Three Word Podcast

Episode 117, The Three Keys to getting your email opened!

Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings."  Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word  topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.  She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.

 

Episode 117, The Three Keys to getting your email opened!

 

I had a new employee stop in my office to get my phone and email script advice. His role is to set up new appointments by targeting businesses not currently doing business with us. So, I asked him to share with me his script and thoughts? He read it out loud to me. Once he finished, I asked him this question. Based on what you shared, would you give yourself the appointment? He laughed and said probably not.  

 

I went on to share that we are trying to create a conversation! One of the hardest things to do is to set a new meeting up by phone. We want to do this first, but you may need to go with email if you keep getting voicemails or are blocked connecting. What do you do next? We send an email.

 

What is the key to email? Keep in mind; not all emails are created equally! Some get opened, and some do not! I recalled an article published by Hubspot that shared some key insights to getting your email opened.

 

The three keys are that Sending the right email to the right person at the right time is the key to getting your email opened. Sounds easy, right? 

 

Think about this: when you send the right email, you have a better chance of converting your leads into customers because you're sending content to the right person when it will provide the most value to them. 

 

But it's not always easy to send the right email every time you press send because not all of your leads and customers are the same. Some leads are ready to buy, and others work with other vendors or are in the research stage, and the same goes for your customers: You might have active and dormant customers, old and new customers. 

 

The Right Email - It's all about content! What you send needs to build trust and deliver the right content to that customer. Think about emails you receive and take action on.  

 

The Right Person - You need to segment the content you are sending based on their similarities and needs. You may have an email for new prospects, one vertical focused, or for your current customers that you want to stay connected and relevant.

 

The Right Time -I am sure you have heard the phrase, "Timing is Everything." Keep in mind where your customer is in the buying cycle. For example, you may be looking to build awareness and educate a new prospect versus someone at a decision stage looking for more information before switching vendors.

 

The foundation of sending an email, you must answer the following two questions.

 

1. Why are you sending them an email? Your goal should be to connect, build awareness or provide relevant content to help them and their company.

2. The value you're delivering to the person on the other end of the send. What value does your email offer them? Keep in mind that many of the prospects you are targeting may already be working with another vendor.

 

Think about the emails you open. Why do you open them, and what value do they deliver to you?

 

Have you heard of the word AIDA? It stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. It gives you the structure to your emails and the best way to communicate with the customer through the buying cycle.

'

Attention - Step one is getting their attention.  It's the headline of the email that draws you to read it or open it. Keep in mind that you have seven seconds to make an impression with your email. Subject lines need to create curiosity, urgency, relevance, or special or exclusive offers. Keep your subject lines short because 77% of emails are read on phones.

 

Here are some examples of subject lines.

"10 Bizarre money habits making Millennials richer."

"Don't open this email"

"Work less and earn more."

"The key to happiness."

 

Interest - Why are you sending the email? What value will they receive? What research, data, or case studies do you have that will impact them?

 

Desire - You have to show more value than their current vendor. What special or exclusive offer can you give them to consider meeting with you and learning more about how you can help them? 

 

Action - You have to inspire them to do something. You are again; segmenting your emails, which matters! Call or click to receive something of value. 

 

It's all about creating or continuing a conversation that builds trust and provides value with the Right Email, to the Right Person, at the Right Time.

 

If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.

 

Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .

 

 

Episode 116-Five tips that have the client saying yes to you!

Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings."  Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word  topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.  She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.

 

Episode 116, Five tips that have the client saying yes to you!

 

This past weekend I played in our Country Clubs - Club Championship. This event is towards the end of the season to see which Male and Female member is the best. 

You play over two days, and the player with the lowest score wins. Sounds easy, right? I was competing against Marianne, a former University of Cincinnati College golfer about 20 years younger. Yes, I am a member of AARP! Ha! 

 

I love competing! Your energy is high, a bit nervous, or, as I call it, excited to play. I understood that I would need to play 36 perfect holes to have a chance to beat her. So after my first nine holes, she had a lead of nine strokes - not my best performance. She was playing lights out!

