Three Word Podcast: Recent Episodes
Lisa Thal
A simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team using three words during your sales meeting.
One exit on the drive to a golf tournament took me back 39 years to the beginning of my sales career at WSWO and WKFI radio stations in Wilmington, Ohio.
At 21 years old, I walked into Bright Appliances ready to present my first radio commercial. Instead, the cassette player ate my tape, the owner blamed me for breaking it, and I left the store in tears wondering whether sales was the right profession for me.
I had a decision to make. I could allow that experience to define me, or I could learn from it and try again.
I returned to the station, recreated the commercial, and went back the next day with a new tape and my own cassette player. The client loved the commercial and purchased the advertising schedule.
In this episode, I share how that early experience helped shape my 39-year journey as a sales professional, leader, and mindset coach.
You will discover:
- Why one difficult moment does not define your ability or future
- How resilience is built through experience
- The importance of managing your emotions and taking the next step
- How to shift your mindset from failure to learning
- Why growth happens when you apply what an experience teaches you
The experience may be painful, but it does not have to become failure. It can become information.
If something is not going as planned, give yourself a moment to feel it. Then look for the lesson, adjust your approach, and try again.
Keep pursuing. Keep learning. Keep growing.
Three-Word TakeawayLearn and Grow
Reflection QuestionWhat experience in your life or career could become a lesson that helps you move forward?
Until Next Time, my friend.
Connect with Lisa:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/http://threewordmeetings.comhttp://threewordpodcast
The Moment You Can't Afford to Miss.
How a NATALIE moment could change your life, business, or future
Not every hour carries the same importance.
In his book What to Make of a Life, Jim Collins introduces the idea of a NATALIE moment:
Not All Time in Life Is Equal.
Some moments may look ordinary at first but carry the potential to change everything that follows. It could be an unexpected business opportunity, an important conversation, a new relationship, or time with someone you love.
In this episode of the Three Word Podcast, Lisa shares how to recognize these moments and respond with the attention, energy, and courage they deserve.
You’ll discover:
- Why not every opportunity deserves an equal response
- How to recognize a potential turning point in your life or business
- Why being fully present may help you see what busyness hides
- How to invest more intentionally in meaningful people and opportunities
- Three questions to help identify what deserves more of you right now
Your calendar divides time into equal blocks. Your life does not.
This week, remember these three words:
Notice the Moment.
Listener ReflectionConsider these three questions:
- What deserves more of my attention right now?
- Who has entered my life that I should invest more time in?
- What opportunity might I regret treating as ordinary?
Some moments look ordinary until you realize they had the power to change everything. This episode may help you recognize the next one.
Until Next Time, my friend.
Connect with Lisa:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/http://threewordmeetings.comhttp://threewordpodcast
Practice Makes Permanent
We were all taught the phrase, “Practice makes perfect.”
The intention was good. Keep working. Keep improving. Keep showing up.
But chasing perfection can create anxiety, pressure, and hesitation. It can keep us from making the call, having the conversation, giving the presentation, or trying something new.
In this episode of the Three Word Podcast, Lisa Thal shares a powerful mindset shift:
Practice Makes Permanent.
What we repeat, we reinforce. What we practice consistently becomes part of who we are.
Top athletes do not wait for game day to find confidence. They practice the shot, the swing, the footwork, and the routine until it becomes natural.
Top sales professionals do the same. They practice opening calls, asking better questions, listening longer, responding to objections, and creating clear next steps.
This episode is a reminder that practice is not about becoming perfect or scripted. It is about becoming prepared.
Key Takeaways:
Practice does not make perfect. Practice makes permanent.
What you repeat, you reinforce.
Confidence is not something you wait for. It is something you build.
The habits you practice today are shaping who you become tomorrow.
Practice can make the right behaviors permanent, but it can also make rushing, avoidance, and excuses permanent.
Preparation creates confidence before the pressure arrives.
Reflection Question:
What are you practicing right now that is becoming permanent?
This Week’s Challenge:
Pick one skill, behavior, mindset, conversation, or habit you want to strengthen.
Practice it with intention.
Practice it when it feels awkward.
Practice it before you need it.
Practice it when no one is watching.
Because when the moment comes, you want your preparation to meet the opportunity.
Three Words:
Practice Makes Permanent
If this episode landed with you, share it with someone on your team who may be chasing perfect. They may need the reminder that they do not have to be perfect. They just have to practice what they want to become permanent.
You Got This.
Connect with Lisa:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/http://threewordmeetings.comhttp://threewordpodcast
In this Fourth of July-inspired episode of the Three Word Podcast, Lisa Thal shares a mindset message around personal independence, action, and creating momentum.
The episode theme is Red, White and You, and the three-word topic is Light Your Fuse.
As we celebrate freedom, fireworks, family, and the Fourth of July, this episode invites listeners to look inward and ask: What do I need to free myself from? What is one action I need to take? What is one thing I need to say no to?
Lisa reminds us that a fuse may be small, but once it is lit, it sets something bigger in motion. The same may be true in our lives. We often wait for confidence, clarity, or perfect timing, but momentum often starts with one decision, one commitment, one conversation, or one brave no.
Three Word Topic:
Light Your Fuse
Episode Theme:
Red, White and You
In this episode, you will hear about:
The meaning of personal independence
Why one small action can create momentum
How saying no can create more space and energy
Why confidence often comes after action
The importance of keeping one promise to yourself
How to move from waiting to doing
Why freedom is something we practice through our choices
Key Takeaways:
A small spark can set something bigger in motion.
You do not need to change everything. You need to choose one thing.
Every yes has a cost, and every no creates space.
Confidence is built through action, follow-through, and self-trust.
Mindset is not only about thinking better thoughts. It is about making better choices.
Freedom may begin with one decision, one action, and one brave no.
Listener Challenge:
This week, choose one thing to do and one thing to say no to.
Ask yourself:
What is one action that could move me forward?
What is one thing I need to say no to so I can create more space?
What would personal independence look like for me right now?
Closing Thought:
The spark you are waiting for may not be in the sky. It may already be in you.
You just have to light it.
Until Next Time.
Connect with Lisa:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/http://threewordmeetings.comhttp://threewordpodcast
Episode 298:
Sales is a numbers game, but it is also an effectiveness game. The way you approach someone new can determine whether they lean in, listen, or shut the conversation down.
Three Words:
Your Approach Matters
Episode Summary:
In this episode, Lisa shares a real-life moment with a young pest control salesperson who was cold-knocking in her mom’s neighborhood. His effort, courage, and activity were impressive, but the conversation created a bigger lesson for every sales professional: activity matters, but the approach behind the activity matters even more.
Lisa breaks down how salespeople can create better first impressions with new prospects by being more disarming, respectful, and curious. She also shares why tracking numbers is important, but improving effectiveness within those numbers is where real growth happens.
Key Takeaways:
- First impressions open or close doors
Before people understand what you sell, they decide how they feel about you. Your tone, words, and energy create the first layer of trust. - A disarming approach lowers resistance
When you respect someone’s time and give them permission to say no, they may be more open to listening. - Activity matters, but effective activity matters more
Sales is not just a numbers game. It is an effective numbers game. The goal is not only to reach more people, but to create better conversations. - Curiosity earns the next step
A strong approach does not lead with a pitch. It leads with awareness, relevance, and a thoughtful question. - Small adjustments can change outcomes
A better opening line, tone, question, or follow-up can turn the same amount of activity into stronger opportunities.
Disarming Sales Example:
“Hi, I know you were not expecting me, and I will be brief. I am working with a few families in the neighborhood around lawn care, and I am not sure if this is even something you need. Would it be okay if I asked you one quick question?”
Reflection Questions:
- How am I approaching people who do not know me yet?
- Do I sound like I am trying to sell, or trying to understand?
- Am I tracking only my activity, or am I also tracking my effectiveness?
- What is one small adjustment I could make to my opening line this week?
- How can I make my first impression feel more respectful, calm, and helpful?
This Week’s Challenge:
Look at your numbers, then look deeper. Review your calls, emails, cold calls, or client outreach and ask: Where can I improve my effectiveness? Focus on one part of your approach, your opening line, tone, first question, or follow-up, and make it better this week.
Memorable Line:
“Your numbers tell part of the story. Your approach tells the rest.”
Closing Thought:
Sales is not about convincing people to care. It is about creating enough trust that they are willing to have a conversation.
Three Words to Remember:
Your Approach Matters
Until Next Time.
Connect with Lisa:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/http://threewordmeetings.comhttp://threewordpodcast
Reset Your RhythmJune gives us a powerful opportunity to pause, reflect, and reset before entering the back half of the year. For sales professionals, leaders, parents, and busy achievers, it is easy to feel like the year is moving faster than we are.
This episode is a reminder that you are not behind, and you do not have to start over. You simply need to reset your rhythm.
In this episode, Lisa shares how success is not built from one big moment, but from the small rhythms we repeat each week: the calls we make, the follow-up we complete, the conversations we create, the energy we protect, and the priorities we honor.
This Week’s Three WordsReset Your RhythmWhat You’ll LearnIn this episode, you’ll learn how to:
Review what is working instead of only focusing on what is missing.
Remove the habits, distractions, and commitments that are draining your energy.
Recommit to a weekly rhythm that supports your sales goals, your mindset, your health, and your family.
Create momentum without needing a perfect plan.
Use June as a reset point to design how you want to move forward.
Key Takeaways1. You are not starting over. You are resetting.
Starting over can feel heavy. Resetting creates space to pause, reflect, and move forward with intention.
-
Your results are usually a reflection of your rhythm.
The rhythm of prospecting, following up, preparing, exercising, resting, and being present all shape your outcomes. -
Busy is not the same as productive.
Sales professionals can move all day and still feel stuck. Resetting your rhythm helps you focus on the right actions. -
A weekly rhythm beats a perfect plan.
Life will get messy. A rhythm gives you something to return to when the week does not go exactly as planned. -
The second half of the year is still yours to design.
One slow month, missed goal, or difficult season does not define the rest of your year.
Reflection QuestionsAsk yourself:
What rhythm do I need to restart?
What rhythm do I need to release?
What rhythm do I need to protect?
What weekly actions would help me create momentum in the second half of the year?
Where am I making things harder than they need to be?
How can I be more present in both my business and my personal life?
Lisa’s Challenge This WeekTake 15 minutes this week to write down three things:
Restart: What habit or action creates momentum for you?
Release: What distraction, thought pattern, or commitment is draining your energy?
Protect: What priority needs more space on your calendar?
The goal is not perfection. The goal is intention.
Memorable Quote“When you reset your rhythm, you reset your focus. When you reset your focus, you reset your actions. And when you reset your actions, you create new results.”
Episode Closing ThoughtYou still have time to create new conversations, rebuild your pipeline, improve your health, be more present, and finish the year stronger than you started.
This week, ask yourself:
What rhythm will help me win the second half of the year?
Until Next Time.
Connect with Lisa:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/http://threewordmeetings.comhttp://threewordpodcast
Graduation season reminds us that learning does not end when we receive a diploma. In many ways, life becomes our greatest classroom.
In this episode of the Three Word Podcast, Lisa Thal shares three words to help us stay open, curious, and committed to growth at every age:
Keep Learning ForwardWhether you are graduating, starting over, leading a team, building a career, or navigating a tough season, there is always something life is trying to teach you.
Lisa shares how our wins teach us what is possible, but our toughest moments often teach us who we are becoming. The missed opportunity, the difficult conversation, the rejection, the change we did not expect — each one can become a lesson if we are willing to stay curious.
In this episode, you’ll learn:How to see every season as a learning season.
Why tough lessons can become turning points.
How curiosity helps us move from frustration to growth.
Why learning from both younger and older generations matters.
How to turn one lesson into one meaningful action.
This week’s reflection question:What lesson is life offering me right now, and how can I use it to grow?
Three ways to Keep Learning Forward this week:Ask better questions.
Instead of asking, “Why did this happen to me?” ask, “What can I learn from this?”
Learn from someone younger and someone older.
Wisdom can come from every generation.
Turn one lesson into one action.
Growth happens when we apply what we learn.
Graduation may mark the end of one chapter, but growth continues for all of us. No matter your age or stage of life, you are still becoming.
Keep Learning Forward.
Until Next Time.
Connect with Lisa:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/http://threewordmeetings.comhttp://threewordpodcast
WIN — What’s Important NowIn this episode of the Three Word Podcast, Lisa Thal shares a powerful mindset shift around the word WIN — What’s Important Now.
Winning is not always about the scoreboard, the title, the promotion, or the big milestone. Sometimes winning is having the courage to pause and ask, What matters most in this season of my life?
Lisa reflects on a LinkedIn post she shared one year ago and how focusing on her WIN helped her make decisions aligned with what mattered most: starting her Mindset and Sales Coaching business, helping care for her 95-year-old mom with dementia, and creating more time with her wife, Olivia, and their pup, Denali.
This episode explores the difference between pursuing and avoiding. Avoidance may feel safe in the moment, but pursuit creates momentum. When we focus on what is important now, we begin to win in ways that are more meaningful and aligned.
Three Takeaways1. Pause before you react.
Busy does not always mean productive. Ask yourself what matters most right now.
-
Choose pursuit over avoidance.
Identify one thing you have been avoiding and take one small step toward it. -
Define winning for this season.
Your WIN may look different today than it did a year ago, and that is okay.
Reflection QuestionWhat is your WIN right now?
Not someday.
Not when everything is perfect.
Not when fear disappears.
What’s Important Now?
Until Next Time.
Connect with Lisa:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/http://threewordmeetings.comhttp://threewordpodcast
In this episode, Lisa reflects on The Masters and Rory’s win as a reminder that success in golf — and in life — is rarely about perfection. It is about mindset, adjustment, resilience, and staying in the game when adversity shows up.
This episode is for anyone navigating setbacks, frustration, or seasons where progress feels slower than expected. The message is simple: trust the process, make the adjustment, and keep going. Finish The Game!
Key Takeaways* Life, like golf, is a process * You do not need perfection to make progress * Adversity is part of the game * The key to growth is making the next best adjustment * One bad moment does not define the entire round * Finishing well requires trust, composure, and resilience
Question for you.What adjustment do I need to make right now to stay in the game?
Until Next Time.
Connect with Lisa:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/http://threewordmeetings.comhttp://threewordpodcast
Episode 293, Meet The Moment!
Two years ago, my wife Liv faced one of the hardest journeys of her life — months of chemotherapy and radiation followed by a major 8-hour esophagectomy surgery as part of her fight against cancer.
Today, Liv is two years cancer-free.
In this episode, I reflect on her courage, her resilience, and what her journey has taught me about facing life’s hardest moments. Whether the challenge is in your health, your work, your relationships, or a season of uncertainty, this episode is a reminder that we do not have to have all the answers to move forward.
We simply have to meet the moment.
This conversation is about courage in the middle of fear, strength in the middle of uncertainty, and the power of showing up one day — and one moment — at a time.
In this episode, we talk about:
- What it means to meet the moment when life feels hard
- Lessons from walking through a loved one’s cancer journey
- How resilience is often built quietly, one step at a time
- Why courage does not mean having no fear
- Applying this mindset to health, work, relationships, and everyday challenges
- Choosing hope, heart, and presence in difficult seasons
Key reminder from this episode:
You do not have to have everything figured out.
You do not have to be fearless.
You just have to meet the moment you are in.
If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who may be facing a hard moment right now. Sometimes one message of hope can connect at exactly the right time.
Connect with Lisa:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/http://threewordmeetings.comhttp://threewordpodcast#meet the moment, #resilience, #courage through adversity, #cancer free, #hope and resilience, #mindset during hard times
In this episode of the Three Word Podcast, Lisa reflects on a simple but powerful mindset shift inspired by Seth Godin: replacing the word "but" with "and".
That one small change can reshape how we view challenge, growth, and the tension of real life. Instead of using language that shuts us down, this episode explores how to choose and create space for both honesty and possibility.
Lisa also shares a personal reflection from caring for her 95-year-old mom with vascular dementia, and how that experience has deepened her understanding that some seasons of life are both difficult and meaningful at the same time.
This episode is a reminder that life is rarely either-or. Often, it is both.
In this episode:* Why the word but can keep us stuck * How and opens the door to growth and perspective * Why two things can be true at once * A personal reflection on caregiving, love, and meaning * How to shift your self-talk in hard seasons
Key reminder:Life can be hard and rewarding.
You can be tired and grateful.
You can be stretched and still strong.
Reflection question:Where in your life do you need to stop living in but and start living in and?
Share this episode with someone who:* Is walking through a hard season * Needs encouragement without toxic positivity * Is balancing challenge and gratitude * Could use a small mindset shift that makes a big difference
Connect with Lisa:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/http://threewordmeetings.comhttp://threewordpodcast #mindset,#caregiving,#sethgodin,#personalgrowth,#vasculardementia,#resilience, #leadership, #gratitude
The clocks move forward an hour — and whether you love the time change or not, it’s a powerful reminder: sometimes life asks you to move forward.
In this episode, I use the time change as a mindset reset. Not a dramatic overhaul. Not an overnight transformation. A simple decision to take one step forward — because most of us don’t need more time… we need more courage with the time we already have.
It’s now time to stop waiting for perfect.
It’s now time to build momentum.
It’s now time to move forward — one small step at a time.
In This Episode, We Talk About:* Why the time change is a symbol for forward movement * The difference between waiting for motivation and creating momentum * How “someday” quietly keeps us stuck * A reframe: the clock doesn’t ask permission — it just moves * The “one-hour” approach: small steps that compound into real progress
This Week’s Challenge:Ask yourself: What’s one thing I’ve been delaying that I can move forward today?
Not finish. Not master. Just take the next step — and put it on your calendar.
Memorable Lines:* “Most of us don’t need more time. We need more courage with the time we already have.” * “Momentum comes before motivation.” * “The clock doesn’t ask permission. It just moves.” * “It’s now time to stop outsourcing your future to a later version of you.”
Team Meeting Resource (Free Download)Use the printable one-pager to run a quick team meeting using It’s Now Time:
Download: Three Word Meetings — It’s Now Time (Print PDF)
Connect with Lisa:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/http://threewordmeetings.comhttp://threewordpodcast #time change mindset, #move forward, #momentum, #motivation, #progress over perfection, #personal growth, #leadership mindset, #team meeting prompt, #Three Word Podcast, #Three Word Meetings, #it’s now time
Episode 290 — Do The WorkEpisode summary“Do The Work” is a simple three-word roadmap for progress: the quiet, consistent actions that build results when no one is watching. In this episode, Lisa shares a moment of inspiration spotted in an airport on the way to a girls’ golf trip in Phoenix, and breaks down why unseen reps create self-trust, resilience, and real momentum.
In this episode, you’ll hear* Why progress is built in the unseen moments, not the highlight reel * The difference between work that gets applause and work that gets results * How consistency beats talent when pressure hits * Why preparation becomes your identity, not just your routine * What it means when you do the work and still fall short * How failure becomes data you can use to refine and grow * A simple question to identify the next step you already know you need to take
Key takeaways* The work isn’t only about the outcome — it’s about who you become while doing it. * Every time you do the work, you build trust with yourself. * Under pressure, you don’t rise to the occasion — you fall to the level of your preparation. * Falling short doesn’t mean the work didn’t work. It means you’re in the process. * Growth looks like repetition, refining, and showing up again.
Memorable lines* “Not the highlight-reel work. The quiet work.” * “The unseen moments are where your future gets built.” * “Self-trust is a superpower.” * “Failure doesn’t cancel the work. It reveals the work that still needs to be done.” * “You are not behind. You are being built.” * “One day people will call it overnight success — and you’ll know the truth.”
Reflection question (for you or your next team meeting)What’s the work I’ve been avoiding… that I already know I need to do?
Then—no drama, no delay—Do. The. Work.
Know someone who’s doing the work quietly right now? Tag them or send this episode to them.
Hit Like so it reaches the right people — and drop your three words in the comments.
Connect with Lisa:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/http://threewordmeetings.comhttp://threewordpodcast
What does it take to compete at the highest level in your career or business? In this episode, we borrow an Olympic Games mindset to talk about daily training, mental discipline, and the habits that build championship-level performance.
You’ll learn how elite athletes:
- Train when no one is watching
- Focus on what you can control
- Practice under pressure before pressure arrives
- Recover like it matters
Plus, you’ll get simple strategies you can apply immediately to raise your standard, strengthen consistency, and build confidence through repetition.
Key Takeaways* You don’t rise to the occasion, you fall to your training * Motivation fades, standards stay * Inputs create outcomes: focus on what you can control * Confidence is built through rehearsal, not hope * Recovery is not a reward, it’s part of performance
Try This Today1. Choose one “boring rep” and make it non-negotiable for 14 days 2. Write down your top 3 controllables each morning and win them 3. Create a “pressure script” and practice it out loud 4. Protect your energy with intentional recovery
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
Episode 288, Complacency Kills SuccessSummary Curt Cignetti’s three-word mindset—Complacency Kills Success—captures what it takes to win when you’ve never won before and sustain standards when everyone starts celebrating. In this episode, we break down how complacency sneaks in, how it quietly erodes performance, and how to protect your “edge” in sales, leadership, and life.
The 3 WordsComplacency. Kills. Success.
Key topics covered: Complacency isn’t laziness—it’s what shows up after progress* (“we’re good now”). * “Kills” means it’s silent and gradual: standards slip one small decision at a time. * Success is a system, not a moment—a repeatable set of habits you protect daily. * The best performers act like they’re 0–0 and keep doing the basics with intensity. * Bonus mindset cue: Cignetti’s “I win. Google me.” is a standard statement, not just a soundbite.
Pick one area you’ve gotten comfortable and answer:
- Where am I coasting? (Complacency)
- What standard is slipping? (Kills)
- What would “winning” require again—daily? ( Success)
If this hit you today, share it with someone who’s doing well—but needs to stay on that path. And if you’re building your own winning season, remember: your next level won’t be built by what you did once. It’ll be built by what you refuse to stop doing! If you want, comment EDGE and I’ll send you a 1-page worksheet you can use for you or with your team. Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
Most people set goals by focusing on results. James Clear’s Atomic Habits offers a more powerful starting point: identity. Who you want to become.
This episode breaks down the three-part framework:
- Who you want to become
- How you become that person
- What you need to do each day to prove it
Because habits are not just tasks. They become evidence. Every action is a vote for the type of person you are becoming.
In this episode, we cover* Why starting with “who” creates more consistency than starting with “what” * The difference between outcome goals and identity-based habits * How to ask a better daily question: “What would the person I want to become do today?” * Why small actions matter more than big intentions * How repeated habits build trust with yourself and reinforce your story
Key takeaways* Identity creates alignment, and alignment creates momentum * You do not need perfection, you need repetition * Small steps are powerful when they are consistent * Habits matter because they are proof of your identity in real time
Simple reflection exerciseFinish these three sentences:
- Who do I want to become?
- What would that person do consistently?
- What is one small action I can take today to cast a vote for that identity?
Three words to rememberVote. Build. Become.
If this episode helped you, share it with a salesperson or leader who is building consistency and confidence one day at a time.
Until Next Time.
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
Your Outlook calendar is evidence, not opinions. In this episode, we use three words, Stop, Continue, Start, to turn last year’s calendar patterns into a simple roadmap for 2026. You’ll learn how to identify time leaks, protect what worked, and schedule one small action that creates your next level.
Key Takeaways* Your calendar tells the truth about priorities, energy, and results * “Stop” removes the biggest time leak that isn’t producing progress * “Continue” protects the behaviors and blocks that created momentum * “Start” is one small lever, scheduled now, that supports your 2026 goals * If it isn’t on the calendar, it’s often just intention
The 30-Minute Calendar Review (Quick Guide)1. Open Outlook and scan Jan–Dec from last year 2. Notice patterns in: revenue activities, follow-up, internal meetings, and energy 3. Decide what to Stop, Continue, and Start 4. Schedule your Start action immediately
Reflection Prompts for you* What repeated on my calendar that didn’t create real progress * What activities showed up during my best weeks * What do I want to be true by the end of 2026 that my calendar does not support yet * What is one block I will protect starting next week
Do this todaySpend 10 minutes in Outlook Month view. Pick one Stop, one Continue, one Start. Then schedule your Start action on the calendar before you close your laptop.
If this episode helped, share it with someone on your team and do the Stop, Continue, Start review together. One honest calendar review can change the way a year feels.
If you want, tell me your three: what are you stopping, continuing, and starting in 2026.
Until Next time.
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
Episode 285A morning run brings one word back to the surface: Believe. In this episode, I share why that word became more than inspiration in our home. It became a decision. Between my wife Olivia’s esophageal cancer journey and my mom’s Alzheimer’s dementia progression, belief stopped being an idea and started becoming a daily practice. I also share the moment I realized time was the real urgency, and why I chose to step away from a career I loved to build a life rhythm that made room for the people I love most.
What you’ll hear in this episode* Why “Believe” is not decor, it is a decision * How uncertainty can test your mind and your heart * The difference between hope and action * The phrase that changed my year: “Believe it to see it” * A simple practice to move forward when the roadmap is not clear
Key messageBelief is not pretending. Belief is choosing. Belief is action before proof.
The “Believe” practice (takeaway)1. Name what you want in one sentence 2. Name the fear underneath it 3. Choose one proof step you can take in the next 24 hours
Examples of proof steps: one email, one conversation, one appointment, one calendar decision, one first draft.
Memorable lines (pull quotes)* “That sign is not decor for us. It has been a decision.” * “Belief became a crossroads.” * “Sometimes the clarity comes after the courage.” * “Time is not something you earn back later.” * “Believe it to see it.”
Reflection prompts for the listener* Where are you waiting for certainty before you move * What would you choose if regret was not an option * What is one proof step you can take in the next 24 hours
Suggested timestamps (edit after recording)* 00:00 The run and the word “Believe” * 01:00 Olivia’s diagnosis and the season of waiting * 02:30 My mom’s decline and the reality of time * 04:00 The crossroads and the decision to step away * 05:15 The Believe practice you can use today
Gentle disclaimerThis episode is personal storytelling and mindset encouragement, not medical advice.
Call to actionIf this episode connects with you, share it with someone who is carrying a heavy season. And if you try the Believe practice, send me the one proof step you chose.
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
Episode SummaryIn this episode of The Three Word Podcast, Lisa talks directly to sales professionals about the real competitive edge in today’s market: focus. It’s not just about working harder or longer—it’s about defending the time and energy that actually grows your pipeline, your income, and your confidence.
You’ll learn how to treat your focus like a revenue strategy, not a nice-to-have, and walk away with simple, repeatable habits you can put into practice this week.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:* Why most sellers don’t have a time problem—they have a focus problem * How top performers protect their prospecting and follow-up time * The mindset shift from “things happening to me” to owning your day * What real sales focus looks like in day-to-day activity * Three simple moves you can use today to get back in control of your business
Key Moments & Flow (5–6 minutes) 00:00 – Welcome & Setup
Lisa introduces the three words Protect Your Focus* and explains why distraction is every seller’s true competitor.
* 01:00 – Focus as a Revenue Strategy
The difference between a reactive seller and a creator seller—and how the same 8 hours can produce very different results.
* 02:00 – Breaking Down the Three Words
+ Protect – Guard your prospecting, follow-up, and thinking time
+ Your – Owning your choices, your priorities, and your effort
+ Focus – Choosing what matters most and giving it your full attention
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03:15 – Three Practical Moves to Use Today
- Block a daily Revenue Power Hour
- Choose your Top 3 priorities each morning
- Use a “Not Now” List to park distractions and stay on task
- 04:30 – What Sellers Need to Hear Today
The reminder that knowing isn’t the problem—consistent execution is. - 05:00 – Weekly Challenge & Close
Lisa gives a simple 5-day challenge to help sellers feel more in control, more productive, and more confident in their pipeline.
One Big TakeawayYour focus is your advantage. When you protect your focus, you protect your future revenue.
This Week’s ChallengeFor the next 5 business days:
- Schedule a daily Revenue Power Hour on your calendar.
- Write down your Top 3 revenue-driving actions each morning.
- Keep a Not Now List and push distractions to after your focus time.
At the end of the week, ask:
- Did I feel more in control of my day?
- Did my meaningful activity go up?
- Do I feel better about my pipeline?
Team / Sales Meeting Discussion QuestionsIf you’re a sales leader or using this with your team:
- Where are we losing the most focus during the day?
- What would it look like if everyone protected one Revenue Power Hour daily?
- How can we support each other in saying “Not now” to low-value distractions?
Until Next time.
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
In this episode of the Three Word Podcast, Lisa explores how mindfulness becomes a competitive advantage during the busiest time of the year. While others get overwhelmed, distracted, and stretched thin, you can rise above the noise by staying present, intentional, and focused. Lisa breaks down how a mindful mindset sharpens your performance, strengthens your leadership, and helps you finish the year with clarity and energy — not exhaustion.
What You’ll Learn* Why the holiday season is the perfect opportunity to stand out * How mindfulness improves focus and decision-making * Simple ways to reset your mindset in moments of stress * How to stay grounded in conversations, meetings, and daily routines * The three words that help you regain momentum anytime: Focus, Mindfulness, Momentum
Key Takeaways* Mindfulness isn’t a ritual — it’s a performance strategy * Staying present gives you an advantage when others are distracted * A winning mindset is created through small, intentional choices * Slowing down helps you rise above, not fall behind * The season may be chaotic, but your mind doesn’t have to be
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
In Episode 282, you will learn about how applying the 3 C's can improve your life and business.
What if the most uncomfortable 15 minutes of your day—those first few cold calls, that tough follow-up—were the exact actions that guaranteed you hit your quota? That’s not a theory. That’s a decision.
In this episode I share three ideas to own this week: Change, Courage, and Confidence.
By listening to and applying the 3 C's into your daily life, you will learn how to cultivate confidence, build consistency, and harness courage to overcome challenges and achieve your personal and professional goals. These principles are not just theoretical, but practical tools that have the power to transform your life, empowering you to take actionable steps, stay motivated, and unlock your full potential while navigating life's obstacles with resilience and determination.
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
Episode 281: Learn how to get your prospects and clients to vote yes to doing business with you.
It’s election season, and your prospects are casting their votes every day—choosing between you and your competitors. To win their business, you need more than a good pitch; you need a winning campaign.
How do you secure that "yes"? By running a smarter play. I've outlined three proven strategies to get clients to vote for you:
- Define Your Ballot: Frame the choice with 3 proof-backed outcomes and one powerful differentiator. Make it easy for them to choose you.
- Run a GOTV Plan: Execute a sequence of 3-5 high-value touchpoints in 14 days to build unstoppable momentum.
- Win the Debates: Master objections with a simple “claim-proof-preview” framework and have a 60-second mini-demo ready to deploy.
Imagine sending this quick DM: "Hi [Name], saw your team's latest update. Thought this short clip on how we helped [Similar Company] solve [Problem] might be useful for your goals."
It’s about being strategic, not just busy.
Ready to build your winning campaign?
Until next time, thanks for joining me this week. If someone can benefit from this episode, do me a favor and share it.
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
SalesStrategy #B2BSales #ClientAcquisition #SalesTips
Episode 280: This episode is about turning Uncertainty and Stress into a competitive advantage.
When the numbers aren't there and a key client goes dark, how do you lead? This episode tackles the immense stress of uncertainty head-on, drawing from the work of psychologist Dr. Ellen Langer. Discover how to reframe uncertainty not as a threat, but as an opportunity to activate your highest level of performance and strategic thinking.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:* Why uncertainty is the natural state and not the source of your stress. * How to shift from reactive autopilot to a strategic, mindful response. * A simple technique to ground yourself in the present when pressure mounts. * How to use "Maybe Thinking" to break free from worst-case scenarios and see new pathways. * The "Controllable Variables Scan" to focus your energy and restore your sense of agency. * A guided 60-second practice to immediately apply these powerful tools. * One actionable experiment to transform your approach to challenges this week.
Episode Timestamps:* [00:00] The High-Stakes Scenario: Navigating quarter-end pressure. * [00:45] Introduction: Flipping the script on stress and uncertainty. * [01:15] Technique 1: "Notice Five New Things" to break out of autopilot. * [02:05] Technique 2: "Maybe Thinking" to reframe catastrophic thoughts. * [02:48] Technique 3: The "Controllable Variables Scan" to focus on what you can influence now. * [03:30] Guided Practice: A 60-second exercise to integrate all three techniques. * [04:35] Your Weekly Experiment: One small step to take when you feel stressed by an unknown. * [04:55] Closing & Call to Action.
Actionable Takeaways:1. Ground Yourself: The next time you feel a wave of stress, stop and actively notice five new things in your environment. This pulls you out of a reactive loop and into the present moment. 2. Challenge Assumptions: When your mind defaults to a negative outcome (e.g., "We're going to lose this account"), counter it with at least two "maybe" statements (e.g., "Maybe they are reviewing our proposal," "Maybe this is a chance to add more value"). 3. Focus on Control: In any uncertain situation, identify the single next action that is 100% within your control. Execute on that one thing to regain momentum and a sense of agency.
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
Subscribe and share this episode with a colleague who is ready to excel under pressure.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.
Episode 279, Redefining Success: Why We're Measuring Life All WrongWhat if the life you're chasing—the promotions, the bigger house, the perfect online image—is a life that almost no one actually wants? We've all been running a race, but today we explore a powerful idea that suggests we've been measuring our lives all wrong.
Episode SummaryIn this episode, Lisa Thal challenges conventional definitions of success by introducing the work of Dr. Todd Rose. We explore his research on "collective illusions," where we conform to ideas we think everyone else believes, even when we privately disagree. This leads to the biggest illusion of all: success.
Dr. Rose's Success Index reveals that most Americans privately value relationships, integrity, community engagement, and personal growth far more than status or money. Lisa shares her own powerful story of redefining success, stepping away from a 38-year career to care for her mother with dementia and spend more time with her wife, Olivia. She traded status for significance.
To help you find your own definition of a good life, Lisa provides a simple five-step playbook to align your actions with your values.
Episode Outline* [00:00-02:00] Introduction: Are You Chasing the Wrong Finish Line? * [02:01-05:00] Who is Dr. Todd Rose? Understanding Collective Illusions * [05:01-08:00] What is the Success Index? * [08:01-12:00] Key Findings: What We Truly Value * [12:01-15:00] Lisa's Story: Trading Status for Significance * [15:01-20:00] A 5-Step Playbook to Redefine Your Success * [20:01-22:00] This Week's Challenge & Wrap-Up
Your 5-Step Playbook for a More Fulfilling Life1. Personal Metrics Audit: Observe what you currently use to measure a "good day." 2. Weekly Success Scorecard: Define 3-5 new metrics based on what truly matters to you (e.g., family time, learning, acts of kindness). 3. Social Comparison Detox: Unfollow sources that make you feel like you're falling behind. 4. Run Micro-Experiments: Dedicate small amounts of time to a passion project or volunteer work. 5. The Alignment Check: Monthly, review your calendar and bank statement to see if your spending aligns with your values.
This Week's ChallengeWhat is one metric of success you are ready to drop, and what is one new, value-based metric you are prepared to adopt?
Mentions & Resources* Dr. Todd Rose * Collective Illusions * Success Index
Love this episode? Follow or subscribe to The Three Word Podcast, leave a rating, and share it with a friend who could benefit from this message.
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
Episode 278 is about Stop Faking it and Start Making it.
The phrase "Fake it 'til you Make it" is common career advice, but does it actually work?
For many, it leads to imposter syndrome and burnout. It prioritizes perception over progress.
What if we adopted a more authentic and sustainable approach to growth? I explore this in my latest podcast episode, focusing on a new mantra: Make it until you make it.
This mindset is not about pretending. It’s about doing. It's about building tangible skills, gaining real experience, and earning genuine confidence through consistent, imperfect action.
In the episode, I cover how to apply this to your professional and personal life, including:
- Moving from vague ambitions to specific, actionable goals.
- Embracing the learning curve and giving yourself permission to be a beginner.
- Building unstoppable momentum by documenting your efforts, not just judging the outcomes.
This shift has been fundamental to my own growth, helping me build skills and confidence from the ground up.
How do you approach learning and development? Do you lean towards "faking it" or "making it"? I'd be interested to hear your experiences in the comments.
Share this episode with someone you think can benefit from Faking it to Making it.
Until Next time.
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
Episode 277 is about the one thing standing between you and achieving your goals.
Your Mind Set!
The only thing standing between you and your goal is you. I is the story you keep telling yourself as to why you can't achieve it. What I will share is how you can begin to change the narrative of the conversation going on in your mind—Your vision, along with action. You can change where you are and who you want to be.
The standard you set, keeping in mind that you're competing against yourself, not others. You're on a journey, and it's a process of pursuing.
The question to think about today is, Is Your Mind Set? And what is it set on? Your mind set is one of the most crucial elements of success in any field: creating a winning mindset. It's not about luck. It's about how you think, how you approach challenges, and the internal narrative you're having every single day. So, what does it truly take to build a mindset that wins?
So, what exactly is a "winning mindset"? It's the mental foundation that allows you to see opportunity where others see obstacles. It's the engine that drives you forward, even when the path is difficult.
Let's break it down into four key elements.
Self-belief. The absolute foundation of a winning mindset. It's you against you, not others. You have to believe in your ability to succeed. Think about any great athlete or innovator. Before anyone else believed in them, they believed in themselves. It's about a quiet, steady confidence in your capabilities.
A practical way to build this is to celebrate your small wins. Did you finish a challenging task at work? A knowledge of it. Did you stick to your workout plan? Give yourself credit. Each small victory builds evidence that you are capable, strengthening your belief over time.
Resilience. Life will knock you down. You will face setbacks, failures, and criticism. That's a guarantee. A winning mindset isn't about avoiding failure; it's about bouncing back from it, stronger and wiser. Think of it like a muscle. Every time you face a challenge and push through, your resilience grows. Something I learned from Warren Buffett is that the more you learn, the more you earn. Be open to learning along the way.
Clear goal-setting. A winner knows where they are going. Vague hopes, such as "I want to be successful," are not enough. A winning mindset requires vision with specific and actionable goals. You need a destination to aim for.
What is something you want to pursue? Better health, better relationships, a better life.
Try the SMART goal framework: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Instead of "I want to get in shape," a winning goal is "I will run a 5k in three months by training three times a week." This clarity gives you a roadmap and turns a distant dream into a series of manageable steps.
Positive habits. Your daily actions shape your mindset. Winners build routines that support their goals. They don't rely on motivation alone, because motivation can fade. They rely on discipline and habits. Have the courage to take action.
Consider the habit of a positive morning routine. Instead of grabbing your phone and scrolling through social media, what if you spent the first 15 minutes meditating, journaling, or planning your day? This slight shift can set a positive and productive tone for everything that follows. S art small. Pick one habit you want to build—like reading for 10 minutes a day or writing down three things you're grateful for—and stick with it.
Consistency is what solidifies a winning mindset.
Let's recap the four pillars: build unshakable self-belief by celebrating your wins. Develop resilience by learning from your setbacks. Set clear, specific goals to give yourself direction. A d cultivate positive habits that support your journey.
The power to change your life resides in your mind. The story you tell yourself becomes your reality.
So, here is your call to action. I encourage you to take one step today—just one. Pick one of the elements we talked about. Write down one clear, specific goal for this week. Maybe it's taking five minutes to list three past accomplishments you're proud of to build that self-belief. Don't wait for the "perfect" moment. The moment is now.
Start building your winning mindset today, and watch how your world begins to change.
Until next time. If someone can benefit from this episode, do me a favor and share it.
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
Episode 276: Is there something you have wanted to improve in your life or business? This episode explores how to unlock your potential.
Let's start with this question. What's the one thing in your life that you're striving to improve? Whether it's your health, finances, relationships, or business, I'm here to help you take the next step. So, what's your game plan for unlocking your Potential?
We all have the best intentions to improve. You don't have to do it alone. Are you open to some direction or coaching to help you get there faster?
This week, we're exploring Unlocking Your Potential and the powerful benefits of gaining another perspective to help you uncover your next level. It's a journey that promises fresh insights and exciting opportunities.
Let me share a personal example: I love golf. I am a 10-handicap, and my goal is to be an 8. I came to realize that to get there, I need another perspective to analyze the opportunities to unlock my Potential.
So, I went to Golf Tech and met with Jeff. Jeff measured various aspects of my swing to provide me with valuable insights for improvement. Key insights I couldn't see, such as body motion sensors, Club movement when hitting the ball, including ball speed, launch angle, spin rate, and club path. All these insights that I wouldn't be able to see.
He also observed the shifting of my body through the swing to identify areas for improvement. He observed my swing speed and tempo to identify areas for improvement. The 3D Swing analysis captures all the data points to help me refine my game.
Once we have all the data, it's time to implement it. This is one of the most complicated steps. For me, I had to make a few changes in my game—a new way of shifting my body and changing my swing path to maximize every shot.
The journey of practicing the new swing began, I must admit, it felt awkward and unnatural. ( and sore from using different muscles). But I was determined. It takes time to learn and implement something new, as it is so easy to retreat to what is comfortable. My advice is to keep pushing and practicing the new pathway, even when it doesn't feel perfect. Remember, persistence and progress are key.
I remember playing golf that week after my first lesson. Implementing what Jeff had coached me to do. It wasn't pretty for many shots, and I wanted to go back to the old swing I knew. However, I kept working through the misses and, on occasion, would see the results from his recommendations.
Can you relate? You start to implement something new, and you don't get the immediate results, so you go back to what you know. The real opportunity lies in working through the misses or shortfalls and staying the course.
Another opportunity, once you get another's perspective, is to practice what you learned. As you do, you start to create a new pattern of learning and success. After my lesson, I would go and practice this new swing to anchor it in my body. I was trying to create new muscle memory.
Here's your chance to take charge. Identify one area of your life you want to improve or get to the next level. If you're in sales and want to improve your new business, what would you have to learn to do this? Can you ask your manager for insights on their views of who you're targeting or what your approach is when asking for that first meeting? Can you put the found knowledge into practice every day so you too create a new muscle memory of setting effective meetings?
Or do you need someone to look at what you're currently doing to gain another perspective? Hire a coach to identify your opportunities and help you achieve your goals. In many cases, we all have the data; we need another to help guide us to our next level.
Here are three key benefits of hiring a coach to help you achieve your goals:
- Clarity and Focus: A coach helps you define your goals with precision and creates a clear roadmap to achieve them. They guide you to prioritize what truly matters and stay focused on your objectives.
- Accountability and Motivation: Coaches keep you on track by holding you accountable. They provide consistent encouragement and feedback, ensuring you stay motivated even when challenges arise.
- Personalized Strategies and Growth: A coach tailors their approach to your unique strengths, weaknesses, and circumstances. They provide insights, tools, and strategies that accelerate your progress while fostering personal and professional growth.
I am encouraging you to take the first step. Identify what you want, and gain another's perspective by hiring a coach who has expertise in that area. Then apply what you learn, even when it feels unnatural. The real growth is on the other side.
If I can help, please feel free to private message me for any personal or business coaching needs. I will leave the golf advice to Jeff. Well, I am off to practice my new swing.
Until next time, thanks for joining me this week. If someone can benefit from this episode, do me a favor and share it.
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
Episode 275: Learn how to stop talking and start doing what you need to do to accomplish your goals and dreams. Become a Doer!
You will learn three practical tips to get you moving in the right direction.
We all know someone who spends more time talking about their ambitions than actually pursuing them. Maybe that someone is you. You have big plans, great intentions, incredible dreams, and big goals, but the first step feels so intimidating that you stay stuck in the planning—or worse, the talking—stage.
Here's the truth: taking action is what separates dreamers or talkers from those who do, the Doers. Ideas alone don't change lives; action does. If you're ready to stop talking about what you want to accomplish and start making it happen, here are three practical tips to get you moving in the right direction.
- Start Small, But Start Now The vision of a complete goal can be overwhelming. Whether you want to write a book, start a podcast, launch a business, or run your first marathon, the weight of everything that needs to happen can cause you to hesitate before starting. Start small, but start now.
Picture this: someone who dreams of running a marathon might spend weeks researching the perfect shoes, the best training plan. But someone serious about running gets up, laces any pair of sneakers they own, and runs for five minutes today. That's the difference.
What's one small action you can take right now? It could be as simple as making a phone call to a potential client, starting a wellness plan, or dedicating 10 minutes every day doing something that brings you closer to your dreams. Action creates momentum.
- Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable Taking action often brings on some level of anxiety. You might be scared, inexperienced, or unsure if you're doing it right. That discomfort can stop you in your tracks if you don't learn to embrace it.
Think of a baby learning to walk. They fall, stumble, and wobble—but they keep moving. They don't analyze their technique or wait until they've watched 10 tutorial videos on walking mechanics. They try, fall, and improve. They make progress, and so can you.
You'll probably feel uncomfortable as you start moving toward your dreams, and that's okay. No one has all the answers when they begin. By acting despite the uncertainty, you'll gain confidence and skills over time. Some of the best lessons come from trying and figuring things out as you go.
- Keep Your Goals to Yourself It's tempting to announce your ambitions to everyone. Telling people you're going to start a podcast, create better health, or change careers gives you an instant dopamine hit of approval—and that approval can sometimes rewire your brain into feeling like you've already accomplished the goal.
Instead, keep your plans to yourself and share them only with those who can support you, with energy to make progress, not just promises.
Do the work when no one else is watching. When you say less and do more, your actions will speak volumes over time. For example, imagine quietly working on your fitness goals and shocking everyone six months later by showing up stronger, faster, and healthier. That feeling?
I encourage you to write down your goals, keep them private, and focus your intention and attention on progress. Don't worry about impressing others with your plans; impress yourself by sticking with the process.
Dreams without action are just wishes. It's not enough to dream about writing a book, creating your podcast, launching a business, or running a marathon. You must take consistent steps toward achieving those aspirations. It will change how you see yourself. Change the phrase Seeing is Believing to Believing is seeing! You believe in what you're doing!
If you have found yourself in the "someday" phase, today is the day to break free. Start small, push through the discomfort, and focus on doing, not just dreaming. The future you're imagining is waiting—and it starts with the step you take today.
If someone can benefit from this, please share it with them.
Until Next time, take the steps to becoming a Doer!
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
Three Word Meeting Book - Buy Here!
Episode 274 is about stepping beyond your boundaries and comfort zone. Real growth starts with one step.
Today's podcast is about the lesson I learned while helping a neighbor who had hip surgery and needed some support walking her two-year-old, energetic pup, Buddy. I will share three actionable tips to encourage you to take the first step!
Stepping Beyond Your Comfort Zone. It's a journey we've all embarked on at some point. Whether you're a seasoned sales professional or an ambitious individual striving for success, Buddy's moment of growth is a powerful metaphor for growth and success. We often find ourselves confined within familiar routines, within a comfort zone that feels secure and predictable. But these boundaries, while providing a sense of security, can also hinder us from seizing opportunities and achieving greater success.
Here are three actionable tips to help you take that first step toward breaking your boundaries:
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Recognize Your Comfort ZoneThe first step in leaving your comfort zone is recognizing it. It's like turning on a light in a dark room-suddenly, you can see the patterns or routines that feel "safe" but are holding you back from truly excelling. For example, are you sticking to the same sales script because you're scared of trying a different approach? Ask yourself, "What am I avoiding because it feels uncomfortable?" This awareness is the foundation of progress and a powerful tool on your journey to personal growth. It's a moment of enlightenment that empowers you to take control of your growth.
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Start With Small RisksStepping outside your comfort zone doesn't mean making a giant leap all at once. Much like Buddy taking cautious steps into unfamiliar territory, you can start with small, manageable risks. If cold calling intimidates you, start by reaching out to just one new prospect each day. If networking events feel overwhelming, aim to introduce yourself to two new people per event. These small steps, when taken consistently, build confidence and momentum. They're like stepping stones, each one bringing you closer to your goals and further from your comfort zone. They reassure you that you're capable of more than you think. For instance, if you're a sales professional, you could start by making a call to a potential client you've been hesitant to approach, or if you're a team member, you could volunteer to lead a small project that's outside your usual responsibilities.
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Seek Support and Encourage YourselfSometimes, overcoming fear requires a helping hand. Just as I picked Buddy up to cross into uncharted terrain, you, too, may need support to face unfamiliar challenges. It could be a mentor guiding you through a tough decision, a colleague brainstorming creative solutions, or even reading motivational stories of those who have walked a similar path. Remember, you're not alone in this journey.
Most importantly, become your own cheerleader—remind yourself why taking this step matters. Self-encouragement is a powerful tool in your journey of personal growth. It's essential to acknowledge your progress, no matter how small, and to remind yourself of the potential rewards that come from stepping outside your comfort zone. It's a source of self-assurance and confidence that you can rely on.
Stepping outside your boundaries doesn't guarantee immediate success, but it brings new experiences, perspectives, and possibilities — progress that staying stagnant cannot achieve. Buddy didn't discover a whole new world overnight, but with every step and nudge, he explored something he had never seen or smelled before. Likewise, your first steps might feel vulnerable, but they are the pathway to growth. Remember, the potential rewards that come from stepping outside your comfort zone are worth the initial discomfort.
Take a moment to reflect today. What's one step you can take to move closer to your own goals? Whether it's reaching out to a new client that has been on your list, calling a difficult client, or stepping into a leadership role, remember that every great success begins with one courageous step outside the comfort zone. Today is the perfect time to take yours.
If someone can benefit from this, please share it with them.
Until Next time, eager to hear about your journey of stepping outside your comfort zone and the growth you've experienced.
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
Episode 273: It is understanding your progress and the shifts you need to make toward achieving your year-end goals:
Mid-year is the perfect time to reassess, refocus, and reignite your sales strategies. Whether you're ahead of your quotas or trying to make up for lost ground, the next six months offer countless opportunities to optimize your performance. I will share nine key strategies that will help you refocus, boost growth, meet your targets, and elevate your sales performance.
We must begin by honestly assessing our performance in the first half of the year. There is no judgment, just an evaluation of what we have accomplished, areas of progress, and the following steps to commit to.
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Refine Your Product Pitch Your product pitch is a powerful tool that can significantly impact your success. Now is the time to evaluate and refine it. Test your pitch with colleagues or mentors, gather feedback, and make adjustments to make it more engaging and tailored to your client's needs. Tools like sales pitch refinement apps and AI platforms can provide valuable insights into the tone, clarity, and effectiveness of your pitch.
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Double Down on Client Relationships Strong client relationships are the cornerstone of long-term sales success. Mid-year is an ideal time to check in with your existing customers. Celebrate the wins they've had since partnering with you, or inquire about any changes in their needs or goals. Use this insight to strengthen your collaboration.
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Leverage Advanced CRM Tools Are you fully utilizing your customer relationship management (CRM) platform? Tools like Salesforce and HubSpot go beyond managing leads; they provide data-backed insights into client behavior, predict purchasing patterns, and help automate follow-ups. Mid-year is an ideal time to clean up your CRM data and maximize the tool's potential to enhance lead engagement and increase meeting and sales conversions.
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Focus on Qualified Leads Not all leads are created equal. Revisit your lead generation strategy and prioritize prospects most likely to convert. It will ensure that you target prospects who align with your ideal customer profile, keeping your pipeline lean yet high-quality.
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Elevate Your Follow-Up Process Studies show that 80% of sales require 5+ follow-ups, yet many of us stop after just one or two. Develop a follow-up process that is both persistent and respectful, utilizing personalized emails, value-driven updates, and call-back schedules to ensure effective communication. Make your follow-up customized, not automated.
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Track & Celebrate Milestones Take time to track progress towards your goals and celebrate milestones, no matter how small. It will not only boost team morale but also provide an opportunity to reflect on what's working and make adjustments to elements that need improvement. Use performance tracking tools to measure how close you are to achieving (or exceeding) your quotas.
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Stay On Top of Industry Trends The sales landscape is constantly evolving, with new tools, tactics, and challenges consistently emerging. To stay ahead, dedicate time each week to reading industry blogs, attending webinars, or networking with other professionals. Whether it's harnessing AI to improve productivity or exploring new markets, staying informed will help you stay competitive.
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Engage in Sales Coaching or Mentorship Even the most experienced sales professionals benefit from structured coaching or guidance from a mentor. A coach can help you identify blind spots, optimize your strategies, and inspire creativity in your approach. If you don't currently have a mentor or access to coaching, consider joining online communities or forums for sales professionals to exchange tips and advice.
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Make Data-Driven Decisions Data increasingly drives sales. Utilize tools such as Google Analytics, LinkedIn Insights, or your in-house analytics platforms to identify trends, assess performance, and forecast customer behavior. Refine strategies using historical data and adopt an iterative approach to improving your success rate.
Remember, thriving in sales requires a balance of persistence, personal development, and adaptability. These mid-year strategies can help you reassess your current status and set yourself up for a strong second half of the year.
Start by identifying one or two areas where you can make immediate improvements, and take action today. There's no better time to refine your game, inspire client trust, and achieve your goals.
How do you plan to supercharge your sales performance this year? Your thoughts and favorite strategies are valuable to us, so please share them below!
If someone can benefit from this episode, please share it with them.
Until next time, Keep Making Progress.
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
Episode 272 is about " Touching Your Dreams" with passion and purpose.
In this episode, we discuss the dreams you're pursuing and four tips to keep you on the path to achieving them.
I have a question for you. What is one dream you're pursuing right now? What is something on your vision board that you are working toward? Maybe it is the following:
- The dream job
- The dream relationship
- The dream home
- The dream car
- The dream vacation
- Personal fulfillment
- Volunteering your time
- Financial Freedom
How are you doing in reaching your dreams? Most of us have a vision of that dream. The question is, what are you doing to touch it so you keep pursuing it?
When is the last time you touched your dreams?
When I say, 'Touch your dreams,' I mean taking tangible steps toward them. A few examples, like if you have a dream vacation you're working on for you and your family. To touch that dream, you book one night at the closest resort, so you know how it feels. It keeps you in touch with pursuing that dream vacation.
Or it's a dream house you have envisioned. Realizing this dream will take some time. You could book an Airbnb for the weekend to a similar place every few months. You start to feel what it will be like in your dream home. It keeps you touching your dreams.
Or, if your dream is to serve others and volunteer more, you could work at a dog shelter, senior center, or helping kids. You don't have a day but may have two hours to donate.
Why Emotional Connection Matters When you emotionally connect to your dream, it becomes more than just a target to hit. It evolves into an energy source, fueling your workday and lifting you beyond setbacks. But how do you truly connect with a goal that feels distant or abstract?
Believe in YourselfBelieving in yourself is among the most important factors when pursuing your dreams. If you don't believe in yourself, you will likely find it difficult to find others who do.
Self-belief is crucial because it can help you stay focused and motivated during tough times and better handle your challenges.
If you aren't sure where to start, ask yourself:
- What do I want to do with my life?
- What makes me happy?
- What are my passions?
- What do I want to contribute to the world?
- Why do I want to do this?
- What are my strengths and weaknesses?
- How can I use my strengths to my advantage
- What do I need to do to achieve my dreams?
Once you are clear on your dreams, let's pursue them with these four actionable steps.
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Create Mini Experiences of Your Dream Want to experience what it's like to achieve your goal? As we discussed earlier, create small-scale experiences that bring it to life.
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Visualize Specific Outcomes Visualization is key. It's a proven technique that activates your brain's reticular activating system. You will start to notice opportunities that align with your goals. Each morning, spend five minutes envisioning yourself achieving your dreams. How does it feel? What does success look, feel, and sound like? The more vivid the imagery, the more powerful your connection becomes.
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Celebrate Progress It's easy to focus solely on the goal and forget to acknowledge how far we have come. But Progress is Progress, no matter how small. Celebrate it. Each step forward is a victory, and each victory brings you closer to your dream.
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Revisit Your "Why" Frequently Every goal has a root why. Whether it's financial freedom, professional recognition, or providing for your family, reconnect with the deeper reason you're chasing your dream.
Print your "why" as your phone and computer screen saver. You'll see it daily or use it as inspiration during challenging times.
Your Dreams Are Worth Chasing Achieving your dream isn't about waiting until "someday." It's about taking purposeful steps to manifest it today. You can transform your aspirations into actionable realities by creating mini experiences, visualizing outcomes, and staying emotionally connected to your goals.
Remember, the pursuit of your dreams is the fuel that drives both personal and professional growth. Don't settle for less when you can achieve so much more.
Are you ready to turn your aspirations into achievements? Take the first step today. Whether it's reaching out for help, setting a small goal, or simply reaffirming your commitment, the first step is always the most important. You have the power to make it happen. You are ready, and you can do it.
Until next time, Keep Touching Your Dreams!
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
Episode 270: This episode is about the one word our graduates and salespeople have in common: Resilience!
I was having dinner with my niece, Alanna, and celebrating her graduating from the University of Cincinnati - Go Bearcats. I was thinking over her past four years, starting with the challenges of her roommate on day one, a new world of living independently, creating new friends, and navigating school workloads and social calendars. I shared with her at dinner that the one word I felt described her four years was that she was resilient. I was so proud of her learning and growing through each situation.
Big congratulations to all the students! And a special shoutout to the parents and mentors who have been the pillars of support in their journey.
I was thinking about how each of us is Resilient. In our relationships, we all had our first love, which we learned from, and then we had our second love and third love until we found that one person.
I was thinking back to my college days as well. I thought about the one class where we had to learn audio and video when producing a show. My part was to do the soundboard for audio; I had no idea what I was doing. The professor yelled in the class, "Thal, you will never make it in broadcasting." If I wasn't resilient, I would not have created a successful 38-year career in broadcasting. Ironically, I created the Three Word Podcast, which included understanding recording audio.
Resilience isn't just about bouncing back from setbacks but learning, growing, and emerging stronger. Whether you're a student or a sales professional looking for ways to create new clients. Resilience is a universal trait that we all possess and can develop.
It's the secret ingredient to success, whether you're a student pursuing your dreams or a sales professional navigating challenging markets.
What is Resilience So, what is resilience? At its core, it's the ability to recover quickly from adversity. Resilience is not a trait you're born with; it's a skill you can develop over time. And the amazing thing is, the more you train it, the stronger it becomes. It's like a muscle. For students, resilience may look like managing stress during exam season or bouncing back after a less-than-awesome grade; for sales professionals, it means overcoming rejection, staying consistent, and adapting to a competitive industry.
Resilience is not just about enduring hardships; it's about adapting to them and building success on the other side.
Mini Challenge for you:
For today, think about one situation where you faced a major challenge. In your next sales meeting, discuss situations where your team was resilient. Now ask yourself: What did you learn? How have you grown? Identifying those moments helps us see resilience in action.
How to Build Resilience Building resilience doesn't happen overnight, but it's doable with the right approach. Here are three strategies tailored for students and sales professionals alike.
- Shift Your Mindset * Students: View failure as feedback. That C on your biology test? It's not the end of your academic career; it's a wake-up call to refine your study approach.
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Sales Professionals: Instead of dreading rejection, consider it an opportunity to refine your pitch. Remember, every 'no' brings you closer to 'yes.'
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Build a Support Network * Surround yourself with people who uplift you. For students, this could be study groups or mentors. For sales pros, lean on your team during challenging times.
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Practice Adaptability * Life throws curveballs. Learn to pivot. Students might shift their study method partway through a semester while salespeople adapt to changing market trends.
Why Resilience Equals Long-Term Success Here's the bottom line. Resilience isn't just about surviving difficult situations; it's about thriving because of them. It's about progress, growth, and staying in the game.
Remember this mantra:
"I am adaptable. I am strong. I am resilient."
Share this episode with a friend or colleague if it resonates with you. And remember, your growth and success are our top priorities. Subscribe to never miss an episode, and let's continue this journey of resilience and personal growth together!
Stay strong and keep showing up. Because success isn't about never falling down; it's about getting back up every single time.
Until next time.
See you in the next episode!
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
Episode 271 is about creating more Now moments rather than When moments!
The question we must ask ourselves is simple yet powerful: If not now, when?
Learn how to turn your to-do list into a done list!
You will learn the Three Ways to create more Now vs When moments. Including How you see time, the Power of consistency and How to lean in with urgency.
The lesson here? Take action every day.
Now is the time
Now is not the time to hesitate. You know your sales goals and the opportunities within your reach. It's time to take action. Ask yourself, 'What can I do today to support my sales vision tomorrow?' The answer is simple: act now. The sooner you start, the sooner you'll see results.
Do you need more coaching or tools to sharpen your sales skills and develop an urgency mindset? Subscribe to the Three Word podcast and stay ahead of the game. If you want additional sales coaching, send me a private message to learn how I can support you.
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
Episode 269 One Decision Away!
You will learn that your One Decision Away from creating the life you desire.
We make a lot of decisions each day.
Did you know that the average adult makes 33,000 to 35,000 decisions daily? Many of these happen automatically and simultaneously through the information we've subconsciously stored, like getting up this morning. You decided to get out of bed, drink coffee, and let the dog out. You likely scrolled your social channels and maybe worked out, brushed your teeth, took a shower, looked in the mirror, high-fived yourself, and then drove to work. You made all those decisions.
You will learn how each decision you make unlocks new possibilities and creates momentum that propels you forward.
You will learn:
The Power of One Decision
Each Step Builds Momentum
The Ripple Effect of Decisions
Each choice you make builds your confidence. Each step brings insights you didn't have before. A decision leads to success or teaches you something valuable. Either way, you're expanding your possibilities.
It's like compounding interest in a bank account. The more you invest in action, the greater the return. Opportunities you've never imagined will eventually get to you—not because you sat and waited but because you started.
The Time is Now
Here's the challenge I'm giving you today. What is one decision you can make in the next 24 hours? Just one. It could be signing up for the online course you've been considering, learning one skill to help your career, one step to starting your own business, creating better health, more meaningful relationships. What is important to you is all that matters.
Remember, perfection isn't the goal. Progress is. You don't need all the answers. You need to act. Start small, and let those small steps build momentum toward something incredible. You are closer to success than you think.
And share with me! DM me or comment on the post about your first step. I'd love to celebrate it with you.
That's it for today's episode of One Decision Away. Don't forget, you're just one decision away from a completely different life. Take that first step; you will be glad you did.
If you enjoyed today's episode, share it with a friend who needs encouragement, and subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode.
Until next time, I wish you clarity, confidence, and courage to achieve your dreams.
See you in the next episode!
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
In Episode 268, you will learn a simple system called "WOOP" to help you achieve your dreams or goals and help you navigate any challenges you face.
It's a simple system that I learned from Ethan Kross, one of the world's leading experts on emotion regulation. Ethan Kross, PhD, two-time National Bestselling author of SHIFT and CHATTER, is an award-winning professor in the University of Michigan's top-ranked Department of Psychology and Ross School of Business.
The process of shifting this conversation centers around the word WOOP. You know the song WOOP There It Is. So, what does WOOP stand for?
Wish, Outcome, Obstacles, and Plan—it's as simple as that. I want you to think about a goal you may have for yourself. Most of us fall short because we don't follow through, and self-talk stops us from pursuing our dreams and goals. But not anymore; I will walk you through the WOOP system so that you can start the pathway to achieving your goals.
It's a straightforward process that puts you in the driver's seat and is simpler than you might think.
W - Wish. What wish or goal do you want to achieve?
O - Outcome. What outcome are you looking for? Is this goal worth pursuing? Next, ask yourself what will happen if you achieve this goal. What feeling or emotion will you experience? Less stress or more energy, financial freedom, or more in control?
O - Obstacles. What obstacles could you face? Is it a lack of time, resources, or motivation? What is preventing you from achieving this goal?
P—Plan. The plan is what you will implement and your intentions for achieving this goal.
This plan has a question you need to ask yourself. It's called the 'If-Then' plan. If I do this, then what can you expect? The same applies if I don't do this. What will it mean for me? It is a way to anticipate potential challenges and plan how to overcome them, ensuring you're prepared for whatever may come your way.
You will also learn that we all have mental chatter that focuses on the future or the past. You will learn how to leverage those thoughts to your advantage.
I look forward to you WOOPING it up and getting excited about achieving your goals and dreams.
Thank you for joining me today. If someone can benefit from this episode, please share it. By doing so, you're helping others and becoming part of a supportive community. Until next time,
See you in the next episode.
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
In today's episode, we celebrate the Women Who Inspire Us—celebrating our Moms!
Today, we pay special tribute to the women who were our first Teachers, Lifelong Guides, and Greatest Advocates. As we approach Mother's Day, I want to share personal stories and lessons learned from my Mom to inspire you to appreciate and celebrate the special women in your life.
Today's journey is about honoring the women who have shaped us from the beginning—our mothers. They are our guiding lights, teaching us lessons about life, love, courage, and resilience. Mothers fill so many roles, but one enduring title they all share is that of teacher.
You will learn in this episode:
Mothers as Our First Teachers
From the moment we take our first breath, our mothers are our first teachers. They teach us how to speak, how to walk, and even how to love. As we grow, they guide us through life's lessons, showing us the values of kindness, patience, organization, and compassion. Let's take a moment to celebrate these foundational lessons that have shaped who we are today.
Lessons that have impacted our lives
Mothers instill resilience and determination in us, often without us even realizing it. They encourage us to pursue our dreams, believe in us, and stand by us when we fall, ready to pick us back up. Their unwavering support is a source of inspiration.
A Tribute to Unconditional Love
The love of a mother is unconditional and knows no bounds. It forgives, nurtures, and persists. I invite you to share your stories and tributes in the comments section, sharing moments when your mother's love made all the difference.
I am sending love and gratitude to mothers everywhere who continue to teach, inspire, and nurture us each day. Celebrate with me by sharing this with someone special, perhaps your friends, sisters, aunts, or moms!
Until next time, keep cherishing the moments and the people who make life beautiful. Happy Mother's Day!
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
This episode is for you if you have given up on your dreams or goals.
What are Goals and Dreams?
Life goals are the desired states that people seek to obtain, maintain, or avoid (Nair, 2 03). These goals are the milestones of our development journey, encompassing various aspects of our lives, such as relationships, careers, finances, and more. They are the targets we set to grow and evolve; achieving them brings us a sense of fulfillment and success.
Learn to control the internal conversation your having with yourself.
Learn how Meaning drives your reality of Life.
Learn about having a clear plan can help guide your journey.
Learn how setbacks are not signs of failure but opportunities for growth.
Learn about the our greatest fear should not be failure. But succeeding at Something.
Today is the day you take the time to think about your dreams and goals. It is the day you create your pathway to mastering the life you have always wanted.
Do me a favor; if someone can benefit from this, share it with them. Let's spread the inspiration and knowledge within our community.
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
You will learn in Episode 266: Why we need AI with IA, to achieve lasting success.
AI for Artificial Intelligence and IA for Intentional Action!
What is AI?
Artificial Intelligence creates Intelligence to identify patterns, solve problems, and help us make decisions based on the information.
Learn the Key Principles of AI and how it has revolutionize business and how you can leverage it to your advantage.
However, there's another superpower driving success in sales today: our own AI, the experiences we download into our mindsets every day, and the assumptions we begin to make based on years of programming.
It's not enough to have the best technology available. You need the courage to step into the unknown, the belief in your ability to thrive, and the fearlessness to push past rejection and obstacles to achieve your goals. By reprogramming your mindset, you can take control and achieve the results you're focused on.
Learn how to program or reprogram your thoughts and patterns for a more effective way of approaching your pathway to success.
Reprogramming Your Mind for Sales Success
Success doesn't just happen; it's a byproduct of mindset and intentional action. To create a winning sales approach, you must shift your thinking and align your actions with your goals. That starts with reprogramming your brain to believe that the impossible is possible.
The 3-Day Challenge to Reprogram Your Thoughts and Actions
This practical 3-day challenge will help you rewire your mindset and operate with courage, belief, and Unstoppable. It all starts with how you approach each day. I suggest starting to program your thoughts by telling yourself, "Your going to be Unstoppable!"
AI does the research; IA is you taking Intentional Action
- AI helps you see which leads are worth pursuing. Fearlessness drives you to pick up the phone and call.
- AI uncovers patterns in customer data. Courage compels you to craft a creative, personalized pitch.
Be Unstoppable
Combining AI and IA creates a fearless mindset that distinguishes ordinary sales professionals from those who are extraordinary. Upgrade your mindset, take intentional action, and watch how you'll elevate your sales results and career.
It's not just about tools and techniques; it's about embedding the belief that you are unstoppable. With the right mindset, you can leverage AI tools to their full potential and achieve extraordinary results, which is what we call growth.
Are you ready to transform the way you sell? Start your 3-day challenge today and discover how the right tools and mindset can help you reach your full potential.
Success is waiting for you. Become Unstoppable!
If someone can benefit from this, please share it. See you in the next episode.
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
In this episode, I will introduce you to the best ways to find more qualified leads.
You will learn the Who, Why, When and How to find more qualified leads.
The question is, what is the most effective way to achieve this goal? Most of you would reply that getting referred is the first step, and yes, that's true. I will refer to these referrals as introductions. The next question I have for you is, do you ask for those introductions?
I have to share the statistic that only 11% of salespeople ask for referrals, and 91% of customers are willing to give them.
Sales professionals are always looking for strategies to give them a competitive edge. Leveraging introductions can help you get in front of the decision-maker faster. Let's dive into why and how to earn those introductions so we increase that 11% of us asking to a higher percentage.
Why Introductions MatterIntroductions play a pivotal role in building trust. When clients recommend meeting you, they lend their credibility and experience to your offering, creating a bridge of trust between your business and potential customers. This trust often translates to higher conversion rates and faster closing times.
The Impact on RevenueIntroductions are not just about leads but about sustained sales growth and financial gain. Top sales professionals understand this and actively cultivate relationships that lead to introductions. Incorporating this strategy into your sales process increases your opportunities to do business with others with a shortened sales cycle.
Building Strong RelationshipsAuthentic relationship-building is a cornerstone of successful sales. Sales professionals must go beyond making a sale and focus on providing value and creating experiences clients want to share. This respectful art, which requires authenticity, empathy, and exceptional service, is the key to benefiting from introductions.
Give Before You Receive
One key point is to give before receiving. I encourage you to introduce others in your network without immediate expectations. This builds goodwill and strengthens relationships, making others more inclined to return the favor.
How by Leveraging Technology Platforms like LinkedIn are one way to find leads and nurture relationships that result in those introductions. Optimizing your LinkedIn profile and actively participating in professional networks can enhance visibility and establish connections that lead to more opportunities.
Marketing Your MessageMarketing your message is another crucial component of introductions. It's important to communicate what problem you are solving for your current clients. Sharing content with your network that can benefit them helps establish you as an expert in your industry.
When -Schedule The TimeThe best way to gain more introductions is to schedule time on your calendar to identify those key opportunities. Meet someone for coffee, lunch, or a Hap y Hou. Every day, schedule time on your calendar to see where someone you know can introduce you to someone you can help. It's at least worth a conversation. I don't know if we are fit, but it might be worth a 10-minute conversation to see if I can help.
Introductions are a game-changer. Introductions can be more effective as more people search for ways to grow their income. By building genuine relationships, leveraging platforms like LinkedIn, and marketing your message, you can unlock the true potential of introductions.
My challenge for you this week is to set an Introduction goal. Challenge another co-worker or your team to seek one introduction a day or a goal for the month. Tracking your progress can keep you engaged.
Do me a favor; if someone can benefit from this, share it with them. Let's spread the inspiration and knowledge within our sales community.
I'll see you in the next episode.
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
It's March Madness, and we are discussing Basketball and Your Business.
How do you Play the Game of Sales?
It is my favorite time of year. I love watching teams compete and unsung heroes emerge to lift an unexpected team to victory. Thus, the term March Madness.
Like the players in March Madness, successful salespeople are champions in their field. We strategize, adapt, and push to improve with every meeting, call, and negotiation.
Learn the how the Five Plays of March Madness can inspire you to achieve more in your business.
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Preparation is Key
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Adaptability and Resilience3. Teamwork and Collaboration4. Persistence and Persistence5. Enjoy the JourneyDo me a favor; if someone can benefit from this, share it with them. Let's spread the inspiration and knowledge within our sales community.
Let the energy of March Madness drive your sales strategy. Get out there, give it your best shot, and apply the principles we've discussed. I'm confident that you'll see positive results. I'll see you in the next episode.
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
Today, you will learn how to create your own luck in Sales.
🍀 While most of us associate this day with shamrocks, parades, and a pint of Guinness, we're flipping the script and asking a big question for sales pros everywhere.
You'll learn:
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The Myth about Luck.
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The Three Steps you can take to Creating Your Own Luck.
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Preparation is Everything.
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Take Consistent Action to increase your Luck.
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Relationships That Matter in Business and steps to building them.
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A St Patrick's Challenge for the week to create more luck.
Luck in sales isn't about chance; it's about your choices.
If you loved today's episode, subscribe so you never miss another one. You can also share this episode with someone who can benefit from it.
Remember, the Luck you seek might be a conversation, an email, or an action away. Stay motivated, stay prepared, and create your Luck. See you in the next episode!
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
Do you want more control over your sales?
In this episode, you will learn three tips for getting back on track. The best news is that you have choices and control over your outcomes.
You Have Choices: Taking Back Control of Your Sales Success Your peers are doing it, and so can you. What's standing in your way? It's time to stop giving up too soon, refocus your mindset, and remind yourself that success is within reach—all it takes is a choice.
Here are three actionable tips to help you get back on track, stay motivated, and make the decisions that lead to growth.
- Choose to Stay Focused on the Goal Distractions happen to all of us, and in sales, it's easy to lose sight of the most critical thing—reaching out to new clients. Where you are today, where you need to be, and your desired destination is bridged by one crucial element: action. Every introduction you pursue or call you make brings you closer. Stop overthinking or waiting for the "perfect" moment. Take action now.
Actionable Tip
Set clear daily targets. Commit to connecting with three new prospects daily via email, LinkedIn, or in person. Keep a record of your activity to remind yourself of your progress.
- Choose a Positive Perspective It's easy to look at challenges and think, "What if I fail?" But what if you succeed? Many salespeople have the best intentions but give up too soon when results don't come immediately. Instead of focusing on setbacks, reframe your outlook and see each interaction as an opportunity to grow, improve, and move closer to your goals.
Actionable Tip
Start small to build confidence. Reach out to existing clients for introductions or re-engage with a contact you've spoken with. Success lies in momentum, and even small wins can reignite your drive.
- Choose to Learn from Your Peers Your peers are creating meetings, growing their networks, and converting sales. What's stopping you from achieving the same success? Instead of comparing or feeling envious, seek inspiration and learn from their methods. Watch what top performers around you are doing and apply their strategies to your approach. They are social proof that it is possible.
Actionable Tip
Ask successful colleagues for advice or shadow them for a day. What are they doing differently? What tools, systems, scripts, or conversations are they using? Often, insight from others can unlock the creativity and confidence you need to grow.
Success Is One Decision Away Every decision you make today is a step towards—or away from—your goals. The power of choice is in your hands. Will you make that call to the prospect? Arrange that networking meeting. Discuss refining your sales process with your manager. Hold yourself accountable for your outcomes. The choice is yours, and it's a powerful one.
The best salespeople understand that hesitation and fear give way to action. What choice will you make today?
You have the power to grow your business, connect with new clients, and achieve your goals. Take the first step right now. Decide to act. The results will follow.
If this episode can benefit someone, I invite you to share. Until Next time, remember you have choices.
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
In today's episode, you'll learn how to leverage the power of your network to grow your business.
What is the fastest way to grow your business? Harness the power of using your existing network to expand your sales efforts. Your network is more valuable than you might think. Have you considered that the next big opportunity for your sales might be just one call away from your current contact list?
I will share three actionable strategies you can do in three days to help you leverage your network effectively.
- The 3 in-3 Rule for Intentional Outreach.
- Reconnecting and Building Rapport.
- Creating Value through Recommendations and Introductions.
The key to leveraging your network is being intentional, consistent, and value-driven in your interactions. Whether you're reaching out to three people in three days, reconnecting and building rapport, or creating value through recommendations or introductions, each step sets the stage for meaningful growth.
Remember, your network truly is your net worth!
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
In today's episode, I share five tips to remind us why we work and the impact we make each day. We learn to Fall In Love with what we do.
We spend more time working with others than with our family—unless you work in a family business or with your spouse. But most of us work with others, and how we spend our time matters. The question is, do you Love what you do? Or have you fallen out of Love?
Today, we're tackling a topic that hits home for many of us—how to fall back in Love with your job and refocus on the good and the opportunities, especially if you're in sales. If you've been feeling frustrated or stuck seeing obstacles instead of opportunities, join me as we rediscover what makes your work so powerful and meaningful.
Acknowledge the Challenges
Sales isn't easy—it's a career that demands drive, resilience, and an ability to stay positive even in the face of rejection. It's natural to have moments when the grind feels overwhelming, where goals seem unattainable, and you wonder why you're doing it. Before we get into the solutions, the first step is simple but powerful—acknowledge the challenges. It's okay to feel frustrated at times. However, the key is not to live in that frustration. Instead, we will shift perspective and refocus on what brought you to sales in the first place.
Remember when you got your first client? Or, when you closed that deal, did you think it was impossible? That thrill didn't come out of nowhere; it came from the opportunities you created for yourself. And today, we will highlight how to see more opportunities, even when the climb feels steep.
Five tips to help us see the Opportunities and keep us moving forward.
Tip 1 - Reframe Obstacles as Opportunities
The first strategy to rekindle your Love for sales is to practice reframing obstacles as opportunities. Think about that prospect who always ghosts you after the first meeting. Frustrating, right? But instead of focusing on the obstacle, try this—see it as a test of your creativity and persistence. Ask yourself, How can I approach this client differently? Maybe it's about changing your strategy, reconsidering your pitch, or finding a unique way to offer value.
Every 'no' you face is a chance to refine your skills. See, obstacles are like weights at the gym—they're hard to lift, but they're the thing that makes you stronger. By reframing how you perceive them, not only will you become a better problem-solver, but you'll find yourself growing more confident in what you bring to the table.
I've learned that mindset is often the most significant make-or-break factor. This leads us perfectly to the next tip.
Tip 2 - Celebrate Small Wins
In sales, we focus on the big-picture goals—the quarterly targets, the big deals, the promotions—and while they matter, it's easy to lose sight of the victories along the way. One of the most motivating practices you can develop is celebrating small wins.
Did you get a positive response to a cold email? That's a win. Did a prospect agree to a meeting? That's a win. Did you have a breakthrough moment with your presentation? Also, a win! Each small win is a step toward building momentum, and when you celebrate those moments, you're reinforcing positivity in your work. You're training your brain to see the good rather than the grind.
Here's an idea—keep a 'Wins Journal.' Every day, write down three things you achieved, no matter how small. It might sound simple, but trust me, it works wonders. Over time, you'll start seeing more opportunities and fewer obstacles.
Tip 3 - Focus on the 'Why' in Your Work
The third tip sounds simple but holds immense power—focus on the why behind your work. Sales is about so much more than hitting numbers or quotas. It's about solving problems for your clients, building meaningful relationships, and creating value.
Think about the people you're helping with your product or service. When you make a sale, you don't just hit a target—you improve someone's business, team, or life. When you align your work with your purpose, those 'dreaded Mondays' turn into opportunities to create impact. It's no longer just a job; it's a mission.
Tip 4 - Tap into the Sales Community
One of the most rewarding aspects of being in sales is that you're part of a larger community of like-minded professionals. Don't forget to leverage that! Connect with others on LinkedIn or attend industry webinars. Share your wins and challenges—you'd be surprised how much easier it is to see opportunities surround yourself with positivity and new perspectives.
Tip 5 - Invest in Continuous Learning
The last tip I want to share today is to keep learning. Sales are constantly evolving, especially with technology and consumer behavior shifting daily. By investing in yourself—whether it's taking an online course, listening to industry podcasts, or even reading a new book on negotiation—you're staying ahead of the curve and keeping your work exciting.
Knowledge breeds confidence, and confidence keeps you motivated.
Remember, sales isn't just a job—it's an opportunity to solve problems, connect with people, and grow as a professional and as a person.
"Thanks for tuning in to Three Word Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to rate, review, and share it with your team or other sales professionals who could use a boost. Until next time, keep pushing forward, seeing the opportunities, and thriving. You've got this!"
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
In today's episode, you'll learn three strategies, mindsets, and tools for achieving success in business and life.
I'm combining sports and sales. With the Super Bowl this weekend, I want to discuss one of the most essential parts of any game—offense. Specifically, I'll explain why offense is such a successful strategy in football and how sales professionals like you can adopt the same mindset to gain a massive edge in your field.
Because in sales, just like in sports, the best offense is playing to win.
There are three offensive tactics from the football field and how you can use them in your sales playbook today. For instance, having a clear game plan, playing aggressively, and making adjustments are all key components of an offensive sales strategy.
- Have a Game Plan (AKA Your Sales Strategy) No offense succeeds without a clear plan. Before that quarterback steps onto the field, they've spent hours perfecting the game plan. They know what plays they're running, which players they're targeting, and how they will adjust if the defense shifts.
For sales pros, your game plan is your strategy. Who are you targeting? Do you know your prospects' pain points and how your product solves them? What's your approach for turning a "maybe" into a "yes"? Without a plan, you're reacting.
Offensive Tip: Block out time at the start of each week to create your sales game plan. Identify your top leads, plan your follow-up strategy, and prepare for potential objections. You only win when you're prepared.
- Play Aggressively (AKA Make the First Move) The best offenses don't wait—they attack. They make bold plays and put points on the board early. Think about Patrick Mahomes or Tom Brady commanding their teams with confidence and intention. They don't sit back; they take the game to their opponents.
Sales are no different. Don't wait for the prospect to call you. Be the one to initiate the conversation. Don't hesitate to send that second email or call to follow up. Aggression in sales doesn't mean being pushy; it means being persistent, confident, and timely.
Offensive Tip: Follow the "3x3x3 rule." When targeting a lead, follow up three times in three different ways (phone, email, LinkedIn) within the first three days. The faster and more present you are, the more likely you'll stay top of mind and close the deal.
- Make Adjustments (AKA Read the Field) Here's the thing about football—no game plan survives contact with the opponent. That's why great offenses are adaptable. A quarterback reads the defense, makes adjustments at the line, and calls an audible to move the ball forward.
Great salespeople do the same thing. Your pitch may have landed flat, you hit an objection you weren't expecting, or the decision-maker has shifted. It's your job to adjust on the fly. Listen to your prospects, understand their changing needs, and adjust your strategy to keep the deal alive.
Offensive Tip: After every sales call or meeting, ask yourself, "What went well? What didn't? What could I do differently?" Use these reflections to course-correct for the next interaction.
Connect with Lisa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathal/
http://threewordmeetings.com
http://threewordpodcast
Episode 257 - The High-Five Effect: Small Gesture, Big Impact on Success
High fives at work: trivial or transformational?
In this episode, we explore the surprisingly powerful impact of a simple gesture that might be the key to unlocking team success and personal achievement. Join me as I break down the science and psychology behind high fives, uncovering how this small action can energize your workplace, strengthen team morale, and empower individuals to perform at their best.
Discover unique perspectives on how fostering connection through positivity can amplify productivity and build more cohesive teams. Whether you’re a leader seeking to inspire your team or an individual striving for better workplace relationships, this episode offers actionable insights that could transform how you interact at work.
Learn Three simple gestures you can create with a massive impact in a workplace starting today.
Get ready to reimagine workplace success—one high-five at a time.
🎧 Listen now and experience the big impact of small gestures!
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Lisa Thal, an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach with over 38 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience, is the mastermind behind the book Three Word Meetings. Lisa's coaching is about creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics that spark conversation and ignite excitement in sales teams
Episode 256- Weathering the Storms of Leadership: How Your Mood Forecasts Team Success.
In todays episode you will learn that your mindset can set the tone for your entire team, much like a weather forecast? Whether facing high stress or calm skies, how you "show up" as a leader influences morale, productivity, and performance more than you think.
I will unpack the parallels between your emotional state and the weather, exploring actionable strategies to maintain clarity, optimism, and resilience—even when the forecast looks stormy. Learn how to lead intentionally, inspire your team during challenges, and create an environment where growth thrives.
Learn the four questions to ask yourself when leading others.
Learn how self-awareness is your Superpower.
Learn practical insights and expert advice on showing up as the best version of yourself—rain or shine. This episode is a must-listen for leaders striving to empower their teams while advancing their personal growth.
Lisa Thal, an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach with over 38 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience, is the mastermind behind the book Three Word Meetings. Lisa's coaching is about creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics that spark conversation and ignite excitement in sales teams.
Learn more at http://threewordmeetings.com
In this episode, you will learn the five steps to creating lasting happiness.
Welcome to the New Year. If you are like me, you have reflected on the past year and created a list of intentions you want to focus on—maybe better health, drinking more water, exercise, and financial freedom. Have you considered focusing on what makes you Happy? I recently discovered a system to ensure you can be Happier.
I learned this from listening to a Mel Robbins Podcast with Dr. Tal Ben Shahar, a Harvard Professor who teaches a class on Happiness, one of the most attended classes at Harvard. I am excited to share what I learned about being Happier!
The SPIRE model, an acronym representing the five crucial elements of Happiness, plays a significant role in achieving overall well-being.
- The first, S is spiritual well-being.
- P is physical well-being.
- I stand for intellectual well-being.
- The R is relational well-being.
- And finally, the E is emotional well-being.
You will learn the five SPIRE model elements that are important for Happiness, you don't have to focus on all five simultaneously. Instead, it's about finding a balance and cultivating each aspect at different times, giving you the power to tailor your journey to happiness.
Spiritual well-being. It is about finding meaning and purpose, which are vital for spiritual well-being and Happiness.
Physical well-being is about nutrition, exercise, sleep, and recovery in general.
Intellectual well-being is about curiosity and being a lifelong learner.
Relational well-being. The number one predictor of Happiness is the quality time spent with people we care about and who care about us.
Emotional well-being is about embracing our emotions, accepting them, and permitting ourselves to be human.
If someone can benefit from this episode, please share it. Let's spread the message of happiness and well-being together. Until Next Time.
I wish each of you a Happy New You. I hope that you will Inspire to Spire!
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Episode 254- The power of belief. Believe in yourself, your goals, and the possibilities ahead.
The message was simple yet powerful: Believe you can and will. This principle has resonated throughout the year, and I hope you carry it with you.
Key takeaways from this episode.
The Power of Believing in Something
Believe in Yourself
The first step in believing Something is to believe in yourself. You may have doubts or fears, but it is essential to push past them to achieve your goals. Believe in your abilities, skills, and strengths. Recognize your accomplishments, no matter how small they may seem, and use them as fuel to keep pushing your life. Believe that you can achieve anything with hard work and dedication.
Believe in Your Vision
Your vision drives you forward, and it's essential to believe in it. Don't be afraid to dream big and set lofty goals. Your vision should Be Something you are passionate about and will motivate you to work hard. Whether it's a personal or professional goal, believing in your vision will help you stay focused and determined throughout the year.
Believe in Your Team
As important as it is to believe in yourself and your vision, it's equally important to consider in your team. You can only achieve some things, and having a solid support system can make all the difference. Whether it's your colleagues, family, or friends, trust in their abilities and work together to achieve your goals. Believe in each other and push each other to succeed.
Believe in Resilience
Believing Something means that everything will go differently than it is. There may be setbacks and challenges, but resilience can help you overcome them. Have faith in your ability to bounce back, and don't let setbacks discourage you. Remember that failure is not the end but a learning opportunity, a new beginning. Keep pushing forward, and believe that you will succeed in the future.
