick To It first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I was speaking with a colleague a few days back and we were talking about this other company that has had a really successful niche. He mentioned to me that said company is beginning to diversify and I immediately cringed. I am sure you are asking yourself why. Well, let me share a few things […]
The post Stick To It first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It’s really a pretty simple statement. If you do not have a sales strategy for your business, you will experience great tragedy in your business. Yup, tragedy. This tragedy may include ineffective marketing, horrible prospecting, pitiful conversion rates, sub-par profit margins, and non-existent repeat business. Any combination of these negatives will produce red numbers on […]
The post Strategy or Tragedy first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It’s really a pretty simple statement. If you do not have a sales strategy for your business, you will experience great tragedy in your business.
Yup, tragedy. This tragedy may include ineffective marketing, horrible prospecting, pitiful conversion rates, sub-par profit margins, and non-existent repeat business. Any combination of these negatives will produce red numbers on a P&L and ultimately, closed doors. Regardless of who is reading this, if you are reading this you do not want to close your doors. You are in business because you love your business (or need to love it to provide for yourself and your family). Let me tell you this, you don’t have to accept tragedy! So what must you do to dodge it?
Come up with a strategy!
It’s not an easy task to come up with a strategy and to many people, they don’t really know where to start. Here are five tips to get started:
- Don’t expect to figure it all out in one sitting (or five for that matter).
- Begin by identifying the who, what, when, why, and how of your business. List them all (I love whiteboards for this and would love to come write on yours!).
- Take it one step at a time. Prioritize the necessities and work on a singular step until you are forced to move on because you’ve run out of ideas or because you have to integrate the next step.
- Take into account each employee/partner/vendor that may take place in the strategy but don’t create your process based on them (things change and you want to be flexible).
- When you get stuck, ask someone to help you figure it all out. There is nothing better than working with a partner when dealing with tons of information. It’s unrealistic to have one person that can do it all.
It is so much work and can be so overwhelming to run or manage a business. There are so many things going on. There is so much being expected of you. And at the end of the day, you just want to succeed.
Please prevent the tragedy of tomorrow by creating a strategy today!
If you would like help with what I mentioned above, give me a call or shoot me an email. Let’s talk about building the right strategy for your business.
The post Strategy or Tragedy first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Every time I speak with someone else about what I do, or help their business by doing what I do, I grow in love for what I do. I love doing what I do and I really do hope I am blessed to continue in my business and grow it’s reach to many more businesses. But how many people feel the same way? I mean really? How many people, when asked about their job could answer honestly and say that they love what they do? It is rare.
And the great thing is that my love for my business isn’t dependent on personal success (though it helps!). Many sales trainers, sales coaches, etc, etc, etc enjoy their job because they love telling others what to do. It is a shame because it is basically an ego outlet. I have sat in on many a training sessions and made to feel that I was less than the person delivering the message. Individual personality definitely plays a role in this but in general, it’s just the way people who teach act.
So what makes me different?
- I use wisdom and expertise I have gained to hone the skills my clients already posses but may not be displaying. Reinventing the wheel is not always an effective way to coach others. The best coaches in the world (sports, music, business) assess the skills of their people, evaluate the potential for them, take into account the drive and determination they posses, and then formulate an execution plan. Now this doesn’t mean that I don’t teach new things (Tiger Woods has a coach to hone his game, not create it). This just means that my goals aren’t about me, they are about my clients.
- I seek first the success of others. I do not build a front-loaded plan or require a long term contract to protect my interests. I also do not put all the responsibility and accountability on my clients to perform. I have a ton of responsibility and accountability to my clients. They invest their own time and hard-earned money to grow. If I don’t perform, they are out way more than I am. I can’t have that so I always try to work harder on their business than they do :).
- Honesty and integrity sit at the top of my content and delivery.My word and my reputation are of the utmost importance, but maybe not because of the reasons you think. Pastor Tim Keller explains it best in this quote: “When Christians work in the world, they will either assimilate into their culture and support the status quo or they will be agents of change. This is especially true in the area of work. Every culture works on the basis of a “map” of what is considered most important. If God and his grace are not at the center of a culture, then other things will be substituted as ultimate values. So every vocational field is distorted by idolatry.” My KPI is God. Not that I perform for God, but that every practice of my professions flows from God and what He has called me to. I want to be an agent of change in my profession!
I love my “job”. I love the opportunities it creates every day. And I love the fact that along the way, I have helped many people love theirs too!
How about you? Do you love what you do? If you don’t, how can you make that perspective change?
The post Because I Love To first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Every time I speak with someone else about what I do, or help their business by doing what I do, I grow in love for what I do. I love doing what I do and I really do hope I am blessed to continue in my business and grow it’s reach to many more businesses. But […]
The post Because I Love To first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
When most people think of sales coaching, they picture a star performer or experienced sales person as the coach telling a noobie what and what not to do. While there is probably a lot of knowledge and many best practices in that pro, there are many more things to watch out for. Sales people must […]
The post What Should You Be Asking A Coach? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
When most people think of sales coaching, they picture a star performer or experienced sales person as the coach telling a noobie what and what not to do. While there is probably a lot of knowledge and many best practices in that pro, there are many more things to watch out for.
Sales people must choose their coach carefully because they have A LOT to lose if they chose the wrong one. Below are five areas to focus on when choosing a coach as well as some things to watch out for.
1. What do they ask?
Because many sales coaches are past “pros” they think they have a lot of information to provide. And while that may indeed be true, if all they want to do is talk about what they have done and what they will do for you, without digging deep into who you are and what you need, that person is probably not a good fit for you.
When they start asking questions, listen for the type of questions they ask. Are they simple questions that can be answered with one word (so they can check things off a list), or do they offer depth so you offer up the true “you”. When you finish a first consultation, you should feel like you really gave them a large piece of who you are and who you want to become.
2. Are they encouraging?
I was just sharing with someone last night, half jokingly, that I can take just about anything thrown at me in terms of rejection because I have spent the last 15 years in the sales arena. The word “no” is commonplace and I have developed an armor to repel it. But after you hear it enough, and some less than others, you may start to question your ability and your place in the profession. Further, you start to question yourself and your esteem is destroyed.
Meeting with a sales coach should provide tons of encouragement, but with great truth. You don’t want to hear someone tell you great job when you sat at your desk all day without making any calls. But at the same time you want to hear someone encourage you when times are tough, and as I said above, they will come frequently in the sales profession.
3. Do they speak at you or work with you?
When we have more knowledge or experience we immediately want to tell others what we did and why they should do it too. But this shouldn’t be a sales coach’s primary form of communication. An awesome sales coach should work with you, brainstorming all scenarios to come up with an approach that is both effective and fitting for you.
I have had many occasions where my client came up with a better solution than I had in a situation. Because I guide them to a different way of thinking, they feel the freedom to offer suggestions and solutions too. Remember, coaching isn’t a one-way process.
4. Do they have an executable plan?
Coaching isn’t theory, it’s down in the trenches strategy and execution. A good coach should have a plan to take you to where you want to go, and should show you the path ahead of time. This doesn’t mean everything is figured out ahead of time, because coaching is very dynamic. But you should have small and large milestones to gauge progress.
This also means that coaching doesn’t stop when the session is over. They should offer you one or more action steps to take between meetings so you are constantly being measured and held accountable to the plan.
5. Are you the only one held accountable?
This is probably my biggest peeve as a coach. Most coaches lay out long term contracts and ask for most (or all) of the money up front. There is definitely some wisdom here. When a client has to “buy-in” with something of value, they are more apt to give it their all. But, the flip side and why I heed this approach is it can easily create a lazy coach.