 

I knew I needed to turn things around for the next nine to compete, and I did. I was one-under-par coming into the 18th hole. Playing the best nine holes, only to triple-bogey the last hole. For those of you that don't play golf, that's not good. Day two begins, and I am only off six strokes behind, so I am still in it. We both start birding the first hole, and then we approach par 3; I hit my ball in the water, chunk the chip, and give her four more strokes. But I keep telling myself to keep competing until we play all 18. By the way, she is having the round of the summer, as she shared with me. So what do I do? I keep focused on what I can control, which is my next shot. She ends up shooting a 74, her best round of the year and wins the Club Championship.  

 

But what I learned more than anything is that I enjoy competing at a higher level. Why? Because when you compete against the best, you get better! In the end, you're competing against your personal best! You learn and grow from every situation you put yourself in. 

 

You may have heard the phrase, "Golf is a game of inches." Just like the Club Championship, only one person is holding the trophy. In business, one person wins over their competitors. The value you create and deliver is how you will be measured. The salesperson and sales organization who can solve the client's problem wins the business! If you can solve the problem before it's a problem, that is even better.  

 

Think about this. Right now, your competitors are calling on your clients. Some of these competitors pose a threat to the future of your relationship and income. Your competition intends to take the business for themselves and their company. Sometimes they achieve their goal, and you lose business. Do you know how I know this is true? Because you are calling on companies that belong to your competition. 

 

The question is, When and how do you Compete to win? I read an interesting sales blog from Anthony Iannarino.

 

The first question you need to ask yourself is, are you committed? What I mean by that is that you are all in!

 

• Commit to being all In: Are you playing it safe, playing small, or are you all in to win? Become someone worth buying and doing business with! Here is when you know you're all in. You do what needs to get done when no one is watching! To win in sales, you have to believe you are competing. It isn't enough to show up. 

 

• Focus on Creating Greater Value: There is no reason to focus on your competitor. You cannot do anything about them or their approach, even if they always win by lowering their price. The way that you compete for a client's business is, in large part is creating more significant value than your competitor. You win by being more valuable to your client than your competitor. 

 

• Create a Preference to Work With You: We need to spend more time on this concept to win the business. Clients decide that they want to work with someone more than they want to work with someone else. When you lose, they decided they want to work with your competitor. Your approach to selling is a difference-maker. So what it's like to work with you. Would you do business with you? Your business acumen and situational knowledge also help position you as the right partner, as your competency creates trust. 

 

• Make Every Interaction Count: If you believe you are making another sale call, you are not playing the Game as well as you could. When you think you are engaged in the sale, a situation where you win or lose, you treat each interaction as if it is critical to the outcome—because it is critical.

 

• Leverage Every Resource Available: Engage with the people on your team who might help you win a deal. If you can, bring your leadership into the process, do it. If you can do things like visiting their site and meeting with their teams to understand their world better, you do it. If you can invite them to your location for a brainstorming meeting to share ideas, make it worth their while to join you. Use every resource available to you to win.

 

Sales is a competition, and you are a competitor.

 

Competing is a game, and there's a big difference between Playing the Game and Winning the Game. 

 

It's not simply about wanting to win; it's about your commitment, conviction, and confidence in yourself to be successful.

 

So back to the original question: When should you Compete? The answer is Every Day!

 

If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.

 

Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .

 

Episode 115: Learn a New Approach when asking for a referral!

Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings."  Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.  She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.

 

Episode 115: Learn a New Approach when asking for a referral!

 

I had to share a story from this week about a guy named Seth. I was in my office when Heather called me from the front desk. She said someone wanted to talk to a manager. As most of you are aware, I work for Hubbard Cincinnati and 2060 Digital. We had recently just moved into our new facility, which is super exciting. I grabbed a business card and headed down to meet someone I thought had an interest in advertising.

 

I noticed a sharp-dressed young man about 25-26 with a leather briefcase on wheels. I greeted him and asked how I could help him. He shared that he was in sales for a large clothier, was on a call, passed our building, and found the building impressive. He said that with the remarkable building, they must have some well-dressed employees. I have to say, and I did smile thinking old-school sales approach. Seth walked with no appointment and was fearless. He talked with Heather at the front desk to better understand the top executive and other opportunities. He was wise to gather as much information as possible to see who could be a potential customer.