Believe in Your Purpose
The most significant belief that you can have is in your purpose. What is it that drives you? What energizes you? What motivates you to achieve your goals? Keep your intention at the forefront of everything you do and believe in its value. With a clear purpose, you will stay dedicated and focused throughout the year.
Believing Something requires you, your determination, and a vision for the future. Now is the perfect time to reflect on your goals for the coming year and embrace the power of belief.
Believe in yourself, your vision, your team, your resilience, and your purpose, and use these beliefs as fuel to drive you toward success. With this mindset, you can achieve anything, no matter how big or small the goal may be. Stay focused, work hard, and maintain your belief; this year can be your best.
Believe you can, and you will!
Thank you to every one of you who listened, shared, or recommended the podcast this year. Your belief in what I am creating means everything.
Here's to another year of growth, learning, and, most importantly, believing in Something—and yourself. Stay tuned for bigger and better things next year!
Wishing you an extraordinary start to the new year, Thrive in 25!
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Episode 253: Only 1% of us are willing to do this. Separate ourselves from the competition during the holiday season.
Have you found it hard to focus during the holiday season? It is a common struggle to navigate numerous distractions while concentrating on your business growth for the upcoming year.
Consider this statistic: About 99% of us fall into the holiday season trap. One percent of us will not. The 1% will use this time to Separate themselves from the competition.
For the 1%, the holiday season is not a distraction but a day of opportunity. They understand that Christmas is just a day, not a week or a month. It's a Holiday, not a holiday week! They approach sales as a game of inches, doing one more of what they know will lead to success. They become more creative and innovative, using the season to their advantage.
The year's final month often brings distractions—holiday gatherings, planning for the new year, and the urge to slow down. But for sales professionals, this is an opportunity for growth. It is what we call 'separation season'—the time to outwork, out-prepare, and outperform the competition while they're busy slowing down and distracted. This is the time when champions separate themselves from the pack, setting the stage for a successful new year.
If you're in sales and ready to rise above the noise, now is your chance. By staying focused and disciplined when others aren't, you can build momentum into next year. I will explore specific strategies and behaviors you can adopt to seize separation season and leave the competition behind, such as maintaining a consistent work schedule, prioritizing high-impact tasks, and leveraging the unique opportunities the holiday season presents.
For instance, did you know that Fridays from 1 to 5 p.m. are the least productive times for most employees? They start to look towards the weekends and focus on non-productive tasks. But not the 'Separators '.
They are the 1% who use this time to Separate themselves from the competition. They make more calls, meet more clients, and prospect for more qualified leads. They maintain discipline in their sleep, hydration, nutrition, and exercise, creating a mental advantage over others. This discipline empowers them to stay in control and ahead of the game.
They seek out opportunities that others overlook. While most of us send holiday cards to our clients just before the holiday, the separators approach and think differently. What if you did something unique in the first week of December, like being the first to meet or send a personalized video message? Express your gratitude for their partnership. Write a heartfelt note summarizing your year with your key accounts.
To stand out at work, you must find more time to grow your business. By staying 15-20 minutes longer at the end of the day or coming in to work 15-20 minutes earlier, you can gain 100 minutes a week to focus on new accounts, make introductions from happy clients, and create strategies for your key or secondary accounts. This dedication to business growth should inspire and motivate you to take charge of your success.
Why Separation Season Matters in Sales
Many top-performing salespeople understand that success isn't just about showing up; it's about doing. It's about capitalizing on the moments when others are distracted or disengaged. During holidays, colleagues and competitors are occupied with festivities, travel, and year-end fatigue. While they're slowing down, a focused salesperson can push forward, closing deals, strengthening relationships, and positioning themselves for long-term success. This is your opportunity to set the stage for a successful year ahead.
Here's why separation season counts:
- Buyer Attention Is Unmatched—Despite being busy, the holidays also present unique opportunities. Distractions can work both ways, opening doors to one-on-one conversations with decision-makers who are otherwise tied up during peak sales periods. This is your chance to stand out and make a lasting impression. Momentum is Everything – The habits, activities, and results you build now will roll into the next year. January will come quickly—but will you enter it ahead of the pack or scramble to catch up?
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Small Gains Create Big Gaps – Incremental actions during separation season, such as booking one extra meeting or closing one more deal, can set you apart significantly over time. Separation season is not about doing more work for the sake of it; it's about doing the right work with more focus and consistency than the competition.
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Your Competitive Edge Starts Today The competition may be distracted, but you're not. By staying focused, setting clear goals, and deliberately pursuing the right activities, you can redefine what's possible for your sales career.
Remember, separation season is when champions create opportunities. Not everyone will rise to the challenge—but those who do will reap the rewards when they walk into the new year already miles ahead of their peers.
Give yourself the perfect gift and start today. Your effort now will determine where you stand tomorrow. Until Next time.
If someone can benefit from this episode, I invite you to share it.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Episode 252 is about getting a return on your time. It's not just about working harder but about working smarter.
If you're in sales, you understand the value of every minute. It's about putting in the hours and making each moment count. Let's dive into how you can invest your Time to maximize results and revenue.
Understanding Return on Time
Let's start by unpacking what 'Return on Time' means. In sales, it's the key to efficiency. It's about identifying the most impactful activities and directing your Time towards them. Think of your day as an investment portfolio. Are you putting your Time into actions that bring the highest returns? Just like in finance, diversifying your 'time portfolio' can lead to significant gains in your sales performance.
Pinpointing High-Impact Activities
Now, the critical question is: Which activities should you focus on? Start by examining your sales funnel. Prospecting, lead nurturing, closing deals, and follow-ups—each stage demands Time, but not all actions are created equal. Look at historical data. Which activities have consistently led to closed deals? Often, those personal touches or well-researched cold calls generate more impact. These activities can move the needle in your sales career, and focusing on them can be a powerful motivator.
Spending quality time understanding your client's needs and customizing your presentation of solutions can dramatically increase your conversion rates. It's all about building relationships, not just transactions.
The Time-Waster Trap
We must also address the time-waster trap. These are activities that consume chunks of your day but yield little revenue. Think excessive admin work or unproductive meetings. Identify these traps and find ways to minimize them. Automation tools can be your best friend here. Remember, every minute saved from low-yield tasks is gained for high-impact activities.
Setting Boundaries and Priorities
Prioritization is your key to control and focus. Start each day by listing three main goals. What must you accomplish today to move the needle? Use techniques like the Eisenhower Box to distinguish between urgent and important tasks.
Block specific times in your calendar for prospecting and follow-ups. Treat these blocks as sacred—no interruptions! It is your Time to shine and be assertive in your priorities.
Time Management Strategies
Now, let's talk let's. You might wonder, "How can I "best allocate my time?" Here are "few tactical approaches:
- Time Blocking:
Schedule dedicated blocks for different activities. Allocate specific hours for prospecting, client calls, and administrative tasks. This structure helps reduce distractions and enhances focus.
- The Two-Minute Rule:
If a task takes less than two minutes, do it immediately. This strategy keeps your to-do list short and prevents minor tasks from piling up.
- Key Account Focus:
Identify your top revenue-producing accounts and schedule 30-45 minutes daily to review where you can add value or make adjustments. If you need ideas, brainstorm with your manager or other key personnel. Do the same for accounts you want to grow to a key spending level.
Remember, your days are finite, but your potential isn't. By focusing on high-impact activities, employing effective time management strategies, and continuously assessing your progress, you can significantly enhance your return on Time and drive your sales career forward. Let this inspire and motivate you to make the most of your Time.
If you enjoyed today's episode and found it valuable, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Until then, keep investing your Time.
Remember, it's not about Time spent but the value it brings. See you next Time!
If you need to save time preparing for sales meetings check out:
www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Sales Meetings with Purpose. An innovative approach created by Lisa Thal, an author, inspirational speaker, and business coach with over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. Her book Three Word Meetings transforms how sales managers and leaders conduct team meetings, making them more engaging, purposeful, and impactful.
Episode 251, we discuss how to identify your clients' timelines for doing business with you. Discover how the word "When" can help.
We've all heard the saying, "Timing is everything," but it can be the difference between a closed deal and a missed opportunity in sales. Today, I will unlock the power of timing and discover why the question "When?" is essential to your sales success.
Understanding the Importance of "When?"
First, let's understand why "when?" is such a powerful word in sales. Asking "When?" helps you evaluate the perfect moment to approach a lead, propose a solution, or convert a sale. It's about aligning your sales process with the buyer's decision-making timeline. Knowing when to act can optimize your efforts and improve your success rate.
Use timing as an advantage.
A great "when" question to ask a current client or a prospect when facing a timing issue would be, " When do you need to start receiving more qualified leads? When do you need more new customers?" It gives you more visibility into their timeline.
Applying "When?" in Different Sales Scenarios
Now, let's explore some practical applications of asking "When?" in sales.
- When to Reach Out: Timing your initial contact can set the tone for the entire sales process. Research your prospect's industry trends and typical buying cycles. A well-timed outreach can mean reaching them when they're most receptive.
- When to Follow Up: Following up is crucial, but it's all about balance. Too soon can seem pushy; too late, and you risk losing interest. Schedule a next appointment to follow up and set reminders to follow through.
- When to Present Your Solution: Tailor your pitch to align with the prospect's immediate needs. By understanding when their pain points are most acute, you can present your product or service as the timely solution they need.
- When to Close the Deal: Knowing when to ask for the sale is essential. Listen for signals that indicate readiness, like a shift from general questions to specifics regarding implementation or price. As shared earlier, When do you need to receive more qualified leads? When do you need more new customers?" It will give you more visibility into their timeline.
How "When?" Empowers Your Sales Strategy
Incorporating "When?" into your sales strategy enhances your timing and demonstrates empathy and respect for your prospect's schedule and decision-making process. It builds trust and positions you as a consultative partner rather than just a salesperson.
Real-Life Success Stories
I want to share some real-life success stories where sellers focused on the When.
- Sarah, a senior sales executive, increased her close rate by 30% after she began asking her prospects when they anticipated a solution would be most beneficial. She used this information to tailor her follow-ups and proposals.
- Mark transformed his follow-up strategy by consulting his CRM data to determine the best times to reconnect with prospects, leading to a significant boost in engagement.
These examples highlight the transformative impact of effectively leveraging the "When?" question.
In conclusion, asking 'When?' is more than just a question—it's a strategy that can significantly enhance your sales performance. By mastering the art of timing, you empower yourself and your team to achieve more significant results, giving you confidence and control in your sales process.
If you found this conversation valuable, remember to subscribe and share it with your colleagues. Please leave a comment or review and join our growing sales professional community.
Until next time, start using When in your sales approach, and remember—timing is everything!
Stay motivated and make every outreach count!
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Sales Meetings with Purpose. An innovative approach created by Lisa Thal, an author, inspirational speaker, and business coach with over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. Her book Three Word Meetings transforms how sales managers and leaders conduct team meetings, making them more engaging, purposeful, and impactful.
Episode 250, learn the secret words to growing your sales.
We're always looking for new ways to improve our business. Today, I will break down these three words—better, more, and differently—and discuss how you can apply them to your sales strategy. Get a head start on growing your revenue for 2025.
Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Three Word Podcast, where I believe in the power of three simple words to transform your sales strategies and sales meetings. I'm your host, Lisa Thal, and today; I will explore three powerful words that can revolutionize your sales approach—better, more, and differently. My mission is to empower sales professionals like you with actionable strategies for growth. So, grab a coffee, put on your walking shoes, and let's get started!
Reflect on Your Current Sales Approach
The first step we must start with is an honest reflection of your current sales approach. Consider asking yourself:
- What's working? Identify successful tactics you've created that can be scaled or adapted to other areas.
- What's not working? Pinpoint areas where you're consistently falling short and need to change.
- How am I spending my time? Evaluate your daily routines to ensure your actions align with your sales goals.
By understanding your strengths and shortfalls, you can focus on refining areas that need improvement and replicate successful strategies.
1: Doing Things Better
First up, better. How can we refine what we're already doing? It's about more than overhauling what you're doing; it's often about focusing on our existing processes. It begins by evaluating where you are today.
- Focus on Customer Relationships: Start by improving your relationship management. Are you truly listening to your customers? Are you engaging with them in a way that makes them feel valued?
- Master Your Product Knowledge: Deepen your understanding of your product or service. The more you know, the better you can tailor your solutions to meet your customer's needs.
- Refine Your Follow-Ups: Craft personalized and timely follow-ups that remind your prospects of your value. Sometimes, subtle changes make the most significant difference. Stay connected to your prospects and clients. In most cases, it's a timing issue for you to do business with them.
2: Doing More
Next, let's talk about doing more. Doing more in your sales strategy can significantly boost your sales growth. It's about expanding your efforts and not settling for the status quo. Getting in front of new opportunities starts with effective prospecting. To enhance and increase your opportunities, consider the following:
- Increase Outreach Efforts: Contact more prospects to expand your reach. Consider exploring new markets or demographics that might benefit from your product.
- Content Marketing: Contribute more to thought leadership through blogs, guest appearances on business podcasts, and social media. Position yourself as an industry expert, and potential clients will come to you. How are you marketing yourself?
- Training and Development: Invest more time in improving your skills. Attend workshops, seek mentorship, and learn from peers to stay ahead of the curve.
- Introductions: Ask satisfied clients for introductions. A client introduction can often lead to quicker conversions than cold outreach. Review the connections your clients and friends have on LinkedIn and ask for an introduction.
3: Doing Things Differently
Finally, let's consider doing things differently. Sometimes, a fresh perspective can lead to breakthroughs in your sales approach.
Innovative Sales Techniques: Experiment with different sales techniques, such as storytelling or video messages, to engage your clients uniquely. For instance, you could create a personalized video message for a potential client, showcasing how your product solved a specific problem for other clients.
Learning from Peers: Engage with your network to exchange experiences and insights. Sometimes, listening to others can provide new perspectives in your approach. Remember, you're not alone in this journey. Your peers can provide valuable insights and support.
Learn to say No: We have limited time each day to create and grow our revenue. So, we must focus on the actions that move our business forward. Say yes to those actions that can impact your business.
There you have it—three simple words that can lead to monumental changes in your sales strategy. By doing things better, more, and differently, you can unlock new opportunities for growth and success. Remember, the potential for growth and success is within your reach, so stay optimistic and keep pushing forward.
Remember to keep pushing your boundaries! These challenges inspire growth and innovation in our sales strategies.
If this episode can benefit someone, I invite you to share it. By doing so, you'll help others and contribute to our supportive community of sales professionals.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Sales Meetings with Purpose. An innovative approach created by Lisa Thal, an author, inspirational speaker, and business coach with over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. Her book Three Word Meetings transforms how sales managers and leaders conduct team meetings, making them more engaging, purposeful, and impactful.
Episode 249, Own Your Success!
Stop the blame game of others for not achieving your goals. We learn why personal responsibility matters.
We are approaching the end of the year. Are you on track to achieving your goals? If you are going to fall short, do you know why? Have you identified the shifts you must make to get back on track?
Over my 37-year career in coaching, I have discovered that the most successful people take personal responsibility for their goals. They are open to coaching to get better and make progress. Then, some want to play the blame game. In sales, for example, They list all the reasons they will miss their goals: the market conditions, the clients won't call them back, the toxic work environment, and some blame their managers for their lack of performance.
I get it. It's human behavior to find someone else to blame for our shortfalls. That is called Fear. Fear of Failing or how others will view us. But what if we reframed it, and instead of blaming, we learned from Failing, the First Attempt In Learning? For instance, we can improve our communication skills or seek more training.
Believe me, as coaches and managers, we want our team to exceed their goals. Our job is to identify where we can support and coach them. We must start being honest with ourselves and understand why personal responsibility matters.
Personal responsibility is not just about admitting shortfalls—it's about owning your role in your achievements and setbacks. When you fully own your performance, you empower yourself to find solutions and drive positive outcomes. This mindset leads to growth, learning, progress, and success, giving you a sense of control and confidence.
The Blame GameBlaming others, especially your manager, might offer temporary relief, but it won't lead to meaningful change or professional growth. By shifting the focus from what's outside your control to what you can influence, you empower yourself to make a difference.
Here are three key strategies to help you hold yourself accountable and steer your career toward success: focusing on what you can control and taking personal responsibility for your actions and outcomes.
Own Your Numbers.
You must be clear about your goals and understand that this is the first step toward taking responsibility. Instead of vague objectives like "sell more," break down your intentions into specific, measurable targets. For example, set a goal to meet a certain number of new clients each week, grow your current accounts, close a certain number of clients each month, or increase your client base by a specific percentage over the next quarter.
Having specific goals will give you a clear path to follow and allow you to measure your progress. This process will help you identify what's working and what needs adjustment.
Develop a Progress Mindset
Adopting a mindset of progress is crucial for personal accountability. It means viewing challenges or setbacks as opportunities to learn, grow, and progress rather than seeing all the obstacles. Instead of saying, "I didn't hit my target because my manager didn't support me," consider what you can do differently next time to achieve better results. A progress mindset is about constantly seeking improvement, being open to feedback, and being willing to change your approach if it's not working. It's about seeing every situation, whether a success or a failure, as a chance to learn and grow.
The most successful people I know always seek ways to improve their performance. They are open to new ways of achieving personal and professional coaching.
Seek feedback from your peers, not as criticism but as valuable insights to refine your approach. For instance, they point out areas where you could improve your communication or suggest a different approach to a particular client. By constantly learning and adapting, you position yourself as a proactive problem-solver, taking charge of your development.
Reflect and Adjust Regularly
Regular reflection is vital to ensure you're on track. Schedule time each week to evaluate your performance. Ask yourself questions like:
- What did I achieve this week?
- What challenges did I face, and how did I address them?
- What can I do differently next week to improve my results?
- Where did I lose focus this week? Did I let personal distractions get in my way?
Reflecting on your actions and outcomes can help you better decide what needs to change. This process of constant adjustment ensures you remain in control and actively work towards your goals.
Success in sales does not solely depend on your manager or external circumstances—it's mainly within your control. By owning your goals, maintaining a progressive mindset, and regularly reflecting and making adjustments, you can take personal responsibility for your performance.
Remember, It starts with you!
If someone can benefit from this episode, I invite you to share it.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Sales Meetings with Purpose. An innovative approach created by Lisa Thal, an author, inspirational speaker, and business coach with over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. Her book Three Word Meetings transforms how sales managers and leaders conduct team meetings, making them more engaging, purposeful, and impactful.
Sales Meetings Topics. Lisa Thal, an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach with over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience, is the mastermind behind the book Three Word Meetings. Lisa's coaching is about creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics that spark conversation and ignite excitement in sales teams.
Episode 248 Game Day Ready!
This is about mastering the preparation for any sales call.
I watched football this weekend and thought about all the preparation teams make before stepping onto the field. The coaches watch game films, discovering their opponents' weaknesses and strengths. They practice and prepare all week for that one game.
How much preparation are you preparing for your client meetings or presentations each week? Does your team have a Playbook? If so, is your team following it, or do they think they have all the necessary skills to manage the call? The best athletes and top salespeople pay attention to the details of each game or call.
The Importance of PreparationSuccess in sales, like success in a sports game, hinges on well-thought-out strategies and preparation. Sales professionals need to understand their "opponents" (potential clients and market conditions) and tailor their approaches, just as athletes analyze their competition and design their game plans.
Preparation Matters.
Your preparation matters. The more prepared you are, the more confident you will be, the better your communication will be, and the more successful your outcomes will be. Are you game-ready?
Ask yourself, how much time did you prepare to make that first call, first meeting, or follow-up meeting? The time you put into preparation can be the key to your success.
Researching Your Prospect.It starts with understanding their needs. We have to know why we are calling on them, the purpose of our call, and the benefits of meeting with us. It is essential to understand their pain points and how your product or service can solve them.
We can gain Social insights into them.
Research the prospect's LinkedIn profile and company website for recent updates or achievements that could be relevant to the call. For instance, if you discover that the company has recently launched a new product, you can tailor your pitch to show how your product complements theirs. Set a Google alert for the person and the company you're meeting with to get the most up-to-date information on them.
We need to set clear goals for the call and discuss the objectives. Whether closing a deal, setting up a follow-up meeting, or gathering information, having a goal keeps you focused. For example, if you want to close a deal, you can structure your call to lead to that outcome. Make sure you have a next step by setting a meeting on the calendar.
Know Your Product or ServiceYour Playbook. The best salespeople know all the advantages of their products and services and how they can help their clients. Ensure you identify those key advantages and benefits of working with you.
Anticipating ChallengesResilience and PerseveranceFacing rejection is part of the game in sales, much like losses are inevitable in sports. Both demand resilience, where setbacks become opportunities for growth and learning. Sales professionals, like athletes, must stay motivated and learn from each call.
Prepare for objections. Discuss your most common objections and be prepared to overcome them. For instance, if a prospect raises a price objection, you can counter it by highlighting the value your product or service brings. You may have to prepare for alternative solutions if the initial pitch doesn't go as planned.
Practice Makes PerfectGame time. Sales professionals perfect their skills with regular practice, role-playing, and training sessions. Similarly, athletes practice rigorous practice to perfect their techniques and fitness levels to create a competitive advantage.
Game Film. Record your calls so you can gain valuable feedback to help you on your next call. All successful teams watch game films to learn from what they did well and where they fell short.
Celebrating WinsLastly, celebrating victories—big or small—is a shared experience in sales and sports. Acknowledging achievements boosts morale and fosters a winning culture, encouraging teams to push toward even greater accomplishments.
By recognizing these similarities, you can channel your inner athlete, applying sports-like discipline and determination to excel in the sales game.
Remember, just like an athlete trains for a game, your preparation sets you apart from the competition. The key to success is not just knowing but doing. Until next time, stay motivated, make every sales call your best yet, and go win the game!
If someone can benefit from this episode, I invite you to share it.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Sales Meetings Topics. Lisa Thal, an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach with over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience, is the mastermind behind the book Three Word Meetings. Lisa's coaching is about creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics that spark conversation and ignite excitement in sales teams.
Sales persistence is a crucial element for success in any sales strategy. However, many salespeople give up too early when attempting to set up meetings with prospects. Understanding the reasons behind this can help you coach your team or yourself to help develop more effective strategies for engagement and conversion.
I have a question for you. I want you to consider the prospects you're calling today. How often have you tried to set up a meeting? Once, four times, or did you give up? We get excited about the opportunity of working with a particular client and reach out a few times, but they don't respond, so we move on. Have we moved on, too?
Why Do Salespeople Give Up Too Early When Trying to Set Up New Meetings with Prospects?
Fear of Rejection
One of the most significant reasons salespeople give up too soon is the fear of rejection. Repeatedly hearing "no" can be discouraging and may lead to a lack of confidence. This fear can cause us to avoid rejections altogether by not following up sufficiently. We must understand that we may not be a fit for all clients, so we must expect to hear " No" to get the clients who need us and say yes.
Lack of Preparation
We have to define the Purpose of our call. This should give you more confidence when calling. How can we make the initial outreach without proper research and understanding of a prospect's needs.
Misunderstanding of the Sales Cycle
Timing is everything. Understanding the sales cycle is crucial, and it's empowering. Not all prospects are ready to engage simultaneously, and multiple touchpoints are often required before deciding. By understanding this, you can avoid presenting too early and feel more in control of the process.
Insufficient Follow-Up Strategy
A structured follow-up strategy is not just a plan but a reassurance. It's essential for nurturing leads and ensuring no opportunity is missed. With a clear plan, salespeople can feel reassured and confident in their re-engagement efforts. How do you follow up with prospects when the timing is not right? How can you stay relevant to that client?
Pressure for Immediate Results
Sales teams may feel compelled to focus on quick wins in high-pressure environments. This urgency can cause them to overlook prospects that require more time and effort, ultimately leaving potential long-term relationships underdeveloped.
Lack of Persistence Training
Sales teams may need adequate training on persistence and techniques for maintaining contact without being pushy. Creating a system for your team or yourself for relevant outreach is key.
Inadequate Support and Resources
We must have a strategy to stay connected to our prospects and current clients. With the support of CRM systems or automated follow-up tools, you might find it easier to manage and track their interactions effectively. This lack of resources can lead to abandoned prospects due to oversight or disorganization, which could open the door for your competitors.
Sales is a series of cycles.
Resilience is not just a trait; it's a key to success in sales. By building resilience, understanding the sales process, and developing comprehensive follow-up strategies, you can stay determined and motivated, increasing your chances of success.
Until next time.
Stay inspired, keep learning, and be persistent!
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Sales Meetings Topics. Lisa Thal, an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach with over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience, is the mastermind behind the book Three Word Meetings. Lisa's coaching is about creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics that spark conversation and ignite excitement in sales teams.
Episode 246, where we delve into the crucial topic of productivity. We focus on learning to do more in a day and become More Productive!
Why can some people accomplish more in a day than others? The secret may be that they found a way to be more productive when tackling their to-do list.
In the morning, I am more focused, have more energy, and have fewer distractions. Therefore, I prioritize what must be done by doing it first. Later in the day may be the best time for others to focus.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how productive are you each day?
Have you ever felt busy the entire day and unproductive at the end of a workday? This is especially true if you're in sales. You were busy answering emails, working on internal projects, and spending very little time offering solutions to your current clients or new prospects.
Being productive in today's world is a constant battle against the allure of technology. The advent of social media, instant messaging, and the on-demand world has significantly increased distractions, making time management more challenging than ever.
There are many ways each of us can be more productive. For the rest, we must understand a few guidelines.
- Understand how you work best
- Staying organized
- Outcomes over Outputs.
Understanding how to set ourselves up for productivity is crucial. Knowledge empowers us to eliminate as many distractions as possible and focus on the outcomes we need to accomplish. This means prioritizing tasks that will significantly impact our goals rather than just completing many tasks. Focusing on outcomes over outputs gives us a sense of control and confidence over our work, as we can see our progress towards our objectives.
One of the most effective productivity hacks, the Ivy Lee Method, was created over 100 years ago. Ivy Lee designed this process to maximize productivity for Charles Schwab's executive team by helping them focus on less to do more. The beauty of this method lies in its simplicity and proven effectiveness, giving you the confidence to apply it in your daily routine.
Most of us have applied his method. For example, when preparing for vacation, you focus on what must be completed before leaving. It's incredible how we eliminate distractions and create the desired outcomes before leaving.
The Ivy Lee Method, a century-old yet powerful technique, is a testament to the timelessness of productivity strategies. Designed by Ivy Lee to help Charles Schwab's executive team focus on less to do more, this method is a must-try for anyone seeking to boost their productivity.
Step 1. Write down six of the most important things you want to accomplish that day.
Step 2. Prioritize that list. Some people find it best to do the smaller tasks first, while others find it more effective to get the big stuff out of the way first.
Step 3. Focus and work through the list.
Step 4. Check off the tasks you completed. Scratching tasks from your list, no matter how small, brings a unique satisfaction. This feeling of accomplishment can be a great motivator to keep you going.
Step 5. Repeat.
Set yourself up to be more productive.
One of the most important things you can do to stay productive is to focus on yourself. It's also essential to take regular breaks between your outcomes. These short breaks are not just a pause in your work; they are a form of self-care that can improve your focus and prevent burnout, giving you a sense of relief and control.
Keep moving.
Incorporating physical activity into your routine is not just a productivity tip; it's a game-changer. I will boost endorphins, enhance your positivity, and increase your concentration, making you feel more energized and positive about your work.
Until next time.
Stay inspired, keep learning, and be productive! Remember, the journey to productivity is a continuous learning process. Stay engaged and keep exploring new ways to enhance your productivity.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Sales Meetings Topics. Lisa Thal, an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach with over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience, is the mastermind behind the book Three Word Meetings. Lisa's coaching is about creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics that spark conversation and ignite excitement in sales teams.
Episode 245, Discover the Secret Ingredient to Achieving Your Dreams. "Work For It!"
I want to share a story about a friend, a community leader, and a client I have known for over 25 years.
Elmer Hensler, the visionary behind Queen City Sausage, left us a few weeks ago. His life story, a testament to the power of hard work and determination, will ignite a fire in your heart and inspire you to chase your dreams.
Elmer's Story…
"I knew at an early age that if I wanted anything in life, I would have to go out and work for it." These words, spoken by Elmer J. Hensler, echo his unwavering determination that led to his remarkable journey.
Elmer Hensler was a storyteller. His life experiences teach us something in the ways all good stories do:
- The very early struggles.
- The determination to overcome those struggles.
- The results of a well-lived life.
Elmer was born in 1930 in Cincinnati's West End, the edge of Cincinnati's meatpacking district, fondly known as Porkopolis. One of nine children. Poor but never hungry. Elmer lived about a block away from active slaughterhouses. He was an eleven-year-old boy who showed up to work at 4 am before school. Can you imagine your child going to work at 4 am before school today? His discipline and determination set the tone and pace for Cincinnati's future Sausage King. He faced the harsh reality of poverty and the need to work from a young age, but he never let it deter him from his goals.
Elmer's determination was unwavering, even in the face of discouragement. He disliked the formality of classroom learning, with his mind set on earning money and building a future. The nuns and teachers at the time always warned him in fear; "You will never amount to anything." Elmer's response, "Just give me a knife and steel, and I will do the rest!" He left formal education shortly after the 8th grade to begin his sausage career, a testament to his determination that can motivate us all.
Elmer worked all aspects of the Cincinnati meatpacking business. From the fast pace of the slaughterhouses to driver sales and management, he quickly learned from the very best.
By 1965, with a vast array of meat industry skills, Elmer started his own sausage company. He gathered 2 master sausage maker partners to find Cincinnati's iconic Queen City Sausage Company. Closing in on 60 years of craft sausage making, the company has expanded 15 times.
Elmer's love for Cincinnati was evident in his stories of the early days and the struggles. He was always thrilled with how much the people of Cincinnati embraced the bratwursts, smoked sausages, and deli meats his company made. His famous motto was "Never cheapen your product." And "I don't want to be the biggest, just the best!" His love for his city and his commitment to quality can make us all feel a sense of connection and pride.
As we wrap up, please reflect on your aspirations and remember, the key to achieving them is to Work For Them, just like Elmer did! Remember, success is not handed to us, we have to work for it. So, let's all take a page from Elmer's book and put in the work to achieve our dreams.
Stay inspired, stay motivated, and keep learning! Work For It!
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Sales Meetings with Purpose are more than just a catchy phrase. They're an innovative approach created by Lisa Thal, an author, inspirational speaker, and business coach with over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. Her book Three Word Meetings transforms how sales managers and leaders conduct team meetings, making them more engaging, purposeful, and impactful.
Episode 244 Successful People Do Successful Things.
This week's episode is the Three habits of Successful People.
When evaluating your business today, is it Struggling, about average, or Successful? I understand we all have a business cycle. I intend to get you off the struggle bus or feeling average and on the road to success.
Here is what I know for sure.
People who Struggle do Struggle things.
Average people do Average things.
Successful People Do Successful Things.
Where are you today? Are Struggling? Are you Feeling Average or doing Successful things that make you more productive and successful?
I'm sharing three habits you can start today to get you back on the road to success. By taking action and incorporating these habits into your life, you can take control of your journey to success.
Embrace the mindset of a Lifelong Learner.
The first habit we're looking at is the transformative power of becoming a Lifelong learner. Successful individuals always continue learning. It's your personal AI data from your life experiences. Let this inspire you to seek new knowledge and perspectives that can reshape your personal and professional life. Always stay curious to learn more.
- Personal Development:
- Warren Buffett, one of the world's most successful investors, spends about five to six hours a day reading books and newspapers.
- I prepare and produce the three- Word Podcasts I learn each week. I am researching topics that can help all of us.
- Professional Development:
- Learning new skills and staying updated with industry trends keeps you relevant and competitive.
- We have to learn to say No to non-productive things for our business. Productive vs Busyness!
- Ask your best clients why they work with you and your company. Gain insights that may help you on future calls. Ask for feedback from clients or vendors that have said no to your recommendations. You will gain knowledge there, which will help you.
Think about the last book you read or the last course you took. How has it impacted your personal or professional life?
Create Morning Routines.
The second habit that sets successful people apart is having a structured Morning Routine. How you start your day can significantly impact your productivity and mindset.
Consistency:
- Successful people like Oprah Winfrey and Richard Branson swear by their morning routines. Oprah starts her day with meditation and exercise, while Branson begins with a healthy breakfast and physical activity like kitesurfing or cycling.
- Mindset:
- A consistent routine sets a positive tone for the day. It helps reduce stress and increase focus.
- Practicing gratitude, mindfulness, or planning your day can make a significant difference.
What is your morning routine? Do you have any special rituals that help you start your day? Remember, taking action in your morning routine can significantly affect how you feel and perform throughout the day.
Set Goals.
The third habit we're discussing is Goal Setting. Successful people don't just set goals; they set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals. These goals are specific, have a way to measure progress, are realistic and achievable, are relevant to their overall objectives, and have a deadline for completion.
- Clarity and Focus:
- Setting clear goals gives you direction and purpose. It's like having a roadmap for your life.
- Challenge yourself to do the hard thing on your list First. If it is to set a new meeting, then do it first. Do the one thing that can impact your success first!
- Accountability:
- Writing down your goals and tracking your progress keeps you accountable. Many successful people use journals or digital tools to monitor their progress.
- Regularly reviewing and adjusting your goals ensures you stay on track.
What must you start doing now to set yourself up for success?
Success is just three habits away.
Until next time, keep striving for success, and remember, the only limit to your achievement is the one you set yourself. So, why not start today? Incorporate these habits into your life and see the positive changes they bring. Please share your progress and experiences with our community. Let's learn and grow together!
Stay inspired, stay motivated, and keep learning!
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Sales Meetings Topics. Lisa Thal, an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach with over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience, is the mastermind behind the book Three Word Meetings. Lisa's coaching is about creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics that spark conversation and ignite excitement in sales teams.
Episode 243, How Olympic Athletes and World-Class Salespeople Share a Winning DNA!
They Prepare to Win!
What if you had four years to prepare for that one client meeting? You have one chance to offer your best solutions over your competitors. You have one chance to make the most of that moment to earn the business. How would you set yourself up for Success?
Olympic Athletes prepare themselves for that one moment!
Let's remember that they have trained for four years for a chance to compete.
An opportunity to represent their Country!
Did you know that less than 0.1% of the world's population competes at the Olympics?
Where do you fall in your organization? Are you in the top 1% in sales revenue? Top 5%, 10%.
These athletes and sales professionals share a common theme: relentless dedication and mental and physical stamina. Both groups are driven by their goals and willing to work harder than others to achieve them.
Let's explore the similarities between world-class salespeople and Olympic athletes, focusing on the discipline, training, mindset, and teamwork required to reach the top of their respective fields.
The Power of Discipline and ConsistencyTraining RegimenOlympic Athletes: To become an Olympian, athletes adhere to a rigorous training schedule that often spans years, if not decades. Their days are meticulously planned, including physical training, nutrition, rest, and mental conditioning.
Sales Professionals: Top salespeople follow a disciplined routine, from prospecting to closing deals. They consistently work on their skills through ongoing education, role-playing scenarios, and staying up-to-date with industry trends. Just like athletes, they understand that sustained Success comes from consistent effort.
Goal SettingOlympic Athletes: Athletes set short-term and long-term goals, whether shaving a fraction of a second off their time or winning a medal. These goals motivate to keep pushing forward.
Sales Professionals: Similarly, salespeople set daily, weekly, and monthly targets. Whether meeting a quota or closing a significant deal, these goals act as a roadmap to Success. High achievers track their progress and adjust their strategies to stay on course.
The Mental GameMindsetOlympic Athletes: The mental aspect of sports often separates the good from the great. Olympic athletes cultivate a growth mindset, believing their abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work.
Sales Professionals: A positive and resilient mindset is crucial in sales. Rejection is part of the job, but world-class salespeople view setbacks as learning opportunities. They remain optimistic and driven, constantly seeking ways to improve.
VisualizationOlympic Athletes: Athletes use visualization techniques to improve performance. They visualize every aspect of their competition, from the starting line to the finish, building confidence and focus.
Sales Professionals: Successful salespeople also use visualization to prepare for meetings and presentations. They envision positive outcomes, practice their pitches, and mentally prepare for objections. This mental rehearsal can significantly enhance their performance.
The Importance of TeamworkCoaching and MentorshipOlympic Athletes: Behind every Olympian is a team of coaches, trainers, and mentors who provide guidance, support, and expertise. These relationships are vital for growth and development. These coaches are there to help athletes reach their next level.
Sales Professionals: Likewise, mentorship plays a critical role in sales. Learning from experienced colleagues, seeking coaching advice from your manager, and participating in training programs can elevate a salesperson's skills and career.
Unyielding DeterminationOvercoming AdversityOlympic Athletes: Injuries, losses, and setbacks are part of an athlete's journey. What defines them is their ability to come back stronger and learn from each challenge. They keep learning from each experience, turning FAIL into First Attempt In Learning!
Sales Professionals: Salespeople face adversities, such as missed budgets, loss of sales to competitors, and economic downturns. The best in the field are those who show resilience, adapt to changes, and bounce back from failures with renewed purpose.
Passion and PurposeAthletes are passionate and have a desire to achieve greatness. This purpose fuels their relentless pursuit of excellence.
Sales Professionals: Top salespeople are similarly passionate about their work. They find purpose in helping customers, closing deals, and achieving their goals. This passion is evident in their enthusiasm, persistence, and commitment.
The path to becoming a world-class salesperson is remarkably similar to that of an Olympic athlete. Both require unwavering discipline, a solid mental game, and unyielding determination. Great Mentors and Coaches to push you to the next level. By adopting the principles that drive Olympic athletes, you can elevate your performance, achieve your goals, and become the champion you have always envisioned.
Until next time, Channel your inner Olympian and start training today. The podium awaits. I am cheering for you!
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Sales Meetings Topics. Lisa Thal, an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach with over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience, is the mastermind behind the book Three Word Meetings. Lisa's coaching is about creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics that spark conversation and ignite excitement with your sales teams.
Episode 242: What would you attempt if you couldn't fail? Learn three strategies to Redefine Your Failures!
I am going to share a powerful concept that can change how you view challenges, setbacks, and failures. The idea is that when we face obstacles and difficulties, we also have possibilities, and it is through navigating these challenges that we truly learn and grow.
We all understand that we will face obstacles and challenges at some point. When facing these hurdles, shifting one's mindset from seeing roadblocks to recognizing opportunities is crucial.
Here are three tips to help you create possibilities when faced with setbacks.
Reframe Failure as a Learning Opportunity
How do we overcome the fear of Failure?
Fear of Failure is one of the most common obstacles blocking our progress. The key is to change how you perceive Failure. Rather than viewing it as a definitive end, see it as a valuable learning experience. Each Failure teaches us something new, bringing us one step closer to Success.
What Would You Do If You Couldn't Fail?
Ask yourself this critical question.
It removes the fear factor and opens up a world of possibilities. Think of Failure as a stepping stone rather than a stumbling block. Thomas Edison famously said, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." This mindset is pivotal for making progress and unlocking potential. Each of us can apply the same principle.
Keep learning through each experience.
Actionable Tip
Encourage your team to maintain a "Progress Log," documenting what went wrong and what they learned from each setback. Review it regularly to identify patterns and areas for improvement.
Persevere Through Challenges!
Many of us stop when facing challenges. It's easy to shift your focus to where you're successful. However, true leaders and successful salespeople push through. They understand that the path to Success is rarely smooth and that obstacles are growth opportunities.
Recognize that every challenge you face has a possibility hidden within it. Obstacles are not barriers but indicators that you're on the right track. They test your resolve and force you to innovate, which is good. Progress equals Happiness!
Actionable Tip
Implement a "Challenge-Solution" brainstorming session with your team. When faced with a hurdle or a business challenge, gather your team and brainstorm possible solutions. This collaborative approach generates creative ideas and fosters a sense of unity and shared purpose.
Cultivate a Possibility Mindset
Start by shifting your perspective. Developing a possibility mindset means always looking for a new way of seeing challenges. It requires resilience and optimism, which are essential for any sales leader or business owner.
The Importance of a Growth Mindset
Believe you can, and you will, or believe you can't, and you won't! A growth mindset, as opposed to a fixed mindset, is the belief that you have options to look at each challenge with possibilities and progress. This outlook helps you tackle challenges but also fuels continuous improvement.
Actionable Tip
Adopt a daily practice of "Possibility Thinking." Spend 10 minutes each day reflecting on your challenges and writing down at least one positive outcome or opportunity each challenge could bring. This practice will train your mind to focus on possibilities rather than problems.
Challenges and obstacles are inevitable, but you don't stop your progress. By reframing Failure as a learning opportunity, persevering through difficulties, and cultivating a possibility mindset, you can turn roadblocks into roadways. Remember, the most significant achievements often come from the greatest challenges.
If you found this valuable, please subscribe and leave a review. And share this episode with anyone who could benefit from a fresh perspective on Redefining Your Failures.
Until next time, keep pushing through those obstacles and turning setbacks into opportunities.
Stay Inspired!
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Sales Meetings with Purpose. Lisa Thal, an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach with over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience, is the mastermind behind the book Three Word Meetings. Lisa's coaching is about creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics that spark conversation and ignite excitement in sales teams.
Episode 241, "I Will Be Happy When."
Many of us often say, "I will be happy when..."—when we achieve that promotion, buy that dream house, or shed those extra pounds. I, too, remember a time when I was in a similar mindset, always waiting for that next external milestone to bring me Happiness.
But today, we're here to challenge that notion. Is Happiness really something we can attain by reaching these external milestones? Or is it something that must come from within?
The Myth of External Happiness
Let's start by debunking the myth that Happiness is something we can find outside ourselves. Many of us have been conditioned to believe that Happiness is tied to external achievements. For instance, in the business world, it's easy to think that landing a big client or closing a deal will bring us lasting joy. But is this really the case? Let's explore this further.
However, studies show that external achievements often bring only temporary satisfaction. The joy fades, and we're left chasing the next milestone. If you're a manager or a business leader, you might see this pattern in your team—everyone is waiting for that next big win to feel truly happy and motivated.
Happiness from Within
Now, let's flip the script. What if we approached Happiness as an inside job? We must understand that true happiness is not dependent on external achievements; rather, it's a state of mind and being that we can cultivate from within. This shift in perspective can transform our personal lives and revolutionize how we lead and engage our teams, bringing a new level of fulfillment and success.
Here are a few strategies to cultivate internal Happiness:
- Gratitude Practice: Start each day by acknowledging things you're grateful for. This simple habit can shift your focus from what's lacking to what already enriches your life. Write down three things you are thankful for each day.
- Mindfulness and Meditation: Practicing mindfulness for just a few minutes daily can significantly improve your mental well-being. It helps reduce stress and increases your capacity to manage challenges effectively.
- Growth Mindset: Shift your perspective to see challenges as opportunities for growth. We have a mindset that we can learn from each experience, especially in challenging situations. This mindset is not just vital for personal development; it's a powerful tool that can be particularly empowering in business.
Real-Life Applications
Let's apply these concepts to a real-world scenario. Imagine you're a sales manager constantly pushing your team to hit their targets. Instead of solely focusing on external goals, why not foster an environment where internal satisfaction is equally prioritized? For instance, you could encourage your team members to share what makes them happy outside of work and integrate that understanding into your leadership approach. This can help create a more balanced and fulfilling work environment.
- Encourage Self-Reflection: Ask your team members to share what makes them happy outside of work. Understand their personal goals and integrate that understanding into your leadership approach.
- Celebrate Small Wins: Recognize and celebrate minor achievements. By implementing this strategy, you can build a sense of progress and fulfillment without always waiting for big victories.
- Build a Supportive Community: Create a culture where team members support each other's well-being. A sense of community and belonging can significantly boost internal Happiness.
Remember, Happiness is a journey, not a destination. You create your Happiness through daily practices and a shift in mindset. By focusing on internal sources of Happiness, such as practicing gratitude, engaging in hobbies, or nurturing relationships, we can lead more fulfilling lives and create more motivated and resilient teams. This is not just a theory but a proven path to true Happiness and success.
Thank you for tuning into today's episode of "I Will Be Happy When." Your presence and engagement are invaluable. If you found value in our discussion, I encourage you to share it with your friends and colleagues. And remember, the first step towards change is awareness. So, take a moment to reflect on your own journey towards Happiness. What are some internal sources of Happiness that you can start cultivating today?
Stay motivated, stay happy, and remember—Happiness starts from within. It's not about what you achieve but how you feel about it.
Until next time, Stay happy and stay inspired!
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process, which involves three easy steps, can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your Team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Sales Meetings with Purpose. Lisa Thal, an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach with over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience, is the mastermind behind the book Three Word Meetings. Lisa's coaching is all about creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics that spark conversation and ignite a sense of excitement in sales teams.
I was in a discussion with one of my team members, and she was frustrated with one aspect of her business. She was not having the success she had in the past. I shared that the game is constantly changing. Are you?
In a fast-paced world where business trends and market dynamics constantly evolve, staying stagnant is not an option. To achieve success and see improvement in your career or business, you must be willing to learn, adapt, and grow. The phrase "For things to get better, you have to get better" is a powerful reminder that personal development is vital to professional success.
Whether you're a business professional, a salesperson, or a self-starter, continuous self-improvement is essential. Here are four actionable steps to ensure you're always moving forward and reaching your next level.
Model Proven Success
Why reinvent the wheel when you can learn from others who have succeeded? Identify leaders and experts in your field who have achieved your desired success. Study their strategies, work habits, and decision-making processes. You can avoid common pitfalls and accelerate your progress by modeling proven success.
Action Steps:
- Meet with the top salesperson in your company and learn their processes for being successful.
- Attend workshops, webinars, and conferences where these experts speak.
- Follow industry leaders on social media and engage with their content.
Cultivate Passion and Purpose
Your passion and purpose are the driving forces behind your motivation and perseverance. Learning and improvement become natural parts of your daily routine when you're deeply passionate about what you do. Your purpose gives you a clear direction and helps you stay focused on your goals.
Action Steps:
- Reflect on what truly excites and motivates you in your work.
- Set clear, purpose-driven goals that align with your passions.
- Surround yourself with like-minded individuals who share your enthusiasm.
Be an Active Learner
What is your Learning IQ? On a scale of 1-10, are you open to learning new ways of doing things or staying with the knowledge you already know? Learning is not a passive activity. To grow and improve, you must actively seek new knowledge and experiences. It means not only absorbing information but also applying it in practical ways. By being an active learner, you'll continuously refine your skills and stay ahead of the curve.
Action Steps:
- Enroll in online courses or workshops relevant to your field.
- Create a Mastermind group with leaders you respect to exchange ideas and insights.
- Regularly read industry-related books, articles, and journals.
Persist Until You Succeed
Success rarely comes without challenges and setbacks. These can be your most significant learning opportunities or destroy your progress. The key to overcoming these obstacles is persistence. Stay committed to your goals, even when the going gets tough. Each setback is an opportunity to learn and grow. Remember, persistence is what separates the successful from the rest.
Action Steps:
- Develop a resilient mindset and view challenges as learning opportunities.
- Break down your goals into manageable steps and celebrate small victories.
- Seek support and mentorship from those who have faced similar challenges.
In life and business, the only constant is change. To thrive in such an environment, you must commit to continuous self-improvement. By modeling proven success, cultivating your passion and purpose, being an active learner, and persisting through challenges, you'll position yourself for sustained growth and success.
Ready to take the next step in your self-improvement journey? Start today by implementing these action steps, and watch as you achieve new levels of success in your career and business. Remember, for things to get better, you have to get better.
Your future success is in your hands—embrace it and take action now! Become a Life Longer Learner!
Could you share this if someone can benefit from it? If there is a topic you would like me to discuss, private message me.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your Team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Sales Meetings with Purpose. Lisa Thal, an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach with over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience, is the mastermind behind the book Three Word Meetings. Lisa's coaching is all about creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics that spark conversation and ignite a sense of excitement in sales teams.
So here is a question for you.
Have you been feeling a bit more stressed recently?
Are you feeling frustrated?
Could you use a little hope or possibility in your life?
Robin Sharma is one of the Top five Leadership Experts in the world and an internationally acclaimed bestselling author. His work is embraced by rock stars, royalty, billionaires, and celebrity CEOs.
He wrote several best-selling books, including The 5 a.m. Club—Own Your Mornings—now the 4 a.m. Club! His most recent book is The Wealth Money Can't Buy. I highly recommend reading it!
In his book, he shares that One of the fastest ways to find the solution to an issue or challenge you are facing is to ask the right questions.
The right question inevitably leads you to the correct answer.
Questions matter. In business, top performers are brilliant at getting to the right question. The one that speeds them to the place they need to get to and offers them the missing piece they need to find.
In life, asking yourself a powerful question will allow you to step into a new set of possibilities you may have missed while focusing on an old way of seeing things.
Embark on a journey of self-discovery by asking yourself the five Questions. As a leadership development Coach, I encourage you to dedicate some time today to answer the Five questions that will allow you to see your life with possibility.
Robin shared some profound advice that we all can benefit from. So, let's dive into the Five questions.
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What am I Grateful for? Write down each day what you're most grateful for. It can be the cup of coffee you sip on each morning. The ability to go for a walk or a run. Your family, spouse, friends, or pets. The power of Gratitude reprograms you away from the negativity you may be facing.
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Where am I winning? This question gives you hope in your life and helps you build momentum. You are winning somewhere in your life. We have to identify those moments, and we all have them. It trains your brain to look for micro improvements.
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What will I let go of today? We have all heard that you need a positive mindset. Yes, that is true, and you also need a heart- set. Your heart is the emotional healing part of your life. Let go of the people who have disappointed you. The heartbreak from the relationship is not working. The betrayal feelings you have been holding onto for years. Who do I need to forgive today? Why is that important? Because you're carrying these emotions and energy like luggage each day. Drop the luggage!
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What does my ideal day look like? What would be a perfect day for you? Describe it in detail.
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What needs to be said at the end? I want you to fast-forward to the last day of your life and ask yourself how you want to be remembered by your family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors. Were you proud of the life you lived? Were you kind, forgiving, or supportive? Did you take the time to create meaningful moments?
Our lives are a journey of human connections and experiences. So we want to avoid those years focused on stress and everything going wrong. We want to keep growing and learning from each experience and live our lives to their fullest potential.
In the end, we want to live our life on our terms!
Do me a favor and share this with your family, friends or co-workers? If there is a topic you would like me to discuss, private message me.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your Team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Sales Meetings with Purpose. Lisa Thal is an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach with over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book Three Word Meetings. Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics that spark conversation and inspire sales teams.
Episode 238 is about creating your commencement speech. What advice would you have for yourself and others?
I was having lunch with a friend whose daughter was graduating from college. She asked me what the best advice I could give her and other graduates. Keep investing in yourself, and do life differently. Then I shared, Create your path.
Graduation is not just the end of an academic chapter; it's the beginning of a new venture filled with limitless possibilities. I am Lisa Thal, your host for the Three Word Podcast. My vision each week is to share three-word topics to inspire you or a possible topic for discussion in your next sales meeting.
We dive into creating your commencement speech. Consider this your blueprint for success—a personal manifesto that captures your unique vision and aspirations.
My commencement speech would be to be bold and color outside the lines. The traditional paths are just one option among many. That includes the fact that college is not for everyone. Some start their own companies. Some of us gain certifications that follow a different educational path. My advice is to take charge and craft your picture of the future.
Do you remember, as kids, we were trained to color between the lines? Color between the lines: Lisa, stay between the lines—a phrase enforced on us repeatedly.
As we grow older, we often find ourselves confined to coloring only within the lines of life, perhaps questioning why we can't venture beyond these boundaries.
Think of all the remarkable individuals who colored outside those lines—all the great inventors and spiritual leaders in our lifetime. Here are two names: Larry Page and Sergey Brin; they invented Google in 1998! They colored outside the lines!
We look up to those who dared to create a different picture and refused to be confined by the lines. A coloring book may suggest conformity, but we often play it safe and stay within those lines. 'I better stay between the lines,' we tell ourselves.
Most successful people step outside those lines! They have a different vision and dare to create a different picture. Decide in your life that you are not playing the game of coloring in between someone else's determined picture. You have a great vision for your life.
A new picture of your Life! Stepping out of your comfort zone when things get a little more challenging, trying to fit your life between those lines.
I firmly believe you were born to design your path and picture. Broaden your vision for your life. You'll attempt things that may not be comfortable, but they are essential for your growth. Our life is all about learning and trying new experiences.
Successful people do difficult things! Take a minute to think about someone you view as successful. What are they doing differently than others? Success is when you have the courage and confidence to look ahead. When I look back on my own life and think about those times, I have to step outside the lines to push myself to learn something new, something unfamiliar.
I never thought I would be an author when I wrote the book Three Word Meetings. I had to research how to capture all my thoughts and knowledge to share with you. How do you get a book published? Then, I created the Three Word Podcast. I am not a technical person, but I asked those who were to show me how to record and edit the content I share with you each week.
I can tell you that many times, I was uncomfortable. Another example: I trained to complete the Flying Pig Marathon. I wanted to see if I could mentally and physically run 26.2 Miles! I had to create a vision that I could. Even when I had IT band issues, I had to keep running through the pain to finish.
Develop a habit of expanding yourself. Don't shy away from discomfort. Sometimes, we have to get uncomfortable to get comfortable. It's in these moments of unease that we truly grow. Set a new standard at work, health, relationships, and business.
What are you willing to do? Focus on your growth. We gain great happiness when we push ourselves to a new level. A better path means you can do great things with your life. See your life expanding outside those lines. You have an opportunity to inspire yourself and others.
Remember, the best way to predict the future is to create it. Make your mark on the world. Keep Graduating to the next level!
Could you share this article if someone you know can benefit from it? If there is a topic you would like me to discuss, private message me.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your Team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Sales Meetings with Purpose. Lisa Thal is an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach with over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book Three Word Meetings. Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics that spark conversation and inspire sales teams.
Episode 237, The Unseen CEOs of our lives and careers: Our Mothers.
Motherhood comes with strategies, negotiations, and leadership skills, making our mothers the ultimate entrepreneurs of our upbringing and our most incredible mentors in the business world.
Why do Mom's Matter? They impact our Personal and Professional Success.
In personal and professional development, the influence of a mother, mother figure, or mentor is unmatched. Reflecting on my own experiences and lessons learned from Mom Thal and her maternal wisdom, I've come to recognize the profound impact these lessons have had on shaping not only who I am but also my approach to business.
One of the most pivotal pieces of advice is, "Give the company more than they expect. Set a new standard of excellence," which has become one of my mantras in life and business. On a personal note, one phrase that has anchored in my life is what my Mom would say: if you want to have a good friend, you need to be a good friend! Her ability to create heart-connecting and long-lasting relationships shaped how I view my friendships. I can not imagine life without my friends!
I was thinking about what else My Mom taught me.
Setting the Standard of Excellence
Adopting this mantra has been a guiding light in my pursuit of success. This focus on going above and beyond, instilled by maternal influence, has been fundamental in fostering an environment where exceeding expectations is the norm, not the exception. It's not merely about surpassing anticipated deliverables or projects; it's a holistic approach encompassing leadership, team collaboration, and personal development.
The Art of Organizing and PrioritizingMothers are the quintessential example of effective time management and prioritization. From managing household duties to nurturing their family, the ability to prioritize tasks efficiently is a skill many mothers excel at. This lesson in organization has been invaluable in the fast-paced business environment. It has taught me the importance of structuring my day and focusing on priorities to maximize productivity and achieve set goals.
Beyond the Lessons: The Ripple EffectThe values and lessons imparted by mothers extend beyond personal achievements; they instill a culture of striving for excellence within teams and organizations. By leading by example, Mom inspires those around us to aspire for greatness in their tasks and responsibilities. This ripple effect fosters a collective drive towards achieving excellence, pushing the boundaries of what's possible when individuals come together with a shared vision.
Empowerment Through Maternal WisdomThe guidance and wisdom provided by mothers and mother figures do more than prepare us for personal challenges; they lay the groundwork for building resilient, forward-thinking business leaders. The empowerment derived from maternal advice is a testament to the timeless relevance of their lessons in navigating the complexities of the modern professional landscape.
The impact of mothers on our lives and businesses is priceless! They teach us to aspire for more, to organize our lives with purpose, and to lead with a spirit of excellence. These lessons teach us to succeed and elevate those around us, creating a legacy of achievement and empowerment. As we reflect on the influence of maternal figures in our lives, let us carry forward these values, continuing to set new standards of excellence in every endeavor we undertake.
What has your Mother taught you personally and professionally? Is there a phrase that you connect with your Mom? May we honor these fantastic trailblazers for the time, love, and talent they shared with us.
Could you do me a favor? Share this with your Mom or Mentor. If someone can benefit from this article, Share it. If there is a topic you would like me to discuss, private message me.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your Team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Sales Meetings with Purpose. Lisa Thal is an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach with over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book Three Word Meetings. Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics that spark conversation and inspire sales teams.
Episode 236, How your Attitude, Discipline, and Determination can make a difference in your business, relationships, and Health!
I would like to ask you a question on a scale of 1-10: How is your Attitude today? What do you think about your Discipline and determination? Take the time to assess your health, relationships, and business.
Looking back over the past six months, I see it has been a journey. My wife Olivia, during an endoscope, was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. For those who have not met Olivia, she is very active with Mountain Biking and hiking our Pups, eats healthy, and doesn't drink or smoke.
So when the doctor came in and shared that he was sure she had Esophageal cancer, we were a bit in shock. Looking back over the past six months, I feel that what made the difference in Olivia beating cancer was her Attitude, Discipline, and Determination in this challenging situation. And the Team of doctors at the Barrett Center at the University of Cincinnati.
Liv had to mentally prepare for what she was about to face physically. Rounds of Chemo, 28 days of radiations on her throat, which would make it challenging to swallow, and a significant 7-8 hour esophagectomy surgery.
Her Attitude was that she would fight through each situation, understanding that she would experience significant pain, but she had to keep moving forward. She was fighting for her life!
In addition to Liv's Attitude, I am most proud of her Discipline, whether it was how she would eat enough calories and protein in a day or even an hour when she couldn't swallow, her determination to walk our pups two miles after chemo treatments when mentally and physically challenged, or her determination to get up out of bed when in the ICU after a grueling 7-8-hour surgery. Liv is healing from surgery and is as determined as ever to return to her Mountain Bike.
Why am I sharing this story with you? Liv's story will inspire you to examine your health, relationships, and business.
Attitude, Discipline, and determination are three words that can fuel your success, and they are all in your control.
Why an Unwavering Attitude is Your Greatest Asset in Life and Business.
3 Tips to Unlocking Unprecedented Success:
Set Clear Goals and Stick to Your Plan
The first step on the path of Discipline is setting clear goals. It is where you take control of your life, defining success in concrete terms and devising a systematic plan to achieve these goals. It involves focusing and holding yourself accountable to your daily schedule and tasks, which could include making a specific number of calls, personalizing follow-ups, or enhancing product knowledge. Remember, Discipline is choosing your long-term goals over short-term comfort in challenging times. This sense of control and capability fuels your determination and drives you towards success.
Develop Consistent Habits and Routines
The power of routine is critical. Consistently following a structured day allows for efficiency and effectiveness in your sales strategy. Determination shows when you maintain client outreach, manage your CRM diligently, and practice your pitch or playbook even when leads are not converting as expected. Determination is the persistence through the mundane, trusting the process even when immediate results are not evident.
Learn, Adapt, and Overcome Setbacks
Your Discipline and Determination can be the difference-maker during times of failure and setbacks. In sales, rejection is a common occurrence. Approach each 'no' as an opportunity to learn and refine your approach. No, it means Not Yet. Stay determined to persist despite rejection, and be disciplined in analyzing your strategies, adapting to feedback, and improving your techniques. The real test of determination comes when you don't give up at the first sign of difficulty but rather see it as a stepping stone to eventual success. This resilience and determination sets you apart and keeps you moving forward.
Remember, Discipline is the foundation of sustained effort, and determination is the thrust that propels you forward amidst challenges. Attitude is Everything! How you approach each situation with I can, versus I won't will have you feeling more in control. In the competitive sales world, these qualities are beneficial and essential. They can create an unstoppable force in your sales career and personal accomplishments.
Do me a favor if someone can benefit from today's episode Share. If there is a topic you would like me to discuss, private message me.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your Team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Sales Meetings with Purpose. Lisa Thal is an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach with over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book Three Word Meetings. Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics that spark conversation and inspire sales teams.
"The Power of Incremental Improvement"
In episode 235, of Progress Over Perfect, we explore the transformative power of small, consistent steps as we discard the unachievable pursuit of perfection in sales and life and celebrate the power of progress.
Progress: The Game-Changer in Sales and LifeLet's consider the word Perfect. We often hear of the "perfect pitch," the "perfect sale," or the "perfect life." Yet pursuing perfection can create undue stress and unrealistic expectations. What if we shift our lens slightly, replacing one word with another that rewards effort and growth? This is where the power of progress shines through—changing just this word can immensely impact your mindset, approach to sales, and overall life.
The Burden of PerfectionStriving for perfection in anything from a sales strategy to personal goals operates under the assumption that we can reach a final, flawless state. However, the pursuit often leaves a trail of disheartened moments as we realize that perfection is a moving target, always out of reach. The pressure can lead to procrastination, fear of failure, and burnout.
Progress: A Shift in MindsetWhen we replace "perfect" with "progress," we adopt a growth mindset. This subtle yet monumental shift celebrates each step we take, recognizing that improvement is not just about the destination but also about the learning process. Become a lifelong learner!
Here's how it works:
Fostering Resilience
Rejection is a common hurdle in sales. By focusing on progress, every 'no' becomes a stepping stone to refining your approach, building resilience, and adapting strategies for future opportunities. The word' no' now shifts to' not yet! '
Encouraging Innovation
The quest for perfection can be paralyzing and result in little growth. Progress, on the other hand, encourages experimentation and innovation. It might mean trying new techniques, tapping into unexplored markets, or personalizing sales interactions with prospective clients.
Re-defining Success
When success is no longer defined by a perfect outcome but by continual improvement, morale and motivation remain high. In both sales and life, celebrating little victories maintains momentum and morale, which are crucial for long-term success.
Building Authentic Connections
Perfection can create a façade, creating distance between sales professionals and clients. Progress breeds authenticity, allowing us to connect on a human level, share our improvements, and develop trust—critical ingredients in a successful sales relationship.
Learning from Mistakes
Perfection dismisses mistakes; progress learns from them. Every error in a sales pitch or personal goal is an opportunity to learn valuable lessons that will shape future strategies and actions.
Maintaining Balance
Striving for progress allows for a balanced approach to work and life. Understanding that there will always be room for improvement helps alleviate the pressure to be perfect in everything, thus supporting a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle.
Applying Progress in Real LifeHere are some practical ways you can integrate the concept of progress into your daily routine:
- Set realistic goals that are achievable and measurable. Celebrate when you meet these goals, however small. Goals that stretch you to learn and grow.
- Practice reflection after sales calls or at the end of the day, identifying what worked and could be improved.
- Develop a learning plan to enhance skills crucial to your sales and personal development growth.
- Cultivate a supportive environment by sharing your progress with others and encouraging them to do the same.
- Keep a journal to document your progress and remind yourself how far you've come when challenges arise.
Applying progress vs perfection is the real game-changer in sales and life. It offers a sustainable path forward, learning opportunities, resilience, and a more fulfilling career and personal growth. Change one word, and you change your entire approach. The Power of Incremental Improvement! Make the leap from perfect to progress, and watch your life and business grow!
If you know someone who can benefit from today's episode, please share it. If you have a topic you would like me to discuss, please private message me.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meeting topics in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach with over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book Three Word Meetings. Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics that will spark conversation and inspire their sales team.
Are you feeling a bit Stressed? You are not alone! The top stressors in life are events that involve loss, change, or trauma. Some of the most stressful life events are:
- Death of a loved one
- Divorce or separation
- Moving, buying, or selling a home
- Major illness or injury
- Job loss
Episode 234, I share how 7 Effective Strategies and tips to help you Manage the Daily Stress.
The Stress you experience may be short or long-term. Either way, we have to find a way to manage it. Why? Countless studies have proven the impact Stress has on us emotionally and physically.
7 Effective Strategies for Managing Daily StressStress is an inevitable part of life. However, managing Stress is essential for maintaining mental and physical health. Practical stress management techniques can transform your daily routine and help you handle life's challenges more easily.
Here are seven strategies to help you make progress in managing your daily Stress:
Practice Mindfulness and Meditation
Mindfulness meditation is a powerful tool for calming the mind and reducing Stress. It involves focusing on the present moment and accepting it without judgment.
Tip: Start with a few minutes of meditation daily, using guided sessions if you're a beginner.
Regular Physical Activity
Exercise benefits your physical health and helps to release pent-up Stress and tension. It would help if you had an outlet to release the Stress.
Tip: Incorporate activities you enjoy, such as walking, yoga, or dancing, into your daily routine.
Establish a Consistent Sleep Routine
Quality sleep is crucial for stress management. Lack of sleep can exacerbate Stress, creating a vicious cycle. It includes your screen time on your phone.
Tip: Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night and maintain a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends.
Develop Time-Management Skills
Mismanaged time can lead to a buildup of Stress. Proper planning and organization can create a smoother daily flow.
Tip: Prioritize tasks, set realistic goals, and delegate when necessary. Learn to say no to things that are not a priority to you.
Build a Support Network
Having a solid support system can provide a buffer against Stress. Sharing your concerns with friends or family can be cathartic.
Tip: Cultivate positive and supportive relationships, and don't hesitate to seek professional help if needed. Most companies have free Mental Wellness experts available.
Engage in Relaxation Techniques
Deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or visualization can help calm your mind and reduce Stress.
Tip: Set aside time for relaxation each day, even just taking a few deep breaths. When feeling stressed, inhale and exhale.
Limit Stimulants and Distractors
Caffeine and screen time, especially before bed, can increase stress levels and interfere with sleep.
Tip: Reduce caffeine consumption and set a "technology curfew" an hour before bed.
Deciding to fuel your body with nutritious food, avoiding procrastination, and finding time for hobbies and entertainment can help you manage Stress better. Remember, stress management is a continuous process; building these habits takes time and dedication. Start with small changes and gradually integrate more strategies as you become more comfortable. Just start!
These stress-reduction strategies can significantly improve your overall well-being and quality of life. Remember that seeking professional assistance is okay if your Stress feels overwhelming. Support from a therapist, counselor, or life coach can provide personalized guidance on managing Stress more effectively.
My advice is to manage your Stress in one minute, one hour, and one day at a time!
I would love to know how you manage your daily Stress. Share it if you know someone who can benefit from today's episode. If there is a topic you would like me to discuss, private message me.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meeting topics in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 233: One Key to Creating More Luck in Sales!
There is one thing that top performers do better than their competitors to create more Luck, they Focus!
Focus: The One Key to Creating More Luck in Sales
In sales, where every strategy and technique claims to be the beacon of success, one underlying principle significantly increases your chances of converting that big client—Focus. If you're in sales, marketing, or entrepreneurship, you're no stranger to the pursuit of Luck and the desire to secure that big win.
But does it just come down to Luck? Or is there something more within your control that can lead to consistent sales success? Focus is the answer, and I will show you why and how to harness it to tip the scales in your favor.
Why Focus?
The common misconception is that Luck in sales is just a byproduct of playing the numbers game. But ask any seasoned sales professional, marketing executive, or successful entrepreneur—they will tell you that their 'lucky streak' is often a direct result of razor-sharp Focus. It starts with understanding your market, knowing your product inside and out, personalizing your approach, and listening to your clients.
When you channel your energy into these focused efforts, you carve out a path where opportunities will likely land in your lap. Call it Luck or call it strategy; the results are undeniable.
How do you cultivate Focus in your sales efforts? It begins with focusing on the right activities. Please look at your calendar for this week and count the number of new client meetings, followed by the number of meetings with your current clients. If you're unhappy with that number, you have to focus your efforts and time on scheduling more discovery calls.
What can you do to create more Focus?
Identify and Understand Your Target Audience
Research who benefits the most from your product. Many of us are calling on new clients who don't have the resources or are not fit for your product or service. Let's eliminate those prospects from our Focus. Identify the prospects who fit your ideal customer. Tailor your sales solutions to address your prospective clients' needs and pain points.
Educate Yourself on Every Aspect of Your Product or Service
A deep knowledge of what you're selling instills confidence in your prospects and positions you as an expert. Customers are more inclined to trust and buy from someone who can articulate the benefits of their offering.
Prioritize Your Day
Each morning, review your day. Make sure most of your time is spent meeting new prospects, meeting with current clients, or seeking introductions from your current clients or your network of friends.
Be Persistent and Consistent
Success in sales usually takes time. Only 5-15% of prospects we call on today may need our product or service. We maintain regular contact with prospects, follow up diligently, and stay consistent. Persistence fuels Luck by keeping you top-of-mind when a customer is ready to decide.
Learn and Adapt from Each Interaction
After each sale or missed opportunity, evaluate what worked and what didn't. Use this information to refine your approach. Over time, these incremental changes can significantly improve your sales luck.
Creating more Luck in sales is less about chance and more about strategic Focus. You can generate your own Luck by defining and immersing yourself in your target audience, becoming an expert on your product, and systematically pursuing your sales goals.
The diligent preparation, unwavering dedication to your craft, and intelligent allocation of your efforts lay the groundwork for those moments when everything seems to fall into place—the moments we attribute to Luck.
In the end, remember you're taking the wheel instead of just riding along when you focus. You're navigating towards success—not simply waiting for it to happen.
Make the word focus your mantra, and watch as 'luck' becomes a regular appointment on your calendar. Happy selling and Focus may be the driving force behind your next closed deal.
If you know someone who could use a little more Focus, share it with them. If there is a topic you would like me to discuss, private message me.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meeting topics in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches' leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 232 - A new perspective to solving your problems!
"Houston, we have a problem" from the movie Apollo 13 has become iconic, often used to describe unexpected issues or challenges.
Let me ask you a question. When you face a challenge or problem, what process do you walk through to solve it? We all have to solve problems in life – but very few of us have a method for doing so. We look at the situation and offer one or two solutions. I will share a technique I learned that you could use for group discussion and individual reflection—an exercise you can use at any time to enhance your problem-solving and help you make decisions quickly.
I learned this technique from Edward de Bono, a Maltese physician, author, inventor, and consultant. He is best known for originating lateral thinking and writing many books on thinking, including The Six Thinking Hats. He dedicated his life to helping people improve their thinking abilities and creativity skills to solve problems.
De Bono's Six Thinking Hats is a powerful technique for looking at decision-making from different perspectives. It involves six distinct types of thinking, which you can do on your own or with your team.
A different hat represents each thinking style:
To solve a problem well, we must look at it from several perspectives.
Think about one problem or challenge you may be facing, write it down, and let's walk through the process together.
There is Power of Thinking DifferentlyTHE 6 THINKING HATSEdward De Bono developed the 6 Thinking Hats tool to help you look at a problem from 6 different perspectives.
- When making decisions, many people are overwhelmed by information, and this technique allows you to consider just one perspective at a time.
- Pick a problem or decision you need to make and apply the technique. Start by imagining you have six hats in front of you. Imagine you are putting on one hat at a time.
THE WHITE HAT IS THE HAT OF LOGIC* When you wear the white hat, ask yourself: what information or data is available? What are the facts? How can I look at this objectively? * To remember the white hat as logical, imagine a scientist or doctor gathering information in a white coat.
THE RED HAT IS THE HAT OF EMOTION* When you wear the red hat, ask yourself how you feel. What emotions come up? What is my intuition or gut telling me? * Imagine a heart to remember the red hat as the feelings and emotions.
THE BLACK HAT IS THE CRITIC* When you wear the black hat, ask yourself: what could go wrong? What are the downsides? Why won't this work? * Imagine a judge's robes to remember the black hat as the critic.
THE YELLOW HAT IS THE HAT OF OPTIMISM* When you wear the yellow hat, ask yourself: what could go right? What are the benefits? What is the upside? What are all the opportunities? * To remember the yellow hat as the optimist, imagine the sun.
THE GREEN HAT IS THE HAT OF CREATIVITY* When you wear the green hat, ask yourself: how can I be creative? What are the possibilities? What other options and innovative solutions are available? Could I consider something else? * To remember the green hat as the creative one, imagine green grass growing.
THE BLUE HAT IS THE MANAGER* When you wear the blue hat, listen to the other options - six hats, think about the big picture, and decide. * To remember the blue hat as the manager, think about the sky.
You should think about your problem and walk through this process.
We all face problems personally and professionally, and now you have a process to help you make the best decision after looking at six different perspectives. So put on your Hats and start solving more problems quickly!
I would love to know how you solve problems. If you know someone who can benefit from today's episode, share it with them. If there is a topic you would like me to discuss, private message me.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meeting topics in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 231: Learn a 3 Step process to convert a lead into a customer.
There is something that a prospect wants from us before becoming a client. Our knowledge to help them solve their problems faster!
Give clients what they want! What do they expect from us? Knowledge. They are looking for solutions to their challenges. We are problem solvers. The question is, what is the best way to help solve their problems? Educate them on the solutions available to them. We have to add more value than our competitors!
Staying ahead of the curve means being an expert in your Industry and leveraging the tools you have to help prospects solve problems. Content has become a critical asset for sales teams across industries in our ever-evolving digital era. Sales professionals increasingly recognize content's pivotal role in their processes—a role that extends beyond price to cultivating and supporting customer relationships.
Educating Leads: Fuel for the Sales Funnel
Education lies at the heart of successful sales strategies. When your leads are well-informed, they are more likely to trust your expertise, value your offering, and, ultimately, make a confident purchasing decision. Here's how education and sharing information with them can serve as a powerful conduit in your sales funnel:
Stage 1: Awareness – Attracting Potential Customers
In this stage, your content must answer the basic questions prospects have. By sharing information that addresses common pain points, introduces new insights, or explains industry trends, you set the groundwork for a relationship built on knowledge sharing.
Example Article Topics for the Awareness Stage:
- "5 Signs You Need Our Sales Solution"
- "The 2023 Guide to Advancing Your Sales Techniques"
- "Why Understanding Your Prospects' Needs Matters"
Stage 2: Consideration – Positioning Your Solution
As prospects move deeper into the funnel, your educational content should now focus on showcasing how your products or services solve specific problems or improve upon existing solutions. How are you solving other clients' challenges that you can share with them? People remember stories along with data to show proof of performance.
Example Article Topics for the Consideration Stage:
"How Our Sales Solution Integrates with Your Current Workflow"
Stage 3: Decision – Providing Reassurance
At this stage, prospects are close to making a purchase decision. Your information should reinforce the decision by highlighting success stories, customer testimonials, and detailed product benefits.
Sealing the Deal with Persuasive Content
The power of educational content is not just in informing—it's also about persuasion. Content can clinch the deal by elegantly illustrating the value proposition.
Here's what makes content not only informative but also persuasive:
- Relevance: Tailored content that addresses each lead's unique needs and interests.
- Authenticity: Genuine articles from experience and actual results, not just promotional fluff.
- Utility: Useful tips and actionable advice that readers can immediately apply, demonstrating potential ROI.
- Engagement: Compelling narratives that absorb the reader, encouraging them to move through the sales funnel.
- Evidence: Solid data, studies, testimonials, and real-world examples that validate your claims.
By integrating educational and persuasive content into your sales strategies, you're not merely selling a service or product but offering value, insight, and a partnership. The right content can turn a lead into a lifelong customer, as it stands at the intersection where educational meets the aspirational. As a sales professional, refining this content strategy can significantly enhance your engagement with prospects and pave the way for a productive partnership.
If you want to sharpen your content strategy, start by asking:
What does my prospect need to know, and how can I teach them through content? Align this with your sales funnel stages and begin crafting compelling, educational content reflecting your expertise and positioning your product as the optimal solution. The content you create today will lay the foundation for the customer relationships you'll build tomorrow. It takes Education and Persuasion!
If you know someone who can benefit from today's episode, share it with them. If there is a topic you would like me to discuss, send me a message.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meeting topics in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 230 The Fuel of Top Sales Professionals
What fuels the top sales professionals? I will share seven strategies that can help you.
Staying Hungry: The Fuel of Top Sales Professionals
For passionate sales professionals, the thrill of closing deals and crushing targets isn't merely a job—it's a way of life. Yet, amidst the grind, the relentless chase for quotas, and a playing field that's constantly evolving, it's all too easy to lose that initial spark. So, how do you keep the hunger—that intense desire to achieve and excel—alive?
You approach your day with a Now, not later mentality. You create that sense of urgency to call that new client and write that email you have been putting off. You do the things you fear the most first. You do the work when no one is watching.
We all have experienced the Now, not Later mentality. If you have taken a vacation, you get focused on the Now moment. What priorities have to get done before you leave? You quickly prioritize those moments and take action. What if you're a Mother? You got focused when it came time to prepare for maternity leave. You prioritized everything that must get done for you, and that other employee was covering for you. You reached out to your clients with a sense of urgency.
If you have been in sales for a while, have you lost that desire, that daily focus when you started your career? You were eager to get to the office. You claimed new accounts before others on your team. Or are you telling yourself I am making good money, so prospecting or making that extra call to that new prospect can wait? Many of us become content and lost that spark when we started. It doesn't have to be that way.
Seven strategies ensure you stay as focused and inspired each day as you were on day one.
Revive Your Mindset Daily
Every day brings a new opportunity to reignite your mindset. Begin each day by reflecting on why you started and what your goals are. What are your priorities to create sales?
Prioritize Like a Pro
Time is a finite resource; in the sales world, it's everything. Prioritize your time effectively by tackling high-value activities first and delaying the less critical tasks. Do the things you fear the most first!
Never Stop Learning
Stay curious for knowledge. Industry trends, market analytics, and customer behavior are constantly in flux. Keeping abreast of these changes ensures you bring value to your conversations and solutions to your prospects' evolving needs. Allocate time for learning—listening to a podcast, reading an article, or attending webinars and workshops.
Cultivate Endurance and Resilience
In sales, rejection is part of the package. Each 'no' should be fuel to refine your approach, not a reason to dampen your spirit. Resilience is the key to sustained hunger in sales; it's about getting back up with more wisdom and determination after each setback.
Celebrate Wins, No Matter the Size
Celebrating your wins propels confidence and motivation. Celebrate setting focused time to look for introductions from your business connections. Celebrate that you scheduled time to reach out to new prospects. Celebrate that you prioritized your day with little distractions.
Build Relationships, Not Just Client Lists
The heart of sales is not just numbers—it's people. Building genuine, empathetic relationships with your clients ensures a fulfilling career fortified with trust and integrity. You must meet that client for breakfast or lunch now, not next week.
Keep the Fire Burning
In the fast-paced sales arena, complacency is the silent adversary of success. Constantly feeding your hunger for growth, fortifying your resilience, and celebrating each milestone are your tools for staying in control. Remember, staying hungry in sales isn't merely about reaching the destination—it's also embracing the journey, one goal, one customer, and one victory at a time.
It's all about making those priorities a Now moment, not a later. Sales have a rhythm and a faster pace.
Do you have other strategies that keep you in the Now moment?
I invite you to share your experiences and tips with us in the comments below.
If you know someone who can benefit from today's episode, share it with them. If there is a topic you would like me to discuss, send me a message. My three words for you do it Now not Later!
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Could you create a Sales meeting topic in minutes? Lisa Thal is an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 229: This week's episode is a special edition around the Super Bowl. What is the best strategy for winning, a good Offense or Defense?
Chiefs or 49ers?
With the Super Bowl on Sunday, someone privately messaged me about my thoughts on what is more important, a good offense or defense, especially regarding sales!
Offense vs Defense: Which is More Important in Sales!
As in sales, a debate prevails in football: which is more critical, offense or defense?
On the gridiron, offenses score points and break through their opponent's defenses. Conversely, defense is about keeping the other team from scoring. In sales, offense represents the strategies and actions taken to acquire new customers by understanding their challenges and needs. At the same time, defense focuses on maintaining current relationships, ensuring customer satisfaction, and reducing churn.
The conversation around these strategies often breeds passionate discussions among fans and professionals alike. Are you leaning more toward a quarterback's strategic throws, or do you believe a solid defensive line is the key to victory? Similarly, do you prioritize developing new clients or closing deals, or do you focus on nurturing and growing existing customer relationships?
Let's look at the roles of offense and defense in both realms to understand their importance and influence on success.
Offense in Sales: Gain new clients.
Like a football team looks for a dynamic offense to score touchdowns and outpace the competition, sales teams rely on offensive strategies to secure new clients and increase revenue. In sales, a potent offense is characterized by:
- Proactive outreach and prospecting
- Creating and pitching compelling value propositions
- Skillful negotiation to close deals
- Utilizing aggressive growth tactics to expand market share
In a dynamic market, an offensive approach aligns with ambitious sales goals and aggressive expansion. Measuring success is straightforward for sales teams - your numbers or revenue indicate how effective your offense is.
Defense in Sales: Protecting Your Business
While offense is about growth, defense emphasizes protection and consolidation. A strong defense can be the key strategy in both football and sales. Sales defense centers on:
- Customer service and support
- Retention strategies to prevent churn
- Upselling and cross-selling to existing customers
- Building long-term relationships and trust
For many businesses, the cost of losing a customer far outweighs the cost of acquiring a new one. Consequently, a defensive sales strategy ensures stability and sustainable growth.
The Balancing Act
Just as a balanced football team requires both a strong offense and a resilient defense, a balanced approach in sales leverages the strengths of both strategies.
Here's how striking a balance could benefit you and your team:
- Offense brings innovation and growth opportunities. It's where new opportunities present themselves.
- Defense ensures stability and churn prevention. It's where value is maintained, and relationships are nurtured for long-term success.
The best game plan is all about finding the right mix. Rely too much on offense, and you must pay attention to your existing customer base. But if you're overly defensive, you may miss exciting growth opportunities.
You Playbook
What can sales professionals learn from strategic thinking in football?
- Know when to switch modes from offense to defense.
- Use data to inform your strategies—whether playing to win new business or guarding your current clients.
- Team cohesion is just as crucial in sales as in the field. Each member must understand their role and how they contribute to the broader strategy.
- Adaptability is critical—be prepared to switch strategies when the situation calls for a new play. Teams make adjustments at halftime of each game. That is why the Phrase two halves to every game matters.
- Continuous training and development ensure that everyone's skills stay sharp. What part of your game needs a little more practice?
Ultimately, a balance between offense and defense propels teams towards victory, whether in football or sales.
In both football and sales, offense and defense play critical roles, and understanding when and how to use these approaches defines the most successful teams. Embracing both elements means you're not just playing the game but strategically positioning your team to win championships.
As we analyze the traits of the best teams in both domains, let's take a lesson from the field and apply it to the sales floor: it's not about choosing between offense and defense but knowing how to synchronize the two to clinch the win. So, let's keep the playbook open and remember that success lies at the intersection of securing new leads and safeguarding existing relationships.
Are you ready to tackle your sales goals with an offense-defense strategy? Let me know your play!
If you know someone who can benefit from today's episode, share it with them. If there is a topic you would like me to discuss, send me a message.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Could you create a Sales meeting topic in minutes? Lisa Thal is an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 228 Weep or Reap: Gain control over your business today!
Friends, success is not an accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, and, most of all, the choices we make each day. Today, I want to share the difference between reaping and weeping when building long-term sales success in your business.
According to statistics, sales representatives only spend around 11% of their workday selling their products or services, which is an alarmingly low amount of time.
Imagine if you just doubled that time to 22%!
How much better would your sales be?
Many have focused on short-term gains for too long and have not considered how our choices will impact the future. We must adequately prepare the soil or cultivate sustainable growth before we swing for big numbers. It leaves us vulnerable when seasons change and often results in frustration when problems arise that we could avoided with wiser planning and action.
But fear not! It doesn't have to be this way. You can chart a new course by understanding five fundamental principles and adjusting how you show up each day.
Today, we will look at what separates those who consistently reap rewards from their efforts from those who often find themselves weeping over what might have been.
- Setting Clear Goals
One of the keys to sales success is clear goals and objectives. Successful salespeople always have a clear idea of what they want, why it is needed, and how they will achieve it. They set specific and measurable targets that align with their company's business goals and work diligently towards achieving them. Sales goals should be challenging yet achievable, and they should have a time frame for achieving them.
- Focusing on the Customer
Successful salespeople talk less about their products or services and more about the Customer's needs, wants, and pain points. They listen more than speak and ask probing questions to uncover customers—sellers who show empathy and build customer rapport, trust, and credibility. Salespeople who focus on the Customer are likelier to close deals and build lasting relationships.
- Prospecting Effectively
We need a steady stream of qualified leads, and a salesperson can be successful. Successful salespeople know how to prospect effectively. They research and target the right companies and individuals likely to be interested in their products or services. They use multiple channels to reach prospects, including phone, email, social media, and referrals and introductions. They also follow up consistently and persistently with prospects until they convert them into customers.
- Tracking and Measuring Results
Successful salespeople are data-driven and track their sales activities and results. They use tools like CRM (customer relationship management) software to track their sales pipeline, monitor their progress, and measure their performance. They analyze their data to identify what is working and what is not and adjust accordingly. They also continuously learn and develop their skills by attending training programs, reading books, and seeking feedback from their colleagues and managers.
- Maintaining a Positive Attitude
Finally, successful salespeople maintain a positive attitude and mindset. They focus on what they can control rather than what they cannot. They embrace challenges and setbacks as opportunities to learn and grow. They also stay motivated by setting realistic expectations, celebrating successes, and learning from setbacks. A positive attitude helps salespeople maintain their energy and enthusiasm, which is often contagious and attracts customers.
Successful salespeople consistently reap rewards from their sales efforts because they follow a set of habits that set them apart from others. They set clear goals, focus on the Customer and prospect effectively, track and measure results, and maintain a positive attitude. By adopting these habits, you can become a better salesperson and achieve your desired success. Remember that success in sales is not just about talent or luck but about hard work, discipline, and a willingness to improve continuously.
Happy selling!
If you know someone who could benefit from this, share it with them. If there is a topic you would like me to discuss, send me a message.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 227 Get Rid of your Automatic Negative Thoughts!
I was in a coaching session with a seller discussing their new business activity. They shared all the reasons and roadblocks to their lack of success connecting with these targets. I can't get anyone on the phone. When I get someone to answer, they block me from getting to the decision-maker. Or They are not returning my emails. Sound familiar?
You may have an ANT problem.
I am not talking about ANTs in your house. I am talking about ANTs in your mind!
ANTs are "automatic negative thoughts." Most people place limitations on themselves in the form of these thoughts, at least sometimes. You create this endless loop in your mind that prevents you from accomplishing your goals. It takes too much time to connect with new clients? I could start tomorrow. So you stop before even starting?
These ANTs are everywhere, and there isn't enough ant spray to eliminate them. But you can start by stopping them from entering your life and business. If you regularly tell yourself that you can't accomplish something, or you don't have the skill sets, energy, or smart enough, you won't do anything. You will stay stuck with the negative self-talk and never accomplish what you set out to do.
Start exterminating those ANTs by trusting you can accomplish what you want with a good game plan and taking action on your goals and dreams.
How do we Get Rid of Negative Thoughts and Boost Your Business Success?
Running a successful business can be challenging and daunting, especially if your mind is constantly bombarded with negative thoughts. Sometimes, negativity can come from external factors such as market fluctuations or economic downturns. Still, our doubts, fears, and limiting beliefs often keep us from achieving our goals.