The coach must be regularly accountable to what they say and do, and to you specifically. You have invested your time and your money into them and they should be required to perform. Ask for regular reviews of progress and feel free to question their advice and action steps. Remember, this is a collaboration and not a one-way classroom.
So please be careful and choose wisely. A sales coach can be the best thing that has ever happened to your sales career, or it could be a huge step in the wrong direction.
The post What Should You Be Asking A Coach? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Growth really happens in two different ways. One way is based upon the progressing economy, loss of competition, and market expansion. The other is based upon personal investment (both time and money), proper planning, diligent execution, and desperation. The coming new year brings about an opportunity to refocus your efforts on growth (or maybe for […]
The post Accidental or Intentional first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Growth really happens in two different ways. One way is based upon the progressing economy, loss of competition, and market expansion. The other is based upon personal investment (both time and money), proper planning, diligent execution, and desperation.
The coming new year brings about an opportunity to refocus your efforts on growth (or maybe for the first time). Whether you are a business owner or an employee, you can choose to hope for accidental growth or you can be intentional and all but guarantee it. Let me share with you a few practical ways you can all but guarantee growth in 2014.
- Evaluate your personal performance.
- Did you give a minimum of 8 hours per day, every single day that you worked (yes even you home-based entrepreneurs)? You may give more, but you should never give less.
- Did you maximize your time by finding ways to do things more efficiently and effectively, or did you just work to get things done?
- Can you think of a time during the last year that you made the same mistake more than once? Mistakes are part of becoming successful, but should never be repeated due to willful ignorance.
- Evaluate your business’ performance.
- How did your business perform in relation to your plan for 2013?
- If you over-performed, are you able to repeat the same steps in order to grow in 2014 with at least the same increase?
- If you under-performed, was the problem(s) identified and are you able to not repeat it/them in 2014?
- How do your customers feel about you? Have you regularly asked for their feedback (a simple “Are you happy with our service” doesn’t cut it)?
- Which of your competitors were successful and did they achieve that success?
- Evaluate your approach.
- Do you hope to grow or plan to grow?
- If asked for your plan to grow, could you give a clear explanation of how (along with real data to back it up)?
- Do you need help from other people (and are they willing and able to support your vision and desire)?
Accidental growth often produces lazy, unintelligent business people. It is not something to brag about and will most always lead to failure. There isn’t a consistently successful business out there that has sustained success accidentally.
Intentional growth produces successful businesses and business people. It is something that can be built upon for many years to come. Every successful business out there became successful as a result of desperate intention. You’ve got to want it so bad that you will do whatever necessary (while maintaining the utmost integrity) to achieve it.
Look back and evaluate what has gotten you to where you are at, both good and bad. Put the necessary steps in place to make this next year the best ever. You’ll be grateful you did!
The post Accidental or Intentional first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In meeting with a prospective client the other day, something that stood out to me was the lack of focus. When starting a new business or leading sales people, it is easy for this to happen.
For the new business owner, you have so many great ideas. There are multiple target markets, multiple products and services to sell into them, and multiple needs within your business such as employees, equipment and the such. And though you can quantify good revenue opportunities or cost-savings in each area, you must harness them to one at a time.
The same goes for leading sales people. The directive comes down the ladder to implement these new products and/or services so you throw them all out there at once. But instead of giving yourself new revenue opportunities, you may have just created confusion or disinterest. Too much at once isn’t always a good thing.
So what do you do? Identify your goal(s). Once you have identified your goal(s), determine which ideas/procedures/directives will allow you to most efficiently and effectively accomplish your goals and attack them one at a time. This will give you (and everyone involved) the best chance at accomplishing your goal(s). And if multiple things need to be addressed to reach your goal(s), set a timeline in place so each piece is accomplished in the necessary order.
We live in a world of instant gratification but don’t always think about the repercussions of this chase.
Slow down, build a plan and focus. You will thank me in the long run!The post One Track Mind first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In meeting with a prospective client the other day, something that stood out to me was the lack of focus. When starting a new business or leading sales people, it is easy for this to happen. For the new business owner, you have so many great ideas. There are multiple target markets, multiple products and […]
The post One Track Mind first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Today’s blog post is unconventional in that I am just going to copy and paste some excerpts from an article titled “How Grace Motivates” by Dr Justin Holcomb. It has such amazing insight into how we as leaders can motivate and inspire success in our teams. The original article can be found here.
“Many leaders have it all wrong. Rather than trying to motivate the people they lead, they just need to stop demotivating them.” “This is crucial for leaders to learn, or else they will hurt people, discourage them, and lead less effective teams. The truth is that demands, threats, and promises of reward don’t motivate people to work harder or better—in fact, they demotivate people.”
“The shocking and life-giving truth that grace motivates is not just for the pulpit and counseling sessions. It has massive implications for leadership in all realms. Grace is practical.
In his TED Talk on “the surprising science of motivation,” business writer and speaker Daniel Pink shows how social science confirms this ironic reality. Research shows that traditional incentives, or “extrinsic motivators” (rewards and punishments, carrots and sticks) actually don’t work to motivate people. In fact, they decrease performance and results. What actually motivates people are “intrinsic motivators,” inward desires that drive our behavior. Pink singles out three primary intrinsic motivators that, if cultivated, lead to better performance and more personal satisfaction:
- Autonomy: The urge to direct our lives.
- Mastery: The desire to excel at something that matters.
- Purpose: The yearning for our actions to serve something greater than ourselves.
So in leadership and business, rewards and punishments demotivate people. People are instead motivated by freedom, the desire for excellence, and the desire for their actions to have meaning.
What this means is the carrot and the stick produce the opposite of what they intend—the more you try to incentivize people, the poorer their performance becomes. Once people’s basic financial needs are met, motivation is driven most by a desire to connect to something larger than themselves, rather than the desire to get more material rewards.
Those who lead by grace set the tone for entire teams and organizations. Grace expressed as love, acceptance, and understanding increases performance in the workplace. Peter Bregman explains:
An organization performs best when the people in the organization know they can trust and depend on each other. Then they break out of silos. They take accountability for their own mistakes instead of blaming each other. They surface problems before they become major obstacles. But if people spend their energy hiding their feelings, that energy will leak out in negative and insidious ways, sabotaging your efforts and theirs.
A 2010 Gallup study analyzed 32,000 businesses and found that happier, more engaged employees significantly increased productivity and profitability for their organizations:
After talking with thousands of workers, Gallup identified 12 issues that best predict employee performance, and none included pay raises or bonuses. For many decades, researchers have known that such incentives don’t provide lasting motivation, said Michael Cole, who teaches leadership at Texas Christian University’s Neeley School. “The good feeling wears off, and everything resets,” he said. So what lasts? Cole said three things energize a workplace for the long run: When employees feel as if they have control over their work, are contributing to a larger purpose and have a chance to learn and grow.”
So how are you leading your team?The post Grace Motivates first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Today’s blog post is unconventional in that I am just going to copy and paste some excerpts from an article titled “How Grace Motivates” by Dr Justin Holcomb. It has such amazing insight into how we as leaders can motivate and inspire success in our teams. The original article can be found here. “Many leaders […]
The post Grace Motivates first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Your business probably didn’t start out as an auction house where low bidder wins. You had a vision, built a great plan and saw that plan as profitable. But recently you can’t stop your sales team from “matching pricing” or undercutting the competition. So where is all the profit now? It got swallowed up when your sales people started going to war with your competition. And I am not talking about a price war here. Worse than that, they began comparing each of your offerings to that of your competition.
When that happens, the customer stops looking at the value of services and starts looking at how much they are. Your customer cannot necessarily identify why you do what you do better than your competition but what they can identify is what each product or service costs. And if your sales people have already started the comparison, then your customers will just pick the cheapest route.
Lead your sales team to forget about the competition (Quit Chasing Your Competition) and focus on delivering the best products and services your company has to offer.