 

In that short time gathering information from Heather, he had a name of our top executive in the building that would be his best target. Next on his list was me. I invited him to sit down to learn more ( Learn more about his sales ability to see if he would be a fit for our sales team).

I asked if he grew up around here. He grew up in Indiana and moved here to attend College at the University of Cincinnati, where he majored in business. He was in medical sales in Ortho but didn't like seeing all the surgeries. So he joins Tom James. He had great enthusiasm, and our conversation was effortless. I decided to challenge him and said, with Covid and so many people working from home, don't you find it challenging to make sales?

 

He smiled and said his target consumer is always fashion conscious. They are top-level executives, managers, salespeople, and athletes who need custom clothes because of their size and want to look on top of their game. He then went on to suggest I would look great in a pencil skirt with stilettoes shoes. I chuckled and asked Heather, who was listening to our conversation, Hey Heather, could you see me in a pencil skirt? Laughing. He then went on to share that they launched a new casual line. More people are wearing fitted jeans, button-downs, and blazers. I have to say I was so impressed that he was ready to handle any objection.  

 

He asked if he could follow up with me as he had another meeting with a CEO. He asked if he could call and set another time to share his recommendations he thought I would be interested in and any other of our salespeople.

 

He went on to ask if I would have five minutes before he had to leave to answer a few questions. I said sure. He handed me a white legal size of paper.

 

I looked at the piece of paper with about 12 questions.  It was titled Client Appreciation list. Very clever as it was his way to ask for a referral. He said that when you ask someone for a referral, you can see them searching for someone they may know. They typically reply, let me think about it. I wanted to make it easier for you. 

 

According to one Dale Carnegie stat, 91 percent of customers say they'd give referrals if asked, but only 11 percent of salespeople ask for them.

 

Seth had very targeted questions to match his consumer.  For Example:

 

Client Appreciation List - Help you gain new customers from referrals.

 

WEALTHIEST FRIEND WITH A GOOD ATTITUDE: ________________ 

MOST FASHION CONSCIOUS FRIEND: ___________________________

PERSON WITH MULTIPLE HOMES: ______________________________ 

PERSON WITH PRIVATE AIRCRAFT: _____________________________ 

FRIEND WITH THE FINEST HOME: _______________________________ 

FRIEND WITH THE MOST EXOTIC CAR: __________________________ 

BUSINESS OWNER/CEO VERY BUSY:_____________________________ 

MOST INFLUENCIAL FRIEND: ____________________________________ 

MOST PHILANTHROPIC FRIEND: _______________________________ 

TALLEST FRIEND: ______________________________________________

SHORTEST FRIEND: ____________________________________________

COUNTRY CLUB MEMBER: _______________________________________

PROFESSIONAL ATHELETE: ______________________________________

TV/RADIO PERSONALITY: ________________________________________ 

 

OF THESE NAMES, WHO WILL BE THE MOST DIFFICULT TO GET IN CONTACT WITH?.... PLEASE CALL

 

What Seth knew was the characteristics and lifestyle of his consumer. He also had the opportunity at twelve new leads from one person. So the question is, how can you do the same? In our sales meeting last week, I shared the Story of Seth with my team. We then broke into small groups to develop our Client Appreciation List that makes sense for Industry. Together we created our Tailor-made questions.

 

Oh, and by the way, call Seth if you are looking to update your wardrobe. (812) 614-1720 or email him S.bittner@tomjames.com.   

 

If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.

 

Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .

Episode 114 What makes a perfect sales call?

Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings."  Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word  topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.  She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.

 

Episode 114, Learn what makes a perfect sales call!

 

What makes the perfect sales call? A call that is planned out in detail before you call or connect. One of my first managers, Perry Samuels, would say these three words when I targeted a new customer for a first meeting, "Don't Skip Steps." He believed that following specific sequences of steps would benefit you and the client.