Fortunately, there are ways to eliminate negative thoughts and turn your mindset into a more positive, productive, and profitable one. Whether you're a sales representative seeking to improve your pitches or generate more leads, these tips can help you unlock your full potential and achieve business success.
Identify Your ANT
The first step to banishing negative thoughts is to acknowledge their existence. It's essential to identify which thoughts are holding you back and making you feel anxious, stressed, or depressed. Once you are conscious of your limiting beliefs, you can challenge them by asking yourself why they are there in the first place. Are they based on past experiences, unrealistic expectations, or fear of failure? Once you pinpoint the source of your negative thoughts, you can address them head-on and turn them into positive affirmations.
Surround Yourself With Positive People
The people you surround yourself with can significantly impact your mindset and energy levels. That's why connecting with people with a positive mindset, supportive attitude, and uplifting spirit is crucial. Seek mentors, coaches, colleagues, or friends who can inspire, motivate, and challenge you to reach your full potential. Make sure to surround yourself with people who believe in you, your vision, and your business goals. Avoid toxic relationships, negative feedback, and pessimistic attitudes that drain your energy and dampen your spirits.
Focus on Your Strengths
It's easy to get overwhelmed by the day-to-day challenges such as sales quotas, client meetings, or product development. Sometimes, you may need help keeping up with your competitors or falling short of your expectations.
Instead of dwelling on your weaknesses and shortcomings, focus on your strengths. What sets you apart from your competitors? What unique skills and talents do you possess? What achievements have you made so far? Celebrate your successes, no matter how small, and use them as motivation to keep pushing forward.
Practice Self-Care
Taking care of your mental and physical health is crucial for maintaining a positive mindset and reducing stress. Make sure to carve out time for self-care activities such as exercise, meditation, hobbies, or socializing. These activities can help you recharge your batteries, clear your mind, and enhance your overall well-being. Also, sleep well, eat healthy, and drink plenty of water. A healthy body and mind are essential for achieving business success.
Keep Learning and Growing
Keep learning and growing to avoid getting stuck or feeling complacent. Take on challenges that push you out of your comfort zone, attend conferences, seminars, and webinars, read books, or listen to podcasts that expose you to new ideas, perspectives, and strategies. Learning is a lifelong process that can enrich, inspire, and enhance your business and personal life. Embrace new opportunities, new challenges, and new ways of thinking.
What is your ANT? Your Automatic Negative Thoughts!
How do you plan to get rid of your ANTs?
Keeping a positive and resilient mindset is critical to achieving business success. You can unlock your full potential and achieve your business goals by identifying and challenging your negative thoughts, surrounding yourself with positive people, focusing on your strengths, practicing self-care, and continuing to learn and grow. Remember, success is not just about how much money you make or how many clients you have; it's also about how you feel about yourself, your business, and your impact on your clients and the world around you.
If you know someone experiencing ANTS and can benefit from today's episode, share it with them. If there is a topic you would like me to discuss, send me a message.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Inspirational Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
We all have heard the phrase, "Knowledge is Power." I have used this phrase throughout my life and Career. But I realized that Knowledge alone would not give me power.
Knowledge is essential, but taking action is required to make it a reality. We have so many available resources to learn. How to get better health, become Financially free, and create better relationships. What about our business? How do we identify new prospects and create new customers? How to convert more sales.
If you need to get the results you set out for yourself, it could be one simple step to help you achieve those goals.
Knowledge is not power. It only has the potential to be power. Yes, we have to learn, but if you don't apply action, it only becomes Knowledge! My challenge for you is not to talk about what you will do but to do it. Less talk and more action will get you to your dreams and go.
The adage, "knowledge is power," has been around for centuries, but in the modern business world, it's not enough to know something. It's what you do with it that counts. You can have all the business knowledge and insights, but you must apply them to make them work. As a business owner, salesperson, or CEO, you must act on your Knowledge and turn it into something tangible.
Five tips showing you how to turn Knowledge into action to achieve your goals.
Set clear goals
The first step to turning Knowledge into action is setting clear goals. You need to know what you want and what actions to take. Make your goals specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based (SMART). It will help you focus on the actions moving you closer to your goals.
Break it down
Once you set your goals, break them down into smaller, manageable tasks. It will make it easier to take action, as you won't be overwhelmed by the enormity of the task. It will also give you a clear path to follow, as you know exactly what needs to get done and when.
Take action
It's time to act on your goals and the tasks to achieve them. Take the lead before things happen or for someone else to take the lead. The best way to turn Knowledge into action is to take action yourself. Put your plans into motion and start crossing off those more minor tasks. Each completed task will bring you closer to achieving your larger goals.
Learn as you go.
Don't forget that Knowledge is a continuous process. You will learn new things as you act and work towards your goals. Embrace these new insights and use them to refine your plans and actions. Being open to change and new ideas is often the key to unlocking success.
Celebrate your Success.
Finally, remember to celebrate your successes - big or small. Taking action and achieving your goals should be celebrated. It's easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day tasks, and you must remember to mark the milestones. Take a moment to acknowledge your hard work and pat yourself on the back. Celebrate with your team and use that energy to motivate you towards the next goal.
Knowledge may not be power, but taking action on your Knowledge certainly is. Setting clear goals, breaking them down, taking action, learning as you go, and celebrating your successes are all keys to turning Knowledge into action and achieving your business goals. So, don't just sit on that pile of business knowledge; put it into action and watch your success unfold.
If someone can benefit from this Knowledge, please share it. If there is a topic you would like me to discuss, send me a message.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Could you create Sales meetings in minutes? Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 37 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 225, Figure It Out! Do you feel stuck or anxious about your business or life. This episode will help you Figure it Out!
Could you hold on to this thought? You can figure anything out, and it's doable for you if someone has done it!
I have heard from many of you that you feel anxious or stuck about the upcoming year to build your business or strive to meet sales targets.
The truth is that success is not an overnight process, and it takes time to achieve. Many of you may start the year with significant attrition or need more prospects in your client funnel. Sometimes, it helps to have some inspiration and motivation to get you in the right direction.
Let's explore how looking at successful people can inspire us, how motivation plays a huge role in success, and how you can use these concepts to create your success story.
Here is what we need to remember. Nothing is impossible; we may not know the how yet. We can figure it out. We may still need to learn the how. But if someone has done it, it's doable for you.
The Power of Inspiration:
Humans learn through imitation and conscious or subconscious observation. It would help to surround yourself with inspiring people who have succeeded in your Industry. Observing their successes lets you get ideas and learn from what makes them successful. It's always important to remember that successful people are regular people just like you. The only difference is that they have persevered and have not given up. They learn a better way. You can take inspiration from their stories and apply it to your life. For example, if you see a successful salesperson, you can study them, ask them what makes them successful, and adapt their techniques to your style.
The Role of Motivation:
Inspiration gets you started, but motivation keeps you going. Motivation is about finding the drive to keep pushing through when things get tough. Without motivation, you may give up on your dreams and goals. Most successful people will tell you that it can be challenging. What motivates you can be as unique as the person. It could be a milestone you want to hit, your family, or your success. You want to find what motivates you and hold onto that feeling because it will push you forward when the going gets tough. Choosing something you love doing is essential, or else the motivation to continue will not be there.
How to Use Inspiration and Motivation to Create Your Own Success Story:
The first step towards achieving anything is to make a plan. Determine what you want and how to get there, and start taking action. You've heard it before, but taking action is the most significant step towards success. You can draw inspiration from successful people to help shape your plan and motivate you to take action. Think about who you admire in your field and what they have done to achieve success, and then use that inspiration to create your plan. You can use motivation from there to take the necessary steps towards your goal.
Surrounding Yourself with the Right People:
Success is not a solo journey; it is vital to surround yourself with the right people. Surrounding yourself with others who share similar goals and passions can push you toward your success. You want to be around positive and encouraging people and motivate you to improve. Be open to learning from others around you. Your inspiration and motivation amplify when you surround yourself with the right people.
Inspiration and motivation are critical components in achieving success. Inspiration is about learning from others and adopting their approach, but motivation keeps you going. The key is to surround yourself with positive influences, create a plan, and take action. If someone else has achieved it before, then you can too. Use their stories as inspiration, and hold on to what motivates you. With hard work, perseverance, and the right attitude, you can achieve your goals, big or small. Remember, if someone has done it, you can do it too.
If someone can benefit from this episode, please share it. If there is a topic you would like me to discuss, send me a message.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 224: The letter "C" could be the difference between you crushing your New Year's resolutions. You have a choice!
Welcome to the new year! I mean the New You! Have you thought about what you want more of in 2024?
According to a survey conducted by Forbes, some of the most common resolutions for 2024 include:
- Enhancing finances (38.2%)
- Shedding weight (33.8%)
- Refining dietary habits (31.6%)
- Improving fitness (48%)
- Improving mental health (36%)
- Losing weight (34%)
- Improving diet (32%)
Some of those may be on your list. There is a strategy for crushing your goals in the new year.
The French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre noted that "Life is C between B and D," meaning that the life we live is the choices we make between the "B" of birth and the "D" of death. The simplicity of that statement is relevant to each of us in our journey of life.
The Choice is yours, regardless of your circumstances. You can choose to make excuses or give up the power that you know you can live a life without barriers. But remember that choosing is active, and it is time for you to make better choices today.
I have found that there is another "C" you need in addition to Choice if you want to resolve something in the new year. That word is Commit! Many of you want to do something that will improve your life and business. Something you know you should do. But you don't do it because you let other things get in your way. You break that promise to yourself over and over.
So, what can you do to achieve those Resolutions in the new year and get more out of 2024?
You schedule time to think about what and who is holding you back. What do you want more of in your life? You write it down because when you write it down, it becomes more of a commitment or promise to you. For some, you may want to share the new choices you plan to make in 2024 with family, friends, or socially to hold you more accountable. If you prefer to keep that promise to yourself, write down those choices.
I can help you find a great way to do this. I learned this from Jim Kwik, who wrote the book Limitless, by committing yourself to yourself.
Ask yourself the following questions to get you started:
I ( Fill in the blank) commit to doing (Insert) each day until I have reached my goal.
I am choosing to stay curious, yes, another "C" word. I love learning new things and new ways to do things differently, learning from others who have achieved. I love listening to podcasts and audiobooks and sharing what I know with others.
I commit to focusing by forgetting my prior understanding, distractions, and limiting beliefs of what is possible.
We all are limitless! We can no longer let others influence how we live our lives. Who is holding you back? Step past those thoughts and opinions and keep moving toward your dreams. Again, it's your Choice.
I commit to being active in the process ( Action required).
It takes you to be actively engaged in your choices. We can no longer Hope and Wish for them. We must move toward them and take the necessary steps to reach them.
I commit to managing my state of being, checking my energy levels, and adjusting.
Making new choices about your life and business requires energy. Some of us stop before we start because we get mentally drained. You can choose to be engaged in a better life or not.
Even if I fall short, I commit to giving myself grace, getting back up, and doing my best. Your Choice!
Remember, our lives are between B and D. Birth and Death! We will fall short, but give yourself credit for taking action to improve your life. A life of adventure, changes, connection, and fulfillment. A life for making better choices. So I encourage you to choose wisely for you!
There are a lot of C's you can choose. Challenge, Change, Compete, Courage, Commit. I wish you more and better choices. Choose Something!
And if you Choose! Please share this with someone that can benefit from hearing this.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 223 is about Believing in Something! Three words that we could use to achieve our dreams and goals.
The Holiday season reminds us of one word: Believe. Do you have kids, or if you are an adult, think back to when you were a kid waiting for Santa and Rudolph to visit. How did you feel? I remember feeling excitement and anticipation of Something good, a special moment. I believed.
If you are a Ted Lasso fan, as I am, one word appeared in the locker room: Believe.
Believe in Something!
These three words have become a staple in our house.
The past few months have been challenging for our family. My wife Olivia was unexpectedly diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer. We learned that when Liv had an endoscopy done for reflux, she was experiencing. This news was shocking to us. Liv eats all the right foods, exercises daily, enjoys Mountain Biking, volunteers to coach Kids, and loves to experience the great outdoors.
Her daily routines have shifted from riding trails to driving to radiation and chemo treatments each day for weeks, not to mention the mental challenges she faces daily from the effects of the treatments. How does she manage this each day? The food she can eat from the impact of the treatments. She believes in Something. She is fighting for her life. She can live another day to spend with her family, hiking the pups, seeing her friends, her biking community, and her siblings, nieces, and nephews!
She Believes! We believe in a cure!
The question is, what is it that you Believe?
We are all entering a new year, the perfect time to reflect on the past and plan for the future. Many people are excited to say goodbye to last year's challenges and welcome the potential of the future. However, along with the new year comes the need for new goals.
While setting goals can feel overwhelming, believing in Something can be the motivator you need to help you achieve them. Believing in Something can be one of the most powerful tools for success. We'll dive into the power of believing in Something and how it can help make this year your best year yet.
The Power of Believing in Something
Believe in Yourself
The first step in believing in Something is to believe in yourself. You may have doubts or fears, but it is essential to push past them to achieve your goals. Believe in your abilities, skills, and strengths. Recognize your accomplishments, no matter how small they may seem, and use them as fuel to keep pushing your life. Believe that you can achieve anything with hard work and dedication.
Believe in Your Vision
Your vision drives you forward, and it's essential to believe in it. Don't be afraid to dream big and set lofty goals. Your vision should be Something you are passionate about and will motivate you to work hard. Whether it's a personal or professional goal, believing in your vision will help you stay focused and determined throughout the year.
Believe in Your Team
As important as it is to believe in yourself and your vision, it's equally important to believe in your team. Liv has a team of Doctors and nurses helping us Beat Cancer. You can only achieve some things, and having a solid support system can make all the difference. Whether it's your colleagues, family, or friends, trust in their abilities and work together to achieve your goals. Believe in each other and push each other to succeed.
Believe in Resilience
Believing in Something means that everything will go differently than it is. There may be setbacks and challenges, but resilience can help you overcome them. Have faith in your ability to bounce back, and don't let setbacks discourage you. Remember that failure is not the end but a learning opportunity, a new beginning. Keep pushing forward, and believe that you will succeed in the future.
Believe in Your Purpose
The most significant belief that you can have is in your purpose. What is it that drives you? What energizes you? What motivates you to achieve your goals? Keep your intention at the forefront of everything you do and believe in its value. With a clear purpose, you will stay dedicated and focused throughout the year.
Believing in Something requires you, your determination, and a vision for the future. Now is the perfect time to reflect on your goals for the coming year and embrace the power of belief. Believe in yourself, your vision, your team, your resilience, and your purpose, and use these beliefs as fuel to drive you toward success. With this mindset, you can achieve anything, no matter how big or small the goal may be. Stay focused, work hard, and maintain your belief; this year can be your best.
Believe you can, and you will!
And if someone can benefit from hearing this, please share it.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 222, teaches us how to eliminate self-doubt and build self-confidence.
When does self-doubt sneak into your life?
Last week, I witnessed where self-doubt was a driving force with one of my sellers. We were reviewing her business for the year. We have several metrics that measure all team members' success. One area of her disappointment was reaching a presentation goal for the year. It had a financial impact as well.
When I asked her what she thought kept her from achieving this goal, she replied I set focus time to call new prospects to meet, and they didn't answer. So, I moved on to other things. Love the honesty, I replied; on average, it takes eight attempts until you reach a prospect. Here is where the self-doubt started to find its way in. They are not answering, so they do not need what I have to offer. I bet they don't have the budget to spend. So what happens? We go to a place like answering emails or other busy work that comforts us. Self-doubt takes over!
Self-doubt can hold you back from achieving your goals, particularly in sales. When you have little confidence in yourself, convincing others to invest in your ideas or products can be challenging. However, building self-confidence can significantly enhance your sales and business.
The number one key is to believe in yourself!
All of us have faced self-doubt in our personal or business lives.
Am I good enough?
Do I deserve this?
Should I be doing this?
Let's explore tips to help you eliminate self-doubt and develop self-confidence.
Identify the Root Cause of Your Self-Doubt:
To eliminate self-doubt, you need first to understand what causes it. It can come from many sources, such as childhood experiences; don't do that. Sit down. Be quiet. How about Fear of failure? It's too risky to try that. What about criticism from others, saying you are not good enough? I had a professor tell me I would never make it broadcasting. If I had believed his words, I wouldn't be celebrating 37 years in broadcasting.
These are external sources that drive that self-doubt. Recognize that these are someone else's thoughts about you. You weren't born with self-doubt, but it started to attach to you somewhere along the way. Each of you was born to do something great!
Another key is that you don't overcome it. You build something more significant- you build your self-confidence. Try to figure out when and why your self-doubt arises to address. You have to find a way to delete or eliminate the thoughts of others because it can derail you. So when you hear those words, put them into your deleted folder like you do on your computer daily. If someone says you are not good enough, place that thought in the delete folder.
Focus on the things you can control:
It starts by building a reputation of trust with yourself. You honor your word and the promises you made for you. I do the things I say I am going to do. What promises have you made to yourself? These are all internal things you can control. Start stacking wins daily to create more confidence. Is it you going to get up earlier each day? You're going to go for a 15-minute walk every day. You are going to make a certain number of new calls. It could be as simple as setting your clothes out the night before.
Give Yourself Credit:
When you achieve something, take the time to praise and reward yourself. Pat yourself on the back for your accomplishments, big and small, to reinforce your sense of worth and progress. This approach goes a long way in removing doubt and growing self-confidence.
Eliminating self-doubt is an ongoing process, and it will require patience and persistence. However, you can build self-confidence by identifying the root cause, focusing on what you can control, giving yourself credit, and taking action! Always acknowledge your progress, no matter how small, and appreciate yourself. By doing so, self-doubt will be replaced by self-confidence, leading to success in sales, business, and life.
Here is one thing I want you to know. I believe in you and am rooting for you to reach your dreams.
And if someone can benefit this, please do me a favor and share it.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 221, Separate yourself from the competition this holiday season!
Learn the key strategies on how to separate yourself from the competition.
Right now is the time of year when you can separate yourself from other people, your competition, where you are, and the standards you have set for yourself: your relationships, your health, and your business.
It is challenging to catch those already ahead of you running at full speed. But there is an opportunity to move forward of those slowing down. Most people take time off during the holiday, get more casual about their routines, relax, and lose that edge. It's about separating yourself from others and being the best version of yourself.
It's called growing!
We are entering into the ultimate separation season. It starts with Thanksgiving and excels into December when everyone starts taking time off; you start showing up to work late and leaving early, not focusing and hustling. You begin to make excuses like clients not wanting to meet right now. Or you tell yourself that everyone eats poorly during this time of year. Here is where you can take advantage, get excited, and turn it up when they turn it down.
Do the things others are not willing to do. That includes you! You find a way to get better each day.
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's are holiDAYS, not holiWeeks, not holiMONTHS! Days only!
Let everyone else slow down. Even the current version of yourself wants to take it easy; you must be ready to turn it up to run laps around those people and take advantage of the separation season.
For you achievers, you want to find a way to separate yourself.
Let's talk about some areas where you can separate.
Fitness and Nutrition
It's the time of year when people start to back off their workouts. They skip a day or two to attend holiday parties or happy hours. Let others miss their activities, not you. It's where you turn it up. You add one more rep to your workout. You add 10 minutes to your walks or runs. To be at peak performance takes energy. It includes your nutrition. You will have many temptations coming at you. You can separate yourself and pass on the food that brings you down, the sugary desserts, or eat half of the portion.
Hydrate! You will likely be attending more holiday gatherings. It is where you don't want to add one more theory. Alternate your holiday beverages with water. Hydrate during work to think more clearly and minimize those lower energy moments. Most importantly, get your sleep!
Family
How can you create separation moments with your family and friends? What could you do this holiday season? Create a moment you haven't had before. Is it volunteering as a family to help a non-profit for several hours? Volunteer at a pet shelter to help walk the dogs, serve seniors in your community and mentor a teen. What can you do to create separation moments with your friends and family?
Below is a list of 10 creative ways to Volunteer.
10 Creative Ways to Volunteer | Walden University
Business
The productivity of Friday afternoons. It starts about 1 pm when most people slow down heading into the weekend. It is a separation moment for you—your window to call those prospects with new and different ideas. New prospects and clients seek someone to share new ideas and concepts that help them separate themselves from their competition. What can you share with them that would be worth their time during their busy season that could impact their business?
Here is the key. You can't hope and think about these separation moments. The key is taking action. Your body has to move as you think about these opportunities. Another opportunity during separation season is Saturdays. Can you find a few hours to separate yourself from your clients? Life is a game of inches. Where are your opportunities? Friday afternoons and Saturdays. Or in the evenings, is there an hour when you can work on your business? Sending thoughtful ideas to your best clients and new prospects lets them know you are always looking for new ideas to share with them all 12 months of the year. Be willing to do things others think about.
It's separation season. What about those friends or family members you haven't talked to for a long time? Call them and let them know you were thinking about them. Do it before the holidays, when everyone else sends them their Holiday wishes. You are separating yourself by calling them weeks before the holidays start. I wanted to be the first to wish you the best this holiday or for the new year.
If you want to move from others, what you do right now will separate you. Stop hoping for it, eliminate thinking your way through life, and you must take action. Interestingly, 99% of us will keep thinking about what we want to do, while 1% will separate themselves by acting.
My question is, what are you willing to do to separate yourself this year? Separation for your fitness and nutrition, separation moments for your family and friends, separation from my competition, separation for your business, separation for your mind, your moments. We create those inches each day that turn into yards!
My wish for you this holiday season is a season of separation. Creating more moments for your friends, family, clients, and most importantly you!
Share this episode with friends and family. Discuss the topic of separation from your competition with your teams.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 220: Gratitude is Powerful! This week's episode is all about the power of being Grateful.
I wanted to find out the top three things people are most grateful for because, you know, I love anything related to threes. I discovered some insights from an article I read by Science and Business.
Gratitude is more than just saying thank you. It's a powerful emotion that can transform our perspective on life, relationships, and business. Studies have shown that practicing gratitude can increase happiness, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being.
As sales professionals, business owners, or entrepreneurs, gratitude can help us achieve our goals, build better client relationships, and create a positive company culture. I will share the top three things people are most grateful for based on scientific research and insights from successful entrepreneurs and business leaders.
Family and Friends:
According to multiple surveys, family and friends are at the top of the list of things people are most grateful for. Our loved ones provide emotional support and encouragement and give us a sense of belonging. We share our joys, sorrows, and memories with them. Science backs this up. A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology shows that people with strong social connections are happier, healthier, and live longer.
Business leaders can apply this insight by cultivating more profound relationships with their customers and employees, creating a sense of community within their company, and investing in activities that promote team building and bonding outside of work.
Health:
Our health we may take for granted until we don't have it. Good physical, mental, and emotional health is crucial to living a fulfilling life. Research has shown that people who are grateful for their health tend to take better care of themselves, have lower stress levels, and are generally more optimistic.
In business, investing in employee health and wellness programs can pay huge dividends in productivity, employee retention, and overall happiness at the workplace. Resources that prevent sickness and promote healthy habits like exercise, meditation, or nutrition can increase job satisfaction and ultimately benefit the bottom line.
Work and Career:
We spend, on average, eight hours working. Our jobs give us a sense of purpose and meaning, providing a platform for personal growth, financial security, and achievement. A survey conducted by Glassdoor found that 60% of employees in the US said they are most thankful for their jobs. People who are grateful for their careers tend to be more motivated, productive, and loyal to their employers.
As a business owner, investing in your employee's career development and providing opportunities for growth, recognition, and fulfilling work can improve job satisfaction and retention. By creating a culture that values employee contributions and solicits feedback, your team can be motivated to take your company to the next level.
Gratitude is a powerful force that can transform our lives and our businesses. As we've seen, people are most grateful for their families and friends, their health, and their work and career. We can apply these insights by building stronger relationships with our customers, investing in employee's health and well-being, and creating a workplace that values personal and professional growth. Practicing gratitude can improve our sense of fulfillment, success, and happiness and ultimately build thriving businesses and communities.
As you gather with family and friends this week, reflect and ask yourself what you are most grateful for.
For me, I am grateful for Time. The Time I get to spend with those I love deeply. Keep filling your life with gratitude moments!
Something else I am grateful for is you.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 219, 5 Reasons Why Sales People Need to Say No to Grow Their Sales.
Let's talk about the word, No. Since we were kids, we have heard this word. How many times have you been told no in your lifetime? We associate the word No as a negative experience.
Saying "no" may seem counterintuitive for salespeople, but it's an essential part of your journey toward success. Saying "yes" to everything that comes your way can waste time, effort, and resources. In this podcast, I am going to share the reasons why salespeople need to start saying "no" so they can grow in their profession. Discover why saying "no" can be your biggest ally in increasing your sales.
Here are five situations we need to start saying "No."
Saying "no" helps you prioritize:
As a salesperson, our time is one of our most valuable assets, so we must understand that we can't say yes to everyone. Saying "no" allows you to identify the opportunities worth pursuing and prioritize your efforts. When you say "no" to a lead, you're essentially saying "yes" to a better opportunity that matches your goals and strategies.
Saying "no" establishes value and credibility:
When you say "no" to a prospect, you're communicating that you have a deep understanding of their needs and goals and that you're not the right fit for them. This honesty establishes your credibility as a salesperson and creates a value-based relationship with the prospect. Your goal is to work with the clients that have allocated a budget to solving their challenges.
Saying "no" to non-decision makers:
We must find a way to earn a conversation with someone who can say yes. Often, we settle for a meeting with others who have no authority to say yes to our solutions. Yes, we can create allies to help us. You will have to determine how much time you want to spend with someone who can't say yes. Say no to the time wasters!
Saying "no" makes you focus on your goals:
Every salesperson has specific goals and strategies that they want to execute. By saying "yes" to everything that comes your way, you may get off track to reaching your goals and waste time. Communicating "no" helps you focus on your overall vision and mission, taking you one step closer to achieving your objectives.
Understand 'No" could mean not yet:
We want to close more sales faster. We must understand that timing is a crucial factor. So, we need to understand better that No could mean not yet. They may be happy with a current vendor but open to our ideas down the road. Or they need more resources to achieve the results they need. So say No for now and reconnect when the timing and budget are right.
Say we must say No to Grow!
In a sales environment where success is linked to our ability to convert clients, it may feel unnatural to turn down any business opportunities. But, as we've seen, saying "no" is an essential strategy for salespeople.
Prioritizing, establishing value, showing expertise, saying no to non-decision makers, setting boundaries, focusing on your goals, and understanding No may mean not yet are all crucial aspects of sales that are amplified by the word "no." So, next time you're tempted to say "yes," rethink and remember that "no" could be the key to unlocking your growth.
Could you do me a favor? If someone can benefit from this share it.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 218, The Top 5 Fears Sales People Have and How to Overcome Them.
How would you describe the characteristics of the salespeople you know? Confident, charismatic, and assertive individuals who can close deals effortlessly. In most cases, that is true, but behind that facade of confidence lies a range of fears that can hold back even the most experienced sales professionals.
Let's explore the top five fears salespeople face and provide solutions to overcome them. Whether you're new to sales or have years of experience, this will help you improve by addressing these common fears.
Fear of Rejection
One of the most common fears that salespeople face is the fear of rejection. Nobody likes to be told "no," salespeople often take it personally when a prospect doesn't buy. The fear of rejection can be so intense that it prevents salespeople from making calls, sending emails, or approaching potential clients.
To overcome this fear, we need to change our mindset. Instead of seeing rejections as personal failures, view them as a natural part of the sales process. It's not your identity but a role you perform for the company. Every "no" brings you closer to a "yes." Focus on building relationships with prospects rather than just trying to close a sale.
Remember, we aim to schedule a conversation to see if our company is a fit or if we can help them, not sell them. By connecting with prospects personally, you can overcome the fear of rejection and build a loyal customer base.
Fear of Failure
Salespeople are often under much pressure to meet their targets and quotas. This pressure can lead to a fear of failure, which can paralyze. Fear of failure may avoid taking risks, or you may give up too easily when faced with a challenge.
To overcome this fear, we need to focus on our strengths. We should identify what makes us unique and use those strengths to our advantage. We can also set realistic goals and break them down into smaller, achievable steps. When you do this, it will give you a sense of accomplishment and help build momentum.
Fear of Being Not Authentic
Some salespeople fear that they will come across as pushy, and we want to avoid coming across that way to a prospect or client. Remember that only 5% -15% of companies may need our service today. So, we need to understand that sales are a process.
To overcome this fear, you can focus on building relationships with your prospects. Listen carefully to their needs and concerns and offer solutions that genuinely help them. By being authentic and transparent, you can build trust with your customers and make them feel valued.
Fear of Losing Control
Some salespeople fear losing control of the sales process. They worry that the prospect will take over the conversation or ask difficult questions they can't answer.
To overcome this fear, ABP, Always Be Prepared, for each call is critical. Research the prospect and the company before making contact. Know their product or service and the competitive landscape. By having a deep understanding of what you have to offer and the market, you can confidently navigate the conversation and address any objections that arise.
Fear of the Unknown
Finally, salespeople may fear the unknown. They worry about new markets, new products, or new sales techniques. They may feel out of their comfort zone and need help proceeding.
To overcome this fear, you can embrace a growth mindset. Approach every challenge as an opportunity to learn and grow. Be open to feedback and willing to try new techniques. By embracing the unknown, you can develop new skills and become more effective.
Overcoming fears is never easy, but it's essential for those who want to succeed. So, Don't be Afraid! By addressing common fears such as rejection, failure, inauthenticity, loss of control, and the unknown, you can develop the confidence and resilience to thrive in any market.
By building relationships, leveraging your strengths, and embracing new challenges, you can become confident and on the road to success. So go ahead, face your fears, and Don't Be Afraid!
Thanks for joining me this week. Could you do me a favor? If someone can benefit from this episode, share it and rate it, or subscribe to where you get your favorite podcasts.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
As the Year ends, it's essential for all of us to stay motivated and focused on our goals and activities needed. The last few months of the Year can be challenging, with holiday distractions and end-of-year fatigue. But don't let that stop you from achieving your sales targets and finishing the Year strong!
Five tips and strategies to help you stay on track and dominate the end of the Year.
Review your goals:
Honesty time! Take some time to review your sales targets for the Year and assess your progress so far. Look at which targets you've met, which are still achievable, and where you might need to adjust your strategies. Doing so will give you a clear idea of what to focus on in the coming months.
Prioritize your activities:
With limited time left in the Year, you need to prioritize your sales activities and focus on what will have the most significant impact. Identify your high-value prospects and prioritize them over less promising leads. Keep low-spending clients from stealing valuable time from you.
Focus on activities likely to generate results, such as looking for introductions from your best clients, revisiting the prospects still in your sales funnel, targeting new opportunities, and setting up face-to-face meetings with your key accounts.
Stay motivated and positive:
The last few months of the Year can be challenging. It can take a mental toll on you. But it's essential to stay motivated and positive. Surround yourself with positive people and challenge other sales team members to daily challenges to make it more fun and competitive.
Celebrate even small successes along the way, and keep reminding yourself of the big picture and that you are making progress!
Be creative and adaptable:
If you need to catch up on your desired results, it might be time to try something new. Brainstorm with colleagues to develop new ideas to engage new prospects or gain more from your current clients. Be open to experimenting with new approaches, and be willing to adapt if something isn't working.
Relationships Matter:
Building solid relationships with your prospects and clients is vital to sales success, especially at the end of the Year. Take the time to connect with your prospects on a personal level and build rapport. Follow up on previous interactions, check their progress, and see if anything has changed. Building strong relationships will increase the likelihood of closing deals and generating new business.
The end of the Year can be challenging for sales professionals, but with focus, determination, and a positive attitude, you can finish the Year strong and achieve your sales targets. It will also jump-start next Year.
Remember, every conversation and sale counts, so keep pushing forward, and don't give up!
Could you do me a favor? If someone can benefit from this episode, share it and rate it, or subscribe to where you get your favorite podcasts.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 216 The Closer Framework. Learn the Framework your team could use to help close more sales.
I want to ask you a question. How many pending clients do you have that have yet to close? Do you have the answer to what is keeping them from moving forward? After today's podcast, you will learn why the sale has stalled!
The art of sales is working with people and navigating their minds and emotions to help them get what they want.
I am always looking for better ways to help my team, you, and myself to communicate better with our prospects and clients. I was listening to a podcast titled $100 Million Business Strategies with Alex Hormozi. The title got my attention! I wanted to find a better way to help my team close more sales.
Alex started Gym Launch, selling as many customers as the gym could handle. He scaled the business to Acquisition.com, which invests in other start-ups. He is now worth over $100 Million. I love following successful people because they have done the hard work, faced setbacks, and have something to teach us from their journey. One thing I learned from the podcast was the Framework around the word C.L.O.S.E.R!
What is the closer Framework?
The six-step C.L.O.S.E.R framework helps create meaningful dialogues, builds lasting relationships, and encourages a customer-focused selling approach. Clarify: This is where the salesperson stays curious and gains a deep understanding of why the prospect is seeking help.
A customer-focused model that moves beyond the limitations of high-pressure sales tactics and instead focuses on understanding the customer's needs and providing genuine value.
The six-step C.L.O.S.E.R framework helps create meaningful dialogues, builds lasting relationships, and encourages a customer-focused selling approach:
- Clarify Why they are there.
The salesperson digs deep to understand why the prospect is seeking help. It's about uncovering the underlying needs, wants, pain points, and challenges. A conversation that lays the foundation for creating trust. Questions like What are your challenges or goals right now? Why is it important to you?
- Label them with a problem.
Once you've clarified the client's situation, it's time to label the problem. Labeling makes the problem is critical. You are recapping what they said. For example: So it sounds like XX is your goal. Does that sound about right? Or would you agree?"
- Overview of their past pain.
This step involves what the client has tried in the past. Knowing their history helps avoid repeating past mistakes and builds empathy, demonstrating that you genuinely care about finding the best solution for them. Questions like: What have you tried so far to accomplish this? How long did you do it for? How long ago? Explain how it is not their fault; they may had a missing piece or two of the equation.
- Sell The Vacation, not the plane flight.
Rather than delving into the details that can be overwhelming, focus on painting a picture of the results - the end destination. You're selling them the vision of their success. Imagine if your team could focus on strategic tasks instead of time-consuming manual reports. What impact would that have on productivity and sales?
- Explain away their concerns.
Now, it's time to remove any obstacles or concerns. This step builds trust, showing the prospect that you're ready and capable of handling any issues that may arise. It's about assuring them that you've thought things through and have solutions. Questions like understanding past agreements that didn't work. Do you see the value we can bring to solving your challenges? Are you ready to work with us?
- Reinforce their decision.
People decide within the first 48 hours from the point of sale whether they will buy from you and your company. So, reinforce all the benefits of working with you to solve the problem they labeled. You could share,
You've decided to move forward with our strategy; you're on your way to a more productive and efficient sales process."
The Key is to complete all of the steps!
Our teams invest a lot of time to earn that first meeting with a prospect. So implementing The C.L.O.S.E.R framework puts the customer at the heart of the sales process, leading to immediate sales and fostering long-term relationships. The C.L.O.S.E.R framework could be the Key to unlocking your sales success.
Thanks for joining me this week. Could you do me a favor? If someone can benefit from this episode, share it and rate it, or subscribe to where you get your favorite podcasts.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 215: We must learn before we can earn!
I have a few questions for you. How is your business? Could it be better? Could you benefit from having more clients? Do you have a strategy to replace your top clients if they go away?
It doesn't matter how long you have been in business; there will be a time that you will lose a client to no fault of your own. So, to protect your income, you need to have a consistent game plan for attracting new clients. Most of us wait until we lose an account and then try to hurry up and make new calls, only to discover they may be working with another vendor or don't need our product or service.
Whether you are in sales or management, my goal is that you have a strategy so you stay in control of your business and income.
This exact situation happened to one of the sellers I am coaching. A significant account had to pause its marketing campaign due to a United Auto Workers strike. A problem either had control over. We would talk in our coaching sessions about what would happen if this account stopped spending with you. It would impact her income significantly, for one.
What can we learn from this?
One thing is that we need to continue to find ways to create new customers. One of the fastest ways is to look for introductions from current clients and business connections from friends and family.
Another way is to call on companies that we can help. Calling on new opportunities can be incredibly effective if you do it right. It allows you to go directly to businesses instead of waiting for them to come to you.
As a business owner or salesperson, cutting to the chase and getting customers on the phone can save you time. While there are many benefits to building out marketing funnels and inbound leads through email, calling someone directly bypasses those steps.
What are the best ways to prepare for the call?
Every business has two types of demand. Short and Long Term, and they both have a purpose. Short-term are the existing opportunities these companies have, representing about 5-15% of the market—someone who is ready to buy today and has a need.
85-95% of people fit into the Long term bucket, future demand. People are not in the market today but will be in 6 months to a few years. Building brand recognition is meaningful, and making them more familiar with your company is critical so that they think of you when they are ready to buy.
For example, Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm is there. They understand this precisely because they know they need existing and future demands to keep growing their company.
Guess what, so do we. We need to understand that we have existing customers who need us today and that we also need to create future clients for us to keep growing.
The goal is to learn before we earn.We must approach each call as a learning experience. The goal of the first call is to have a conversation with a decision-maker to see if we are fit and if our prospect needs short or long term help. There is an opportunity to learn from each call. The main goal is to understand what other challenges they may be facing so that we can provide solutions.
It starts with preparation. There are three tips to making sure you make the most of those calls.
Step One: Focus on the Right accounts.
We must understand who our ideal prospect is so we don't waste time reaching out to those we can't help. Review your account list to see if there is a pattern of success in specific industries. What is the average spend with these accounts? Many of us have the best intention to help clients only to discover they need more resources for you to help them.
By targeting this way, you're more likely to reach people interested in what you are selling. You'll save time and get better-quality prospects on the phone.
Step Two: Be resourceful.
Why are we calling on them? What have you read or researched about this prospect that warrants you reaching out to them?
What do you know about them or their industry? We must leverage all our resources to see if we are a fit. What value can we provide to them that other vendors can't?
It all starts with a conversation.
Step three: Schedule time to make the calls.
You can only help new clients if you create a conversation to see if you can help them. We also understand that sometimes it's a timing issue. Therefore, we must have the mindset that our calling has a purpose. To do this consistently, we have to schedule time on our calendars. It will improve your probability of conversing with a new potential client.
Remember, only some people are fit; be resourceful and have a purpose for the call!
Thanks for joining me this week. Could you do me a favor? If someone can benefit from this episode, share it.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
I wanted to share a story about an unexpected call I received. It was from someone I had coached at the Radio station about eight years ago. He sent me a message on Linkedin to see if I would be open to meeting for coffee or breakfast.
I asked how he was doing and accepted the offer to catch up. After so many years, I wondered why he reached out at this particular time. A little back story on my time coaching him. I started coaching him when another manager accepted another position with a new company. He needed to gain media sales experience, so I wanted to understand where I could help.
Like most of us who take over coaching new talent, you take time to understand where you can help them by asking many questions.
Tell me more about you.
Before joining our company, tell me about your experience with the prior company.
What inspired you to join our company?
What techniques do you use to develop long-term relationships with customers?
Can you describe your ideal sales environment?
How do you prioritize your sales activities for maximum productivity for the day?
I shared my thoughts on what it took to be successful in media sales. This advice is based on my thirty-plus years of experience. My goal as a coach is to create a faster and more effective path. So, we discussed a strategy and road map for success.
Despite my coaching advice, there needed to be more improvement. After a few months, he resigned to accept a dream job he had always wanted, not in media sales. I knew this new opportunity was a better fit for him.
Back to Breakfast meeting. We sat down, and I could tell by the body language that he had something to share with me that appeared to be weighing on him for years. I opened our conversation by saying thanks for inviting me to breakfast, and I want you to know I am open to hearing whatever you need to share with me, Good or Bad.
He went on to share that he wanted to apologize to me. I replied for what? He said he needed to be in a better place when he worked with our company. No matter what coaching advice I provided, he was not open to it and blamed me for his lack of success. I had no idea he had felt this way. He had been carrying this for years and wanted me to know that I was a good manager and that he appreciated all the support I gave him when we worked together. He said that no matter what advice I gave him, he was not open to accepting it. I do appreciate his honesty.
Fast forward to that experience and where he is today. He is in a great place, working a dream job he had always envisioned with a great marriage and family. I was thrilled to hear that!
You may be saying, Lisa, why are you sharing this personal story?
I am sharing this story for many reasons.
Do you blame your manager or others for your lack of success? Can you reframe how you feel and take advantage of the advice provided to you to grow and learn? If you are a manager or coaching talent, understand the impact you can have on another employee. If you're in sales, understand that most managers want you to be successful. Believe me, after coaching hundreds of salespeople over the years, they want to know they matter. They want to see them contribute to something bigger than their monthly goal.
I started thinking back on my career. The people and managers that helped me along the way. I also thought of many situations where I would have communicated something differently when I saw someone falling short. We have to meet people where they are and guide them back onto their path.
Well, I am off to make a few phones to apologize to those where I missed the mark and thank those who impacted my career to let them know they mattered. If you open it, write a note or call someone who impacted your career so they know they mattered.
Could you do me a favor? If someone can benefit from share it.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 213: Are you average?
So what does average mean? Middle of the pack? The group's total is divided by how many are in the group.
Let's look at some average examples:
What is a good batting average in MLB? 250 is the average.
300 or higher is considered excellent, and . 400 is a nearly unachievable goal.
The average number of points scored in an NFL Football game is 20.5.
According to the USGA, the average recreational golfer shoots 100. The average male has a 14 index, and female golfers 28.
One thing I know for sure is that most of you listening would not want to be average! You want more than the average person. So, how do you position yourself to win more than others?
You increase your probability of winning!
You find a way to make more deposits daily in your success column. The good news is that you can do this incrementally with minor tweaks to your weeks.
The secret to winning is to do things every day, not occasionally. The best athletes and top business professionals separate themselves from others because they understand that winning is a game of inches. They do the extra things when no one is watching. They hold themselves highly accountable.
The pace at which you approach things matters. Successful people work at a different rhythm. Think about yourself and those you work with. Do you see a difference in the pace they walk, how they manage their time, or how they delegate to others? The successful people I know learn to say No to things that steal time from them and yes to more things that improve their business.
Do you know your numbers?
We look at the average number of clients, the average sale of that customer, your average of new client contacts, the average number of proposals, and the average number of conversions.
What would that mean for your business and income if we could improve our averages by 10-15% each day? The best news is that we control the action items we must do daily, even when we don't want to. We keep improving our probabilities.
Suppose you make one more call each day over the average person. Assuming you take two weeks' vacation, you will create 250 more opportunities. You improve your probability of converting them into new clients even if you converted 10% - twenty-five new clients.
Face your fears:
- Do the fear things first.
- If you fear something, whether reaching out to an unsatisfied customer or connecting with new customers, Make that call first.
- Improve your activity by 10 percent each day.
Creating More Probability of Achieving Your Goals.
Having goals gives us a sense of direction and helps us accomplish what we set out to do. However, it can be frustrating when you've set a goal and still struggle to achieve it after several attempts. Fortunately, there are ways to increase your chances of success and achieve your goals faster.
Let's explore four ways to create more probability of achieving your goals, regardless of your industry.
Break Your Goals Down
Breaking your goals into smaller, more manageable tasks can help you stay motivated and on track. When your goals seem too far away, it can be demotivating, and it may seem like you'll never get there. However, you'll have a sense of progress and accomplishment by breaking them down into smaller milestones.
To break your goals down, consider creating a timeline, dividing tasks into smaller steps, and tracking your progress.
Develop a Plan
Once you've set your goals and broken them down into smaller tasks, you need to develop a plan of action. Your plan should include specific tasks, timelines, and resources to achieve your goals. A plan will enable you to stay focused, adjust as necessary, and track your progress.
Get an Accountability Partner
Having an accountability partner can help you stay on track and motivated. This person should be someone you trust and respect and willing to keep you accountable and track your progress.
Celebrate Your Wins
Finally, don't forget to celebrate your wins along the way. Celebrating your successes can help you stay motivated and positive, which is essential for achieving more significant long-term goals.
Remember, success is a journey, not a destination, and taking small steps every day can lead to significant achievements in the long run. So go ahead, set your goals, and start taking action today. With persistence and effort, you'll get there.
Could you do me a favor? If you think someone can benefit from this episode, share it and rate it.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 212: What we have 90% control over when reacting to a challenge. This weeks three words, Attitude is Everything!
Last week was a tough week. My brother-in-law, Herb, passed away unexpectedly. Two weekends earlier, we had a family pool swimming, laughing, and enjoying each other. Then, about a week later, he passed away unexpectedly.
I had the privilege and honor to speak at his service on behalf of the family about this great man - Herb Birkenhauer.
Herb was a great son, brother, brother-in-law, Uncle, Grandfather, Father, Friend, and Husband for 43 years. He also was a great teacher!
A teacher on how to live Life!
I shared the story of a little note that hung on his refrigerator as a reminder and guide on how he lived his Life every day, even when facing Cancer!
This little note centered around one word: how Herb lived. One word that Herb's family believes defined how he approached each day is ATTITUDE!
It's easy to have a great attitude when things are going great.
But what about those hard days?
How about those dark days?
How is your Attitude in those moments?
This was his secret weapon to get through those hard days. Herb never complained, but he was there to listen and encourage others to adopt the same positive Attitude.
He wanted to help others. Just a few weeks ago, my nephew Adam told me that his mom, Carol, asked him to replace a chimney cap on the roof. When Adam showed up, Herb had already climbed up on the top and fixed it, saying to Adam, in his sweet way, Let's keep this between us!
Herb was here for many reasons, and one I believe in my heart was to teach us how we approach our days, especially those challenging moments. Perhaps we can use it to guide our lives and business. We can learn to react, learn, and grow from every situation.
Here is what Herb read every morning - Attitude from Charles Swindoll.
The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think, say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change the past, we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you, we are in charge of our attitude!
One word we all have control over when facing those challenging moments - is our Attitude!
Remembering, Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% how you react.
The world was a better place because of Herb!
Thanks for joining me this week. Could you do me a favor? If you think someone can benefit from this episode, share it and rate it, or subscribe to where you get your favorite podcasts.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 211, You got problems? Now you have a 3-Step Process to Solving those Problems.
I was in a coaching session this week, and we were reviewing the new business strategy. The response was that I had problems getting in front of new clients. Then, a story followed of all the reasons from her perspective why she has been unsuccessful in connecting with new clients. I waited until she was finished and offered some advice. I asked her to shift her mindset from focusing on the problem and spend her time and energy focused on solutions. More about that in a minute.
Problems are a part of life, and our approach to solving them determines our success in our personal and professional lives. As someone in sales or business, you already know that problem-solving is one of the most critical skills for success. However, not everyone is a naturally gifted problem-solver. The good news is that with a simple 3 step process, anyone can become skilled at being more decisive, add certainty, and focus on the solutions. I will discuss the 3 step process of solving problems and how you can apply it to improve your skills in sales and business.
Step 1: Make a Decision
The first step in solving a problem is to build a habit of being decisive. Successful people make decisions. They don't let the problems grow and become more significant than they need to be. Ask yourself what does this problem mean? It means that you need to be able to recognize that there is a problem in the first place. It might sound simple, but many people miss this critical step. They either ignore the problem or fail to recognize its significance. For example, why is it challenging to find new clients, why are sales declining, or is your team not meeting its target? Once you've identified the problem, you must ask yourself: Why is this happening? When did it start? Who is affected? How severe is it? Answering these questions will help you move on to the second step.
Step 2: Certainty in solving
The second step in solving a problem is having massive certainty that you can solve this problem. What can I learn from this situation? Sometimes, we need to change our story when facing problems. We can't look to blame others for our problems. We must understand that problems are opportunities for us to progress and grow. We need to get clear as to why it's crucial to solve. Remember, there is never a perfect plan, and we are looking for probability to solve the issue, not the ideal solution. Our mindset of certainty must be that we have a life of progress vs. problems.
Step 3: Focus on the Solution
The final step in solving a problem is finding a solution and taking action. I recommend writing down all the issues you're facing on paper. Why is this important? This process allows you to remove yourself emotionally from the problem, and let you look at it from a different perspective. Now, you can shift your energy to focusing on all the solutions to solving it. You want to focus on all the resources available to solve the problems. Who can you connect to that can help you solve the problem? Empower yourself by embracing a mindset that you will face difficulties and understand that you can learn and grow from each situation. Take massive action to solve these problems! Don't let fear stand in your way; become fearless!
Whether you're in sales or business, problem-solving is a critical skill. By following this 3 step process, you can become more decisive, have certainty, and focus on the solutions. Remember, problems will always exist, but your approach determines your success. Become a problem solver for you and your clients!
Thanks for joining me this week. Could you do me a favor? If you think someone can benefit from this share it.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 210, I share what Golf has in common with our Life and business. Work in Progress!
As many of you know, I love Golf! When I talk to other golfers, they typically ask me this question: How is your game? I always answer the same way, regardless if I am playing my best or have an off-round. My golf game is a " Work in Progress".
I started thinking about how I approach my golf game and the similarities this phrase has to my Life and Business, Work in Progress!
I have a question:
How do you view your Life and business?
What if you're in sales or own your own company?
Sales or owning your own company is not just a career; it's a way of Life. It's a constant learning process that requires diligence, creativity, and resilience. You'll have to deal with rejection, uncertainties, and unexpected setbacks. However, the most successful salespeople know that Life and sales are a work in progress. They understand that seeing results takes time and effort, but the journey is worth it. I want to share some thoughts on how Life and sales are similar and how you can learn from both to achieve your goals.
Embrace the Process
It's important to understand that results don't always come immediately. You'll have to work and let time take its course. Similarly, you'll have to go through different stages before you see growth and development. The same applies to sales. You might have to fail at first before you succeed. However, it's not about avoiding failure but embracing and learning from it. Remember that success is not a destination but a journey. Enjoy the process and stay motivated.
Keep Learning
You need to update your skills and knowledge constantly. Staying on top of the latest industry trends and techniques would be best. You should also be aware of your customer's needs and adapt accordingly. In Life, you should never stop learning as well. It would help if you continued to grow mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Learning new things can help you gain new perspectives and opportunities. Make it a habit to read books, attend seminars, or take an online course. Keep exploring different possibilities to expand your horizons.
Build Relationships
Sales is not just about closing deals; it's about building relationships. It benefits you to establish trust and rapport with your clients. You also need to follow up and maintain communication with them. In Life, relationships are also crucial. Foster the connections with your family, friends, and community. The people around you can provide support, encouragement, and wisdom. Take the time to nurture your relationships by spending quality time with them, communicating effectively, and being empathetic.
Take Risks
Sales require taking risks. You need to step out of your comfort zone and try new things. I encourage you to take calculated risks to succeed, whether cold calling, networking, or presenting a proposal. In Life, taking risks can also lead to growth and progress. You might have to take a leap of faith when pursuing your dreams, getting out of a toxic situation, or starting a new venture. Don't be afraid of failure or rejection. See them as opportunities to learn and improve.
Have a Progress Mindset
In sales and Life, having a positive mindset can make a huge difference. Having a Progressive Mindset is the difference. Your attitude determines your altitude. If you approach challenges with a negative mindset, you'll feel defeated. However, if you have a growth mindset, you'll see obstacles as opportunities for growth. Develop a habit of gratitude, focus on the bright side, and surround yourself with positive people. A progressive mindset can help you work through shortfalls, bounce back from setbacks, and achieve your goals.
Golf, Life, and Sales have something in common. Both require hard work, perseverance, and a progressive mindset. Don't be discouraged if you don't see immediate results. Keep putting in the effort, learning new things, building relationships, taking calculated risks, and staying optimistic. Remember that success is a journey, not a destination. Celebrate your achievements and learn from your shortfalls. You have the power to shape your Life and sales career.
Well, I am off to the golf course! It's all a work in progress. Keep going!
Thanks for joining me this week. Could you do me a favor? If you think someone can benefit from this episode, share it.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 209, we discover the real meaning behind failing. Failures are Just First Attempts in Learning and the meaning behind these three words, Don't Fear Failure!
In episode 208, I shared why vacations can benefit you and your business. My question is, have you booked your vacation? I was on a girl's trip in Hocking Hills, and as we drove there, we realized we forgot to pack limes. While my friend entered a small store en route, I stayed in the car. I looked at a business sign next to the store and laughed out loud. The sign said Bright Appliances!
Bright Appliances was a gently used furniture store I called on nearly 36 years ago to advertise. One of my first sales calls! I was so excited to share my creative ideas for advertising on the radio. " Bright Appliances, furniture that can Brighten your home was the creative campaign." A Women and her shar pei dog were the decision makers. I was ready to play her commercial; we only had cassettes then, so I needed a way to play it. She offered a cassette player she had in the store. I went to play it, and the tape unraveled in the tape player. The woman started screaming at me that I had broken her tape player. I remember going to my car and saying I am not sure this business is for me. The feeling of Failure came to mind.
At age 21, I didn't fully realize the meaning of Failure and how it can help you grow. It was my first attempt in Learning! For those wondering, the story had a happy ending, and I went back after buying my cassette player to share the creative commercial, and she said yes to my proposal.
Most of us have experienced failures at some point in our lives. Some of us have experienced setbacks, while others have failed in business or personal relationships. Most of us view Failure as a negative experience, but maybe, we should change our perspective. Let's explore the word 'FAIL' and understand its true meaning that it is the First Attempt In Learning. I believe that experiencing failures can benefit us in life and business.
First, we must understand that experiencing Failure is a part of the learning process. Here is something we all have experienced. Think about it, when you first started walking, you probably fell countless times before you finally accomplished this new skill. If you had never fallen, would you have ever learned to walk? Probably not.
Whenever we try something for the first time, it is natural for us to face some setbacks. We are not born with all the skills and knowledge needed to succeed. We can only develop our skills and expertise by experiencing new things and facing new challenges. Failure is a sign that we are pushing ourselves outside our comfort zone, which is good. It means we are not settling for the norm and striving for excellence.
Another advantage of failing is the lessons that come with the experience. Mistakes provide valuable lessons that are just as important as successes. When we fail, we can reflect on our mistakes and learn from them. We can analyze what went wrong and develop new strategies that can help us improve. This process allows us to grow from our experiences, ultimately benefiting us long-term.
Failures can teach us resiliency. Life is unpredictable, and sometimes things do not go as planned. Facing setbacks can help us build our resiliency and develop coping mechanisms to help us navigate life's uncertainties. Whether in business or personal life, the ability to bounce back from Failure is a valuable skill that can help us achieve our goals.
Failure can push us to think outside the box. Sometimes, we get so comfortable in our ways that we forget to look for new solutions to our problems. Failing can encourage us to try different approaches and experiment with new ideas. It forces us to ask ourselves, "What went wrong? What can I do differently next time?" and motivates us to think creatively.
Experiencing failures is an inevitable part of our growth and development. It can be a valuable learning experience to help us build resilience, develop new skills, and create new opportunities. As cliché, as it may sound, failing is described well by the First Attempt In Learning acronym. The key to success lies in our willingness to get up, learn from our mistakes, and try again.
So the next time you find yourself at a crossroads, remember that failures may be the first step toward success.
Thanks for joining me this week. Could you do me a favor? If you think someone can benefit from this episode, share it and rate it or subscribe to where you get your favorite podcasts.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales tea
Episode 208 discusses Why Taking Vacations is Good for You and Your Business!
I hope you are listening to this podcast while you're on vacation. Perhaps your taking a walk or sitting by the ocean sipping your favorite beverage. Here are three words for you, Relax, Refresh and Recharge.
According to a new survey from Pew Research Center, only 48% of US workers say they use all their vacation days. Those who don't take all their time off say it's because they don't need it or worry about falling behind at work or feeling bad about co-workers carrying their load.
Mar 30, 2023
I hope you will be encouraged to book your next getaway.
What if you're in sales?
Your role is to meet targets, hit quotas, and close deals constantly as a salesperson. Most of us feel like we need to be on call around the clock, available to answer calls and emails and jump on any opportunity that comes our way. With all these responsibilities, it can be tough to make time for yourself. Yet, taking vacations is a crucial aspect of self-care, not just for your mental health but also for your sales.
We'll explore why vacations benefit you and your business and how you can maximize your downtime.
Boost your creativity:
Sales are all about creativity, thinking differently to solve your customer's needs. However, constantly being on the go can lead to burnout, and you may struggle to develop new ideas. Taking a break from your routine can have a significant impact and help inspire your creativity. On vacation, you gain exposure to new environments, people, experiences, and cultures. This exposure can give you a fresh perspective and recharge you. It's amazing what a change of scenery can do to invigorate your mind.
Improve your mental health:
Sales can be high-stress, with constant pressure to meet targets and close deals. This pressure can harm your mental health, leading to burnout, anxiety, and depression. Taking a vacation allows disconnecting from work, relaxing, and recharging. Breaks help reduce stress, improve overall well-being, and increase happiness. As a salesperson, you want to be at your best, and taking time off can help you achieve that.
Better relationships:
Sales is a people-oriented job; building relationships is critical to closing deals, winning clients, and growing your business. However, relationships require time and effort to cultivate. If you're always working, you may find it challenging to connect with your clients on a personal level. Taking vacations can help you build better relationships with your clients and loved ones. When you're on vacation, you're more likely to engage in activities you enjoy, which can help you form stronger bonds with the people around you.
Increased productivity:
When you return to work, taking time off to relax and recharge can boost your productivity. Similar to how athletes take breaks to recover, a vacation can help you become stronger, more energized, and more productive than ever. Studies have shown that employees who take regular vacations are more effective, have higher morale, and are less likely to burn out. By taking a break, you're investing in your productivity.
Personal Growth:
Sales is a challenging job that requires personal and professional growth. This growth is essential to continuing your success in the industry and achieving your long-term goals. However, staying curious can only happen when you take time to reflect, learn, and evolve. Vacation can create the perfect opportunity to reset your perspectives, learn new things, and create plans for your future. Use your time off to read books on sales, personal development, or fiction. Take a class, participate in workshops, or learn something new. Your future self and business will thank you.
As a salesperson, taking vacations has numerous benefits for your mental and physical health and professional life. So, take that time off to explore new places, unplug, relax, reflect, read, and recharge.
When you return, you will be more focused on handling sales challenges, building better relationships, and closing more deals. Remember, you're in this profession for the long haul, and investing in yourself is the key to achieving long-term success.
So make it a priority to use your vacation, whether you take a day, several days, or weeks. I am going to Hocking Hills on a long weekend to spend time with some of my besties. One thing I know for sure, my mental health and business will be better because of it.
Now time for you to book or take your next vacation!
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 207, The One Superpower you need in Sales and Life!
How do we navigate rejection in our life and business.
Don't Fear Rejection!
Today we are talking about Rejection! Let me ask you a question, When I say Rejection, which emotions typically arise, anger, sadness, embarrassment, and shame? But what if we shift or, better yet, reframe how we feel when we face and think about Rejection?
Learning how to manage Rejection is a key SuperPower you can use in all aspects of your life.
The difference is how we frame, feel about, and respond to Rejection. We don't need to Fear Rejection; we face and embrace it. It has been my experience that through all the Rejection I met, I learned something about myself or grew from each experience.
What about your career, especially if you're in sales?
Sales can be a gratifying career but also present its share of challenges. One of the toughest hurdles to overcome is Rejection. No matter how skilled or knowledgeable you are, there will always be times when potential customers say no. While it's painful to hear that someone isn't interested in what you have to offer, it's important to remember that it's not personal.
Let's explore five strategies to help you overcome Rejection and succeed in sales.
Reframe Your Mindset
The first step in dealing with Rejection is to shift your mindset. Instead of seeing a "no" as a personal failure, try reframing it as an opportunity to learn and improve. Every Rejection is a chance to gain insight into how to approach the next potential customer better. Celebrate each "no" as a "not yet" or a step closer to a "yes."
Be Resilient
Resilience is key in sales. You need to bounce back from Rejection and keep moving forward. One of the best ways to cultivate resilience is by practicing self-care. Take daily breaks, hydrate, eat healthy, and get enough sleep. When you feel refreshed and energized, you will have the energy to work through Rejection.
Don't Take It Personally.
It's important to remember that Rejection is not about you. It's about your product or service not fitting for that particular customer. Don't take it personally or let it affect your self-esteem. Remember, your job is your role, not your identity.
Stay Curious
If a potential customer says no, take the opportunity to ask for feedback. Ask them what they didn't like about your product or service, why they decided not to move forward, and why they went with a different vendor. You can identify areas for improvement and refine your approach for the next time. It also shows the customer that you're committed to continually improving and providing the best possible experience.
Get Support
Finally, don't be afraid to lean on your support system when dealing with Rejection. Many people I have coached, and athletes tend to use Rejection as a chip on their should and use that energy to prove others wrong. That may work for some. What if you reframed Rejection in more of a positive way? Show the people that believe in you that they were right. Life is full of setbacks, and you will find a way to get there.
So, surround yourself with positive, supportive people who can offer encouragement to stay motivated. Whether it's a colleague, friend, mentor, or family member, having someone to talk to can make a big difference. Surround yourself with people that energize you versus take energy from you.
In sales and life, Rejection is inevitable, but it doesn't have to be the end of the road. By reframing your mindset, practicing resilience, not taking Rejection personally, staying curious, and surrounding yourself with people that believe in you, you can bounce back from Rejection and ultimately succeed in sales.
Remember that every "no" brings you closer to a "yes," and that every Rejection is an opportunity to learn, grow, and improve. So don't get discouraged - keep pushing forward, make the adjustments, and you'll achieve your goals.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 206 Creating Habits Matter.
Power of Habits: Why Focusing on Behaviors Produces Better Results.
I saw a post on Facebook about the habits that make a champion. It was as follows: "You don't get results by focusing on results. You get results by focusing on the habits and behaviors that produce results".
Positive Habits + Consistency = Success!
Could it be that that simple to achieve Success in any area of your life?
I started to think about the habits in my life.
Sleep Habit - I go to bed and get up each morning at about the same time.
Mediation Habit - I meditate every morning while drinking my coffee.
Exercise Habit - I run my dogs every morning at 5 am; yes, I know, crazy, but at 5 am.
Nutrition Habit - I drink a protein smoothie shake every morning and eat about the same things daily except for weekend dining out.
Work Habit - I prioritize my day on the actions that will move my business forward.
Some of you may be thinking that I have created good routines.
The definition of a habit is the impulse to do a behavior with little or no conscious thought. Like brushing your teeth, you do it with very little thought. A routine is a series of behaviors frequently repeated.
Imagine you're a salesperson at the end of the quarter and struggling to meet your sales targets. You've been working harder than ever, putting in longer hours, and constantly looking at your numbers. But despite your efforts, you're still not hitting your targets.
Sound familiar? You're not alone. Many salespeople and business professionals focus solely on results, thinking that the more you do something, the better the outcome. But what if I told you that you don't get results by focusing on results? Instead, concentrating on the habits and behaviors that produce results would be a better strategy.
It's easy to get caught up in the numbers and the end goal, but the truth is that the behavior and habits responsible for getting you there are just as important. Habits and behaviors are the foundation of Success and are the key to achieving long-lasting and sustainable results.
When you focus on your habits, you create a system that works for you. You make small changes that can significantly impact your work and help you develop a more efficient and successful way of accomplishing your goals.
It's not easy to change or develop habits overnight, but the more you focus on the behaviors that produce results, the more your brain will adjust, and the more likely it is for you to see a difference. Whether it's building a habit of prospecting for new clients every morning or creating a routine for following up with leads, breaking down your sales process into actionable habits will ultimately lead to better results.
Another benefit of focusing on behaviors rather than immediate results is that it allows for experimentation and improved learning. When you're solely focused on hitting targets or getting quick results, you may be hesitant to try new strategies or approaches, fearing that they will negatively impact your numbers.
However, when you focus on habits and behaviors, you open yourself to new possibilities, creating room for growth and development.
Remember that your habits and behaviors are also a reflection of your mindset. If you focus on the results, you will likely create limiting beliefs that can hold you back. However, shifting your focus to the small, actionable steps that lead to those results creates a more positive and growth-focused mindset. Your mindset plays a crucial role in your ability to achieve Success, and by focusing on the behaviors that produce results, you train your brain to think and act differently.
It's easy to fall into the trap of focusing solely on results. Still, to see long-lasting and sustainable Success, it's essential to focus on the behaviors and habits that produce those results. Small, actionable steps taken over time can make a significant difference in your work, leading to improved sales performance and greater Success.
So the next time you're struggling to hit a target or achieve a goal, remember that your habits are the foundation for Success, and by focusing on them, anything is possible. The key is to start!
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
The past weekend, I was thinking about the significance of July 4.
You may wonder, "Why do we celebrate the 4th of July? What does it mean?" Well, this day is incredibly significant in American history. It marks the day the Declaration of Independence was adopted (July 4, 1776), and the United States officially became its own nation. American citizens celebrate America's birthday with festivals, parades, fireworks, barbecues, golf, pool parties, and other festive activities.
What does Independence mean to you?
What it means to me is to live my life on my terms! Imagine the ability to live your life without restrictions as you wish. Independence with your health, the friends you decide to spend time with, freedom to choose whom to love, financial freedom, and freedom to be yourself.
If you're in sales, you too can Declare Independence. You can work with the clients you choose to work with and have the ability to make as much money as you desire. Yes, it is possible.
Chances are you've heard the phrase "make your schedule" countless times. While it may sound like a dream come true to be able to control your own time, it can be difficult to navigate the world of sales with so many external pressures and expectations placed on you. However, living life on your terms as a sales professional is possible and incredibly rewarding.
Let's explore some comparisons to help you achieve this lifestyle.
Sales as a Creative Outlet
Sales may sound like a numbers game, but it can also be a form of creative expression. Like an artist or musician, you can choose your methods, develop your style, and build relationships with clients that suit your unique personality. You are not bound to the traditional nine-to-five office culture that many feel stifles their creativity. Instead, you can experiment with different approaches and techniques, even if they are unconventional. Embrace this aspect of sales and use it to fulfill your creative passions, whether through innovative outreach strategies or simply making your sales calls more enjoyable.
Sales as a Path to Financial Freedom
One major perk of sales is the potential for unlimited income. While building a solid revenue stream may take time, the sky is truly the limit regarding how much you can earn. This financial freedom allows you to live on your terms rather than being tied to a salary or pay scale. For many, controlling their income is incredibly liberating and allows them to achieve their desired lifestyle. Keep this in mind and work towards your goals with the understanding that every sale brings you one step closer to the life you want. One step closer to choosing whom you want to work with from a client perspective.
Sales as a Method of Personal Growth
Sales are not just about closing deals and making money. It is also a space for personal growth and development. Through the ups and downs of the sales journey, you learn valuable communication skills, persistence, and resilience. In many ways, sales allow you to test your limits and overcome challenges uniquely and rewardingly. Use this opportunity to discover what truly motivates you, both in your professional and personal life. As you grow and develop as a salesperson, you'll also realize that you are capable of much more than you ever thought possible.
Sales as a Means of Flexibility
Finally, one of the sales' most exciting aspects is its flexibility. Unlike many other professions, sales allow you to work anywhere, whether in your home office, a coffee shop, or even on the go. This flexibility will enable you to create a schedule that fits your unique lifestyle rather than trying to conform to an external model. Whether you prefer to work in the early morning or late at night, you can customize your day to suit your needs and priorities. Remember that this flexibility is a privilege, so use it wisely and make the most of your time by working efficiently and effectively.
As a sales professional, you can live life on your terms. You can build the lifestyle you desire by viewing sales as a creative outlet, a path to financial freedom, personal development, and a source of flexibility. Of course, achieving this level of autonomy takes time and effort, but the results are well worth it. So, go ahead and claim your Independence and live life on your terms.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 204 Time to Reset
How to Reset Your Year and Achieve Sales Success!
I was in a coaching session with a seller whose year was not going as planned. A few key accounts did not renew, and some clients spent less than the prior year. Good news a few new clients, but not enough to offset the losses.
Does any of this sound familiar? Add some personal distractions, and she became unfocused.
The big question is what to do next.
It's Mid-year check-in time.
How would you rate your performance on a scale of 1-10?
You don't have to wait until next year to impact this year.
As sales professionals or business owners, it's essential to evaluate each month, and mid-year is a great time to reset your focus and determine strategies for achieving your targets. But what if the year has not gone as planned, and you feel you're off to a slow start? Don't worry; there's still time to reset your year and achieve sales success.
Here are five tips to help you get back on track, make the most of the year, and set yourself up for a better next year.
Review your performance thus far.
The first step is we have to be honest with ourselves. We need to understand what's been working and what hasn't. Look at your sales numbers, conversion rates, and pipeline of client opportunities. Identify any areas where you've fallen short and think about why that might be. Did you take on too much at the start of the year? Did you focus on the wrong prospects? Most of us have accounts on our list that we should not be calling on. Which clients can you create a conversation with that you can help? You can start making changes once you understand what's been holding you back.
Revisit your goals.
Hopefully, you set specific sales goals for yourself at the start of the year. If you haven't achieved those goals yet, it might be time to adjust them based on your performance thus far. But don't give up on them entirely. Revisit your goals and create a plan to get back on track. Consider whether you need to refine your approach, invest in new sales tools, or work on your time management skills. Breaking down your goals into smaller, more manageable steps can help you stay motivated and focused.
Focus on quality over quantity.
Let me start by saying that not every account is a fit! As a salesperson, getting caught up in the numbers game is easy. However, chasing every possible opportunity can harm your chances of success. Instead, focus on cultivating quality relationships with your prospects and customers. Take the time to understand their needs, discover if they have a budget to solve those issues, and match your service or product as a solution to their pain. You'll likely find that this approach leads to more sales in the long run.
Reconnect with your customers.
One of the most overlooked ways to reset your year is to reconnect with your customers. Contact your existing clients, make new connections, schedule time on their calendars, and ask if anything has changed with their business since you last spoke. Find a way to know their unique goals, challenges, and objectives. This will help you build trust and rapport and give valuable insights into their needs and preferences. Identify someone they have a business connection with that perhaps they can do an introduction to you.
Stay positive and persistent.
Finally, it's essential to stay positive and persistent throughout the year. Remember that sales is a tough job, and rejection is normal. But every "no" brings you closer to a "yes." A no may mean not now and perhaps a future opportunity. Keep your focus on your goals, maintain a positive attitude, and don't give up. Remember, progress equals happiness.
Resetting your year as a salesperson can be challenging, but it's also an opportunity for growth and improvement. By reviewing your performance, revisiting your goals, focusing on quality over quantity, reconnecting with your customers, and staying positive and persistent, you can get back on track for a successful year. Remember, it's not about achieving perfection but progressing towards your goals. So, take a deep breath, refocus your energies, and prepare to achieve sales success in the upcoming months.
f you think someone can benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe to where you get your favorite podcasts.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 203 is about The Power of Mentorship in Business and How it Can Propel You to Success. Real Men Mentor!
I was thinking about all the Fathers and men that have impacted my road to success. The great men I work alongside today. The clients I have worked with throughout my 36-year career. The men took the time to teach me something that could benefit me and my career. Real Men Mentor!
Before starting in the business world, I thought business success was all about hard work and dedication. But it wasn't until I gained a mentor that I realized how beneficial it is to have someone with more experience guide me. I'll share why mentorship is important in business and how it can propel you to success.
I was having lunch with Frank, a client, mentor, and friend. I met Frank over Thirty Years ago while working at WLW Radio. I was calling on Frank, who then owned a Popular Hair Salon called Phyllis at Madison, to advertise his salon on our radio stations. Frank understood the power of marketing and how it could impact the salon's revenue.
He was masterful at creating a unique marketing message with convenience to purchase and an exceptional customer experience. The program was called the Afternoon Affair. An afternoon of you getting pampered! The marketing Frank did around this program had his cash register ringing.
He taught me that you can stand out from the competition and price doesn't always matter. Give customers more than they expect and create an experience they will never forget. Frank also taught me about the business world. He taught me that people buy from people they trust. Trust me; I had to earn his trust by listening and following up. Even the programs I would present to him, he would offer advice on how it might be a little bit better from a business perspective.
Frank, as a Mentor and Friend, has impacted my business life. Our time together on the golf course discussing business and life was priceless. I am lucky to have Frank as Mentor.
I was thinking about the benefits of having a Men-Tor in your life.
Guidance and Support:
Mentorship provides guidance and support from someone who has already achieved what you are striving towards. A good mentor can help you navigate the obstacles and challenges you may face and give advice on how to tackle them. Having a mentor can be especially helpful when starting a new business or entering a new industry.
Networking and Connections:
Through your mentor, you gain access to their network and connections, which can be valuable in growing your own business or career. They can introduce you to other industry leaders and professionals who can provide further guidance, insight, and opportunities.
Real-Life Experiences:
A mentor can provide real-life experiences and practical advice you can't get from any book or online course. Learning from their shortfalls and successes can allow you to make better-informed decisions regarding your business.
Personal Growth:
A mentor can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses and provide guidance on how to address them. Through this process, you gain new insights and skills to help you in your career and personal life.
Accountability:
Lastly, having a mentor keeps you accountable for your goals and actions. Your mentor can provide constructive feedback and push you to accomplish more than you thought possible. This level of accountability can be a game-changer in your personal and professional growth.
Mentorship is essential in business because it provides guidance, support, networking opportunities, real-life experiences, personal growth, and accountability. Don't be afraid to seek out a mentor in your industry, someone who has already been where you want to go. And if you're a seasoned professional, consider becoming a mentor to help lift the next generation of leaders. There is power in mentorship, and it has the potential to propel you and your business to success.
I want to thank all the Men that have Mentored me. My success reflects the time and energy you invested in me. Real Men do Mentor!
Thanks for joining me this week. If you think someone can benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe to where you get your favorite podcasts.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Here is an interesting fact: only 46% of college graduates who earned their degree work in that field. That percentage didn't surprise me. Most of us that went to College learned about other industries that appealed more to us. We were limited to what we knew was available as careers. I didn't realize broadcast sales and management was a career until I went to College. My vision was limited to thinking a broadcast career was the talent in front or behind the cameras.
I started thinking about the lessons I learned that helped me succeed in life and business. So no matter what you majored in, we learned something from our experiences. We earned a degree in how to navigate our lives and careers.
The Three Lessons I Learned in Graduation That Helped Me Succeed in Life and Business.
Graduating College might seem like just another chapter in your life's story, but it's a significant milestone that shapes who you are. It was a moment of pure joy – the realization that I'd made it through four long years of hard work and countless all-nighters, not from studying but celebrating late into the night with other students.
I recognize now that the years I spent in College taught me valuable lessons that have shaped my success in business today.
I'll share the three things I learned in College that have been instrumental in my business life.
Perseverance is key.
Graduating College taught me a vital lesson – that perseverance is critical to success. In College, I never gave up, no matter how hard or long it took me to achieve something. Whether it was pulling an all-nighter for an exam or submitting a project with a tight deadline, I persevered. Today, in the fast-paced business world, I hold on to the same principles – that success takes time and determination. When I face business challenges that seem too overwhelming, I remind myself that strategic persistence is critical to achieving my desired outcome.
Relationships are vital to every success story.
In College, I met new people, formed friendships, and nurtured connections that have lasted to this day. These relationships have become essential to my success as they've opened doors and created opportunities for me. In the same vein, relationships in business are the key to building a successful enterprise. Whether creating a robust network of mentorships, forming partnerships, or engaging customers, building supportive relationships is a must-have skill for everyone.
Learning never stops.
Our lives are one big classroom! Learning to lean into diverse experiences, ideas, and cultures in College helped shape my perspective. I honed my critical thinking, analytical, and communication skills, which I still apply today. My experience taught me that learning is a continuous process that never stops, and that's the same in business. Constant learning allows us to evolve and stay ahead of the competition.
My advice, keep majoring in the majors, your life!
We all can learn life-changing experiences to prepare us for the classroom called life. These lessons, which include perseverance, the importance of relationships, and the fact that learning never stops, have been instrumental in shaping my success story.
I would love to hear what you learned in College that served you in the business world.
Thanks for joining me this week. If you think someone can benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe to where you get your favorite podcasts.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 201, Coaching for Success.
I believe there is a difference between Managing and Coaching. We manage processes, timelines, and our email inboxes. On the other hand, we coach the most important resource, our team. We are coaching each individual to be their best, Coaching progress and growth.
Let me ask you a question. When you think about the managers you have worked with, who comes to mind? Some of you may say the more critical or destructive managers or those who inspired you, cared about you, and focused on your professional and personal growth.
I was getting started in my career. Kim Smith Williams was one of the best managers I was coached by, and influenced my success. She cared about me and coached me to my talents and potential. She was a great teacher who invested her time in improving me and cared about my professional growth.
Yes, many managers didn't care about me or other employees. They were too focused on managing up versus spending time and energy with the people that needed them. One manager was more destructive, and another was more constructive in their Coaching, building me up and teaching progress and growth. In both cases, I learned from both.
Coaching employees can be challenging for any manager. Unfortunately, many coaching sessions can end up being overwhelmingly negative.
Coaching is an essential skill that can differentiate average managers from great ones. Even well-intentioned managers can cross the line and become destructive, making employees feel discouraged or defensive. The key is to learn how to challenge employees constructively: one that inspires, motivates and drives them toward success in their professional growth.
Here are five tips to help you Coach more constructively.
Start with the Right Mindset
One of the fundamental principles of Coaching is that everyone has the potential to improve. Don't go into your coaching sessions thinking you're there to highlight your employee's shortcomings. Instead, focus on strengths and collaborate on how to build upon them. To be a constructive coach, focus on growth rather than correction. A growth mindset will allow you to provide constructive and impactful Feedback while establishing a foundation of trust and respect.
Listen and Ask Open-Ended Questions
Coaching is not a one-way street; we are in it together, so you listen actively and allow your employees to share their thoughts and Feedback. Ask open-ended questions that invite a conversation rather than shut down discussion. For example, what are you seeing with your business? What are your thoughts on moving this account forward? This approach shows that you value their views and opinions, and it encourages them to take ownership of their progress. When employees feel heard and valued, they're more open to Feedback and more likely to act on it. Remember, we are on the same team - team progress.
Give Feedback
Everyone deserves Feedback on how they are doing. Start by asking your employee for their Feedback first to gain their perspective. Offer Feedback close to the time performance occurred so that it's fresh in both of your minds. This way, you can provide specific examples and ask clarifying questions. Additionally, timely Feedback allows employees to adjust course on a project or task, pivoting to a more successful path.
Focus on Behavior, Not Personality
It's crucial to approach Feedback focusing on specific behaviors rather than personality traits. Our teams consist of various personalities. Please focus on the behaviors or activities that can help them succeed.
End on a Positive Note
It's always a good idea to end a coaching session on a positive note. Make it clear that you value your employee's work and care and are there for their success. Recognize any progress they've made and offer encouragement for what lies ahead. This positive reinforcement will create a healthy coaching environment and encourage employees to grow and learn.
Remember to approach Coaching with a growth mindset, listen actively, deliver Feedback promptly, focus on behavior instead of personality, and always end positively. With these tips in mind, you'll be well on your way to being a constructive coach and effective manager.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
How Do You Define Success?
Success is a subjective term that means different things to different people. Ask any CEO, Business owner, salesperson, or sales manager what their definition of Success is, and you'll likely get a different answer from each. However, a few key themes often come up when discussing Success, such as achieving goals, making a positive impact, and being happy. We will explore what Success means and how you can define it.
Success as Goal Achievement:
Many people define Success as achieving specific goals, whether they be financial, career-related, or personal. If you've set a goal for yourself and accomplished it, that's a success. However, it's important to note that Success isn't just about the result but also the journey. The effort and learning that goes into achieving the goal is also a measure of Success.
Success as Making a Positive Impact:
Another common theme in defining Success is making a positive impact on others. Many people feel successful when they can help others, whether by volunteering, mentoring, or making a difference in their community. Making a positive impact can be especially rewarding for those in sales or who run their own business, as it's a way to see the tangible effects of their work.
Success as Being Happy:
Ultimately, Success may come down to being happy. If you're satisfied with your life and accomplishments, that's a success. However, happiness can be a tricky thing to define. What makes one person happy may not make another person happy. Some people find happiness in their work, while others must balance work and other aspects of their life to be happy. Ultimately, defining Success as being happy means figuring out what brings you joy and fulfillment.
Success as Growth and Learning:
Another way to look at Success is as a process of growth and learning. This approach focuses less on specific goals or accomplishments and more on the journey. It also emphasizes the idea that Success is not a one-time thing. It's something that you need to work towards continually. If you're constantly learning, trying new things, and growing, then that's a success.
Success as Resilience:
Being successful also means being able to bounce back from failures and setbacks. As a salesperson, business owner, or CEO, you'll likely experience challenges and obstacles. However, it's how you respond to those challenges that will determine your level of Success. Being able to persevere and stay motivated in the face of adversity is an essential measure of Success.
Success means different things to different people, but common themes emerge when discussing it. Whether you define Success as achieving goals, making a positive impact, being happy, growing and learning, or being resilient, finding a definition that resonates with you is essential.
Ultimately, Success is a journey, not a destination. You need to work towards it continually, and it's okay if your definition of Success changes over time. By focusing on what's important to you and measuring your progress along the way, you can define and achieve Success on your terms.
Here is something to think about when you define Success.
We become the stories we tell ourselves, so it is crucial that we, as narrators, frame our experiences with thoughts that inspire us for growth. We want to fill our minds with phrases that create a growth mindset. We are good enough. I can do this. It is possible, and I will learn from each experience.
How do you define Success?
I would love to hear your thoughts.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 199, Why Moms Matter!
In this episode, I share my personal experiences of why Moms matter.
I was hiking the pups enjoying nature and thinking about my Mom and Mother's Day. What I know for sure is being a Mom is not easy. Moms make sacrifices for us. What Moms do better than most is to help their kids create a pathway for their kid's journey.
I also know Moms, including Mom Thal, are doing their best to raise their kids. Moms get the most out of each day with tasks switching from work to their kids' lives, friends, and family demands, and they do it with such grace. It's not easy, nor is life, as my Mom would say.
I am so grateful to have the ability to see and talk to my Mom. At 92 years old, I don't take for granted each conversation, each time I get to hug her, hold her hand, and tell her how much I love her. I know today can be challenging for many listening because your moms are no longer here, so I am thinking of you. I am confident your Moms are smiling down on you today on the person you have become and your impact on others.
Why Moms Matter!
As I get older, I realize their significance in our lives.
Moms matter for many reasons. They are a source of unconditional love and support, providing comfort and assurance in times of need. The one person that could make me feel better when I was sick or sad was my Mom. Reflecting on my life in those moments, I always felt better knowing my Mom was by my side.
Moms matter because they represent strength and stability in our lives. From early childhood, moms are our first teachers and guides, nurturing us with love, discipline, and lessons that will help shape us into confident, capable adults.
One lesson Mom Thal taught me was the ability to be independent and take care of yourself. She taught us the importance of financially taking care of ourselves, including getting a good education and job, giving the employer more than expected, and Being a great friend! This was her number one goal for all our children.
Moms matter because they are the cornerstone of families, providing a steady and reliable presence throughout life's challenges. They are our biggest supporters, always offering encouragement and guidance as we strive to reach our goals.
Moms matter because they give us the tools to navigate life's problems. They offer guidance, support, and advice to help us make meaningful decisions and cope with difficult situations. Moms provide emotional support and understanding, allowing us to work through anger, sadness, loneliness, and fear. Moms are conflict resolutionists. They show us how to deal with conflict and find solutions for us.
Moms matter because they love us unconditionally, no matter our path. They are our biggest cheerleaders, lifting us up when needed and helping to build our confidence and self-esteem.
Moms make sacrifices. Rarely putting themselves first. I see it daily with my sisters, friends, and the women I work with who give endless hours of time and energy to improve their kids' lives.
Moms matter because they provide a deep and lasting connection between ourselves, our families, and our friends. They give us a sense of belonging and security, teaching us the importance of forging meaningful relationships.
This is the great lesson I learned from my Mom. I witnessed the countless friendships she developed with all the people at UC Health and her deep connections with her friends. At 92, some of her dearest friends have passed, and she still shares those heart-connection moments she experienced.
Moms are irreplaceable and an invaluable part of our lives. From the moment we are born until the day we depart this earth, their love is a constant source of strength and comfort that can help guide us through life's journey. No matter the circumstances, moms always matter in our lives.
So I am asking you to join me in putting down your phones, call or sit with your Mom and let her know how much you appreciate all she did and has done for you. You may have had some challenging moments, but that is life.
I am forever grateful for My Mom.
She impacted and shaped my life.
Her life Matters!
Thanks for joining me this week. If you think someone can benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe to where you get your favorite podcasts.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 198, Your Three People. The importance of those you choose to spend time with.
This a phrase my Mom would say to me growing up that I didn't fully realize and appreciate until later in life. She would say. " You become whom you hang around ."It was her way of saying to stay away from kids who get into trouble, don't see a future for themselves, and may go down the wrong path. Your future can be shaped by those you spend time with.
She said you have a choice in whom you spend time with, including those you work with, your friends, and your family. And Yes, Mom Thal was right!
Someone else shares a similar view regarding your Business and Life, Warren Buffett!
Associate with people better than you
The people you choose to be around genuinely do matter for career progression. When you surround yourself with better and smarter individuals and learn from their success habits, you absorb their knowledge and become better yourself.
Do the opposite -- spend time with procrastinators, complainers, and pessimists -- and over time, you'll become like them, severely limiting your success.
In Alice Schroeder's book The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life, Buffett offers Three Tips for becoming a successful businessperson and human being.
I am all in when Warren Buffett gives advice.
Three types of people with whom you should spend more time with:
Mentors/Coaches
Mentorship can have a significant impact on someone's career development. Who is in your inner circle of close connections that can advise you? As the famous saying goes, we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. Make sure to associate with those who can potentially help you learn new things, grow, and advance your career.
Understand that there are many paths to success. Sometimes you need someone else to encourage you, hold you accountable, and bounce your ideas off. If you find identifying a good mentor challenging, hire a coach. I am a Life and Business Coach, and my goal is to help my clients realize their business and life goals.
Contrarians
Contrarians are entrepreneur-minded people who push against the status quo by doing, thinking, and behaving in unconventional ways -- at the speed of innovation. They look to "break new things" and continuously try to tread a new or different path. When you hang around with these people and absorb their ideas and wisdom, you've opened the door to your own creative, entrepreneurial thinking.
I always believed we learn more from those that think differently than us. These people can broaden our views and give us a different perspective. Keep in mind that these can be people you have never met. Technology today allows us to learn from others. Podcasts I listen to expand my thinking. Audiobooks and what I read give me a different perspective.
People with emotional intelligence
Regarding leadership and owning a business, emotional intelligence (EQ) matters as much as, if not more than, IQ for work effectiveness. Surround yourself with people with EQ, which will rub off on you and sharpen your skills. As you observe and learn from people exhibiting good self-awareness and empathy, it'll help raise your self-awareness and teach you the ability to recognize and manage your own emotions as well as recognize and influence the feelings of others.
So who are your three people?
Success leaves clues, and those you spend time with do Matter!
So choose those people wisely!
Thanks for joining me this week. If you think someone can benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe to where you get your favorite podcasts.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 197 Redefine Your Failures
This episode is about how we see our future when facing Failure and what we can do to change it. This week three words, Redefine Your Failures.