The post Name Your Price first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Your business probably didn’t start out as an auction house where low bidder wins. You had a vision, built a great plan and saw that plan as profitable. But recently you can’t stop your sales team from “matching pricing” or undercutting the competition. So where is all the profit now? It got swallowed up when […]
The post Name Your Price first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
If you are making any one of these mistakes below, you are pushing your customers right back out the door. The good news is that if you are reading this, you still have time to correct them.
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Do you sell with IMPATIENCE? The best sales people and the best sales deals take time. The more you rush, the greater the possibility of mistakes and if you have ever made a mistake (insert laugh), you know how that goes.
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Is your business SELFISH? This is a trait that is so easy for customers to detect. You can swear that you have their best interest at heart but when the time comes, the truth always comes out.
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Are you DECEITFUL? Just as I mentioned above, if you lie, you will be outted. If you care about your clients and care about being around a long time, you will be honest…even in the most minor of situations.
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How INCONSISTENT is your delivery? In today’s business climate, it is more important than ever to deliver on your promises. This is because if you mess up even just once and do not have a honest (see #3) reason why, there are ten more companies waiting in line to serve your client.
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Have you been ENVIOUS? Envy is what causes business to chase their competition around, doing exactly what the other does. How does that make you any different? All of your amazing business ideas and unique values that got you going have been thrown out the window.
If you are struggling in any of those areas, it is time to ask for help. There are plenty of people ready to walk you through a new strategy. Don’t be SELF-ABSORBED, we can all use help!The post Five To Stay Away From first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
If you are making any one of these mistakes below, you are pushing your customers right back out the door. The good news is that if you are reading this, you still have time to correct them. Do you sell with IMPATIENCE? The best sales people and the best sales deals take time. The more you […]
The post Five To Stay Away From first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
No matter how many different things you try and do, the root of your problem will always be the root of your problem. A terrible (and regularly unsuccessful) recurring theme in businesses that cannot grow sales is the act of adding more to the mess. Hire more sales people (fire the old) Role out a […]
The post The Root of the Problem first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
No matter how many different things you try and do, the root of your problem will always be the root of your problem. A terrible (and regularly unsuccessful) recurring theme in businesses that cannot grow sales is the act of adding more to the mess.
- Hire more sales people (fire the old)
- Role out a new marketing message
- Create more work
- Build on processes
- Introduce new products
- Add new people (production, management, executives)
Is it at all possible to think that the company you built that was at one time successful could be successful again with what you had to start with? Before you muddy the waters or destroy what you worked so hard to build, think about revitalization. The root problem of most companies that cannot grow sales is their sales support and development.
I DIDN’T SAY IT WAS THEIR SALES PEOPLE OR SALES MANAGER! Give your sales people a chance to succeed. Offer them the ability to brush up some skills with sales training even if they have done it in the past. Focus on the basics to get them back to what made them successful again. Provide your sales manager with some outside consulting to help that person see what they may be missing because of the one track mind we all so easily fall victim to.
Both of these can be low cost investments to getting your revenue where it needs to be. All the other stuff may be good, but doesn’t have a chance without a sales team firing on all cylinders.The post The Root of the Problem first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Too often people are afraid to ask for help in business. I have shared before that this is most likely pride and something we need to get rid of if we want to succeed. Today I decided to give the video blog a try. Please provide any comments and feedback you may have.
The post Ask For Help first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Too often people are afraid to ask for help in business. I have shared before that this is most likely pride and something we need to get rid of if we want to succeed.
Today I decided to give the video blog a try. Please provide any comments and feedback you may have.
The post Ask For Help first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It’s a phrase we hear all the time right? You can trust me! If I had a dollar for every time a sales person gave me a variation of that phrase, I wouldn’t be writing this blog because I would be vacationing permanently. You see, it used to be very easy for sales people to […]
The post You Can Trust Me first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It’s a phrase we hear all the time right? You can trust me! If I had a dollar for every time a sales person gave me a variation of that phrase, I wouldn’t be writing this blog because I would be vacationing permanently. You see, it used to be very easy for sales people to use that phrase to suck clients in. But now things have changed. Now everybody is leery of everyone and everything.
That’s a good things right? I say wrong because that is truly how I operate as a businessman. My honesty and integrity are first and foremost when handling a prospect or client but because so many people before me have ruined it, I have to work twice as hard to even get a shot to show people.
So what do I (we) do to prove that we can be trustworthy?
- Tell the truth, ALWAYS!
- Show up when our clients needs us, even if it’s an inconvenient time.
- Tell the truth, even when it’s easier to lie.
- Keep a promise even when we have a way out.
- Tell the truth, even when the client lies to us.
- Go above and beyond, even when they don’t deserve it
- Tell the truth, ALWAYS!
Every struggle or challenge with a client provides a new opportunity to gain more trust. If you want to be the best sales driven organization, trust is a necessity you can never have too much of!The post You Can Trust Me first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I come into contact with business people from various industries, working in various size companies, striving for various goals. But what is the same way too often is the limit of their achievements. Notice how I did not say the limit of their abilities? I believe I have been given a great gift to see […]
The post Quit Quitting first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I come into contact with business people from various industries, working in various size companies, striving for various goals. But what is the same way too often is the limit of their achievements. Notice how I did not say the limit of their abilities?
I believe I have been given a great gift to see inside of others; the abilities they posses and the untapped potential begging to be exercised. The excuses are endless as to why they haven’t gotten to where they want to.
Worse than them going nowhere is when they stop at where they have been asked to go.
Good sales people achieve their goals, GREAT SALES PEOPLE CONTINUALLY SET NEW ONES.
Below is a video which demonstrates the above statement. I encourage you to watch all 6 minutes and 3 seconds of this video right now. I want you to think about what you struggle to accomplish and how crucial motivation from someone is to you succeeding.
I can get your very best out of you. I just need you to trust me! Call me or email me as soon as this video is done so we can get started today.
The post Quit Quitting first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Many sales people use the title. Some have it on their business card. When you start thinking about what role you play in your business, do you think “Sales Consultant”? I mean, every business sells a product or service and at least one if not all people in the business are part of that sales team in some fashion. So it seems fitting then doesn’t it. You sell a product or service for you company so you are a sales consultant….or not? The definition of a “consultant” is “a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area.”
Let me illustrate this topic in a different light before I go further. Most people reading this have treated themselves for some sort of cut or sickness. Some have treated another person in this same fashion (child, spouse, etc). Or maybe you have a dog at home that got sick and you nursed it back to health (because the vet charges a fortune!). The fact that you treated that person doesn’t make you a doctor and nursing your dog back to health doesn’t make you a vet. It takes years (and years and years) of schooling to receive the expertise and certification necessary for those titles. Thinking along those lines, are you still able to say you are a “sales consultant“?
A consultant is usually an expert or a professional in a specific field and has a wide knowledge of that subject matter. The overall impact of a consultant is that clients have access to deeper levels of expertise than would be feasible for them to retain in-house, and may purchase only as much service from the outside consultant as desired.
To wrap up the question (Sales Consultant……or Not?), I challenge those that call themselves sales consultants. You may sell a product or service. And you most likely are a consultant in your field (ie: tax consultant, flooring consultant, printing consultant, etc). Because you are probably not a “sales consultant“, you would benefit greatly from regular sales training and sales coaching. Look to the outside to help you sell the business you professional consult others on. It will definitely improve your sales revenue!
