Three Word Podcast

Episode 143, Four tips to keep your sales from ”Stalling.”

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 .

Episode 142, Hello, It’s 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 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 .

 

Episode 141, Six words that can help you create a winning season!

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 .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Episode 140, Learn how to take price out of the client’s equation?

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 .

Episode 139, How do you make Winning look easy?

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 .

 

Episode 138. The 4 Step process to working with a client.

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:

1. Summarize the desired business results you've uncovered so far.
2. Ask if anything is missing from the list.
3. 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?
4. 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.
5. 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

 

 

Episode 137, It took two seconds to Win!

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:

1. How can I make it obvious?
2. How can I make it attractive?
3. How can I make it easy?
4. 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 .

Episode 136, The easiest way to make Habits a part of your life!

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

 

Episode 135, Doing this for two minutes a day can change your life!

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

Episode 134, If you do this, you will achieve your goals!

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