I have a question for you. Why does the word Failure impact us emotionally? It questions our self-worth and our contributions and feels awful. No one says, celebrating, Hello World, I failed today. The question is, Why? Years of programming our minds to accept that Failure is terrible vs. good.
Let me start by saying that today is the day you can Redefine how you look at failing! A Bold claim but true! It begins with our Mindset and how we view all our experiences. We can consider things that are happening To us or For us. I like to think that all of my experiences, good and bad, are learning opportunities.
It is happening for me, not to me.
Here are a few common themes that lead us down a path of Failure.
Procrastination: One of the most common personal failures is procrastination, leading to missed opportunities, unfinished tasks, and poor time management. Procrastination can drive fear, lack of motivation, or other factors and hinder personal growth and progress.
Poor communication: Miscommunication or lack of communication can be a personal failure that impacts relationships or work performance. Effective communication is essential for building positive relationships, understanding others, and achieving goals.
Inflexibility: Another personal failure individuals can experience is inflexibility, resulting in missed opportunities, an inability to adapt to change, or a lack of innovation. Being adaptable and open to new ideas and perspectives is critical for personal and professional growth.
We all will face difficult situations and setbacks throughout our personal and business life, and how we respond will be the difference. I was listening to a podcast where Trent Shelton, who played in the NFL, shared how to shift your Mindset when facing Failure.
You can have a mindset that can be a Prisoner or Power perspective. Prisoners focus on Why. Why did this happen to me? Power perspective is saying. All things are working on our behalf. Thank you for the experience.
We must understand that for things to get better, we must get better.
There are three questions, yes three, which will help you gain perspective and help you move forward when failing.
How am I going to respond?
How we respond to Failure is the first step. Take control and respond with Power and a thank you. Find something good from that situation that serves you. Our perspective will define how we view those experiences and what we learn. Did we regard it as a disaster or someone else's fault, or are we grateful for the experience to learn and find a way to be grateful?
What does this mean to me?
Power perspective is what to ask yourself what does this mean to me? How am I going to use this experience to gain perspective?
How will I use this?
How will you use this experience to keep moving forward?
A simple shift in this phrase can give you perspective and control of each situation. Instead of saying what this means, ask yourself what is this going to mean? It allows us to figure out something better. You have an opportunity to create something better.
Shifting your perspective allows You to take Power out of this situation and put the Power in your life. So keep failing forward!
So to get where you are and where you want to be, our current plan may not work. We sit in fear. Now is the time to take bold action, gain new perspectives and take that uncomfortable action.
Live into your Heart! There are moments when we maintain control and shift. Other times, outside forces are so strong that they make us shift. Keep making shifts and become that person you want to be! You know you're meant for more and want to control your future, not let someone else.
Thanks for joining me this week. If you think someone can benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe to where you get your favorite podcasts.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on creating sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 196, What do we need to Unlearn to Relearn? Time to Reboot!
I was in a coaching session with a veteran seller, and we reviewed her business for the quarter. I asked what she was happy with and what insights she had learned. My next question was whether she needed to reboot or unlearn to relearn anything moving forward.
Whether you're in sales, an employee of a company, or running your own business, we all have experienced years of programming that have us doing things the same way. Years of learning without slowing down and reflecting on what we may need to unlearn to relearn for better results.
We tend to reboot our exercise and eating programs when we don't see the results we are looking for. We are open to relearning in a better way.
There are a few things we need to unlearn to relearn.
Self-sabotage
Somewhere along the way, we learned to be our own worst critics. We are so hard on ourselves and unforgiving. Our negative self-talk can stop us from moving forward. Now is not the time or My family and friends won't think this is a good idea. Do any of those statements sound familiar?
It's time to stop being so hard on ourselves. We need to take the time to relearn and affirm ourselves and replace our negative self-talk with positive words that allow us to look at life differently so that we can relearn a better way of approaching our goals and dreams.
Fear of failureThe thing about fear of failure is that its only purpose is to keep you from success. The reality is that failure is a good thing! It is progress! Failure is a lesson and to relearn how to do something differently! Failure is always a part of success! If you aren't failing, you may not be pushing your best version of yourself. No more playing small and playing it safe!
Somewhere along the way, we learned to be more afraid of failure than anything else! Yes, we will fall short at times. For example, when you learned to ride a bike, and you were unsteady. You gain new insights each time you get on your bike until you relearn how to ride that bike.
Think about all of the times you have failed in your life. Have you ever been fired or not hired and been rejected or dumped? Tried a new hobby or sport and were terrible at it? What's the worst that happened? You were disappointed, and you moved on! Life went on! You found a better job or partner or learned a new skill.
Life is about making progress, and so are Sales. I was challenging this seller to rethink how they approached their business. Reboot time! What did she need to Unlearn to Relearn that could improve focus, energy, and success in exceeding her revenue goals?
How can we apply the Reboot to our business?
What can we Unlearn to Relearn?
Thinking that sales are a one-dimensional process
There are many different steps involved in making a successful sale. Many people believe that sales are a one-dimensional process; you must get your product in front of potential customers and make the sale. You need to identify qualified leads, discover their challenges, see if they have a budget to solve that challenge, understand their decision-making process, build trust with those leads, nurture them through the sales cycle, create a personalized solution to that challenge, close the sale and then measure the progress.
Reboot Your Prospects and Accounts.
Success in sales requires knowing who your customers are and their challenges. If you don't take the time to understand your customers, then you won't be able to sell your product or service effectively. Some accounts we may target do not fit our product or service. They don't have the resources for you to solve their challenges. Identify those accounts you know can't solve their challenge and add another prospect you can.
Measure and Track your progress.
Many of us want to meet with prospects and convert them into clients. Yes, we all prefer the short sales cycle. I recommend looking at your numbers to understand the wins and where you need to make adjustments. How many new client meetings did you secure? How many pitches did you have in the quarter? What was your closing ratio, and is there room for improvement? Maybe you are calling on too small of accounts that don't have the budget to support you in solving their challenges.
There is a science behind your sales, and tracking key metrics is vital to understanding which tactics are working and which aren't. Tracking these metrics will help you identify opportunities to improve your sales process and maximize your success.
Learn to invest in training.
Sales and business are ever-evolving fields; what worked yesterday may not work today. Investing in ongoing training and development ensures you always have the latest knowledge and skills to succeed. It includes everything from understanding the latest trends in customer behavior to mastering particular sales techniques. Investing in you will go a long way toward ensuring that your business is well-positioned for success in an ever-changing marketplace.
Our lives are one big classroom. We can learn something new, unlearn what no longer serves us, and relearn how to approach a situation with a new strategy based on what we learned.
What is something you need to unlearn to relearn?
Is it time for a Reboot?
Thanks for joining me this week. If you think someone can benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe to where you get your favorite podcasts.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders how to create sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 195, is about what the Masters' Golf Tournament and our business have in common. Master your sales with these three tips.
One of the best weekends in Golf is the Masters! The players want to win this prestigious golf tournament, make history and wear the Green Jacket.
We, too, want to win; our green is the money we make when helping our clients solve their most significant business challenges.
Here are three tips to help you Master your sales.
Master your current clients:
We all have our key accounts that make up most of our income. We can't afford to lose these accounts or have their spending retract. For these clients, you have already built trust and your effectiveness to solve their biggest challenges.
These clients are the ones with whom you have deep rapport and expect to have a long-term partnership. Master asking this question each time you meet them can ensure you continue working with them, "Has anything changed?"
In today's ever-changing business world, things can change quickly. You want to make sure you have the opportunity to continue to be a resource and to help keep solving your client's issues. So make sure your recap how your currently helping them with their business. See if there are new opportunities for you to help.
Mastering Introductions:
I have to share one statistic when it comes to referrals. Only 11% of salespeople ask for referrals/ introductions. Companies with formalized referral programs experienced 86% more revenue growth over the past two years when compared to the rest.
So what could be stopping us from asking? It could be the difference between one word, Referral vs. Introduction.
Introductions and referrals are great ways to reach new potential clients. However, an introduction from someone who already knows the client may be more beneficial as it can create a faster bond between you and your new contact.
However, referrals and introductions are not the same. Introductions involve someone introducing you to a potential client or customer, often done in person or over email. Referrals involve recommending your services to someone else without actually making the introduction.
The word introduction takes the pressure off the person claiming whether your product or service can work for them. You are merely seeing if there is an opportunity for you to help them. You may discover during that initial meeting that you can't, but they may be able to introduce someone who can benefit from what you have to offer.
One tip is to develop an introduction strategy. If you break it down to looking for one introduction daily from your current clients or those connections in your vast network, you could have five new leads a week.
Mastering New clients:
Once you have leveraged your current client's needs, maximizing your introductions, you may need to discover new clients with whom you can help solve their most significant pain points and challenges.
These are the leads you have zero rapport or experience working with. In this situation, like in Golf, you must be prepared before making that call.
To play in the Master's in Augusta, you must prepare for everything, including course conditions and unpredictable weather. It takes mental toughness over four days to be in the Sunday final pairings.
The same holds when you call on new clients for the first time. They likely will tell you they are not interested, followed by saying we are working with another vendor. Sound Familiar?
The question is, how do you overcome these roadblocks?
Preparation is Key!
It would help if you established the reason for your calling and the benefits of why this prospect should have a conversation with you. What research have you discovered about that prospect, or are there industry challenges the companies you call on need help with?
Be honest and say at the beginning of the call, if you allow me a minute to explain why I am calling, you can decide if our call should continue.
You need to understand why you are calling. What challenges and pain points are you solving for your best customers if you're in one vertical? Share with them that XYZ companies have shared that we have helped solve their ( insert issue). Are you experiencing the same? If they say yes, are you happy with your current strategies, or would you be open to learning more about how we solve XYZ clients' challenges?
If they say no, then there is an opening to ask what other new challenges or business obstacles they may be facing.
By Mastering these tips, you can ensure that your first appointment with a client is as successful as possible. Preparing and focusing on solving their challenges will help create a strong foundation for building long-term relationships.
In the Masters, the goal is to win and wear the Green Jacket. In sales, we have to master many things, from earning that first conversation to solving our client's problems. We, too, would like to earn a little green, if you know what I mean.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leader on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 194, I share How Caitlin Clark's Story of Perseverance Can Inspire Your Journey to Success. This week's three words, Believe In Yourself.
I love March Madness NCAA Basketball! Typically, there is more focus on men's games than women's. There is one player that has impressed me this season, Caitlin Clark!
You may be asking, who is Caitlin Clark? How can she help my business?
Let me introduce you to Caitlin Clark, the Iowa Women's Basketball team's star guard, with plenty of lessons to teach about success, dedication, and hard work. She is one of the best players in Women's College Basketball.
Clark became the first player to record back-to-back 40-point triple-double in the NCAA tournament (women's or men's)—most points in National Semifinal History. I would need the entire podcast to share all her accomplishments.
Everyone has the potential to succeed, but it often takes hard work and determination to achieve our goals. Caitlin Clark is an inspiring example of what you can accomplish when you have faith in yourself and never give up.
From her humble beginnings as an athlete to her current success as a businesswoman, she offers invaluable lessons that anyone on the path to success can learn from. With Caitlin's example as our guide, I hope you will find the courage and inspiration to pursue your dreams and make them a reality! Let's explore Caitlin's story of perseverance and the lessons she teaches about believing in your abilities.
Here are four key takeaways from Caitlin that you can apply to your business:
- Belief in yourself and your ability to succeed:
Caitlin said, "I always believed in myself and my abilities before anyone else did. I knew what I was capable of, and it didn't matter what outside people thought about me or how many times I was told no. When you believe in yourself, you can do anything."
Believe in yourself: From day one, Caitlin was confident that she could impact her team and believed in her heart that she would succeed. This kind of self-belief is essential if you want to be successful in any field.
- Work hard and stay focused:
Caitlin trained relentlessly, pushing herself beyond her limits daily before eventually earning a scholarship at Iowa. Her dedication to her craft paid off, and it's an attitude that translates well into many business pursuits.
Caitlin worked hard to get where she is now, but it wasn't easy or immediate. She said, "I worked my butt off each season to be the best I could be, and I never got complacent in the face of success or failure. Every day was challenging, and I stayed focused on my goals." Where are you today? Are you focused on your goals?
- Persevere through the tough times:
Getting discouraged is easy when things don't go your way, but Caitlin knows that success takes time and is a process. She said, "There will always be bumps in the road and setbacks, but it's important to keep pushing forward. We all will face setbacks and challenges. How are you learning from those experiences and moving forward? You have to be resilient and believe in yourself no matter what."
- Remain humble:
Despite all of her success, Caitlin continues to remain humble and is thankful for every opportunity that comes her way. The same should also hold true for you and your businesses - always recognize your victories, but stay humble when successes come your way.
Caitlin Clark's story of perseverance is an inspiring example of what you can achieve when you believe in yourself and never give up. It shows us that success doesn't have to come overnight but rather with hard work, dedication, and resilience over time.
By taking these lessons to heart, any businessperson or entrepreneur can find the courage and inspiration to pursue their dreams and make them a reality! And Believe me, with enough hard work and dedication, you can accomplish anything! So, take Caitlin Clark's advice: keep pushing forward, stay focused on your goals, and never give up.
Caitlin Clark is special and so are you!
If you could do me a favor, please share this episode, rate it, or subscribe for Free where ever you get your podcast, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
In episode 193, I share what I learned when celebrating my birthday.
One key to happiness is our ability to keep learning and staying curious. Acquiring knowledge that changes our perspectives and ability to stay curious and keep learning enriches our lives.
I recently celebrated a birthday, and each year I reflect on what I learned, whom I met, and what is next for me—my year filled with new adventures, learning, losses, and heartbreak. But I will say I learned something from all my experiences. That life is short, that people and our fur kids matter. So lean into life!
Achieving Success in Sales is all about Goal-Setting, Self-Care, and Learning. I thought I would share a few takeaways I learned this past year that may help you.
Sales is a fast-paced and competitive industry that demands a lot. It can be both exhilarating and exhausting, from the pressure to meet targets to the need to keep up with the latest trends and technologies. However, it takes more than hard work and determination to excel. I will explore three essential elements of success in sales: goal-setting, self-care, and learning. By setting specific goals, taking time off to recharge, and continuously learning, you can achieve your sales objectives while maintaining your physical and mental well-being.
Set specific goals.
I set a goal to get my real estate license. I have so much respect for those that have and maintain their license. Many things went into getting that license. Set the goal, lay out the road map, including the courses required and local and National tests you have to pass, and set the timelines. I am happy to say I joined a cutting-edge brokerage called ExP Realty. They are transforming the real estate industry as Netflix and Amazon have done if you want to learn more private message me.
In sales, Goal-setting is a crucial aspect of your job. However, it's not enough to have vague targets like "increase sales" or "expand the customer base." To achieve success, you need to set specific, measurable, and achievable goals and break them down into smaller tasks. For instance, instead of aiming to "increase sales," set a target of selling ten more units per month or increasing revenue by 15%. Then, create a plan of action for achieving these objectives, such as reaching out to more potential customers or cross-selling products to existing clients. By setting specific goals, you can stay focused on what you want to achieve and create a roadmap for how to get there.
Take time off for self-care.
One piece of advice, use your vacation time. It gives you new perspectives when you see different environments. Every year, Liv and I travel to other places. I make a girl's trip every year with my dearest friends and cherish that time together. This year I joined seven other women on a golf trip. We laughed, and I learned something new from their life experiences.
Sales can be stressful and demanding, and it's easy to get caught up in the hustle and forget to take care of yourself. However, neglecting your physical and mental health can lead to burnout, decreased productivity, and job dissatisfaction. Taking time off is crucial to relax, refresh and recharge. It can mean different things to different people, but some self-care activities you can try include exercising, meditating, spending time with loved ones, or pursuing a hobby. By prioritizing self-care, you'll not only feel better, but you'll also be more energized and focused when you return to work.
Make learning a priority.
I love learning new things. This year I completed the Sandler Sales Training program. I discovered better ways to communicate, prospect new customers, and help solve our client's biggest challenges.
If you're in sales, you understand that it is an ever-changing field; you must upgrade your skills and knowledge to stay ahead continuously. You can do this by reading books, listening to podcasts, and attending seminars or courses related to your industry. Another way to learn is to find a mentor. By making learning a priority, you'll not only gain new insights and perspectives, but you'll also enhance your value to your customers and companies.
Continuously evaluate and adjust.
Setting goals, taking care of yourself, and learning can help you succeed in sales. However, evaluating your progress and adjusting your strategies as needed is essential. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you may not meet your goals or encounter unexpected obstacles. It's important to stay flexible and open-minded and be willing to try different approaches until you find what works best for you. Regularly re-evaluating and adjusting your goals and strategies can help you stay on track toward achieving success.
Achieving sales success requires more than hard work and determination. By setting specific goals, taking time off for self-care, and continuously learning, you can achieve your objectives while maintaining your physical and mental well-being. Remember to evaluate your progress and adjust your strategies as needed regularly. With these essential elements of success in sales, you can navigate the fast-paced and competitive world we live in and achieve your goals.
Stay curious and keep leaning into life!
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales meetings in minutes. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 192, I share that it takes more than luck to be successful in sales. It requires hard work, focus, and consistency.
Have you heard people say that luck plays a role in sales success and wonder what the truth is?
Let's explore the role of luck in sales and discuss the importance of hard work, focus, and consistency to succeed.
Was it luck or timing when setting a new meeting or closing a sale?
Luck certainly plays a role in sales success, but it is only a small part of the equation. The best way to increase your chances of luck playing in your favor is to focus on other elements of sales you can control, like networking, relationship building, and effective communication. But the most important of all is the often overlooked element of hard work.
Sales require dedication to the task and commitment to productivity. There are no shortcuts to hard work. It takes time and is a process.
Focusing on hard work and effort will increase your chances of gaining luck. Hard work is the foundation for success in sales; it helps you develop essential skills and build meaningful relationships with clients. With consistent, persistent effort, you can create a solid reputation and open up endless possibilities for growth.
Hard Work:Hard work is essential for achieving success in sales. It takes dedication, determination, and a solid commitment to build relationships with clients, understand their needs, and develop strategies to address them.
It also means taking the initiative and not being afraid to take risks. There is no substitute for hard work and dedication in sales. Successful salespeople consistently try to exceed expectations and create value for their clients. With enough hard work, you, too, can become successful in sales.
So remember: luck can only take you so far regarding the sale. Don't underestimate the power of your effort and dedication.
Focus:Staying focused is critical to achieving success in sales. It involves staying true to your goals and being driven by a desire to succeed. It requires setting aside distractions and focusing on the task: building relationships, understanding customer needs, and delivering value-driven solutions.
You can remain motivated and determined to succeed in sales only by staying focused. Staying focused also entails paying attention to the details, such as following up on leads and remaining patient. With a clear vision of your goals, you can stay on track even when times get tough and keep pushing yourself to reach your objectives.
Consistency:Being consistent is essential in sales. It involves staying true to your core values and building trust with clients through reliable and predictable actions. Consistency means delivering value consistently, whether dealing with an existing customer or a potential one.
Being consistent will earn you a solid reputation in your industry as someone trusted to deliver on their promises. It also means ensuring that whatever you promise is delivered. With enough consistency and trustworthiness, your sales success is sure to follow.
Selling is about responsibility; it's not about luck.
It is clear that although luck may play a part in sales success, it is far from the only factor. It's about taking action, being proactive, and believing you can make a difference with your clients. Luck will help you along the way but won't replace hard work, focus, and consistency.
With enough dedication and determination, you can become successful in sales without luck being the deciding factor. So, don't forget that hard work and perseverance will always be your best investment in achieving sales success!
Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.
If you could do me a favor, please share this episode, rate it, or subscribe for Free where ever you get your podcast, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Create engaging sales meetings in minutes!
My easy-to-use process can quickly create impactful meetings tailored to your team's needs.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com.
Create Sales Meetings in Minutes! Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Maximize Time and Focus on Making Money!
As the clocks spring forward, I have a few recommendations to maximize your time and focus.
As the saying goes, Time is money! You have limited Time to make sales as a salesperson, so finding ways to maximize your Time and focus on money-making activities is essential.
Before I share tips on how to maximize your Time each day, I wanted to spend some time focusing on you.
How do you feel about yourself? Because I can list all the tips to save you Time and help you be more productive throughout the day. But the day starts with how you feel—the direction and actions you will take.
It could be the most critical TIME in your day. I highly recommend that you start your day with this morning routine. It will help you set your mindset for the day before diving into your business activities.
Let's look at the word TIME. The goal is to schedule 3-15 minutes a day for you!
Begin by walking through this process.
Thankful - Think about something you are grateful for today, not just a general topic. Not generic that anyone can be grateful for, but specific to you. I am thankful for the blue sky; my family is too generic. Trying to be more precise, I am grateful that I can talk to my mom every Morning, my sisters, that I spend Time running my fur kids, and my conversations each Morning with the love of my life, Olivia.
Insight - Learn something new and gain new insights. You can perhaps listen to your favorite Podcasts or audiobooks or read something that will inspire you.
Meditation - Our days have multiple deadlines and timelines. So we must find better ways to slow the mind. Meditations like Walking and breathing-focused movement can help. For more examples https://mindworks.org/blog/different-types-meditation-technique/
Exercise - Everyone needs to keep moving. Take your fur kids for a walk or Play with your kid's in the yard. Incorporate scheduled Time to go for a 5–15-minute walk. Make it fun and something you look forward to.
Now let's shift gears to tips to help you save Time and be more productive.
Set Goals and Objectives
Setting specific daily goals and objectives is the best way to maximize your Time. It helps keep you focused and ensures you are accomplishing things that will help you reach your goal of making more money. It also helps ensure you are not wasting valuable Time on activities that don't contribute directly to earning more money. Make sure your goals are realistic and measurable so that you can track your progress.
Organize Your Day
Organizing your day is vital to maximizing your Time and focusing on money-making activities. It means developing a plan for how to use all the available hours in the day, including when you start work, take breaks, have client meetings, etc. A focused strategy will help keep you focused and lets you stay on top of tasks without getting overwhelmed or side-tracked. It also ensures that all your energy is devoted to the most critical tasks first.
Utilize Technology
Utilizing technology is another excellent way to maximize your time as a salesperson by automating processes or freeing up more daily hours so you can spend more face time with your clients. Automating emails or scheduling meetings can save valuable minutes throughout the day, which you can spend doing other money-making activities. For example, using customer relationship management software can help streamline lead tracking.
Get Grammarly, a software tool to ensure your emails have the right tone, clarity, proper grammar and punctuation, and spelling.
How can AI help your sales?
The increased insights and flexibility AI generates allow sellers to tailor messaging and proposals and implement account-based marketing and account-based selling. In addition to helping you sell more, thoughtfully applied AI can help move customer relationships to a higher level. AI tools like Chatgpt, Jasper AI, and HubSpot are great tools to save Time.
Your Time is money!
Time is our most valuable tool, especially for salespeople with limited daily hours, to generate revenue for their companies and themselves. I hope these tips can help you maximize your Time to focus on money-making activities such as prospecting for new customers, closing deals, or following up with existing clients.
Time is money, so use yours wisely!
If you have the Time, could you do me a favor? Please share this episode, rate it, or subscribe for Free wherever you get your podcast, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Create sales meetings in Minutes!
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com and start getting creative with your next sales meeting!
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 190, Could your sales performance use a change?
This week's episode is about the power of our words. This week three words, Should you or Could you?
One word that can change your sales outcomes Should or Could.
Many other factors, including product quality, market demand, and of course, the skill of the sales team, determine sales performance. However, one factor you could be overlooking is the power of language.
Studies have shown that when people imagine themselves in a future situation, they focus on the potential obstacles rather than the possibilities. As a result, they often underestimate what they can achieve. Specifically, the word "could" can profoundly impact your sales performance.
When it comes to sales, how you phrase something can mean the difference between success and failure. One word, "could," can make all the difference when closing a sale. Let's look at why this small change can significantly impact your sales performance.
The Power of "Could"
Changing the wording from "What if I fail?" to "What could I achieve?" can make a big difference. When people focus on what they can achieve, they are much more likely to take action and achieve their goals.
When talking to prospects, using "could" instead of "should" allows you to open up more possibilities and effectively engage with them. For example, instead of saying, "you should buy our product," say, "you could benefit from our product." This subtle change creates an opportunity for collaboration between you and your prospect. It also shows that you are listening to and understanding their needs, which builds trust and increases your chances of making a sale.
Using the Word "Could" Strategically
In addition to showing that you understand your prospect's needs, using "could" strategically can create a sense of urgency or scarcity. For instance, if there is limited availability for a product or service, saying that they "could miss out on this amazing offer if they don't act now" might be enough to tip them over the edge and make them decide to purchase right away.
Another way to strategically use this word is, to be honest about what they could gain from buying your product or service. Instead of simply telling them what it will do for them, let them know how it could help solve their problem or improve their life. Help drive home the value proposition and show them why buying from you is worth it.
Here are three tips you Could use to improve your performance.
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Rewrite your goals: A key factor to success in improving sales performance is how certain you feel, and one of the best tools for that is rewriting your goals from "should" statements to "could" statements. For example, instead of saying, "I should increase my sales by 10% this quarter," try writing, "I could increase my sales by 10% this quarter."
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Imagine a successful outcome: Visualize what it would be like if you achieved the goal you have set for yourself and how different it would look and feel if you used "could" instead of "should." It will give you more confidence while developing and working towards your goals.
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Be patient and persistent: It may take time to change your mindset from "should" to "could," but be patient with yourself and persist in unlocking these new tools powerfully. You can see more significant results with improved sales performance with consistent effort.
There is power in words when selling products or services. Simply changing one word —from should to could —can make all the difference in closing a sale or missing out on an opportunity entirely. Use "could" strategically when engaging with prospects; it shows that you understand their needs and helps build trust with potential customers, so they feel comfortable enough to purchase from you. Try incorporating this small but powerful change into your sales process today!
Make sure you are focusing on the possibilities rather than the obstacles. And always remember that the word "could" can make all the difference in your success.
If you could do me a favor, please share this episode, rate it, or subscribe for Free where ever you get your podcast, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com and start getting creative with your next sales meeting!
Lisa Thal created Three Word Meetings to help you develop meaningful and engaging meeting content. The Three Word Meeting book gives you 52 Three Word topics you can use- it’s never been easier to get your message across! You can create uniquely tailored content for your team, allowing you to craft powerful messages in no time.
Episode 189, 3 seconds can change the direction of your business!
Growing up, most of us experienced the five-second Rule. If you dropped your food on the floor, eating it after 5 seconds was okay. I think that may still apply today.
What about the 3 Second Rule?
It's hard to imagine that 3 seconds can shape the outcome of our future. I wanted to share my experience from this week as I was coaching new sales talent on how to use this principle to their advantage. I thought I would share with the three-word podcasters this week.
What is The 3-Second Rule?
It's a strategy to apply when you need to get something done but find it challenging to start. For example, do you have difficulty waking up in the morning, starting your exercise, or calling on new clients? Regardless of what it may be, the 3 Second Rule is great and can be incorporated into our lives immediately. You take action in 3 seconds or follow three steps to get started.
How does it work?
Identify the first three steps in each activity you have difficulty starting. For example, the first three steps for getting up in the morning are A. Take off the cover or blanket; B. Move to the edge of the bed; C. Get up to walk out of the room
The same strategy applies to our business. A. Identify the client you want to call; B. Identify the benefit you can offer; C. Make the call—no hesitation. 3,2,1 Call! No hesitation!
Use the three-second Rule to your advantage by being decisive and acting quickly.I was coaching our team on setting meaningful appointments with new prospects. We reviewed the list of targets they created, and they identified the decision maker and why they felt they should have a conversation with them. What's next? Count to three and start dialing. No hesitation or self-talk with all the reasons you shouldn't call.
We don't want that if we don't call and have zero opportunity and open the door for another vendor to connect.
The three-second Rule is a great way to improve productivity and make quick decisions without hesitation. Taking advantage of the three-second Rule means understanding that the window of opportunity won't be open forever, so it's essential not to let those moments slip away.
Developing an instinctive ability to act or decide within three seconds ultimately results in faster outcomes and better decision-making. Being decisive in this way increases efficiency through completing tasks quickly, reducing time spent on making decisions, and overall setting yourself up for success.
Pause for three seconds for better outcomes.
There are times we need to pause. Pausing three seconds gives us time to reflect vs. react. I know many times over my career that I could have used the three-second Rule to pause and reflect on what a customer or co-worker shared versus reacting without a filter and answering their question.
According to a study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, sitting silently for at least three seconds during a difficult moment in a negotiation, confrontation, or even conversation makes both people more deliberative -- and leads to better outcomes.
When asking clients questions or answering their questions, pause for three seconds to allow them the space to think about what you asked them. Conversely, when replying, wait 3 seconds to show that you are being thoughtful in your response.
You're trying to find a way that works for both of you.The three-second Rule is a great tool to have in your life. It can help you quickly make decisions and be decisive. Just one simple second of hesitation can cost you a lot, but being brave and taking action will always pay off. So, don't waste another opportunity: implement the three-second Rule today. You'll find that you'll start making much better decisions with less regret.
Disclaimer: Of course, there are some areas where it's not always wise to rush into things such as job interviews or investments; for those situations, though, the three-second Rule can still help by guiding the thought process to make again well-informed decisions more quickly.
The three-second Rule is versatile enough to be applicable in different life scenarios, so why put it on hold? Immediately take control of your life today by implementing the three-second Rule; do things more efficiently while still making mindful choices. Taking initiative yields great results, so why wait? Implement the three-second Rule to live a life full of promising outcomes!
Get started, ready? 3, 2, 1, GO!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free where ever you get your podcast, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more at www.Threewordmeetings.com and start getting creative with your next sales meeting!
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 188, I share how my visit to Smoothie King set my intention to Rule The Day!
You may ask what a trip to Smoothie King has to do with me and my day. Every Friday morning, I treat myself to a 20-ounce Lean 1 Vanilla smoothie as a reward for the week. I pull up to the window each Friday to pay and hear these three words: Rule The Day! As I drive away, I smile and think that even a stranger encourages me to take control of my day and life.
So what does Rule The Day mean?
It is to set a standard that guides your behavior.
What do I need to do today to take control of my day?
So let me ask you a question.
What standard do you set for yourself each day? Yes, we all have to-do lists of tasks that need completing each day, and If you like me, that list keeps growing with other people's asks and my tasks. So for many of us, our days are ruled by others.
Today, salespeople do so much more than just close sales. Success in today's sales environment is about having a transparent strategy, building trust with our clients, and solving problems. If you do it well, you realize it is a process and takes time.
Effectively managing your time based on your schedule and workload takes commitment. The rewards of knowing time management are well worth the planning and dedication.
As professionals, we have a range of responsibilities. Managing our time to tackle these tasks is an important skill and is extremely necessary to optimize our performance. So how can we make the most of our days and manage the day?
I want to share the 5 W's so you, too, can Rule The Day!
The 5 W's to Rule the Day!
WHAT.
To Rule the Day, you must prioritize your activities that need to get accomplished that day. We must see a path of daily actions leading to our overall goal. If possible, do these activities first. You will feel in control and inspired to know you moved your business forward. What is the number priority you need to complete?
WHEN.
We prioritized what needed to get done. Now we determine when it will get done. Choosing when you do will set you up for success. For example, if creating new clients or growing your current business is what you need to do, then it must be your number one priority of the day. You scheduled that time on your calendar to focus and eliminate all distractions until you complete the goal. If this is your priority, do not answer emails or surf your social channels until you accomplish the priority for the day.
HOW.
Scheduling a certain amount of time for each priority is critical. How you divide your available time each day plays a significant role. I recommend looking at your day and blocking the time you believe you need to complete your priority tasks. Make sure you correlate your time division of the day according to the task's priority. We must be intentional so that other lower-priority tasks don't stop us from achieving our top priorities.
Avoid multitasking because our brain is not programmed to handle numerous tasks simultaneously. Juggling multiple projects and switching between tasks require your brain to stop and refocus.
It can take up to 15 minutes for our brain to return to a productive state—time we likely don't have.
WHO.
Identify the people that can help you achieve your priorities. We have co-workers that steal valuable time from us. We must be careful not to spend too much time away from our priorities. I am all about collaborating with other team members, and we don't want that to be when you focus on your priority tasks to move your business forward. When looking at your day, is someone on your team available to delegate non-priority tasks? Do you have sales support to create your proposals so you can stay focused on setting new meetings or client-facing?
WHY.
The Why is everything! The Why is the inspiration for the day and why you do what you do each day, which I believe is to impact your life and clients' business. Applying the 5 W's is all about Time management and helps you understand what needs to be a priority today and what can wait until tomorrow.
WIN
You will win the day by focusing on What, When, How, Who, and the Whys!
So I encourage you to Rule Each Day, Apply the 5 W's and Become Unstoppable!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free where ever you get your podcast, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 187, Are you in Love with the Work you do?
I have a question for you.
How in Love are you? And I am not talking about your personal life, although I care about that.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your Love for your job?
Is it a 3? or 6? Payday, now that's a 10! You maybe say, Lisa, it depends on the day.
In our life, we choose a career, or a job chooses us, and we move through different life stages of that career, sometimes without a ton of self-examination or reflection on whom we have become and how we can continue to grow in the direction of our life's ambitions and dreams.
For some of us, Work can be a calling; for others a way to cover our expenses. Wouldn't it be more enjoyable to experience fulfillment each day?
It becomes easier when you work alongside those you love and appreciate. When you think about it, we spend more time each day, on average eight hours, with our co-workers than our partners or spouses. (this could be why Olivia and I have made it 23 years) Smiling!
I also understand that just like our love life, we can sometimes fall in and out of Love in our work life. We sometimes look for a little spark to remind us why we do what you do each day.
I started to reflect on my role at my company and why I have spent the last 36 years loving what I do. For me, it comes down to learning. I learn from those I work with, the clients I have had the pleasure of helping, and those I coach.
This week reminded me why I love what I do and what excites me daily. We recently hired three new account executives. Their role is to help companies with marketing and sales. For them, this is their first job out of college or their second year in the business world. I aim to identify where they are today and strategically coach them to achieve their goals and dreams. Plus, I want to do it in less time than it took me to achieve my goals.
I must be patient and understand that great relationships require listening, honesty, support, and time. What a gift to impact another person's life and income, and that takes commitment.
I recommend you do the same. Take the time to reflect and discover or rediscover why you do what you do. Please think about your career and your role each day for your company. Maybe the flame has recently dimmed, and you need to recommit yourself to the relationship. Or you may realize that you need something else to fulfill you.
Here are a five strategies to put romance into your career.
Love yourself.
Recognize what you are doing right. You have to love yourself first before you can love someone else. Identify what you're bringing each day to the relationship. In any great relationship, acknowledging the other person's efforts is critical to developing more appreciation and Love. If there are areas you are struggling with, look for places you can make progress, this will give you the energy and confidence to keep going.
The intention with Attention:
Be intentional with your day. Create an intention for the day overall (e.g., staying connected; being present; being of value; collaborating. Write down what you will do today to live your intention with Attention. Then at the end of the day, evaluate: How did you do? Where did you succeed? What got in the way? How did you overcome it?
Connect with others:
Relationships are about connecting with someone else. Devote time in your day to connect with others on your team. It can be asking someone to lunch or a happy hour after Work. Suppose you're still working remotely; set up a virtual lunch and a time after Work to connect for dinner or drinks. Call a co-worker if your working remotely to say hi and see how they are doing. These conversations may help you love your job in a new way. The goal is to get to know someone new. You never know what you will discover.
Learn something newYou may be bored and uninspired if you have been doing the same job or tasks for years. Challenge yourself by learning something new and exciting.
Offer to help out a different department. Volunteer to take on new responsibilities. Take a new course to advance your skills. Find a mentor or hire a coach to talk about your future path. Whatever you do, make sure it is interesting to you. It will help you look at your role in a new light.
Boredom will never help you love your job, but being excited about something new will.
Set new goals. Goals are the benchmarks you review for the progression of your career. Without them, we often feel directionless and unmotivated.
Goals help you drive your career forward. They can be the exact change you need to love your job. If you are currently working without clear goals, it's time to change that.
Some relationships end.
Be honest with yourself and know when the relationship is over. It's no one's fault. You can have bad days and weeks, but you can't have bad months. It takes courage and strength to realize that this career opportunity has taken you as far as you can go. It may be time to try something new.
I know that life is short and that if you spend eight hours a day working, make sure that Work inspires you!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it or rate it.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 186 is all about how you Play the game regarding your business.
So I have a question for you.
When it comes to your business, should you be playing more Defense or Offense?
Some of you may say Defense, I need to protect what I have and minimize any risk my business I have already created. Many of you may say "Offense" because I need to develop new clients to grow my business and maximize my upside. Well, I believe both answers are correct. We need to play "defense" to protect our business and relationships and play "offense" to go for growth.
I love NFL Football, and our Cincinnati Bengals have made our city proud of their performance. Throughout our season, both sides of the ball helped us win games. Who Dey! Our business is like the NFL.
What we have to do is have a game plan and execute it. For example, in the NFL, I will use the Cincinnati Bengals. The coaching staff and players prepare their game plan based on the team they are playing. They make adjustments based on the information they have on their competitors.
The goal of the Defense is to stop the other team from scoring. Both sides of the ball review countless hours of film on their competitors to see the opportunities they can expose. The offense constantly looks for ways to score by adjusting and controlling what they can. In many cases, a great defense wins the game.
How much Defense is in your work day, managing your email inbox and unplanned customer calls with issues, market conditions, and daily distractions that steal valuable time from you connecting with current or new customers? You feel like your day got away from you, and your game plan for growing your business is sitting on the sidelines.
What can you do about that?
You need a complete game! A game plan that allows you to play Defense when necessary and offense to score more clients. You do need to protect the business you created. It took time and energy to develop your business, so you must ensure you do everything you can to protect it. It can become a balancing act.
How do you play offense in business?
An offensive player in business works on tasks that get them closer to scoring and delegates other tasks that get in the way of them reaching their goal. They ignore distractions.
Creating new conversations and introductions for new opportunities will ensure your business keeps scoring. The best news about playing offense is that it is in your control.
So what does your game plan look like today, tomorrow, and this week?
Have you identified certain people from your network that can do an introduction to you?
Have you blocked time on your calendar to identify companies that you can help solve a problem? Focused time with no interruptions?
It's easy to fixate on all the things out of our control. What I have come to realize over my career is that there are two we absolutely can and should be in all our game plans: our plan and our ability to execute it. The sooner we shift to focusing on those, the sooner we can start playing offense and start scoring new clients and growing our business.
Playing offense, of course, is what your business is all about. Your terms, timetable, innovation, or opportunity to create, and knowing you're leading the industry and making others course correct or play catch-up.
Keep learning through each experience, adjust your game plan when necessary, and stay aggressive with your approach.
I guess the adage is true: The best Defense IS, in fact, a good Offense.
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, I invite you to share it.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 185 Stay With It!
This week's episode is about understanding that accomplishing a goal is a process. This week three words, Stay With It!
Have you ever had one of those days or weeks where things didn't go as planned? If I could see everyone, I think I would see you shaking your head yes or holding your hand up in the air saying oh yes.
We live in such an instant society that we expect things to happen instantly. When they don't happen as quickly, we get frustrated, impatient, and sometimes give up.
It got me thinking about how many years it takes for the wine to age. The answer is about 2-3 years. The standard for the aging process of Bourbon is a minimum of two years. It's a process that takes time, and so do our sales efforts.
Well, it was one of those days for a co-worker whose job is to set a new meeting with potential clients so that we can help with their marketing. His sole role is to identify the companies that may need digital marketing support or recruitment needs.
I stopped by to say hi and ask how his day was going. By his body language and reply, it seemed to be a bit of a rough day. He shared that he was frustrated with making calls all morning, and no one answered. He said this has never happened where he made calls, and no one answered. I thought to myself, I am surprised anyone answers a call to a number they don't recognize, but I kept listening.
I shared that prospecting is hard, and most of us in sales that have to do this to find new customers hate it. It takes an average of 8 cold call attempts to reach a prospect. But if you give up after too few tries, you pass up a potential opportunity.
I asked him to share his process in connecting with the list of potential clients. Had he created an 8-step process to connect with these prospects? Or was he giving up after a few attempts, assuming we weren't a good fit ?(insta-society). I noticed that we tend to pile on in those moments. Let me explain what I mean. When you face a setback or frustration, you are in a different state of mind, and everything seems to go wrong. You had a day of making calls, and no one responded. I am tired, frustrated, and piling on more negative experiences.
I shared that he has a challenging job calling people, not expecting his call, and convincing them to meet with him. But if he could shift his thinking a bit and realize that when he called, they were busy. ( Again, they weren't expecting your call) That you have to stay with it! You must find a way to earn a conversation if you believe you can help this company solve a challenge. You can't give up after a few attempts when we know it could take 8 or more. You have to have discipline and patience.
Let me ask you a question.
Is there something you are facing that is frustrating you because it's not happening quickly enough?
What process or system have you created to help you achieve your desired outcome?
Is there a different approach that you could be using?
My advice if facing a setback is first, don't take it personally; stay positive. So much of staying positive comes down to perspective and mindset. It's all about the lens through which you see your job, day-to-day tasks, and career. The way you look at things and the things you look at change.
Approach each situation as a way to help vs. sell. Not everyone your calling will be a good fit for your products and services. And a good sales professional realizes that. We are not calling to sell; we're calling to help. Because we never know where someone might be in the buying cycle or what challenges they face, we should never assume we can't help. We are looking for an opportunity to have a conversation to see if we can help or if our company is a good fit.
Stay Persistent! In the advertising world, effective frequency is the number of times a person must hear your advertising message before responding. The same applies when making calls to new clients.
We know our frequency of connecting is, on average, eight times. We never know exactly where each prospect is in their buying journey. Stay with it and realize that they may not be ignoring your messages, we may not be a top priority that day, or they would have called us. Stay with it until you get a no or a not yet.
Your persistence, attitude, attempts and adjustments will be the difference in realizing your goals.
Stay With It and See it Through!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 184, Framework for Success. Learn the 4-step system for you to exceed your goals.
It's annual review time.
How do you feel about your performance last year?
Are you feeling confident about your business plan for this year?
Annual reviews are the time to reflect on the past twelve months, celebrate the wins, and see where you may have fallen short. In a recent sales meeting we talked about the year, and how many of us reached our goals. We also discussed the framework to exceed our goals by applying a 4-step system.
If I told you there was a 4-step system to help ensure you achieve your goals, would you follow it? There is a secret and an approach to achieving your goals!
This 4-Tier GOAL Framework takes the guesswork out and guarantees success. It focuses on the letter in the acronym "GOAL" in the 4 Tier GOAL Framework and how to use it to help you achieve your goals. I learned this system from a podcast I was listening to called On Purpose from Jay Shetty and had to share it with you.
Focus on Growth, Not GoalsPeople's biggest mistake is focusing on goals, not the growth needed. Putting intention into action requires a focused look at what growth is necessary to achieve the goal.
Answer these key questions to determine what kind of growth will be needed:
- What skills do I need to learn or improve?
- Do I have all the tools I need?
- What abilities do I need to gather or grow?
- What qualities do I need to strengthen or develop?
- What habits do I need to grow or change?
Strategically focusing on these questions provides the framework needed for improvement and achievement of the goal. We focus on growth vs. the goal.
Prioritize OpportunitiesThere is no shortage of things that take our time or attention. Being clear about our intentions and focus is vital and helps us avoid getting distracted by opportunities that don't help us meet our goals.
One of the biggest reasons we don't achieve our goals is that we say yes to too many things that are not our priority and no to too many things that are our priority.
For example, one of my priorities is working out every morning. I say no to everything else during my workout time unless it is a family emergency.
This decision gives me hard and fast criteria to stick to when considering if something is important enough to come between me from achieving my goal.
If my goal is to get up early, I may have to say no to late-night outings because it doesn't fit the criteria for meeting my goal.
Having criteria in place also helps us evaluate when it's okay to go outside of that. For example, someone looking to grow their business and needs new clients has to set criteria about blocking time to do so. You may have to say no to other requests that steer you away from your plan.
One of the biggest reasons we don't achieve our goals and resolutions is that we don't create criteria around our opportunities.
Take ActionWe need to be strategic in planning how we will achieve this. Too many of us set these lofty goals but never break them down into how we will get there. We have goals and an understanding of opportunities, but we fail to implement a plan. It requires discipline and consistency.
I am a visual, so it may help to think of goal achievement as a ladder. Each rung is vital for success. Breaking a goal down into achievable steps makes it less overwhelming; it motivates you to start now.
If your action plan does not build a step ladder to steps you can begin right now, that is not a complete action plan.
For example, I shared that my goal was working out in the morning, but it is not actionable. I need to break it down into steps, like running these five times a week at 6 am. Breaking it down into steps will bring success. The more specific you are, the better your opportunity to follow through.
A complete action plan includes the following:
- What are we going to do – what is the goal, and what are the small steps
- When we are going to do it – put the time and date on the calendar
- Where is this taking place – chose it
- How we are going to do it – be specific about tools, equipment, strategy
- Whom we are doing it with – have accountability
- Why – what is our motivation
Learning
The final piece of the framework for reaching your goals is Learning. The intentional focus changed everything. Knowing what this year will be about helps provide direction and purpose.
In what areas are you committed to growing this year?
What are you learning now that will make it more successful?
Commit this year to learn. Read more, talk to others, and take classes. Focused learning fosters curiosity, exploration, and intrigue. It puts fuel into the momentum you need for personal and professional growth.
Keep celebrating the wins, and create time and energy for learning. This area allows you to learn new skills, prioritize opportunities, take action and grow!
Thank you for supporting me with the Three Word Podcast.
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 183, Preparation can be the difference between life and death. Practice Pays Off!
What a difference a week can make. A week ago Monday, one of the most anticipated NFL Games was on the biggest stage between the Buffalo Bills and the Bengals. A game with significant playoff implications.
What an emotional week not only for Damar, his family, both teams, medical teams, and all the millions who watched that moment play out on Monday Night Football. All of us were in complete shock and disbelief at what had happened. We felt fear and compassion for Damar and the other players.
This past week, I have thought about many life lessons that unfolded for me. Something bigger than Football happened at that moment. We all banned together to cheer for number 3 - Damar Hamlin. All were clinging and hoping for positive signs that Damar would be okay.
The power of togetherness was one significant takeaway. Strangers worldwide prayed for a man they had never met until that night. I witnessed love and respect between two opposing teams coming together to support each other in a time of need. I saw the extreme love from parents for their son, who showed unwavering faith that everything would be okay. The power and precision of teamwork among the medical professionals who shared that they were doing their job.
Leadership lessons from so many people.
At a press conference, I was listening to Sean McDermott, the Bills Coach, share his thoughts when they received the encouraging news that Damar showed improvement by writing, "Did we win the game?" He said something during that press conference that connected to me. Sean went on to share how much respect he had for the quick response by the medical team on the field. He then went on to utter these three words: Practice Pays Off, and it did in the moment of need.
It was the Bills Assistant trainer Denny Kellington who was doing his job - one he had trained to do all his life. He prepared for the game every day to be ready for that moment. He did this when no one was watching. He and the trainers would complete the mock exercises week in and week out so they would be prepared to step in for the next play. His actions in helping to save Damar's life are nothing short of amazing. You talk about preparation and leadership, a real hero saving Damar's life.
Denny went into action and quickly restarted Damar's heart and restored blood flow to his brain. He was doing this in front of both teams and millions of viewers under a very challenging circumstance. His calmness and leadership at that moment helped save Damar's life. This story could have ended differently if Denny hadn't spent hours and time practicing these situations. He was preparing for the worst-case scenario.
I understand that unless you are in the medical field, we may not be able to save someone's life. We can impact others around us with our leadership skills. How prepared we are each day to lead others or be there for them in that moment of need.
I now have another number 3 that I will be cheering for: Damar Hamlin. Another team, in addition to the Bengals, that I will be rooting for is the Buffalo Bills.
I understand that leadership presents itself in many forms and at different moments. We must all prepare for our moment by practicing what we need to do to improve our game or business. That these three words matter, Practice Pays Off! Practice to improve your skills, Practice!
Practice when no one is watching. Practice!
I am so proud to be a part of Cincinnati, who turned the town Blue and Red, gathered in prayer, and wrapped their arms around Damar, his family, the Buffalo Bills, the entire medical team, and our Cincinnati Bengals.
It's a New Dey - WHO DEY!
Could you do me a favor? If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 182, Start with you!
4 Tips to you achieving your New Years' Resolutions!
Happy New Year!
January is the start of the new year! New year's resolutions, new challenges( 30-day challenges begin), new workouts, new relationships, new friends, maybe for some, a new job, and hope for new customers.
I have a question for you.
Can you remember what your goals were for 2022?
Did you achieve them?
If you fell short of reaching your goals, do you know why?
Studies have shown that, by February, approximately 80% of us will not achieve our New Year's resolution goals. Wow, that is a staggering percentage.
We need to understand Why New Year's resolutions are so popular.
It gives us a clear starting point. The beginning of a new year and new possibilities draw us to participate. Secondly, the beginning of a new year invites us to imagine our future, "improved" selves. This projection of whom we'd like to be can be exciting and motivating.
But what if this way of thinking sets us up to fail from the start?
When you look back on failed resolutions from years past, you may notice that they suffer from common pitfalls such as:
- An all-or-nothing mentality
- An overly ambitious mindset
- Not being specific
- An emphasis on achieving goals vs. building habits
To achieve your goals, it does take a certain mindset, and more importantly, to achieve your goals, it takes you creating the proper habits. Habits that become a way of life for you while giving you the momentum to keep making progress.
I want to cover some obstacles that might be standing in your way.
An “all-or-nothing” mentalityNew Year's resolutions tend to encourage "all-or-nothing" thinking. Goals like Dry January, where you don't drink the entire month. I will exercise for an hour every day when I haven't walked for 15 minutes. We set our goals so big that with the slightest slip-up, we give up.
All-or-nothing thinking can be the result of self-sabotage. Without realizing it, many of us may believe we're undeserving of success. We're constantly battling with ourselves as we subconsciously engage in behaviors that actively make achieving our goals harder.
The key is visualizing the person you want to become and what habits and behaviors align with that person. Making progress is the key to you staying on the path.
An overly ambitious mindsetIn the excitement of the New Year, it's easy to set overly ambitious goals that don't reflect your current reality. One way to set yourself up for success is gradually building each day to sustain your plan and create a better system. Thinking smaller may not feel as inspiring in the short term, but it can lead to more inspiring results.
For example, if you want to exercise more and are not doing anything. It will be challenging to start exercising every day for an hour. Instead, start by walking for 15 minutes three days a week. Then add ten more minutes or another day. You're creating a lifetime habit.
Be more specificSometimes, New Year's resolutions fail because they're too broad. "Exercise more," "eat healthily," and "save money, are examples of goals that lack any specificity.
Three reasons why this can be a challenge for you:
- They're not actionable. Knowing what you need to do to achieve your goal is challenging.
- They're difficult to measure. Creating mental milestones of success is difficult, as there's no clearly defined end goal.
- They lack accountability. You aren't accountable for hitting anything without a target. If a goal is too vague, it can seem more like an aspiration.
Build habits vs. achieving goalsNew Year's resolutions often fall short because they encourage a goal-oriented rather than a process-oriented approach. We want to develop habits for our life versus a narrow focus on achieving a single goal.
A goal-oriented perspective can motivate some, but it can be too black-and-white for others. Even if you progress towards a goal, you've technically "failed" by not achieving 100% of it. On the other hand, habits focus more on the journey than the result.
Measure your goals
It is wishful thinking to have a positive mindset and hope to reach your goals. It's another to measure your progress. Be clear on the specific steps you need to take by doing the following:
- Give yourself a clear, well-defined goal. For example, "I want to add five new clients" vs. "prospect more often."
- Set clear benchmarks to measure your progress. For example, " I will ask for three introductions a month from current clients" vs. "prospecting twice a week."
Celebrate your progress
Celebrating your progress can give you the motivation you need to stick to your resolutions in the long term. We need to know that there is a reward in it for us. So reward yourself for performing a specific behavior; the brain engages the dopamine feedback loop. Once triggered, this loop releases some feel-good dopamine and makes us associate that behavior with a positive feeling.
Rewarding yourself for reaching small milestones doesn't just make you more likely to achieve your goal. It also makes the process much more enjoyable! So, before you commit to your resolutions, take some time to decide exactly how you want to reward yourself for hitting benchmarks along the way.
I believe it starts with you!
Define your success.
The habits you need to create.
Measure your progress.
Celebrate your successes along the way.
The famous saying, "If it's to be, it's up to me"! That is so true.
Progress equals happiness!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 36 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 181, 7 Powerful questions to ask yourself about this year!
We are days away from the new year. I think it is so important that we pause and reflect on the year. The time of year to reflect and gain perspective on what you discovered, learned, and connected to you.
Questions can help design the new year! Taking that time to pause and reflect is so powerful. I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts "On Purpose" by Jay Shetty, where he shared seven powerful questions you can ask yourself before the year ends.
The questions help you get a clear insight into how this year went, the ups and downs, the special moments, and the things you might want to do away with or carry into next year. I spent time answering the seven questions over the holidays and thought you might find them helpful.
7 Powerful questions to reflect on and end the year with confidence.
What is the challenge that you've overcome this year? What was something difficult you did or a breakthrough? Maybe something was holding you back, and you did it. It doesn't have to be significant. A follow-up question is, what did you learn from it?
What did it teach you or your takeaway? I Experienced Vertigo. I woke up with the room spinning and not able to stand up. I had a strange ear infection that caused it. My takeaway from experiencing Vertigo is that I have compassion for those dealing with this all year. It reiterated to me that our health is everything!
What's a surprise you dealt with this year? Something you were not expecting. The reason is that studies show that reflecting on how you have overcome past challenges helps you process negative experiences in the future. You gain confidence that you navigated through a challenging experience, which will help you face future setbacks. Our dog Dakota passed away unexpectedly. I realized how much joy and happiness our fur kids give us. How heart-connected we are to our pets. How much unconditional love they give us every day.
What is something you bought this year? A tangible thing you bought this year that you love. What did you invest in for yourself? What did you spend money on that made you happy? Something simple I bought was Vurio joggers. Life-changing comfort, and I highly recommend them. Something else I bought was golf lessons. Thank you, Ashley, from Golf Tec, for helping me perfect my golf swing and putting stroke. I shot several times in the 70s because of our sessions. Let's celebrate what we spend money on that makes our lives more enjoyable.
What's the best book/podcast you read/listened to? My favorite book of the year was Peak Mind by Amishi Jha. She teaches you how to find your focus in a world of distractions. My favorite podcasts are On Purpose with Jay Shetty and Dare to Lead by Brene Brown. They teach valuable lessons about health, relationships, leadership, and how we impact others. I love these podcasts because they open my worldview and make me think about my life.
What are your blind spots for next year? We maybe go into recession next year. What can you do today to help you? It enables you to prepare versus avoiding what could happen next year. I know I can't control the economy, but I can control my Behavior and attitude daily. I want to focus on what is possible for our sales team and me. I want to support them. I would also add health again. What can you do each day to live a healthy life?
What made you the happiest this year?It is crucial because we tend to focus on challenging times and lose sight of happy ones. When we actively seek out these happy moments and celebrate them, they connect to our hearts and become points of inspiration in our lives. The Bengals made it to the Superbowl, which made me happy. Hikes in the woods with Liv and our fur kids. Time with each other talking and appreciating the sounds and smells of nature. Our girl's trips to Hocking Hills and dinners together made me happy. Days of laughing, connecting away from the day-to-day demands. The time spent connecting with these fantastic ladies brings me happiness and gratitude.
Who's the person you couldn't have gotten through this year without? From a work perspective Christine Mello, with whom I co-manage the team. I can't imagine this past year without her: her wisdom, support, in it together, and friendship. My wife, Olivia, is so important to me. Liv deeply knows me and my heart. She supports my vision of becoming a better version of myself. Life is better with Liv! It's great to reflect on those who love you profoundly and impact your life. They may not even realize the impact they had on your year. Maybe call or write them a note saying how grateful you are for them.
These questions, I hope you gain insights into the past year. Thought-provoking questions to verify the challenges you overcame because it gives you strength to overcome future challenges. The surprises you dealt with, so you will be better prepared for future surprises. What you spend your money on will remind you where to invest your money. What brought you joy and happiness? What book or podcast you listen to will help you continue your journey of personal growth. Knowing your blind spots prepares you for the future. What made you happy this year is a great reminder to keep doing those things and keep prioritizing those things. Who's that person that you couldn't live without this year?
I am so grateful to you. Thanks for sharing your time with me. I hope you will take the time to reflect on the past year and all you have experienced, learned, overcome, and inspired you.
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
To learn more about Jay Shetty, http://jayshetty.me
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 180, The 60% Rule!
Many of you have heard about the 80/20 Rule; 80% of your results will be produced by 20% of your effort. Or if you're in sales, 80% of your billing comes from 20% of your accounts.
Have you heard about the 60% rule? Before I explain the benefits of this principle, let's look at what it means to focus and have discipline.
In Merriam-Webster, focus means "to fix (as one's attention) steadily toward a central objective," and "discipline" means "to train to do something by controlling [your] behavior."
It's us determining how and where we plan to focus our efforts.
The best salespeople know where and how to spend their best efforts. They know that 20 percent of their prospects will buy from them no matter what they do or say, and 20 percent won't buy from them no matter what they do or say. That leaves 60% of prospects or customers we must focus efforts on to convert into clients. It takes ongoing discipline and commitment!
I want to share a story from this week where this principle applied. I was in a coaching session with a team member discussing their next year's business desired results. Our conversation focused on how busy he was and stressed about how he would get everything done. It's the end of the year, so we are busy setting up renewal meetings to secure business for next year. It's the holidays, so we have fewer days with clients taking vacations and you taking time off. You are booking new meetings to replace the business that may not return. Your thinking to yourself, how will I get all this done?
Do any of you feel this way? The word stressed, overwhelmed, or sheer panic you may be feeling. This time of year can be overwhelming and, in most cases, feels like we are starting over.
I asked him what his most significant stressor was. I have key account annuals; these accounts are the 20% of clients who will buy from him. I have client requests, internal requests, and emails filling my inbox, not to mention the mental stress. I need to spend time on it, and I feel like my days are getting away from me.
I agreed with him that, especially at the end of the year, fewer days in the month because holidays and vacations can leave us feeling a bit more stressed. Setting priorities and time to focus was step one. I then offered a possible solution centered around the word discipline. It takes discipline in your mind and actions to accomplish what you need to get done.
He shared that priority one is renewing his current clients. I agree that he invested too much time over the year and, in some cases, years of building a solid relationship and reputation. He needed to identify blocks of time where he could focus on his 20%. We discovered that 11 am-1 pm would be the time he felt would be the window of time to develop his recommendations for the following year. He agreed to block that time on his calendar, turn off his phone and avoid looking at emails. He realized he could build the proposal and be resourceful by tapping into sales support to put his strategy into a compelling format.
What we came to realize is that sometimes this list that builds in our minds seems insurmountable. When we slow down, write down our priorities and first focus on the 20% of our clients that will say yes and let go of the 20% of accounts we shouldn't be calling on, then zero in on the remaining 60% we have a discipline plan.
Filter your clients
It takes focus to stay on track and target the right customers with a business need you can solve along with a budget to solve their problem. I know we want to help everyone we meet. Sometimes we waste time trying to convince someone to do business with us. They are not a fit for your company or don't have the budget. That is why you need a client filter process. Depending on your industry, you should have data to support the ideal customer you can help. Some filters are the revenue of the companies, the size of the companies, and the growth of a company. Step two is to stop focusing on the 20% of clients that won't buy from you no matter what you say or do.
Step three is where you focus your time and energy on the remaining 60%. These accounts need to go through your filter, and you quickly determine if they are the right account to focus your time and energy on.
The old saying, "Time is money," is so important. So choose your time and accounts wisely!
If you think someone could benefit from this article please share it.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 179, The Holiday Hustle.
It's the holiday season; your clients are taking time off, and you are taking time off. The pressure is on you to tie up loose ends and secure renewals with your current clients while setting up meetings with important clients and new prospects. We know that December is the month split between rushing to get work done and showing employees and clients that you appreciate what they've done throughout the year. Added to this is the pressure to set goals for the new year.
The question is, will your holiday season is bright? The holiday season can be an excellent opportunity to land new clients and strengthen relationships with existing customers.
Here are Six tips to maximize your business opportunities during the holidays.
Appreciate Current Customers
The holidays are a great time to show appreciation for working with them. Sending a handwritten note of appreciation for your partnership over the year will go a long way. Another idea is to create a fun holiday video. Create a fun, humorous video that celebrates the season in your unique way. Block out time, make a list, and check it twice on who has been naughty or nice. The key is to schedule this on your calendar.
Use social events as business opportunities.
You'll likely receive a few holiday party invitations during the month. These can be prime networking opportunities. Review each invite carefully and choose those that stand to expose you to new clients. Find a way to remind those around you that you're preparing your business for the next year and welcome introductions to others that you can help.
Ask your client for a holiday gift.
You have the opportunity to get a gift from each of your clients. What is the perfect gift to give you? An introduction to another potential client that they know. Introducing you to another client is the quickest way to ensure your business continues growing into the new year. Our clients know other business decision-makers, and you are asking for an introduction to see if there is a fit with what you and your company can offer them. The statistic for asking for a referral is mind-blowing. About 80% of our clients are willing to do an introduction, and only 11% of us ask for one. Put this on your Holiday to-do list and save yourself valuable time prospecting for new clients. Introduce someone you know to your customer. A gift they can benefit from as well.
Mind Your TimeLet's not have a meeting to have a meeting. Remember, fewer people will be available around the end of the year, with many company-paid holidays and vacation time. Review the meetings you have planned for the rest of the year and ask if they are necessary to move your business forward. If so, perhaps you can reduce them from 60 to 30 minutes. It allows your team to do other productive things for their business. It allows time to ensure your processes and systems are in place for the new year.
Optimize Your Downtime
Take advantage of this time. Use this time to think—reflect on your business this past year and prepare for next year by completing your business plan. Set yourself up for success! A business plan promotes productivity, enabling you to set and implement goals while holding yourself accountable to business-building activities throughout the year.
Mind Your Mind
Carve out some time for yourself. Self-care is critical to being ready to face the many challenges in our work and personal life, especially as we prepare for the festivities. Maintaining a balanced life is vital. Be mindful of your sleep and hydration, and keep your health and wellness workouts. We all could use a little time for ourselves.
The holiday season can bring challenges and opportunities. Take the time to celebrate you and all you have accomplished this year. Find a way to make the most of the final weeks of the year; you'll be able to expand your client base and build good relations with the clients who have been so loyal throughout the year.
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 178, Discover the KPIs of your employee. Why they stay!
I have a question for you. Have you considered leaving your current job or actively looking for a new opportunity? An interesting fact is that January is the month most people go to join another company.
Today, There is much discussion about why employees are "Quietly Quitting." It started with the great resignation during Covid. Let's face it someone on your staff could be looking for their next opportunity.
What Is Quiet Quitting? Quiet quitting refers to doing the minimum requirements of one's job and putting in no more time, effort, or enthusiasm than is necessary. No more staying late, showing up early, or attending non-mandatory meetings. The employee doesn't leave their position and continues to collect a salary.
In the early 2020s, primarily driven by social media, quiet quitting emerged as a much-publicized trend in the United States and elsewhere. A 2022 Gallup survey suggested that at least half of the U.S. workforce consists of quiet quitters.
Beyond the workplace, "quiet quitting" is now applied to nonwork aspects of people's lives, such as marriages and relationships.
Having reliable and motivated employees is a big part of our business success; as a leader in your company, it's our job to recruit, retain and coach our employees. I thought I would do some research for us on why our employees stay. What keeps them wanting to come to work every day?
Three reasons people stay loyal to an employer for the long term?
Job Satisfaction & Engagement
Employees are more likely to stay with a company if they believe in their work and feel it is recognized and appreciated. Any job can provide a salary, but an employee who finds a sense of purpose in their work will show up each day thinking about more than simply a paycheck. Acknowledging your employees' efforts will help them believe their work is valuable. Create an environment of continued progress and ask for feedback on how to create better processes and invite different points of view.
Company Environment
Long-term employees respect and appreciate their coworkers, genuinely care about the company, and believe they are part of something special. A culture of respect and accountability thrives when employees see themselves as a part of a team working together towards a common goal.
Tenure employees instill morale in newcomers or those considering working for or buying from your company.
Great Benefits & Support
Employees commit to a company when they feel treated fairly, trust their business leaders, and have a mentor who encourages them. It allows people to feel supported in their professional pursuits and secure enough to plan a future that includes a career with the company.
Invest in a range of opportunities for skill development and provide greater access to mentoring and coaching options. Workers are looking to their employers for opportunities to broaden their skills and grow their careers.
What can you do to retain an employee? Think like your employee?
Not all employees want the same thing. Have regular check-ins or stay interviews with employees. Stay interviews are an opportunity to learn how to engage your employees better, so they want to stay with your company.
Rather than just interviewing employees on their way out in an exit interview, we need to have stay conversations with employees to receive feedback on the workplace and what would motivate them to stay. Stay discussions help employers learn about an employee's career aspirations, receive feedback on what makes them want to stay with the company, and understand what support and resources they need to succeed.
Yes, we need to understand the KPIs of our business. But we also need to understand the KPIs of our employees. KPI is essential to measuring the organization's or individuals' growth. But it's imperative to maintain the balance between expectations vs. reality, where people feel inspired, informed, interested, and involved.
New leadership KPI
Keep people interested.
Keep people informed.
Keep people involved.
Keep people inspired.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
*Research on quietly quitting provided by Greg Daugherty and fact-checked by Suzanne Kvilhaug, November 2, 2022.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to create a conversation and inspire your sales team.
Episode 177, Live a life of Gratitude!
Let me start by wishing you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving. This is my favorite holiday of the year. Mainly because of the three words Family, Friends, and Football. I know you thought I would say food - yes, that is a close third.
Thanksgiving means expressing or feeling thankfulness—a time to pause and give thanks for all your life experiences.
I was on a zoom call earlier in the week, and as an icebreaker, everyone shared what they were grateful for with the group. The answers varied from Health, kids, spouse, family, and friends. One word connected me to the list, experiences! I started to reflect on all the moments and experiences I was grateful for in my life.
My Health is at the top of the list. I believe that without excellent Health, it is harder to experience life. Your physical and mental Health is the key to how you feel and approach life. It takes energy to carry you through each day. I start every day with a gratitude mantra when I run and walk my pups in the morning. I am grateful for the ability to see, hear, breathe and connect with nature, especially after experiencing vertigo this summer which was no fun.
The days of dizziness were a great reminder that our lives can get out of balance. I recommend taking this time to re-evaluate how much sleep you are getting, your hydration (not just the alcohol), the food you eat that fuels your energy throughout the day, and your mental Health. How can you keep your life in balance?
Connections in my life would be next on the list. Life is better when shared with others. I am so thankful to be able to talk to my mom at 91 and my sisters Tracy and Lynn every morning. Grateful to experience life with my wife, Olivia. It will be 23 years of seeing and sharing many life moments in January. She is my go-to person in life. Liv is there to listen and encourages me to keep experiencing life.
Grateful for our fur kids. This year we lost our 12-year pup Dakota unexpectedly. I miss him so much! Our other dogs, Phoenix and Denali, love their walks and van rides to hike in the woods. They teach us to appreciate nature and live in the moment, even if that means chasing squirrels and deer.
How about the friends in your life? Your chosen family. Friends from childhood that help shape your life. How about the Friendships that develop throughout your life? I am beyond grateful for all the friendships I have in life. I can't imagine life without these unique souls. These heart connections, I believe, are to help connect us on a deeper level.
I look forward to all the moments we share and appreciate each gift they offer.
One final thought I am thankful for is the learning experiences - the good ones and the ones you think what my lesson with this one was. Over the years, I have come to appreciate those challenging moments. They offer a new perspective on a topic or situation, a different viewpoint. They push me to rethink a topic or new way of approaching a situation. These are my favorite moments, as they may feel a bit uncomfortable. When we experience and embrace that feeling, it expands/ stretches us.
How can you find Gratitude each day?
Make it a habit!
Take a few minutes a day while sipping your favorite morning beverage, when driving to work, while exercising, or when you lay your head on your pillow at the end of the day. Acknowledge the people and experiences that have shaped the person you are today. Because this life you are living is a gift, you, too, are a gift to others.
If you think someone could benefit from this article, please share it.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.
Episode 176, Seeds or Weeds. How learning to plant crops like a farmer is good for your business.
Are you a farmer?
Farmers know and understand that if they want a crop, they have to plant seeds. If they don't plant, they won't get a crop. No seeds, no crop. Real simple. The same is for our business. Every day we must plant seeds in the minds of our clients and new prospects.
It takes focus and time to grow our Crop of clients. The best kinds of seeds to plant are the ones you want to grow! What are you looking to achieve in your business? Increased sales? Repeat customers? No matter what you are looking to achieve, always plant seeds of value. Be and offer value to your current and future clients.
While the old analogy, "what you sow is what you reap," probably comes to mind, you might wonder what we can learn from digging in the dirt.
The similarities and processes but also in the mindset needed to be successful. Your ideal clients now have plenty of options and access to the information that will help them make that choice. If you want them to choose you, give them a good reason to pick you. You do this by building relationships and establishing trust.
Here are six business stages we have in common with farmers.
Planting Stage
Long before you begin planting, you must plan it out. You must identify the ideal crops you want to plant. Who is the perfect customer for you to focus your efforts and time? Remember, we want to work with companies with the resources to implement your recommendations.
A client that we can help meet their business needs. We don't want to throw down any little seeds. We want to plant seeds that will create a large harvest. I recommend taking the time to discover your ideal customer and create a system or plan to connect with them.
Hold yourself accountable for what needs to get done for the day.
When planning your days, ensure you understand the tasks you'll be doing and what it will take to complete them. Put the most important tasks at the top and the least at the bottom.
The hardest thing about growing our business is the time it takes. Day-to-day business can get in the way of achieving long-term growth goals. As you begin, ensure you have a strategy to keep your vision focused.
Preparation Stage
The preparation stage in farming includes collecting all the tools and seeds you would need to carry out your plan. What have you discovered as a reason for a client to converse with you? What research or industry trends can you share with them that could impact their business? Why should they buy your Crop? How can buying your Crop will help them?
Seeding Stage
How do you stay top of mind in your client's mind? When you have finished planning and prepping your farm, it is time to plant the seeds. You have to keep planting seeds as to how you can help them. It's a process that takes time to build trust and nurture relationships. Most crops need a growing season of at least 90 days. The growing season can last the entire year. It takes an average of 8-10 attempts to connect when looking for new clients. Remember that most people we call on may be happy with their current vendor.
One way to market your Crop or get noticed is through video. Video is an excellent way to give your ideal clients a sense of who you are and how you can help them.
Maintenance Stage
We have planted, and now is the time to maintain our farms. The weeds are the things that are getting in our way of farming our business. We may have to get rid of the weeds.
One major weed is our digital distractions.
It is easy to be distracted by our phone, laptop, or computer notifications.
Digital devices have become more and more of a distracting force.
Here are a few strategies to stay weed free.
- Screen your phone calls and answer only essential calls
- Organize and schedule uninterrupted focus time
- Check your email at set times. Answering emails throughout the day can be a time-draining activity. Avoid checking your email too many times. It is easy to get sucked into a problem that can wait until your current task is complete.
Harvesting Stage
You have put the work in, and now it's harvest time. Stay close to current clients with intentional touch points by scheduling time on your calendar to meet with them and continue to help them with their business needs. Once you have developed a relationship and established the trust of your ideal clients, you will be the person they turn to when they need someone who does what you do.
While some people will be ready to buy immediately, some may need more time and communication, especially if it is a more significant investment. It is so important to keep planting new crops/ clients. Keep in mind that some crops go bad, or in our cases, clients cancel and select another vendor.
Analyzing Stage
Like farming, sales require us to continually evaluate and fine-tune our plans and processes. The most successful farmers always take the time to analyze what worked and didn't at the end of each season. This process of analyzing allows the farmer to tweak their plan to ensure they are even more fruitful next season. We, too, must learn from all our experiences to grow our clients more quickly. We must be flexible, willing, and able to adapt as necessary to keep your business relevant and profitable.
Just like farming, no instant miracle grow will take you from seed to fruit. It requires dedication and devotion that will create a successful crop. You must be consistent, dedicated, patient, and attentive, planning for long-term success.
The hardest thing about growing our business is the time it takes. As you begin, ensure you have a strategy to keep your vision focused on developing new clients daily.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.
Episode 175, Seven prospecting tips to keep your business moving forward.
Turning back time, I can only think of Cher's song.
If I could turn back time
If I could find a way
I'd take back those words that have hurt you
And you'd stay
I was thinking about us turning our clocks back an hour for daylight savings. I have to share that I am not a fan of losing an hour of sunlight at the end of the day, and hoping this law gets changed next year.
We may not be able to control turning our clocks back, but we can make sure our sales don't fall backward. I have seven prospecting tips to keep your sales moving forward.
Spend time with your current clients.
We have to make sure we don't take our existing clients for granted. It took time and energy to earn their business, so we need to ensure we are providing solutions to their most significant business needs—scheduling time to meet and discuss how we can help them. We have opportunities to up-sell and grow our current accounts.
Schedule time to Identify new clients.
Discover new clients that you can help.
Prospecting is easy to neglect, and every day, something will steal your time from building your business. That's why the best reps set aside a block of time to prospect every day and week and hold themselves accountable for doing it.
Create better systems and processes.
Atomic Habits author James Clear sums this up. "You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems."
Take the time to review how you gain new clients. Do you have a system and process you go through before contacting that client? For example, what do your current clients have in common? Sales volume of the companies you are prospecting? Do you have a referral process? What process can you create to earn that first conversation? You will have to pick up the phone several times or send a certain number of emails to get the needed responses. The goal is to develop an effective process to prospect efficiently.
Create a balance between quantity and quality.
This one seems like a no-brainer, but it's worth saying: Great prospectors know their company's ideal buyer profiles. They can spot companies similar to their best customers and recognize activity patterns by decision-makers that indicate it's the right time to reach out.
It's essential to be discerning enough that you're not calling everybody -- a waste of time -- but fast enough that you don't spend half your day prospecting.
When you schedule meetings with better-fit leads — ones with a legitimate need for or interest in your offering. Good-fit customers generally provide more long-term business.
Avoid meetings with just anybody.
While booking meetings is the ultimate goal of prospecting, you need to ensure they're good meetings -- otherwise, it's just a waste of your time to move prospects through the sales process. The goal is to understand if your specific point of contact is the right person to speak to if they have a perceived need.
Build social media into your routine.
Yes, there is a benefit to having a Linkedin profile and other social channels. It's your online personal resume that showcases your experience. Update your recommendations on your profile to highlight your ability to help other companies. One additional advantage is that you can read posts that may suggest a prospect is having an issue, they launched a new product that needs marketing, they need to hire additional help, and recruitment is your expertise.
You understand the difference between No and Not Yet.
Earning a new client's business can be all about timing. In many cases, they may be happy with their current vendor. Great salespeople understand that it is a timing situation. So they ask follow-up questions to make sure it's a timing issue. For example, ask for feedback. What factors do you consider when working with a new vendor? When do you review new partnerships? How can you stay in touch until that time? This way, you get a clear picture of what is important to that prospect. Is it price, relationship, transparency, and follow-up?
I encourage you to schedule time on your calendar to review your systems and processes to better prospecting. So that way, you won't be singing Cher's song: If I could turn back time.
If you think someone could benefit from this article I invite you to share it.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.
Episode 174 , Do you think more like a Politician or Scientist when solving problems?
The political season is here! If you are like me, you're tired of seeing all the ads positioning why you should vote for them. I started to think about how we communicate the message we want to get across to our prospects, clients, co-workers, friends, and family.
How do you get your message across to someone? Do you approach it like a politician?
How do you solve problems? Do you approach it like a scientist?
Most of us think and talk into the mindsets of three professions, according to Adam Grant, who wrote the book think again. The three Ps! You know I love anything to do with threes.
Preacher, Prosecutor, Politician. We take on a particular identity in each mode and use a distinct set of tools. We go into preacher mode when our beliefs are in jeopardy: we deliver sermons to protect and promote our ideals. We enter prosecutor mode when we recognize flaws in other people's reasoning: we argue to prove them wrong and win our case. When we want to win over an audience, we shift into politician mode: campaign and lobby for approval.
We use different modes of thinking for different situations.
Who knew that there was a science behind getting our messages across? Thinking back, I wish I had paid more attention in my science classes.
To be problem solvers for our clients requires some science behind our sales.
Adam Grant outlines four distinct thinking styles we use to approach problems.
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Preacher: "When we're in preacher mode, we believe we're right," From the salesman to the clergyman, this is the style you use to persuade others to your way of thinking. We are focused on changing someone's mind. Can I get an Amen?
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Prosecutor: "When we're in prosecutor mode, we're trying to prove someone wrong." None of us want to be wrong; that would mean we are admitting defeat. So we continue to present our case to the other person.
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Politician: It's no shock that "when we're in politician mode, we're trying to win the approval of our audience." We can flip-flop our message according to whom we are trying to convince.
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Scientist: When you think like a scientist, "you favor humility over pride and curiosity over conviction," Grant explained. "You look for reasons why you might be wrong, not just all the reasons you must be right."
"Thinking like a scientist involves more than just reacting with an open mind. It requires searching for reasons we might be wrong—not for reasons we must be right—and revising our views based on what we learn."
"I think too many of us spend too much time acting like preachers, prosecutors, and politicians, unlike scientists.
"In preacher and prosecutor mode, I'm right, and you're wrong, and I don't need to change my mind. I might tell you what you want to hear in politician mode, but I'm probably not changing what I think; I'm posturing instead of rethinking."
Think like a scientist, and you view your opinions more as hypotheses needing confirmation. You rethink using the words "If" and " Then." For example, if I apply this method when prospecting, then I can expect this. With that mindset, changing your mind is not considered a weakness; instead, it's a sign that you're progressing.
We all need to become scientists or at least think like one. Suppose we spend less time debating our position and searching for new ways to look at each situation. In that case, we may discover a better way to think through what further information would change our mind about a topic and surround ourselves with people willing to challenge our thinking.
Ideally, that makes you not only willing to hear new points of view but eager to seek out evidence that contradicts your opinions.
What can you do to Rethink your strategy?
Creating an environment where you have a discussion or debate on a topic vs. a disagreement shows that you are open to considering another opinion and changing your mind, which motivates the other person to share more information with you.
A disagreement feels personal; we expect a discussion to be about ideas, not emotions. Starting a conversation by asking, "Help me rethink about this," sends a message that you want to think like a scientist, not a preacher or a prosecutor—and encourages the other person to feel that way, too.
The goal is to be open to others' views. It shows your openness and admits that you might be wrong or your knowledge might be incomplete. People shut down often because they're afraid of being judged. So, they would instead disengage and avoid that. But if you say, I'm not sure about my opinion here," there's a possibility they'll realize that you're both here to learn from each other.
Another option is to ask more questions that help them consider what would open their mind, which at least encourages them to contemplate situations they might rethink. Again, the goal is to think like a scientist who focuses on evidence, not emotions. If they acknowledged that evidence could change their mind, at least it's a step toward progress.
And we all know progress means happiness!
My vote for you is to continue to Rethink your position, be open to other view points, and think more like a scientist!
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.
Episode 173, Keep walking toward your dreams!
As most of you know, I love Dogs. My wife, Olivia, and I are big advocates for rescues. We adopted three fur kids. Phoenix 13, Dakota 12, and Denali 9. They are a part of our family.
I love the mornings! I am an early riser, wake up at 4 am, and we have our routine. I let the pups outside; they eat while I sip my coffee, and then I take each of them for a run or walk. I connect with each dog, listening to my favorite podcast while enjoying Nature. It's my special bonding time before I start my work day. I have done this for over eleven years, and the excitement it brings our fur kids makes me smile.
The morning of September 22nd was no different than any other day. All the dogs got their run and walk. Dakota loved to walk; he was my cool-down walk every day. He loved to walk and make his mark on multiple phone polls and trees. Dakota is a loving dog that never barked at other dogs unless another dog came close to his brother Phoenix and sister Denali. He would stop to pee on about everything. I would tell him that you're letting others know you were here, boy!
By the way, Dakota was a lymphoma cancer survivor for over two years. He went through months of chemo and was in remission. Dakota would put smiles on the faces of the staff at the Pet Oncologist. He somehow knew that going there would make him feel better, and it did. After his treatments, Dakota became a different dog. He was our Wellness pup. He was full of life, loved to eat, especially Pop Corn and Blueberries, and loved his van rides to the parks for a walk. All the dogs looked forward to the van door sliding open, which meant a hike in the woods with Liv. The little things in life brought Dakota such happiness.
Liv and I would always say Dakota is teaching us to slow down and appreciate everything around us. He was the perfect therapy dog. He loved snuggling next to you as if to say I am so grateful for you. Thanks for rescuing me.
Well, on September 22nd, later that morning, that changed for us. I was getting ready to golf, and Liv was sipping coffee on the couch with Dakota next to her. His breathing seemed labored, and we both noticed it. I was leaving to play golf and said to Liv let me know if anything changes with him. So strange that all of a sudden, he was panting. About an hour later, I got a call from Liv that said Dakota collapsed, and she scooped him up to take him to our Vet. She called to let me know he was not doing well. The scans revealed he had fluid in his lungs and internal bleeding from a rupture of his organ. His time was going to be limited.
Liv put Dakota in the van and opened the doors with the sun shining. She comforted him until I arrived. We were in complete shock and heartbroken. How could our Dakota be eating, walking, and smiling, and we are saying goodbye to him hours later?
Many of you listening can relate if you ever had to say goodbye to a pet. Our fur kids hold a special place in our hearts and comfort us. They love us unconditionally and teach us things we need to know.
As I shared earlier, Dakota taught us to slow down and appreciate the life around us.
Be loyal to those you love!
Be a good listener.
Go on more adventures.
Cherish the time you have to spend with those you love.
Realize our time is limited.
Take more naps!
In honor of our Dakota, Liv and I continue to walk toward our dreams and the life we envision. On that day, our lives shifted. Our hearts are heavy with sadness because we miss Dakota so much.
I have realized that we all will face our final walk one day. I encourage you to keep walking toward the life, career, and love connections you desire. Please continue to make an impact on others as Dakota has taught us to do.
Stay inspired and grateful, and more importantly, hug your fur kids!
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.
Episode 172 is about how much money unnecessary meetings cost your company. In some cases, it can be millions of dollars. Are meetings necessary?
This week I saw a conversation on LinkedIn around an article written about how Useless Meetings Waste Time and $100 Million a Year for Big Companies. You know, that grabbed my attention with being the author of the Three Words Meetings book.
A new survey shows that employees don't need to be in nearly one-third of the meetings they attend, and women are more reluctant than men to decline invitations; imagine that!
The article went on to share that Unnecessary meetings are a $100 million mistake at big companies, according to a new survey that shows workers probably don't need to be in nearly a third of the appointments they attend.
A survey conducted by Steven Rogelberg, a professor of organizational science, psychology, and management at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, created a study around meetings. They asked 632 employees across 20 industries to study their weekly calendars and gauge how much time they spent in meetings, what they got out of them and how they responded to invitations.
On average, employees spend about 18 hours weekly in meetings and only decline 14% of invites even though they'd prefer to back out 31% of them. Reluctantly going to noncritical meetings wastes about $25,000 per employee annually and projects out to $101 million a year for any organization with more than 5,000 employees.
"Meetings do control us, and bad meetings have an enormous cost," said Rogelberg, who's been researching meetings for two decades. "You get a meeting invite and say, 'I don't need to be there,' yet you say yes — why?"
Just Say No Employees want to skip nearly one-third of their meeting invites.
Many say yes because it's a workplace norm — nobody wants to offend the meeting organizer by skipping out or having co-workers think they're not engaged. Others hate having to chase down updates on what happened.
Source: Steven Rogelberg, Otter.ai
Few companies have, however. Rogelberg's earlier research found that poorly managed meetings can hurt employee engagement and even boost their intention to quit. Meetings worsened during the pandemic due to the shift to remote work and videoconferencing.
Data from Microsoft Corp. based on thousands of users of its workplace software found that time spent in meetings has tripled since February 2020, and the number of weekly meetings has more than doubled.
Those virtual meetings "tend to be more cognitively demanding, more prone to distraction, and less effective in many ways than their in-person counterparts," a team of researchers concluded in a recent study that examined how communication patterns changed right after pandemic lockdowns hit in 2020.
Meetings are necessary, but we must be careful when scheduling them. Rogelberg's survey shared that most end up multitasking during unnecessary meetings. We don't want that for our employees or us.
I wanted to share four questions you can ask yourself when considering a meeting is necessary that I learned from Adam Grant, an Organizational psychologist at Wharton and #1 NYT bestselling author of Think Again; Adam believes:
There are four reasons to meet:
To decide.
To learn.
To bond
To do.
If it doesn't serve one of those purposes, cancel it.
Then I recommend implementing the Three Word Meetings topic process I created. Build those meetings around simple-to-remember words that engrain what you want your team or clients to remember. The Three Word meeting topics also allow your employees to share their views and the meetings become more collaborative versus a data dump on them.
Another helpful tip is to manage the amount of time for a meeting. Some discussions linger and steal time from others. Keep them brief when you can maintain their attention and cut down on drifters. Set a time limit, whether 15, 29, or 39 minutes.
I have come to understand during my 35-year career that people support meetings with a purpose. So think about all the meetings you have been included in and ask if that meeting is necessary. Is there something I can do differently moving forward to create more time to focus on growing revenue, coaching your team, and sharing solutions for our clients?
I will leave you with this thought, to Meet or Not Meet, that is the question.
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.
Episode 171, Three reasons why your clients stop working with you. Retain your customers.
We work hard to get new clients to do business with us. We prospect and invest valuable time for a chance to work with them. This process could take weeks, months, or years.
Conversely, We can lose that key client instantly; in most cases, it has nothing to do with price.
I want to share a story where this happened to me as a consumer.
I am sharing this story to remind us not to take our current clients for granted. We need to take all the necessary steps to retain our existing clients. The opportunity on the flip side is that we could be one call away from converting a new client from a competitor based on the treatment and service they are receiving.
Here is my story.
I was looking for a new dentist near my house. I saw a new dental practice was opening, and they were offering an incentive that with every teeth cleaning, you would receive teeth whitening with your service. So I thought I would give them a try. I go every six months and have been a customer for eight years. That changed after my most recent cleaning.
I was pushed back to eight months vs. six due to their scheduling. I thought, no problem. My Hygienist is excellent, and I complimented her on the extra work she had to do because it was eight vs. six months. She smiled and said that is my job. She did notice that one of my back teeth needed a crown. I thought to myself guess I was lucky these past eight years.
So in walks the Main Dentist to check out her work. I shared how pleased I was with her work, just sorry it took a few extra months to get in to get them cleaned. The Dentist replied that you could have gotten in sooner if you had called. How would I know that as I took the earliest appointment? I have to say I was bothered by her response. She told me the front desk would have the cost of the crown and schedule my next visit. I was a bit taken aback by her comments.