The post Sales Consultant…..or Not? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Many sales people use the title. Some have it on their business card. When you start thinking about what role you play in your business, do you think “Sales Consultant”? I mean, every business sells a product or service and at least one if not all people in the business are part of that sales […]
The post Sales Consultant…..or Not? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Networking can be a double edged sword in any sales person’s career. Many times, the negatives can actually outweigh the positives. It’s all about our strategy. You see, when we first enter into a new networking environment most of us are overwhelmed with what we see. There are new people everywhere. Clicks have formed in […]
The post What’s The Point first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Networking can be a double edged sword in any sales person’s career. Many times, the negatives can actually outweigh the positives.
It’s all about our strategy.
You see, when we first enter into a new networking environment most of us are overwhelmed with what we see. There are new people everywhere. Clicks have formed in previous meetings and we don’t know how to break through. Do I walk up to a group and kind of stand there in a quiet and somewhat creepy way trying to find some way to break in or at least look like I’m interested? Or do I pick out the other new person in the opposite corner, hoping that they are talkative enough to carry the awkward conversation that is about to take place once we get our 30 second speech out of the way? My answer is yes and yes as well as no and no.
Before you check out because I totally confused you, think about it for a second. What is the purpose of why we went? How can we be most effective with that limited time we have? It’s all about our preparation. Are you looking to meet 1 new prospect, 5 new prospects, make friends, or just fulfill an obligation your boss gave you? Do you want to hand 25 business cards out and follow up later? We need to set goals for ourselves before we enter the room, the earlier the better so we can practice our approach.
I am going to keep this short and sweet by providing a couple of very valuable tips. And they may seem very basic to you, but I ask if you are really practicing them?
Set goals for yourself every single time (ie: number of contacts made, business cards passed out, etc)
Don’t approach each new conversation trying to sell your product or service. Find out as much as you can about the person you are speaking with and share things about yourself with them. Let the “sales” conversations happen in the follow up calls and meetings.
Perfect your 30 second speech. You want to make sure each person knows what you do in a simple and concise way. If you stumble you lose credibility and frankly if you cannot explain what you do, how can that person be confident that your service will help them do their business any better?
If you are having a bad day or don’t want to be there, don’t go. This is a tough one, especially if we work for someone else. But being ineffective by projecting our negativity on potential prospects taints our personal reputation and that of the business we are representing. And if you can’t get out of going, talk yourself through what positive things will come from the event and change your attitude before you enter the room.
If you struggle in any of these areas, I suggest you find yourself a strong coach or mentor. In most cases you will find the encouragement you need to be the best networker in the room!
The post What’s The Point first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Did I just say that? It is possible that I can have something reasonable to follow that? Most times what follows “quit working harder” is some diet scheme or get rich quick idea. Well not from me!
My idea is actually much more simple and practical. I recently met a gentleman who is working harder than many to build a sales pipeline, follow up on that pipeline and schedule appointments to close prospects in that pipeline. But the end result is no sales. As I sat and listened, two things quickly came to mind. Is his sales methodology incorrect or is he working too hard on the wrong things?
Incorrect sales practices can definitely hinder performance and I strongly believe you should have proper training and maintain that training to be an effective sales person. But more often the issue is sales people are working too hard on the many instead of focusing on the few. You need to evaluate your list.
- Are your prospects right for you?
- Will they actually buy?
- What is your return on investment (closed sale vs time spent).
Are you stuck in a holding pattern? Do you need some outside advice?
The post Quit Working Harder first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Did I just say that? It is possible that I can have something reasonable to follow that? Most times what follows “quit working harder” is some diet scheme or get rich quick idea. Well not from me! My idea is actually much more simple and practical. I recently met a gentleman who is working harder […]
The post Quit Working Harder first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Imagine this: Your phone rings and upon answering the conversation goes something like this.
Caller – Hello my name is Bob and I’m calling from Caskets-R-Us.
You – Yes????
Caller – Well sir/ma’am, my company provides the very best in caskets and we know that you would be so happy with our product and service.
You – Who died?
Caller – Well sir, we will all die some day. And in order to remove the burden from someone close to you, you can pre-purchase your casket from us now.
You – Well I actually…..
Caller – I hate to interrupt you sir, but we have done research to determine that planning memorial services is one of the most challenging things to do for a loved one close to you and so we take that responsibility. In addition, we are running a special right now where instead of $999.99, you can buy one of our caskets for $499.99.So what do you say, wouldn’t you like to save someone else from the heart ache and save money in the process?
You – What I tried to say before you interrupted me was that I do not plan to be buried, I plan to be cremated. I have already taken care of everything so I am not interested in your service. Click………..
As sales people, we have all done this before. Maybe not the casket part, but we have all cold called a client that we just new would be perfect for our product/service. We did all our research ahead of time and they fit our demographic to a “t”. Only to find out that we had no chance of getting them from the get go.
Qualify every sales call immediately upon getting your prospect on the phone. Don’t waste your breath on calls or meetings that have no chance of getting you business. And if you continue to do so, you might as well use the target below.
The post Stop It, It’s Not Working first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Imagine this: Your phone rings and upon answering the conversation goes something like this. Caller – Hello my name is Bob and I’m calling from Caskets-R-Us. You – Yes???? Caller – Well sir/ma’am, my company provides the very best in caskets and we know that you would be so happy with our product and service. You […]
The post Stop It, It’s Not Working first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In almost every consultation I have with people, one thing comes up over and over. It’s the idea that they see the path to success but aren’t pursuing it urgently. And my response is that they are taking way too long to make the decision necessary to get out. If someone handed you the winning […]
The post You’re Taking Way Too Long first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In almost every consultation I have with people, one thing comes up over and over. It’s the idea that they see the path to success but aren’t pursuing it urgently. And my response is that they are taking way too long to make the decision necessary to get out.
If someone handed you the winning lottery ticket, you would take it almost instantly. But could you imagine if you held onto it and didn’t go redeem it? Then 181 days later (day 180 is the expiration) you tried to turn it in and it was too late. Or what if I told you I had a answer to eternal life. If you just did what I said, you wouldn’t die. But you delayed and once you finally realized I was right, you hurried over to hear me out only to die on the way and never follow through.
Well business can be similar. Too often the answers are right in front of our face yet we sit still. Maybe it’s fear, maybe it is lack of confidence in ourselves or maybe we just don’t like change. If that is you, be prepared to fail. There are too many people competing with you that have no fear. They are relentless in taking the business that should be yours. CHANGE NOW or bring somebody into your business that will make the changes for you.
You must TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, MOVE QUICKLY, ASK FOR HELP, AND MOVE QUICKLY (I said that twice on purpose).
You cannot afford to wait another day!
The post You’re Taking Way Too Long first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Trending, the term is so overplayed. But more than overplayed, I say it is over pursued. On Twitter when a topic is trending it means that whatever topic it may be (#KingsStanleyCup or #Election2012), it is the most talked about. So in order to get tweets noticed people will add this to the end of their tweet, no matter how irrelevant, just to be seen. A little silly but not the biggest of deals. But what about when it comes to your business?
You see everyone jumping on the social media bandwagon since the popularity of Facebook (actually Myspace) began. Platform after platform have been created to get their piece of the pie. The issue is that with everyone new platform (less a small minority) the effectiveness and popularity of said new platform is reduced. Don’t let your business fall into this trap.
I have mentioned many times that you should focus on the few (Quit Working Harder). I consult my clients to find the few things they are good at and stick to them. You don’t always have to be on the cutting edge. By trying to do this you will constantly be chasing your tail. It will cost your business a lot of time and valuable resources with very little chance of solid return. Practice and perfect the present so you are prepared for the future.
#Thanksforreading
The post Trending first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Trending, the term is so overplayed. But more than overplayed, I say it is over pursued. On Twitter when a topic is trending it means that whatever topic it may be (#KingsStanleyCup or #Election2012), it is the most talked about. So in order to get tweets noticed people will add this to the end of […]
The post Trending first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
When you finish reading this sentence, close your eyes and think of the first things that come to mind when you hear the word “politician”. Go! Did you do it? If you did, you may have thoughts like dishonest, not coming through, unkept promises, and deception. Do your prospects think of you in this same […]
The post Politician for Hire first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
When you finish reading this sentence, close your eyes and think of the first things that come to mind when you hear the word “politician”. Go!