 

No matter where you are in the sales process creating a foundation for your sales calls is critical. It is so essential to master the conversation with your new prospect or your client. A phrase shared with me early in my career was, Question your way to the sale. The question is how the best way to do that is?

 

You need to master the best questions to ask your new prospect or client.  

 

For example:

What is the prospect or client's current situation? Have you discovered the Valid Business Reason why they should meet with you? See if you can't answer this question, you should:

 

Ask yourself what background research should you do before you call or meet? Research, Research, and Research!

 

Your background research should have two focuses: Who your client is and How you can help them.

 

The first connection can be a phone call. For example, Would you be open to a brief phone call to see if it makes sense for us to meet? I have identified a few areas in which our company can successfully help you. You will get a chance to learn more about their needs, goals, and budget.

 

So how should you research your clients to prepare for the meeting?

• Educate yourself on their company and industry.
• Have well-thought-out questions to ask about them. 
• Gather evidence of relevant clients you've worked with to show you're a good fit and not going to waste their time.
• Research your client on their social channels. Engage with them on Linkedin and Facebook to see what they are posting. See whom you have shared connections to that can do an introduction. You may discover interests or causes you have in common.
• Research recent changes in their industry (shifts in consumer behaviors towards their products, market opportunities, create ideas to help them solve a problem. For example, finding qualified employees is an area in our team is assisting companies. We are sharing the latest technologies in finding these employees so companies can continue to generate sales.
• Research their competitors to look for an opportunity for your client. Is there an idea or opportunity they take advantage of to help grow sales or solve a problem? 
• Research If they are a publicly-traded company, review their earnings reports to see an opportunity.

 

Next question you should ask yourself.

 

What are your goals for meeting with the client?

These will be different conversations.

• Is it a discovery meeting where you get to know each other and build rapport while learning how to help them?
• Is this a current client that you're sharing a new product or service line that can benefit them?
• Are your reviewing results from the prior month, the quarter where you share the results of working with you and your company to gain a renewal?
• Is there an opportunity in other divisions of the company that you can expand? We work with owners of businesses and VP'S. Gaining an introduction to the HR Director to help with their recruitment is an area of opportunity.

 

What is your desired outcome for the call?

You need to be clear with your intentions of what you need from each exchange.

• Understand the next steps after your meeting. The timelines and decision-makers needed for you to get a yes on the program you presented.
• Clarify what the client needs are and see where you can be of value to support them.
• Review your recommendations and get a commitment to move ahead. Ask is there anything you have not addressed and would like included in the program? If they say no to your proposal. Ask them what is stopping you from moving forward with your proposal? It's a way to say I may have missed an area significant to you. Can you share more about that with me?
• Ask your client the best form of communication they prefer—phone, email, or face to face.

 

The goal is to leave the meeting with as much info about your client and their needs as possible. Taking the time to research and ask great questions shows that you want clients to get everything they need.

 

So Don't Skip Steps and remember these Three Words: Research, Research, Research!

 

If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.

 

Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .

 

 

 

Episode 113, Three strategies that get you in front of new clients faster!

Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings."  Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word  topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.  She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.

 

Episode 113, Learn the secrets to getting in front of new prospects faster!

 

Don't Give Up! 

Three words to remember when trying to get in front of new prospects. If you want to learn the best practices of earning the first meeting, you will love this podcast!

 

I share a conversation with Kim Alexandre, a Media Consultant, Coach, and experienced Sales Trainer from The Center for Sales Strategy. She shares her secrets on getting in front of new prospects faster.

 

Key takeaways from our conversation.

 

Become a mental Post-It note in your prospect's mind

• The importance people skills play in your approach.
• What to do if you frequently misread situations ask for more infield coaching days with your manager.
• Create a self-help plan.

 

The benefit of being persistent with a purpose

• Learn how to avoid feeling like a stalker.
• Using the buyer persona to determine your best approach.
• Don't be afraid to "take a break" or "break up." Most of us are super competitive and want to fight until we close them. Stop; there may be a time that you break up. 