I shifted to the front desk, and a young lady handed me a piece of paper with the numbers tooth 20 and 31. I asked what the numbers meant, and she seemed put off that I asked. I reiterated that these numbers might have significance to you, but most customers may not know what they mean. She went on to say those teeth that need crowns with a bit of frustration in her tone. I asked a follow-up question on the price she shared, including my dental insurance. The form was not very clear to understand. She seemed to get more impatient with me. At the moment, I felt like I was keeping her from something. So I took the paperwork and said thanks as I walked to the door. Something said to turn around, and as I did, I could see her rolling her eyes and darting back to the others. I am sure to say, thank god she is gone.
As I walked to my car, I thought, Wow, I have been a customer for eight years. Now is when the dental practice can make some money from me by replacing a few crowns vs. just cleaning my teeth. By the way, I told myself there was no way I would have my crown done at that practice. So the next day, I called and canceled my crown appointment and future cleanings on their books.
I was going to look for a new dental practice that may appreciate me and my business.
The following day I called Advance Dentistry. They advertise on our radio stations, and a co-worker raved about them. I called, and a friendly voice answered and said thank you for calling and how she could help. I scheduled my consultation.
A few days later, I got my temporary crown. The business manager walked me through what it would cost to get a crown, what my insurance covered, and what I would be responsible for paying. Heather and Bridgit, who assisted Dr. White, explained every step, and their energy was highly positive.
I left thinking to myself, what a great experience! This an experience I plan to share with others as I am doing today with you.
So what can we learn from my experience?
First, never take your current clients for granted. We have to understand that they do have options.
Here are the top three reasons why customers leave a company.
68% leave because of the treatment they received
14% are dissatisfied with products or service
9% Begin doing business with the competition
What do you do to ensure your client keeps working with you?
Create a strong foundation
When your start working with a new client, you have the opportunity to leave a memorable first impression — so make sure your onboarding process is seamless. Details do matter.
Provide a personalized customer experience.
No two customers have the exact needs and may be looking for tailored solutions. We must listen and understand what is most important to our clients and provide solutions.
Ask for Feedback
Improving your service is hard if you don't know how your customers feel about it. Ask your client if you are happy with the partnership and service they are receiving. Ask for recommendations on how you could better serve their business needs.
Create a communication calendar
You want to stay connected with your client. Depending on your sales cycle, you may want to check in weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. Provide something of value each time you connect with them.
Relationships do Matter.
Make them very important. Celebrate your client's birthdays and the company's anniversary.
And more importantly, do it with a Smile on your face. Grin and Win!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.
Episode 170 Honor the Queen!
Hello, Three Word Podcasters! If this is your first time, welcome. I am your host Lisa Thal, and I share my thoughts on three-word topics to help engage and inspire you and those you lead. Three words you can use as a topic in your next sales meeting.
I was driving home from playing golf and heard on the radio that Queen Elizabeth II had passed away. Like many of you listening, it shocked me. A few days earlier, I witnessed her shaking hands with the new Prime Minister. The Queen looked a bit smaller and had a welcoming smile.
After watching all the news coverage about her, I remember laying in bed and thinking, what if my life journey ended tonight? I thought she would live to be at least 100! My mind kept thinking, Wow, in two short days, the Queen is gone. The magnitude of what Queen Elizabeth II accomplished throughout her life I find hard to put into words. I believe in my lifetime, we will never witness someone who profoundly and respectfully touched so many people's lives over her life.
People like you and I lined the streets daily to pay their respects for her service to them. The images of so many enormous farms Combined lining the procession show their respect for a woman they loved and respected. Simple gestures of flowers, notes of gratitude, and many standing for hours and lines miles long to have the opportunity to walk by this gracious lady to show their respect and honor. A projected number of a Million people will pay their respects.
So you may be asking, why are you sharing this story on the Three Word Podcast?
The answer is to Honor the Queen or King in each of us!
Each of you listening is passionate or great at one thing. One thing that fills your heart and soul. I believe we can learn so much from those that have made their transition and left a legacy they built. I understand that each of us may not have the platform or expectations the Queen had; sometimes, it starts in our own families, with our friends, neighbors, and those we may never meet. As I shared earlier, I found myself thinking about my own life. Questions like: Am I making a difference in my world? Can I serve others with the gifts I have to offer? Where do I start so that I leave the world a better place?
So I wondered if many of you have felt the same this past week. I believe we all want to know we matter. A desire to give more and make a lasting impact on others. This is the definition of authentic leadership!
How do you honor yourself?
Many listening is in the financial field. Many people don't know how to manage expenses and how to invest in their future. You can help, even if it's two people or ten. The compounding impact of this is enormous for generations.
Maybe you love animals. Volunteer to work at a shelter or grab your family and friends and volunteer to walk the dogs a few times a week.
Children may be your passion. I witnessed a little girl named Baby Bea raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Children's Hospital by starting a Lemonade stand. She asked others to join her, and she continues to impact others years later.
Another friend discovered a local football team had food insecurities. She jumped in and started making Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and donated healthy snacks for these young men. Now she is raising $50,000 a year to help support their football team and other school kids. It started by making a sandwich for a hungry kid.
Queen Elizabeth led for over 70 years of her life! Yes, she had to make tough decisions that may not have been popular but were always in the people's best interest. She was authentic and honest with her approach, which was refreshing to Everyone watching her moves.
Leadership starts with each of us.
Start in your own community or workplace. Most of us think we have to go big. When in reality, you think you have to help thousands of people. So what typically happens is that you don't begin at all. Start by helping one person, then a few more. Ask a family member or friend to join you in helping a small group.
See people where they are, not where you want them to be.
Be kind and understand that many are doing the very best they can at that moment.
Give back and serve others.
Queen Elizabeth II, you served others well. You taught us to help others and Do what we can do. We just need to start! A life well lived is all we aspire to be.
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.
Episode 169, The sales performance formula and the ten traits you want to have to win in sales!
Hello, Three Word Podcasters! If this is your first time, welcome. I am your host Lisa Thal, and I share my thoughts on three-word topics to help engage and inspire you and those you lead. Three words you can use as a topic in your next sales meeting.
I read an article in Success magazine written by Jeffrey Gitomer on the top ten traits of sales performers. I know many of you listening are in sales or coaching a team. I started to think about how many of the characteristics my team and I have from the list. In your next sales meeting, this would be a great discussion to have each team member see how many of these qualities they possess.
Here are the top 10 traits and the essential qualities of a high-performing salesperson. A realistic list of the characteristics needed for success by Jeffrey are:
A consistently positive attitude and enthusiasm
The number one rule is facing the customer, facing the obstacles, facing the competition, facing the economy, and yourself. We all will face setbacks and disappointments in our careers. We have something to learn from each experience. Stay curious and optimistic through the journey.
The belief that the customer will be better off
The first three parts are unwavering belief in your company, product, and yourself. But most critical is that you must believe that the customer is better off having purchased from you.
Use of creativity
Use creativity to present ideas in the customer's favor and to differentiate yourself from the competition. Think about the person you are showing your ideas and solutions. For example, if they are analytical, think about how you can show the results from working with them. If they are expressive, you need a creative way to convey your message. They want to know your difference from the other vendors.
Ability to give and prove the value
Show proof of the value of your product or service. Your ability to give value beyond the sale will earn the sale and the loyalty of your customers. Make sure you show up before, during, and after the sale.
Ability to promote and position
Using the internet to blog, shares articles that could interest and benefit your clients. So customers will perceive you as a value-provider and a leader in your field.
Exciting, compelling presentation skills
You must develop communication skills. Ask thought-provoking questions, improve your listening skills, and have a sense of humor. Clients need to understand how your product and service will benefit them and why choosing you is their best option.
Ability to prove your value and claims through the testimony of others
Testimonials sell where salespeople can't. The best salespeople use video testimonials to support their claims. Same with referrals. Think about your best customer and ask them if they would be willing to do a video sharing all the benefits of working with you and your company.
Ability to create an atmosphere where people want to buy (no one likes to be sold)
This is done by engaging and asking, not presenting and telling. Make your customers feel you are working with them to find the best product possible, not just telling them what you think would be best. Your conversation with the client is the difference maker.
Ability to build a relationship, not hunt or farm
We believe we need Hunters and Farmers in our sales organizations to be successful. Great salespeople are relationship-builders who provide value and help their customers win. They possess unyielding personal values and ethics.
The personal desire to excel and be their best
Jeffrey believes, and I have to agree, that the personal desire to be the best is critical. The key is that you must master all 10 in that order for this quality to manifest itself.
Where would you rank yourself today on the ten traits? Can you see some areas of opportunities for you? Your team? Life is all making progress each day. So embrace each situation for you to learn and grow.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
To learn more about Jeffrey Gitomer. https://www.gitomer.com
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.
Episode 168, What can you do when you face a temporary setback?
What words inspire you to keep moving forward when facing setbacks?
Here are a few of my favorite three words.
Just Do it.
It's worth it!
You got this!
Keep moving forward.
Keep Showing up.
Find a Way.
Keep on digging.
We've all been there – times we would have used any combination of the words above to keep us from facing defeat.
I wanted to share the story from Napoleon Hill's book, "Think and Grow Rich," about how close we all are to succeed. We must keep showing up! After all, if we don't, there's no telling what opportunities we may miss.
You know I love a story that involves anything with three.
This story is about Three Feet From Gold.
The story will have you digging and pushing yourself through any setbacks you may face because you could be one call, email, or proposal way from winning that business or personally finding success.
Keyword to remember, temporary. One of the most common causes of failure is the habit of quitting when facing temporary defeat. Every person is guilty of this mistake at one time or another and gives up.
The cliff notes version of the story is an uncle of R. U. Darby who was caught up in the hype by the gold fever in the gold-rush days and went west to dig and get rich. He staked a claim and went to work with a pick and shovel. The going was hard, but his lust for gold was his vision.
After weeks of labor, he discovered shining ore. Ore is a valuable metal or mineral that can extract for gold. He needed machinery to bring the ore to the surface. He covered up the mine, retraced his footsteps to his home, and told his relatives and a few neighbors of the "strike." They got together money for the needed machinery and had it shipped.
The first car of ore was mined and shipped to a smelter. The returns proved they had one of the richest mines in Colorado! A few more cars of that ore would clear the debts. Then the big profits would be rolling in.
Down went the drills! Up went the hopes of Darby and Uncle! Then something happened! The vein of gold ore disappeared! They had come to the end of the rainbow, and the pot of gold was no longer there! They drilled on, desperately trying to pick up the vein again— all to no avail.
Finally, they decided to give up and head home.
They sold the machinery to a junk man for a few hundred dollars and took the train back home. The Junkman was resourceful and called in a mining engineer to look at the mine and do a little calculating. The engineer advised that the project failed because the owners were unfamiliar with "fault lines." His calculations located the ore of the vein about three feet from where Darby stopped drilling. I think you can imagine where this story is going.
The "Junk" man took millions of dollars in ore from the mine because he knew enough to seek expert counsel before giving up.
So what happened to Darby? He went into the business of selling life insurance. He remembers losing a considerable fortune because he stopped three feet from gold. Darby profited from the experience in his chosen work by the simple method of saying to himself, "I stopped three feet from gold, but I will never stop because someone says 'no' when I ask them to buy insurance."
What a great lesson for all of us!
He owes this to the lesson he learned from his experience in the gold mining business.
Before success comes into our lives, we could face temporary defeat and, perhaps, some failure. When defeat overtakes you, quitting is the easiest and most logical thing. That is what the majority of us do. Most successes will come one step beyond the point at which defeat has overtaken.
The question is, what are you three feet from achieving? Have you given up too soon, only to discover that you're close to success? My advice is to keep showing up and digging because you could be Three feet away from realizing your dreams. If nothing else, every defeat is a lesson showing you how to win the next time.
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.
Episode 167, Back to School "The more you learn, the more you earn."
I was walking my dog Dakota, and we saw the kids at the bus stop. Back to school time, and I thought Summer went fast. Many of your kids are heading back to school in Kindergarten, grade or high school, and College. Dakota gets a bit excited when the school bus drives by us. I want to think he is saying have a great day of learning, kids, or he wants to chase the bus.
Can you remember your first day of school? The excitement to meet new friends and an opportunity to learn something new. Thank goodness for Teachers! I learned many lessons from a teacher I have yet to meet, Warren Buffet.
A quote from Warren Buffett sums up our business and life journey, "The more you learn, the more you earn."
It may be time to return to school and reiterate what has made you successful in the past. Buffett shared that Success is all about making smarter investment decisions. But those decisions may have nothing to do with stocks and bonds.
To make the most of your investment means never stop acquiring knowledge -- the kind of knowledge that betters yourself as a whole person, not just as an investor.
Do you need new skills or knowledge to improve your business and sales? As you become more comfortable with selling, you may have lost focus on what made you successful, like providing research, meeting preparation, and building deep connections with your clients.
Here are three skills you want to learn.
Invest in improving your communication skills
There is a saying that knowledge is power, although that may be true. How you communicate that is knowledge is the key.
Communication is key to any business. If you can communicate thought-provoking questions to ask, you can gain the knowledge needed to help your clients solve their problems.
If you are in a leadership role, you need to be able to communicate your message to the team. You have to be able to adjust your communication style with each team member. The team members have different ways they receive your message. You have analytical, expressive, visual learners on your team; some learn better by hearing or seeing your message.
Warren Buffett shared that investing in developing your communication skills -- both in writing and in person -- "can increase your value by at least 50 percent." Now that is a great return!
You have many options to become a better communicator. Enroll in a Dale Carnegie course on how to communicate, join a Toast Master series, or I recommend calling my friend Michael Davis who helps you communicate and influence those you lead with better communication. https://speakingcpr.com/
Invest in improving your leadership skills
Buffett's advice is about one non-negotiable trait that successful leaders must have: integrity. He said we look for three things when we hire people. We look for intelligence, we look for initiative or energy, and we look for integrity.
Customers want to work with people they trust and value authentic people and relationships. A lack of trust [by the buyer] often results from a lack of authenticity on the salesperson's part. Buyers can see through scripted pitches and lack of engagement.
Successful salespeople curate their sales approach to incorporate who they are, what they believe in, and the tangible value they can bring to the relationship. Honest discussions about the solutions and challenges your clients are facing and the collaboration required to successfully help lay the foundation for a meaningful relationship built on authenticity and trust.
Invest in improving your business relationships
One of the best successful strategies is surrounding yourself with the right people. My mom always said, " You become whom you hang around." So it's essential to associate with people more intelligent than yourself."
As the famous saying goes, we are the average of the five people we spend the most time around. Make sure to associate with those further along the path who can potentially help you learn new things, grow, and advance your career.
Any good conversation involves people connecting, building a mutual understanding, and forming a trust. Think back to a conversation in your personal life where you and another person felt comfortable and understood: Connecting in sales works the same way.
The salesperson and the prospective customer are comfortable sharing information and reaching a mutual understanding. This exchange helps uncover real opportunities, develop meaningful alignment, access deeper insights, and open the door to collaborative problem-solving.
With these ideas in mind, I encourage you to spend some time each week with your salespeople to help them refocus, take a disciplined approach to selling, and convert more sales faster.
Creating a lifelong pursuit of learning, investing in yourself, surrounding yourself with more innovative people, and sharing your knowledge with others is the secret sauce to your Success.
I encourage you to think about one skill you can learn today and commit to yourself until you have mastered it. Investing in yourself is the best way to find Success.
Thanks for tuning into today's podcast. If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, do me a favor and rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.
Episode 166 The " F" word that stops you from succeeding.
If I asked you, what stops you? Many of you listening would respond to the question, you. The reality is that the answer is not you. Fear stops you from realizing your dreams and what you want. Yes, Fear prevents you from moving forward. When we face Fear, we fight, take flight, or freeze.
I was a part of a webinar discussing the stumbling blocks for many falling short of their dreams and goals. Yes, Fear is the one thing standing between you and the life you want. It's easy to fall into the Fear trap. It's convenient for our minds to focus on what's wrong in the world versus what's right. Think about today, Inflation, competitors, supply chain issues, the economy, and the threat of a recession feeds our minds with Fear and what's going wrong around us.
Our brains are programmed to protect and defend us from harm. We tend to focus on a strategy that includes a plan for the worst and hoping for the best. I am not saying that this is not an option. What if you made one slight shift and concentrated on what is right? What is possible?
What if you could replace the word "F" word Fear with Focus?
Let me ask you a question. Think about something you want to achieve in your life today. Is it better health? Financial Freedom? A new career? A meaningful and loving relationship?
If you are in sales, Is Fear creeping into your mind and keeping you from gaining more new clients? In your mind, you have all the reasons why they have not called you back or that they must be happy with their current vendor. Most give up trying to connect with a new client after three attempts when it takes eight to ten.
If you believe your client can benefit from meeting with you, stay committed until you meet them. You are close to earning that meeting if you stay focused on seeing it through.
This example of Fear versus focus will make sense if you play golf. At the Losantiville, the Country Club I belong to has water you have to shoot over to get to the green. Most people I play with say I think I will lay up short of the water because I am afraid my ball might go in ( Fear). Some players will even pull out an old ball on the chance it goes in the water. Why? Doubt creeps into your mind, and guess what? In most cases, the ball does go into the water because that is where we put our focus.
How would you approach this situation? Because where you focus, it will go. I focus on the green versus the water. I see a 145-yard shot from the fairway headed to the green and take the H2O out of my mind.
I was thinking about a book written in 1908 I read by Napoleon Hill. His book, Outwitting the Devil, further supports why some of us are more successful than others. This is where I learned more about my Other-self.
I believe he is one of the best teachers who discovered what stops most of us from succeeding when facing setbacks. He called this the " Other-self." The Other-self recognizes no limitations and always finds a way to accomplish desired results. We may meet with temporary defeat but not with permanent failure.
You are learning to tap into the " Other-Self," which will teach you how to overcome obstacles, and master difficulty, instead of being mastered by them. That there is a solution for every legitimate problem, you face. He explained that every experience of temporary defeat, every failure, and every form of adversity is met with an equivalent benefit.
Fear is a state of mind, and so is your focus to become fearless. Having the faith that the journey you're on is here to teach you something. It's time to choose the life you want to live versus the I wish I would have life. I wish I would have traveled more, lived a healthier life, changed careers, and loved more.
It's decision time! Decide that you will stretch the "Other-self" to keep learning and moving forward with a sense of urgency. Silence the critics that say you can't do it. Feed your focus with possibility, not your fears. Remember, your focus goes where your energy flows.
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.
Episode 165, Complete more tasks in a day by implementing this strategy.
I was having lunch with a client discussing business and life. We both are in management roles, coaching sales teams, generating revenue, seeing customers, leading projects for the company, and involved in multiple meetings throughout the day, zoom or in person. Some days She shared that it's amazing I get anything done.
Can you relate to this situation? Add in family responsibilities to your work, and you may feel like you are getting nothing accomplished.
She asked me how I manage my Time and get so much done. You have your job, Three Word Podcast, a weekly blog, running your dogs daily, weekend golf, and Time with your family and friends.
How do you do it?
I answered that I use a system I learned where you Time block your day.
So, I thought I would share with you the system to complete more in a day that helps you focus on your work with limited distractions and can help you be more efficient in your tasks. I want to make sure you understand that this is not multitasking. It is task switching with focus and purpose.
You will feel more in control of your day, more productive, and get more work done. We all want to feel like we are accomplishing something each day.
So to begin, let me share what I mean by Time blocking.
In football, offensive linemen are looking to protect the quarterback. They form a pocket around the quarterback and block defenders from getting through.
What Is Time Blocking?
Time blocking involves protecting and planning every moment of your day and dedicating specific time "blocks" for certain tasks and responsibilities.
When you fill your calendar with the tasks and things you want to do, it's harder for others to steal your Time.
Yes, we need to focus Time on thinking and strategizing solutions to help our customers and blocking Time with other co-workers to improve processes in your company. Time blocking is effective because you focus on one specific task at a time.
For example, my mental and physical wellness is at the top of the list. I run my dogs and listen to audiobooks that teach and inspire me before I get to work each day. I time block throughout the day to check emails, return phone calls, coach the sales team, and meet with customers, Time to think. For example, I strategically block Time on my calendar to complete the most critical task that is a must to finish.
But how do you use this technique for the best results?
Prioritize Your Tasks
You must prioritize your tasks if you want the Time blocking technique to work. The main idea behind using this process is to enable efficient time management. It means you don't lose valuable Time by thinking about which one to do first.
High priority work at the right Time. That's where prioritizing comes in. By identifying the essential tasks in your schedule, you know which task needs more attention from you. A good way of handling these tasks is to put them in the prime Time of your day. Your prime Time is the Time of the day when you feel the most productive. I am a morning person, so I focus on those tasks first.
When you feel more productive, you also become more efficient. So focusing on your priority tasks at this Time helps you get things done more efficiently.
Add blocks for reactive tasks each day
We tend to overestimate what we can do in a day. You still have emails to answer, calls to take, and meetings to attend. However, the power of time blocking comes in choosing when you do these tasks instead of letting them take over your day.
Get more from your day
With the development of technology, you can use apps and tools online to create your schedule.
You can use a few simple and free tools to make it that much easier.
Any calendar app will do. However, if you want to use Google Calendar, I found this list of power features and best practices to make the most of it.
Either you control your calendar, or it controls you Other people like to steal our time. Time blocking is only one of the many time management strategies out there. Yet, it's one of the most popular for a reason.
We all live by our calendars. And the more you can be in control of what's on there, the more in control you'll be of your Time, focus, and productivity.
Keep in mind that Single-tasking - Focusing on one task at a time—can make you up to 80% more productive than splitting your attention across multiple tasks. Plus, you will stay connected to others when you know you have time set aside later for checking email, replying to internal messages, and checking in on your social networks.
We all have the same amount of Time each day. How you manage and block time will be the difference maker.
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.
Episode 163, The other "C" word no one wants to talk about!
What is the other "C" Word? Its Change! Change in careers, in our relationships, our health, finances, and our business.
If you think about it, our lives are constantly changing. But most of us don't like Change. Why? Because it makes us uncomfortable.
So when does Change occur? Typically, when facing challenges or problems. Problems can be an opportunity for personal and professional growth.
Problems can challenge us, encourage us to be resourceful and innovative, and refocus us on what matters most.
I believe Change refines us, not define us!
We all face setbacks throughout life; I know I have on many occasions. And how you face these challenges are the differences. We think the problem is permanent because of years of programming in our brains. I believe we do this to protect ourselves from disappointment. But everything eventually ends, and new opportunities arise.
It's called life!
Whether you perceive it or not, everything is constantly changing – the environment, the weather, the economy, technology, society, your friends and family, your body, everything. And the better you are at embracing Change in what is happening in your world, the easier it will be for you to live your best life.
I want you to stop and think about what problems you are facing today?
Please write it down.
In business, are you lacking sales?
Do you need more new clients to expand your business?
Do you need to recruit more talented employees to boost your company's growth?
Do you need to remove employees not producing?
Do you need to focus on your health?
Get your finances in order?
You have three choices when facing any problem.
- Accept it.
- Change it.
- Leave it.
Accept it.
Your response to any event, not the event itself, determines your experience's outcome.
You can't change the events that happen out of your control. But you can learn from those experiences.
Think about Global warming, floods, droughts, fires, earthquakes, financial crises, and cyber-attacks are all events that represent Change.
You cannot do much to change those events.
You CAN change your response to them and ensure that the outcomes you experience in your life are as positive as possible.
In my experience, a turning point in our lives leads us to change -a better job, a more fulfilling relationship, new friends, more profound wisdom, more freedom, the discovery of our life purpose, the development of new skills, and spiritual growth.
See, Change is a gift to us!
Please take a moment later today and think back to some change you feared or resisted and all the good that eventually came from it.
Once you begin to see that, you can anticipate the good that will come from the changes you are facing now.
A good question to ask yourself is, "What's the opportunity that this is?"
If you look, you will find it.
And Change will become something to appreciate and embrace rather than to fear and resist.
Remember, YOU always have control over how you choose to respond to things.
And when you respond with an attitude of curiosity, optimism, and confidence, you'll find it so much easier to survive and thrive during the Change.
Change it.
The word change sounds terrifying because Change often involves risk and loss – possibly of something big, like your job, money, friends, family, or the loss of whatever is comfortable and familiar.
Some people see Change as something to fear or dread instead of a new adventure that can potentially improve your life.
That's what Change is: it's an opportunity for you to experience something new and to grow and evolve as a person.
Change asks you to:
- Have an open mind to see things from a new perspective and learn something new.
- Develop qualities like flexibility, optimism, courage, and persistence.
All of which ultimately results in you becoming a better, more capable person.
And that's a good thing!
Life is all about making progress, and that includes making changes.
When you resist Change, you take away the experiences that can transform your life professionally and personally.
When you welcome and embrace Change, you open and allow yourself to grow and expand.
Leave it.
Your third option is to leave it! By definition, Leave is to depart permanently. What do you need to leave behind so you can move forward?
I advise that if you are unhappy with something in your life or business, change it or leave it!
Or take this oath with me and Say this out loud; I accepted it until today!
It is time to Make a Change.
If you can't accept it, change it. If you can't change it, it may be time to leave it.
Either way, it's up to you!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.
Episode 161, Top 3 Reasons new prospects don't want to meet with us.
I was having a conversation with a sales executive, and they shared that they were trying to connect with a prospect they were targeting. I asked them to walk me through how many attempts they had made to connect. We reviewed was the account a good fit for our product and services? The answer was yes. They went on to share that they left a voicemail, emailed, and sent industry trend research but still no response.
I shared that connecting with a new prospect takes about eight attempts. Many of you listening may be experiencing the same and having challenges getting that prospect to call you back.
Did you ever wonder why prospects don't want to meet with you?
I recently read a sales blog by Anthony Iannarino that was a great reminder as to why a client may be resistant to a meeting that has nothing to do with you. The first step is that we must uncover why they don't want to meet with us and create strategies to change their mind.
Here are the top three common reasons why prospects refuse to meet with us and some recommendations to help you stand out and show value in meeting with you.
Unprepared for change One factor causing prospects to refuse meetings could be that the buyer and their company aren't ready to make a change. They may be happy with their current vendor. Most people do not like change! It takes time and energy to make changes. Change can be scary, especially during times of uncertainty. The past several years have shown us.
But a change can improve their results in many cases, but that doesn't make it any less scary," he explains. Anthony shared, "Some of it stems from the increasingly challenging internal process for any change initiative."
You can ease these concerns by acknowledging the difficulty of change and showing empathy. Showcasing compassion sets you apart from sellers who aren't as understanding. Nurture a relationship immediately with this dialogue, which will help put the prospect at ease.
No need for a salesperson Another reason prospects refuse meetings is that they believe they don't need assistance from a seller. This is rooted in the trend of decision-makers "consumerizing" B2B sales. As Iannarino writes, "Rather than risk allowing another salesperson into their office and their life, these stakeholders decide to go it alone: researching companies on the internet, mistaking information for insight, and overvaluing facts where experience and good counsel are needed."
SalesFuel's research supports this; our Voice of the Buyer survey found that 40% of B2B buyers attempt to solve a problem/meet a goal with current resources before seeking assistance from a vendor.
To overcome this challenge, be prepared with research or something of value you can give to the client. It could be something that will save them time, create a better process or solve their most significant business needs. You are making the pathway to answering why meeting with you is so important.
Bad experiences. We all have bad experiences, whether it's a restaurant where the food or service was average. You have a terrible experience with a company or service provider. Let's face it; our clients have bad experiences with other vendors.
Our prospects hold on to those experiences with salespeople, which may be why prospects refuse meetings with anyone new. Those situations present a big challenge for us. While you can't erase their past experiences, you "can make certain that every interaction you have with a prospect provides such a good experience that they will open to a conversation or schedule time on their calendar for you."
Credibility is vital to show the prospect that you are a sales professional who engages in buyer-first selling and best practices; you must show that you are different from everyone else. SalesFuel offers plenty of tips for establishing credibility, from establishing social proof to weaving valuable research into your conversation.
Remember No, means not yet. When prospects refuse meetings, don't give up. You can create many reasons that meeting with you will be a valuable and insightful experience worth their time. Remember, "Your number one initiative should be increasing your effectiveness as the person guiding your prospective client through the process of exploring change, pursuing better results, and delivering new and better outcomes."
Just as Winston Churchill famously said, " Never give up, never ever give up."
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.
Episode 160, Six Ideas to attract new clients!
Prospecting! I think I heard some of you say, Ugh.
What if there was a better way to gain new clients? Everyone listening to the podcast agrees they want to use the most effective and effortless process to gain new clients. Yes, sign me up; your saying.
The reality is that our business success depends on this one word – Prospecting! Find clients that we can help. This step takes a winning mindset, focus, and a system to get in front of our best prospects.
We want to identify the clients that match our company profile of success and stop targeting those that don't so we are not wasting valuable time.
If your job is to generate leads, below are six ideas to help you get in front of the client faster than your competitor.
Yes, there are many ways to prospect new clients. Pick up the phone and call someone. Target your competitor's key accounts and find a way to engage them with your company. Referrals are a tremendous prospecting opportunity if you ask your best clients and the fastest business conversions.
In the end, people buy from those they are more familiar with, like, and trust.
Here are six ideas that you can implement to attract new clients.
- Establish yourself as a thought leader
By establishing yourself as a thought leader or subject matter expert in your industry, you can show your credibility and trust before reaching out to new prospects.
For example, suppose you're in Marketing. You can write an article or post a blog on Linkedin with tips on how to better market your company, post a video that you believe can help companies save time when marketing, write guest articles for industry publications and speak at trade shows and conferences. Be a guest on a business podcast that gives you more exposure to new companies.
Make comments, and share or like the content on your prospect's Linkedin or social channels. They will become more familiar with your name and company. Use five or more words to help your Linkedin Selling Index score when commenting.
- Be a resource.
To be successful in sales, you have to do more than sell your product or service. You want to provide research and ideas to help solve their most significant business needs. Become a solution provider versus a salesperson.
You will likely gain referrals when you solve your client's most significant business need.
- Use video.
Capture the prospect's attention by adding "video" in the subject line and including a thumbnail image that links to the video. Use it to introduce yourself, provide additional content, or use to humanize your brand. Video is also great to recap your discovery calls as well.
- Host a webinar.
Webinars can create leads for you because you know the attendees have a demonstrated interest in the topic. Not sure you can do a webinar on your own? Think about Partnering with another organization in your industry to host a webinar on a mutually beneficial topic.
After the webinar, poll your audience to see who's ready to learn more about your product/service. Consider a polling form that asks them to answer "Yes" or "No" to statements like "I'm ready to learn more," or "I'd like to learn more about [Three Word Meetings.]."
You now have a lead list! Follow up with those who responded positively to your poll or post-webinar survey within 24 hours, and schedule time for them to learn more. And don't give up on those who said they weren't yet ready to buy. Remember, no, means Not Yet!
Stay in touch over the next few months to see if their buying position changes.
- Network with a purpose
Attend networking events that allow you to connect with the right people. Identify why people are attending a particular event or conference. If the agenda has topics relevant to your ideal customer, or if someone attending is from a company you are targeting, then attend that event.
Once you identify the events that will give you the most significant ROI, map out which sessions you'll attend and which happy hours or networking events make sense.
- Answer questions on Q&A forums.
Seek ways to engage your prospects on trends and best practices in your industry — and eventually educate them on your product.
Online forums, like LinkedIn Groups, allow like-minded people to post questions to the group members or audience and source answers from experts in the field. Join these platforms, and build trust and expertise.
Successful people do things that other sellers are not willing to do.
The question is, What are you willing to do?
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.
Episode 159, 3 Skills you need to succeed in business!
I have a question for you? Why do some salespeople hit their goals and others fall short? I know there may be exceptions to losing a significant account that could impact your year. Aside from that, there is one reason.
Accountability! Yes, the difference is that those understand that their success starts with them!
They don't wait and watch others do it; they do it.
It starts with you! You set the tone for your day.
We hold ourselves accountable. The definition of accountability is an obligation and willingness to accept responsibility. We are proactive, acting in anticipation of future problems, needs, or changes.
Yes, we need accountability skills?
What Are Accountability Skills?
Accountability is taking ownership of your actions. It is being responsible for you and your results. When you are accountable, you are committed to the goal and outcome. More importantly, committed to making progress.
Here are 3 Tips to hold yourself accountable!
Set Your Own Goals and Accountabilities Goals are the expectations. Accountabilities are where you stand and what needs to be changed.
Once you determine your goal, what is the process to achieving them?
I love James Clear's quote from Atomic Habits book "You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems."
What is your system to ensure you not only achieve and exceed your goal?
You have to understand where you stand today with your business to know what systems and steps you need to take next.
Once you have determined your goal break it into a more manageable and actionable short-term plan.
For example, if you need to generate $2,000,000 in revenue annually, you know your short-term goal is to generate $500,000 each quarter.
You must close ten accounts each quarter if your average sale is $50,000.
Or your accounts may vary; you close a few $75,000 accounts and grow your current account base by $25,000.
The accountability skill is understanding your numbers and owning them!
Own your Opportunities Do you have enough clients to exceed your goal? More importantly, have you planned for account attrition? It happens to all of us. For example, your best account goes with another vendor.
According to Marketing at Work, the average business loses about 10 to 25 percent of its customers yearly.
Accountability skill number two is having enough clients and new prospects in your pipeline.
Do you have enough opportunities to reach your quarterly goals? This tends to be an area most of us fall short of. A pipeline review is all the opportunities you are pursuing and where they are in the sales process.
To understand your pipeline, start by asking yourself these questions:
- How many opportunities do I presently have in my pipeline?
- What is the total value of these opportunities? 25% of the accounts we have as a target are not a fit for our products. Let's remove those.
- What percentage of these opportunities would I have to win to make my number?
- Do I have enough business to make my number this quarter?
- Have I factored my 10-25% attrition rate into the quarter?
The next question we have to answer is, are your activities producing the desired outcomes?
How well is your plan working?
What changes do you need to make? Conducting these self-reviews will allow you to understand what's working, what's not, and what changes need to happen.
Be honest with yourself. Accountability skill number three, Honesty, is the best policy! Be honest with where you are today and what you need to do moving forward.
Hold yourself to a higher standard than anyone else will.
- Do I have enough accounts and business to exceed my goal? What is one adjustment I can make today?
- How do I attract more new clients?
- Can I upsell my current accounts?
- What do my future opportunities look like today?
- What process do I need to do to ensure my next month improves?
- What have I learned? What needs to change? What is working? What do I need to do more of in the future?
I recommend scheduling a meeting on your calendar for a self-review on the first day of each month. We don't want to wait for our end-of-year review; it will be too late to make the adjustments.
Taking responsibility and owning the result, regardless of the circumstances, will allow you to make adjustments and improve in the future.
Successful people do things that the unsuccessful aren't willing to do. They create better systems, look for ways to improve daily, and take action.
I will leave you with this phrase: If it's to be, it's up to me!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.
Episode 158, 8 tips to keep your sales from going on vacation.
Yes, Summer has arrived, but your sales don't have to.
How does the Summer season impact your sales?
Have you found it even harder to connect with new prospects?
If you're shaking your head, yes, you are not alone; the Summer presents challenges and opportunities when setting meetings.
Our prospects go on Vacation.
Our calls go unanswered.
Even our LinkedIn requests don't get accepted as quickly.
It makes our job more difficult when trying to generate sales.
So we need to design a plan around when people are on Vacation.
I researched and discovered that certain weeks are more popular than others.
For example, you can almost guarantee an automated reply the week of July 4th. According to data from Tripadvisor, July and August are the most popular vacation months. Keep this in mind when building your outreach strategy.
I read an article from Emma Brudner from Hubspot, who shared some great tips to get us back on track during the Summer.
Prospect, prospect, prospect.
40% of sales reps agree that prospecting is the most challenging part of the sales process- so it's easy to lose focus. Especially during vacations!
So we can't let our prospecting go on Vacation. We need to continue to find new customers who are a fit for our product and services.
Add more qualified prospects for you to target.
The secret to beating monthly quotas is maintaining a consistent pipeline of opportunities. Schedule time daily for prospecting in your calendar; think about the best time of the day that they are more likely to answer your calls.
Set Google Alerts
Just because people are on Vacation during the Summer doesn't mean business stops. If you see relevant news, it gives you another reason to reach out and connect. Set up Google alerts for your prospects' companies to keep up to date on any significant announcements.
In addition, keep an eye on clients LinkedIn profile and note any changes. New title? Updated summary? Send a message and rekindle the conversation.
Seek referrals.
July is a great month to check in with your current clients and see if some other divisions or service lines can use similar help.
Do the work for your client. Look at your best clients' LinkedIn profiles and identify a few companies you know could benefit from a conversation with you. Ask your client if you can say that they recommended you connect because they are happy with the business results they are getting from your product or service. You will build instant credibility, and it will shorten the sales cycle.
Upsell.
Is there an opportunity to help solve another critical business issue? Any other emerging growth areas that you can help bring a solution. You have already developed credibility and rapport.
Revisit accounts that said no.
Remember no means, Not yet! The prospect who said it wasn't the right time a few months ago? Well, it just might be the right time now. Is there research or a relevant success story that would be important for this client? Are there other business needs that have arisen since your last conversation? Call with a purpose to see if they are on track with their business goals?
Change up your messaging.
If no one is answering your emails or calls? Stand out from other messages by adding a bit of humor mixed with a dash of seasonality can go a long way in grabbing clients' interest.
For example, you might kick off a voicemail with, "You're probably on a beach somewhere now, enjoying the sound of the ocean versus me." It helps if you know something about the prospect that you could tailor a fun message.
Go on Vacation.
We deserve and have earned a vacation. So make sure you take some time off. For maximum vacation restoration, leave your laptop behind and turn your cell phone off.
There are business opportunities around you while you're on Vacation. I have met new prospects at the hotel, pool, and golf course. Everyone is in a great mood, and conversations flow, just like their favorite beverages.
Create a Summer Incentive
Every business goes through a slower sales period. Create a fun incentive that can inspire your team to make that extra call on new prospects to help their sales.
Ideas could include:
- Tickets to the Hottest Summer Concert
- Tickets to Summer Theme Parks
- Tickets to Sporting events
- Tickets to a Comedy Club
- Dinner at a Hot restaurant
- Summer Spa day retreat
- Suppose you don't have the resources to buy the incentives. Offer extra days off work, or they get to work remotely every Monday or Friday if that is not a current option.
All this talk about Vacation has me excited about booking my next trip. So I will leave you with aloha.
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.
Episode 157, 3 Strategies from the Father of Business-Warren Buffett!
Happy Fathers Day to all the great men I have the privilege of working alongside and those Fathers and mentors impacting others' lives. Thank you!
I was thinking about the one Father I have never personally met, who has taught me business and life lessons over the years, Warren Buffett. At 91, he continues to share his road map of success with so many of us.
I thought it would be fun to share several insights and strategies from the most recent Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting that you can apply to your business.
Consider this question, Should you Diversify your accounts?
What Is Diversification? We learned not to put all money into one fund from an investment standpoint. Financial advisers use the phrase; Diversification will mitigate losses or risks by spreading your investments across multiple investments and different vehicles.
The idea behind this is that the positive gains generated by one investment effectively balance out any losses caused by another investment.
When looking at your business and accounts, would you say you are diversified? You likely have several large spending accounts that make up 60% -70% of your income and 40%-30% of other smaller accounts. We get comfort in knowing that we are diversified should any clients go away.
Warren Buffett, the Billionaire investor, feels differently. In his view, studying one or two industries in great depth, learning their ins and outs, and using that knowledge to profit from those industries is more lucrative than spreading a portfolio across a broad array of sectors so that gains from specific sectors offset losses from others.
What should we do? Dig deeper to gain insights into your best clients. We need to know the ins and outs of each account.
Where are your opportunities with your clients?
What problems could you solve for them, and the investment they need to make with your product or service long-term. Let go of the accounts that don't have the budget and take time away from you, focusing on accounts with upside.
Knowledge Is Power Buffett created a fortune by acquiring knowledge about finance and specific companies and industries. He took that knowledge and hand-picked his investments. The part of the quote about how important it is to know what you're doing is something Buffett can speak to with authority.
An investor who studies trends and understands how different companies and industries react to various market trends profits much more by using that knowledge to their advantage rather than passively investing across a wide range of companies and sectors.
The same theory applies to our clients. Knowledge is Power! We have to study trends and understand the different clients we work with to be able to help them. Our clients are buying knowledge from us. They are investing in you and your company for profits for their company.
The person and company that helps them achieve this based on data, which is knowledge, market trends, and opportunities in the marketplace, and brings a solution to what they need will win the business. It's our job to maintain that with each of our clients.
How to beat inflation
With inflation at its highest level in 40 years, shareholders wondered how to protect themselves from losing purchasing power as prices climb higher.
"The best thing you can do is be exceptionally good at something," Buffett said. "Whatever abilities you have can't be taken away from you."
Buffett said the way you get paid or the amount might change with inflation, but if you're the best at what you do, people will always be willing to exchange some of what they produce for what you deliver.
"The best investment – by far – is anything that develops yourself," he said.
To be successful in business, keep your skills relevant and keep learning.
That's why professional development is essential. To continue progressing in your sales career, consider developing and refining the following skills.
Ten Sales skills to help your business.
- Effective Communication
- Product Expertise
- Problem Solving
- Business Acumen
- Negotiating
- Prospecting
- Collaboration
- Relationship-Building
- Following Up
- Closing
- Adaptability
- Active Listening
In most cases, people buy from those they like and trust. What can you do to keep investing in yourself? What additional skills or knowledge can you gain to protect yourself? Protect your relationship with your current clients and gain new customers?
It starts by asking yourself whether you would buy your product or service. Suppose it's a yes; congratulations. If you are unsure or it's a no, let's learn the skills to make it a Yes.
Change one habit Warren Buffett has always shared his success tips for better investing and living a better life. He has done this by leading by example and one habit at a time.
Warren's advice may be a good starting point to overcoming obstacles that may be keeping you from achieving your full potential. It's a simple theory, Get rid of your bad habits.
This process isn't as challenging as you imagine, so the first thing to do is stop thinking about all the changes you need to make. Instead, focusing on improving one thing at a time is the key to lasting change.
It's those bad habits that keep you stuck and not moving forward. It starts with the people you surround yourself with every Day. My mom would always say to me you become whom you hang around. If you want to achieve things in life, surround yourself with those that have achieved them. Create an environment of growth and stretch yourself with those more intelligent, more innovative, and authentic who have your best interest.
Investing in you is the best return on investment!
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics atthreewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 156, Do this every day to protect your business and income, Prospect!
If you want to build your client list and create more income for yourself, you need to master doing this, Prospect with Intention!
Hello, Three Word Podcasters! I am Lisa Thal, and I share my thoughts on three-word topics to help engage and inspire you and those you lead. Three words you can use as a topic in your next sales meeting.
In last week's episode 155, I shared the formula for Productivity if you are in sales. The most effective and quickest way to shorten the sales cycle and build instant trust with that prospect. The best source, of course, is a referral from your best customers.
Why is prospecting vital to you? Because it protects your income and allows you to control your destiny. You could be one phone call away from a client canceling or choosing another vendor.
What Is Prospecting? Sales prospecting is taking action and intention to look for potential buyers, customers, or clients to convert into new business. Your goal is to provide a solution to the most significant business problem they are facing today. You do this, and you will earn their business.
Sounds simple and not easy!
While the concept is simple, an effective prospecting strategy is challenging to execute. Research shows that 50% of sales time is wasted on unproductive prospecting. We are focused on accounts that are not a fit for our product or service. They don't have the budget to invest in executing the solution you are providing. Think about it—how much more selling could you do if you weren't wasting so much time on these clients.
Today that changes as we focus on seven ways to improve your new business prospecting.
Who are your best clients?
The most critical step in prospecting is understanding your best client, their interests, pain points, and what motivates them to buy. Your sales efforts will fall short if you don't know whom you can help. Start by reviewing your best customers and determine what they have in common, the Size of the companies, and the problems they may be facing that you have solved. When prospecting, we may be wasting valuable time calling on clients that we can't help or that don't have the budget to invest in our products to be successful.
Consider the different types of clients who have the most success with your product.
Who are they?
Why do they buy?
How have you helped them?
The more specific you get, the more granular you can get with your sales prospect list. If you don't know the answers to the questions above, interview your best clients and ask them the questions above.
Would you answer your call?
Master making calls. The question is would you make an appointment with yourself? Have you proven that making time on their calendar is worth it? 78% of decision-makers have taken an appointment from a cold call. It starts with a conversation from you and a valid business reason why they should meet with you.
Do your research.
To have confidence in calling, you have to identify the why.
Is there something you read about their company that you can help solve?
Is there an industry trend that will impact them?
What are some of their potential pain points?
How can you solve their specific issues? Are they working with any of your competitors? The more information you have, the more confident you will feel and the better you can speak to their specific wants and needs.
Be Proactive and Consistent
It's easy to put sales prospecting at the bottom of your list, but creating sales must consistently be a daily activity.
Consider setting daily prospecting goals.
How many cold calls should you make a day?
How many emails should you send?
In most cases, you have to find and develop your leads. By establishing a method and process, prospecting quickly becomes a habit and can help you avoid any revenue shortfalls.
Nurture Relationships
Even after perfecting your sales pitch and contacting all the right people, you could still have the client say no. Some of the businesses we are targeting may be happy with their current vendor. It's essential to stay close by connecting and sending them relevant information to help their business. Develop a prospecting strategy to nurture these prospects until they become ready to buy.
The key to building a lasting relationship with a prospect is to understand why they said 'no' in the first place. Many times, 'no' really means 'not yet. Learn from each call and ask the prospect for help in understanding their hesitation or why your product isn't necessarily a good fit.
(Learn more) Overcoming Sales Objections: The 5-Point Guide.
Sale is a Journey
I often hear timing is everything. Your best customer today started with a phone call or in-person meeting. Let's face it; it is challenging to close a client on the first call. It's a process of building trust and earning a conversation to have the opportunity to help solve their business problems. Your ability to stay relevant and bring solutions to the clients is vital.
One Size does not fit all.
Get creative and try different sales prospecting techniques. What works to find and convert one prospect might not work the next time you try it. Try other methods, track your results, and improve your strategy. Just keep moving forward. Each new prospect is motivated by various things. Our job is to discover what that is and give it to them.
The real-estate industry focus on Location, Location, Location. If we want to stay in business and grow our income, we must embrace these words: Prospect, Prospect, Prospect every day!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 155, The proven Formula to be productive in sales.
I share my thoughts on three-word topics to help engage and inspire you and those you lead. Three words you can use as a topic in your next sales meeting.
We are mid-way through our year or, for some, finishing your year, and I have a question for you? Are you on track to exceed your revenue goals? Will your team exceed its revenue goals if you are an owner or manager?
Yes, we access each month whether we meet or exceed our goals. Are you making shifts to make sure you're doing the right activities each day to assure you will have success?
We are doing mid-year reviews with our team members to discuss any shifts they think they need to make to stay on the path to success. We are trying to determine if they are doing the right activities to be more Productive vs. busy. We can fall into the trap of thinking we are so busy at the end of each day, only to discover we were not doing the right activities to move our business forward.
The Companies and sales teams that perform consistently do the right activities each day. If you manage a team and notice one of your team members not meeting expectations, what advice do you give them? I hear most of you saying they need to make more calls? Yes, that may be true. Do you know the exact number of calls? How many proposals? What investment level? What is their closing ratio for each team member?
It can be very frustrating at the end of the week to see if you were so busy with emails and other tasks that you missed the opportunity to protect and grow your business and your income. Yes, the more data you have on how to coach your team, the better. What I know for sure is that what you do each day matters. Taking action each day creates a compounding impact on your business. The book Atomic Habits re-enforces this theory that doing something each day will make that winning habit for yourself.
The Formula for Productivity is Win the Day! I learned this simple yet effective strategy from the Center for Sales Strategy team. The goal is to be focused each day on activities that can be more productive and effective for your business.
I love this because it allows your seller to own and win their day. Yes, you have opportunities to go on calls in the field with them and coach them. But your calendar may not allow you to be with them every day.
The formula, Win The Day, has your seller focus their time and efforts on what they need to do to create new business and grow their current account list. I will have an exact copy of what I share with you in the show notes.
Win the Day and Create More Income
Created Business Sales Activities - the sales activity point tracker
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Points Client Total Client Total Client Total Client Getting a Created Business referral 3
Setting a Created Business Appointment for A Needs Analysis 8
Conducting a Created Business Needs Analysis 10
Meeting/Call with a Created Business prospect/client focused on creating or refining a solution 15
Presenting a Created Business proposal in person 30
Closing a Created Business Deal 20
Closing a Created Business Target Account 30
Renewing a Created Business Key Account 10
Renewing a Created Business Key Account for More Money 30
TOTALS
0
0
0
The goal is to earn 60 points a day by doing various activities, Productive activities that help your business, not just busywork. The seller gets to choose, and it will be challenging the first few days as you ask your seller to shift their focus. It's important to note that your seller can't make the points up in the week, 60 a day and 300 by Friday!
Sales is a numbers game, but what you focus on, you get! I love this formula because it gives focus and control to the salesperson. It creates a road map to successful behaviors that require action.
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 154, How to create a Successful First meeting with a new client!
If you are in sales, your income depends on how well you do this.
Make sales! And making sales starts with earning a conversation with the client and solving their problems.
Have you ever heard the phrase No Pain, No Gain? I am guessing that picking up the phone to make a cold call to a prospect may feel more painful? But you do it. You convince the prospect to meet with you; great job. Now the real work begins.
So I have a question for you?
You are at the first meeting you worked so hard to get.
Are you prepared to ask thoughtful questions to help them?
The questions you ask at your first meeting will set the tone for how the client views you and your company?
Do you have a list of questions?
A great way to engage your team in your next sales meeting would be to have the group share what questions they are asking in that first meeting?
You can then break into small groups, or if you are working remotely, go into breakout rooms and discuss the most compelling questions your team should be asking that will help you gain vital information to help the client solve a problem.
Your team is prepared with questions to ask the new client at the initial meeting.
I want to share High Gain Questions that Caryn Kopp of Kopp Consulting recommends. Caryn's company success focuses on asking High Gain Questions that I thought would be helpful to share with your team.
What is the best way to do this?
During your First Meeting
Tell me a little about your role and how you're structured there.
What are the most important issues you want to be solved, or what do you wish was working better as it relates to ______________?
What have you already tried that hasn't worked?
What has worked?
Tell me more about that.
If this is nirvana for you after the meeting, what is the process for us to work together?
Who needs to be involved, and what paperwork needs to be signed?
What do you wish you could get from your current vendor (or vendor you previously used) that you can't get?
What kinds of ____ needs do you have which are immediate versus those coming down the pike?
For opportunities uncovered:
Will you be making the decision, or will there be others involved?
If there are others involved in the decision, what is important to each of them in choosing a vendor?
If you receive multiple proposals and all things look equal, including price, how will you go about making a decision?
If you are receiving multiple proposals and the proposals look different to you, how will you go about making a decision?
When are you looking to begin the project, and when do you need it completed?
Let's schedule a time on the calendar so I can walk you through the proposal and answer any questions you may have.
How's next Thursday for you, 10 am?
What is your cell number (if you don't have it) so I can text you a question as I put the proposal together.
Remember, everyone's time matters, including yours. Make sure you are more prepared than your competitors by asking High Gain questions, so you have the opportunity to earn the business over them!
Learn more about Caryn Kopp and how her company is opening doors to decision-makers- http://www.koppconsultingusa.com
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Confidential 2022 Kopp Consulting, LLC. All content provided herin is confidential and the sole intellectual property of Kopp Consulting, LLC and is being provided solely for internal purposes. This content shall not be republished or used in any form or in any manner without the express consent of Kopp Consulting, LLC. Reproduction or modification of any content or the creation of derivative works, therefrom, in whole or in part, without permission is strictly prohibited.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 153, Five Commencement Speeches that can help your Business!
It's Graduation Time! Congratulations to the parents who have kids who are graduating or the adults who earned their MBA or new certification. Three Words, You did it! It's like Warren Buffet says the best investment you can make is in yourself.
All graduations have some form of Commencement Speech. These speeches are Educational, Entertaining, and Inspirational and designed to help us transition into the business world.
I reflected on seeing if I could remember my High School and College Commencement speeches. Now that was a long time ago, and sadly I do not. Perhaps I was distracted talking to my sister Lynn and missed it. For me to retain important information, it has to connect to me. More importantly, if you can keep the message simple ( maybe three words laughing), you can recall the wisdom you learned.
I thought I would share a few of my favorite Commencement speeches that can apply to your Business and a simple phrase my nephew Will lives his life by that you are sure to remember!
View setbacks as opportunities / Steve Jobs, Stanford University, 2005
This powerful speech from the late Steve Jobs (entrepreneur, Apple founder, and tech icon) will resonate no matter where you're at in your career.
Sharing stories from pivotal events in his life — getting fired from Apple, and receiving a cancer diagnosis — Jobs explains that your setbacks often lead you to success.
He encourages you to approach every obstacle as an opportunity to learn and pursue the work that inspires you. He says, "The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do."
Successful business owners are always willing to learn and evolve. Whether you look to podcasts, past teachers, mentors, or other business owners, you can find valuable lessons about fear, change, growth, and purpose.
Embrace failure / J.K. Rowling, Harvard University, 2008
J.K Rowling wrote Seven Harry Potter Books because she Embraced Failure. In her speech, J.K. Rowling talks about the inherent value of Failure: it helps you succeed. Drawing on her experience as a poor single mother struggling to publish her first book, Rowling explains that Failure can be a driving force: that liberates you from fear and motivates you to pursue what you want most.
As she puts it, "It is impossible to live without failing at something unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all — in which case, you fail by default." Take a cue from Rowling and embrace your business failures as opportunities to grow and become bolder.
"If it doesn't feel right, don't do it." — Oprah Winfrey's 2008 speech at Stanford University. Don't sacrifice Happiness for Money! "When you're doing the work you're meant to do, it feels right, and every day is a bonus, regardless of what you're getting paid," she said.
Oprah shared that feelings are your GPS for life. She said you could feel when you're doing the right thing in your gut. Your emotional guidance system lets you know when you're supposed to do Something or not supposed to do Something," she said.
She explained that doing what your instincts tell you to do will make you more successful because it will drive you to work harder and save you from debilitating stress.
"If it doesn't feel right, don't do it. That's the lesson. And that lesson alone will save you, my friends, much grief," Winfrey said. When you don't know what to do, get still, get very still, until you know what to do."
Spend less time dreaming and more time doing / Shonda Rhimes, Dartmouth, 2014
Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, and Bridgerton would not be possible for our entertainment viewing without Shonda Rhimes. Her commencement speech message was about what to do if you feel overwhelmed or paralyzed by the dreams you have for your Business.
Shonda Rhimes shares, "While [some] are busy dreaming, the really happy people, the really successful people, the really interesting, engaged, powerful people, are busy doing." Dreaming is only effective if you follow it with action — whether you're brainstorming a new business model or imagining how to grow your company. You don't even need to know what you want to do. Rhimes says the most important thing is to stay open to possibilities and start somewhere.
If there is a Will, there is Way / Will Fick Penn State 2022
Will Fick is my nephew, 24 years old, with Down Syndrome. Thanks to the Live stream, I was able to see Will in his Blue Graduation gown walk with others to get his diploma. Will earned his certification from the College of Education, "Worklink Strategies and employability ."The WorkLink program provides an opportunity for individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) to participate in postsecondary experiences and education alongside their peers.
This program provides Will with the skills to work in the business world.
" If there is a Will, there is a Way." I share this simple phrase because I believe it can inspire you with your Business. Will has never met a stranger; he is excited to learn new things.
As I watched Will grow into a young man, I learned many lessons from him. Be Kind, Laugh, Learn Something new each day, Let go of the past, Live in the moment, and yes, If there is a Will, there is a Way!
So I encourage you to stop and think about your commencement speech. What words of encouragement and inspiration can you share with yourself that can inspire you to keep investing in yourself and your future.
It's all about your perspective, and if you have the Will, you can find a Way!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your Sales meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
In Episode 152, Don't let emails get in the way of you seeing new clients!
Learn how to Clear out 1,000 emails from your inbox in an hour!
Spring is here! Most of us do these things in the Spring. Change our smoke and Carbon Monoxide detector batteries. We move the furniture like a couch to cleanout. Get our AC units tuned up. We empty our closets and switch out our winter to spring clothes. Maybe for some of us, our winter sweats to Spring attire. Or call 1-800. Got Junk to call them and point at the things you want to disappear.
Isn't it a great feeling when you go through this process? You clear out and update what no longer is working for you.
Let me ask you a question. What Spring cleaning do you need to do with your business? What can you clear away so you can spend more time with your clients and new prospects?
In your next sales meeting, here are a few topics worth discussing.
- Discuss as a team the best approach to earning the first meeting. Is there a better way to save you time, a proven process when reaching a new client?
- Is it time to review your sales materials you send prospective customers? The materials you use to position the key benefits and differences in working with you and your company.
- VBR's - have you updated them to be relevant in today's business world?
- Have you taken the time to update your LinkedIn profile? Start with updating your recommendations by adding some to this year. Reach out to Happy customers and ask them to write a referral for you; for more tips, follow Jennifer Darling, who is the expert on generating leads through LinkedIn.
- Organize your email inbox! An email has become one of the ways we communicate in business. But it doesn't have to steal valuable time away from you moving your business forward. Your inbox may be a lot like your closet, which needs some purging or better organization.
Apply this one-hour strategy, and you will feel more in control of your emails versus the emails controlling you and your day.
Minutes 1 to 10: clear out the Junk
I like starting by sorting by who sent the email. I allow myself ten minutes to delete all the junk emails. These emails are the ones cluttering up your inbox and keeping you from the ones you need to see.
Minutes 10 to 30: create folders and labels
Now it's time to organize the messages left that don't need any action but that you need or want to keep. There are as many folder systems as email users, but an easy one to try is to make a folder for any topic or type of email with several messages that relate to it. So, that could mean folders like Client-specific, members of your team you coach, VBR, Research, HR, and so on.
You can also create a "To File Later folder" or an "Unsubscribe" folder for anything you don't want anymore. Those are great folders to sort through when you have five minutes between meetings.
Minutes 30 to 50: Use the two-minute rule or make a to-do list for emails that need action
The emails you're left with now need action. If you do it in less than two minutes, do it now. If you need more time to take care of the message, add it to your to-do list with a notification to remind you to do it. Then, archive the email to keep your inbox clear (you'll still be able to search for it later).
Minutes 50 to 60: Update your settings for easy maintenance
You can avoid this by setting up filters that'll automatically sort your incoming messages, so you don't have to. You can set up a filter that sends them all to a "Read Later" folder. (Outlook has its version of filters called "rules" that can do some heavy lifting for you.)
You might also consider setting up an auto-reply for your Gmail or Outlook when you won't be able to reply to emails as quickly as you usually would (like if you're in a meeting, out of the office, or on vacation).
And, to fly through your messages, you can enable and learn some keyboard shortcuts for Gmail or Outlook.
One final recommendation to help manage to clear your inbox each day is to approach each email with "Read, Act, File, or Delete." Use these four options will help you to clear your inbox daily. It "requires real commitment," but the goal is simple: "Never touch something more than once." If possible, schedule meetings that can't run longer than 45-50 minutes so you can catch up on emails during the 10-15 minutes in between appointments.
So Spring into Action today! Update your systems and get rid of things that no longer serve you. This way, you can spend more time with your customers and moving your business forward!
If you think someone could benefit from this Episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 151, Why Moms are good for business!
Today's podcast is for hard-working moms who sacrifice so much for others. I thought I would share Mom Thal's impact on my career and six business tips I learned from her.
Time Management.
Clean up your room! Anyone heard this growing up. Who knew cleaning up your room would come into play in the business world. It is an aspect of any successful business career. Most moms do more before 9 am than many do before 5 pm. Get the kids up, make breakfast and pack their lunch; oh yeah, make their lunch, get dressed, and be on time for work. Being organized and managing the day is a critical skill. We spend our days Task Switching from one project to the next. So it's essential to know where everything is so you don't lose valuable time.
Learn How to Negotiate.
I am one of eight kids, and the story that stays with me is when we would go to Wendy's after playing in a sporting event as a special treat. Our Mom would give us each $2.00 to buy something. I would want a hamburger, fry, and frosty, but $2.00 was not enough. So my sisters and I would do some critical thinking and negotiate with each other. I would buy the fries, and they would purchase the frosty, and we would share. It was a Win-Win situation—all of us walking away happy and satisfied.
Critical thinking and how to negotiate what you want is a learned skill that is important in the business world.
Get Back up after you fall.
Learning from your shortfalls is a critical skill for anyone in business. We all learned to walk for the first time. We would fall and get back up and try again. The same applies to our business. We may have a client cancel and, through your career, face disappointments. But we must get back up and move forward. We have an opportunity to learn from every experience. Our business is a process, just like learning to walk. We crawl, we walk, we run! Moms encourage us to do the same with our business. Follow your process to success and understand that you will face some setbacks and rejections. Learn from each experience and keep getting back up. Or, as some moms say," What doesn't kill you will make you stronger."
Manage Crisis
When you didn't feel well growing up, who did you want to call? I wanted my Mom. There was something about telling her that made me feel better.
My mother-in-law's favorite quote: " This too shall pass," comes to mind when facing tough business decisions, some in our control and some not. In business, you have to manage through a crisis at times. We just did the past few years- Covid and now inflation. But we make adjustments and work through it.
Relationships Matter.
My Mom is 91 and what I watched over her career is that relationships are essential in life and business. The best business advice Mom Thal taught me is that relationships matter. She created and nurtured her work relationships and her friendships. When we talk about relationships and friendships, she always says, "To have a good friend, you must be one."
Wise words I have applied to my relationships with someone I admire so much. The same applies to our business. We need to build trust, listen to our client's needs, and create solutions for their biggest challenges.
Say Thank you!
My Mom taught me to say Thank you! If you want to stand out from your competition, take the extra time to write a handwritten thank you. Let the prospect and your client know how much you appreciated your conversation with them and their time. Sending notes of appreciation to those you lead will impact them because everyone wants to know they matter. Taking the time to communicate that with them will pay big dividends.
I want to say thank you and Happy Mothers Day to all the moms, mentors, leaders, managers, and coaches who impact those around them. Moms, know that you are making a difference in your kids' lives, friendships, co-workers, and business partners. The moms I work alongside are my friends, clients, and sisters. And those moms that are physically no longer with us, like My Mother In Law, Olivia, you are missed.
Today we celebrate you!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 151, Is sales a Sprint or a Marathon?
I have a question for you? Do you think closing a sale is a Sprint or a Marathon?
This weekend in Cincinnati is our marathon that we call the Flying Pig. I started thinking about the similarities between sales and walking or running a marathon. I asked if you believe sales is a sprint or a Marathon, and I believe it's both.
In 2008 I challenged myself to run my first marathon, the Flying Pig. It was something I wanted to see if I could accomplish mentally and physically. The most I had run was 3-5 miles, but 26.2 was a bit of a stretch goal for me. Driving 26.2 miles seemed like a long way to go. I started to wrap my mind around running 26.2 miles and how I would accomplish this goal.
I knew that I needed a plan and determination to accomplish this goal.
The primary elements of marathon training are:
- Base mileage. Build your weekly mileage over time, running three-to-five times per week.
- Do a long run every 7–10 days so your body can adjust gradually to long distances. Which consists of a 20-mile run.
- The proper hydration and nutrition.
- Rest and recovery.
The Primary elements you need in sales are:
Make a Commitment
It's hard to wake up one day and run 26.2 miles. It takes a commitment and a training plan to accomplish this goal. You commit to a training plan that includes the right shoes, running clothes, nutrition, and strategy on how many miles you need to complete each week to build up to race day. There is a starting point and a finish line.
The same applies to your business. You have to commit to building your sales. It includes finding new clients and renewing and up-selling current clients. It includes sprinting- a sense of urgency to be the person to earn the conversation with the client. It may take more than one attempt to connect with them. You have to be the one running to them with solutions for their problems. It takes persistence and determination, just like a Marathon. It's a commitment you need to make every day to reach the finish line, which is earning the client's business.
Embrace the setbacks The best approach to a marathon is knowing that it's going to be hard and that it's going to challenge you.
The best thing to do is to embrace that it will probably suck at some point so that when it does suck, you can manage through it. And remember, it's simply one foot in front of the other at the end of the day.
The same applies to sales. You will face clients who cancel and choose another vendor, which sucks. But you're in it for the long haul. Learn from each experience and use it as fuel to not give up and stay engaged with that client.
Remember the Why It's important to remember why you chose sales as a career, your Why! Halfway through a marathon training, you might feel like quitting. You'll likely want to give up several times throughout your training because training for a marathon is hard; it's 26.2 miles!
In sales, we face the same thing. You will want to give up trying to set the intial conversation with your prospect because it's hard to get someone to make time on their calendar for you. You understand that it may take one to eight attempts to earn that meeting. Again, you are in it for the long haul, not a quick sale. So you stay the course.
Many Marathon runners create a more significant reason than getting fit or accomplishing a milestone -- something that, when they think of it, will inspire them to keep going. For example, some marathoners like to dedicate their miles to friends and family, and they wouldn't want to let down the people who are unique to them.
I am suggesting you do the same in your business. One reason may be that you like to build relationships and help others. You may need to dedicate your time and effort to your kids and spouses to give you that extra reason to keep moving forward.
I am proud to share that I did complete The Flying Pig Marathon, 26.2 Miles! A commitment I made to myself, through many setbacks and with a big WHY!
I encourage you to lace up your shoes or review what you need to keep your business and sales moving in the right direction. Take it one step at a time until you cross your finish line.
Good luck to all the Flying Pig Marathoners on Sunday. I will be cheering for you!
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 149, What's working for businesses?
Let me ask you a question?
What comes to mind when you hear these two words: Good Friday? Many may be thinking about the Friday we celebrate before Easter. Or, a good Friday could be when on vacation. Some of you may be thinking, Good Friday happens every two weeks when you get paid? I do like those Fridays.
I will share more in a moment on how you can join a movement in looking for and sharing more Good.
Did you ever wonder why the News leads with the worst stories? Shootings, fires, floods, people dying, Covid numbers are rising, and car accidents. Or you think to yourself my life is pretty good compared to others. Comparing your life versus others is called comparative suffering. The premise is that your life is pretty good compared to others. But I wait until the end of the broadcast for Lester Holt to share some Good News. Yes, Finally, something good in the world. An ordinary person is doing something extraordinary.
Why is News so often negative?
Negative News grabs our attention more than good News, leading to more revenue for the companies. The news outlets encourage us to click through those headlines, establish sensationalism, and spin.
I was thinking about when I play Golf. Do you think about all the good shots you hit or missed ones? I played with friends on Saturday and hit the ball well, short irons great, yet I evaluated the missed opportunities. Sure we have to focus on the areas of improvement, but we have to spend some time reviewing what worked and was positive.
Let's rewrite the headlines of our News, by paying attention to what is happening right in front of us, the good. We have to Mind our Minds! It may take some work to retrain our brains to look for something good. I would think we would all respond to hearing something positive shared versus the world ending.
Join me by spreading Good News. Let's collectively leverage the power of seeing something good and sharing it with that person.
Here are some examples to help share the Good on Fridays and every day with your team.
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Send a handwritten note to your employee's home recognizing something good they did. It shows you took the time to think about them—especially those employees working remotely.
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Take the time to say I admire you! Your passion and persistence to help others are incredible.
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If you're in sales, Congratulate an employee for setting a new business meeting by sending a video. Share with them that you appreciate their effort and that they worked so hard to earn that first meeting.
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Treat an employee to coffee or breakfast. Let them know how much you appreciate their perspective. Share how happy you are that they are a part of your team.
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Wonderful! Thank you for sharing. Has someone shared an idea to make a process or system for your company more efficient?
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That's Great News. Your client is adding more products to their current program. Your relationship and attention to detail, I am sure, made the difference. Congratulations on renewing your client.
For your customers, you can write a handwritten note that you are grateful to be working with them.
You can drop off donuts and have pizzas delivered to their team.
Share a great experience with a current vendor on your social channels.
Write a google review about your client.
Shift your attention by looking and sharing the Good you see. Be grateful for those you have the opportunity to work with each day. Gratitude will build long-lasting relationships with your team and your clients. It creates an environment where those team members feel respected and matter to your company.
You have the opportunity to create a workplace of gratitude through displays of appreciation, encouragement of passion, and the effort of noticing thoughtful actions. These small gestures can produce significant results for your company and your people.
Help me by sharing this to others so they can join us in sharing more good!
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 148, What business and life lessons we learned from Tiger Woods playing in the Masters.
Did you have a chance to watch The Masters Golf Tourney? I had my eye on the Tiger, Tiger Woods. I learned many life and business lessons from watching his journey to what it took to make it to the first tee.
First, let me recap how many people qualify for the Masters? Ninety-one players tee off on a Thursday, and by the end of Friday, the top 50 players play the weekend. Most of us may compete against two to four different vendors. Can you imagine competing against 91 other companies each week to earn a client's business?
Tiger made it to the weekend and fell short of winning another Green Jacket. But he won on many levels- especially Respect and appreciation. I give him so much Respect for his preparation, planning, and Purpose to compete.
I am sure it took those three words and a few others to allow Tiger to step on the first tee box on Thursday. What a gutsy performance for Tiger, who injured his right leg in a car accident. Many thought he may not walk again yet nearly a year late playing the Masters.
We saw moments of the old Tiger as we rooted for him and witnessed that Tiger is human and faced some setbacks he fought through. You can never count him out, especially when he sets his mind on something.
We may not be Tiger Woods! But we have the same opportunities every day to apply the principles of Preparation, Planning, and Purpose.
People don't just wake up and magically become successful because it was on their to-do list. They work hard and prepare for success! Business success relies on actual preparedness in the real world—not just a wish or hope plan.
So what can you do today to Master your goals?
Prepare for Success. To achieve long-term business success, you need a detailed plan.
Many elements are out of your control- from the people, you meet to life's challenges. We all will face unexpected events, just like Tiger Wood's faced with his car accident.
Preparation gets you ready to handle whatever life throws at you. Preparation means you have a can-do mindset, remain flexible in the face of stress, and focus on improving your skills. It means you keep multiple plans available. So, if Plan A gets thrown out the window, you still have Plan B.
When preparation meets opportunity, amazing things can happen.
A prepared mind is just as essential as planning. Proper preparation prevents poor performance and disappointment. So, instead of wondering why life hasn't been going to plan, create your luck with thorough preparation and determination.
Plan for Success.
What does your plan for success look like for you?
When was the last time you reviewed your plan?
Is it time to make adjustments to your plan?
Your road map to success begins with an in-depth plan that fully details how you'll attack the challenge ahead. Your plan should define any identified opportunities, clearly state your mission, describe your goal, establish measurable goals, and set deadlines for each milestone. Remember that while it's essential to have a plan, it's vital to be flexible enough to pivot when needed.
Surround yourself with the right people.
Tiger surrounded himself with the right people. The doctors, trainers, coaches, and so many others. Surrounding yourself with a great team is equally important. Build your business by connecting with smart, talented, and driven mentors or people who share your vision. They can not only transform your business but also accelerate its growth. Hiring positive, can-do employees helps create a culture that encourages teamwork if you're a manager. Foster an environment where everyone participates, so you can collectively celebrate everyone's successes.
Plan for the worst and expect the best.
Yes, we need to focus on the day-to-day, but we must plan for the future. We need to anticipate industry changes or trends that can impact our business and adapt and evolve with them. Predict what your customers will want and plan how to give it to them.
Have a Purpose.
Tiger had a purpose! First, he wanted to be ready to win the Master's. In doing so, he would tie Jack Nicklaus with six green jackets. He would prove that he could come back from any setbacks.
Have you thought about your Purpose?
Every single day, Tiger's drive to do something to prepare him for golf was the difference. His mindset and his Purpose. The Purpose is our WHY! The emotional reason why it's a must that we achieve that goal we have in mind. It's our passion; when we face setbacks, we don't quit; we keep moving forward. We keep making Progress.
You will face setbacks and disappointments along the way. My advice, learn from each experience and keep moving forward. Mind Your Mind! You control what you think and believe, so keep investing in yourself.
So let me leave you with this question. What are you trying to Master? You have what it takes to live the life you want. So take the time to think about and detail how you will do it, the mindset you will create, surround yourself with the right team around you, and keep these three words in mind on your road to success:
Preparation, Planning, and Purpose!
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 147, The 3 Motivators to Why people come to work!
WHAT MOTIVATES PEOPLE TO WORK? Have you ever thought about what motivates you to work hard? For most of us, the answer goes beyond money or material gains. Asking what motivates people to work – what inspires them to show up each day and give their all – ultimately gets at a more profound question:
What motivates people in life? Values, beliefs, feelings and experiences, and basic human needs like growth, connection, and contribution.
People like Daniel Pink, a best-selling business and human behavior author, share the science behind what motivates us.
Daniel discusses the results of scientific studies on what drives people to work hard at their jobs. Surprise: It's not money – it's tapping into a person's passions and needs for significance, growth, and contribution
Daniel Pinks discussion on what motivates people: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrkrvAUbU9Y
WHAT MOTIVATES PEOPLE TO WORK One thing was clear from the research, reward-versus-punishment, the old carrot and stick systems (de)incentivize behaviors; humans respond better to incentives that engage their interests and what matters to them.
Three (non-monetary) drivers keep workers engaged and inspired: Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose.
AUTONOMY To feel like a contributing member of the workforce, employees need to feel they are both skillful and trusted on the job. Empowering your team with a reasonable level of autonomy in the workplace is one of the most effective motivating factors.
MASTERY Whether you are the owner of the company or the employee of a growing firm, a feeling of mastery on the job is an essential part of what motivates people to work. To effectively learn how to inspire people, make sure everyone onboard has the tools and information they need to excel on the job.
PURPOSE What motivates you to work hard? It is not money that ultimately keeps us working hard. What drives people is a sense of purpose and contribution. Invest your time discovering what inspires those you lead. What matters most to them and motivates them in life.
How could these factors help you to inspire your team?
Here are a few specific things that motivate people, according to science:
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Host a "hackathon." In the video, Daniel talks about one company that gives its developers one day per quarter during which they can work on anything they want. That one day of autonomy has led to fixes, new products, and strategic innovation.
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Provide professional development. Numerous studies have found that employees want professional development opportunities. Give your employees time to get certifications, go to conferences, take classes and improve their mastery.
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Create a challenge. People driven by mastery are often goal-oriented, enjoy completing tasks, and appreciate a good challenge to improve their skills.
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Give back. No matter what motivates you to work hard, giving to others universally makes people feel good because it fulfills many of our deepest human needs. Provide opportunities for your employees to donate their time and services to those in need. Organize volunteer days. You'll connect your employees with a purpose – and keep them around.
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ROWE. Results-Only-Work-Environment. What does that mean to your workplace? People don't have schedules. They don't have to be in the office at certain times. They get their work done. We don't spend time concerned about how they do it, when they do it, where they do it. It is up to them. The results of the companies that adopted ROWE were tremendous. Productivity, worker engagement, and overall satisfaction, you guessed it, goes up.
WHAT MOTIVATES PEOPLE TO CHANGE? People tend to stick to old, familiar habits unless they have a powerful reason to change. Changing a personality trait or routine can be so daunting that many people resist self-improvement to avoid the challenge. It's one matter to be driven in your career and quite another to leverage what motivates you to work hard to work on your personal growth.
What does the research have to say about what motivates people to change?
Psychology Today reports that behavioral change occurs along two dimensions: internal/external and positive/negative.
These dimensions combine in four distinct ways, each producing a different effect on the drive.
- When someone is inspired to change by internal factors (their passions) and positive results (like fulfilled dreams or goals), they are likely to succeed at changing themselves.
- When someone is driven by external factors (circumstances) and positive results, they are likely to succeed at changing themselves at least partially.
- When someone is inspired to change by internal factors and negative results (like the threat of failure or loss), they might succeed at changing somewhat but risk a relapse into undesired behavior.
- When someone is inspired to change by external factors and negative results, they are unlikely to succeed at any level of personal change.
What motivates you to work hard may differ from the specific things that inspire others, but ultimately, what drives people centers around the three main factors: autonomy, mastery, and purpose. I encourage you to use your creativity, listen to uncover what matters most to your team, and keep asking questions to discover what matters to them. Focus on what's important to them from the inside vs. the outside.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 146, Why we all need a flashlight!
I have a question for you?
Have you found yourself juggling multiple projects and finding it hard to focus?
Do you have trouble remembering things or situations?
How do you prioritize which task to complete first?
I will share a few things I learned that you might find helpful to help you focus. I was listening to Brene Browns Podcast Dare To Lead. Her guest was Dr. Amishi Jha. A neuroscientist and author of Peak Mind's bestseller talks about attention, focus, and concentration. She shares how Three parts of our mind work together to direct our focus, widen, and make us receptive to incoming information.
Ever wonder why you choose to remember some things and forget other things?
My Twin sister Lynn and I just celebrated a birthday. We were sharing childhood experiences. She remembers everything, and I had a hard time recalling it. She remembered more about certain situations because she was paying more attention than I was. What I have come to realize through the book Peak Mind is that the first step to memory is attention. It's a process called "Press record," This idea is that we need to pay attention to have it go into long-term memory.
So, What is Focus?
It's our attention!
Have you ever experienced driving down the expressway, listening to your favorite radio station, and suddenly seeing red headlights? Then we quickly turn down the music for just a second to figure out what's going on." Why do we do that? Because this situation has your attention - your focus! As if turning down the music is going to change the situation.
You become alert, and you're receptive. If something does happen, you can take action fast because you're ready for it; you're in a readied state. I learned that the definition of attention is prioritizing some information over additional information; focusing is about prioritizing some content over other content. Alerting is about focusing on the present moment now. What is important is right now.
So, what happens when we multitask? Multitasking is not a thing. What we do in the brain is something called "task-switching."
A great metaphor is that a flashlight represents where you focus. We don't have flashlights; we have a flashlight. And what you say when you say multitasking, it's like, I got four flashlights, I got them pointing in all these different directions at once. That is not how it works. You may have several focuses, but only one of them will have your singular focus first.
For example, I can walk and talk simultaneously; walking doesn't require any attention if I have a deep conversation with somebody because the brain is programmed to walk. So, I can speak effortlessly or think because I am not trying to figure out how to walk. But now, if I put myself on a ledge or a cliff, and I said, "Alert -pay attention," suddenly I am in a different situation because now, that very automatic act of walking requires my attention.
So multitasking is a myth because it's impossible when we think we're doing multiple things at once. We are only engaged in one task at a time.
Then we disengage in the task, move into the other task, then disengage, and then move it again, so we're doing task switches repeatedly.
The attention system exists to solve one of your brain's biggest problems: there is far too much information in the environment for our brain to process fully. Our brain uses attention to filter out both the unnecessary noise and chatter around us and the background thoughts and distractions that constantly come up to the surface of our mind.
All-day, our attention system is in action: In the office, in meetings, while we are driving, the five windows you have opened on our computer, your phone with multiple texts, all those distractions.
Attention is so powerful and is our "Brains boss" because attention guides how information gets processed in our brains. We become challenged by the constant stream of information we ask our brains to process. At times, we feel overwhelmed and distracted, which no one likes this feeling. So what can you do?
It is all about Mindfulness! We take a deep breath and focus our Flashlight. We pay attention to present-moment experiences without reacting. We have to focus our attention on what's happening at that moment.
So, the first step is to point your Flashlight to something, focus, direct your attention. The second step is to notice, "Where am I right now? Where is my mind?" If your mind begins to wander away, you can't clear it because stuff will come up, so give yourself a break if you've noticed your mind has strayed away. Find your Flashlight and bring it back.
Follow these three words to focus when you feel like your attention is getting pulled in multiple directions. Focus, Notice, Redirect your attention, and shine your Flashlight to where you want your attention to go!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
To hear Brene Brown's podcast with Dr. Amishi Jha click below:
https://brenebrown.com/podcast/finding-focus-and-owning-your-attention/
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 145, It's time to Spring your Sales into Action!
Hello, Spring! Sunday marked the first day of Spring. We are nearly three months into our year, or months from ending their year for some whose year ends in June.
I have a question for you.
How are you feeling about your year so far?
Are you on track to exceeding your goals?
I was in a coaching session with one of my sales leaders, and we discussed that Three months ago, we were doing annual reviews, planning, and proclaiming what we needed to do in 2022 to exceed our goals. If you are in sales, one plan may have been to make more money? You detailed how you would do that. Call one new prospect a day? Add another service line or product to your existing customer. Perhaps, asking for a referral from one of your most successful clients. A plan to move your business forward.
Today is a great time to review your business plan to see if you're on track or need to Spring into Action to ensure you reach your goals. So we need to ask ourselves what we need to do to create momentum and move our prospects or clients forward.
Action is Required
Action is required to move our business forward. Productivity guru David Allen understands how to get things done. His bestselling book, Getting Things Done, is about time management. And many of the lessons he teaches in his book apply directly to sales. One of his most relevant lessons for salespeople involves breaking down a more significant task ( earning the business) into the logical sequence of events required to help the customer make a purchase decision (your sales process.) Allen writes about needing to know the "very next physical action required to move the situation forward at each step of your process."
Let's look at that statement in the context of sales. In selling terms, you have to know the action you should take at each step of your sales process to move the customer at least one step closer to making their purchase decision. Each client has a journey to doing business, and it's our job to figure it out.
So we have to ask ourselves: What information or insights are the prospect or client expecting from me during our next meeting that will move their buying decision forward? What value can I provide or share that will have them take action on doing business with me?
Be Deliberate
We face challenges because we don't know or have developed the following action required to move our clients forward. Too many of us operate on auto-pilot. We show up for work every day and not intentionally but try to apply the same sales process to every prospect. And when that doesn't work, we assume they went with another competitor or didn't want to do business with us and move on to the next prospect. We have to remember each new target customer and client is motivated by different things. Our goal is to discover what moves them.
For example, if one of your next action steps is to send a follow-up email to the customer. Before you take that step, you have to ask yourself why are you sending that email? What value are you delivering in the email that will make a difference to the buyer? What information will you provide to move the customer's buying process forward?
And, most importantly, what's the "very next action" that you want the customer to take as a result of receiving the value you delivered? This process would apply to email, phone calls, zoom calls, or face-to-face meetings.
Success in sales requires us to be curious, thoughtful, mindful, and deliberate. Instead of dreaming about getting that order, you should carefully set a series of short-term goals for your prospects that layout the following actions you need to take to help them take action.
Let's recap our strategy. Don't make a move with a prospect or customer until you understand the action you want from that client. Following up will rarely make a difference in the customer's decision-making process if it isn't intentional. Be more deliberate and have an action plan for each interaction to deliver more value to help your prospect make a fast and favorable decision to choose you! Again, the question you need to walk through is, What information or insights are the prospect or client expecting from me during our next meeting that will move their buying decision forward.
Close more business by Springing into Action!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 144, Is it Luck or Skill that helps you close the sale?
Hello, Three Word Podcasters! If this is your first time, welcome. I am your host Lisa Thal, and I share my thoughts on three-word topics to help engage and inspire those you lead during your next sales meeting.
In celebration of St. Patrick's Day, I thought it would be interesting to see how much Luck plays a role in our business, especially if you're in sales.
The Ole Luck of the Irish or Lady Luck!
Have you heard the famous phrase, "It's better to be lucky than good?"
Or the " The Harder I work, the luckier I get."
How would you define Luck?
I believe it is the right opportunity at the right time!
To put yourself in that position takes more than Luck. You have to do the work, take action every day towards your goals, and be given the opportunity for Luck to become a factor.
I recently read an article in the Harvard Business Review by Joel Le Bon about Why the Best Salespeople Get So Lucky.
The article discussed how Luck could play a role in sales success when combined with effort and skill:
Think about this. The greater the sales activities, the more opportunities for Luck! The greater a salesperson's Belief that success is a combination of Luck and effort and the greater their sales activities, such as making phone calls, meeting prospects, qualifying prospects, and gathering intelligence about prospects and competitors.
Joel shared that Belief in the power of Luck seems to boost self-confidence. This mindset created a feeling of optimism in the face of setbacks, especially with inexperienced salespeople overcoming uncertainty and fear of failure. These factors are critical in helping salespeople to maintain motivation.
Yes, having a winning mindset helps you believe that Luck plays a role in your success. The real Luck begins with better-executed sales behaviors that set the stage to experience Luck.
Here are four behaviors that can improve your Luck!
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Competitive intelligence. The more knowledge you have, the more intelligent and the luckier you become. We need to search for intel about customers, prospects, competitors, and the overall market. We have " Google" to help us research everything from the people we meet with and the prospecting companies.
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Set high goals. I'm not talking about quotas. I'm talking about ambitious goals, such as trying to surpass your past performance. Ambitious goals make salespeople more creative and strategic. We should be encouraged to adopt higher goals because they drive forward-looking behaviors.
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Fail Forward. We will all face setbacks or what appears to be a failure. These failures, or what I call learning experiences, make us better. We need to remain positive in the face of failure. We should push ourselves to set failure goals, such as being told I am not interested by x number of customers in a day or month. It's a numbers game, and the more you call, the luckier you will get. These setbacks lead to our success.
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Change your circumstances. Salespeople should be encouraged to disrupt their habits, get out of their routines and comfort zones, and meet new people. They should do new things, expand their networks by going to unusual places, and build new alliances. In sales, opportunities are created not among the people you know but those you don't.
Luck is meeting the right opportunity at the right time!
So, how important is Luck to your career success?
People usually say that when preparation meets opportunities, Luck is by your side. Luck has several definitions, and each individual has its versions.
Now, if you ask, does Luck lead to career success?
My answer would be 50% YES and 50% NO.
YES, because Luck is also an essential factor for success.
NO, because Luck is not the only factor. To achieve success, you need to have talent, skills, hard work, and the right strategies used at the right time.
Richard Wiseman, the author of The Luck Factor, states that people who believe they are lucky are more successful in life than people who think they're unlucky.
The primary key here is that Luck will play its part when you put the work in, thus leading you to success.
The three principles of Luck.
- People who feel lucky always create and work on opportunities
- Never move back fearing failures and take more planned risks
- Learn from their experiences and work hard to reap the benefits.
So put more Luck on your side. Luck is a trait that resides with the one who is confident about themselves and willing to work hard to achieve success!
Stay on the Path of Luck by creating more opportunities for you!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 143, Four tips to keep your sales from "Stalling."
I was coaching a seller and asked about an account she had been calling on and what kept them from moving forward. She replied, "I am having a hard time getting them to call me back. I feel like they are ghosting me."
I replied I call it ghosting, but they are stalling to move forward. I explained the difference between Stalling and Objecting to what you presented.
We first have to get clear that there is a difference between "stalls" and "objections."
Stalls and objections are what you may hear after you have asked for a commitment, but an objection is a specific reason not to buy. In a stall—"I need to think about it"—your prospect or client offers no particular reason for hesitating.
Don't let this keep you from moving your client forward.
Again, with stalls, the customer offers no particular reason for hesitating. What the stalling client is saying is this: "They are not quite ready." I need more evidence to decide to work with you and your company.
Your client may be attempting to gain more information more confidence in what you're offering. So we may have a little more work to do.
"Do you know the only objection that you can't overcome?" It is the objection you never get to hear.
The clients' objection might be their way of better explaining what makes you different and why doing business with you will improve their situation.