Did you do it? If you did, you may have thoughts like dishonest, not coming through, unkept promises, and deception. Do your prospects think of you in this same way?
Most sales people are looked at with some form of doubt, especially on a cold call. Our prospects think we are all just “selling something”. In order to destroy this stigma, we must build trust and credibility long before we ever cold call the client. Here some suggestions:
- Ask you clients to write letters of reference for you. Have them include the product or service they used and if possible, how you specifically effected their top or bottom line.
- Do market research and provide statistical data on ROI for your product or service.
- Speak at industry related events and share your knowledge
I know that these are simple things and you may have them covered. But if you don’t, you need to start working on them quickly. You see, anyone can walk into a business and tell the prospect that they have “the best”, “the fastest” or “the most effective” product or service in the market place, but words are cheap and the proof is in the pudding!
How is your pudding?
The post Politician for Hire first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Every person reading this post is probably overwhelmed with something right now (maybe lots of things). We don’t have enough time in the day to get everything done. The emails keep coming in and the tasks continue getting assigned. So how will we ever get caught up? What if I told you that you never will. Are you ok with that? You need to be!
If you are always looking at what you have in front of you, you will create a level of stress that just isn’t manageable. This exercise was shared with me recently and I share it with you.
Put your tasks into 3 categories: Do it, delegate it, dump it
- If it goes in the “Do it“, list them in order of importance and start attacking them one by one. Get down to business and quit being distracted by the nonsense of the day.
- If it goes in the “Delegate it“, find someone who can do it better, quicker, or easier and let them have it. Too often we take on everything and have no chance of doing it all. Instead, utilize the great team of people all around you to help. Trust me, there is someone on your team that has the time!
- If it goes in the “Dump it“, erase the thought from your head. We have so many to-do’s that are completely worthless. Just let them go!
Sales people, this whole process is easiest applied to you. If it generates revenue, Do it. You can never have too many REVENUE GENERATING activities. If it needs to get done but doesn’t generate revenue, Delegate it to an assistant, your production team or your accounting department. If it doesn’t generate revenue (a good prospect or client), Dump it. Quit chasing dead leads and spending too much time being friends with existing clients.
If you need help in this area, LET’S TALK. We can have you on the right track in no time!
The post Enough is Enough first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Every person reading this post is probably overwhelmed with something right now (maybe lots of things). We don’t have enough time in the day to get everything done. The emails keep coming in and the tasks continue getting assigned. So how will we ever get caught up? What if I told you that you never […]
The post Enough is Enough first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In a sea of choices, we expect that our prospect is going to identify exactly why we are best suited to fulfill their need. We get upset when they go with someone else and blame it all on the customer. “They have no idea what they are doing” – you didn’t explain it properly “It was […]
The post Pick Me, Pick Me first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In a sea of choices, we expect that our prospect is going to identify exactly why we are best suited to fulfill their need. We get upset when they go with someone else and blame it all on the customer.
“They have no idea what they are doing” – you didn’t explain it properly “It was a price thing” – it’s usually not “They will be sorry” – they don’t think so Too often we don’t even know why we should be picked, so how can we expect the prospect to?
We need to become experts in our own products and services. We need to know both what we are good at and what we are bad at. We need to come along side our prospects to see what their needs are and not see what we have to sell them. I believe there are two reasons we lose a client.
- They don’t need us.
- We haven’t properly defined our solution.
If the answer is number 1, move on because that is a bad prospect. But if the answer is number 2, it’s time to start sharpening your skills.
Think through every lost deal you have had, every closed door. I would bet most of them fit in one of those two categories.The post Pick Me, Pick Me first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I don’t know how many times I hear sales people talk about price. “I am the cheapest” or “I can match that deal” or the ever-popular “we save our client’s money by…” Unless you are prepared to regularly lose deals and profits, you need to begin a new way of thinking. Price selling is for the […]
The post Forget About the Money first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I don’t know how many times I hear sales people talk about price. “I am the cheapest” or “I can match that deal” or the ever-popular “we save our client’s money by…” Unless you are prepared to regularly lose deals and profits, you need to begin a new way of thinking.
Price selling is for the company that has no other value for their clients. We all know that businesses are looking for ways to save money and we wouldn’t be doing our clients a good service if we over-charged them. But think about this. If I could provide you a means by which you could grow your revenue, would you spend money on me? Of course you would.
If part of your value proposition is price, we need to talk. There are too many other things you are good at!
The post Forget About the Money first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
When it comes to working out, insanity can be great. They have even named a fitness brand after it (Check out Shaun T). If you aren’t familiar, the definition of insanity can be said as basically doing the same thing while looking for different results. When training your body this can work (to some degree). […]
The post Insanity first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
When it comes to working out, insanity can be great. They have even named a fitness brand after it (Check out Shaun T). If you aren’t familiar, the definition of insanity can be said as basically doing the same thing while looking for different results. When training your body this can work (to some degree). But when it comes to your business, insanity does not!
You ever wonder why your sales growth is non-existent? Or worse yet, going backwards? Are you down on your sales people because their activity isn’t where it should be or they aren’t including all the value added services. Maybe it is time to start looking at yourself? At your leadership and guidance. All the activity in the world and throwing every offering at your market isn’t the answer.
When sales revenue isn’t where it should be, I suggest it is time to look at your approach. Change your strategy. Freshen up your team by giving them new tools, new guidance, and a new outlook on how to get to where you want them to be. Bring in a sales trainer or consultant to keep you from going insane!
The post Insanity first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Do you feel like you have been spinning your wheels? Are you chasing the same prospects over and over again (see previous blog post – Insanity) without positive results? We all have been there and it can be so discouraging. We start to lose sight of what makes us a winner and we focus on […]
The post Due For a Win first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Do you feel like you have been spinning your wheels?
Are you chasing the same prospects over and over again (see previous blog post – Insanity) without positive results?
We all have been there and it can be so discouraging. We start to lose sight of what makes us a winner and we focus on what is making us a loser. Now I think it’s important to know why we are losing so we do not repeat the same mistakes, but for today’s sake get out of the pit!
Focus on what made you a winner before, what is making other people win, or what you know it will take to win and clear everything else out of your head!
The post Due For a Win first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In society today, we immediately think that we have an answer to our customer’s problem. And it’s just not sales people that do it.
Doctors write prescriptions for symptoms because the medication has been known to suppress the symptoms in the past. But what if those symptoms actually lead to a different problem? The symptoms definitely won’t be going away and worse, the patient may end up getting more sick.
When it comes to sales people, we have been programmed to listen for certain pain points and then jump on those with a “solution”. Just as above, what if those pain points are actually causing a bigger issue? Or what if those pain points aren’t important to the customer currently but there is something else?
Quit putting your customers in a box. Listen, learn, listen again, and then offer up some ideas.
The post Blanket Answers first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
In society today, we immediately think that we have an answer to our customer’s problem. And it’s just not sales people that do it. Doctors write prescriptions for symptoms because the medication has been known to suppress the symptoms in the past. But what if those symptoms actually lead to a different problem? The symptoms […]
The post Blanket Answers first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It is a fact that paying attention to what the competition is doing can become a job all in itself. What services do they offer, what price points are they at, how can they keep that client? While those are important pieces of information, they may be holding you back.
Instead of chasing the competition, we must put more time and energy into what we do best. Some of these things may be the same as the competition while others completely set us apart. But the truth is, none of us have perfected our offerings because if we did we would own our market (and you wouldn’t need to read this blog). Get deep into what you do. What makes your services a fit for your client? What can you do to improve on those services for the sake of your client? Why are you in the market to begin with?