 

Make the first impression 

• Humanize your approach at the beginning.
• Subject lines matter to gain the client's attention.
• Nailing pre-text of your subject line to gain their attention.

 

If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.

 

Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .

Episode 112 Are you a Super Hero at work?

Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings."  Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word  topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.  She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.

 

Episode 112, Are you a Super Hero at work?

 

We all love Super Hero's like Superman, Superwoman, Batman, or the Avengers. But is being a Hero at work the answer?

 

So I have a question for you. Do you consider yourself a Hero Leader or an Interdependent Leader? If you are not sure, you will look at how you lead differently by the end of this podcast.

 

I participated in a 100 Wise Women Breakfast where we discussed this topic in great detail. The group included women like myself across various industries in leadership roles. Also included were Rising Professionals who were new are a few years into their job to gain different perspectives on Leadership.

 

We broke into small groups and discussed a Ted Talk: A Guide to Collaborative Leadership by Lorna Davis.

 

In the TED Talk, "A guide to collaborative leadership," Lorna Davis explains the difference between what she calls "hero leadership" and "interdependent leadership" and how the world requires collaboration to solve complex challenges.

Link on her talk below:  

https://www.ted.com/talks/lorna_davis_a_guide_to_collaborative_leadership?language=en

 

She describes the "hero leader" as someone who presents the image of having the right answer all the time. In these situations, followers often are not engaged, assuming they have no role in achieving a solution. Yet, Davis shares, "in a world as complex and interconnected as ours is, we must rely on one another…we must have radical interdependence."

 

During our group discussion, we discovered that many of us work with Hero leaders vs. Interdependent Leaders. We shared different ways we could focus on what we each could do to become more Interdependent Leaders.  

 

I started to reflect on how I lead. I made several shifts in how I coach my team. For example, I do weekly coaching sessions with my team where we meet in my office, discuss their business and any ideas to help move their business forward. It's a very collaborative meeting. But I started to think, could the environment feel or be more productive if our discussions were not in my office. I decided to meet in an open space at a table that feels more were in it together. Other account executives would walk by and smile.  

 

Another example is always looking for better ways to serve our clients, creating better processes, and growing revenue. We selected five team members to join another manager and me at breakfast ( outside the office) to get their insights and recommendations on the complex issues we were facing. We didn't need to be the Hero's. In most cases, the team has better ideas to help us solve the problems. Plus, if it's their ideas, they are more likely to be a part of solving it. As a team, we become more Interdependent. These are a few examples of what I have implemented.

 

I thought I would share her three ( yes 3) essential differences between "Hero leadership" and true collaboration through "Interdependent leadership."

 

They set goals differently.

• A hero sets a goal that can be individually delivered and measured.

 

• An interdependent leader instead sets goals that are impossible to achieve by one company or one person alone. They work with others in the industry to solve shared problems.

 

They announce goals differently.

• A hero only announces goals when the plan to achieve them is carefully crafted and precise and when there is a certainty of meeting the goal. The stage sets up for "the big win."

 

• Interdependent leaders and collaborators are willing to share their goals before they have a plan. Often, these goals they set are unable to be met without the help of others. These announcements are often invitations for others to join in the pursuit of the solution together. People want to know they matter!

 

They have very different relationships with others.

 

•  A hero sees people as either competition or loyal followers. Heroes want control over everything, and because of this, they often do not seek input from others. They often wish to the credit of success alone.

 

• Interdependent leaders recognize their need for other people. An example is how these leaders run meetings where people are encouraged to "collaborate and communicate and share ideas." People look for ways they can be involved in the process during these meetings. Interdependent leaders help others feel that their time is valuable and essential.

 

• Interdependence is a lot harder than being a hero, says Lorna Davis. It requires adopting traditionally not accepted behaviors in leadership roles: openness, transparency, and vulnerability. I think about Brene Brown and her work of becoming a more vulnerable leader. These behaviors do have some risks. However, she says, The joy and success of interdependence and vulnerability are worth the effort and risk.

 

To solve complex, interconnected problems, there is a need for interdependent leaders.