You improve your chances of winning the business by changing your mindset and rethinking objections and stalls as simply opportunities to present more information or, better yet, evidence of success.
If you're in sales or management, I have a feeling you have heard one of these "Stall tactics."
- "It's not in the budget right now."
- "I have to speak with the owner."
- "It's not our No. 1 priority"
- "We will get back to you ..."
Or worse, they don't call back at all.
So what can you do?
We have to learn to overcome Stalls.
A good portion of our business includes getting meetings with the decision-makers that can say yes.
Passion with Purpose
There are many examples of sales success. It starts with Passion! Your enthusiasm is contagious; it affects everyone around you—including clients. It helps you through the setbacks, objections, rejections, stalls, and everything else that affects your attitude and approach.
Reinforce the solutions and benefits you offer to help them solve their biggest problem. That will strengthen your Passion and purpose.
Track your progress
Having an efficient process to manage your sales keeps you focused and on track. Every day you need to have a clear map of activities laid out. What activities do you need to do to move the business forward? Is it a phone call? Is it sending client-focused research? Could you share a case study of success? It's your process of progress that will get you there faster.
Have a High C
People can sense your confidence level, so you don't want to have a Low C. You want a High C. If you can't bounce back from setbacks and rejection with a positive attitude, it becomes more and more challenging to break through to a new business.
Resiliency also improves when you focus on qualified accounts--and walk away from the ones where the return on investment is low.
I would recommend asking yourself or your prospects: "What's our next step?" Often the prospect can give a better way to move through the sales cycle. Don't be afraid of rejection--that's essential information to understand.
Added Value with each attempt
It's all about every step you take. Oh, this reminds me of the famous song from the group Police.
Every Breath you take
And every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
They will be watching you.
Each time you make any follow-up call with a prospect, they are watching you. Make sure you have a new idea or information valuable to the client. Stay focused on how you, your product, and your company provide Value.
Earn it
Passion, planning, high C, adding Value, and earning it are the keys to opening doors and building your business and will be the foundation in helping eliminate many sales stalls.
No one likes to deal with objections and stalls but is a part of the sales process. We want to help these clients. So we need to take control by asking thoughtful follow-up questions to help them. By uncovering our prospect's needs for more information, you put yourself in a better position to make the sale.
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 142, What should you say when calling a new prospect?
I wonder if you can relate to this situation when making a new business call and what to say when they answer.
Hello, it's me
I was wondering if after all these years you'd like to meet
To go over everything
Or
I was wondering if after all these years you'd like to buy advertising.
Laughing- I will stick to my day job and leave the singing to Adele. Maybe that's not the best approach, but how many of us may feel that way when making new calls.
I discussed this very topic in a coaching session with a team member, reviewing their new business targets. He had chosen these accounts worth his time to call on. I asked the question, why did you decide to call on this one? He replied that we have great success in this category, and I can help the client. I like that he has confidence in a category, creating a better opportunity to call on a client. I then went on to say, what do you say when that client answers your call?
Most of us believe that if we get them on the phone, I can find a way to get that new meeting. It sounds simple, but it's not easy. Clients have problems that need to be solved, and the question is will it be you solving it or your competitors? There are many factors at that moment they answer.
What state of mind are they in when you call?
Will you add value to their day or steal time?
Either way, you have one chance to earn the conversation to see if you can help.
One of the best in the industry at setting new meetings is Caryn Kopp – of Kopp Consulting, and she shared some advice that I believe can benefit all of us.
It's essential to get it right when the prospect answers the phone. When you reach someone live, you have less time to get the prospect's attention and get your point across. And, you won't get a second chance at that same conversation. So, Caryn recommends preparing two sentences and a question to engage prospects in dialogue and start a short discussion.
Here is the framework which will help you.
Sentence 1:
Your name and your company name. "Hi, this is Lisa Thal from 2060 Digital."
Sentence 2:
Precisely what you do in language which is relevant and compelling to your decision-maker. "We do new business development, and we get our clients in front of the right customers."
Question:
A follow-up question to engage the conversation. "How important is showing new customers conversions for you this year?"
If you have done a good job selecting the right prospects to call, the decision-maker will answer my question by saying, "That is important to me." Then, I would say, "Glad we connected!" And the conversation would continue.
The key that Caryn shares are to remember what your prospects could gain by talking with you or meeting you versus what they have now without knowing you. In other words, how can knowing you make your prospect's life better?
We have to keep in mind that the prospects we call are not expecting our call. Or they would be calling us! Wouldn't that be great?
Focus your message from the prospect's point of view.
Will your two sentences and follow-up question engage your prospect in a conversation? Create two sentences that work for your industry and practice them on calls. Make adjustments along the way.
Keep your messages short and simple. Avoid saying sentences or phrases that make someone say, "What do you mean by that?" Avoid industry jargon which is meaningless phrases: "best in class," "great service."
Be prepared with your two intentional sentences and an intriguing question, and you will be ready for success.
If you do this, you will no longer be saying "Hello From the other side."
If you think someone could benefit from this article, I invite you to share it.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 141, The Six words that turn losing into winning!
Are you missing Sunday Football like me? We were talking about experiencing a little Who Dey Hangover in the office. I have to admit it's been a long time since I watched football in February. I am thinking about March Madness or my golf game. But, as I reflected on the Super Bowl, I thought about how the game and how a few plays could have changed the outcome.
In the fourth quarter, with a 20-16 lead, Bengals receiver Tyler Boyd dropped a pass with sizeable catch-and-run potential on third down, forcing Cincinnati to punt with over six minutes remaining. That kept Cincinnati from converting and taking time off the clock.
The Rams' offense marched downfield to the red zone. The Bengals committed penalties on two different plays, which gave the Rams extra chances to score. A 1-yard touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp gave Los Angeles the game-winning score with 1 minute 25 seconds left.
Who Dey Nation, hoping we had one more opportunity to either win or tie the game with a Money Mack field goal to put it into overtime. The Rams' defense was a bit more than our O-line could handle, and an incomplete pass on fourth down on Cincinnati's last-ditch possession ended.
It ended with a close score of 23 to 20, with our Bengals falling short. I thought about the game and the similarities our teams share to an NFL Football team.
What do we have in common? We learn persistence, perseverance, confidence, determination, persuasion, and Teamwork. More importantly, what we gain from each experience is invaluable? If we keep learning, we will keep making progress throughout our careers. We must understand that we may not win every time. But, we do win if we learn something from each attempt.
We are very much like an NFL Team - which is a business! We have owners, shareholders, coaches, and players who perform at a high level every day to achieve the year's goals. In the end, we have to score more to exceed our revenue expectations.
The question is, how do we do it?
Persistence & Perseverance Salespeople and Athletes have a lot in common; it takes a lot of perseverance and hard work to get to the top. Keep in mind that most prospects do not buy what you are selling immediately. Vince Lombardi, former Green Bay Packers Head Coach, said: "It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up." Successful people do not give up; they get back up and work towards their goals. They see a setback as an opportunity to make a comeback!
Confidence & Determination Determination, the focus on your purpose, comes from persistence and perseverance, mixed with the confidence you gain from success after experiencing failure. It may feel impossible to be 100% confident 24/7; however, sales will teach you how to project confidence when everything feels out of your control. Joe Burrow led with preparation. He walked and talked confidently and had his team emulating the same. How prepared are you and your team each day? Joe had to think on his feet with each play, and so do we. We have to be ready to overcome objections and stay determined and confident.
Persuasion
What persuaded us? It took some persuasion early in the season to get the City to embrace the Bengals and believe they had the talent to make it to the Super Bowl. The team believed they could win every game and played full-on until the end. We have the opportunity to do the same. We have to find a way to persuade our clients to help solve their problems. We have to come ready to play every day!
Team Work
The chemistry of a team matters! One player or play can ignite a team, and we saw that all season long. Joe makes a play, and the defense creates an opportunity; Money Mac kicks the game-winning field goal. The energy and enthusiasm you bring to work every day matters. You have the opportunity to do the same on your team. One call or one sale may be the one thing that encourages another co-worker to have the courage to do the same. So have the right mindset and say, let it start with me! Let me be the one that inspires those around me.
The Bengals' dream season may have ended in heartbreak, but the vision of where the franchise is going is crystal clear and optimistic. So until the new season begins, I will hold on to what Joe Burrow, the leader of the Who Dey Nation, shared at the end of the game, "We'll take this and let it fuel us for the next few years."
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 140, Learn how to take price out of the client's equation?
Yesterday we celebrated Valentine's Day! It is a memorable holiday shared by couples to express their love for each other and a day shared with your family and kids. I can remember growing up and getting a little box of chocolates or candy hearts. You know the little box sweethearts with the words on them, "Say Yes," or "Be Mine."
Growing up, we were excited about the possibility of someone asking us, " Will you be my Valentine."
You could get into a bit of trouble in business if you asked your client to be your Valentine. I am not recommending that strategy. But, we want to ask the question perhaps a little differently, " Will you be my client?'
To have the other person say yes to our question, we must do a few things.
You Relate to them. In the word Relationship sits Relate. So if you want to have long-lasting relationships, you have to continue to find a way to be relevant and relatable to them.
It sounds simple but not easy unless you invest your time finding out what is important to them.
We have to create client relationships, positive, long-term connections. Building client relationships should focus on clients' needs. Some companies interact with their customers briefly during the business transaction, while others maintain close relationships with their clients for years.
Stop and think about a client you have been doing business with for an extended period. I guess that you're doing something over and above what your competitors are offering.
How do you develop and maintain a relationship with your clients?
Get to know your client.
The first step in establishing any long-lasting relationship is to learn about your potential new partner. You cannot build good business ties unless you find out how your clients and their businesses operate. It's essential to understand what they want from the relationship and need.
You need to know your client and their business model, practices, and short- and long-term goals. This way, you can approach them from a place of knowledge from the start. You are not interested in a surface relationship, so dig deep to understand the market your client is trying to compete in and do research to find out more about competitors and the industry. You are interested in helping them for a long time.
Educate your clients
I'm a big believer in educating prospects and customers. What kept us from working together with them. Even if they decide to work with someone else, we want to understand what it takes to achieve their results. Keep providing research content that can benefit them, and you will become a valuable partner to them.
Share knowledge with your client who may not know or understand the details involved in your company's workflow. Explain clearly how communication between your company and the client works, describe how the product or service functions, and provide a clear timeline for the project with regular updates. Keeping your clients informed allows them to feel comfortable throughout the process.
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
Remember that getting to know your client should always be a give and take. You want to keep the lines of communication open between yourself and your clients. Always listen, ask thought proving questions, and ask for feedback.
Giving your honest advice about what may need improving in your client's business will generally be seen as a sign of goodwill and will help build rapport and trust. Sometimes the advice you give will not be directly beneficial to you; however, it will help strengthen your client relationship in the long term.
How do you communicate?
Establish open, consistent lines of communication with your client. Offer them multiple ways to contact you, such as a cell phone number, office phone number, and email address.
Be available to speak with your clients should they need you to show you care about them. Ask them the best form of communication for them. Is it email, phone calls, or in-person? Is there a day or time that works best for their schedule? It will show you care more about their time than yours. Establish regular communication along the way and answer any questions.
Learn something from each meeting
Learn their needs. When you first begin onboarding your client, take the time to learn about their business needs and operations. The better you understand how their company functions, the better positioned you'll be to create the ideal sales, project, and recommendation for them. Keep in mind that things change, so when you meet, ask if anything has changed with your business needs?
Celebrate Their Wins
The magic happens when you get to know them as people and have a genuine interest in them as humans. Find a way to know them personally and celebrate their life wins. Know their kids' names, pets' names, hobbies, where they graduated from, favorite sports teams, and share milestones with them. Send birthday cards and customized gifts; it goes a long way.
Business relationships can be fun and meaningful throughout your career. Just make sure you always find a way to add more value and become more relatable as you build your relationship!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 139, How do you make Winning look easy? Work For It!
We are days away from the Super Bowl! And Who Dey Nation - The Cincinnati Bengals are in the big game. The last time our city was this excited and united was when the Reds won the World Series in 1990, thirty-two years ago.
The Bengals' last time in the Super Bowl was 1989 when they played against another Joe - Joe Montana of the San Francisco 49ers. Thirty-three years later, a new Joe has emerged -Cool Joe Burrow. Along with Evan McPherson and Ja'Marr Chase. After each win, there have been words shared to describe this team.
You know I love three-word phrases for apparent reasons, but there have been many shared: Why Not Us! It IS us! It's Our Time!
Well, in addition to those three-word phrases are three words that have defined their season: Worked For It!
Sure many of the games came down to seconds on the clock. Money Mac Pherson- kicking a game-winning field goal to advance us or the defense stepping up big and creating a takeaway. Again, they Worked For It!
And now they have loyal fans so Worked up and excited that grown men and women (count me as one of them) are crying over these come from behind victories with seconds left on the clock and the possibility of winning Super Bowl LVI!
What can we learn from the Cincinnati Bengals team, a team a year ago only won four games and is now heading to the Super Bowl? They believe in teamwork, focus, dedication, hard work, resilience. The key is that they don't just say it; they put it to practice!
I started to think about the team I have the privilege of coaching and how I could apply what I learned from the Bengals to create the best game plan for my team's success.
Here are a few things I thought I would share.
Prepare for each game - Prepare for each call.
Each week the team prepares for its opponents. They know their strengths and areas of opportunity.
What skills do you and your team need to perform at the highest level?
As a Coach, have you prepared your team with the knowledge necessary to have a successful call?
We must Define the Goals. Make our objectives clear.
The Structure calls.
Know our Value.
Do the Research.
Visualize Success.
Practice for the big call.
Practice makes perfect! Or, at a minimum, practice prepares us. If you don't create the time to practice your first call, your presentation meeting, how can you expect to win by winging it? You learn by being in the field with your team on calls. If you cannot join them on the call, you can practice and role-play the call before meeting with the client. You can support and coach your team to be better each game. As a manager or leader, you have to design the best game plan for your team and each player by understanding their strengths. You, too, are trying to create game-like situations. If you do this enough times, your seller will gain more confidence to perform at a higher level.
Accountable.
In Football, each player is accountable for themselves and the team. Sales accountability is both a "how" and "what ." It is how you, as a sales manager, work with your team to stay on the same page regarding expectations and sales goals. And it is what allows reps to take ownership of their activities, efforts, and performance.
How do you hold your sales team accountable?
Set and Communicate Clear Expectations and Goals
To be accountable, salespeople need clear and consistent instruction on their responsibilities. Consistency and clarity in sales expectations are essential for maintaining motivation and accountability across the sales team.
Establish your expectations individually and as a team. Set specific sales goals for your team to get buy-in and create a healthy sense of competition and camaraderie.
With clear expectations set and your team focused on success, there should be no excuses for not reaching goals or making progress. You want a team that has resilience.
If you want your team to succeed, you must recognize their successes. In Football, someone gets the game ball for making a play that impacted the win.
The Salespeople I know are very competitive. In fact, according to a recent study, about 55% of salespeople prefer competition. Leverage your team's competitiveness by making sales numbers and activity across the team completely transparent.
Tracking performance is a great way to improve sales team accountability. It gives you the data to better understand where you are winning and perhaps need additional practice or a new game plan to win the sale. You could do this by showcasing a scoreboard or leaderboard (and other performance graphs) on a screen prominently displayed in the office or shared each week.
Here is what I know for sure—every member on your team wants to contribute and be a part of something bigger than themselves. They want to get better on each call because progress equals happiness. It does not matter if you are new to sales or have been in the game for a long time. You can make an impact today. It's about how you Prepare, Practice, and hold yourself accountable.
More importantly, you have to Work For It!
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 138. The 4 Step process to working with a client.
How do we close more business? We get more assignments to solve from our clients.
It starts with our first meeting with the client; we have to discover several things to help them. What do they need to accomplish? What is their desired business goal or results? How can we ask better and more thoughtful questions to help solve their problems?
This is where you come in to help. Yes, our title may say account executive, account manager, sales representative, sales consultant, or sales manager. All these titles and many more have one goal in common - we are problem solvers. We are meeting with new clients to see how we can help solve a business problem they are currently having, and we must uncover this in our first meeting.
Let me ask you a question? As a Leader, have we prepared our team to ask questions that can help uncover their desired business results. If you have the questions, is your team using them on calls? Could this be a step that we rush through, but taking a moment to slow down and making sure we have this right could accelerate the sale process faster. This topic would be a great discussion in your next Leadership and sales meeting.
I went looking for the best way for us to help our teams. I discovered a process that Kurt Sima from the Center for Sales Strategy recommends using, and it involves a 4-Step process that you can implement with your teams.
Before we dive into the 4 Step Needs Analysis Process, remember that First Impressions Matter, be knowledgeable about the person you are meeting with and that it is all about them, not us and our products at this stage of the sales process.
Let's review the 4-A Steps that can help us:
Assessment
Assess the desired results the business is looking to achieve. Don't just accept the first desired business result; uncover several more to ensure you end up with a meaningful assignment.
Ask questions like:
- Help me see the business through your eyes. When you look at your P&L, what do you pay the most attention to?
- What areas of the business account for the bulk of your sales?
- Do you have some emerging or growth areas that are showing strong promise?
- What key business results are you focused on achieving this year?
- Which results are you having trouble reaching?
- What opportunities do you want to capitalize on in the future?
Assignment
Summarize all the desired business results and select one to focus on first. The goal is to have an assignment after your meeting.
Follow these steps:
- Summarize the desired business results you've uncovered so far.
- Ask if anything is missing from the list.
- Focus on an actual business result you have the capabilities to address. Ask the business to prioritize the list. Which is most important? Most urgent?
- Test the emerging "Assignment" by asking questions about already-existing plans, potential spending to solve the problem, and how soon the prospect wants to see possible solutions.
- Agree on one or more Assignment (s) the prospect wants help with, and you will work together.
Analysis
Once the Assignment is clear, analyze the problem to solve. Find out what is getting in the way of achieving the desired business result. Lead with the consumer journey—focus on what they are trying to get the customer to do.
Ask questions like:
- Why are you focused on this business result? What makes it so important? What makes it tough to achieve?
- Who is the target consumer? What consumer behavior will need to influence to achieve this result?
- What benefits do they seek? How does this advertiser stack up to competitors when delivering on those benefits?
- What is getting in the way currently?
- Describe the journey that brings them to make the purchase you want them to make.
- What are some of the things you need to see in the ideal solution?
- What has prevented you from having a solution already?
Agreement
Agree on how to measure success. What expectations do they have, and how will they measure the results. It's a good idea to have 2-3 ways to measure success.
Get your client to agree by asking questions like this:
- How would you describe the ultimate measure of success here?
- What return on investment are you looking for?
- Given our conversation about the consumer journey, how can we measure success along the purchase path?
- What would be an early indicator of success?
I encourage you to have your team do a Discovery Call with you as a practice. Let's keep in mind that some of our discovery meetings are in person and others done remotely. We must ensure our team has practiced doing these Discovery calls using Zoom or Teams platforms to give them the best pathway to success!
If you think someone could benefit from this article, I invite you to share it.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com
Learn more about The Center for Sales Strategy http://www.centerforsalesstrategy.com
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 137, It took two seconds to Win!
In the past several weeks, I have been sharing insights from James Clear's book Atomic Habits to help us exceed our goals this year.
As a recap, we set the foundation. It centered around step one, which is getting clear on your Identity, whom you want to become, and the steps to supporting that Identity you wish to create for yourself.
Then we focused on building systems and processes to help you achieve your goals. You want to focus on building a system and developing a process rather than achieving a goal or an outcome.
We then looked at what James Clear says One effective way to insert a new habit into your life is with an "implementation intention." An implementation intention is a plan you make beforehand about when and where to act. That is, how you intend to implement your habit. It's all about finding the right time and place for your habit.
The simple way to apply his strategy to your habits is to fill out this sentence using Three Words - you know I love this.
I will [BEHAVIOR] at [TIME] in [LOCATION].
One of my favorite James Clear quotes is; You don't rise to the level of your goals; you fall to the level of your systems.
Before we dive into this week's topic, I am still smiling from the weekend. It was an exciting weekend with Who Dey Nation, The Cincinnati Bengals, upsetting the Tennessee Titans. Who Dey!
If you allow me to relive that moment, the score tied with The Titans heading down to the field to win the game possibly. The Titans quarterback throws the ball down the field, our player tips it up the air, and we recover the ball.
Here comes Cool Joe Burrow with twenty seconds left in the game to get us in a position to win the game. He answers with a nice pass down the field, and with seconds left on the clock, Rookie Even McPherson comes out and kicks a 52-yard field goal as time expired, helping the Cincinnati Bengals win their first postseason road game win in franchise history.
Cincinnati upset the top-seeded Tennessee Titans in Nashville, 19-16. McPherson provided 13 points by kicking four field goals in one game.
The fifth-round draft pick had already hit a 54-yarder before heading out for the game's final play. His teammate Joe Burrow said "Money Mac" was confident before stepping on the field.
"That guy's unbelievable," Burrow said after the game. "As he was going out to kick, he gave a little warm-up swing, and he said, 'Ah looks like we're going to the AFC Championship.'"
Coach Zac Taylor gave McPherson the game ball, noting that no moment is too big for the former Florida kicker.
I am sharing this story because what Evan does week in and week out is all about building winning habits!
It starts with your mindset. Your brain builds habits. A habit is a behavior that's repeated enough times that it becomes automatic! Whenever you encounter a new situation in life, your brain has to decide. You carefully analyze the situation and make a conscious decision about acting. Evan McPherson has made it an automatic habit to kick winning field goals!
As we wrap our discussion on James Clear's book Atomic Habits, the Four Laws of Behavior Change are the framework that applies to human behavior. These four laws can be implemented no matter what challenges you are facing. These changes apply to nearly every field of work, sports, politics, comedy, sales, and management.
James Clear shares that whenever you want to change your behavior, you ask yourself:
- How can I make it obvious?
- How can I make it attractive?
- How can I make it easy?
- How can I make it satisfying?
Make it obvious. We discussed this in last week's episode. "I will (behavior) at (time) in (location)" with intentions; you must make it obvious.
Make it attractive. You reward yourself for doing something. This is the motivational force behind every habit you build. We need some level of motivation or desire-without it; we have very little reason to act.
Make it easy. Human behavior follows the Law of Least Effort. As a result, we naturally go towards the option that requests the least effort. We tend to look for the easy way out. This is where we apply the two-minute rule, start with a habit that you can start doing in two minutes. It makes it easier for you to create a routine. Try not to begin with difficult habits; start with easy habits, and gradually increase the difficulty; it is easier to build your success.
Make it satisfying. Rewards are the end goal of every habit. These rewards teach us which actions are worth remembering in the future. We are more likely to repeat doing something when the experience is satisfying. The practical way is to track your habits, and progress equals pleasure! Take the time to celebrate your wins; remember, small changes lead to significant results.
We may not be Evan McPherson, a field goal kicker for the Cincinnati Bengals, but we can apply these easy habits to Kick start our way to winning!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
To learn more about Atomic Habits: http://jamesclear.com
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
What helps you establish a good habit? These three words: Behavior, Time, and Location.
Hello, Three Word Podcasters! If this is your first time, welcome. I am your host Lisa Thal, and I share my thoughts on three-word topics to help engage and inspire you and those you lead.
I am sharing insights from James Clear's book Atomic Habits to help define whom you want to be and create a habit to help you exceed your goals this year.
In episode 134, we set the foundation. It centered around step one, which is getting clear on your Identity, whom you want to become, and the steps to supporting that Identity you wish to create for yourself.
In episode 135, we focused on building systems and processes to help you achieve your goals. You want to focus on building a system and developing a process rather than achieving a goal or an outcome.
One of my favorite James Clear quotes is; You don't rise to the level of your goals; you fall to the level of your systems.
We then touched on how to get started creating better habits, beginning with The Two-Minute Rule, "When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do."
So how do we fit our Habits into our Life?
I know we all have the best intentions when we start with our vision of success. But what keeps some of us from achieving our goals and others following short?
James Clear says One effective way to insert a new habit into your life is with an "implementation intention." An implementation intention is a plan you make beforehand about when and where to act. That is, how you intend to implement your habit. It's all about finding the right time and place for your habit.
The simple way to apply his strategy to your habits is to fill out this sentence using Three Words - you know I love this.
I will [BEHAVIOR] at [TIME] in [LOCATION].
Let me give you a few examples of what this looks like for me.
- I will drink 16 ounces of water before I get out of bed.
- I will read Atomic Habits at 4 am in my kitchen while drinking my coffee.
- I will run my dogs at 5 am outside every day.
The crucial step here is finding the right time and location to insert the new habit into your daily routine. You are looking for the decisive moment where your new habit should live.
Make sure your implementation intention is specific and clear. Here are a few examples for your business: I will use workspace as a location because many of you are working remotely.
- I will ask for one referral from a Happy Customer at 10 am each day from my workspace.
- I will call one new client at 4 pm from my workspace.
- I will set my priorities at 5 pm for the next day at my workspace.
It's important to note that when and where you choose to insert a habit into your daily routine can make a big difference. If you're trying to add meditation into your morning routine, but mornings are chaotic, and your kids keep running into the room, then that may be the wrong place and time. Consider when you are most likely to be successful. Don't ask yourself to make a habit when you're likely to be occupied with something else.
The more tightly bound your new habit is to a specific time and location, the better the odds are that you will notice when the time comes to act.
We will wrap up the series from Atomic Habits on Building better habits in 4 Simple Steps. So pick a time and location where you can join me. And let's remember these Three Words.
I will [BEHAVIOR] at [TIME] in [LOCATION]. If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
To learn more about Atomic Habits: http://jamesclear.com
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 135, We apply the Two-Minute Rule to help you create long-lasting habits.
Did you ever hear that your life can change in an instant? By the end of this podcast, you will be on your way to creating better habits in minutes.
In last week's episode 134, we set the foundation for helping you achieve your goals for the new year. It centered around step one, which is getting clear on your Identity, whom you want to become, and the steps to supporting that Identity you wish to create for yourself.
The question is, are you becoming the type of person you want to become? Again the first step is Who you want to become, not the what or how. Keep in mind, the habits you create help you become the type of person you wish to be.
Once you have established who you want to become, we focus on building systems and processes.
I want to share a quote from the book Atomic Habits, "Goals are about the results you want to achieve, systems are about the processes that lead to those results." "The purpose of setting goals is to accomplish the goal and win the game. The purpose of building systems is to continue playing the game. Ultimately it's your commitment to the process that will determine your progress."
You want to focus on building a system and developing a process rather than achieving a goal or an outcome. One of my favorite James Clear quotes is; You don't rise to the level of your goals; you fall to the level of your systems.
Your goal is your desired outcome; what is your System for achieving it?
I started to think about how I applied this System and process to achieve a goal. A big goal I set for myself. I decided to write the Three Word Meeting book. My outcome was to publish an easy-to-read book that could inspire the reader and engage their team during their sales meetings using Three Word Topics.
Keep in mind that I did not see myself as an author. I had to create a system or process to write a book. So what I did, I do. I developed a system in where I wrote one chapter each weekend. So I would block out two hours on a Saturday and Sunday morning to write one chapter. I knew If I started small with a process to capture my thoughts, I would have fifty-two weeks of content to share with you over the next year—the content for the entire book. Each week I wrote a Chapter I supported with evidence of the Identity I wanted to create - Becoming an Author.
The goal is not the thing that makes the difference in your performance; it's the Systems you follow, the way you prepare for each day, the habits you create.
Making one small change can make a significant impact, for example. In sales, the person who makes one new business call a day or asks for one referral from a happy client creates a better long-term process or habit than someone making thirty calls in one day.
That is why the one person who gets one more task done each day has a tremendous advantage over the other co-workers. It's the cumulative portion of days, weeks, and months and years over their career that make the difference.
You want to focus on building a system and developing a process rather than achieving a goal or an outcome.
What is your System? Many of you listening are in sales. You understand that creating new relationships and customers are critical to your success. Therefore, you have to do something every day to find those new customers. You can't just pick one day a month to focus on growing your business and hope for success.
You don't rise to the level of your goals, and you fall to the level of your systems; habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.
So you may be saying, sign me up. But how do I get started, Lisa? The key is when building a new habit and process, try not to start too big. I know the phrase we all have used, " Go Big or Go Home." I am suggesting you start small to grow big!
Everyone's heard things like: start small, baby steps. Crawl before you run. But even when you know you should start small, it's still easy to start too big. So begin by choosing a habit as easy as possible to perform.
Remember earlier in the podcast; I said your life could change instantly or in minutes, building lasting habits. The Two-Minute Rule states, "When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do."
Take that habit and scale it down into a two-minutes.
For example:
- "Become a seller who exceeds budgets each month" becomes "Calling one new client each day."
- "Become the person that creates more new business" becomes "the person who asks for one referral a day."
- "Become a published author" becomes "Writing for two minutes a day."
- "Become a healthy person" becomes " Take the steps versus the elevator."
Let's recap, and let's start to build on what we have learned. The goal is to start small! Create a habit that you can build upon to create lasting results for you. Create a two-minute routine each day that supports Who you want to become.
I would love to hear from you. Private message me Whom you have chosen to become and the two-minute habit you're going to do daily.
In next week's episode, we will build off Whom we want to become - our Identity and the habits we are building for ourselves.
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
To learn more about Atomic Habits: http://jamesclear.com
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 134, If you do this, you will achieve your goals!
So the new year is here. Many of you over-achievers likely already started months ago. Have you thought about what you want to achieve this year? Better Health, Financial Security, More Meaningful relationships, Become a Better Leader, possibly a new career.
Well, it's this time of year that we reset our intentions and what we want to accomplish. You also hear and see many companies market how they can help us achieve those goals—for example, the 21-day challenge to stop smoking and lose weight.
The question is, how long do you think it takes to achieve that goal you set, 21 days, 30 days, or 90 days?
The answer is Forever! Yes, See, the reason is if you stop doing it, then it's no longer a habit.
It's consistently doing some action every day vs. the immersion in 21 days. Don't get me wrong; you may need to initially create a new mindset and focus. But to achieve what you want in life, it has to become a habit.
The best news is that you have done this without knowing it. We all have created habits that have become a way of life. For example, we brush our teeth, shower, make our beds, make coffee, drive to work. We do it without even thinking.
And if you're trying to do something that becomes part of your lifestyle, you start to see a little bit more clearly the value of making a small change or doing something more reasonable or sustainable.
In thinking of the best way to achieve my vision in 2022, I was reminded of the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. I highly recommend it. I thought it could be helpful to share his views and systems for achieving success over the next several weeks.
In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear describes shifts in how you view your habits. Step one is creating identity-based habits that encourage you to start with the type of person you want to become versus thinking about the result you want or the outcome you're trying to achieve.
This is worth repeating: It starts with whom you want to become!
He shared an example about weight loss and the principle that applies to any goal you focus on achieving. In weight loss, all kinds of people will say, "I want to lose weight," okay, so they start with a result, they say, "I want to lose 20 pounds," and that's the outcome. That's the goal. "And so if I want to lose 20 pounds, then I need to come up with a plan. I'm going to go to the gym four days a week, I'm going to eat this food," and then the assumption is, "If I do that, then I'll be the kind of person I want to be, that if I'm able to achieve that, then maybe I'll be happy." And so, who is the type of person that can do what you want to do?
And James says, let's invert that process and start by saying, "Okay, who is the type of person that can lose 20 pounds?" And maybe it's the type of person who doesn't miss workouts. And so, that's fine, let's put the goal on the shelf then, forget about the weight, forget about the number, forget about the judgment and the guilt and all this other stuff, and let's focus on being the kind of person who doesn't miss workouts, focus on fostering that Identity.
So essential to focus on you and your Identity. Who is the type of leader that I want to be? Maybe it's someone who leads by example. They are in the trenches with their teams. You're focused on that kind of person, not necessarily on the quantifiable metric at work.
And so, the first step to achieving long-term, habit-building success is to ask ourselves who's the type of person we want to be, what's the kind of Identity we want to reinforce? And then next, let's ask ourselves, What is the system that I can design that carries me inevitably toward that Identity that strengthens the kind of person I wish to become?
In Atomic Habits, it is all about standardization before optimization. Define whom you want to be, make it the standard in your life, and then worry about doing it better.
Strategies like this work because you reinforce the Identity you want to build. If you show up at the gym five days in a row—even if it's just for ten minutes— you are making and supporting your new Identity. You're casting votes for the type of person who doesn't miss workouts. You're taking the small actions that confirm the kind of person you want to be.
Once you are clear on the Identity you want, we can build the habits necessary to support that life. So I ask you to take some time to think about the person you want to be.
Next week's episode will discuss applying the small changes of creating habits for significant results.
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
To learn more about Atomic Habits: http://jamesclear.com
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 133, Words of advice into the New Year from Working Moms!
It is hard to believe that this is the last week of the year. When I think about the year, I think about all the hardworking, Get it Done, Moms.
When I think about those working mothers, the three words that come to mind are "Doing It All." I have witnessed how the moms I work with show up every day ( even when tired) and give it they're all. They build deep, trusting relationships with their customers while balancing the needs of their children and family. They "Do It All!"
I thought it would be fun to hear from these Get It Done Leaders. We share a conversation on their favorite three words and the three words they would offer their kids. Plus, in the end, you hear Mom Thal's three favorite words and the three words of advice for her children!
Special thank you to Debbie Perkins, Julie Drummey, Emily Martin, Lynda Heidorn, Katie Richardson, and Mom Thal for taking the time to share their thoughts and wisdom on the Three Word Podcast!
I would love to hear your favorite three words and the three words you would offer your children. Comment or send to me in a private message.
To all those hardworking, Do it all, Mom's, Life is better because of you!
Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, Marketing, Sales, and Business Coach. Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. Loves Golf and Dog Mom!
If I can help you with your Sales, Marketing, or Sales meetings, call me at 513-478-1757 or Lisathal12@gmail.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 132, Father's advice for the Holiday and into 2022!
In this week's episode, I share my conversation with some of the hardest working Fathers I have the pleasure of working alongside. They share the Three Words they live their lives by and advice for their children.
The one theme all these Fathers have in common is Work-Life Balance! Spending time with their families and their kids is a priority.
Special thanks to the Hardest Working Fathers at Hubbard Cincinnati!
Nick Collins: Do It Together and Three words of advice for his kids, Always Be Yourself!
Terry Moore- Preparation, Persistence, and Patience. His Three Words of advice for his kids and grandkids, Faith, Family, and Finance.
Ken Marmer- No Practice Life and Three Words of advice for his kids, Try Each Day.
Kelby Dreisbach- Speak The Truth and his Three Words of advice for his daughters, Believe In Yourself!
Think about the Three Words you live by or what Three Words of advice you have for your children!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Engage your team during a sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 131, Learn the 3 Strategies to Increase Your Leads with LinkedIn!
New Year and New Leads! Jennifer shares the three strategies to increase your leads using LinkedIn!
Podcast Guest: Jennifer Darling
LinkedIn is exploding right now with opportunities for you to build significant influence.
This podcast has strategic and tactical ideas on how to upgrade your LinkedIn profile to enhance your professional brand, create expert status among your target market, showcase your skills, and connect with prospects to grow your business.
You’ll learn why LinkedIn is different (and better for your business) than other social media platforms and why having the right words in your profile. You’ll receive tips on how to measure your Social Selling Index to ensure you’re maximizing your social power and measuring your presence. You’ll also discover how to take advantage of LinkedIn’s publishing tool, which is phenomenal for increasing your searchability on Google, Yahoo, and Bing.
Other vital discussions are how to find more prospects using LinkedIn. You can do the three most important things today to become more successful using this platform.
Jennifer’s Bio:
Jennifer Darling is a revenue-generating machine! She brings over 25 years of experience in advertising sales and sales management. She runs her own business to show salespeople (and non-salespeople) how to market themselves to get more sales.
She went from being the corporate sales manager at Comcast, NBC, and FOX to building her own successful business as a professional speaker, trainer, consultant, and coach. Jennifers LinkedIn success includes 10,000 views of her LinkedIn articles, including one article that generated over 6,000 views worldwide, 1,000s of views of her LinkedIn videos, and generated above 10,000 views of shared updates, all with the power of the free version of LinkedIn. She’s generated leads that resulted in $10k, $100k, and 1 million dollar proposals for herself and her clients.
She was named one of SweetFish Media’s Top 50 Female Sales Speakers and Voted 2020 Best In Show by the Professional Convention Management Association, Convening Leaders. Jennifer is a professional member of the National Speakers Association.
Contact Info:
Jennifer Darling
916-204-3923
jennifer@jenniferdarlingspeaks.com
www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferdarlingspeaks.com
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, do me a favor, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how you can Simplify Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http:/www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 130, is about how you respond to change!
Change; you either love it or hate it. We all have experienced Change. Significantly, the past few years of Covid have created Change.
Time changes in Spring and Fall. I prefer the extra hour of sunlight, and we are about to start a New Year in a few weeks!
Our life circumstances Change—new relationships, marriage, divorce, kids, fur kids, and grandkids.
How about changes at work:
Change in decision-makers.
In compensation programs.
Change in products offered and no longer offered.
New hires for your company or reduction in workforce.
Change in your career.
The ability to work remotely.
New leadership.
Change is all around us.
I want to share a story about a change for one of my team members.
I was in a coaching session where we focused on his key accounts and the strategy behind renewing them. And then we got to one account that was in jeopardy of not continuing into the new year.
Let me give you a little background on this account.
He started calling on this account over seven years ago. He was helping them with their - Sales and Marketing plan to advertise that they were accepting new patients. This particular account specialized in working with kids. Over the past seven years, he strategically helped them build their new customer acquisitions, client referral program and also helped them expand into multi-locations. Their business was thriving, so I was surprised by the possibility of them not renewing. He had developed a deep friendship in addition to helping them with their marketing.
I asked what had changed?
He shared that another company was interested in buying her practice because it was doing well. Well, that was something I did not expect to hear. But, it was exciting news for the owner who built this unique company that was helping so many kids.
I went on to say, Well, good for them! Can you say Financial Freedom!
What an opportunity she had created for her and her family. And then I went on to say; I know this is tough for you. This situation could impact your income, and you have invested seven years in helping shape this opportunity for her.
I then shared these three words: Life's About Change!
Followed by how you respond to Change is everything!
Let's face it; there are things out of control, like clients selling their company. We are in sales, and clients cancel or go to other vendors. The only thing we can count on is Change.
One of his largest accounts went away. Yes, it isn't very reassuring. But if we stay focused on that one account, that one situation, then we cannot focus on all the positive things happening with your business. Focusing on what went wrong shifts your focus on the worst things in your life versus the best. The solid relationships you have with your other 30 accounts, the impact you are making on these companies, and the problems you are solving for them.
Have you found yourself doing this? Our brain goes straight to tragedy.
What other accounts are going to leave me?
How will I ever replace them?
Worst, How much income did I lose?
See, we again focused on what went wrong or could go wrong. Our brains highjacked us into what we lost, and it will challenge you to be successful if you focus on what went wrong vs. what can go right.
In this example, what went right was that he was a part of this success. I am confident the owner will share the differences he made in her company. There is an opportunity to continue working with them under the new leadership team. Or perhaps he can use this success to help create vertical sales in other markets by sharing his successful blueprint.
We are here to fight another day, especially those challenging days. Real growth shapes us through those uncertain times.
Change, how does it make you feel?
Does it bring about fear, trepidation, angst, uneasiness?
Or does it bring forth excitement, anticipation, readiness, willingness?
What about " Keep up with Change," staying relevant, redefining, reimagining, radical transformation, adaptation, alterations, shifting landscapes, emerging issues, external forces, internal pressures, evolution, revolution, and the list goes on.
So how do we get better with Change? Lean into Change, embrace it.
Become more "adaptive" and decide to view all changes, whether welcomed or unwelcomed, as an expected part of life.
I believe it means that our mindset is how we can improve our chances to remain resilient and relevant in the face of significant and constant Change. We have the power to choose how we will respond to situations when they arise and whether we will see them as unfortunate occurrences or opportunities for growth.
I will choose to see an opportunity for growth. I hope that you are willing to do the same.
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, do me a favor, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how you can Simplify Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http:/www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 129, What to do when you hit a brick wall with a client!
This week is about taking action when you face a situation that seems impossible.
Let me ask you a question? Have you ever felt like you hit a brick wall with a prospect or client?
Or worse, What about when the brick wall gets knocked down, and you have to rebuild it! The brick in my example represents your business!
The new year is coming and, at times, can feel overwhelming and impossible. Right? Many of you are thinking, how will I bill more than I did this year? Others are thinking about clients going away and not renewing for many reasons. It takes so much emotional energy when you start a new year. A lot is up in the air.
Will my client continue?
Will they renew with a lift in spending?
How many clients will go away, and will I need to replace them with a new business?
I want to share a simple strategy you can apply that I learned from Will.
I listened to Will Smith's new book – "Will" - The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. I had many takeaways and lessons to help my life and business.
One lesson that I thought I would share with you today.
Will shares that One of those life lessons that impacted him is a story he tells from his childhood growing up in West Philadelphia about building a brick wall. Yes, an actual brick wall. He was 11 years old, and his father needed a new wall constructed in front of his shop: a 12-foot-high, 20-foot long wall to replace an old one that was crumbling. His father—assigned the job to Will and his brother, Harry. First, His Father demolished the old wall, leaving this giant gaping hole. Then, it was up to Will and his brother Harry to build a new one, brick-by-brick.
Will describes that task. He says it seemed overwhelming and endless. And their father didn't care if it was rainy or cold or if his sons didn't feel like working that day. They worked to rebuild that wall week after week, yet they didn't feel they were ever making any progress. Don't you feel like that at times? They worked on holidays, during their vacations, and on weekends for over a year.
They mixed concrete and toted what seemed to them like millions of bricks, back and forth. If they were in bad moods, or sick, or had tests to take the next day—Father didn't care. The wall had to be built. On a day they were in a terrible mood, as Will describes it, they protested to their father that the job was impossible. It was impossible that these two little boys were asked to build this wall and it would never get done.
Tired of hearing his son complain, Will's father threw down his tools, walked over to the wall-to-be, and said: "Stop thinking about the wall! There is no wall. There are only bricks. And your job is to lay this brick perfectly. Then move on to the next brick. Then lay that brick perfectly. Then the next one. Don't worry about the wall. Your only concern is one brick."
Will described, "When he focused on the wall, the job felt impossible. Never-ending. But when he focused on one brick, everything got easier. As the weeks passed, the bricks mounted, and the hole got just a little bit smaller. I started to see that the difference between a task that felt impossible and a doable task is merely a matter of perspective.
Are you paying attention to the wall?
Or are you paying attention to the brick?"
So when life feels overwhelming, when a task at hand is daunting, when you look ahead and think, Oh no! It's too much! I can't do it! Think about things brick by brick. I love that lesson!
One brick at a time. One step at a time. Will shares: "Every single day, no matter where you are going or what you're going through, there is always another brick sitting right there in front of you, waiting to get laid. The only question: Are you going to get up and lay it?"
So this week, Take things brick by brick.
Whether you're prospecting for a new client or calling clients to start the conversation on how you can help solve their biggest problem, begin laying the foundation to building your brick wall, your business. And before you know it, what felt like a wall you felt was impossible to build, that you thought would be impossible to endure, that achievement you thought was out of your reach—you'll suddenly find that you have created a solid foundation and wall – for your business. You made it through—one brick at a time.
Do me a favor and rate this episode if you like it or If you think someone could benefit from this share it.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 128 is in honor of Thanksgiving, and I will share six tips to show your clients how thankful you are for them.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! Time off to spend with family, friends, and of course football. I love the meaning behind the word Thanksgiving. It contains two words: Thanks and Giving!
So what are you thankful for this year?
I am thankful for you! I am grateful for my health, Olivia, family, friends. 3 fur pups, work-family, and clients.
Are you looking for a way to say Thank you to your clients?
Here are six ideas focused on Thanking and Giving!
Send a Handwritten Thank you, Note.
Make an impression and show your customers how much you care with a personalized, handwritten note?
When writing your thank you note, try to be focused and specific.
Rather than just saying, "Thanks for your business," it would be more effective to say something like, "Thank you for being our partner." Working with such a committed company has taught me the importance of staying accountable and communicating proactively throughout the process."
Find a specific way to recognize how this customer has influenced you or include details of your relationships, and your message will be more meaningful. It will remind them why they chose to work with you.
Another option is to send a short video or voicemail through messenger. Let them know you are thinking of them this holiday season and how grateful you are to work with them.
Make a Donation or volunteer and Give your time.
Each one of our clients is passionate about something outside of work. It can be centered around helping kids, pets, or other causes that are important to them. Most companies have a charity they are supporting, and to make a donation or volunteer for an event they help shows them, they mean more to you.
Give them an audio or hardcover book.
Consider the books that have been most influential to you. Are there any that have guided the direction, values, and vision of your business? Send your customer a copy!
This gesture offers customers insight that shows you are always looking for better ways to support your clients and opens the lines of communication for future discussion.
When you give your customer or client a book, make sure to write a personalized note explaining the value it can add to their personal and professional lives. I could recommend an excellent book that would help them Inspire and Engage their teams - Three Word Meetings! This touch also lets the customer know this is a thank you meant just for them.
Remember and Give to Your out-of-town clients.
If you're like many companies in today's business world, your customers are spread out all over the country. Because of this, opportunities for getting together are usually few and far between, but don't let that stop you from cultivating your long-distance business relationships.
Send them a gift card to their favorite coffee or lunch spot with a personal note saying something like: "Just wanted to say thanks for being a trusted business partner and have lunch (or a coffee) on me!"
You can also send a voicemail or video to them through messenger to their phone.
Refer Customers.
While all of the above ways of saying thank you are thoughtful, there may be no better way to thank your customers than by sending more business their way. Look for opportunities to refer your customers to each other. You know their business, goals, and challenges, so you have greater insight into how your clients could benefit from each other.
Give them some Social Love.
Yes, always take the opportunity to meet for breakfast, lunch, or happy hour. But one of the best ways you can help your client is to support them Socially.
Follow them on all their social channels, like Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, and You tube channel. Another great thing you can do to show your client your gratitude is to write a google review and recommendation.
I encourage you to review the list of clients you want to thank and put a strategy and timeline to connect to them.
I am grateful to you! I wish you and your family a wonderful holiday.
If you have time, I would be grateful if you rated this episode, shared it with someone you think could benefit, or subscribe for Free, where you listen to your favorite podcasts, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 127, The Proven System to finding new customers!
Last weekend we all turned our clocks back an hour, and many of you are listening, maybe excited about gaining another hour of sleep. ( Sign me up) Others may be saying I am not a fan of the clocks turning back because we lose an hour of sunlight at the end of the day.
Well, we may not be in control of Daylight Savings Time, but we are in control of not letting our business fall back.
There is a mindset to how you approach your day and your customers. It is taking control of your day and not letting others distract you from progressing. It's your approach to how you run your business. We have to pay attention to our daily activities that allow our business to move forward, grow and not fall back because we can't afford to be in that space of compliance.
One sure way to assure your business doesn't retract to make sure you are focused on your pipeline of clients. Each one of us will face some level of attrition. The typical percentage thrown around for years has been 20%. The percentage will vary, but it's coming. So what do you do to protect your income and success? Every day, you have to spend time looking for clients with a problem you can solve, have the resources to implement your strategy, and meet with a decision-maker who can say yes!
How do you build the pipeline of new customers? It becomes a part of your solution selling DNA. A University College London study reported, "It takes 66 days on average for a person to get accustomed to a new habit." It is the routines you create that keep your business from falling back.
Let me ask you a question.
Is keeping your sales pipeline full become more challenging?
I am meeting my budget and having a great year.
Maybe you are focused on closing your current business? But if you don't have any prospects, you can't close any deals.
Or are you so busy you can't find the time to prospect?
I have been selling and managing for over 35 years, and one thing I can be sure of is that your current client someday will go away! Your one phone call away from someone canceling. Yes, that cancellation has nothing to do with you and your product or services. But it does impact you and your income. So how do you take control back?
So I was thinking about what you can do today to assure you have a strong sales pipeline.
What is a sales pipeline? It's a list of new prospects, customers, opportunities that have determined that you can confidently help solve a problem! The secret is that they just have not met you yet. But you will if you take action to meet them.
Why Should your Sales Pipeline Always Be Full Because you want to control your business, having plenty of sales opportunities prevents you from relying on your current customers or the price-sensitive clients, or the clients that consume your time spend very little. A focused sales pipeline allows you to confidently set the price your product deserves, knowing that there are plenty of other opportunities you can fall back on.
Always be prospecting
Spend time every day to look for new leads on LinkedIn, look for buying triggers in the news, and reach out to new prospects. Your prospecting efforts need to be consistent. Please don't fall into the trap that I am busy with my current client's needs. Or my day is slammed, and I will prospect tomorrow. You see, if you let yourself take a day off one time before you know it, you won't have new leads in your pipeline anymore.
Hold yourself accountable to prospect daily—whatever it takes to make it a habit. Try blocking some time on your calendar, set your phone to remind you that it is time to control your destiny! Ask your manager to hold you accountable or challenge another salesperson to join you in building their pipeline.
Be More Social.
Social selling is necessary to survive and thrive in today's modern, digital sales environment. The sooner you embrace this, the faster you will meet quotas, grow your pipeline, gain introductions to decision-makers, maximize profitability.
Ask for referrals.
Your current customers are the best source of your next customers. They believe in your product or service, and more importantly, they believe in you. Linkedin is a platform full of introductions to you. You have to identify whom you want to meet. Spend time reviewing your top spending clients on Linkedin to see whom they know too that you see an opportunity. You then ask for an introduction or the ability to use their name when calling or emailing for a meeting.
Go Vertical!
You have account categories that are having tremendous success with you. Build off that success? You own that Vertical. You invest more time becoming an expert in that category. Interview your current client and ask them for the top three challenges they are facing today. You may discover a new challenge that you can help them solve. Use those challenges as opportunities to create a dialogue with new prospects. You will build momentum and have the ability to learn something new from each call. Set up google alerts on that category, so you stay on top of all trends and news on that category.
You have to be intentional when building your pipeline of clients. Creating and maintaining your sales pipeline takes focused time and energy. It has to happen when your sales or soaring, not just when your sales are sliding.
Pipeline prospecting has to become a way of life for you.
It is the one thing you do have control over!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, do me a favor, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 126, Learn how Winning Changes Everything!
As most of you know, I am a huge NFL fan, and my team is The Cincinnati Bengals - Who Dey!!! Well, the Who- Dey the past seven years have not given their fans a reason to cheer. In 2019 we finished 2-14. Two wins and in 2018 six wins.
Well, it's a new year, and The Bengals are off to a great start with a winning record. Who is responsible for this shift? Joe Burrow, our QB, and the other great players are surrounding him. But, one person, Joe Burrow, re-engaged Who Dey nation by showing his leadership, confidence, and winning. Yes, Winning Changes Everything! How we show up, our mindset, our focus, and our belief in doing. Now watching the Bengals, you have a sense they are never out of the Game. They are focused on Winning! And they are Winning with one play at a time.
So you may be thinking, Lisa, what do the Bengals winning have to do with me and my business. A lot! Let me ask you a question.
Do you feel like you are winning?
What does winning look like for you?
How is your performance this year?
Are you exceeding your goals?
Are you making progress?
November is the month you have a clear picture of winning. It's a time where you focus on renewals and new business for the following year. You discover whether you will make your goals or fall short?
I was in a coaching session with a sales executive. We were reviewing his year and renewals for next year. I asked him how he felt about his year and the direction of his business. He was a bit disappointed in his performance for the year. He had some uncertainty on several significant accounts renewing their contracts. It was at that moment; I realized I needed to get him back in the Game.
If you are a manager or coach of a team, it is critical to pay attention to your team and notice if one of your players or sellers is going down a path you need to shift.
I had an honest conversation with him. I shared with him that I thought he was at a point of decision. That he perhaps was considering changing careers after 15 years because of his lack of certainty. He agreed, and then I said, you know what I know about you? I know you're driven to be the best! Your key strengths are that you are competitive, relationships with your clients are important to you, and you're a problem solver, and you don't like to lose- you prefer to win!
I said, I understand where you are today, and thanks for being honest with yourself and me. Together we need to create some wins and get you back in the Game! Winning does Change Everything!
So we began, designing what that victory path looked like for him. We started with what he could control. He started by scheduling time with his current clients, who have confidence in him, and have the best relationships. He needed to ensure nothing has changed with their business and he the opportunity to discover new challenges they may be facing.
His new business plan focuses on verticals he has experience working with and can help them win. He created the list of new prospects, timelines of connecting with them in a very thoughtful strategy. He started setting new meetings, building momentum, and closing business.
See, sometimes it is the little wins like changing your mindset to Impossible vs. Possible. It's taking action, building confidence with those you work with, and discovering how to help other companies succeed by solving their biggest problem—celebrating your daily wins to build momentum for you the next day.
Our days in sales consist of daily cold calls, emails, presentations, problem-solving, and client meetings. The winning routines we establish, the foundation of a successful work ethic and winning mindset. It's what salespeople do beyond selling that makes a difference.
Winning does change Everything! So what can you do today to start winning? To perhaps inspire others around you and impact those you Lead! My recommendation is to commit yourself!
Winning begins with YOU!
If you think someone could benefit from the Winning Changes Everything episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 125, The fastest way to grow your revenue is solving your client's problems. You start with seeing your clients!
I wanted to share the impact of seeing a client face to face. I had lunch with one of my account executives and several clients. They call that client-Facing! Yeah, not the old Zoom or Teams calls. I was sitting across from our clients and discussing them personally and their business. You have a tremendous opportunity to solidify your next year if you prioritize this over the next 30 days!
See, many of our clients are working remotely or in some form of Hybrid role and working from home. But we all crave some human connection. Not to mention it may be more fun to get out of the house and have lunch with another human being versus eating at your kitchen counter or your desk!
So let me ask you a question? How many face-to-face calls did you have last week? Last month with current or new clients? It is important to know that number, and I would like you not to count Zoom or Teams calls unless they were out of the market.
A new study by global staffing firm Robert Half shows video calls may be wearing on workers. More than (76%) of professionals surveyed say they participate in virtual meetings. Those respondents report spending nearly one-third of their workday (30%) on camera with business contacts or colleagues. Meanwhile, 38% say they've experienced video call fatigue since the start of the pandemic; 26% note that the practicality and novelty of videoconferencing have worn off over the past eight months; and 24% confirm they find virtual meetings inefficient and exhausting and prefer to communicate via other channels, like email or phone. Or in person!
Click below to see the entire report:
https://hrexecutive.com/hres-number-of-the-day-video-meeting-fatigue/
One of the most valuable ways you and your sales team can spend their time is in front of your clients. Nothing helps you build strong relationships and ensure customer success and renewals like face time. I have found you gain more information when meeting in person, whether for coffee, lunch, or happy hour. A more meaningful conversation happens versus video calls or emails.
Every meeting has a purpose!
Now, you may schedule most customer meetings for a specific purpose, such as product training, discussing services, or a quarterly or year-end business review. But, each session is also an opportunity to build trust, deepen your relationship and identify ways to grow your customer base.
We want to be the person they call when they are facing challenges. We want to be the problem-solver!
How do you figure out customers' problems? Many times, you know what they are. One advantage is finding out the problems your client is experiencing way before they experience it. How do you do it? You use AI and keyword research to help guide you. Those of us in Marketing do this every day. You have to understand the buyers' intent to provide a road map to reach those consumers.
Use online research and tools. I want to share a tool called http://Answer the Public.
AnswerThePublic listens to autocomplete data from search engines like Google, then quickly produces useful phrases and questions people ask around your keyword. The categories consist of the 5 W's, 'how', 'can', 'are', 'which' and 'will'.
It's a goldmine of consumer insight you can use to create a more meaningful conversation and connect your product and service to your customer.
For example, I put in Marketing, and I Clicked on Why is Marketing important?
Five reasons why marketing is so important
- Marketing informs. A wAy at attracting consumers in a crowded marketplace, your target audience needs to know why they should choose your business over someone else's.
- Marketing engages.
- Marketing builds reputations.
- Marketing sells.
- Marketing grows businesses.
You and your sales team can create so many ideas to help you discover so many reasons why clients should meet with you! Find a way to start the conversation, make the competition irrelevant, and provide solutions to your client's challenges.
Interview your customers Getting on the phone and interviewing your clients is invaluable. What a great way to encourage them to help them tell you not only what their challenges are but, more importantly, what problem you are solving for them. You want to ask them, "What good service looks like to them, or tell me a story about a time when we provided good service." That's when you'll start hearing things like, "You are a great listener and provide solutions to my business challenges."
Be a Problem Solver. Today and every day is an excellent time of year to meet with your current clients and ask when looking at next month, three months, or next year have things changed? You want to ensure you are aware of any issues or challenges they may be experiencing. Like they have a new product launch, they hired a new analytic CEO who needs to see the data on what we are currently doing. The benefit of being a problem-solver is that every innovation creates another opportunity to solve another problem every time a problem gets solved.
So how do we start to See The People? One person at a time. I am asking you to join me on the 30 for 30 challenge. Schedule 30 in-person meetings over the thirty days. Discussions with your key accounts and face-to-face meetings with new accounts. You have the tools you need to earn that conversation. The approach will be refreshing to your customers. And I will leave you with these three words: See The People!
If you think someone could benefit from the See The People episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 124, The best questions to ask that will get your prospects talking with you!
I just attended my Niece Gabrielle and Ryan's wedding! What an exciting weekend away, sharing in their special celebration of Love for each other!
Although they are only 30, their journey together started 13 years earlier. Just like many of you listening that are in a relationship, you experience so many phrases. The first time you meet, the second date, time passes, and for some, you live together, and you decide to get married for others. A significant moment in your relationship centers around how you got engaged. How did they Pop The Question - "Will you Marry Me?"
It is this moment that leads you down the aisle months later. You proclaim your Love in front of family, friends, and those you want to share this special day, just as we did with Gabe and Ryan. As I was watching Gabe walk down the aisle, it brought tears of joy to my eyes. I was so incredibly happy for her. As the ceremony progressed, it was time for the exchange of the rings. This is the big moment we all came to see. The exchange of the rings, the intention, and vows they promise each other before their marriage is made official.
It came to me as I was sitting in this beautiful church, thinking about the journey between them, all the experiences, and, more importantly, the questions they asked each other along the way to get to this commitment.
It reminded me of the conversation in episode 123 with Wade Kingsley on being more curious with your clients to help them solve their biggest challenges. Wade shared that when you become more curious, it shows the other person you care about and invest in their best interest.
See, we, too, are setting intentions when we meet a new prospect. We intend to help them solve their biggest business challenges. And how do we do it? By asking questions that show we care. Many of us start with questions like we would ask when meeting someone we were interested in dating for the first time. So, where did you grow up? If you live in Ohio or Kentucky, you will likely ask where you went to High School or College. Most clients expect the typical questions: Tell me about your business? We can google some of those details before engaging in a discussion.
Showing you care about them and their needs, whether a romantic or business relationship, includes asking more profound and open-ended questions.
In a relationship, you may go further asking:
What do you want out of a relationship? How do you feel about kids? How many do you envision? What makes you feel inspired? Share a time in your life that brought you such joy and happiness? Share a time that you struggled? Share more. We all have been there, wanting to go deeper in learning more about that other person. I would call it sharing is caring!
The same should apply to those you want to do business with or the relationships with your current customers. They deserve to feel the same level of care. Sales is a game of open-ended questions. Unless you ask the right questions, you won't uncover the right needs or understand the correct problems to solve. Not having that information could cost you the deal from the very beginning. We need to ask Open -End questions. A tremendous open-ended question will ensure your prospect answers with enough detail that you can create a follow-up that'll get you closer to solving your client's most significant challenges.
I decided to research the best 20 Open-Ended Sales questions to ask that will get your prospects talking to you. Tony Alessandra @TonyAlessandra from Hubspot wrote a great article.
Here are a few open-ended questions to get you started.
- May I ask you some questions about your business?
- You specialize in X. Why did you choose that niche?
- What are your goals for the following [3, 6, or 12] months?
- What does your boss hope to accomplish in the next year?
- How does your company evaluate new products or services before buying?
- What's holding your team back from reaching your goals?
- Who are you doing business with now? Why did you choose that vendor?
- What is the business problem you're trying to solve?
- What are the priorities for your business/team this quarter?
- Where do you see the most significant growth opportunities?
- When is a reasonable date to follow up?
https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/10-tips-ask-sales-questions-si
So start Popping the Questions to your clients. The answers to the thought-provoking questions you will ask your new prospect or current customers will show you care and have them saying, " I will do business with you."
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 123, You will learn the process of solving your client's biggest challenges!
I have a question for you. Are you looking for creative ideas that will solve your client's business challenges? I think I hear you all saying Yes!!! I share my conversation with Wade Kingsley, who shares his process and how you can apply it to your business.
Here is a little fact to consider, Companies that foster creativity are 3.5x more likely to achieve revenue growth of 10% or more than their peers.
Wade walks us through the Three-Word process in greater detail.
- Curiosity- Ask questions to seek to understand where your client's challenge is occurring. Be curious and ask really interesting questions. When you are more curious, it shows you care.
- Connection - There are no original ideas. It's the connection you create to those ideas in solving problems.
- Courage - Be courageous and share your idea with one person and then others.
Wade Kingsley is a Creative Coach and Consultant. Over 25 years, he's worked in the media and marketing industries - with national leadership responsibilities at media publishers and agencies across the globe, including Nova, Dentsu, and Southern Cross Austereo.
In 2017 he founded 'The Ideas Business .' He serves as a consultant to brands by creating ideas that solve business challenges. In 2020, he developed the 'Creative Champions Course,' taking his experience in creative methodology to help empower creative problem-solving in people.
Wade believes everyone is born creative, and he focuses on giving people the confidence to unlock and share their natural creative abilities. In 2021, he was named Australian Ambassador for World Creativity & Innovation Week, a United Nations observed event.
To learn more and connect with Wade:
https://www.theideasbusiness.com/
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 122, You will learn the five questions you need to answer to set yourself up for a record-breaking 2022!
Wow, has this year gone fast. We are less than three months before 2022 arrives! It can be a difficult time mentally, especially if you are in sales. You navigated through a challenging nine months of unpredictability. Let me not state the obvious, but you managed through Covid your customer's fears and maybe at times your Fears. Let's take a moment to celebrate the emotional support you gave others and yourself!
Many of us have heard of the 90-day challenge. Today we focus on what I call the 90 Day Advantage!
How do you take the momentum you built and set yourself and your team as a manager to a better 2022? One word, yes, not three, Progress. See if you're not climbing towards your goal, then you sliding. If you are not learning and growing from each experience, then your slowly dying. We must continue to stretch ourselves at times, take uncomfortable action to progress.
See, most people, not the three-word podcasters, wait until New Year's Eve to set their intentions and resolutions for the following year. We want to make an impact long before the ball drops on New Year's Eve, what I call the 90-day advantage! You need to ask yourself today what you do now to make the next day, week, month, and year better.
It is essential to build a solid foundation for yourself. I recommend taking your business journal or computer to capture your thoughts. My recommendation is to go to that place where you feel inspired, whether it's a coffee shop, a park, by the ocean, a fire pit, or sitting outside with your favorite beverage—a place where it's quiet, and you have time to reflect and think. Think about your best time to be creative. Is it in the morning? Can you schedule lunch with yourself, or are you a late-night thinker?
You will be way ahead of your expectations while getting a competitive jump on your competition when you answer the following Five questions to set you up for an epic 2022.
- Let's start by looking at your first three quarters of the year. Let's analyze what worked, what stopped you and didn't give you the results you expected. What do you need to learn? What new capabilities do you need to make sure you keep making progress? Where did you feel you gained momentum, gained confidence? When did you feel inspired?
- What didn't work? What scared or stopped you? What held you back, and where did you think you fell short this year?
- What Fear do you have to face to make next year better? What uncomfortable action didn't you take? What did you avoid or ignore this year that kept you from progressing?
- What capabilities or knowledge do you need to overcome to push you forward? Be honest with yourself, take the next few minutes, and start writing down a list of items that could improve your business.
- The final question you want to ask yourself. What emotions will you feel when you accomplish your goals? If you had a record income year this year, how did you feel? I am guessing you felt confident, secure, sure, fulfilled, and in control! What is the feeling and emotions you need to maintain into 2022? Lastly, what emotions did you feel because you fell short this year? Disappointment, lack of confidence, uncertainty, and lack of control.
Well, that is all about to change today! Because if not now - when?
What is your next level? I encourage you to keep stretching yourself.
Commit to your 90-day advantage plan to set you up for a record-breaking 2022. The opportunities are there for you every day. Let go of the regrets and move forward.
It is time to re-invent yourself! It's time to get a jump on your competitors. Get 1% better each day, gain the capabilities to get you back on track. I will leave you with this thought, Live and work hard today to live easy tomorrow.
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.
Episode 126, Learn how Winning Changes Everything!
As most of you know, I am a huge NFL fan, and my team is The Cincinnati Bengals - Who Dey!!! Well, the Who- Dey the past seven years have not given their fans a reason to cheer. In 2019 we finished 2-14. Two wins and in 2018 six wins.
Well, it's a new year, and The Bengals are off to a great start with a winning record. Who is responsible for this shift? Joe Burrow, our QB, and the other great players are surrounding him. But, one person, Joe Burrow, re-engaged Who Dey nation by showing his leadership, confidence, and winning. Yes, Winning Changes Everything! How we show up, our mindset, our focus, and our belief in doing. Now watching the Bengals, you have a sense they are never out of the Game. They are focused on Winning! And they are Winning with one play at a time.
So you may be thinking, Lisa, what do the Bengals winning have to do with me and my business. A lot! Let me ask you a question.
Do you feel like you are winning?
What does winning look like for you?
How is your performance this year?
Are you exceeding your goals?
Are you making progress?
November is the month you have a clear picture of winning. It's a time where you focus on renewals and new business for the following year. You discover whether you will make your goals or fall short?
I was in a coaching session with a sales executive. We were reviewing his year and renewals for next year. I asked him how he felt about his year and the direction of his business. He was a bit disappointed in his performance for the year. He had some uncertainty on several significant accounts renewing their contracts. It was at that moment; I realized I needed to get him back in the Game.
If you are a manager or coach of a team, it is critical to pay attention to your team and notice if one of your players or sellers is going down a path you need to shift.
I had an honest conversation with him. I shared with him that I thought he was at a point of decision. That he perhaps was considering changing careers after 15 years because of his lack of certainty. He agreed, and then I said, you know what I know about you? I know you're driven to be the best! Your key strengths are that you are competitive, relationships with your clients are important to you, and you're a problem solver, and you don't like to lose- you prefer to win!
I said, I understand where you are today, and thanks for being honest with yourself and me. Together we need to create some wins and get you back in the Game! Winning does Change Everything!
So we began, designing what that victory path looked like for him. We started with what he could control. He started by scheduling time with his current clients, who have confidence in him, and have the best relationships. He needed to ensure nothing has changed with their business and he the opportunity to discover new challenges they may be facing.
His new business plan focuses on verticals he has experience working with and can help them win. He created the list of new prospects, timelines of connecting with them in a very thoughtful strategy. He started setting new meetings, building momentum, and closing business.
See, sometimes it is the little wins like changing your mindset to Impossible vs. Possible. It's taking action, building confidence with those you work with, and discovering how to help other companies succeed by solving their biggest problem—celebrating your daily wins to build momentum for you the next day.
Our days in sales consist of daily cold calls, emails, presentations, problem-solving, and client meetings. The winning routines we establish, the foundation of a successful work ethic and winning mindset. It's what salespeople do beyond selling that makes a difference.
Winning does change Everything! So what can you do today to start winning? To perhaps inspire others around you and impact those you Lead! My recommendation is to commit yourself! Winning begins with YOU!
If you think someone could benefit from the Winning Changes Everything episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 121, Learn how to build a Ryder Cup Sales Team!
This episode focuses on building a better team while understanding that we are a better sales team when we work together!
As most of you know, I love golf! I love playing, competing, and watching golf. Many of you joined me in watching the Ryder Cup, Cheering the US team to victory over Europe.
The Ryder Cup has become one of the world's most incredible sporting events. Twenty-four of the best players from Europe and the United States go head-to-head in match play competition every two years. Drama, tension, outstanding golf, camaraderie, and sportsmanship are displayed, captivating millions of us worldwide.
Just like the Ryder Cup, we, too, play for something every day. We play to win and make a difference in our customer's lives.
Great teams had great leaders.
The Ryder Cup has Team Captains. Each team Captain gets the opportunity to coach twelve players. Determine which of their two players best match up against Europes best two. If you're a manager, you hired your players to play for your companies Team. You have the opportunity to match your player's talents with other players on your team and with the best fit for your customers.
Team Worker Makes the Dream Work!
For a company to be successful, it takes a cohesive team. A team that inspires others to do more for others than themselves. They understand that they are a part of something bigger than themselves. In sales, it's a game of you understanding your role while supporting others on the team.
Brian Tracy, a greatly respected author a business expert, had this observation on the importance of being able to be a good team member: "Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, 'What's in it for me?'
Who represents your team?
One of the biggest takeaways from the Ryder Cup for me is the makeup of a team. For Team USA, the players are a mix of Rookies ( 1st Time playing in the Ryder Cup), like Tony Finau, Daniel Berger, Scheffler, and Schauffele. Then you have your Veterans, experience players like Jordan, Justin, Johnson, and Koepka.
As a manager or coach, it is vital to understand every member of your team. Every sales team consists of individuals with different strengths.
Each team member has varying skills and wills they bring each day. The goal for you is to understand where they are today and where they need to go and guide them there. Be open and listen to the entire team. I have experienced that The newest team members have new ideas and different outlooks that can bring a unique perspective or way of doing business. The experienced team members share a different perspective as well. They have been there and can share things they have learned that can bring a learning experience.
Great teams never stop learning.
In golf, you get to learn from every shot you take. You intend to hit the perfect shot each time. But let's face it, you miss a few. The same applies to sales. Successful sales teams thrive in environments where they continually learn and are encouraged to seek knowledge. Consistently effective sales teams are always up-to-date with comprehensive product knowledge, they practice and role-play sales call before they happen, and they're always learning better ways to do things, so they're at the top of their game.
Great teams communicate and collaborate.
The best sales teams communicate with each other. Teams that communicate and collaborate build team rapport and ensure everyone is on the same page collaborate by sharing advice, overcoming obstacles, and providing genuine support. It's always helpful to get multiple perspectives on a particular sales challenge.
Great teams know what they are playing for every day.
The Ryder Cup players have a goal to win. They know precisely how many points the US Team needs, which is 14.5, to hold the Ryder Cup to share with all of us. Each member knows what they have to do, and so should each team member on your team. Does your team have clear and transparent goals? Find a way to get your team to rise to the occasion of doing something no other team has done. Most salespeople I know love a challenge and the opportunity to be a part of some historic " It's never been done" moment. Set stretch goals and start making history with your sales team.
Great teams like to celebrate their successes.
The phrase work hard and play hard applies to successful teams. Taking the time to recognize accomplishments creates better energy within the workplace and has a more significant effect on motivating the team to better their efforts.
So, I ask you to join me in recruiting outstanding talent and building a solid team to represent you and your company. Find the players that have the Will and the Skill to take your team to the next level!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 120, The story behind walking 10,000 steps a day and how you can apply the same principal to your business.
I was at work and saw a co-worker walking by my office. I said hello, how are you? She replied, getting my 10,000 steps in today. Then the next day, I played golf and asked Anne whom I playing with you riding or walking? Anne said, let's walk the course; I need to get my 10,000 steps in today.
Well, my curiosity got the best of me, and I had to find out the story or who invented the term 10,000 steps? I am guessing many of you listening can relate to finding a way to hit that magical number. Or those over-achievers are listening who find a way to exceed 10,000 steps!
The premise behind walking 10,000 steps is to focus on a goal to achieve each day.
So who invented the term 10,000 steps?
The 10,000 steps a day target seems to have come about from a trade name pedometer sold in 1965 by Yamasa Clock in Japan. The device was called "Manpo-key," which translates to "10,000 steps meter".
It was a marketing tool for the device; you got to love great marketing! Fifty-six years later, it appears to become a way of life for many. It's even included in daily activity targets by popular smartwatches, like Fitbit, Garmin, or Apple watches.
Research has since investigated the 10,000 steps a day target. The fact that study has shown this step target improves heart health, mental health, and even lowers diabetes risk, may, to some extent, explain why we have stuck with this arbitrary number.
But while some research has shown health benefits at 10,000 steps, research from Harvard Medical School has shown that, on average, approximately 4,400 steps a day is enough to lower the risk of death and improve your overall health.
So what do the 10,000 steps have to do with your business? It sets a daily goal for you.
What steps and how many do you need to take to ensure you have a productive day—a day that you are mentally engaged and feel good about your efforts. Build momentum and consistency for your business.
I was thinking about how we could apply the same principal to our business. Most people don't walk the 10,000 steps at one time. They break it up throughout the entire day. What if you did the same. Break your day into four focuses: 8am-10am; 10 am-Noon: 2pm-4pm and 4pm-5pm.
Here are a few steps you can take to stay focused on each day!
Beginning of your day. Set Priorities for your day!
To some people, just showing up every day is a success! It's crucial that you take a few minutes to establish the main priorities in your day.
But it is vital that you set your expectations for yourself.
Here are some good questions to ask yourself when setting your priorities:
*What would I need to accomplish today to make it a great day? Set an appointment with a new client? Convert a pending account? Renew a contract from a current client?
*How can I maximize my time today to have a productive day? Limit my distractions so I can focus on prospecting and growing my current accounts?
Taking a few minutes to clarify your priorities will significantly help you plan a prosperous day because you will know exactly where you should spend your time.
Do it every day! Drink Coffee - yes- but also Prospecting!
If you want to succeed in business or sales, you'll need to get good at prospecting and lead generation. Unless people are calling you, it's our job to create those opportunities. Make sure you schedule your prospecting time at a time during the day when you are most productive. Create focused time to do this and block out the distractions. Review at the end of your day how many prospects you connected.
Keep track of your day.
A successful day starts with knowing where your time and energy are going.
Do you know where your time goes every day?
Are you aware of how you're spending your time? Could you be busy deleting emails, getting lost on social channels like Facebook and Tik Tok?
Are the activities your doing walking you closer to a conversion?
By tracking your day, you will realize which activities are helping you be more productive throughout the day.
Separate your sales calls from prospecting time
There is a difference! It is essential to spend time doing both. I recommend looking at your calendar each day. Do you have prospecting time scheduled, as I shared earlier? How many sales calls have you set for the day? Making sure you spend part of your day selling or providing solutions to your client's issues.
Follow up with a couple of people every day.
Return on Relationship like my friend Ted Rubin says. Some of the most successful people always maintain relationships and cultivate new ones with potential clients and past clients.
How do you end your day?
One of the things that successful people have in common is how they end the day. Celebrate the wins and make adjustments to your next day!
Start each day by understanding your goals, and have a clear plan for how you'll accomplish them. Our happiness and fulfillment are all about stepping toward progress every day!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 119, We discuss creating filters to help you focus your time and energy on the accounts with spending potential!
I have a question for you. Do you or your sales team spend their time chasing rabbits or elephants? I know, I hear you. Has Lisa lost it talking about Rabbits and Elephants versus Sales and Marketing?
By the end of the podcast, you will have answered the question for yourself moving forward.
Let's see if this scenario sounds familiar, especially if you're in sales. You prospected an account and met with them to share how you could help them. Your thinking, I have the perfect recommendation for them based on their pain points and needs. Your thinking to yourself, this may be the easiest sale yet. And they share they have $4,000 to invest in your program. UGH.
So what do you? Go down the Rabbit Hole with the client. You want to make a sale! You give it your best effort to help them solve an issue that done right would cost $25,000. You know how the story ends. They don't get the results they need and either cancel or don't renew your program.
The topic of chasing Rabbits vs. Elephants was discussed with one of my account executives during our coaching session.
We were reviewing her target accounts she was looking at converting to customers. I always ask the question, Why are you targeting this particular account. Reasons tend to vary. So I asked her to look at her targets a little differently.
I asked her, What Filters are you using when deciding who to call? She hesitated, well I think they are an excellent fit for our products. I said, tell me more. At that moment, I knew she might be spending time chasing Rabbits down holes versus looking for Elephants.
This is a friendly reminder to revisit your sales filters. Discussing what filters you should use to determine your best customers is a great discussion in your next sales meeting or one-on-one coaching sessions if you are a manager.
What are your filters? I am not talking about Coffee filters. The filters you put in place that determines which accounts you should focus on getting a meeting!
The top three filters I recommend:
- You want to review your or your companies most successful clients. Do they have the dollar potential and resources? How much do they spend to get results? It will help you understand the time of investment it takes to have a successful program.
- Access to the decision-makers. You don't want to spend your valuable time sharing all your great ideas with the person that doesn't have the authority to say yes.
- Are they a fit for your product or service? Are you stretching some of your clients to fit, or have you discovered specific categories that tend to excel when working with you?
Here are a few other filters you may want to consider when determining where to focus your time and energy.
Quality versus Quantity. You know the 80-20 Rule. 80% of your billing and income tend to come from 20% of your accounts. Success leaves clues. You want to focus your time on those accounts that make up your income and find more of them.
Schedule time on your calendar to focus on developing new accounts. Spend focused time researching companies that you know you can help. It takes focused time to research and find the decision-maker to start a conversation about supporting and solving their needs.
Find the Elephants. Think Big! It is a mindset. What you focus on, you tend to get. Identify the larger spending potential accounts. Yes, it may take more time, but we are looking for long-term, successful partnerships.
Happy Customers! If you missed Episode 115, I share how to get 10-12 referrals from one Happy Customer! Ask your best clients who are spending the most with you for referrals.
Market yourself! Use social channels like Linkedin to position yourself as a resource. Share articles, write a blog, do a video on ideas to help companies grow.
So I will leave you with this. What are you willing to do for your business? The year is ending, and a new one is right around the corner.
What will you do in the next 24 hours to create momentum and work smarter?
What filters can you put in place in the next seven days? 30 days? 60 days? 90 Days?
One piece of advice, stop chasing Rabbits and Keep focused on Elephants!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
An episode from the Three Word Podcast Vault!
In Episode 118, You will learn how to create a language of Leadership with your team.
I share my conversation with Erik Therwanger, who shares how he began his career by serving in the US Marines, where Leadership, Honor, and Integrity became his foundation. He created the Think Great Collection series from his life experiences and applied it to business.
The 3 Pillars of Business Greatness provide business leaders with the Shared Languages you can create with your teams for predictable and profitable growth. Erik teaches you how to Position yourself and your team for success.
Achieving and maintaining a competitive edge is vital to the long-term success and relevancy of any business. While every organization is unique, yours can achieve more significant results by focusing on the right combination of critical factors- what Erik calls the 3 Pillars of Business Greatness.
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Leading - Assess and develop leaders at all levels while increasing engagement throughout your entire organization.
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Planning - Create a Flight Plan and build the Flight Crew required to elevate your business to new levels of success.
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Selling - Transform the mindset and results of your team by creating a high-performance sales engine.
To learn more on how you can implement the 3 Pillars of Greatness or contact Erik Therwanger at saphire@thinkgreat90.com or
call 952-807-3887
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 117, The Three Keys to getting your email opened!
I had a new employee stop in my office to get my phone and email script advice. His role is to set up new appointments by targeting businesses not currently doing business with us. So, I asked him to share with me his script and thoughts? He read it out loud to me. Once he finished, I asked him this question. Based on what you shared, would you give yourself the appointment? He laughed and said probably not.
I went on to share that we are trying to create a conversation! One of the hardest things to do is to set a new meeting up by phone. We want to do this first, but you may need to go with email if you keep getting voicemails or are blocked connecting. What do you do next? We send an email.
What is the key to email? Keep in mind; not all emails are created equally! Some get opened, and some do not! I recalled an article published by Hubspot that shared some key insights to getting your email opened.
The three keys are that Sending the right email to the right person at the right time is the key to getting your email opened. Sounds easy, right?
Think about this: when you send the right email, you have a better chance of converting your leads into customers because you're sending content to the right person when it will provide the most value to them.
But it's not always easy to send the right email every time you press send because not all of your leads and customers are the same. Some leads are ready to buy, and others work with other vendors or are in the research stage, and the same goes for your customers: You might have active and dormant customers, old and new customers.
The Right Email - It's all about content! What you send needs to build trust and deliver the right content to that customer. Think about emails you receive and take action on.
The Right Person - You need to segment the content you are sending based on their similarities and needs. You may have an email for new prospects, one vertical focused, or for your current customers that you want to stay connected and relevant.
The Right Time -I am sure you have heard the phrase, "Timing is Everything." Keep in mind where your customer is in the buying cycle. For example, you may be looking to build awareness and educate a new prospect versus someone at a decision stage looking for more information before switching vendors.
The foundation of sending an email, you must answer the following two questions.
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Why are you sending them an email? Your goal should be to connect, build awareness or provide relevant content to help them and their company.
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The value you're delivering to the person on the other end of the send. What value does your email offer them? Keep in mind that many of the prospects you are targeting may already be working with another vendor.
Think about the emails you open. Why do you open them, and what value do they deliver to you?
Have you heard of the word AIDA? It stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. It gives you the structure to your emails and the best way to communicate with the customer through the buying cycle.
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Attention - Step one is getting their attention. It's the headline of the email that draws you to read it or open it. Keep in mind that you have seven seconds to make an impression with your email. Subject lines need to create curiosity, urgency, relevance, or special or exclusive offers. Keep your subject lines short because 77% of emails are read on phones.
Here are some examples of subject lines.
"10 Bizarre money habits making Millennials richer."
"Don't open this email"
"Work less and earn more."
"The key to happiness."
Interest - Why are you sending the email? What value will they receive? What research, data, or case studies do you have that will impact them?
Desire - You have to show more value than their current vendor. What special or exclusive offer can you give them to consider meeting with you and learning more about how you can help them?
Action - You have to inspire them to do something. You are again; segmenting your emails, which matters! Call or click to receive something of value.
It's all about creating or continuing a conversation that builds trust and provides value with the Right Email, to the Right Person, at the Right Time.
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 116, Five tips that have the client saying yes to you!
This past weekend I played in our Country Clubs - Club Championship. This event is towards the end of the season to see which Male and Female member is the best.
You play over two days, and the player with the lowest score wins. Sounds easy, right? I was competing against Marianne, a former University of Cincinnati College golfer about 20 years younger. Yes, I am a member of AARP! Ha!
I love competing! Your energy is high, a bit nervous, or, as I call it, excited to play. I understood that I would need to play 36 perfect holes to have a chance to beat her. So after my first nine holes, she had a lead of nine strokes - not my best performance. She was playing lights out!
I knew I needed to turn things around for the next nine to compete, and I did. I was one-under-par coming into the 18th hole. Playing the best nine holes, only to triple-bogey the last hole. For those of you that don't play golf, that's not good. Day two begins, and I am only off six strokes behind, so I am still in it. We both start birding the first hole, and then we approach par 3; I hit my ball in the water, chunk the chip, and give her four more strokes. But I keep telling myself to keep competing until we play all 18. By the way, she is having the round of the summer, as she shared with me. So what do I do? I keep focused on what I can control, which is my next shot. She ends up shooting a 74, her best round of the year and wins the Club Championship.
But what I learned more than anything is that I enjoy competing at a higher level. Why? Because when you compete against the best, you get better! In the end, you're competing against your personal best! You learn and grow from every situation you put yourself in.
You may have heard the phrase, "Golf is a game of inches." Just like the Club Championship, only one person is holding the trophy. In business, one person wins over their competitors. The value you create and deliver is how you will be measured. The salesperson and sales organization who can solve the client's problem wins the business! If you can solve the problem before it's a problem, that is even better.
Think about this. Right now, your competitors are calling on your clients. Some of these competitors pose a threat to the future of your relationship and income. Your competition intends to take the business for themselves and their company. Sometimes they achieve their goal, and you lose business. Do you know how I know this is true? Because you are calling on companies that belong to your competition.
The question is, When and how do you Compete to win? I read an interesting sales blog from Anthony Iannarino.
The first question you need to ask yourself is, are you committed? What I mean by that is that you are all in!
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Commit to being all In: Are you playing it safe, playing small, or are you all in to win? Become someone worth buying and doing business with! Here is when you know you're all in. You do what needs to get done when no one is watching! To win in sales, you have to believe you are competing. It isn't enough to show up.
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Focus on Creating Greater Value: There is no reason to focus on your competitor. You cannot do anything about them or their approach, even if they always win by lowering their price. The way that you compete for a client's business is, in large part is creating more significant value than your competitor. You win by being more valuable to your client than your competitor.
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Create a Preference to Work With You: We need to spend more time on this concept to win the business. Clients decide that they want to work with someone more than they want to work with someone else. When you lose, they decided they want to work with your competitor. Your approach to selling is a difference-maker. So what it's like to work with you. Would you do business with you? Your business acumen and situational knowledge also help position you as the right partner, as your competency creates trust.
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Make Every Interaction Count: If you believe you are making another sale call, you are not playing the Game as well as you could. When you think you are engaged in the sale, a situation where you win or lose, you treat each interaction as if it is critical to the outcome—because it is critical.
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Leverage Every Resource Available: Engage with the people on your team who might help you win a deal. If you can, bring your leadership into the process, do it. If you can do things like visiting their site and meeting with their teams to understand their world better, you do it. If you can invite them to your location for a brainstorming meeting to share ideas, make it worth their while to join you. Use every resource available to you to win.
Sales is a competition, and you are a competitor.
Competing is a game, and there's a big difference between Playing the Game and Winning the Game.
It's not simply about wanting to win; it's about your commitment, conviction, and confidence in yourself to be successful.
So back to the original question: When should you Compete? The answer is Every Day!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 115: Learn a New Approach when asking for a referral!
I had to share a story from this week about a guy named Seth. I was in my office when Heather called me from the front desk. She said someone wanted to talk to a manager. As most of you are aware, I work for Hubbard Cincinnati and 2060 Digital. We had recently just moved into our new facility, which is super exciting. I grabbed a business card and headed down to meet someone I thought had an interest in advertising.
I noticed a sharp-dressed young man about 25-26 with a leather briefcase on wheels. I greeted him and asked how I could help him. He shared that he was in sales for a large clothier, was on a call, passed our building, and found the building impressive. He said that with the remarkable building, they must have some well-dressed employees. I have to say, and I did smile thinking old-school sales approach. Seth walked with no appointment and was fearless. He talked with Heather at the front desk to better understand the top executive and other opportunities. He was wise to gather as much information as possible to see who could be a potential customer.
In that short time gathering information from Heather, he had a name of our top executive in the building that would be his best target. Next on his list was me. I invited him to sit down to learn more ( Learn more about his sales ability to see if he would be a fit for our sales team).
I asked if he grew up around here. He grew up in Indiana and moved here to attend College at the University of Cincinnati, where he majored in business. He was in medical sales in Ortho but didn't like seeing all the surgeries. So he joins Tom James. He had great enthusiasm, and our conversation was effortless. I decided to challenge him and said, with Covid and so many people working from home, don't you find it challenging to make sales?
He smiled and said his target consumer is always fashion conscious. They are top-level executives, managers, salespeople, and athletes who need custom clothes because of their size and want to look on top of their game. He then went on to suggest I would look great in a pencil skirt with stilettoes shoes. I chuckled and asked Heather, who was listening to our conversation, Hey Heather, could you see me in a pencil skirt? Laughing. He then went on to share that they launched a new casual line. More people are wearing fitted jeans, button-downs, and blazers. I have to say I was so impressed that he was ready to handle any objection.