It sounds basic, but it is just too easy to get ahead of ourselves. Take some time to evaluate you and your business. I bet you will be surprised at what you find.
The post Quit Chasing Your Competition first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It is a fact that paying attention to what the competition is doing can become a job all in itself. What services do they offer, what price points are they at, how can they keep that client? While those are important pieces of information, they may be holding you back. Instead of chasing the competition, […]
The post Quit Chasing Your Competition first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
When you enter your first sales job, I think you should be issued a “no deflection unit”. A what? Ya, just what I said. We hear the word “NO” more times than anyone should have to be comfortable with. It’s unfortunate someone hasn’t invented armor to protect our egos along the way.
But as seasoned sales professionals, we begin learning how to take he “no’s”. We become desensitized to them. And unfortunately, because we get so used to hearing them, I think we end up missing a key opportunity. An opportunity in a “no”? DEFINITELY!
The next time you receive that “no”, ask “WHY”?
- Why won’t you let me schedule a time to come in and show you all my business has to offer?
- Why won’t you move forward on the proposal I submitted?
- Why did I lose out on this bid?
- Why do you feel I am not a good fit for your business?
They need to be done in a respectful and professional way, but when we ask “WHY” I think then and only then will we truly start to realize what it will take to get out business to the next level.
The post Did You Ask Your Client Why? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
When you enter your first sales job, I think you should be issued a “no deflection unit”. A what? Ya, just what I said. We hear the word “NO” more times than anyone should have to be comfortable with. It’s unfortunate someone hasn’t invented armor to protect our egos along the way. But as seasoned […]
The post Did You Ask Your Client Why? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I had an entire blog post thought out and was just about ready to post when I got distracted working on my website, thus the “Going Nowhere Fast” title. I am learning so much about web design, some coding, and the such so it is a slow but educational process. Hopefully you appreciate the site […]
The post Going Nowhere Fast first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
I had an entire blog post thought out and was just about ready to post when I got distracted working on my website, thus the “Going Nowhere Fast” title. I am learning so much about web design, some coding, and the such so it is a slow but educational process. Hopefully you appreciate the site and it’s content as I continue to build it.
Check it out at www.ryanjamesmiller.com
The post Going Nowhere Fast first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
“Knowledge is power” is a phrase attributed to two primary writers. King Solomon, writing in the mid-fourth century, penned these words, “The wise prevail through great power, and those who have knowledge muster their strength.” (Proverbs 24:5). Solomon was basically saying, (the right kind of) knowledge is power. Sir Francis Bacon (mmm, bacon…ok sorry), penned […]
The post Knowledge is Power…Until It Isn’t first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
“Knowledge is power” is a phrase attributed to two primary writers.
King Solomon, writing in the mid-fourth century, penned these words, “The wise prevail through great power, and those who have knowledge muster their strength.” (Proverbs 24:5). Solomon was basically saying, (the right kind of) knowledge is power.
Sir Francis Bacon (mmm, bacon…ok sorry), penned the phrase “ipsa scientia potestas est” (‘knowledge itself is power’) in his writing, “Meditationes Sacrae” in 1597.
I know from the rest of Solomon’s writings, and I can only assume based upon Bacon’s writings, that this phrase was never meant to intend that ALL knowledge is power. I mean, who really wants to be called a “know-it-all”? From the above, we can deduce that the right kind of knowledge is power, but the wrong kind of knowledge creates a whole host of problems. So where am I getting at being that this is a blog on sales and business? Right here.
Salespeople are often defined as “know-it-all’s” or better yet, “think-they-know-it-all’s.” Think about a couple of the following situations and being honest, see if you can place yourself in them.
You walk into a sales presentation with guns ablazing. You know everything you need to throw at the prospect in order to close the sale. Your presentation is all dialed in, you have your notes completely prepared, and you have left no stone unturned. Then you don’t get the deal. Do you think maybe you went in with a “know-it-all” attitude and missed something that was important to the prospect because you didn’t ask questions, thus losing the opportunity for a sale?
– or –
You are offered the opportunity for growth by sitting in on sales training, or even just a small suggestion from a fellow colleague. But instead of paying full attention, even taking notes, and finding ways to use those new tools and tips in your process, you go back to the way you have always done things, only to continue with the same level of success you have always have, wherever that may be.
Look, it is wonderful to know a whole lot about what you do. I am a firm believer that you should be an expert in whatever field you are a salesperson for. But being honest, there is ALWAYS more to learn. We never stop growing and when we do, we have either failed or died. Here are some practical steps to grow in your sales efforts.
- Learn everything you can about the technical aspects of your business. If there is new technology to be had, or a new way to do things, research it online and take courses if possible. Even if you do not choose to adopt it, you are wise to it and can sell successfully in an environment that is adopting it.
- Find colleagues that are successful an ask a boatload of questions. Trade best practices. You can learn a lot from other people in your industry and/or position and those things could help take you to the next level.
- Find ways to grow as a salesperson. This can be by reading a great book (I recommend ANYTHING by John Maxwell), taking an online course (here is one I am offering), or hiring a sales coach (let’s set up a FREE consultation).
The right kind of knowledge is power, but being a know-it-all actually demonstrates weakness, and when you sit before a prospect or a client that sees it, you will be devoured. Don’t let it happen.
Have a great week!
The post Knowledge is Power…Until It Isn’t first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Last week I wrote about the importance of effective time management in my business (and my life). And part of what has made my time management good has been the use of digital products and services. While going digital is a great idea and can make life a whole heck of a lot easier, it isn’t easy to do. Today I would like to share with you 5 areas of encouragement if you are considering using digital technology to help improve your business.
1. Do your research first – I don’t know how many times I have seen people buy some product, or subscribe to an online service, only to curse it out shortly thereafter because “IT” wasn’t working as they had hoped. By doing research ahead of time, you will know what you are buying before you buy it.
2. Take time to learn it – There are so many ways to implement technology into your business. A big mistake it implementing something into your daily routine right away, even before you have had time to learn what it is capable of and how you can best utilize it. Just like when you assemble a children’s toy or a piece of IKEA furniture, read the directions. You will be happy you did, and so will those who may be affected by your implementation disaster.
3. Don’t believe what “they” say – You know who “they” are right? “They” are the people everyone references when talking about recommendations or warnings. “They” will tell you what is best for you. But only you know the truth. So don’t implement something because I or anyone else says to. You have to believe the new technology will help your business or it just isn’t worth the investment.
4. Be willing to get uncomfortable – As I said in #2, some things take time to learn. And when learning, you may get uncomfortable with the new routine. Be willing to struggle in order to succeed. I’ll never forget my first month back after a year off of Crossfit. I hurt for many days and struggled with the movements. But six months later I am putting it together and succeeding in ways I never had before. Do the same in your business.
5. Ask for help – I say this often, for a very important reason. There is nothing new under the sun (see Ecl 1:9). There are those who have gone before you who can help answer questions, and even steer you in the right direction. Let them help. You can also Google search forums related to the technology you are looking at. It will be well worth the help.
In keeping this post short and sweet, let me close by saying this. I believe digital technology to be a primary necessity in effective time management, and really, business success in general. So whether you have tried and failed, or are yet to attempt it, let’s have a conversation and talk about what could make you more productive and more successful.