 

So the question is, do you consider yourself a Hero or Interdependent leader? Knowing the difference now, how will you begin to shift to become more collaborative as a leader?

 

If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.

 

Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .

 

Episode 111 Learn the sales secret on how to compete at the highest level!

Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings."  Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word  topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.  She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.

 

Episode 111, It's all about how to compete at the highest level. Learn the one sales secret to your success!

 

This week the Toyko Summer Olympics begin! Team sports like basketball, soccer, and individuals giving their all in Track and Field, Swimming, and wrestling. After training for over four years, each athlete has one moment to compete for a chance to stand on the podium that declares they are the best! We get to witness the best athletes in the world competing for the gold medal. 

 

I was thinking about all the processes these athletes undertake in their sports to reach the Olympic level. To make the Olympic team is hard, and only a few get to that level. The percentages vary by sport. For example, to compete in Swimming, it is .0013% to compete.

 

"There are about 10,000 athletes in the Summer Olympics. With the world population at about 7 billion, the chances of making it that far are about 1 in 562,400," says Bill Mallon, past president and co-founder of the International Society of Olympic Historians.

 

What skills are needed to be an Olympic-level athlete?

A great advantage would be if you had the physical abilities to excel in a sport, and speed, strength, endurance, and coordination are vital. One of the most significant advantages to success is determination.

 

So I started thinking about what Traits Olympic athletes have with the top 1% of sales performers.

 

Determination.   You must have a never-give-up attitude.  Despite all of the setbacks athletes face, they keep coming back better than ever. The same is true for top sales performers. They turn a setback into a comeback. They take the opportunity to learn from their shortfalls, learn from the experience, and prevent it from happening again.

 

Stay consistent.   The top performer stays focused and consistent. They understand that every day may not be award-winning. But what they do realize is the staying the course and remaining consistent will have a long-term payoff.

 

Prioritize your training.  Top sales performers prioritize their training. They invest in themselves by reading sales books, blogs, online courses, and listening to podcasts. They attend conferences and have a desire to find a better way of doing business. 

 

Be Goal-oriented  The goal that Olympic athletes are working towards is a Gold Medal. In sales, we are working towards a plan as well. It may be a financial goal or a goal of contribution. Understanding what must get done each day - the daily goals are necessary to achieve that overall goal. For sales leaders, this may be as small as being proactive with just a few calls a day, but it pays off big time in the long run. Define your long and short-term goals and find the discipline to track your progress.

 

As I shared earlier, 1 in 562,000 can compete in the Olympics. What is the top 1% in sales doing to compete at a higher level?

 

The bottom 99 percent and the top one percent of salespeople have something in common: they are both creatures of habit. The bottom 99 percent talk about their products or services to clients. They sell features, benefits and ask for the order. Yes, these sellers have conviction, energy, or enthusiasm.

 

But the top one percent of salespeople train differently than the 99%. See, they focus on one critical skill that sets them apart from others. They consistently repeat this behavior over and over because they know it is their secret to sales success? 

 

The top one percent of salespeople ask the right questions. 

 

The best sales talents don't pitch their products and services, and they ask questions. They ask intelligent, strategic questions immediately on a first call or meeting. The top 1% create a system of questions they need to ask to help their clients.

 

This simple three-word ( ask better questions) strategy is exceptionally effective. See, the more questions the salesperson asks, and the more information the prospect or client share, the better you can solve their business issues.

 

The most critical question the top 1% of salespeople start with qualifying questions to determine if the prospect they are speaking with is even worth their time. They ask questions about their pain points, decision-making process, timeline, and budget. Within minutes, they know if they are qualified prospects and have the resources and ability to work with them or move on to the next. 

 

The Top 1% focus on pain points, asking how the current situation impacts their business and future growth. They actively listen and repeat what they heard back as a confirmation that to the client. 

 

The Top 1% create a roadmap of success with their clients. They understand the KPI's and how the client will measure success. This way, they can make the necessary adjustments to ensure they exceeded their clients' expectations.