He asked if he could follow up with me as he had another meeting with a CEO. He asked if he could call and set another time to share his recommendations he thought I would be interested in and any other of our salespeople.
He went on to ask if I would have five minutes before he had to leave to answer a few questions. I said sure. He handed me a white legal size of paper.
I looked at the piece of paper with about 12 questions. It was titled Client Appreciation list. Very clever as it was his way to ask for a referral. He said that when you ask someone for a referral, you can see them searching for someone they may know. They typically reply, let me think about it. I wanted to make it easier for you.
According to one Dale Carnegie stat, 91 percent of customers say they'd give referrals if asked, but only 11 percent of salespeople ask for them.
Seth had very targeted questions to match his consumer. For Example:
Client Appreciation List - Help you gain new customers from referrals.
WEALTHIEST FRIEND WITH A GOOD ATTITUDE: ________________
MOST FASHION CONSCIOUS FRIEND: ___________________________
PERSON WITH MULTIPLE HOMES: ______________________________
PERSON WITH PRIVATE AIRCRAFT: _____________________________
FRIEND WITH THE FINEST HOME: _______________________________
FRIEND WITH THE MOST EXOTIC CAR: __________________________
BUSINESS OWNER/CEO VERY BUSY:_____________________________
MOST INFLUENCIAL FRIEND: ____________________________________
MOST PHILANTHROPIC FRIEND: _______________________________
TALLEST FRIEND: ______________________________________________
SHORTEST FRIEND: ____________________________________________
COUNTRY CLUB MEMBER: _______________________________________
PROFESSIONAL ATHELETE: ______________________________________
TV/RADIO PERSONALITY: ________________________________________
OF THESE NAMES, WHO WILL BE THE MOST DIFFICULT TO GET IN CONTACT WITH?.... PLEASE CALL
What Seth knew was the characteristics and lifestyle of his consumer. He also had the opportunity at twelve new leads from one person. So the question is, how can you do the same? In our sales meeting last week, I shared the Story of Seth with my team. We then broke into small groups to develop our Client Appreciation List that makes sense for Industry. Together we created our Tailor-made questions.
Oh, and by the way, call Seth if you are looking to update your wardrobe. (812) 614-1720 or email him S.bittner@tomjames.com.
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 114, Learn what makes a perfect sales call!
What makes the perfect sales call? A call that is planned out in detail before you call or connect. One of my first managers, Perry Samuels, would say these three words when I targeted a new customer for a first meeting, "Don't Skip Steps." He believed that following specific sequences of steps would benefit you and the client.
No matter where you are in the sales process creating a foundation for your sales calls is critical. It is so essential to master the conversation with your new prospect or your client. A phrase shared with me early in my career was, Question your way to the sale. The question is how the best way to do that is?
You need to master the best questions to ask your new prospect or client.
For example:
What is the prospect or client's current situation? Have you discovered the Valid Business Reason why they should meet with you? See if you can't answer this question, you should:
Ask yourself what background research should you do before you call or meet? Research, Research, and Research!
Your background research should have two focuses: Who your client is and How you can help them.
The first connection can be a phone call. For example, Would you be open to a brief phone call to see if it makes sense for us to meet? I have identified a few areas in which our company can successfully help you. You will get a chance to learn more about their needs, goals, and budget.
So how should you research your clients to prepare for the meeting?
- Educate yourself on their company and industry.
- Have well-thought-out questions to ask about them.
- Gather evidence of relevant clients you've worked with to show you're a good fit and not going to waste their time.
- Research your client on their social channels. Engage with them on Linkedin and Facebook to see what they are posting. See whom you have shared connections to that can do an introduction. You may discover interests or causes you have in common.
- Research recent changes in their industry (shifts in consumer behaviors towards their products, market opportunities, create ideas to help them solve a problem. For example, finding qualified employees is an area in our team is assisting companies. We are sharing the latest technologies in finding these employees so companies can continue to generate sales.
- Research their competitors to look for an opportunity for your client. Is there an idea or opportunity they take advantage of to help grow sales or solve a problem?
- Research If they are a publicly-traded company, review their earnings reports to see an opportunity.
Next question you should ask yourself.
What are your goals for meeting with the client?
These will be different conversations.
- Is it a discovery meeting where you get to know each other and build rapport while learning how to help them?
- Is this a current client that you're sharing a new product or service line that can benefit them?
- Are your reviewing results from the prior month, the quarter where you share the results of working with you and your company to gain a renewal?
- Is there an opportunity in other divisions of the company that you can expand? We work with owners of businesses and VP'S. Gaining an introduction to the HR Director to help with their recruitment is an area of opportunity.
What is your desired outcome for the call?
You need to be clear with your intentions of what you need from each exchange.
- Understand the next steps after your meeting. The timelines and decision-makers needed for you to get a yes on the program you presented.
- Clarify what the client needs are and see where you can be of value to support them.
- Review your recommendations and get a commitment to move ahead. Ask is there anything you have not addressed and would like included in the program? If they say no to your proposal. Ask them what is stopping you from moving forward with your proposal? It's a way to say I may have missed an area significant to you. Can you share more about that with me?
- Ask your client the best form of communication they prefer—phone, email, or face to face.
The goal is to leave the meeting with as much info about your client and their needs as possible. Taking the time to research and ask great questions shows that you want clients to get everything they need.
So Don't Skip Steps and remember these Three Words: Research, Research, Research!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 113, Learn the secrets to getting in front of new prospects faster!
Don't Give Up!
Three words to remember when trying to get in front of new prospects. If you want to learn the best practices of earning the first meeting, you will love this podcast!
I share a conversation with Kim Alexandre, a Media Consultant, Coach, and experienced Sales Trainer from The Center for Sales Strategy. She shares her secrets on getting in front of new prospects faster.
Key takeaways from our conversation.
Become a mental Post-It note in your prospect's mind
- The importance people skills play in your approach.
- What to do if you frequently misread situations ask for more infield coaching days with your manager.
- Create a self-help plan.
The benefit of being persistent with a purpose
- Learn how to avoid feeling like a stalker.
- Using the buyer persona to determine your best approach.
- Don't be afraid to "take a break" or "break up." Most of us are super competitive and want to fight until we close them. Stop; there may be a time that you break up.
Make the first impression
- Humanize your approach at the beginning.
- Subject lines matter to gain the client's attention.
- Nailing pre-text of your subject line to gain their attention.
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 112, Are you a Super Hero at work?
We all love Super Hero's like Superman, Superwoman, Batman, or the Avengers. But is being a Hero at work the answer?
So I have a question for you. Do you consider yourself a Hero Leader or an Interdependent Leader? If you are not sure, you will look at how you lead differently by the end of this podcast.
I participated in a 100 Wise Women Breakfast where we discussed this topic in great detail. The group included women like myself across various industries in leadership roles. Also included were Rising Professionals who were new are a few years into their job to gain different perspectives on Leadership.
We broke into small groups and discussed a Ted Talk: A Guide to Collaborative Leadership by Lorna Davis.
In the TED Talk, "A guide to collaborative leadership," Lorna Davis explains the difference between what she calls "hero leadership" and "interdependent leadership" and how the world requires collaboration to solve complex challenges.
Link on her talk below:
https://www.ted.com/talks/lorna_davis_a_guide_to_collaborative_leadership?language=en
She describes the "hero leader" as someone who presents the image of having the right answer all the time. In these situations, followers often are not engaged, assuming they have no role in achieving a solution. Yet, Davis shares, "in a world as complex and interconnected as ours is, we must rely on one another…we must have radical interdependence."
During our group discussion, we discovered that many of us work with Hero leaders vs. Interdependent Leaders. We shared different ways we could focus on what we each could do to become more Interdependent Leaders.
I started to reflect on how I lead. I made several shifts in how I coach my team. For example, I do weekly coaching sessions with my team where we meet in my office, discuss their business and any ideas to help move their business forward. It's a very collaborative meeting. But I started to think, could the environment feel or be more productive if our discussions were not in my office. I decided to meet in an open space at a table that feels more were in it together. Other account executives would walk by and smile.
Another example is always looking for better ways to serve our clients, creating better processes, and growing revenue. We selected five team members to join another manager and me at breakfast ( outside the office) to get their insights and recommendations on the complex issues we were facing. We didn't need to be the Hero's. In most cases, the team has better ideas to help us solve the problems. Plus, if it's their ideas, they are more likely to be a part of solving it. As a team, we become more Interdependent. These are a few examples of what I have implemented.
I thought I would share her three ( yes 3) essential differences between "Hero leadership" and true collaboration through "Interdependent leadership."
They set goals differently.
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A hero sets a goal that can be individually delivered and measured.
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An interdependent leader instead sets goals that are impossible to achieve by one company or one person alone. They work with others in the industry to solve shared problems.
They announce goals differently.
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A hero only announces goals when the plan to achieve them is carefully crafted and precise and when there is a certainty of meeting the goal. The stage sets up for "the big win."
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Interdependent leaders and collaborators are willing to share their goals before they have a plan. Often, these goals they set are unable to be met without the help of others. These announcements are often invitations for others to join in the pursuit of the solution together. People want to know they matter!
They have very different relationships with others.
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A hero sees people as either competition or loyal followers. Heroes want control over everything, and because of this, they often do not seek input from others. They often wish to the credit of success alone.
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Interdependent leaders recognize their need for other people. An example is how these leaders run meetings where people are encouraged to "collaborate and communicate and share ideas." People look for ways they can be involved in the process during these meetings. Interdependent leaders help others feel that their time is valuable and essential.
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Interdependence is a lot harder than being a hero, says Lorna Davis. It requires adopting traditionally not accepted behaviors in leadership roles: openness, transparency, and vulnerability. I think about Brene Brown and her work of becoming a more vulnerable leader. These behaviors do have some risks. However, she says, The joy and success of interdependence and vulnerability are worth the effort and risk.
To solve complex, interconnected problems, there is a need for interdependent leaders.
So the question is, do you consider yourself a Hero or Interdependent leader? Knowing the difference now, how will you begin to shift to become more collaborative as a leader?
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 111, It's all about how to compete at the highest level. Learn the one sales secret to your success!
This week the Toyko Summer Olympics begin! Team sports like basketball, soccer, and individuals giving their all in Track and Field, Swimming, and wrestling. After training for over four years, each athlete has one moment to compete for a chance to stand on the podium that declares they are the best! We get to witness the best athletes in the world competing for the gold medal.
I was thinking about all the processes these athletes undertake in their sports to reach the Olympic level. To make the Olympic team is hard, and only a few get to that level. The percentages vary by sport. For example, to compete in Swimming, it is .0013% to compete.
"There are about 10,000 athletes in the Summer Olympics. With the world population at about 7 billion, the chances of making it that far are about 1 in 562,400," says Bill Mallon, past president and co-founder of the International Society of Olympic Historians.
What skills are needed to be an Olympic-level athlete?
A great advantage would be if you had the physical abilities to excel in a sport, and speed, strength, endurance, and coordination are vital. One of the most significant advantages to success is determination.
So I started thinking about what Traits Olympic athletes have with the top 1% of sales performers.
Determination. You must have a never-give-up attitude. Despite all of the setbacks athletes face, they keep coming back better than ever. The same is true for top sales performers. They turn a setback into a comeback. They take the opportunity to learn from their shortfalls, learn from the experience, and prevent it from happening again.
Stay consistent. The top performer stays focused and consistent. They understand that every day may not be award-winning. But what they do realize is the staying the course and remaining consistent will have a long-term payoff.
Prioritize your training. Top sales performers prioritize their training. They invest in themselves by reading sales books, blogs, online courses, and listening to podcasts. They attend conferences and have a desire to find a better way of doing business.
Be Goal-oriented The goal that Olympic athletes are working towards is a Gold Medal. In sales, we are working towards a plan as well. It may be a financial goal or a goal of contribution. Understanding what must get done each day - the daily goals are necessary to achieve that overall goal. For sales leaders, this may be as small as being proactive with just a few calls a day, but it pays off big time in the long run. Define your long and short-term goals and find the discipline to track your progress.
As I shared earlier, 1 in 562,000 can compete in the Olympics. What is the top 1% in sales doing to compete at a higher level?
The bottom 99 percent and the top one percent of salespeople have something in common: they are both creatures of habit. The bottom 99 percent talk about their products or services to clients. They sell features, benefits and ask for the order. Yes, these sellers have conviction, energy, or enthusiasm.
But the top one percent of salespeople train differently than the 99%. See, they focus on one critical skill that sets them apart from others. They consistently repeat this behavior over and over because they know it is their secret to sales success?
The top one percent of salespeople ask the right questions.
The best sales talents don't pitch their products and services, and they ask questions. They ask intelligent, strategic questions immediately on a first call or meeting. The top 1% create a system of questions they need to ask to help their clients.
This simple three-word ( ask better questions) strategy is exceptionally effective. See, the more questions the salesperson asks, and the more information the prospect or client share, the better you can solve their business issues.
The most critical question the top 1% of salespeople start with qualifying questions to determine if the prospect they are speaking with is even worth their time. They ask questions about their pain points, decision-making process, timeline, and budget. Within minutes, they know if they are qualified prospects and have the resources and ability to work with them or move on to the next.
The Top 1% focus on pain points, asking how the current situation impacts their business and future growth. They actively listen and repeat what they heard back as a confirmation that to the client.
The Top 1% create a roadmap of success with their clients. They understand the KPI's and how the client will measure success. This way, they can make the necessary adjustments to ensure they exceeded their clients' expectations.
Here is my challenge for you. Challenge yourself and your team to fine-tune your approach to asking better questions. The next time you're on the first call with a prospect, don't talk about your product or service. Be prepared and ask the better questions instead, and map out your strategy for the next meeting. Stay consistent and determined and perform like the top one percent.
No matter what role you play at your company, keeping making progress, stay determined, ask better questions and strive to be the 1% in your field.
Go, Team USA!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 110, Why taking a vacation is good for your business. It's Time To Recharge!
I recalled a moment from a vacation I shared with 8 of my best friends. I was running my dogs and started laughing out loud! Likely many of you, you haven't been able to see, let alone spend time with your friends. We planned a girls' trip to Hocking Hills, where we rented a house to get away, recharge, and connect.
We gathered, we embraced, hiked, sat poolside listening to our favorite music, laughed, cooked together (excellent cooks, may I add - not me), sat by the fire pit with our favorite beverage updating each other. The excitement of seeing my friends for an extended period brought me joy and happiness. I had never laughed so much as this trip! This gathering I would title unforgettable fun!
This vacation had an enormous impact! Probably because of covid and many of us had not seen each other outside of zoom happy hours and phone calls. We needed an escape from our homes and work! Many of us working more hours than we typically would.
When work is overwhelming, and your work-life feels out of balance, it's time to ask yourself, "Should I go on vacation?" The answer is Yes! People are working more hours and taking less time off, have not been able to get away or gather with family and friends, bringing on various mental and physical health challenges.
Why are vacations critical to you and your business? It gives you a chance to recharge. Studies show that managers and employees that take a vacation experience an increase in productivity after returning to work, which can positively impact the rest of the team.
Employees who take time away to recharge return to work with more energy and innovation to invest in the company's success. 70% of employees who regularly take a week-long summer vacation say they are driven to contribute to the companies success, compared with 55% of those who don't.
O.C.Tanner completed a study that recently asked 1,000+ workers across the country about their experiences and thoughts regarding summer vacation. For those employees who regularly take a one-week or more extended vacation in the summer, there are positive correlations between their workplace engagement levels and work ethic:
• 70 percent of respondents say they are highly motivated to contribute to the organization's success instead of only 55 percent of respondents who do not regularly take a week-long summer vacation.
• 63 percent of respondents say they feel a sense of belonging at the company where they currently work instead of only 43 percent of respondents who do not regularly take a week-long summer vacation.
• 65 percent of respondents say they have a strong desire to be working for their organization one year from now, as opposed to 51 percent of respondents who do not regularly take a week-long summer vacation.
Do you know what else vacations do? They Boost your happiness! Research shows that planning a vacation can boost your happiness. Some people experience an elevated mood up to eight weeks before the trip. You all have experienced this while planning your vacations—the anticipation of seeing family, friends, the beach, the mountains, or your happy place. I experienced extreme happiness planning and attending the Girls trip to Hocking Hills!
The bottom line is, take a vacation! When you take time away from the stresses of work and daily life, it can improve your physical and mental health, motivation, relationships, job performance, and perspective. A vacation can help you feel recharged and more prepared to handle whatever comes when you return.
So get to planning and booking your next vacation. I would love to hear where you've headed for your getaway, and send me pictures of you recharging!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
In episode 109, we do a mid-year check-in to review if we are on track to exceeding our goals.
Well, it's hard to believe that it's July, and for some of you, your year is ending. For many others like me, we are halfway through our year. I have a question for you, " How's Your Year going?" Is it progressing as you envisioned? Has it gotten off track? What goals did you set for yourself and your team during your annual review? Most people did their yearly reviews with their team in late November, right in the middle of Covid. We discussed and created a performance plan based on what we knew then.
The question is, do you wait for the year to end to see if you were successful with your intentions for the year? Many of us check the box and file our annual review. The next time we review it is a year later. I was thinking about the word review. A review is a formal assessment or examination of something with the possibility or intention of instituting change if necessary. So we must be reviewing our year each day, each week, and every month to see if we are on task to achieving our goals. Plus, we all love to make progress in everything we do!
If I asked you what your action plan included for this year, would you recall it? If your sales or management, you may have set your intention on growing revenue and exceeding budget. What else did you decide to accomplish this year?
So I decided to pull out my review to see if I was on track or if I need to make some shifts and adjustments now that I am mid-year. My number one goal is to exceed my revenue goals. I am exceeding one area and need to make some shifts in another revenue line. If your Coaching others, do you have the right talent to help you get there? It is about recruiting the right talent and fit to help you achieve your revenue goals.
I am lucky to work with the most talented leaders in the industry, but I am not immune to someone leaving. I discovered that I don't have enough sales leaders in my pipeline to hire for the next opportunity. After reviewing my list of sales talent, this is an area I need to shift my attention and take action on every week.
I decided to walk my sales leaders through the same process; I walked through this process in our weekly one-on-one coaching sessions. We discovered that we need to make some shifts and reset in other areas. What we thought served us in a strategy late last year required updating mid-year.
Great sales talent and leaders are always looking for better ways to improve their performance.
I used five questions with my sales leaders as a mid-year touchpoint.
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What did we set out to do this year? (restate goal(s) and how we agreed we would achieve them)
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What is working? (and how can you do more of that) Yes, we want to keep doing what is working! Take the time to celebrate those accomplishments.
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What do you need to say no to that is not working? What activities are stealing time from you and not helping you produce the results for you?
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Are there new market opportunities that could provide new sales opportunities? For example, helping companies find qualified employees is a significant opportunity of focus for our team. Think about new options you have today that perhaps you didn't six months ago.
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List one adjustment you will make to improve your sales? Should you be prospecting more? Improve your appointment settings? Ask for a referral from a satisfied client or Increase your average sale? Do you need additional sales training or better processes?
If you Manager or lead a team, here are a few other questions to consider.
How is your team performing to plan YTD?
What did you plan for this year, and it's working? (If yes, Do more of it!)
What is not working and needs to be adjusted? ( Focus on the activities getting you the results you need.)
How is your sales talent pipeline of leaders? If someone gets promoted or leaves your company, do you have someone that can step into that opportunity?
Lastly, based on your mid-year review, what have you learned, what changes need adjustments to ensure you exceed your goals?
A midyear review check-in is something I recommend for your business and personally. You have time to make adjustments to finish the year strong and keep making progress and building momentum as you enter into 2022. Yes, the new year will be here before we know it.
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your Sales meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
In episode 108 - Learn Seven tips to Spark Your Sales!
How's your year going? If you're on track or crushing your budgets and quotas, Congratulations. If your falling short, then you may find this podcast helpful. You may be looking for something to help Spark your Sales.
Here are seven tips you can do to Spark your sales.
Add More Value.
Think about the products and services you buy? I have a feeling that it's not always about price. Instead, the product/service that adds more value to your life. Most clients buy from those that add or show value in working with them. Your clients are no different.
Your clients see value in many different ways. A product might save them time, create more revenue, improve their operation, build employee morale and engagement. But ultimately, customers will only purchase a product that they think will benefit them. In the end, the person that earns the business does these three words: Adds More Value! What solutions can you provide to your prospect or client?
A great question to ask to add value would be the following.
"Our research has shown that the industry/market has been going in an upward/downward direction over the past days/weeks/months."
Again, this shows you've done your homework and share something of real value with your client.
Learn to Listen.
More than two-thirds of clients agree: listening to their needs is essential to create a positive sales experience. So all you have to do is ask better questions and listen.
Learn about your prospect's business. Spark their interest by asking your client about their industry, trends, what they're doing to stay ahead, and even why they got into that industry. If you show interest in your prospect's business, they'll feel influential and respected. You will earn their trust. Everyone likes to talk about themselves; all you have to do is ask them.
Keep Building Trust.
Think about this static, only 3% of buyers trust sales reps. Talk about no Spark! This trust deficit is one of the biggest problems facing salespeople. No matter how well you explain the value of your product or recommend a specific solution if your prospects don't believe you… you're facing an uphill battle.
But fortunately, there is a way to develop that trust by consistently demonstrating expertise. Sharing that knowledge with your prospects shows that you understand the industry and empathize with their challenges.
A great question to build trust would be the following. "My experience in this field shows that the market is improving/getting better/more profitable, so my recommendation is to invest in product x."
You will earn the trusted advisor position and helps the prospect trust your opinions and create more opportunities for themselves.
Be A Resource.
Stay focused on how you can help your client. Stay focused on understanding what your customer needs and provide them with solutions.
Share industry trends and how to help improve their sales and operation. Or share the following statement: "Like most of our clients, no doubt you must be experiencing an upturn/downturn/increase/decrease in xxx part of your business."
Using the phrase 'Like most of our clients' says that you will share some valuable market information, pique their interest in hearing more.
Persistence pays off.
I read an article from Hubspot that shared some great stats on how staying persistent can pay off to you.
- It takes an average of 18 calls actually to connect with a buyer.
- Only 24% of sales emails are opened, which means 76% don't get opened. I would recommend calling and starting a conversation.
- 80% of sales require five follow-up calls.
- 44% of salespeople give up after one follow-up call.
Selling is all about relationships.
How do you keep the spark alive? Ted Rubin – who wrote the book Return on Relationship, understands this principle. The word "Relate" is in the word Relationship. The more relatable you are to your clients, the better opportunity you have to work with them. When you spend your time having conversations with your clients about how you can help them, you will gain their trust and have a better chance of being referred to other businesses.
Share Success Stories
Clients want to work with companies that have a proven track record. The best way to do this is to share similar companies' stories to highlight the success that they could have with your product- since they'll want the same success. If you have a past success that's in the same industry, mention that to them. They'll be more interested because a competitor has had success with your product.
A great statement story to share could be the following. "The key influencers in our industry see an upturn/downturn in the near future, so my suggestion would be that fill in the blank."
To spark your sales, you need to spark a conversation! Become that trusted advisor by listening, more value, become a resource, become more relatable, and keep sharing your successes!
Happy 4th of July and to a road of Financial Freedom!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your Sales meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 107: Is it time to Makeover your Meetings?
I was listening to a Brene Brown Podcast, and her guest was Priya Parker, who wrote the book The Art of Gathering. How We Meet and Why It Matters. It was highly thought-provoking on post-pandemic how we will gather together and Why we gather. A deeper discussion centered around meetings in general and the Purpose of those meetings.
Well, you know, it grabbed the attention of the girl who wrote the Book Three Word Meetings. So I thought to myself, What a great time to think about all the meetings I attend or lead and think about how they could be better and if they needed a Makeover.
What is a meeting? It is where people discuss issues, improve communication, share ideas on improving processes, ideate on how to generate revenue. One of the main reasons I like our weekly team meetings is that the team is together! It's time to connect, collaborate and create conversations and Inspiration.
Whether you're still working remotely or back full-time at work, you're still meeting, so let me ask you a question? Could your meetings be better? I would think most of us would say yes! So how do you begin to Makeover Your Meetings? We attend various meetings throughout our week, Sales meetings, Department Head meetings, One on One coaching meetings, client meetings, brainstorming meetings, team collaboration meetings, etc.
I thought I would share the five questions I used to Make Over our weekly Leadership meetings. Most people would call this meeting their sales meeting - more about how you title your meetings later in the podcast. You can apply the same filters when reviewing your meetings.
Step One: What is the Purpose of the meeting?
The most critical question you need to ask yourself. What is working, and what needs a makeover? What is the Purpose of the meeting and the outcome you are looking for in your meetings? Every gathering should have a result. When invited to a Dinner Party, you know the Purpose and what to expect. Think about your meetings. For example, is it to gather your team to educate them on new products or services? Is it to have them work together to solve a business challenge? Is it Team Building? Educational? Inspirational? If you're struggling with the Purpose of your meeting, then I recommend asking yourself, Why are you meeting?
Step Two: When and How often should you meet?
We have our Leadership meetings every Tuesday at 8:30 am for an hour. The question to think about is it necessary to meet every week? You may discover that meeting Bi-Weekly or monthly makes more sense. As a management team, we made a decision only to have meetings with Purpose. The length of the meeting matters as well, and we don't force content to fill up the hour if we don't have the material or content. If the content is 30 minutes long, then the meeting ends early! Imagine that as a salesperson, more time to develop your business or spend more time with your clients.
Step Three: Name your meetings.
What you title your meetings set the tone for your time together. Most people name their meetings – sales meetings. We call our weekly meetings Leadership Meetings. Yes, we sell marketing solutions to our customers, but the Purpose of the meeting is to think like a Leader. The word Sales feels very different than Leader! The importance of naming your sessions is that the people attending have a better idea of what they can expect. An Off-site meeting feels different than a meeting in a conference room. For example, guest Speaker, Breakfast, brainstorming, or grow revenue meetings creates a picture in the minds of those attending.
My Leadership Meetings – I use 3 Words to frame every meeting. There is a purpose behind those Three Words. The words reflect the Purpose behind our gathering.
Step Four- Engage your team.
Ask your team for feedback. Remember this meeting is for the team. In your next Leadership meeting, I recommend breaking your team into small groups. Ask them what they find helpful to share during your time together. Would they like guest speakers? Do they want Inspiration or collaboration during their time together? What needs to go and no longer serves a purpose to the meeting? How often should you meet? What could we Makeover to help them? Learn trends in your industry? Do they want music when they walk into the room or on Zoom?
Step Five – Be open to the team's feedback.
We walked our Leaders through the process I shared with you. It gave us insights on what needed to go and what new concepts would benefit our team.
So here's to your meetings and gatherings having more Purpose and engagement. I would love to hear your experiences in Making Over your meetings!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your Sales meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 106, The advice you should listen to from your Father!
Happy Pre-Fathers Day to all the hard-working Dads!
In this week's episode, I share my conversation with some of the hardest working Fathers I have the pleasure of working alongside. They share the Three Words they live their life by and the Three Words of advice for their children.
The one theme all these Fathers have in common is Work-Life Balance! Spending time with their families and their kids is a priority.
Special thanks to the Hardest Working Fathers at Hubbard Media!
Nick Collins: Do It Together and Three words of advice for his kids, Always Be Yourself!
Terry Moore- Preparation, Persistence, and Patience. His Three Words of advice for his kids and grandkids, Faith, Family, and Finance.
Ken Marmer- No Practice Life and Three Words of advice for his kids, Try Each Day.
Kelby Dreisbach- Speak The Truth and his Three Words of advice for his daughters, Believe In Yourself!
Think about the Three Words you live by or what Three Words of advice you have for your children!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your Sales meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
In episode 105, we learn how to become a GOAT - Greatest Of All Time by Competing Against Yourself!
Let's give up for Phil Mickelson. He provided what we love about sports, watching someone special do something special, something unexpected. Phil shared, "That is why he keeps showing up."
I watched a historical moment! Phil Mickelson win at Kiawah Island, S.C. at the age of 50 years and 11 months! You may be thinking, what's the big deal.
Phil's ability on a golf course, the body of work he has established over more than three decades in the public eye, has gotten lost or diminished the past few years. That is why winning this PGA Championship, so unlikely because it made him the oldest major champion ever at age 50, means so much.
His last win was in 2019 at Pebble Beach and his final major championship trophy in 2013 at Muirfield. Since September, he missed six cuts. In the eight in which he was around for the weekend, he never once finished in the top 20. He had fallen outside the top 100 in the Official World Golf Ranking. He needed special exemptions to get a spot in significant championship fields.
"The difficulty is when you're not making advancements, and you're putting in the work, and you do not see the results, to stay consistent and to stay committed," Mickelson, 50, shared with reporters. I thought about what he said. You have to be honest with yourself and reflect on where you are today and where you want to be tomorrow, a week from now, a month, or a year.
Let's face it as it's hard enough to win when you're competing with the talented golfers in their 30s, never mind in your 40s and now, according to golf, in your senior years. Ouch, as I am in the 55+ crowd. So what I learned from playing golf and watching Phil become a GOAT - Greatest of All-time at the age of nearly 52 is that Phil was competing against his personal best!
I understand all of you listening have direct competitors that you compete for business with every day. Is the real learning lesson or takeaway that our focus should be on competing with ourselves and figuring out ways to become our very best? Phil's knowledge of the game and experience is vast. But he had to re-invent himself by not only eating better, building physical strength and mental toughness to compete. By focusing on your capabilities and limitations, you can adapt and refocus your business goals to compete to improve yourself. Taking ownership of the competition internally so you can improve is the best way to create longevity and ride the highs and the lows of business.
I had a few thoughts about how we best start to focus on what we can control, which is us!
Competition vs. Comparison
Focusing on competing against yourself is the key to a successful mindset because you eliminate the chance to get into the comparison game with others. If we compare ourselves with others, we distract ourselves from our control, such as how the other team members are doing, habits, and daily processes. If we focus only on ourselves, we can work on our strengths and weaknesses to find the most effective and unique ways to connect and sell to our customers. Tracking your progress is essential in taking personal accountability for your circumstances. It's necessary to track your progress. Do you have the energy all day to work with customers? Is your appointment setting improving? How are your conversions to conversations to closes going?
Effort is Key
In sales, talent is a contributor to success. The more significant factor is the effort to maximize every possible opportunity. Whether you are at your first sales job and going through the motions, or you already have 34 years of experience, showing up and learning every day is crucial. Planning and managing your activities is a game changer! To become a GOAT - you must focus on your priorities at the beginning and end of each day! Is there an area you need improvement? Be honest and push yourself to start to learn better ways of accomplishing them. You may need to ask for honest feedback from your manager or another co-worker. Remember, learning is earning!
Invest in Yourself
It starts with working harder on yourself. Are you physically and mentally strong enough to compete against your best? That is what Phil had to do. He learned about nutrition, how to physically push himself, and mentally stay calm in the chaos. Going above and beyond in building your skill, experience, and network means investing in yourself. Continue to add even one percent daily to your professional development, and the results will follow. Building relationships through networking is significant in creating new opportunities. Also, find a greater purpose in why you are doing what you do because it will be a great reminder on the tough days. When things start going bad, break the pattern by doing something that will maximize your future opportunity. People like to work with those who have a winning attitude, even when things are not going to their advantage.
Practice makes Perfect.
Phil, like many PGA Pro's, practices every day. He hits shot after shots. Putts all lengths, so when the time comes, he has already built the muscle memory to perform. He has built Mental Confidence! Ask yourself when you practiced what you would say to start a conversation with a new potential client. How about practicing your first meeting to anticipate any objections they may have or practice your presentation.
See, For things to get better, you have to get better.
My vision for each of you is to become a GOAT - Greatest of All Time, for yourself. Each day learns something new that will improve your performance. Yes, it's human nature to compete and beat others. But the actual game is won when we Compete Against Ourselves!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next
three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your Sales meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 104, Learn the technique to turning a No into a Yes!
Well, It's human behavior for us to avoid any negative experiences. I think you will agree that no one wants to be a Negative Nelli or face negative experiences if they can avoid them. If you're in sales, you experience the word "No." You can call them objections or rejections, but let's call it what it is, a prospect is avoiding us and perhaps not interested in your product or service.
So the question is, how can you tell they want to say no?
In sales, you want to get the "no" as soon as possible so you can move on. Otherwise, your prospect will steal time from you and drag you along for weeks or months without giving a definitive answer.
I call this "Noping," and it usually sounds like:
- "Hey, can you call me back?"
- "Send me an email, and I'll get back to you."
- "Hey, follow up with me next week."
- "Sorry I had to cancel; I'll get back to you with a better time."
When I hear "Nope" phrases, I know I'm in trouble. So we keep calling even though they're probably not interested. This situation typically happens when you're setting the next steps after your presentation. Instead of saying "We're not interested right now," which would be ideal, you'll hear, "We'll think about it and get back to you," "Let's follow up in two weeks," or the dreaded "Let me think about what we discussed today.
It may be time to consider implementing the Negative Reserve Selling.
David H. Sandler created negative reverse selling in 1967 as part of the Sandler Selling System. The system aims to convince the prospect that they are pursuing the deal and need the product rather than 'selling' them. Brilliant, right?
It is a reverse psychology technique meaning that it takes the opposite approach to what you would expect.
As a salesperson, you will be asking questions and making statements that would seem to discourage your customer from buying your products while, in reality doing the opposite.
So, how is the negative reverse selling actually happen? There are two main parts of the process:
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It starts with a Softening Statement- "Feeling" these phrases and sentences will help you become much better at negative reverse selling than you would have if you only focused on techniques.
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The softening Statement clarifies the customer's concern and ensures that they are heard and understood. The softening Statement is to disarm your potential customer while also making sure that the negative Statement doesn't anger or provoke them. Some examples of the softening Statement include "I understand what you mean," "You're absolutely right," and "That is a valid concern," " Tell me More."
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Next is the Negative Statement
- The negative Statement is the opposite of the Statement you would usually make or the opposite of the position you want to take. The negative Statement leans into the concern of your potential client and makes them start defending the product instead of objecting to it.
The negative reverse selling technique is about making your customer sell your products to themselves. Most of the time, people tend to argue, so you just need to take the correct position to guide their argument in the direction you need. Negative reverse selling helps you be in control of the conversation, and that's what we want!
Reverse Selling is a strategy of responding to your prospect's question with another question. A seller will do this three times to understand the prospect's motivations or needs better. For example, if the client asks, 'Could you lower your price?' you would respond with, 'What price did you have in mind?'
See, you want to discover the real objection or your prospect's lack of interest and get them to admit the answer is "No" without getting too negative—your finding what is keeping you from working together. Essentially, you're getting the prospect or client to realize they're wasting your time if they do not have the resources or genuine interest in you helping them.
Here's an example:
Prospect: "I need more time to think about it."
Salesperson: "Typically, when I hear someone say," I need more time to think about it," it means I have fallen short in sharing the value of my program for you, and I apologize.
Is it fair for me to assume that's the case?"
That's it. The key phrase and framework will save you countless hours. "Is it fair for me to assume that's the case?" gently pushes prospects into giving you a more honest answer about their interest in your product.
A Negative Reverse is a question preceded by a softening statement such as "Hmm" or "I see," or "Good point." The question is in the negative or expressed in a manner opposite to the position you want to establish or the direction you want to steer the conversation.
So I am encouraging you always to be positive, but know in certain situations you may need to be a Negative -Nellie.
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your Sales meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 103, Learn the "How" to program yourself for success!
Did you ever wonder why some people are more successful than others? Sales leaders who always find a way to reach and exceed their revenue goals. An entrepreneur who started from nothing and is now a Billionaire. How about an athlete that performs at a higher level than others. The person on the path for better health and wellness.
What is the one word that stops most people from succeeding? How!
Think about your health and wellness on how to lose weight, for example. There are thousands of programs to help you lose weight or improve your overall health. The WW -Weight Watchers, Noom, Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig, or you follow the Mediterranean diet, Plant-based or low carb program. The statistics are that 1 in 3 Americans are overweight. How can that be with all " How to" programs available to us.
Let's take a look at our business. Technology has transformed how we do business. The internet has all the answers to your questions; ask google! Today, we can find others who have already created the roadmap to success.
In sales, the How to is available to all of us.
How to prospect and find the perfect client.
How to start a conversation and set the first meeting.
How to write the perfect proposal and get your client to say yes.
How to build trust and have a client for life.
I was programmed by other leaders during my career the following phrase" "Knowledge is Power." I do agree that Knowledge is Power - the How. The truth is, " Knowledge is potential power. Power is the action and execution!
If you want to succeed, you have to avoid the Tyranny of How!
If you want to succeed, you start with What you want and WHY you want it! Then you will find the HOW to achieve! The sequence of these three words will determine your success. What, Why, and then How!
When you have strong enough reasons for something, you will figure out how to get it.
For example, I wrote the Three Word Meeting Book. I wasn't an author or knew the first thing about writing a book. How would I find the time to write a book when I was working full time? I got clear on what I wanted: to publish a book to help other leaders Simplify Their Sales meetings using Three Word Topics. Also, my Why was to help impact others who lead teams by providing a simple formula to engage and inspire their teams. Next was the How to write a book. Ask Google, and it gives you thousands of options. I had to select the best path for me.
Another example is the Three-Word Podcast! Writing the book is one thing, recording, editing, and producing a podcast, a skill I had not yet mastered. So I started with what I wanted. I wanted to share a weekly inspirational and bite-size educational podcast to help other thought leaders. Why did I want to do a podcast? I wanted to impact others by contributing something that could help them grow or think differently about how they lead. So now, the How. I asked someone that already knew the roadmap to create a podcast. What equipment I need, best practices of creating content, recording, editing, and getting the content accessible. Yes, I was out of my comfort zone. I didn't let the fear of understanding audio equipment and mixing boards stop me—my What and Why's pushed me to keep moving forward and learning better ways of doing it, the How!
So what do you want? Why do you want it, and How will you achieve it?
Believe me, If you have strong enough reasons why you will find how to do it!
My recommendation is to ask yourself the following questions:
- What do you want to create, improve or achieve? What is your intention and vision for yourself? It would be best if you were very specific. If you want better health or lose weight, say I must lose 10lbs versus the phrase I need to lose weight. If you're going to make more money, state the exact number. I need to make $300,000 a year. See, when you get clear on the goal you want to achieve, your brain gets excited and will search for the answer, the How!
- Why is it vital for you to achieve it! Your heart, not your head. You are your possibilities, not your circumstances. Using the example of better health, so I have the freedom to do the things I love in life! I have the energy to travel, play with my kids, and connect and share my life with others. If you need to make the $300,000, Why? So you have the financial freedom to live life on your terms? Is it to put your kids in private schools? Buy the car of your dreams? Build the house of your dreams? To make an impact helping others like a pet shelter or help the homeless. It's WHY is it a must, not a should. I must do this, not should or could. How would you celebrate helping others, and what feeling would you experience. The Why is the emotional reason you experience!
- What needs to change? What needs to shift or change now for you to get what you want? What old pattern needs to become a new pathway for you? This is the How! Fear stops many of us; Fear makes us shrink and play small. Change that four-letter word - Fear to Here! I am here to learn and grow from each experience. See things as they are, but not worse than it is. See, the stories we tell ourselves are that we are afraid of failing; we are not enough, I don't have the skills to do it.
What gets in your way of you succeeding is You!
Shift your mind to empowering beliefs!
Start with What do you need to believe? Then tell yourself you will find it. It is a must to do and then put into action what needs to happen next to you achieving it, the How!
Whether its a meaningful relationship, better health, success at work, or financial freedom:
See it: Feel it and Experience it!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next
three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your Sales meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 102, This episode is about focusing on the Right accounts!
Would you pay $100,000 for a pool?
I want to share a story about an experience I had when considering replacing my current Pool. It started with the idea of redesigning our deck around our existing Pool. As most of you are aware, with Covid, the cost of lumber has skyrocketed. So we got multiple bids and designs. After reviewing what it would cost, we decided we would wait until the prices come down. During that time, I heard an advertisement about getting a new pool installed this Summer! Of course, being in media sales, the commercial got my attention. The power of Radio advertising! So I went to the website, reviewed the products and options, and started to envision a new pool with ample space for the family to gather. Perhaps, this was the solution around getting a new deck. I began to justify in mind that maybe now is the time to replace the Pool.
So I decided to call the company that guarantees to install your Pool this Summer to learn more. The owner, Frank, answers the phone. I asked him for more information about his Gunite Pools and that I wanted to set up a time for him to come out and give me his thoughts. Instead of him scheduling an appointment with me, he did something different; he went on to ask a series of questions. Tell me more about your current situation. Do you have an existing pool? Yes. The size of the Pool, above or in-ground? Decking around the Pool, yes. What do you envision? He then went into more details and benefits to his product.
Frank then went into what I could expect from an investment. He said taking your decking would be about 5,000 and installing a new Gunite Pool about $85,000-$100,000! This price would vary depending on lights, the fountain, and the ability to put your chairs in the water. ( of course, I am thinking for 100k that doesn't include that, laughing) He said it with confidence!
Now in my mind, I was thinking 35-40k. I told Frank, I appreciate what you have shared and how you pre-qualified me as a customer. I appreciated how he respected my time and his. Frank created a conversation to learn more about my needs to see if I was the right fit for him and his products.
So how can we apply what Frank did with me for your business?
We need to use a series of filters to help us identify our best opportunities. This process would be great for you to walk through or discuss in your next sales meeting. Are you talking to the decision-maker or a key influencer that can say yes, are they a fit for your product and service, and more importantly, do they have the ability to spend and invest enough money to get the desired results.
Some of the best sellers I have work with understanding the importance of focusing on the Right Accounts. What I mean by this is that they don't waste their valuable time chasing accounts with minimal potential.
When we look at the Right Accounts, it starts with reviewing your current accounts. These are the 20% of your accounts that likely make up 80% of your income. What do they have in common? What is the average client spend with you? I bet you know the decision-maker, and they have the resources to invest in your products and solutions.
Most listening work under some account management system. These systems help you focus and track your best opportunities. So you have to be honest with yourself. Which accounts need to be taken off your list to make room for the ones worth your time? You know the small accounts that steal most of your time and that you realize they may not have the money to invest in your program long term. Let's remove them. Your better off focusing your time on the accounts with a bigger payoff for you.
Now that you identified the correct accounts, time to get in front of the person who can say yes to your program. In my example, Frank knew he was talking to the decision-maker. He created a conversation to pre-qualify me to see if I was a viable customer for him. He did a great job creating a conversation by asking questions about my needs. What size pool was I considering? Tell me more about your current decking? He asked me about my vision and needs. And yes, based on my answers, he shared with me the benefits of his product and the investment it would take. He was upfront and considerate of my time and his.
My advice, find a way to get in front of the decision-maker or at least a key -influencer that can help answer the questions you need to pre-qualify them to see if they are a fit for you and your company.
Have a list of pre-qualifying questions, like Frank used to help you decide whether that account is a fit for you. Create a conversation with your prospects and have confidence when asking those questions.
We need to guide the conversation. We have to provide customers with a unique, strategic perspective, a vision for improving their business, and a return on investment. Provide more value than what their current vendor is providing them!
This way, you can spend more time relaxing around a pool, sipping on your favorite drink!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next
three-word podcast.
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
If I can help you with your Sales, Marketing, or Sales meetings, call me at 513-478-1757 or Lisathal12@gmail.com.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your Sales meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. Loves Golf and Dog Mom!
Episode 101 - Working Mother's Three Words of advice!
The three words that come to mind when I think about working Mothers are "Doing It All." I have witnessed how the moms I work with show up every day ( even when they are tired) and give it their all. They build deep, trusting relationships with their customers while balancing the needs of their children and family. They "Do It All!"
I thought it would be fun to hear from these Get It Done Leaders. I share a conversation on their favorite three words and the three words they would offer their kids. Plus, in the end, you hear Mom Thal's three favorite words and the three words of advice for her children!
Special thank you to my guests who work for Hubbard Media / 2060 Digital. Debbie Perkins, Julie Drummey, Emily Martin, Lynda Heidorn, Katie Richardson, and Mom Thal for taking the time to share her thoughts and wisdom on the Three Word Podcast!
I would love to hear your favorite three words and the three words you would offer your children. Comment or send to me in a private message.
To all those hardworking, Do it all, Mom's, Happy Mothers' Day! Life is better because of you!
Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, Marketing, Sales, and Business Coach. Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. Loves Golf and Dog Mom!
If I can help you with your Sales, Marketing, or Sales meetings, call me at 513-478-1757 or Lisathal12@gmail.com.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your Sales meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
In Episode 100, we shift one word to help us take action. Stop Hoping, Trying, and starting Doing!
I want to talk about the three words I am sure you have personally used throughout your career or starting to hear from those you coach. Those three words are, " I am Hoping" followed by, " I am trying." I was in a one and one coaching session last week, and we were reviewing his pending business. My goal in our coaching sessions with my team is to focus on a few accounts to brainstorm or collaborate on converting them to customers. Or discover what may be keeping them from saying yes to the solution-oriented program we presented.
I asked him about a particular account he had presented marketing solutions to and asked him about his confidence in converting them. He replied, "I am hoping that they say yes in a day or two." I replied that Hope is not a strategy! He laughed and then went on to say; I am trying to get them to say yes. I paused for a moment, then told how we need to shift from Hoping and Trying to Doing! I mean by this, what action do we need to take to convert or close the account?
Most of us want to control our destiny. Here is an interesting fact. 80% of sales require five follow-up calls after the meeting. 44% of sales reps give up after one follow-up. It takes the proper persistence to stay connected with the client after your first meeting. Our goal is to provide a solution to our customer's problems and needs. But, think about this, only 13% of customers believe we even understand their needs. Remember, It's all about them, not us. (Research by the Brevetgroup)
Again, we have to start doing this first to stand out from your competitors and shorten the gap of the five-call follow-up to close the sale?
Tell a better story! Tell a better story about solving their issue at your first meeting. Storytelling is one of the most powerful techniques you have to communicate and motivate. Using stories to support your recommended program will further connect with a prospect and significantly increase your ability to close deals. Give examples of how has your product or service helped other companies? Share a case study of success from a current client. If you are presenting to an analytical decision-maker, share more data to support your recommendations. Implementing your recommendations with ABC Company converted 100 form fills on their website in ten days and resulted in twenty new clients! Follow up with this statement, "Is this the type of growth you would like to experience?" Or you could say, "this has been a great conversation, and it sounds like a perfect fit. Let's get started."
I believe that the best sales presentation isn't a presentation. It is a great conversation that converts a prospect to a customer. We have to figure out how to create a genuine connection with our prospect or client, engage through storytelling, and ultimately solve their problem. Or provide a solution they are not currently getting from their current vendor. People love and remember a good story!
So what do you do if you don't get a yes at your first meeting? You get Commitment for the Follow-up Call. One of the most important ways to set yourself up for success is to schedule a follow-up sales call to get a commitment from the prospect to speak again, so you don't get ghosted. You created the next action step of doing something!
What else can you be doing? Call Mid-Week. The best time to make follow-up calls is mid-week. This is the most effective time to book appointments and plan to call prospects on Wednesday or Thursday. Mondays and Fridays are typically the worst days to call, as people are busy getting started and finishing the workweek.
What other action can you do?
Call at the Beginning or the End of the Day. What time of the day you call is essential. You want to call at the right time when they're available and receptive to speaking with you. The beginning or end of the day is best. People tend to have more time when they are getting their day started or winding down. Do not call at lunchtime, and mid-day are the worst times to calls. But, I would recommend taking your current clients to lunch and further nurturing your relationship.
What else can you be doing?
Make Multiple calls. As I shared earlier, it takes at least five calls to get your prospect to take action. Most people give up after one attempt! But not the Three Word Podcasters. See, our prospects are not waiting by phone. They get distracted; they have other priorities that become more important than talking with us. Plus, they are talking to other vendors. Our job is to show them that we are worth their time. Something else we need to do is make sure we listened to their needs and provided a better solution to helping them solve their biggest challenge. Share our solution with confidence and enthusiasm.
And more importantly, follow up, Don't Give Up!
So no more Hoping or Trying! It's all about Doing!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your Sales meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 99, This episode is all about whether your Living Your Dream or Building Someone else's.
I met a friend for lunch, and I was so excited to see her and catch up. I said, how are you? She replied Living the Dream!
After our lunch, I thought about the difference between these three words on my way back to the office. "Living Your Dream" or " Living the Dream." I think most of us have heard the phrase " I am Living The Dream." In essence, it means leading an ideal life, especially when it comes to our careers. The Life you have always wanted! Let's shift our focus to " Living your Dream." We live in a country that embraces the belief that any person can accomplish any dream or goal through a commitment to hard work and perseverance.
The truth is we are born into a world that embraces this possibility. Even as children, we are taught to think about what we want to be when we grow up—the pressure on high school students heading to college having to decide on a career for the rest of their lives. One thing is for sure; we need to make certain that we stay focused on living our dream, not our parents, or what others want for us—the Life we have planned for ourselves with the goals in mind that we see for ourselves, what will make us happy and give our Life meaning.
I wanted to be a Professional Golfer on the PGA and play like Tiger Woods or Justin Thomas. Well, I know there could be limits to living that dream. I realize I can practice golf 12 hours a day for years and not be as good as Tiger Woods. And very few of us have the talent to become an Oscar-winning performer. Living your dream is all about what you want out of Life.
And the past year, I believe, has taught all of us that Life is short, and we don't want to spend it Building someone else's dream- focus on what you want to achieve with your time and talents.
I was thinking back on one of my sales leaders, who seemed like he was going through the motions at work. I asked him how he was doing in one of the coaching sessions, and he replied I am doing okay. He shared that his father had been ill and that the two had always had a strained relationship. His father was a successful surgeon, and he was in Radio sales.
His father had taught him that living the dream was all about financial success, expensive homes, and extravagant vacations. See, his father had a plan for him to follow in his footsteps to become a doctor. Although he had the benefit of enjoying these luxurys', he had a different path he wanted to go. He went into sales, which his dad met with disapproval. See, he felt he could still earn a high income without losing his authentic self.
I remember asking him what makes you happy? What are your dreams? He shared that he had dreamed of being in a band and owning his own consulting company. He was more of a free spirit and not much on the corporate settings of rules and expectations—more jeans and tee-shirt guy. I asked him what was stopping him from living his dream. He didn't want to disappoint his father, especially now that his father was ill and not in good health.
I expressed my sorrow that his father wasn't doing well, and I explained that perhaps the moment is now. Take the step to start fulfilling his dreams. I do believe Life has a way of shifting us to where we need to go next. Life Happens for us, not against us! I told him to think about it over the next few weeks and determine if working at the radio station made sense. Well, weeks later, he turned in his resignation, and I was thrilled. Don't get me wrong, I loved working with him but knew his heart was not in it. I told him how proud I was of him for having the courage to start building his dream? Today, he is playing in a band and owns a very successful consulting company.
See Dreams Do Come True!
My advice to you is this; Life is short; take the time to review where you are today and where you want to be tomorrow, a month or year from now. Write down your vision and create a plan of action to Living Your Dream. I can think of countless people in my Life living their dreams. They are in Bands, CEO'S, Consultants, Coaches, Teachers, Healthcare workers, In Sales helping their clients, In Realestate, others Helping Restaurants Market themselves, Running Non-Profits. You could say the Live To Give!
The only difference between you Living Your Dream is this -Your passion is waiting for your courage to catch up!
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your Sales meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 98, You will learn how to write the perfect email when targeting new customers.
In episode 97, Mastering the Meeting, we discussed a strategy of what to say when calling on new accounts if you missed it due to being on Spring Break or a much-needed vacation, a great episode to listen to revisit.
I thought it would be a great follow-up podcast to discuss what you do if you cannot connect via the phone. I would think most of you listening would say, attempt two is sending an email. The question is, have you perfected the best method when sending your email?
Let's think about emails you receive. Which ones do you tend to open? I guess that you click on the emails that mean something to you? An email that will add value to your life. It saves you time, saves you money, or solves a problem your experiencing.
This is the same process our new customer targets go through as well. How can you be more successful in getting them to open your email so you can share with them a solution your products or service can provide.
But remember, it takes about eight attempts today to connect with a decision-maker. You always have to be prepared as to what to say, whether it's voicemail or email. We don't want to miss that one opportunity. I have researched for us as the best email approach to use.
See, your message matters! In my opinion, Caryn Kopp from Kopp Consulting has a proven sequence she uses when making calls to CEO's.
Many of you listening may be targeting CEOs, CMOS', Marketing Directors, or Business Owners. It all comes down to six sentences! I want to share an example of what Caryn would write in an email when targeting companies that want to reach CEO's.
"Hi, this is Caryn Kopp from Kopp Consulting. We do new business development, and we can help get you initial meetings with your most important prospects. In fact, one of our clients was recently awarded a place on the Profit 100 list. They grew over 100% in the last three years and credited our Door Opener Service® for landing large national accounts. If this kind of growth is important to you, let's find time to talk about how we can help you as well. Please call me at 908-781-7546, and I'll speak with you soon."
Let's take a look at each sentence so you can model her success to help you be more prepared when sending your email.
Sentence One
In the first sentence, state your name and your company name. This information is crucial because if the listener deletes the message right after that, you still create awareness and an impression for you and your company, which is essential.
Sentence Two
Next, explain exactly what you do using language that is relevant and compelling to your potential client. This is your hook. It is also one area where she says sellers make mistakes. Avoid industry jargon and fluffy, vanilla phrases (e.g., "best in class"), creating a disconnect with prospects. A word or phrase that is meaningful to you isn't always as meaningful to them.
Sentence Three and Four
The third and fourth sentences are your statement of expertise and credibility. When developing these phrases, ask yourself: Why would decision-makers want the meeting? What is it about what I do that would benefit them that they would willingly make time on their busy calendars to discuss how I can make their lives better?
Sentence Five
Now it's time for the call to action. What do you want? Do you want a 15-minute phone conversation? Do you want a meeting? Do you want a returned phone call? Be specific in your ask.
Sentence Six
Last, give your phone number, conversationally—no need to repeat it. Put spaces in-between the digits and then say whatever goodbye is most comfortable for you.
Here's is a tip before sending your first email. Once you know what you are going to say, leave yourself a few voicemails for practice. Remember this formula: Language + delivery = outcome. In addition to being conversational in your delivery, it's important to vary your messages over time. You cannot leave the same voicemail a second time for the same person. As time goes on, add more information that also makes an impact.
I encourage you to walk through this strategy with your team in your next sales meeting. Discover the best approach to closing the attempts it takes to get in front of the correct accounts and decision-makers.
Stay with your conversational script and remember that you may leave 20-30 voicemails in a day; your prospect hears only one of yours. Make your message Matters!
If you think someone could benefit from this Episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next
three-word podcast.
If your company needs help opening doors to CEO's give Caryn Kopp Consulting a call to learn more .http://www.koppconsultingusa.com
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your Sales meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
In episode 97, Learn a proven strategy to set your first meeting! Rethink Your Approach!
I love this time of year. It's Masters Week in Golf, where the top players are looking to win one of the most prestigious golf tournaments and a chance to slip into the Green Jacket.
As most of you are aware, I am a major sports fan. I grew up playing soccer, basketball, and softball. As I entered the business world, I began to play golf. It was a significant advantage in business to play. You had the opportunity to spend four-plus hours with a prospective or current client building a relationship.
I learned the game playing with my brothers. In golf, you have a handicap that is a numerical measure of a golfer's potential. Better players are those with the lowest handicaps, and mine is currently 12. I want to get in the single digits; 9 is my first goal. So you may be wondering why I am sharing a story about my golf game.
For me to get better, I needed to rethink my approach if I wanted to play better. Golf is a game of inches. There were several factors I needed to consider. My first thought was to hire a golf coach to learn to perfect my swing and then practice what I learned on the course. So off I went to Golf Tec, and Ashley videotaped my swing to see our starting point. In golf, there are many opportunities where I can improve. My tee shot, in the fairway and putting on the green. So we started with me learning the mechanics of a golf swing. So, I made adjustments with my swing. We practiced indoors for several weeks until the weather improved me to play outside.
So off I went to play to try the new swing. I was mentally thinking about all the shifts in my swing. I hit a few good shots, and others looked like I never played golf. The couple I was playing with said you might want to get your money back. You were a great golfer. Not sure why you took lessons. I laughed and said it's a process, and I am sticking with it. It would have been easy for me to revert to what I knew and play okay. But my goal is to improve.
I started thinking about how we could apply the same principle in our business.
What can you do to Rethink Your Approach?
Perhaps when setting up that first meeting with your prospect. Are you having success with your current approach? Is there an opportunity to Rethink your approach? According to Zoom Info, only 2% of cold calls result in a meeting! It takes, on average, eight attempts today to connect with a prospect.
Let's Rethink about the Who, Why, When, and How!
It starts with the Who – Are you targeting the proper accounts and the right decision-makers? Review your list of target accounts to identify that are calling on the person who can say yes. In most cases, 25% of your targets are not a good fit.
Why - this is important. Why should that decision-maker meet with you? We have to communicate why we are more valuable to them than their current vendor! What is your Valid Business Reason for them to make time for that first Conversation? Keep in mind on average, only 1% of companies are in the market today for your product or services.
Is it time to rethink your approach?
It's called Give to Get! You offer something of value, so the prospect gives you the opportunity to a conversation or first meeting.
Examples of something valuable to share:
- How trends are impacting their business ( Consumer behaviors or Local market conditions)
- Industry benchmark reports
- Insights on their target consumers' desires, wants, or habits that have changed.
- If your in marketing, a creative concept to connect to their consumers. Help them tell their story more effectively.
Rethink your approach to being a Viable Alternative to their current vendor I can imagine that most of us have made new calls and heard the following," We are not interested right now; we are happy with what we are doing." Let's face it. Most people are satisfied with their current vendor. So if you don't have something that can impact their business, it will be challenging to get the meeting. But how do you position yourself to become an option?
Caryn Kopp - CEO of Kopp Consulting, helps companies get in the door using this strategy. Answer these three simple sentences.
Everybody can, and you fill in the blank, but not everyone can, and you fill in the blank, for example, and you fill in the blank.
An example of what Caryn's company says: "Anybody can say they can get you some meetings, but not everybody can say they have a 20-year history of getting executive-level meetings to discuss big engagements on behalf of their clients. For example, one of our clients had 20 meetings in 18 weeks and closed a sale in the fourth quarter, which is unheard of in their industry; that's what we can do."
Your message will matter when calling on new accounts. You have the opportunity to Rethink your approach and implement a proven process that Caryn designed to earn that first Conversation.
When – The timing of when you reach out to your prospects is vital. Wednesday and Thursdays are proven to be the best days to connect on the phone. Plus, a bonus is that the hours between 4 pm-5 pm are the best times to create engagement. Depending on your industry, the times could vary. Think like the customer and rethink when would be the best opportunity to connecting with them.
How - And there is one final thought on how you will do it. Perfect your message first! Be consistent and persistent! Your energy and enthusiasm will be the difference to you getting the prospect to say yes!
If you think someone could benefit from this Episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your Sales meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
In episode 95, Learn the Three Step Process to Progress.
There are 3 Steps to Progress - Yes, you know I love 3's.
Remember, our happiness is all about us making Progress. When we challenge ourselves to find better ways to serve our needs, we can better serve others, including our customers.
Here are three simple steps you can take to continue your path of Progress.
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Create a clear and compelling vision for the results you desire and discover the path to where you want to be. So, let me ask you a question. What is your vision for yourself and your business? Where do you want to be? If you're in sales, it may be to generate more income. Next question, how much more income? Write the number down. I have a sales leader I am coaching, and she shared with me her vision to generate One Million Dollars in Digital sales, "Million-Dollar Baby." Now I know what her vision is, and we created a strategy to get her there.
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Get the best strategies, tools, and coaching to help close the gap between where you are and where you want to be. Be honest with yourself. Where are you today with your business? We are completing the first quarter if your company is on a calendar year. For others, your year may be ending in June. Are you are track? Ask yourself what I need to do to close the gap of where I want to be? Ask for help from your Manager. This is not a sign of weakness but strength. By collaborating, you may discover one new idea that you may have missed. If your a manager, connect and collaborate with another manager in your company from another market to give you a different perspective.
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Spring into Action! Understand the direction you need to go and follow your blueprint for success. Develop a winning attitude. Your attitude is controllable. Conquer your fears. Change the beliefs that limit your success. Your thought habits control your commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, resilience, happiness, and confidence. Be aware of them, decide which ones are unproductive, and then commit to change. With time and effort, you can become the person you want to be.
For example, if you wanted to grow your sales by 10%, how would you apply the 3 Steps of Progress.
Step one is to be clear with your desire to grow your business by 10%.
Step two what are the best strategies, tools, coaching to help close the gap to get you to your goal?
I would recommend the following strategies.
Increase Prospecting Commit to spending 10% more time each day prospecting. Your prospecting efforts must increase and be more focused if you expect to generate more sales. Determine how many new prospects you need to target to convert a new customer. You may need to target ten new clients to earn one the first conversation or new meeting.
Upsell Existing Accounts Commit to increasing each current client by 10%. While a new business can be a great revenue source, your existing customers can be a much more accessible source to increase your sales. Review your client list to look for any new opportunities or products/services you have to impact their business.
Do the basics.
Even the best of the best have room for improvement. Be more creative in your prospecting, how you reach out to prospects, how you present your solutions to helping their business. The key is to stay consistent. Do the basics every day, so it becomes a way of life for you.
Maximize your time.
Start your day with your goal in mind, grow your business by 10%. When reviewing your calendar, are there items scheduled that maybe stealing time from you? What can you delegate to others? Review the activities needed each day to get you to your goal. Think about this, just one hour a day used more productively adds up to more than six extra weeks of productive time a year.
Sell with passion and purpose.
If you want to grow your business by 10%, you need to get excited about it. Passion with purpose is the way. Know both what to do and why you're doing it every step of the way. Whom are you targeting and why? What are you going to share with them that will help their business and why? What are you going to ask them and why? What is your proposal or solutions going to do for them, and why?
Every day we can learn something new. We can implement a new process, just do it with Passion and Purpose!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next
three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your Sales meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
In episode 94, Learn the 5 tips to earning the meeting with your prospect now!
There is a process with payoff when you follow a proven strategy.
When reviewing your list of prospects, the goal is to answer three questions before trying to secure the first meeting.
- Show that you know something about Their business.
- Give the prospect a reason to meet with you.
- Give the prospect a reason Why they should meet with you Now!
Following the 3 P's, you will be on your way to meeting more prospects faster than your competitors.
Purpose: Why are we meeting? Why meet Now?
Process: Process vs. Product?
Payoff: How will we benefit from spending this time together?
So let's think about the Purpose of your meeting. Why should they meet with you, Now? Google is our gateway to finding meaningful reasons as to why they should meet with us. You have to be resourceful in finding that reason, so you earn the meeting this season.
Just securing an appointment is one of the most challenging steps in the entire sales process. Yes, having a referral, a case study of proven success, or an industry success story makes this Process a little easier.
But, what if you don't have those? It would be best if you discovered a VBR that is relevant and timely for your prospect.
In my search to help us find a more effective way to get our prospects to meet with us now, I discovered five tips that The Center for Sales Strategy recommended.
- Prospect's Website
Most of us look at clients' websites' home page. But let's look for any current or upcoming initiatives that you could help enhance. What about sponsorships or charities they're involved? Go to the bottom of the page and look for the news section. There you may find new announcements going on with the company.
- Industry News
What's going on in their industry right now that may be a significant challenge for them? How might you help with this? If you don't know off the top of your head, do a quick Google search for recent news in the category. Industry websites — check or subscribe to stay up to date with how your prospect's industry is doing. Competitive gains — Has a competitor of theirs done something that will potentially affect your prospect's business?
- Consumer Behavior Trends
Think about their target consumer. Are there any recent trends that could be affecting the way they may purchase their product/service?
Start broad if you're not sure of their exact target. Think generational trends: millennials, boomers, etc. Call and say that you have discovered a real need to reach adults 25-34 and see their company answering the needs.
- Social Media
Yes, most companies have a Facebook page. Think beyond their page and check out to see any initiatives and how they interact with their consumers. Read the shared comments to know if you see a trend or need.
Use LinkedIn to connect with the decision-maker and join groups relevant to that industry. Pay attention to discussions among the group. Ask questions if you have any – their answers may help you get in the door with your prospect!
- Timing
Is there a seasonality of their product or service? For example, if they're about to enter the slow season, how might you help them increase sales and stay top-of-mind?
Use Google Alerts. Set up a Google Alert, so you receive a daily/weekly update every time your prospect shows up in the news. There may be something in the future, if not now.
You may need to combine a few resources to create that sense of urgency in the prospect's mind. Now you have established a solid reason why they should meet, now.
Now let's discuss the Process!
Many of your competitors, not the three-word podcast listeners, focus on leading with their products when trying to earn the meeting versus focusing on the Process.
Product pitchers or package pitching is what these clients come to expect or, as Jennifer Darling says, " Pitch Slapping them.
Let me give you an example:
Product pitch: " I would love to talk to you about an idea that we created to deliver results for your business." In this case, you talk about the results they have achieved for others.
Process pitch: "We have a powerful process that's worked very well with many companies like yours and helped them to achieve new customer conversions." In this example, you talk about HOW you achieved the results for your clients. The How - Now!
Can you hear the difference? You can lead with Product, Product, Product or Process, Process, Process.
In your next sales meeting, talk with your team about if your team is product pitching or sharing a proven process when securing the first meeting.
Finally, the Payoff!
This meeting's intended payoff is for you to share the Purpose and the Process you offer clients to help impact what is important to them.
Why should they want to meet with you now —and not the other way around? Because you have the answers to these three words: Purpose, Process, and Payoff!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next
three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your Sales meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 93, I share four business lessons I learned from my 90 Year old Mother.
This week my Mom will celebrate her 90th Birthday! I think about all the groundbreaking inventions over the last 90 years that she has experienced and have changed how we do business—the things we use today and the evolution of the products to help save us Time and be more productive.
One would be - Always be Prepared!
She taught me to have my clothes ready the night before, anticipating me waking up late ( which, if you know me, that would never happen- 4 am club). Have your lunch packed the night before, and always leave earlier if you experience heavy traffic. If you're not early, you're late.
We were talking about my first job interview. My Mom was with me on my first interview at a radio station in Wilmington, Ohio, WSWO, and WKFI; We Keep Farmers Informed. Yep, that's where it all started 34 years ago. See, the station was about 50 minutes away from where I was living. We role-played in the car about the questions I may get asked so I would be prepared to answer them. I went in for the interview, and when I returned to the car, she laughed and said Soy Beans are at a great price. I was happy to share that the interview went well, and I went on to get the job-She was preparing me for my first job post-college! Still, today, is your hair pulled back, lipstick on? She asks which clients are you meeting with and am I prepared for the call? My response, of course, Mom!
Another Lesson - Show Up!
Today we talk every morning before work. My Mom would say, don't call me during work hours unless your hurt. The company is paying you to do a job, and it doesn't include talking with your Mother.
She would also say give the company more than they expect. Showing up is the first step. Step two is to add more value than they expect or hired you to do.
Another Lesson - The Power of Communication!
What I have come to appreciate about my Mom is her ability to communicate. She expresses how she feels - a straight-to-point storyteller. I believe working full Time and raising six kids can create a more direct communication path. Perhaps, that comes from her years as a telephone switchboard operator and then working for Air Care - The Helicopter dispatcher at University Hospital. She had to get straight to the point and be transparent with her communication as lives depended on her.
In business, think about how you communicate. Are we listening to those you lead or your customers? Technology has provided us with many paths to communicate or miscommunicate our message. Smartphones are one form of communication. For many of us, we used to have to make calls from a Phone Booth; then pagers were invented, someone would page you when they needed to get a hold of you, then you had to find a phone booth, then the invention of the bag phone you could have in your car was groundbreaking to now the smartphone that we never leave home without that fits in the palm of our hands. The old pager now is texting messages to our phones.
Outlook calendars, CRM's, email, Zoom calls, Micro-soft Team, google documents. All inventions to improve our production and performance.
Strive for the face-to-face meeting with your team and your clients. Then resort to the tools available to stay connected and continue to educate and communicate how you can help.
She reiterated the power of a handwritten Thank you note. It is so easy to send a thank you text or email. If you want to stand out-, make the Time and send a thoughtful handwritten thank you note- it will make a different impression.
I talked with Mom about her 90th Birthday and all the people, products, and innovation she has experienced the last nine decades!
And one stood out more than others - Time!
As my Mom shares with me, Time is the most incredible resource you have in life and business. How you spend that Time will determine your success and contributions. The Time you invest in learning new and better ways—the Time invest in building your relationships with family, friends, co-workers, and customers matters! Even at 90 years old, she said time flies. She went on to share that Time is limited; make sure you're spending it wisely!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, rate it, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next
three-word podcast..
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your Sales meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
The question is finding out what they are resisting. Let's keep in mind our goal is to earn that first conversation! So we can reach the next meeting!
Please think about this. 1% of companies are in the market to buy something today. That means 99% of other companies may need your product or service tomorrow. So until we find the 1% of customers that need us today, we may be facing sales resistances from the other 99%. That is a lot of sales resistance!
If you're in sales, you must expect to face some sales resistances; we all do. The question is, what are they resisting, and how do you over-come it? This would be a great exercise to walk through in your next sales meeting.
7 Reasons Why your clients don't want to meet with you:
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I don't need your product? Most clients are already working with a vendor or may not need your product or service right now. That may be true, is there an opportunity to say a benefit to meeting with you, can be to validate the current vendor they are working with or discover how they can improve your current doing? We need to identify what your prospect must believe in buying from you.
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Your product is not a good fit? I would bet about 25% of your list prospects are not a good fit for what you have to offer. In the media industry, we are very clear on who is consuming our product every day. For example, we have a female-driven radio station that targets Moms with kids. I need to remove the clients I am targeting that want men 18-34 or 55+. Why? Because they have other options that may be a better fit. So Step one remove those targets and replace them with accounts or categories of business in your wheelhouse. Create case studies of proven success that you can share with them. Focus on the clients that can benefit from your product or services, so you are a good fit!
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I don't know your company? Unless your Apple, Amazon, Mercedes, or State Farm may not be familiar with your company. We may get some sales resistance when calling if they have never heard of our company. What can you do to make them more familiar? Market yourself and your company. If you missed Episode 91 on how to the 3 Strategies to generating leads on Linkedin with Jennifer Starling, I highly recommend listening to that podcast. Perhaps sharing a competitor's name, you do business with can bring fewer resistances to moving forward to learning more from you. Find a better way to market yourself, so you become more top of mind.
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Your price is too high? You mean you haven't heard a client say you're not charging me enough, changing the proposal, and raising your price? Most of us listening has listened to the price resistance before? Our price is only too high when we have not proven that investing their dollars would have a payoff for them. What proof of performance can you share, so they stop resisting? A great way to address that would be Sharing proven case studies from other clients; other markets are having success is a great way. Client testimonials sharing I invested X thousand and got an X return. Digital Marketing shows you the metrics for every dollar spent. Every smart decision-maker expects an ROI.
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This is a Bad Time to buy. Perhaps many of you have heard, Not Now? Try to uncover the Why? Why is now the wrong time to buy? I don't know about you, but most first calls don't result in, " Thanks for calling, I was waiting for your phone call, I cant wait to meet with you and hear about all your solutions to helping me"! More than likely, you will face resistance. Ask are you happy with where your sales currently are? Could they be better? I find it's only the wrong time when you don't have the right tactical plan to accomplish what they need.
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Resistance to Listen. Are we tuned into what our client is telling us? Or are we thinking about what we will say next? Asking probing questions and repeating what they say shows them you are listening. Getting clear on how you can help them is critical.
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Your product or service is not a good fit. Remember, about 25% of the prospects on your list are not great leads. Determine whether your product or service is a good fit. If it is not, they move on to clients that are a better fit for you. Identify the categories that are performing well for you and your company. Ask your best customers the number one reason they do business with you, of course, outside working with you! You may find verbiage to use when reaching out to other prospects.
So expect a little sales resistance. Research your prospect before you call or email them so you can identify the Why, the problem they have, or the opportunity or solution you can provide! Remove the 25% of accounts that are not a good fit. Keep marketing yourself and your company. Provide proof that working with you is a great decision!
And remember, to exist, you must persist!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, rate it, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next
three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
In Episode 91, Learn the 3 Strategies to Increase Your Leads with LinkedIn
Podcast Guest: Jennifer Darling
LinkedIn is exploding right now with opportunities for you to build significant influence.
This podcast has strategic and tactical ideas on how to upgrade your LinkedIn profile to enhance your professional brand, create expert status among your target market, showcase your skills, and connect with prospects to grow your business.
You’ll learn why LinkedIn is different (and better for your business) than other social media platforms and why having the right words in your profile is critical to your business. You’ll receive tips on how to measure your Social Selling Index to ensure you’re maximizing your social power and measure your presence. You’ll also discover how to take advantage of LinkedIn’s publishing tool, which is phenomenal for increasing your searchability on Google, Yahoo, and Bing.
Other vital discussions are how to find more prospects using LinkedIn. The three most important things you can do today to become more successful using this platform.
Jennifer’s Bio:
Jennifer Darling is a revenue-generating machine! She brings over 25 years of experience in advertising sales and sales management and running her own business to show salespeople (and non-salespeople) how to market themselves to get more sales.
She went from the corporate sales manager at media giants Comcast, NBC, and FOX to building her own successful business as a professional speaker, trainer, consultant, and coach. Jennifer's LinkedIn success includes 10,000 views of her LinkedIn articles, including one article that generated over 6,000 views worldwide, 1,000s of views of her LinkedIn videos, and generated above 10,000 views of shared updates, all with the power of the free version of LinkedIn. She’s generated leads that resulted in $10k, $100k, and 1 million dollar proposals for herself and her clients.
She was named one of SweetFish Media’s Top 50 Female Sales Speakers and Voted 2020 Best In Show by the Professional Convention Management Association, Convening Leaders. Jennifer is a professional member of the National Speakers Association.
Contact Info: Connect with Jennifer and receive your Free LinkedIn Tip Sheet.
Jennifer Darling
916-204-3923
jennifer@jenniferdarlingspeaks.com
www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferdarlingspeaks.com
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, rate it, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
Episode 90 - This episode focuses on Tom Brady's secrets to winning the Superbowl and how you can apply the same system to your business!
I decided to do a little research to see who were the most winningest quarterbacks of all time.
Quarterbacks with the most Super Bowl wins all-time:
- Tom Brady – 7.
- Joe Montana – 4.
- Terry Bradshaw – 4.
- Troy Aikman – 3.
- Eli Manning – 2.
- Peyton Manning – 2.
- Ben Roethlisberger – 2.
- John Elway – 2.
This year's Superbowl story was the youngest QB Patrick Mahomes vs. The oldest QB at 43 years old - Tom Brady.
How does he do it? More importantly, what can we learn from him and apply it to our business?
I love what Tom Brady said about the Superbowl.
"Playing well matters. The team that wins is not going to be the most experienced team; it's going to be the team that plays the best," Brady said. "So we've got to prepare the best, we've got to execute the best, we've got to perform the best under pressure. If we do that, we'll be champions. And if we don't, we won't be." Well, we know how that story ended. They won!
Here are three sales lessons we can all learn from Tom Brady.
- Tom Brady believes he will win
It doesn't matter whom he is playing or what the situation might be. He thinks he will win. So the question is, do you believe you can win? If you're in sales, do you believe you have the best solutions to help your clients? Do you think you deserve the opportunity to have a conversation with a prospect on your list?
If we don't believe in ourselves, what makes us think customers should believe in us? Believing in ourselves starts with the realization that our goal is to help others. Sales are not about selling; it's about helping others. When we make assisting others in our mission, then we'll finally be in a position to believe in ourselves.
- Tom Brady leads others to share his beliefs
His confidence is contagious. Tom created a culture of Seeing is Leading!
The first step we must take as a leader is you must SEE.
You must SEE all others as people with all the values, needs, and hopes you have. Those people on Tampa's Team were Rob Gronkowski, Antonio Brown, and the entire offensive line!
The Bucs wanted to win a Superbowl in their hometown!
You must realize that leading someone does not involve getting them to do what you want but putting a value on what they want.
So as a leader, always try to see others as people.
The ability to see those around you as they are and to recognize their needs or wants, and desires is the first step to being a true leader.
That leads me to my final point. Yes, it would help if you believe in yourself and those around you. But that may not be enough to win a Superbowl or your next sale. The question is, how prepared are you?
- Tom Brady is always prepared
How did he prepare? He spent 12 days alone in an empty house leading up to the game. That's the most focus time that Tom created on what he needed to do from a football standpoint." What a commitment to be away from his wife and family.
I hear you saying, yeah, Lisa, we don't have 12 days to focus on one sale like he did to prepare for one game. I hear you. The question is, do you have 12 hours or 12 minutes to put focus time on what you need to help prepare you?
The other most impressive thing about Tom Brady is the work he does when no one is looking when the cameras are not following him. The food he eats, the workouts he puts in every day to maintain his strength, and the mental preparation watching hours of film on his opponents to maximize every opportunity. He Practices until he knows he is prepared. He puts himself in the best position to lead his team to win! To play well, you must put yourself in the best possible place.
We may not be playing for a Superbowl, but we are playing to win. So the question is, how much time do you spend preparing to become the best in your industry? How much time do you spend visualizing your sales success? How often are you scheduling time to practice so you can play at a high level and improve your sales skills?
How do we set our people up for Superbowl success?
The most important questions a leader can ask.
What do you need from me?
Followed by how can I support you?
As a leader, we set the strategy, select the best talent and then empower them.
Three things we can focus on as leaders.
(1) Their development
(2) Their accountability to achieve success
(3) Reduce or eliminate roadblocks that interfere with their success.
In the end, Tom Brady believes he will win. It doesn't matter whom he's playing or what the situation might be. He is always more prepared than his competition, he leads by example, and Tom thinks he will win every time.
The question is, do you!
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, rate it, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.
In episode 89, I ask you to join me in the challenge to "Look For Good"!
Let me start by saying it's not your fault? The world is consumed with negative news. We have come to understand that from the past year. In media, the stories that get the most attention are always the negative ones. Why are we drawn to doom and gloom? Here is a little insight into why this happens. There is a term for this, and it's called Negativity Bias.
Kent Campbell ReputationX wrote an interesting blog on Negativity Bias.
Why are people so negative? Humans have what is called a "negativity bias" because we've evolved to react to threats. Like Google, we're pattern discovery machines; when something stands out, our minds highlight it like a threat. Why is the news so negative? Because the media leverage negativity bias to increase profits. The fact is, bad news gets more attention, more clicks, and leads to generate more revenue. Negative media coverage reports show that negative words such as "bad," or "worst," and "never" are 30% more effective at catching people's attention as opposed to positive. The majority (95%) of headlines have been reported as being blown out of proportion!
Take, for example, airplane crashes. They always make the headlines, but car crashes hardly do. Yet every year, car crashes kill thousands of people more.
And Google knows this, so they react to this pattern by giving you what you seemingly want - that often means more bad news.
So your thinking, ok, Lisa, what does Negativity Bias have to do with Look for Good? Stay with me. What if we shifted from the doom and gloom and Looked for good? Think about it, instead of focusing on everything going wrong; we looked at what was going right? We Looked for Good!
So I am putting out a challenge today to start to look and recognize good things happening, Positivity Bias.
Are you up for a challenge? How do we do it? It starts with you. I recommend that you become an observer of your thoughts for a day. Agree to be an observer pay attention to your thinking loop going on in your head. You may be overwhelmed, frustrated, or had a bad day; a client cancels their business with you, so your day and thoughts shift to Negativity and start to focus on scarcity. Where did your focus go? Did you take a drive down a negative alley? Keep in mind those thoughts travel throughout your day. No one wants that.
None of us are perfect; yes, we have bad days. We are going to shift it to the positive happening in your Life. I have my health, family, friends; I get things done, solve problems, I have a job, and I have great clients that I get to work with. I have so many opportunities every day. I am sidestepping that negative thought of lack in my life. I am having a great day, vs. my day is so so. The world has shifted, but you can too. You focus on people doing good things. I like to reframe some of these setbacks, opportunities, and possibilities!
When you feel stressed, you smile or laugh. Ha..Ha. Goodbye negative Bias, not today.
Be the observer or your thoughts. Shift your focus at that moment to get things done. I am going to provide solutions to my clients. Smile and thank another co-worker for a job well done. Good for you! Send a thank-you note to one of your best clients.
Audit whom you spend time around. Are you spending time with battery drainers or battery chargers? You know the difference. You get a call on your phone, and you say ugh. I will answer that call later; you don't have the time or energy.
Conversely, a call comes from someone that lifts you, makes you laugh. Take that call. You audit your focus on where and with whom you are spending your time. There is so much good happening. Think about the clients that can benefit from your ideas, your energy, your positivity. Replace a negative experience with something positive.
Think about your word association and change it. When feeling pessimistic or overwhelmed, it puts you in that state. You may tend to stay there, which is not good for you. So then you don't have the energy. Change the word overwhelmed to opportunity. Change the word Anxiety to action—negative thought to positive thinking. Every time you start to feel frustrated or overwhelmed, laugh and say yeah, this is a moment. Ha. I will see this as an opportunity for me, and I am up for the challenge.
So I was hoping you could help me spread the word of saying goodbye, Negative nelly, and hello to more Positivity. Start to look for the good in Life. Look for good things happening with you, your kids, family, co-workers, and clients. Let's start a movement of momentum and possibilities.
If you think someone could benefit from this episode, rate it, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of sales, marketing, and leadership experience.
Episode 88, Learn the 7 Big goal-setting secrets!
Are you climbing or sliding towards your goals and dreams?
I want to make sure your climbing. This is the Year you experience growth, contribution, financial freedom, better health, better relationships, more certainty in your life and business. The question is, are you ready for your next level? Your best Year? Is it time to Clear the Fear?
The best advice is to remember Success doesn't typically happen overnight. The little things aren't the big things. The little things are everything! Success comes from stacking the little things—the compounding effect of your efforts.
Here are the 7 Big goal-setting secrets you can implement today.
- What are your goals? The goals you set for the Year. Better Health, more meaningful relationships, improve your business? How much income do you want to generate? Get clear on what you want.
- Visualize it's One Year from today. It's February 2, 2022. I want you to visualize that all your goals came true. You blew your revenue goals away. You made more money this year than any other year. You are in the best shape of your life. In a meaningful and loving relationship. How do you feel? More alive? More Confident? Happy?
- What are the emotions you would feel? Your business is thriving. Are you feeling more in control? Financially Free? Life with Purpose? Impacting others on a larger scale? Remember when you got your first job? First relationship? First Sale? You felt amazing, In control, powerful, and you went for it.
- Move Away or Move Towards something? Many of you listening do things based on avoiding pain. You move away from something uncomfortable. Move away from your job or an aspect of your job, something you think will cause you pain. Picking up the phone and talking with new clients, doing the work to grow your business. Others move towards a bigger future. You know there's more to life. So where are you? Stop and close your eyes. Think about if one Year from now nothing changed with your life and business. How do you feel? Are you angry, disappointed, sucks, shame? Stop prolonging your future and create a Fear of staying where you are. Clear the Fear!
- Let's get clear on Fear? What are your biggest obstacles standing in your way? Think of that one word that is blocking you from success. Do you want to make more sales, but? Do you want to be in better shape but? Do you want more meaningful relationships but. Most of us would say that one word is Fear, failing, rejection, or worse, being judged. Think about this- your afraid to fail- but by not taking action, your failing! I was scared to fail, so I didn't do anything. I want you to remember this, your next level of life is on the other side of what you fear the most. Create a fear of staying where you are today to move you towards your dreams and goals.
- How do you want to be remembered? There is another level of life. What type of character do you want to be known for? At the end of your life, you are getting ready to make your transition, and five people are around you. What would you want them to say about you?
- Create a compelling future. How do you restart today? How do you restate your goals today? How do you rewrite your future today? You have to look forward and get emotionally engaged. Craft your compelling future. Who are you meant to be? Who are you designed to be? Realize the setbacks, the disappointments happen, and you say thank you. You understand that Circumstances don't predict your future - your perception, emotions behind the circumstances, predict your future.
I am challenging you to create that compelling future and look at it every day. If you want something bad enough, you can achieve it. Focus on the small steps- progress, start today at this moment. I know you have more to give, more to live to your full potential. No regrets, and No Fear!
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it; if you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of sales, marketing, and leadership experience.
Episode 87, Helps us get clear on our Vision and Plan for our business.
What is a vision? Your Vision is the meaning and purpose of business. It reveals what you hope to achieve long term, what you see for yourself. Your drive and intentions!
For example, an early Microsoft vision was "a computer on every desk and in every home."
"The Vision is the Why? Why you do what you do every day! It's you leading with your Heart. It's about your goals for the future and how you will get there.
"A vision is aspirational. A plan is a process."
"Your vision should be thought of as part of your strategic plan," What you see for yourself, Who are you, and what do you do?
For example:
- What ultimate impact do you want to have with your clients and in your industry? Do you want to be seen as visionary?
- Why is it essential for you to interact with your customers and clients?
- Why is it vital for you to be apart of something bigger than yourself, apart of a team?
- Your Why is all about the contribution to helping others.
Three examples of inspiring visions. 1. Amazon: "To be Earth's most customer-centric company where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online." 2. Google: "To provide access to the world's information in one click." 3. LinkedIn: "Create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce."
Your Vision should stretch the imagination while providing guidance and clarity. It will create direction and set priorities while challenging you. It's what you stand for - your standard!
- Project five to 10 years in the future. What do you see for yourself?
- Dream big and focus on your success.
- Use the present tense.
- Infuse it with passion and make it inspiring.
- Align it with your business values and goals.
My Vision is to inspire and impact others!
I encourage you to create your Why! The Vision for yourself.
The Plan is how you will get there—the actionable steps you need to take to get there. The process to help you stay on track. You have to be clear on your goals, the results and activities you need to take, and make sure you track your progress.
Your Plan may include:
- You are increasing monthly sales. What is your Plan for accomplishing this?
- You are creating one new client each month. How will you do this? The Plan and process you need to take.
- Upselling one current customer or asking for one referral from a Happy client. The Plan to do this?
What is your Plan for holding yourself accountable? I know you want to hold onto the vision part. So how do you ensure your Vision becomes a reality?
My Vision is to inspire and impact others!
What Plan did I implement to ensure my Vision?
I created the Three Word Podcast to connect and inspire others.
Wrote the Three Word Meeting Book to help others engage and inspire their teams. I use this process every week with the team I lead during my weekly sales meetings.
I listen to thought-provoking podcasts and read books that continue to educate and inspire me.
I challenge myself to take uncomfortable action so I can continue to stretch myself.
Now it's your turn.
So I am asking you to take uncomfortable action.
Have a vision for yourself, your business, and your life!
And then add the process, the Plan to which you get there.
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it; if you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of sales, marketing, and leadership experience.
In episode 086, we discuss what needs renovation vs demolition!
With most of us spending more time at home, have you noticed yourself looking around at opportunities to make some improvements? Whether it's sprucing up your new office space, upgrading your kitchen or bathroom, maybe you have your sights set on a new deck or patio. You have decided to renovate something in your home.