The post Going Digital Makes Business Easy…But It Isn’t Easy first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Last week I wrote about the importance of effective time management in my business (and my life). And part of what has made my time management good has been the use of digital products and services. While going digital is a great idea and can make life a whole heck of a lot easier, it […]
The post Going Digital Makes Business Easy…But It Isn’t Easy first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
We live in a world that desires instant gratification. Food. Weight loss. Money. Love. The problem is two fold. First, and one I will not address today, is that the one time things are not the answer to long term fulfillment. Second, there is no magic pill to bring instant results for something that takes […]
The post The Solution to Every Problem first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
We live in a world that desires instant gratification. Food. Weight loss. Money. Love. The problem is two fold. First, and one I will not address today, is that the one time things are not the answer to long term fulfillment. Second, there is no magic pill to bring instant results for something that takes most everyone else in the world a long time to accomplish.
Mark Cuban, serial entrepreneur and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, wasn’t always worth $2.3 billion (crazy number right?). At 12, he sold garbage bags to pay for basketball shoes. At 24, he was fired from a sales job for trying to procure business for himself with one of his clients. At 32, he sold a company for $6 million that he had started a few years earlier, netting him over $2 million. At 41, he sold a 4 year old company for $5.7 billion. From there, his business reach and net worth has continued to grow. He now spends time investing back into businesses that are looking for the long term, and not a one-hitter quiter.
So what is my point in the above? Mark Cuban has spent his whole life working towards a large goal, while accomplishing small goals along the way. At 12, he couldn’t have sold a company for $5.7 billion. He needed other steps (and resources) along the way. We must look at our business careers the same way. We can all have big goals, but those should be supported by smaller ones along the way.
One big push back in reading this story is that most of my readers are not 12 (ok, none of them are). So as older professionals, we get hasty because we feel like we are out of time to wait and need to accomplish now. But that’s not true. You can still take some time, but because you are versed in an industry or have a good contact sphere, you may be ahead of the curve that Mark Cuban was on at 12. So what now?
Evaluate your goals.
- What is your one, long term goal in business?
- Is that a realistic goal based upon the path you are currently on? If not, what must change?
- What smaller goals do you have to support that?
- What smaller goals are you missing to support that?
- Who can help you (or who do you need to help you) to achieve those goals?
The solution to every problem is not a magic pill, or instant gratification, but excellent vision and solid execution.
If you are having trouble answering any one those questions above, email me. I would love to sit down with you and evaluate your business goals. Who knows, one day you may be worth $2.3 billion, and I can say I knew you :)!
The post The Solution to Every Problem first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Business today is filled with many opportunities to connect with each other. There are networking groups, industry associations, chambers, social media, and more. So many channels to make so many connections. But in reality, they pose a huge problem for us. Let me share a few potential problems, and as I do, see if you […]
The post Can You Have Too Many Connections first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Business today is filled with many opportunities to connect with each other. There are networking groups, industry associations, chambers, social media, and more. So many channels to make so many connections. But in reality, they pose a huge problem for us. Let me share a few potential problems, and as I do, see if you can relate.
- Having many connections lessens the possibility of you making strong connections as there are too many to manage.
- Having many connections creates too many options (think The Cheesecake Factory menu). We aren’t sure of who to go to, or what to tackle, so we instead do nothing.
- Having many connections creates a false sense of importance in us. How many times have you heard someone share that they have hundreds of connections and/or followers? Have you ever asked them how many they actually do business with?
So what can we do to overcome this problem? Below are some of my best tactics. BUT (a huge but), I want to be clear about something. I am trying to overcome this challenge myself and in no way claim to have it all figured out. That means, if you figure it out, you have to share :).
- Follow up with every single connection. Have 750 LinkedIn connections and feel overwhelmed? Well, you better get started. Begin with a message through LI, then send them an email, and then move to a phone call. If they don’t respond or turn out to be lacking in value for your business, kindly disconnect from them. You don’t need to pad your numbers just for the sake of numbers. You need to pad your numbers with dollar signs, and only good connections will do that for you.
- Don’t accept every connection, or re-follow every person that follows you. Just as you would qualify a lead, you should qualify a connection. Look into whether they may be valuable for you and weigh the benefit of connecting with them further. Not every connection is a good connection.
- Go deeper than the medium by which you were introduced. Connect outside of social media if that’s how your relationship started. Or if you met someone at a networking event, try setting up a coffee to get to know each other better. You never know when that one connection may be the best one you ever pursued.
Those are just a few warnings, as well as a few potential solutions, when it comes to connecting with everyone everywhere. I would be excited to hear how you handle your connections so please feel free to shoot me an email or comment below.
The post Can You Have Too Many Connections first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It’s commonplace for people to tell others what it is they do, what it is they offer, what it is they have accomplished, and well, whatever else they want. It is important to communicate the what. But when we are too focused on the what, we forget the how. How is important because it communicates […]
The post You are too focused on the WHAT first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
It’s commonplace for people to tell others what it is they do, what it is they offer, what it is they have accomplished, and well, whatever else they want. It is important to communicate the what. But when we are too focused on the what, we forget the how.
How is important because it communicates to our prospects and customer what we are going to with what we offer. We can say until we are blue in the face that what we offer is great, what we offer is cheap, and what we offer is going to change their life forever, but without a clear picture as to how we are going to do that (and why it matters) we will end up with less than successful results.
This week, I would ask you to think about a few “how’s” in your business:
- How will you provide that product or service to your customer?
- How will that product or service benefit your customer?
- How will you ensure that your customer gets more than they expected from said product or service?
Three important “how’s” that every business owner and salesperson MUST consider AND answer.
If you get stuck, shoot me an email and let’s talk about how I can help you articulate those three how’s…and more!
The post You are too focused on the WHAT first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Success is something most (hopefully all) business professionals strive for. What that success actually is varies depending on the person, and their goal(s). In late May, I began thinking through a few goals I had. One was to increase the number of subscribers to my email list which would in turn lead to potential clients.
Based upon the type of clients I target, the means by which I have to reach them, and the value they can produce for my business, I calculated a cost of customer acquisition. I then took that number and determined, based upon the number of new clients I looked to attain, what I was willing to invest to add these subscribers (and future clients). This led me to select a Google Nexus 7 as a great item to give away in return for email opt-ins and social media interaction.
Now you should be asking, “was it a success?” My answer is a resounding “YES!” I actually overachieved. Let me share with you some of the great numbers.
Email interaction (1 month period)
- 26 new opt-ins
- 57% open rate for these new subscribers
- 10% click through rate for these new subscribers
Social media interaction (1 month period)
- 17 new Facebook likes
- 25% increase in organic reach
- 57% increase in user engagement
What does all this mean for me? It means I will definitely be testing additional avenues similar to this to see if I can do better. I will also continue to closely monitor my statistics over the next month while I am not running a contest. If I lose significant engagement, I need to reevaluate the effectiveness of contests for the long term in my business. All in all, I am very happy with my results.
What does this mean for you? It means you need to make sure you are measuring every effort in both sales and marketing. If you aren’t, or don’t know how to, you should definitely shoot me an email or give me a call. I would love to help you determine your true measure of success, and how we can maximize it.
Oh and in case you are wondering, here is a link to the video announcing the contest winner.
The post Measuring Success first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Success is something most (hopefully all) business professionals strive for. What that success actually is varies depending on the person, and their goal(s). In late May, I began thinking through a few goals I had. One was to increase the number of subscribers to my email list which would in turn lead to potential clients. […]
The post Measuring Success first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
The pipeline you have built, that has hundreds of people and businesses in it, is completely worthless if: There was no research done on the people before they made it into your pipeline. The people in the pipeline have no idea who you are. So what should you do if one or more of the […]
The post Your Pipeline is Worthless first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
The pipeline you have built, that has hundreds of people and businesses in it, is completely worthless if:
- There was no research done on the people before they made it into your pipeline.
- The people in the pipeline have no idea who you are.
So what should you do if one or more of the people in your pipeline fits either of the above categories? It’s pretty simple really. Here are 3 practical ways in which you can but value back into your worthless pipeline.