 

Here is my challenge for you. Challenge yourself and your team to fine-tune your approach to asking better questions. The next time you're on the first call with a prospect, don't talk about your product or service. Be prepared and ask the better questions instead, and map out your strategy for the next meeting. Stay consistent and determined and perform like the top one percent.

 

No matter what role you play at your company, keeping making progress, stay determined, ask better questions and strive to be the 1% in your field. 

Go, Team USA!

 

If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.

 

Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .

 

Episode 110, Time To Recharge!

Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings."  Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word  topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.  She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.

 

Episode 110, Why taking a vacation is good for your business. It's Time To Recharge!

 

I recalled a moment from a vacation I shared with 8 of my best friends. I was running my dogs and started laughing out loud! Likely many of you, you haven't been able to see, let alone spend time with your friends. We planned a girls' trip to Hocking Hills, where we rented a house to get away, recharge, and connect.

We gathered, we embraced, hiked, sat poolside listening to our favorite music, laughed, cooked together (excellent cooks, may I add - not me), sat by the fire pit with our favorite beverage updating each other. The excitement of seeing my friends for an extended period brought me joy and happiness. I had never laughed so much as this trip! This gathering I would title unforgettable fun!

 

This vacation had an enormous impact! Probably because of covid and many of us had not seen each other outside of zoom happy hours and phone calls. We needed an escape from our homes and work! Many of us working more hours than we typically would.

 

When work is overwhelming, and your work-life feels out of balance, it's time to ask yourself, "Should I go on vacation?" The answer is Yes! People are working more hours and taking less time off, have not been able to get away or gather with family and friends, bringing on various mental and physical health challenges. 

 

Why are vacations critical to you and your business? It gives you a chance to recharge. Studies show that managers and employees that take a vacation experience an increase in productivity after returning to work, which can positively impact the rest of the team.

 

Employees who take time away to recharge return to work with more energy and innovation to invest in the company's success. 70% of employees who regularly take a week-long summer vacation say they are driven to contribute to the companies success, compared with 55% of those who don't. 

 

O.C.Tanner completed a study that recently asked 1,000+ workers across the country about their experiences and thoughts regarding summer vacation. For those employees who regularly take a one-week or more extended vacation in the summer, there are positive correlations between their workplace engagement levels and work ethic:

 

 • 70 percent of respondents say they are highly motivated to contribute to the organization's success instead of only 55 percent of respondents who do not regularly take a week-long summer vacation. 

 

• 63 percent of respondents say they feel a sense of belonging at the company where they currently work instead of only 43 percent of respondents who do not regularly take a week-long summer vacation. 

 

• 65 percent of respondents say they have a strong desire to be working for their organization one year from now, as opposed to 51 percent of respondents who do not regularly take a week-long summer vacation. 

 

Do you know what else vacations do? They Boost your happiness!

Research shows that planning a vacation can boost your happiness. Some people experience an elevated mood up to eight weeks before the trip. You all have experienced this while planning your vacations—the anticipation of seeing family, friends, the beach, the mountains, or your happy place. I experienced extreme happiness planning and attending the Girls trip to Hocking Hills!

 

The bottom line is, take a vacation! When you take time away from the stresses of work and daily life, it can improve your physical and mental health, motivation, relationships, job performance, and perspective. A vacation can help you feel recharged and more prepared to handle whatever comes when you return.

 

So get to planning and booking your next vacation. I would love to hear where you've headed for your getaway, and send me pictures of you recharging!

 

If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.

 

Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .

Episode 109, Time To Review?

Simplify Your Sales meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings."  Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word  topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.  She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.

 

In episode 109, we do a mid-year check-in to review if we are on track to exceeding our goals.

 

Well, it's hard to believe that it's July, and for some of you, your year is ending. For many others like me, we are halfway through our year. I have a question for you, " How's Your Year going?" Is it progressing as you envisioned? Has it gotten off track? What goals did you set for yourself and your team during your annual review? Most people did their yearly reviews with their team in late November, right in the middle of Covid. We discussed and created a performance plan based on what we knew then.