So is there something that needs renovation at work?
How is your culture at work?
Most business leaders understand the power of a positive culture―but almost every effort to change culture fails. Why? The approach is often all wrong. Most companies attempt to "transform" a new culture from the ground up vs. focusing on a culture of renovation instead. It's all about keeping what works, shifting what needs to be changed, and ensuring proper care and maintenance―much like refurbishing or renovating a home and improving its overall value.
Have you completed your annual reviews on your team yet? We are in the middle of meeting with our team to review the prior year. We can all agree last year was a year of learning and renovating.
We walk through a process that allows the employee to share how they think their year went. You know I am a fan of threes. So we ask them to list Three Successes to Celebrate and Three Opportunities for Growth or renovations they wish to make. Based on their feedback, you see whether they feel they need to renovate their business moving forward.
The number one resource for exceeding our revenue goals is our Human Capital, our people. Our people are the greatest asset to a company.
I find it helpful to walk myself through this exercise.
What was Three Successes to Celebrate?
What are the Three Opportunities for growth for me and the team I lead?
Remember, the key to happiness is progress. So how do we continue to create a culture of improvement? It recognizes what renovations you need to do to make sure your organization's foundation is solid.
My most significant growth opportunity is supporting our people! Turn uncertainty into certainty. I am an optimistic, inspirational leader that believes the people you surround yourself with makes a difference. I ask myself, what more do I need to learn, and where should I focus that effort?
Another great question you might ask yourself, what else do I need to do to keep developing other leaders around me.
- Solve one key issue that may be holding them back.
- Ask your team what I could do to be a better leader in supporting them?
- Ask your team, "Do you have what you need to do your job?"
I listened to Brene Brown's podcast, "Dare To Lead," I highly recommend, by the way. She was interviewing Kevin Oakes, the head of the world's leading HR research firm―the Institute for Corporate Productivity. Kevin consults companies on how to improve productivity.
During the podcast, they discussed how employees play a critical role in creating the culture. Most teams consist of various personalities and talents. So how do you identify the proven leadership actions to ensure you have a culture of innovative high-performance?
First, we have to Evaluate our team!
Do you have Influencers? Most of us are aware of Social influencers who earn compensation to build a companies brand or service. It's important to note that we all have employee influencers. These employees help you create a winning culture. Or remove those that are undermining what you're trying to build. Are they willing to lean into change? Do they thrive and understand that they want to be apart of a culture of progress.
Do you have Energizers: They are optimistic about the future. They bring focus, energy in everything they do. They accept and are willing to lean into change. They share ideas on how to improve your operation. More importantly, their enthusiasm gets others on the team, moving in the right direction.
Do you have Blockers: They are skeptics and non-believers of what you're trying to achieve. In most cases, we will work hard to convince these people to shift their mindset and join all of us. In most cases, the only answer is to move them along to another company.
One key identifier will be if someone says this how we have done it around here. Red Flag! Alert!
So I ask you to think about what type of work environment are you building? What renovations do you need to plan, build, and maintain to create a culture that drives profits, growth, and business sustainability now and well into the future?
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it; if you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. Simplify Your meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of sales, marketing, and leadership experience.
In this episode, you will learn the difference between Customer Service and Experience.
What is customer service?
Customer service is one part of a customer experience. Customer service refers to the customer support function of a business. It's the help and advice offered to customers when they have a question or an issue concerning a product or service. Most companies have a service department or are there to solve a customer's problem with their product.
What is the customer experience? It's the entire customer journey a consumer takes with your business. It involves many different touchpoints. It starts with awareness of the company, research about the company, initial purchase, and post-purchase experience. The personal interaction you have with that business.
Customer experience is all about anticipating the needs of the customer. Great companies have a strategic customer journey map. They ask for customer feedback to continually improve the experience and avoid issues in the future. Pro-active vs. reactive. In doing so, they build brand ambassadors and lifetime customers. And with the right experience, price becomes less of a factor.
Customer service is nearly always initiated by the customer. The customer faces a problem, so they reach out to a business' support services via the phone, email, social media, or live chat.
What can you do to improve your customer experience?
In your next meeting, review your customer journey? Think about your best customers, not the customers that buy you off the price, although I know that may be a factor. Engage your team by asking them what companies they think of when it comes to outstanding customer experience. How does it make you feel to do business with those companies?
What are your multiple touchpoints to your customer? You have an opportunity to impress those you do business with or get prospects started with your customer journey.
In the podcast I share several ideas you can implement today to creating a better Customer Experience.
Think about how your clients are greeted on the phone, through email, through your social channels. How can you stay connected with that consumer on a deeper level?
So back to the black box. My customer experience began when I was online looking for the perfect vehicle for me, followed by on-site experience at the dealership, the vehicle's purchase, the stress-free experience of maintaining my car, and the surprise-filled black box that I received. Because of all the touchpoints, I think it is safe to say I will be driving a Mercedes for a long time.
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it; if you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Are you looking for a simple concept to engage your team during your next meeting? The Three Word Meetings book can help.
Available at amazon.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 34 years of sales, marketing, and leadership experience.
Episode 084, This episode is about Facing The Truth! The truth of where you are today and where you want to go moving forward.
I have a candid conversation with Monica Weakley, who owns her own coaching business and works with the fastest growing real estate company in the world, eXp Realty. Her specialty is coaching Realtors who want to grow their business through relationships. These principles apply to all aspects of our lives.
There is only one person that is responsible for the truth – YOU! We have to find a way to eliminate the reasons and focus on the Results! So, where are you today vs. where you want to be?
List one goal you want to achieve. You're here X---------------- X Want to be Here
( the dashes are the small activities needed to get you to your goal) It's the compounding of the daily action steps that gets you there. Not the big climb to get to the mountain top.
The four-step process to discover your score. Using a scale of 1-10, determine where you are today.
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Desire - On a scale of 1-10, how bad do you want to achieve this goal. Be honest. For example, if you were in the desert with no water for five days. Water would be a 10.
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Belief – 1-10. Ten is a full belief in yourself, and you got this. Do you believe you can achieve it?
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Patience – 1-10 Ten being it must happen now! Patience is acceptable as long as you have a sense of urgency.
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Activities – 1-10 How are your daily activities are matching up with your goal. I need to prospect more to fill my pipeline of potential customers. What are you doing every day to take steps to get you there?
Add up your score and Face The Truth of where you are today and where you want to be moving forward. If you're short in one area, what can you do to improve? Action and desire are essential.
Great news – it's all up to you. It's about you being honest with yourself.
To connect with Monica or learn more about eXp Realty, contact her at 513.600.7296 or http://www.myagentMonica.com
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it; if you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of sales, marketing, and leadership experience.
In Episode 083, What A Year! The lessons I learned.
Here are a few takeaways from 2020 and the things it taught me as a leader.
Great teams Matter!
I would have to say this is my biggest takeaway from 2020. That the people, our work families are resilient! Together we worked on supporting each other and our clients through this uncertain time. We leaned into the unstable and uncertain times with new ideas and innovation to bring more certainty not only to each other and to our clients searching for solutions. We learned that progress is not a straight line. That progress we faced had zigs and zags. That outstanding leadership shines when you approach difficult situations, uncharted territory, and pressured moments. And you do it with calmness and confidence! We learned, and then we lead!
We Learned to work remotely!
2020 has been the year of the Zoom meeting. Gone are the day's face to face connections with our co-workers. Asking how their families and weekends were. We learned that lighting in front of you is the best way to be seen on a call. You could also have a little fun with virtual backgrounds to hide you from letting others know where you were doing the call. Zoom taught us to dress up; I mean the top part of us. Those sweats, leggings, and comfort shoes became our new business casual.
We learned to appreciate the teaching profession!
Working from home with a spouse or partner at home, and a few kids can make things a lot more challenging. And as leaders, we had to learn how to be flexible and supportive with our employees. We had to adjust our expectations, focus time, and traditional 9-5 schedule to help everyone maintain a work-life balance. Parents learned to be even more efficient with their time. They were managing kid's schoolwork, distractions, all while trying to do their job. We also learned to appreciate all healthcare workers and the sacrifices they make every day.
We learned to enjoy the great outdoors.
During the pandemic, I remember seeing more people walking together as friends, couples, families with pets. As one of my neighbors described it, it's a party on the sidewalk. I played more golf than any year before. My soul ( Liv, I am sure) needed a safe place to be outdoors and connect socially. Many people bought bikes to experience the great outdoors, swimming pools were installed, hot tubs delivered, decks built, and conversations around the fire pit grew.
Focus on what matters most!
2020 has taught us to focus on what matters. Our Health, our families, our friendships, our pets, our homes, and creating the time to connect with them even if it was on Zoom calls. Authentic relationships with our customers, supporting our team members. It's been a challenging year for so many of us, but we will come out the other side stronger and better.
As you reflect on the past year, take these lessons and apply them to your 2021 strategy. Keep your focus on what matters most for your Health, family, business, and those you lead, and stay creative with how you think and do business moving forward.
The most impactful lesson I learned was that We Did Prevail! Yes, hardships happen, that things didn't work out perfectly, and setbacks happen. After the year we have gone through together, you can remind yourself of all the challenges you faced. The obstacles you overcame, and you will realize that you and your team prevailed! Now that's something to celebrate!
Thank you for joining me each week along my journey. Thanks for listening and sharing the three-word podcast. You inspire me to be a better leader every day, and that I am grateful for you!
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it; if you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of sales, marketing, and leadership experience.
Episode 082, This episode is all about you! What you decide to resolve in the New Year!
Key takeaways from episode 082.
Despite our best intentions, once the new year wears off, many people struggle to make good on their resolutions. According to the Journal of Clinical Psychology, only 46% of people who make New Year's resolutions will be successful. That means over half of us who decided for the new year will fall short!
So how do you make sure your one of the 50%? You focus on the areas of your life that matters to you! Not the areas your family or friends think that matter. This is for you!
What have you decided for yourself?
What does success look like for you?
Keep this in mind.
Prepare for change
Understand that most of us hate change. Yes, you will face roadblocks along the way, but stay the course. The most important thing is to make progress each day and find ways to celebrate small wins. Where did I make progress?
Limit resolutions to a manageable amount
We have the best intentions. A common mistake in resolution setting is having too many and spreading yourself too thin. We all want to learn a new skill, Be Happy, get more organized, save more money, live life to the fullest. We only have so much attention span we can dedicate to personal growth.
So make a shortlist of resolutions that you can manage in the upcoming year. Start with the most important thing in making your life better.
Write down your resolutions. In episode 080 I have a pdf you can use that will keep you on track or click the link below:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1C08Gy7u1UOzgo9z_HLsDsHcnLIkt-hkA/view?usp=sharing
While it's great to have goals, it is critical to document them in some way.
Writing down your resolutions helps you clarify what it is you want to achieve. It forces you to make decisions and be precise with your words.
Writing establishes intention, but action steps are necessary to achieve your resolution. Having a written account of your goals is a constant reminder to take action.
- Write them in a journal
- Have it be your phone and computer screen saver
- Draft an email to yourself
- Print and tape to the wall
Champion Coaches - In all areas of your life, you need inspiration, motivation, direction, and accountability. You can hire someone to help you, someone that has already found the systems to implement for success: a coach, mentor, or guide. But, there are free resources available to you.
Health - there are more options and free resources online than ever before.
Business and Leadership courses online or available to you for free, or audiobooks can keep us inspired each day.
If you want financial freedom, you can hire a fiduciary advisor who can help you create a plan. The best book I have ever read is called The Path is written by Peter Mallouk, ranked the #1 Independent Financial advisor in the US for three consecutive years by Barron's. https://www.amazon.com/Path-Accelerating-Journey-Financial-Freedom/dp/1642937010
I encourage you to schedule time on your calendar to celebrate the wins from this year. And then sit in thought and get excited about 2021 and all the possibilities that the new year has for you! You get to decide!
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it; if you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of sales, marketing, and leadership experience.
Episode 081, focuses on the right mindset needed to excel at a high level.
I will share the insights I have learned from Tony Robbins and what you can do to create a productive mindset!
Key takeaways from this episode:
According to the National Science Foundation, an average person has about 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day. Of those, 80% are negative, and 95% are repetitive thoughts. If we repeat those negative thoughts, we think negative way more than we think positive thoughts.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapists have a term for it — ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts). Nobody likes ANTs in their house. We certainly want to remove these ANT's from our minds!
So how do you take control of your mental state? Do you watch your TV? Not your actual Flat Screen, HIGH Def TV where you watch your favorite Netflix's, HBO, or sporting events. I am talking about your Transformation Vocabulary -TV! We have to learn to Manage our vocabulary!
We all face negative thoughts throughout the day—the ANTS. Step one is to become more aware of these thoughts. Some of these thoughts could be lies you are telling yourself. So I recommend, replace that negative thought with a positive one. For example, if you're in sales and trying to secure a new meeting with a prospect. Many of us may not be aware of the fear in our minds of calling someone we have never met. Our Mindset tries to protect us and sends a message to our brain, saying they probably won't pick up the phone, I will get their voicemail or gatekeeper, they're probably happy with their current vendor. Sounds negative and not much hope!
Replace that with the following: I am so excited to share how I can help this company grow its revenue based on its ideas, product, or service. This one meeting could be the difference between them making their sales for the month. So what if they say they are happy with their current vendor. I am here to validate their current vendor or see if I can improve what they are doing.
Growth or Fixed? If you have a fixed mindset, then you are set in your ways. Or you use the phrase; this is how we have always done it. You could say you have a fixed or closed mind. A better approach is a growth mindset, which tells you to learn from every experience, good or bad. You are open to trying something new, which shifts your perspective to growing and making progress. There is one word that will keep you on the path of progress, and that word is Possibility! It is possible! It may take time and patience to achieve your intentions, but it is always possible.
Change and manage your Mindset. When your mind starts to go negative nelly, stop at that moment and think about something you're grateful for. It could be as simple as I am thankful for my health, faith, spouse, job, kids, and dogs? If it's a client issue, I am grateful to have that client be an issue vs. not having the client. I will solve this issue for them. I am a solution provider!
The best advice I can give you regarding managing your Mindset. Stay in the present moment! It is so easy to drift back into the past or fast forward to the future. These moments in our minds could keep us from moving forward. Yes, we learn from our past experiences. These experiences are going to help you keep moving on to the next moment, the present moment.
So remember, get the ANTS ( automatic negative thoughts) out of your mind and watch your TV - Transformational Vocabulary. Words play a huge role in how we feel. Change your focus on what is right vs. what is wrong.
Create a mind of mental toughness and a vocabulary of hope and possibility.
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it; if you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of sales, marketing, and leadership experience.
Episode 080, Does your Life or Business need an IV?
Apply this simple four-step strategy to achieving your New Years Resolutions!
I am excited to share a simple system I learned from Pete Vargus to make you become one of the 8% of people who will achieve and likely exceed their Resolutions or, should I say, INTENTIONS!
- Write down the categories of your Life you intend to focus on improving in 2021. Categories, for example, Health, Spouse; family; Faith, personal growth, mindset, friends, career, Business, or Contribution. I would recommend three and no more than ten.
- When looking at those categories and 2020, how would you rate that area of your Life? On a scale of one to ten. Ten meaning total fulfillment. Where are you today?
- Write down three Wins To Celebrate from 2020. Think about your Health. What rating would you give yourself today? Maybe your at a 7-8 and happy, but know you can improve with a few tweaks. How about your relationships? Your Kids? What rating would you give yourself? Mindset? Money and Finance? Your Business, what rating would you give yourself in this area of your Life? Be honest with where you are today.
- Looking at 2021 and the categories you have selected, what are three Ways To Improve? Create a vision and see the life areas that matter the most to you that you want to see growth. Your Priorities! Could you make a few adjustments to your Health? Your relationships? Your Business? Your finances?
Download the worksheet below:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1C08Gy7u1UOzgo9z_HLsDsHcnLIkt-hkA/view?usp=sharing
Over the next several podcasts, I will go a little deeper on various categories to keep us on track of making progress and set us up for a year to remember.
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it; if you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of sales, marketing, and leadership experience.
In episode 079, Crush your goals by doing this!
What Is Always Be Helping? Dale Carnegie famously said, people don't want to be sold to – they want to feel as if they're buying.
Follow these three steps in helping and creating customers for life.
Step One: Who? What clients can we help?
Think about the product or service you offer and who can benefit the most from working with you? Success leaves clues. Think about the types of companies you are currently working with and the problems you are solving. Interview your current clients and ask them why they chose to work with you and your company? You may discover a common theme, and you can use that when reaching out to new leads.
Let's face it; you may waste valuable time trying to convince a client on your list to meet with you if you can't help them solve a problem.
Step two: What do they need?
Think about the list of clients you're trying to convert to customers. Do you know what they need?
Do they need better sales and marketing, as I term a SAM plan?
Do they need to generate more revenue for the company?
Do they need help recruiting new employees?
Do they need to save expenses? What systems can you provide to help?
Do they need training and leadership for their teams?
What problem can you solve that they are facing?
If you can identify the problem, you have a better chance of earning their business by providing them with your solutions.
You will also have more confidence in setting that meeting if you know you can help them.
Step three. How to Help? Educate them on how you can help them. What advantages does your product or service provide them? Share other case studies of clients you have helped. What challenges were they facing, and how you educated them with your tactics and solutions.
We are problem solvers. We are there to consult and educate them on all the solutions available to them. Let the others push a product or service onto your prospects. We will focus on educating our clients on viable solutions to the problem you have previously identified. Your building a foundation of trust! Clients want to know your listening to their needs. You will stand out, cultivate a more meaningful relationship, and have a customer for life.
I think you will agree; you would prefer helping your clients solve problems vs. closing them. Here's to you to become a problem solver and provide better solutions to your customers' needs.
As leaders, the opportunity is now. Keep educating yourself and those you lead by helping them. In return, they will help others.
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it; if you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of sales, marketing, and leadership experience.
Episode 078, Thanksgiving! The experiences in our business and life and all we should be Thankful For Giving to us! Even some of those experiences stress us out.
What are your Thanks For Giving? I invite you to share three things your Thanks For Giving!
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it; if you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
Episode 077, In this episode, discover the One word that is stopping you from success!
I have six recommendations to help you take ACTION!
Take the time to answer the following questions and be honest with yourself.
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Write down one thing that you are procrastinating. My advice, do that one thing your procrastinating first! If it is creating new clients, then schedule that time first each morning. You will build confidence and feel more in control when you take action. Be fearless, not fearful.
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Come up with three reasons why you must change. Again, if creating new clients is important? Why is that important? For your income, if one of your current clients cancels or want to take more control of your destiny.
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What will it cost you if you don't make this change? More importantly, what could it cost that business if you don't make that call? Your competition gets the business because you didn't call?
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How do you know you can absolutely make this change? Discover what you need to do and do it every single day! Create that winning routine for you and your success.
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Create a new association with this change. For example, — If you're not making enough calls, you may have an association that not making calls equals less rejection. A new association might be that making more calls equals more chances to drive sales and all that money that comes with that.
Before making that call, remind yourself that you're dedicated to helping companies grow their revenue. Be excited to share your solutions, experience, and tactics that have successfully worked with your current customers. You're a solution provider, not a cold calling machine!
6.How do you know you can make this change? Because of your betting on you! Discover what you need to do and do it every single day! It will become a winning routine for you and your success.
We face enough roadblocks in our day; let's make sure you're not of of of them!
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it; if you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
In Episode 076, I share a conversation with Janet Mackay, founder of INPact Academy, a platform used to share engaging stories through interviews with kids, adults, and businesses worldwide who are jumping IN to make an INPact in people's lives with Intentional Positive Actions.
Janet has created a proven formula to engage your kids by shifting their mindsets and focus. She teaches them that the choices they make at any given moment can cast a ripple effect of positive energy, changing another person's trajectory when they intend to show kindness, compassion, and connection towards others.
Learn more about how to get your Teens involved in the next Teen Summit.
EMAIL: JANETMACKAY555@GMAIL.COM
CELL#: 516-859-1874
FB: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/JANET.MACKAY.7334
INSTAGRAM: @JANETMACKAY555
WEBSITE: WWW.JANETMACKAY.COM
Three Word Podcast Discount Opportunity:
EMAIL REQUEST TO: JANETMACKAY555@GMAIL.COM
- OFFER #1: – FREE 30 MIN POSITIVE MINDSET SESSION FOR FIRST 10 PEOPLE (ADULT & TEEN) AND $50 SAVINGS OFF 8 WEEK TEEN CHALLENGE PROGRAM (TEEN)
ADD: 3 WORD PODCAST GIFT IN THE SUBJECT LINE
- OFFER #2: PRESENT A CUSTOMIZED PRESENTATION AS A GUEST SPEAKER FOR YOUR NEXT VIRTUAL PRESENTATION.
3 WORDS: BE-THE-DRIP…………….MAKE-AN-INPACT
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
Episode 075 - Why everyone company needs SAM!
I realized in my 33 years of marketing and sales that every company needs a SAM Plan. I know many of you are in sales and what you have to communicate or develop for your customer is that having a better SAM could be the difference to having a profitable year.
Visualize this, we have products/ services on the left, and far-right is revenue and profits. What is in the middle is what I call a Bridge. This bridge is a marketing strategy that creates the opportunity to gain more market share and sales.
Think about the products you use today. The car you drive, the toothpaste you use, the shampoo, the coffee or alcoholic beverage you consume, the clothes you wear, and your cell phone use. All influenced by SAM. So what's the best way to create your SAM and make sure your bridge leads you to more sales and profits?
Here are four strategies to create a better SAM.
Become a problem solver. Marketing is all about solving someone's pain or providing pleasure and providing better customer solutions than your competition. Solve a problem for the consumer. McDonald's is solving several issues. People that need food fast and for a fair price. They have found a way to market to you to consider them when you're hungry and need food fast. Let's think about what you and your company can solve for the consumer. What problem are you solving for your current clients? Ask your best client the top one or two reasons they chose to work with your company. They may share some insights you can use to position when calling on other like-minded companies.
Whose problem are you solving? I will ask most companies I work with tell me more about who you would like to do business with. They respond to everyone. In marketing, we call that a Family reunion. Most companies want to target everyone, but they have to have the resources to do it effectively. So start with targeting a brother or sister, that owns a home, has kids. See, not everyone has a marketing budget like McDonald's to target everyone? That's okay; let's narrow the focus to start to own the consumer that may be more profitable. Tell me more about them? Who are your current customers that you retain year over year? You want more of the Life Time customers, not just the cut my price customers.
Make your message matter. How that consumer hears and processes your message is critical. You have to break out of the noise and have your message heard. If you can enter into the conversation already going on into their minds, you have a better chance of converting them your way. Keep your message simple. You know I am a fan of using three words. McDonald's uses simple phrases, I'M Lovin It. Nike, Just Do It. So Simple and impactful.
Measure the results. It's crucial to track SAM. Does SAM need to help build more brand awareness? Do we want SAM to increase website traffic? Store traffic? Do you want SAM to bring you referrals? We have to measure the results that SAM is delivering.
Our job is to teach our clients the road map on how best to use SAM - Better Sales and Marketing! Remember when you call on new clients, there are only two reasons they should meet with you. You are going to validate what they are currently doing? Or You have a way to improve what they are doing. Hello SAM!
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it; if you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
In episode 074, I share how everyone is in sales!
Many people shy away from sales because they fear rejection, cold-calling; no, I am not interested, or confrontation, make a mistake, and other reasons. Let's face it. Sales can feel a bit scary, but it doesn't have to be that way.
I believe everyone is in sales. Maybe you don't have the title of a salesperson, but if your company or business requires you to work with people, you are in sales!
Like it or not, we are all in sales! Whether you're selling an idea, delivering a business proposal, conducting a sales presentation, leading a Three Word sale meeting, or offering a product or service – it's all selling. You are selling and marketing a message! I believe that Selling is one of the most critical skills everyone needs. #Proudtobeinsales!
Everyone sells something!
Salespeople and business owners are maybe struggling because today's sales climate has shifted. In this fiercely competitive economy, every meeting, every sales call, and every interaction with a potential customer is critical to our business.
Sales are one area where many people reveal their most significant deficiency. It's not that they don't know what to say; it's that they're unable to deliver the information in a structure that's engaging and, most importantly, persuasive.
Call it a belief or a mindset but just a mere mention, the word "sales" scares people or brings up fear, dread, and anxiety to many. If you want to perform at a top-level, you must change your mindset and the way you think about "sales." How much is your perspective getting in the form of your paycheck?
Most people don't believe they're in sales, so they don't develop that skill. They refuse to admit they have to sell. Some believe that launching a website and sending out a few emails will be enough to attract new customers.
"Sales are what you do for people, not to people."
Think about your best client, that if you had not picked up the phone to call them with the idea that could transform their business, their sales could have suffered. Or worse, they could be going out of business.
In sales, we have to do this every day!
Prospecting is a word that drives fear into the individual who doesn't believe that selling something to someone is for their benefit and overall well-being. We all prospect and don't even know we're doing it.
When you start the dating process, you are prospecting for the person you want to marry. As managers, we interview employees. We are prospecting for someone who will best fit our sales needs. When you have a product to sell, you need someone to sell it to, so you have to go out and find the customers who need what you have. If you don't believe that their lives will be better because of what you have to sell them, you will sell the wrong thing or sell it to the wrong person. Target people who need your product and has the financial ability to make that decision.
Prospecting becomes second nature when you can implement a quote by Zig Ziglar.
"You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want." When you are genuinely interested in other people, you will learn what they are interested in and need your product. If they like you, and most people like those who take an interest in them, they'll help you find people who do need what you have to sell, even if they don't.
You must be able to communicate what you sell and identify who could benefit from what you sell. If you can't tell anyone those two things in a few simple sentences, you aren't in the right business. You must also be able to identify a need. I know these suggestions sound like "a given" for the sales pro's listening, but I have found that many of us who haven't studied the art of selling and don't yet understand how vital this skill is to your growth potential.
So don't be afraid anymore. Remember, sales start everything. Henry Ford famously said, "Nothing happens until someone sells something," because at the heart of every enterprise is the revenue-generating engine of sales. The auto industry would not exist if we could walk everywhere; new homes would not be built if people wanted to occupy them; the phone or laptop you listened to the Three Word Podcast would not be possible without technology. It all started with an idea and someone to sell and share the benefits.
Be proud that your in an industry that changes people's lives. That's called Sales!
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it; if you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
Episode 073: Learn how buying a mattress improved how I provide Value vs. Price to my clients.
Do you have clients that want your product based on Price? Don't you hate that? Just think back to the last time you made a purchase, and what was going through your head? "Can I buy this for less? What type of deal can I get before buying this? Let's face it; no one wants to pay more for a product! We need to perceive we got a good deal or Value from purchasing a product or service.
Price is often the primary consideration when customers make a purchase, but cutting the Price isn't the best way to compete. We have to find ways to make our partnership more valuable than just Price.
Here are four strategies you can implement:
Become an Expert
When your clients feel you have the knowledge and expertise, they are more likely to do business with you. You have to offer them better advice than the other vendor; you add more Value. This increases your chances of winning and retaining their business. Clients will pay for speed to market. How can they grow their market share faster? Dave was an expert when it came to mattresses. He shared his story of buying his brand—the benefits to better night sleep. Think about yourself. Are you an expert in your industry? What other education or skills do you need to be a solution provider to your customers. The best investment you can make is in yourself! You and the client will benefit from it.
Think like your client
We all have family, friends, and co-workers that you connect with better than others. Why? One reason is that you feel like they understand you. Dave was masterful at making me feel like he understood my mattress needs. He asked, are you a side or back sleeper. He shared his stories of mattress shopping and the decisions we should consider when making ours. Well, the same applies to your clients. Do you know what each of your clients needs? Understand that they all may have different needs. Some clients may need sales and revenue; some may need better marketing; some may need help recruiting employees; some may need better systems to run their company more efficiently and some tactical ideas to grow market share and profits. If your approach it the right way, ask great questions; they will tell you everything. Once you know, and they start to feel that you know as well. Listen, take notes, and provide solutions as if you owned the business. Your actions will speak louder than words, and your Value will increase massively.
Two ears and one mouth
One of the best lessons I learned from Michelle Levine was two ears and one mouth. Make sure you listen twice as long as you speak. Do this, and you will increase your Value with your clients. Most people are thinking of how they will respond when the client is talking. Please slow down and listen to what they are sharing. Dave would ask us questions about what we desired in a mattress, and then he would listen. We felt heard, and that built more Value.
Surprise and delight
It's great when someone surprises you with something you didn't expect. We spend much time trying to winning the business. So when you do, you want to retain that client for life. Clients want your knowledge, a fair price, and expect great follow up. Their needs vs. ours! Any company can set up an automated mailer for when it's their birthday. ( Do you even know your client's birthday, step one). How would you feel receiving a personalized message or a handwritten birthday note with a cake and balloons! When we do something out of the ordinary, your Value increases, and remember: with Value comes loyalty.
People will pay more for something if they think there is Value or benefits. I know I paid more for a mattress than I expected, and I was happy to do so.
Remember, Adding more Value will always be the difference to earning and retaining your client's business.
Keep looking for ways to do more for your clients to ensure they value you and the solutions you provide!
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it; if you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
Episode 072 You and your sales could be suffering from Low Probability!
This episode provides several strategies to increasing your Law of averages and improving your probability ratios.
I can think of countless cases when applying the Law of Probability strategy was the difference in achieving that outcome if you put yourself in a specific situation and continue to work towards that outcome, your probability increases.
The Law of Averages says that a ratio will begin to appear if you do something often enough. For example, if you talk to 10 people, and one says yes, a ratio will begin to appear; you are at 1:10. You'll notice that once it starts, it tends to continue. If you talk to 10 people you'll get 1.
Ask, and you get, don't, and you won't—the law of probability.
It is a simple concept and effective. The key in sales is to keep moving and keep talking to more people, keep meeting, calling, and exploring opportunities to increase your chances and increase your ratio. And this way, Mathematically, you can increase your chances of converting more clients. Repetition is the key. If you do this, you can expect this.
If you put yourself in the situation more times, you learn from each experience and gain knowledge along the way.
Once you understand how the Law of Averages works, you can start making it work for you.
Here are three easy steps using the Law of Averages to help improve your sales.
Know your numbers. For many of you, you have access to a CRM program that can help track your performance. If not, create a spreadsheet of your progress. For the next two weeks, keep doing what you have been doing. The only thing you should do differently, for the time being, is to track your activities. Note the number of people you call or meet, note whether you were able to reach the decision-maker, and then, of course, state whether you sold them anything. At the end of the two weeks, review your ratios. I recommend tracking a few different things (all in ratios)
- Number of calls you made each day
- Number of Decision Makers you reached
- Number of appointments you set ( ratio of meetings you set)
- Number of proposals you closed (ratio of proposals closed)
Do the Work. After you know your Law of Averages, you can get to work meeting your sales goals. The more calls you make, the more sales you will make – now you have a clearer picture of how many calls you need to make to hit your numbers.
Consider this data according to Hubspot's study. In 2007 it took an average of 3.68 cold call attempts to reach a prospect. Today 8 - that's almost twice as many calls. 44% of us give up after only one attempt. So we need to manage our mindset. Look at the opportunity and stay patient and persistent. You can create your 8 step program to reaching the decision-maker. For example, step one research the client and have a solid VBR. Step two call to set the meeting. Step three email the client. Step four connect on Linkedin or another social channel. Step five send a successful case study from a current client.
Improve your Law of Averages. There are several ways you can improve your average and generate more success from your efforts.
- Own the day. Distractions happen every day to us. Each week, map out your goals and set the agenda for the day. Review your metrics and progress at the end of each day and then at the end of each week.
- When do you make the call? Improve your averages by calling the client at the right time based on their category. If you are calling on a restaurant, you would not call at noontime when they are busy. You would call at 8 am or 3 pm. What I discovered was Wednesday and Thursday seemed to be the best days of the week for connecting with prospects on the phone. The best hours, 4 pm-5 pm, has the highest engagement. Or call before 8:30 when a company opens, you will likely connect with the business owner. Try to avoid calling between 11 am-2 pm that has proven to be the lowest engagement hours.
After you have had some time to familiarize yourself with the Law of Averages, you can use it to improve your sales. This is why I recommend keeping track of your numbers every day, even if you think you already have a good handle on things. Look for small ways to improve your appointment setting, your pitch method, and then use the Law of Averages to determine if you are seeing results and improving your ratios.
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it; if you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
Episode 71, How do you get your client to vote Yes for you?
Understanding the Six Laws of Persuasion can help you perhaps persuade your customers to say yes to you versus your competitor.
Law of Reciprocity People try to repay what they have received from others. If someone gives you something you want, you will want to reciprocate because you feel obligated now. What can you give your customer today to get them to say yes to you? If they are a current client, is there other value-added you can provide to them? Is there market research that could be valuable to them? Is there a creative idea that could enhance their operation? Something as simple as dropping lunch off to their team may have them leaning your way.
Law of Commitment Commitment to a decision is usually easier to increase than it is to abandon. This is why salespeople attempt to get customers to agree with them multiple times; after saying "yes" repeatedly, it is almost impossible to say "no" when it is time for the close. So what can you do to keep your clients saying Yes and committing to you? What can you include in your proposal or program that has them making a long term commitment? You have provided to much value that doing business with you is a Yes vote.
Law of Liking In business, the old adage "opposites attract" does not hold true when influencing and Persuasion. When you like someone or believe that they are "just like you," you are more inclined to want to work with them. Successful salespeople work hard to establish rapport, demonstrating how similar they are to the customer. They explore their background, noting the similarities to their own. We went to the same high school or college. We use LinkedIn and Facebook to see what friends we have in common. The Law of Liking is the key to your next referral because we know people like to do business with those they know!
Law of Scarcity If there is a limited supply of an item and only a few are left, it must be good or popular, which is what the law of scarcity suggests. If something you want becomes "the last one available," you tend to feel like you have to act immediately or you might miss out. After all, the limited supply must mean that others are buying it, and delaying might mean you won't be able to get it again anytime soon or maybe never again. This is the fear of losing out. So what can you offer? Is there a specific program that you can position is only available for a limited time. Or a unique incentive program that you can provide for a limited time.
Law of Authority The best marketing campaigns count on authority law when using celebrity endorsements or "expert" testimonials. When people you admire promote a product or service, you may think, "If it's good enough for them, then it's good enough for me." If you use it, you may become more like them " Younger looking, wealthier, and more famous. Is there someone that has more authority or influence that would matter to your customers? It could be someone in their industry that they respect.
Law of Social Proof
Some of the best masters of Persuasion's art in negotiation are highly successful salespeople who do their best to make the sale and meet their buyers' needs. Another way to show social proof is to share case studies of your clients who have successfully worked with you. Create one or two personal recommendations you can share with clients you are trying to win their business.
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it; if you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
The Underdog Advantage is a new way to look at your life and business. Having an underdog mindset is a tremendous advantage.
You can apply the same Underdog Attitude to your advantage. Three recommendations to help you propel to success.
Underdogs have nothing to lose. Others are expected to win, but underdogs have nothing to lose and compete without fear of loss. There are no expectations to meet. You can only go up, which takes the pressure off of you. I coach a seller who was calling on an HVAC company. Another seller said yeah, many us have called on him before; he doesn't advertise on the radio. Good luck! The seller used the underdog advantage and called on the client. She had nothing to lose. She created a very memorable commercial using kids' voices and provided a tactical solution to gain the client's confidence and " Closed an annual deal.
Underdogs use "The Power of You Can't." Many people at the top of their game have already reached their goals and can struggle to stay motivated, but underdogs find motivation everywhere and use it to their advantage. Sports teams use this against their opponents by saying, " Nobody believes in us," which empowers everyone. Power comes from people telling you, you cant. Many are writing off this year as the Year of COVID; business is off or down. The underdog owner or seller says game time. While other companies are sitting on the sidelines, they will find a way to have a larger share of the available business—the same for salespeople.
Underdogs use enthusiasm over perfection. Nothing can replace the excitement you bring every day! People buy from people they trust and like. Your willingness to meet with that client or find a solution will shine through. Can you think of a time when you closed a deal because you were so excited to share the solution you created? Your excitement was so contagious the client had to say yes.
I encourage you to find your underdog advantages. Don't settle for what the world tells you that you deserve. Don't settle for what your teachers or boss, coworkers, friends, and family said to you that you could have. Take what appears to be your disadvantages and make it your unfair advantage.
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it; if you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
The Underdog Advantage written by Dean Graziosi - I highly recommend this book.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
Clients will be receptive to listen to your point of view when you give them a solution or a new perspective on their business.
Our clients and prospects buy when they want to fix, accomplish, or avoid something. A study was completed by Sales Benchmark Index, which discovered that 60 percent of the time on qualified sales opportunities, there are only two reasons why they don't buy:
- They do not believe their problem is significant enough to take action if they recognize any problem at all, or
- They do not think the solution you are proposing will work.
Provide your clients with a new perspective, and to do so, you need to have one yourself. In looking at your business, here are few recommendations to get you moving in that direction.
- When calling on new prospects, try this approach to earning the first meeting. "I have two reasons why we should meet." It will validate what you are currently doing? Or Improve what you are now doing? You can share a New Perspective!
- For your current clients, review what they are doing. Have another salesperson on the team or someone from another department review what they are doing with you. Make sure its someone on the team that thinks differently than you do. Sometimes we fall into these traps that this is what they have been doing for years. Is there a different product that better suits your client's needs. A New Perspective!
- New categories of business you should be calling on to grow your business. Yes, we all have that ideal customer. Have you got stuck in a regular pattern on calling on the same types of companies? Is there an opportunity to call on a new category to offer them a New perspective - a new potential customer?
- Coaching sessions. If you do weekly or bi-weekly coaching sessions with your team, is it possible to switch those meetings with another manager. Why is that important? You have the opportunity to look at someone's else's account with a new perspective. You may have an idea or way to approach their business differently than the other manager.
You have a chance to Stand Out from the competition─ by Sharing and selling with a New Perspective!
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it; if you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
Episode 68, Do Something Different to earn the appointment. Use the power of video
Here are Five proven strategies that will boost your video emails' efficacy and help you nail your digital first impression.
Keep the length of your video under 1 minute- Less is More.
To achieve optimal viewership, the sweet spot for video length is between 60 and 90 seconds. However, when it comes to engaging leads and cold prospects, we advise keeping your video under sixty seconds. Although more convenient than taking a cold call, watching your video still takes time out of your recipient's day. If you keep the video under a minute, you run a lower risk of losing their attention.
Include a call-to-action within your video
The point of sending a video isn't just to get it played. Every video you send should have a purpose and an intended outcome. If you think about nothing else before you hit the record button, determine what you'd like your recipient to do with the information you're about to provide them.
Simplify your subject line
Unfortunately, adding video to your emails will not affect your open rate. Videos will boost engagement with you and your messages, but it's still up to you to craft a great subject line and send it at the right time to get your email opened.
People can typically sniff out a mass email based on the subject line itself, which many times deters them from opening the email in the first place. If you've taken the time to record a personal video, the last thing you want is your recipient, thinking it's a mass email and ignoring it altogether.
Few tips for your subject line:
Remember, shorter is better ( 2-3 words)
Company name in subject line improves your open rates
First names in subject lines didn't help open rates
Don't Capitalize The First Letter Of Every Word. Humans don't talk or type like that. Therefore, when most people see a subject line crafted in such a way, they may assume it's part of an automated drip campaign. A best practice is to frame your subject line in "sentence case," or don't capitalize on anything!
Your Lighting Matters
Find a well-lit area to shoot your video. Natural lighting is better and more flattering, but having enough light is key. The lighting should be in front of you and not behind you. You can buy a clip-on light for your phone or computer to help.
Be Yourself to make the best impression
Have a set objective for your message. It may be helpful to write out your message, so it keeps you on track. Be authentic when recording it like your talking with a friend. You have a few seconds to engage your prospect. Don't overthink it! Be confident, Smile, and be you!
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it; if you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
Episode 67 - We explore how to embrace change when faced with adversity.
I think we all can agree we have faced some setbacks and adversity this year? But, Its how we respond to it that will continue to be the difference. So as you face adversity, you have the chance to adjust, embrace, and create a new way.
There is a book called who moved my Cheese. Who Moved My Cheese? Is An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and Your Life, and it was published on September 8, 1998. The book is all about change in one's work and life and the reactions of two mice's changes during their hunt for Cheese. Imagine this book written 22 years and ago, and the lessons in the book apply to what we are facing today.
Five key lessons that you can apply today!
Smell the Cheese often, so you know when it is gone bad So crucial to monitor change! We often get comfortable in situations and tend to avoid new ones due to fear of the unknown. In most cases, we need to get rid of the Cheese that has expired. You may have some accounts that you need to get rid of that is taking time from you. This way, you can make room for new accounts. Sometimes we need to get uncomfortable. Be open to new ways, and I mean new cheeses.
When you stop being afraid you feel good Face your fears and build your courage muscle. Our worries often make a situation changing appear to be worse than it is. Johnson's book teaches you to take stock of each scenario and helps you to put your fears aside to look to the future. Conquering your fear and approaching 'change situations' with the right attitude can put an entirely new (and positive) spin on things, allowing you to navigate the event logically and rationally.
Imagine yourself with new Cheese. There are roughly seven types of Cheese with each on having several varieties.
Remember, you have many options. One Cheese does not fit all clients' tastes. Sometimes we're so focused on what we're leaving behind; we don't realize that what we're hunting for is just ahead of us. Let go of the past by setting new goals, next-level thinking, and imagine yourself achieving those goals and trying other cheeses.
The quicker you let go of old Cheese, the sooner you can enjoy new Cheese. So imagine how many options you have to offer your clients. Adapt to change quickly! Despite your fears and apprehensions, it's vital to embrace inevitable change and acknowledge it as an opportunity for growth and development. Be excited about trying new ways to help your clients.
If you focus on the past, it will lead you to more frustration, so instead focus your energy on shifting your business to a mindset of Innovation and next-level thinking.
Move with the Cheese and enjoy it. Develop a taste for different cheeses. Try new cheeses ( new ways of approaching your business) and enjoy the change! According to Dr. Johnson, "That what you are afraid of is never as bad as you imagine. The fear you let build up in your mind is worse than the situation that exists." So let go of the predictable patterns you have created. Focus on the good in these new experiences! Remember what you focus on; you create!
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
Episode 66, The Story about Jeff and what he learned about Failing!
Learning to fail! I don't believe we wake up each day and say, I can't wait to Fail! Sign me up for the course in Failing! Our beliefs and identity they are connected to winning, not failing. Even the meaning behind Failing is viewed as a weakness, a shortcoming. What if we switched how we felt about failing? We renamed it Learning!
Learning - what does that mean. It is the process of acquiring new understanding, knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, attitudes, and preferences. Some learning is immediate, induced by a single event, but much skill and knowledge accumulate from repeated experiences.
Most of us will find ourselves getting Stuck or what I call Stuckness syndrome. It doesn't matter if you're in sales, or management. You will face Stuckness.
So what do you do? You learn to fail!! Thats right, key word LEARN. If you get stuck, you cant stay there. You have to learn how to get out of that place.
I encourage you to keep asking yourself, What Did I learn? Push yourself to do something that you didn't think you were capable of doing. Condition your brain to stay focused on your target until you hit your goal. Commit to becoming a lifetime student of Learning!
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it, if you think someone could benefit from this episode share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
Episode 65, How to build a courageous culture, and it starts with you.
If you break down the phrase "Stepping out of your comfort zone," it means doing things you don't feel comfortable doing and getting outside of your comfort levels. It encourages you to push yourself in unfamiliar places and do something that you wouldn't normally do.
One word that encourages you to get out of your comfort zone - Courage!
So how do you Build a Courage of Culture "Courage is contagious." So, the first step toward building a culture of Courage is to exhibit daring leadership. She says that Courage is a collection of four teachable skills:
- Rumbling with vulnerability. In other words, don't avoid the tough conversations. "Daring leaders who live into their values are never silent about hard things." The cultural norm of being friendly and polite, at all costs, can be damaging to morale. If the company is in trouble, if your employee is in trouble, have the uncomfortable conversations. No more avoiding or putting off the tough talks. Do them first.
- Braving trust. Brené urges leaders to ditch the emotional armor that keeps them from making real connections. Is there a risk? Sure. Brené calls out the meanspirited people in the "cheap seats" advise those who dare to lead with vulnerability and Courage. Her advice? "Just step over the comments and keep daring, always remembering that armor is too heavy a price to pay to engage with cheap-seat feedback."
- Living into our values. For sales leaders, this means making secure connections with your team. Know and embrace the unique value provided by each person. Be open and forthright, create opportunities to allow all team members of your team to speak up, and applaud people when they bring up tough topics.
- Learning to rise. When someone kicks you down, get up, and move on. Also, be open and listen to your team's feedback and be willing to grow. A good leader recognizes their shortfalls. A daring leader takes steps to uncover why and how it's affecting others. And then, they figure out how to make the negative impacts go away.
If you want to learn more about daring to lead, I encourage you to download the book. If you think you're already there, you can take the https://daretolead.brenebrown.com/ on Brené's website and see how you fare.
So join me in getting out of your Comfort Zone, be more vulnerable, Stay Brave, and have Courage and Dare to Leader!
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
Episode 64, learn seven tips to improving your sales!
So how can you continue to improve your business? Stay the course; keep looking for better ways to do business. Most people may be writing off this year. But there is work to be done to finish 2020 and get a jump start in 2021. Caryn Kopp, of Kopp Consulting, shared seven tips on seizing new business opportunities while your competition may be waiting for things to get better or taking time off. I sense you are not the one sitting back and waiting. You are the one that looks at adversity with opportunity.
The seven tips to Boost your sales that Caryn shared:
□ Call 20 new "ideal" prospects. Your definition of "ideal" may have changed. Take the time to think about who is your ideal client and which clients you should be targeting. In our industry, we have shifted from restaurants to recruitment. The unemployment rate is high; manufacturing companies need to hire more employees. They need help and have money to spend.
□ Catch up with current clients as their needs may have changed. Offer support & value. It's a new day. Ask how you can support them. What can you and your company offer them to give them more value in working with you?
□ While talking with current clients, ask who else they know who needs you. Many of our clients are doing well. My friend, who owns a call center, her business is up 40%! She needs help in hiring. I asked her who else she knows that I could help.
□ Re-engage "ideal" prospects who said "no" or "not now" and see if they are now ready. Business is changing every day, and Some clients are moving closer to meeting and discussing ideas. Let's make sure they are meeting with you!
□ Look through pending proposals, identify three ideas to move each closer to a close. Brainstorm with your manager or another co-worker on a strategy to move your client to a yes. Discover what may be holding them back.
□ Connect with five new Centers of Influence (who can and will refer "ideal" prospects). Earning that referral is the quickest way to shorten the sales cycle. You have connections through LinkedIn and other social channels.
□ Purge prospects who don't fit your definition of "ideal," so you don't waste time. We all have someone on our list that no longer fits your description of an ideal customer. Say goodbye to them and hello to someone that has the spending power to work with you.
I encourage you to stay focused on the positives.
That yes, business is improving!
And by taking action right now, prospecting for your IDEAL customers will set you up for a better month and a better year.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
In episode 63, learn the three priorities to getting your business back on track.
There are three major priorities that a salesperson must focus on, and they rank in this order of importance.
Priority #1: Writing business!
The top priority is to write business or renew business! This is the payoff. Everything you do with your prime time selling hours needs to feed this objective. If you have the opportunity to close and write an order, this is your highest and best use as a professional salesperson. As a manager, how can we create more time for our team to write more business? What can you delegate to the support team to free more time up to writing business?
Priority #2: Face to face with a Decision Maker
If you are not busy taking an order, your second most crucial urgency is being face-to-face or setting up Zoom calls to present and close a targeted prospect. While Priority #1 is your payoff, Priority #2 and #3 are how you get there. Every minute of your time, every ounce of your energy (if you are not busy writing an order) should be getting in front of decision-makers sharing how you can help solve their biggest challenges.
Priority #3: Driving Appointments, (with Qualified Prospects)
I mentioned earlier you need to "Major in the Majors." You need to spend a significant amount of time on things of significant importance to your business. So, it stands to reason that if you are not doing #1, writing business, or doing #2, presenting to a qualified decision-maker, then you better be doing #3. You better be filling your pipeline and prospecting, If you are brand new, or shifted to a new career, a full calendar of qualified appointments will be your first priority.
If you want to be the best in your industry, Majoring in the Majors, minor in the minors, keep writing business, meet with qualified decision-makers, and keep setting new meetings!
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
There is a process that the most successful companies use to get you to purchase products or services from them. These three words: Hook, Story, and Close.
The Hook - It is something compelling, unique, something that shifts your attention, or stops you in your tracks. A Hook is when you're scrolling through Facebook or Instagram, and you see all of a sudden, something stops you. It's a grab. Something's said. Sometimes it can be something you see, but something's said, it's like, "Oh, that's intriguing. I want to watch more."
The Story - Sharing a story so you can connect to them.
You have to find a way to share this Story with authority and in a way that you communicate in a way that will impact their business. Your Story needs to build credibility, so they lean in and want to hear more. So what is your Story? How can you engagingly share your sales Story?
The Close - You need to be the authority to tell people what you want them to do. You know the saying, if I build it, they will come, they will not come unless you invite them. It would help if you were able to tell people what you want them to do and get the results they can by working with you. You always need a call to action. What is your CTA?
Here is my CTA for you. If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it, if you think someone could benefit from this episode share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
Episode 61, Are you an SOB or an SOP?
What are the three things that drive consistency for every business? Momentum, Marketing, and mindset. It's the foundation of every successful seller and company—companies like Amazon and Apple.
Key takeaways:
So how do we create more momentum and keep sales moving forward? It's all about making progress! We have to keep learning something that can expand the way we think and find a more effective and faster way of getting there. Think about these words, Who not How! Most of us ask How questions. Replace the How with the who. If you do that, everything changes. We need to find Who has the knowledge that you can learn from so you can get there faster. Who is the expert at what you need to achieve? Success leaves clues.
There is something else we have to do to create momentum? Sell Yourself daily! Your Mindset! Again, find an expert in your field, hire a performance coach, and listen to audiobooks to gain knowledge from someone who has been there.
Next, if you don't do this, you won't get to the next level. To scale your business or sales, you must have an SOP. Most of you are thinking Standard Operating procedures, which yes we need. But SOP is also Standard operating performance. Your standard of excellence! Do you have performers that exceed expectations no matter what the business climate is?
What is your standard operating performance? Who are your performers month in and month out? Your SOP's?
Focus on what you love to do, move your business forward, and stay on the road of momentum and progress! Don't be an SOB - become an SOP!
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it, if you think someone could benefit from this episode share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
In episode 60, have we been so focused in the future, we missed the opportunity in front of us? Did we miss the opportunity to celebrate progress? The chance to celebrate another's success?
Learn how not to get tangled up in your six-month revenue projection and focus on the progress your team is making! Take the time to celebrate!
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it, if you think someone could benefit from this episode share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
In episode 59, you discover how to influence and persuade those you lead and your clients.
Here are 7 examples to get you thinking about how your clients may be influenced or persuaded.
- Research. Some of your clients are analytical. To persuade them, they need data and proof. Sharing how you have successfully helped other customers will benefit you. Clients look for trustworthy, knowledgeable individuals to educate them. Trust is the most critical factor leading to long-term relationships.
- Prove it. I need proof your product works! You can show them case studies of success from satisfied customers. We all have 2-3 clients that love doing business with us. Have them write a referral letter proving the success of working with you and your company.
- Emotional clients. Some clients buy emotionally and then back it up with logic. Persuaded them with creative ideas, different and unique concepts that make them stand out from their competitors.
- Risk takers. These clients love the Big idea. They will invest with you if they feel there is a significant return on their investment with you.
- Pricing clients. We all have them. These clients buy strictly on price. So you may have to present what I would call an Irresistible offer to move them to take action.
- Value clients. You have to give them more value in their minds to persuade them to say yes. Additional incentives to make it so easy for them to say yes. What else can you offer, so they feel they are getting more value?
- Relationship clients. It's more about the connection you make with the client. They trust your experience and expertise. They understand that you are looking out for them. You have a vested interest in them doing well. A win-win relationship when doing business.
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it, if you think someone could benefit from this episode share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
In episode 58, learn the Seven questions to ask yourself to take your business and life to the next level.
I am excited to share a tool that will help you clarify your goals for yourself and your business by going 7 levels deep. A life-changing process I learned from Dean Graziosi. You ask yourself seven questions to understand why it is essential for you to accomplish.
This process will help you understand where you are today. Where you want to go and Why you want it! We all want a compelling future!
The following is a sample for you to see how to walk through the process. It's one of the essential exercises you can do to make sure you reach that next level. It's to determine that ultimate driving force to accomplish anything in life.
Level 1: What is important to you about becoming successful?
I want to own a huge house one day.
Level 2: Why is it important to you to Own a huge house one day?
I want my parents to be able to live with me.
Level 3: Why is it important to you to Have your parents live with you?
I never want my parents to stress over money again.
Level 4: Why is it important to you to Never let your parents stress?
I want to show them how much I love them.
Level 5: Why is it important to you show your parents love?
I want them to see how well rounded I've become.
Level 6: Why is it important to you to seem well rounded?
So they know I made something of my life.
Level 7: Why is it important to you to show them what you've become?
I don't want my parents ever to be disappointed in me like they always were growing up.
You can use this powerful exercise in any part of your life by asking yourself seven questions to discover that driving force behind the WHY!
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it, if you think someone could benefit from this episode share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
In this week's podcast, I share three words I needed to walk across a hot coal fire pit barefoot—Patterns, Decisions, and Mindset.
The question is, why does one person walk across and others don't?
Why does one person succeed vs. others? Three words, Patterns, Decisions, and mindset.
Patterns - our brains receive information, we interpret it, and then we create a pattern. One pattern we all do is brush our teeth. We have patterns of exercising each day at the same time, patterns of eating at the same time, and going to sleep at the same time. In sales, we have a limited amount of time, and its important for us to create winning patterns so we can convert our clients faster. Let me ask you a question? What patterns have you created? The most successful people I know create winning patterns. Patterns of focus, in sales, focus on prospecting every day, patterns of connecting with these new opportunities, and converting patterns. You schedule time each day on your calendar, and nothing stops you—one important thing to keep in mind. You are not your patterns! What can each of us do right now? Create a pattern of progress! Program new thoughts, new ways of achieving what you want in life ,and in your business. Life is about growing and progressing.
Decisions. You have a moment of decision. You determine your state. Now can others influence your state? Yes, if you allow them. 80% of your success in anything you do is psychology, and 20% is mechanics.
In sales, 80% of your success will come from your mental state. If you tell yourself, business it tough due to COVID, clients don't have the money to spend at this time, then that is what you will get. That pattern of thinking is going to create days of frustration and very little income. You have to develop a habit of progress and persistence. You decide who you want to do business with, what ideas and solutions you will bring them. It is so critical to have certainty in yourself, your products, and your ability to help others. So decided which mindset you plan to live your life.
Mindset - 80% psychology! The biggest thing standing in your way of having the most effective mindset is the stories you tell yourself—these stories a belief, a feeling of absolute and certainty that you and I have about something. The stories like; I don't have enough time, I am too old, too young, I don't have enough training, I don't have enough money, I don't have the energy, I am sick, or I am tired. I can't, and I won't.
This is BS. Not the Bull S your thinking. It's what Tony Robbins calls BS - Belief System. Whatever you think it is - it is!
Today is a new day. Start to feed your mind with information that builds more confidence, more inspiration, more certainty. Stay away from the negative news, disempowering people. Close the gap of where you are, what you need to do to get there, and where you want to be! Tell your mind - its decision time, and when you say its time to go - you go!
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it, if you think someone could benefit from this episode share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
In this episode learn the driving force behind your decision making.
The Carrot and the stick. A commonly used phrase to induce the desired behavior for a reward and or punishment. Perhaps you are familiar with " dangling the carrot."
So let me ask you a question? What is the controlling force behind how you live your life? The Carrot - pleasure or the stick, Pain? It doesn't matter which one drives your decision making. It's your understanding of how to use your personal power to take control of your business and your life!
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
Episode 55, If your income is down, so maybe your Confidence. In this episode, you learn the four C's to building more Confidence.
There is a four-step process that helps you discover what real Confidence looks like and what is needed to get there.
- Courage - all Confidence, all change, and all new things start with courage. Courage is making that phone call to that new business, without knowing who is going answer on the other line. Walking into a new business to introduce yourself to the owner or decision-maker. Courage is raising your hand, speaking up, and getting in the game instead of sitting on the sidelines. Do you have children? You have to be incredibly courageous to bring children into the world and take care of them. You didn't know and perhaps still don't know what the end result will be, but you jump in every day, learning as you go. Courage is something you have inside of you. Stay focused on where you need to go and go for it.
- Commitment - any significant changes require commitment. If you want to lose weight or get in better health, you have to commit to that, or otherwise, you'll fail. If you need to create more business or start a new job, you have to commit to that; or you will fail. Have you ever been successful at something you were not committed to? Whether it's your relationship, better health, or your business? Of course not! If you want a better relationship or create more revenue, you have to commit. When you take action and commit to seeing it through to the end, you are on your way to Confidence.
- Capabilities - Be honest with yourself, figure out where you want to go, and how you're going to get there. In most cases, you need to acquire specific capabilities to achieve your goals and dreams. If I want to become a better golfer ( and I do), I need to hire a coach or an expert. If I fail to take these steps, I will lose my courage and more likely not commit. I will stay frustrated with how I am playing. If you are having issues connecting with new clients, ask your manager for help. So get a road map from someone who has already been there to help you get there faster. Keep learning from each experience. Get excited about hitting a few roadblocks or challenges. Why? You can also access the path of courage to stay the course because you will be able to spot any future obstacles and know how to get around them.
- Confidence - You see, once you have those first three C's and take action, you finally reached the fourth C, and that is Confidence. Your Confidence then starts to grow. Have you ever been afraid of doing something new like public speaking in front of a larger group? Maybe making the necessary new business calls every day, even though you know you will face rejection? You obsessed over what could go wrong, but finally just did what you had to do. Now that is courage. Then after the experience ended, how did you feel? You felt amazing, I am sure and that you could easily do it again! Think about your top five accounts, and it started with picking up the phone, getting in front of them, and sharing your business solutions with them. Repetition is key. The more you do it, the more Confidence you build for yourself.
When you align the three C's, Courage, Commitment, and Capabilities to achieve one goal and one outcome, your Confidence will rise. Your self-doubt and the inner villain will fade away, and the real you will be in charge.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
Episode 54, you learn what Millionaires and other successful people do or Not To do that bring them more success. They understand their Not To Do list.
The Not To Do List process you can do.
This process will help you do two things at once. First, it will help you discover what you should not be doing. Secondly, it will open your eyes to the opportunity of who you are and help you create more wealth.
Take the time to answer the following five questions:
- What do you love to do? What inspires you each day and puts a smile on your face.
- What are you really good at? What would your best friends, family, coworkers, or clients say your great at doing?
- What thing can bring you more wealth? What thing in your life, if you take action on it, will bring you more wealth?
- What are your money goals and actions you can take to get there? Is it to help your parents or set your kids up for life?
- What is not on your list that you are doing and need to stop doing? Whatever is not on the most likely needs to go on your Make more money, not-to-do list.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
Episode 53, in this episode, we discuss how to transition from working remotely to returning to your offices.
What can you do?
Your time will come over the next few weeks or months, and you will need to go back to something that might resemble something a little different before COVID-19, I recommend starting your practice as soon as possible. Get up at the time you need to get up at, shower, get dressed, and allow the commute time to work. You may want to wear a mask, so you get used to the feeling of wearing it. However, you can structure your day to resemble the lifestyle you will need in the future, start by doing that. It's a habit, after all!
Boundaries are going to be crucial when you return to work. What do you need to feel safe? What do you need to succeed? Yes, you may feel a little anxiety when returning, and that is normal. Map out what you need to feel safe and productive at work. Ask your manager for help to guide through the process. My recommendation is to take it one day at a time. Recognize our world has shifted and be patient with yourself as you work through this process. When you feel a bit overwhelmed, take a few deep breaths, calm your mind, and keep moving forward, and remember we are in it together.
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it, if you think someone could benefit from this episode share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
In this episode, you will learn the fastest way to set the initial meeting with your prospective clients. Caryn Kopp, Chief Door Opener of Kopp Consulting, has successfully helped Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies achieve this for over twenty years. She has opened doors for companies like Verizon, GE, P&G, and Target. Caryn shares her secret sauce to help us open more doors. Contact Caryn at www.koppconsultingusa.com or 908-781-7546 If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it, if you think someone could benefit from this episode share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings." A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa coaches leaders on how to take their sales and business meetings to the next level with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired. She has over 33 years of marketing and leadership experience.
Episode 51, How to create a come back when faced with setbacks in your life.
So, where are you today? You may be facing a career set back, health challenges, a relationship, business, or lack of customers set back. Our lives will have small and significant setbacks. The question is, do you stay in that place or look at the situation as an opportunity, comeback time? Working through these setbacks is a process. You may start by taking small steps. Taking steps to reevaluate what you want, where you want to go next. You are taking steps to lead to significant changes for you. It is in that moment that you decide to see that situation as a setback or a time of you coming back. How you respond will be the difference!
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Life Coach. She wrote the book, "Three Word Meetings" for you. A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa helps provide fun and interesting 3-word sales topics for your next business meeting to get your sales team motivated and inspired. It is guaranteed to save you time and have your team more engaged during the sales meeting. Make an impact on those you lead by using three words!
Episode 50 focuses on you deciding or not deciding on your future.
I want to share a process that can help guide you in making better decisions while building your confidence. You can take more control over your life. That is what we all want on some level. The power in your choices is preparing you to face challenges in front of you and view them as opportunities. The key is that if you don't like where you are in your life, change it. Yes, it is really that simple if you don't like where you are with your health, your relationships, your finances, your career, then change it! The moment you make that decision and then take action, your destiny shifts.
So what decisions do you need to make?
What we focus on we get. Do you focus on fear or opportunities? See where ever your focus goes, your energy flows! If you focus on fear, that is the direction you are taking your life. If you shift your attention to seeing each experience as an opportunity to learn and grow, then your decision making will be different. Everyone has an internal Villain telling us to play it safe; now is not the time to start that new business venture. Yes, we are influenced by the media, our friends, our parents, and the people we work with. There is also a Hero in each of us. There are things you can control, your thoughts, which create your actions, which equals your destiny—the internal process on how you see life. I encourage you to write down where you want to put your focus and energy. What opportunities can you create in your current role? How can you help lead others and become a role model for them? Do you need to decide on getting in better health, so you have the energy and stamina to lead others? Be very clear on what you want to focus your time and energy.
What does this mean for me? Is this creating pain or pleasure? Is this the end or the beginning for you? Let me give you an example. If you are ending a relationship, are you going to act the same way as a new relationship? Of course not! See the emotions you feel determined how you view your decisions. Let's get clear and understand the impact of you deciding ( or not deciding) and start shifting your thinking to seeing everything as an opportunity, or I like to say life happening for me, not against me. If you lost your job, are you viewing it as a devastating loss? Or as an opportunity to step back and take the time to see what the next chapter of life has for you. Is there something new you want to learn that could benefit you? You have endless opportunities in front of you. Discover what excites you! Is it learning something new? Is it learning from others who found a way to re-invent themselves? You have the power to choose how you will live your life. The resources are available to you. Ask Google! Do you want a Life with gratitude or a bad attitude?
What are you going to do? You are going to take action! That's right, once you are clear on what you want, you have written it down on paper, or saved on your phone. You understand how this will make you feel. You then must take action. So think about this, if you feel fear and anger, your reaction to taking action will be different than feeling grateful and fulfilled. You will feel more in control and more empowered when you decide to start moving towards your dreams and visions. When you take control of your life, everything changes. If you need help, call me. Find someone in your life that you can tell your new story to who will appreciate it- someone that will encourage you. Hire a coach who can help guide you or at least keep you on track. Get you there faster.
Decide at this moment that you are committed to you! When faced with your next decision, remember this, " If you didn't have the struggles that you had, the challenges, you would never develop your character. Your character is coming from those times when you didn't believe you could do it, but you did it anyway, and you fought your way through. In that decision making, you developed your character, your confidence, and your strength." - Brendon Burchard
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Life Coach. "Three Word Meetings" was written for you. A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa helps provide fun and interesting 3-word sales topics for your next business meeting to get your sales team motivated and inspired. It is guaranteed to save you time and have your team more engaged during the sales meeting. Make an impact on those you lead by using three words!
In Episode 49, I share a conversation with Ted Rubin, author of Return On Relationship. We discuss how to create ROR while achieving ROI. Ted is a leading social marketing strategist, author, speaker, provocateur, CMO of Photofy, and sits on various advisory boards.
Ted believes the key to continued success for any brand/retailer/e-tailer is identifying with the customer. Ted is quick to point out "listening is finally getting the respect it deserves through Social Media… listen and adjust your message to make it relevant to your consumer. Brand loyalty declines due to lack of relevance… a direct result of not listening." "Number one is always trying to understand who your customer is and pay attention." And in that vein, you batter start to understand that SIMPLICITY is the new EDLP! Make it easy for them, and they will buy from you again and again and again. Frictionless fulfillment is the retail of the future.
Your Brand/Business is what you do; your Reputation is what people Remember and Share.
Ted is a globally recognized authority on marketing, customer/brand dynamics, and consumer relationship building. Ted's engaging and powerful message not only inspires his audiences but leaves them with actionable insights that they can put to work on their businesses immediately. Ted's core marketing philosophy, Return on Relationship (#RonR), has proven to be transformational for companies that embrace the opportunity that social media has offered them to build meaningful relationships with their customers.
To contact Ted, 516-270-5511 or email him Tedrubin@gmail.com
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Life Coach. She wrote the book, "Three Word Meetings" for you. A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa helps provide fun and interesting 3-word sales topics for your next business meeting to get your sales team motivated and inspired. It is guaranteed to save you time and have your team more engaged during the sales meeting. Make an impact on those you lead by using three words!
Episode 48, One thing that all leaders have in common. How them communicate!
In the real estate industry, there is one word that can determine how quickly you sell your home, Location, Location, Location.
In leadership, there too is one word that can determine how successful you are at leading your team, Communication, Communication, Communication.
What does it mean to communicate? Communication is an exchange of information. As a leader, you have the information you need to exchange with your sales team and your customers. You also need emotional beliefs! Our team and clients are feeling fear and anxiety.
The message you convey matters! Your team may need education or inspiration. Either way, it starts with you. It is so essential that you are in a state of certainty on what you need your team to do before you can transfer that to those you lead.
What recommendations can you give your team in helping them lead their clients through this challenging time?
- Stay relevant to your customers. What information can you communicate to help them? Is it market research in their industry that can improve their operation? Is there a webinar you attended that could benefit them that you could share? Have you identified an idea that your client could benefit from, communicate it with them?
- Communicate Hope. Give your team goals to accomplish. So they know what expectations you have for them. I understand that many businesses are not open, but they will be opening soon. By giving your team goals, it shifts their focus on the future. They feel like they are doing something. Creating small wins will build confidence and momentum if you have to revise their goals for the next 30-60 days. Your team can use this same blueprint for its customers. Working on the best solutions and communicating ideas to support them is critical. It builds trust and deepens your relationship.
- Be flexible and Adaptive. In uncertain times new information may arrive that can provide a better solution. Leaders need to keep an open mind and know you have the ability to shift your strategy.
- Communicate with new prospects. Why? There are opportunities. These clients may not be happy with their current provider. You may have better ideas or solutions to their issues. Your timing could be perfect. I would call them, not email. You have a great chance today, to connect through the phone with people working from home. Make sure before calling, and you have an idea, a case study of success, the why your calling. Communicate your message with confidence and certainty! A belief that your call could be the most important call they answer.
- One day at a time. Create an environment of success by celebrating one win each day. Have your team send you their one win of the day. A win could be they communicated with a current client and shared an idea to help their business. They interviewed current clients on what they will need from us for us to support their needs. They connected with a new prospect, and they researched in great detail a new emerging category they plan to put their focus. At the end of each day, share the wins of the team!
Lead with resilience. Resilience is the difference between giving up and getting up. Accept the challenge, rise to the occasion, and communicate to your team!
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it, if you think someone could benefit from this episode share it, or subscribe at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Life Coach. She wrote the book, "Three Word Meetings" for you. A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa helps provide fun and interesting 3-word sales topics for your next business meeting to get your sales team motivated and inspired. It is guaranteed to save you time and have your team more engaged during the sales meeting. Make an impact on those you lead by using three words!
In episode 47, we discuss how important it is for you to share your thoughts and vision.
Have you ever been told not to sell yourself short? We all know that doing so would mean that you were underestimating your abilities and that your confidence wouldn't be where it should be. Perhaps you developed this habit through time, and you were not even aware of it. Underestimating yourself may have developed early in your life. For example, you were not raising your hand in school if you knew the answers or being afraid to share your ideas with others at work or in sales meetings. Why because you may have the fear others would not like or approve of your concepts. So you sit back and let others speak up and share their ideas. Each time you give in to underestimating yourself, you are reinforcing the notion that you and your views are not good enough, that you're not capable enough.
How can you stop underestimating yourself? You start by reflecting on the times you did succeed. We all have something we have succeeded in doing. We all have succeeded in earning our first job. Yes, we were competing against others. I am sure there was something you shared that made the difference. If you're in sales, can you recall your first sale? Or better yet, the strategic ideas you created to get in front of the client for the first time. You can use these experiences to reinforce that you are capable of achieving great things.
Stop comparing yourself to other people. We each have our talents and abilities to offer. When you underestimate yourself, you limit your life experiences. You hold yourself back from accomplishing your goal, and you find reasons not to move forward. As a leader, creating an environment that encourages everyone to share their thoughts will give you access to some potentially fresh and powerful ideas.
3 questions to encourage your team to share.
- How do you encourage others to share their ideas? Perhaps, Asking questions beginning with "What do you think?" will set the stage for your team to discover possible solutions, build confidence, and encourage them to think and share.
- Is there a platform you can create to tap into ideas from all those on your team?
- I encourage you to start by writing down one idea that could make a difference in your business? The one idea you have been thinking about and needs a little action behind it.
Just remember, never underestimate what you can accomplish in a day, a week or a year when you believe in yourself. Think and then have the courage to speak up. Our world needs your ideas and vision.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Life Coach. She wrote the book, "Three Word Meetings" for you. A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa helps provide fun and interesting 3-word sales topics for your next business meeting to get your sales team motivated and inspired. It is guaranteed to save you time and have your team more engaged during the sales meeting. Make an impact on those you lead by using three words.
In episode 46, you learn the five action steps that 8% of people achieve their goals.
Here's an interesting fact. Science says 92 percent of people Don't achieve their goals. Only 8% of people do. What's the difference, focus!
It is my vision for all of us to get back on track and follow the following five recommendations so you can be achieving vs. dreaming!
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See the future. We need to pretend we see the future and stop looking backward. We can learn from our past experiences. But we need to stop focusing our time there. I want you to pretend and visualize it a year from now. What does your life look like? Pause the podcast and write down what you see and what you need. What would make this year the best year of your life? Is better health, more fulfilling relationships, more success at work, becoming a better leader while impacting other's lives?
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Start saying no. You have to remove the distractions in your life. Start saying no to people and things that are stealing time from you. Pause the podcast, write down what may be taking time away from you, achieving your goals. Each day remind yourself that you have discovered an extra hour or two to be working on your vision. In sales, we need to start saying no to the clients wasting our time. We all have them, and they want to sit and talk and never move forward with our ideas. How about investing your time with 20% of your clients doing business with you. Saying no is not easy. This may be very hard for many of you. So lets practice together and say no. If you find it challenging to say no, then perhaps saying you have already made other commitments, and for now, I have to say no.
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Feel it. That is what 8 percent of goal-setters who succeed do. They want it, and they feel it. So ask yourself: What is my level of commitment? Are you focused on reaching your goal? When obstacles pop up along the way, do you run and find a way around the obstacle in your way? The 8 percent have an internal compass that keeps them locked in until they reach the top of the mountain. It's a belief system of "do whatever it takes" that is intrinsically motivated at their core.
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Write it down and be specific. When you write down your goals so they are visible, writing them down in a journal, your screen saver on your phone or computer, you see where you need to focus. The second component is creating concrete action steps you will take. If you are vague about your goals, you will miss the opportunity. I use a system called commitment to me. I create a framework and write down what I want to accomplish over the year, and I break it down. I ask myself the following questions: What are you going to achieve in the next 15 minutes, and I write it down. Then I follow the same process for the next hour, the next 24 hours, the next 7 days, the next 14 days and the next 30 days and next year. All action steps with a focus each day to becoming one of the 8%.
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Avoid Multitasking. The most successful people are very patient and take it "one step at a time." They also avoid juggling too many things. Do you think multitasking is still a good strategy for success? You end up splitting your focus over many tasks, losing focus, lowering the quality of your work, and taking longer to hit your goals.
The 8 percent are smart enough to work on several smaller chunks to complete a big goal. But they do it by knocking one down then moving on to the next one. You will create more momentum if you stay focused on completing each project.
So start today, become one of the 8%!
Episode 45. In this week's episode, we learn how others lead when faced with challenges. This week's three words On The Rise.
"On the Rise" might be the most compelling three-words. That's because it implies that we are rising from a low point toward a new beginning. We are all facing the toughest challenges we have ever faced as a country. We met the attack on our Country from 911 to housing decline. Each time is rising to the occasion.
We have also witnessed others rising up to the Corona Virus. Our dedicated Health Care Providers, Companies, shifting from a brewery to a hand sanitizer company. Other rising to create 3d masks to protect our health care community, auto companies are helping to make ventilators and other working day and night to find a drug for fighting the virus.
Yes, we have challenging times ahead of us. As leaders, we too have to Rise up and lead like the other companies do when faced with uncertainty. We have to stay connected to our teams and listen to their fears. Keep them focused on what they can control. We have to be here for our clients and ourselves. We can be a resource. We can be the ones that discover new ways of doing business.
Think about all the salespeople who are rejected nine out of ten times. Especially in today's economic world. Now, that is a lot of low points! But they get back up again looking for a better way and rising up for their customers.
Let's take a look at On the Rise from the perspective of failure. We put a lot of negative weight on failure in our culture because failure is the yin to success's yang. But here's what's interesting: Contrary to belief, successful people will tell you that their success is not tied to repeatedly failing or what I term falling short. They frame their success as repeatedly trying something, even if that attempt does not succeed.
Think about Thomas Edison. He attempted to create the light bulb more than a thousand times. Most people would quit at ten—or fewer. But Edison believed that our minds are capable of anything, so failure was only the force behind having the courage to try new approaches, look for a different way.
I was thinking about all of us that are in management or sales. Yes, everyone listening to this podcast is in some form of sales. You have ideas your selling to someone. Sales managers are selling their team on using different approaches to be more effective with their clients. The top salespeople I have met love the opportunity to meet with new clients and present them their ideas and solutions regardless of how many times they may get rejected. They are driven by being in the game. They inherently understand that they must possess the ability to rise from their repeated defeats and that those defeats—those rejections—are not personal.
Let me ask you a question.
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Think about a time when you felt defeated in life or your job. What did you have to do, and how long did it take before you were on the rise?
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Is there someone you admire who you witnessed reaching a low point only to rise beyond your expectations?
*What did you learn from that experience?
*How did you feel when you found a way to grow when faced with adversity?
I encourage you to keep discovering new ways to help your company. Keep rising up to helping your customers. Keep rising and learn through each experience. Keep on Rising!
If you like this podcast, make sure you rate it, share it, or subscribe so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Life Coach. She wrote the book, "Three Word Meetings" for you. A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa helps provide fun and interesting 3-word sales topics for your next business meeting to get your sales team motivated and inspired. It is guaranteed to save you time and have your team more engaged during the sales meeting. Make an impact on those you lead by using three words!
In this episode, you learn how a 250 Million dollar company with over 30,000+ consultants was created. You learn how to apply the following three words, Power of Purpose.
Let me ask you a question. What is your power of purpose?
I have a recommendation that can help you discover your Power and Purpose.
Answer these three questions to help you find out your Power of Purpose.
- What - What do you need? Notice I didn't ask you what you want. It's what you need. Do you need better Health and Wellness? Do you need a better relationship? Do you need a more secure financial future? Do you need professional or personal growth?
- Why - Why is the emotional reason behind what you need. So ask yourself, why would having better health be vital to you? Is that you will have more energy? Why do you need to be financially secure? Once you have that answer, ask the Why question again. You will find each time you ask Why you get more clear on the emotional reason why it is essential to you.
- How - How will you fulfill your needs and desires? Most of us make it to steps one and two. Now the How! Now the action is required—the strategy to getting you to dreams. Hear comes Fear! Fear can sneak in our minds and convince us not to start. Don't let it. Each of us will have a different strategy and one that will work for you. It's essential to set a date. Some of our needs may take a focus for 90 days and others over a year. For some us, personal growth of learning is a lifetime. You desire to keep becoming a better version of yourself.
I am asking you to stop dabbling and start going for it. What if you add 10% more passion each day? 10% more purpose in your life. 10% of learning something new. Commit and go after it: your full potential, your next level. You are worth it. Yes, you will face obstacles. But understand this is a journey, your life's journey. A life worth investing in every
day, your life!
Keep discovering your Power of Purpose!
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Life Coach. She wrote the book, "Three Word Meetings" for you. A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa helps provide fun and interesting 3-word sales topics for your next business meeting to get your sales team motivated and inspired. It is guaranteed to save you time and have your team more engaged during the sales meeting. Make an impact on those you lead by using three words!
In this week's episode, I share how to lead and face uncertain times and learn how to Fight the Fear!
To stop living in fear, you must understand the underlying psychology so that you can actively fight it. Fear and anxiety have a place in our psychology. Fear is a normal emotion that signals a potential threat to your physical or emotional safety. It's time to take control of your feelings and become more fearless.
Let me ask you a question:
You can look at the word FEAR in two ways:
- Forget Everything And Run
- Face Everything And Rise
7 Tips on how to help you Face Everything and Rise!
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Identify what you fear? If you're living in fear, your anxieties have escalated to the point that they're running the show. You're thinking about your worries constantly without much mindfulness as to what's behind them. To stop living in fear, you must pinpoint what's causing your distress. I recommend writing down your worries. Review them and circle your top concerns – fear of catching or spreading the virus, fear of losing your job, fear of losing your business, not having enough money during this period, fear of never leaving your house. Start giving yourself a sense of control by writing a few strategies and actions you can take to prevent these things from happening or taking control.
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Life happens "Life doesn't happen to you, it happens for you," as Tony Robbins says. Truly understanding and accepting this concept is the first step to fulfillment. The reason for determining the source of your anxiety isn't to give you an excuse to keep living in fear. It's to help you assert power over those fears so that they no longer control you. Once you identify the source, you can change your story – and change your mindset. The first step is recognizing that you have a choice. You can blame outside forces like the coronavirus for your emotions and continue to feel out of control. Or you can take charge of your life and learn how to stop living in fear.
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Shift from "Shoulds " into "Musts" I should call my client, but in today's economic meltdown, I am sure they are busy with other more important things. I will wait a few weeks to call my clients or new prospects I can help. Call them, and we need to support them. Ask them, " What's the #1 problem you're facing this week that our team can help you with"? The most successful people experience fear. The difference is that rather than allowing doubt to creep in and control their life, they focus on what must get done to reach their goals and vision. Stay focused on what must get done each day to move your business or your client's business forward. Now more than ever, our clients need us.
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Train your brain I understand these are uncertain times. We have to train our minds to see problems as opportunities and then offer solutions. Our clients are looking for innovative ways to manage through this situation. We need to provide them with support and solutions. Solutions to stay connected with their employees, their customers, and perhaps shift how they currently do business to survive.
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Learn from the experience There isn't one successful person in the world who hasn't had to overcome significant obstacles. Failure, disappointment, these can be used as a means of reflecting and saying, "This didn't work. It wasn't the right fit. So what do I want?" So embrace this strength and use each experience as a tool to help you learn more about yourself. When you're facing a painful experience or feel ready to give in to fear, picture someone you admire who faced adversity – they wouldn't have achieved the success they now have without learning how to stop living in fear.
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Let's get Physical Physical activity is proven to reduce fear and anxiety, so next time you feel panic coming on, get out and go for a walk, practice yoga, take a deep breath or take a bike ride. Mindfulness meditation is proven to combat anxiety and fear. When you combine physical and psychological self-care, you have the tools for how to stop living in fear.
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People Face fear Everyday Fear of failure, fear of losing my job. Any successful person will tell you that they faced fear and failure. But failure provides insights and provides different ways of approaching a problem. These shortfalls give us ideas. You can use these experiences to fuel new ideas, and adjust your strategy and approach, and you will have an advantage that no one else does. With the right mindset, you can shift your story to discovery vs. fear.
Celebrate, you made it through a tough week, and understand it may get worse until it gets better. But believe it will get better. Stay fearless, stay positive, stay connected, and remember we are in it together!
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Life Coach. She wrote the book, "Three Word Meetings" for you. A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa helps provide fun and interesting 3-word sales topics for your next business meeting to get your sales team motivated and inspired. It is guaranteed to save you time and have your team more engaged during the sales meeting. Make an impact on those you lead by using three words!
In this episode, I share seven tips for working more effectively at home.
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Find a workspace Have a designated space to do your work. If you have a home office great. If not, you need to determine your workspace. Turn a spare room into a temporary office. Find the place you will focus on work. A designated workspace matters for a few reasons. It would help if you had a place for all your work materials. You may want to invest in wireless earbuds for the calls you will be making from your cell phone. If your kids are learning remotely, set a learning space for them. When you go to this designated space, you know that it's time to work.
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Determine your mindset. Working from home requires a different mindset. To be more productive while working away from the office, we need to create the right mindset. It's training our brains to focus on work during our scheduled work time. When your day ends, it time to shift to family and your time.
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Structure your day. Give your day structure and make a schedule for the day ahead. I recommend making an hour-by-hour schedule that includes your priorities and when you will work on them. You should schedule breaks throughout the day. Taking a 10-15 minute break gives your eyes a break from the computer screen and manages your energy throughout the day. If you have children at home, this is a great time to reconnect. You can show them what you do each day, your teaching focus, and responsibility. You can share time together during these breaks, including lunch. Most of us will be saving an hour a day from our commute to work. How can you use that extra hour for yourself?
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Stay connected with colleagues In the first few days, you may enjoy your time working remotely. But most of us may miss connecting with our co-workers. When creating your daily schedule, make sure you schedule a time to call a colleague, check your social channels. You may want to connect during one of your scheduled breaks or while having lunch. Technology gives us this opportunity with facetime, zoom calls. We don't want to feel isolated, and we want to stay connected to others. Also, say hey, Alexa play my favorite radio station. You will remain attached to a broader community.
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Have designated work clothes We were laughing at work, saying it is going to be great to work in my pajamas or sweats. For those of us in sales and management, I am not suggesting that we suit up when we are working remotely. We need to be mindful and understand that the clothes you wear can determine your mindset. Yes, be comfortable, be aware. There is a mental benefit to getting ready for work and changing your clothes at the end of the day. It signals the brain to shift from work mode to family time.
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Reduce distractions One of the benefits of being able to work remotely is escaping workplace distractions. Sure it's okay to throw a load of laundry in during your workday. Just avoid cleaning the whole house. Just be mindful of any distractions, like turning on TV and scrolling through newsfeeds on Facebook. Why? It's because multitasking doesn't work. Switching between tasks can result in as much as a 40% loss of productivity, according to Dr. David Meyer in an American Psychological Association article. So stick to the schedule you created for the day so you can be more productive.
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Determine the end of your workday When working remotely, you may find it challenging to know when it stops. We all desire to achieve a work-life balance. I will just finish following up on one more email, that leads to the next one. That's why it's essential to determine in advance when you're workday will end—time to close your laptop or close your office door so tell your mind the workday has ended. Celebrate what you accomplished that day. Schedule your next days of priorities. You may find it helpful to note all that you have accomplished, including the most important priorities you set out for the day.
So here's to you having more productive days, connecting with your family and yourself all from working remotely.
Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Life Coach. She wrote the book, "Three Word Meetings" for you. A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team. Lisa helps provide fun and interesting 3-word sales topics for your next business meeting to get your sales team motivated and inspired. It is guaranteed to save you time and have your team more engaged during the sales meeting. Make an impact on those you lead by using three words!
This episode focuses on how moving the clocks forward is a reminder of how we spend our time each day.
The fact is that we each have 1440 minutes each day. And if you are not independently wealthy, you have a job or career where you spend 40 plus hours doing something with your time.
So let's agree that now is the time to focus on how we spend our time!
In sales, you need to be as productive with your time; that's why they call it time management. You control how you will spend your time each day.
First, it is helpful to take a took a look back at how you have been spending your time. This allows you to gain perspective and build a better idea of what you need to shift to maximize your time.
I want you to look back on your past month and then look at last week? Were you happy with how you spent your time? Can you identify areas on your calendar where time was not useful or time wasted?
Your time. When you look at your day, have you schedule time just for you? I understand how busy your lives are. You have many demands on your time with your families, kids, and their busy schedules. You give so much of your time to others that you forgot about the most critical person, You. I am encouraging you to schedule time for you. Time for your health and wellness. Time to take a walk, time by yourself meditating, get a massage, escaping into a good book, or listen to a podcast that inspires you. Carve out time each day for you, even if its time at the end of the day.
Work time. How you spend your time at work can determine how successful you will be. It starts with how you schedule that time on your calendar. Your business is a mix of current clients and new prospects. Do you schedule time on your calendar to meet the demands of your clients? Most of us have blocked on our calendar the fixed times, sales meeting times, coaching, or one on one time with your manager. Time to make sure you have scheduled time to meet with your best clients—the 20% of your clients that create 80% of your income. Discover by asking your clients, do they prefer weekly or monthly calls. Do you need to meet in person to maintain that relationship, then schedule it. It is so important to review what is working for you and to let go of what is not.
Prospect time. It would be best if you spent every day discovering new clients you can help. Who have you identified that your product or service could help? Remember, when prospecting, you need to be very clear on Why you are calling them. What research have you done to know it is worth your time to call them. If they are not a fit for your company, you are wasting valuable time. If they are a great fit, be persistent and consistent until you can schedule time on their calendar.
Practice Time. Once you have secured that meeting with the prospect, you must practice the first meeting. You will have limited time with them, so you must use it wisely. Be prepared with thought-provoking questions, creative solutions you have discovered to help solve their business challenges. It's essential to schedule practice time. Practice does make it perfect. Practice your call with your manager or another co-worker, and then practice how the pitch or presentation.
Referral time. When you reviewed your calendar the past month, did you see where you asked for a recommendation or referral? Talk about shortening the sales cycle and using time wisely. Try this for the next thirty days, look at your best customers Linkedin profile and identify someone they know that you see a great fit for your product or service can help. Ask for an introduction.
Let go time. Time to let go of the clients that are stealing time from you. You know the ones that spend the least and take up more of your time. Time wasters! Review your list of current clients, identify what your return on investment is with them. If you find yourself giving more time with little return, it may be time to move on. You may find yourself investing more time then our spending your top clients. Time to let go and move on.
So I am asking you to consider how you spend your time? You get to decide where your time goes. And if you don't choose, others will decide for you!