- Hop online and do a bit of research about the people in your pipeline. I have a great document I am open to sharing if you would like. It is on pre-call planning and will be of great value in finding out more about your prospects. Shoot me an email.
- Ask people around you if they know the people on the list. You never know who you know until you ask. It used to be six degrees of separation but with technology today, it’s probably closer to three.
- Call the people on the list. I didn’t say email, mass-mail, LinkedIn message, or anything else. Calling is a lost art and will allow people to hear a bit of your passion (if you have any) for the product or service you are offering.
I am always open to help you, and if this is an area you struggle with please reach out. And if you know someone that would benefit from this blog, or any other, would you forward this to them via email? They may need some support as well.
The post Your Pipeline is Worthless first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Albert Einstein is reported to have asked his fellow physicist and friend Niels Bohr, one of the founding fathers of quantum mechanics, whether he realistically believed that ‘the moon does not exist if nobody is looking at it.’ To this Bohr replied that however hard he (Einstein) may try, he would not be able to […]
The post Statistics Lie…They Are Listening first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
Albert Einstein is reported to have asked his fellow physicist and friend Niels Bohr, one of the founding fathers of quantum mechanics, whether he realistically believed that ‘the moon does not exist if nobody is looking at it.’ To this Bohr replied that however hard he (Einstein) may try, he would not be able to prove that it does, thus giving the entire riddle the status of a kind of an infallible conjecture—one that cannot be either proved or disproved.
That answer would come to final decision when Neil Armstrong stepped foot on the moon…or did he? Just kidding, I am no conspiracy theorist :). Back to the seriousness. Einstein couldn’t prove the moon’s existence so he considered it a fallacy.
We are also familiar with this famous quote, “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” Well, does it? Of course it does, it just isn’t heard by anyone.
You may be asking yourself how this all fits into sales. Well, consider this. Do you have statistics to prove that every one of your emails, blogs, and social media posts is reaching its intended audience? A yes answer is an inaccurate one. Open rates, click throughs, and even comments on posts are often misrepresented. I can explain all of that in more detail if you want. Just email or call me.
Often times, people are listening and/or reading when you don’t even know about it. They are behind the scenes, just observing. How do I know this? In the last two weeks, I have received emails from two different business colleagues in which they shared that they are reading everything I post. They utilize my insight to increase the effectiveness of their sales efforts. They share my content with others on their teams. This is great for a few reasons.
- I am providing value to their sale efforts. That is the ultimate goal of my business, and if I can do that through blogs and posts, I am beyond stoked.
- They are sharing my content. That means that other people I am not connected to are becoming connected to me.
- Blogs and social media only go so far. Eventually, they will hit a spot when this content alone will not do. And who will they hire? I put myself at the top of the running.
So do not believe the lying statistics. People are listening when you don’t even know it (and the moon is real). Keep building great content. Pay attention to every comment, like, and share and be ready to take that connection to the next level!
If you have any questions related to this blog post, or just sales in general, give me a call at (714) 240-5675 or shoot me an email. I am always looking to help another business professional improve their own efforts.
The post Statistics Lie…They Are Listening first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
For those of you that know me, you know that time management, prioritizing, and output efficiency are big things for me. I am thankful to say that over the last sixteen years of existence in the professional world, I have grow to become quite good at each of the three. Sometimes I’m crazy about it […]
The post Dominate Your Day by Planning It first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
For those of you that know me, you know that time management, prioritizing, and output efficiency are big things for me. I am thankful to say that over the last sixteen years of existence in the professional world, I have grow to become quite good at each of the three. Sometimes I’m crazy about it but I have found a process which works quite well.
When I speak with other business professionals that don’t seem to have it “together”, they often ask how I keep everything in order. So today, I felt like sharing one of the many things I do to ensure the most productive days possible. But before I offer the practical, I need to address a few other things.
- We are not superheros. It sounds so simple, yet we often bite off WAY more than we can chew and in doing so, we overwhelm ourselves and all but destroy any chances of being productive. And when we do have that productive day, the quality often lacks because we had to blow through things.
- We aren’t in this alone. Even when you are a solo-preneur (one man shop), you still have resources available to you. Don’t take it all on yourself. Ask a friend, family member, or colleague for help.
- Time management and productivity don’t change overnight. Many of the things necessary to get good at them require habits. And for any of you that has a bad habit, you know that it takes time to break them. So whether you need to break a bad habit that holds you back from being productive, or you need to form a new habit in order to manage your time well, give it time and celebrate the small steps you are making towards achieving your goal.
- You will fail, A LOT. I say this often, but failure is just part of the game. You will try your best (hopefully) to implement new things but because you aren’t used to them or good at them, you will fail. Takes those failures as learning opportunities and tweak the things you need to in order to get done what has to be done.
Ok, so there are a few things to be aware of when attempting to become more productive.
Now let me give you five things that I believe will help you be more productive, starting today.
- What needs to get done? List all your tasks. Include things like checking email, posting to social media, etc (see one of my days below). I use Asana and I love it.
- What have you been doing that you don’t like to? List all your “don’t like to’s.” These should be discarded or outsourced, but that’s separate blog post or conversation (email me).
- Where are your priorities? Assign a number of importance to each task (1 being most important). What happens if “x” doesn’t get done.
- What have you wasted time on? Look back and see what you’ve done the last couple weeks. Identify the things that helped and the things that didn’t. Trash the things that didn’t help your productivity.
- Why should you try something new? In many things, especially when they are task related, we focus on the how, or when, or what. But the why is central to changing it up. We must recognize why we are doing what we are doing, and then evaluate whether we want to continue.
I know that is brief, but it is a good start. If you want more help in improving time management, email me or call me (below). I would love to help you structure your day to become more productive, which will eventually make you more successful.
Email – ryan@ryanjamesmiller.com
Phone – (714) 240-5675
Example of my typical day’s schedule built in Asana.
What do you think? Will this help you? Do you have a different setup? I’d love to hear about it!
The post Dominate Your Day by Planning It first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
As “driven” individuals, we often want to get right to work. When we start a new job, we are rearing to get at it. When we have an opportunity come before us, we jump on top of it. It is so tempting to get right to the issue, especially when we (think) we have the […]
The post Can I Offer You A Process? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.
As “driven” individuals, we often want to get right to work. When we start a new job, we are rearing to get at it. When we have an opportunity come before us, we jump on top of it. It is so tempting to get right to the issue, especially when we (think) we have the right answer(s).
What many people do not seem to understand is that in order to succeed we need to follow a process. Think about it. If you are going to cook a meal, you don’t put a bunch of unmixed, unmeasured ingredients in the oven. If you want to build a house, you need to frame first because putting a roof on top of dirt doesn’t seem to make much sense.
Is your business running without processes? Or is your sales team running with a broken process? Let me offer you a few quick tips on building the ultimate sales process:
- Identify every step necessary from lead acquisition to order fulfillment.
- Identify every person necessary to fulfill that process.
- Identify the roles and responsibilities of the above people.
- Understand when your customer fits into that process and how their needs could affect your process.
- Think through various past sales transactions and fit them into your process. Would they have been more successful or less successful had you followed every step?
It’s not about whether or not you need a process. More importantly, it’s whether you have built the ultimate sales process for your business.
I am looking to launch a small group coaching series on “Building the Ultimate Sales Process”. It would be bi-weekly for 12 weeks, with 3 or 4 people per group, run virtually or in-person. In the end, you would have the framework and practical application for building the ultimate sales process for your specific business. I can only do 2 of these groups, and would like to launch them soon.
If you are interested, follow this LINK to request more info, and receive a FREE download on The 10 Tools for Sales Success.
The post Can I Offer You A Process? first appeared on Ryan James Miller.