Create Sales Meetings in Minutes! A simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team using three word topics.
Episodes
Tuesday Jun 21, 2022
Tuesday Jun 21, 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 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.
Tuesday Jun 14, 2022
Tuesday Jun 14, 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 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 at threewordmeetings.com.
Tuesday Jun 07, 2022
Tuesday Jun 07, 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 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.
Tuesday May 31, 2022
Tuesday May 31, 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 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 | |||||
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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.
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Tuesday May 24, 2022
Tuesday May 24, 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 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.
Tuesday May 17, 2022
Tuesday May 17, 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 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.
Tuesday May 10, 2022
Tuesday May 10, 2022
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.
Tuesday May 03, 2022
Tuesday May 03, 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 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.
Tuesday Apr 26, 2022
Tuesday Apr 26, 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 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.
Tuesday Apr 19, 2022
Tuesday Apr 19, 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 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.
1. 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.
2. Take the time to say I admire you! Your passion and persistence to help others are incredible.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Wonderful! Thank you for sharing. Has someone shared an idea to make a process or system for your company more efficient?
6. 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.