 

The question is, do you wait for the year to end to see if you were successful with your intentions for the year? Many of us check the box and file our annual review. The next time we review it is a year later. I was thinking about the word review. A review is a formal assessment or examination of something with the possibility or intention of instituting change if necessary. So we must be reviewing our year each day, each week, and every month to see if we are on task to achieving our goals. Plus, we all love to make progress in everything we do!

 

If I asked you what your action plan included for this year, would you recall it? If your sales or management, you may have set your intention on growing revenue and exceeding budget. What else did you decide to accomplish this year?

 

So I decided to pull out my review to see if I was on track or if I need to make some shifts and adjustments now that I am mid-year. My number one goal is to exceed my revenue goals. I am exceeding one area and need to make some shifts in another revenue line. If your Coaching others, do you have the right talent to help you get there? It is about recruiting the right talent and fit to help you achieve your revenue goals.

 

I am lucky to work with the most talented leaders in the industry, but I am not immune to someone leaving. I discovered that I don't have enough sales leaders in my pipeline to hire for the next opportunity. After reviewing my list of sales talent, this is an area I need to shift my attention and take action on every week.

 

I decided to walk my sales leaders through the same process; I walked through this process in our weekly one-on-one coaching sessions. We discovered that we need to make some shifts and reset in other areas. What we thought served us in a strategy late last year required updating mid-year.

 

Great sales talent and leaders are always looking for better ways to improve their performance.

 

I used five questions with my sales leaders as a mid-year touchpoint.

 

• What did we set out to do this year? (restate goal(s) and how we agreed we would achieve them)

 

• What is working? (and how can you do more of that) Yes, we want to keep doing what is working! Take the time to celebrate those accomplishments.

 

• What do you need to say no to that is not working?  What activities are stealing time from you and not helping you produce the results for you?

 

• Are there new market opportunities that could provide new sales opportunities?   For example, helping companies find qualified employees is a significant opportunity of focus for our team. Think about new options you have today that perhaps you didn't six months ago. 

 

• List one adjustment you will make to improve your sales? Should you be prospecting more? Improve your appointment settings? Ask for a referral from a satisfied client or Increase your average sale? Do you need additional sales training or better processes?

 

If you Manager or lead a team, here are a few other questions to consider.

 

How is your team performing to plan YTD?

 

What did you plan for this year, and it's working?  (If yes, Do more of it!)

 

What is not working and needs to be adjusted? ( Focus on the activities getting you the results you need.)

 

How is your sales talent pipeline of leaders?  If someone gets promoted or leaves your company, do you have someone that can step into that opportunity? 

 

Lastly, based on your mid-year review, what have you learned, what changes need adjustments to ensure you exceed your goals?

 

A midyear review check-in is something I recommend for your business and personally. You have time to make adjustments to finish the year strong and keep making progress and building momentum as you enter into 2022. Yes, the new year will be here before we know it. 

 

If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.

 

Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .

Episode 108 Could your Sales use a little Spark?

Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach.  Simplify Your Sales meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings."  Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word  topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.  She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.

 

In episode 108 - Learn Seven tips to Spark Your Sales!

 

How's your year going? If you're on track or crushing your budgets and quotas, Congratulations. If your falling short, then you may find this podcast helpful. You may be looking for something to help Spark your Sales. 

 

Here are seven tips you can do to Spark your sales. 

 

Add More Value.

Think about the products and services you buy? I have a feeling that it's not always about price. Instead, the product/service that adds more value to your life. Most clients buy from those that add or show value in working with them. Your clients are no different.

 

Your clients see value in many different ways. A product might save them time, create more revenue, improve their operation, build employee morale and engagement. But ultimately, customers will only purchase a product that they think will benefit them. In the end, the person that earns the business does these three words: Adds More Value! What solutions can you provide to your prospect or client?

 

A great question to ask to add value would be the following.

"Our research has shown that the industry/market has been going in an upward/downward direction over the past days/weeks/months."

Again, this shows you've done your homework and share something of real value with your client.

 

Learn to Listen.

More than two-thirds of clients agree: listening to their needs is essential to create a positive sales experience. So all you have to do is ask better questions and listen.

Learn about your prospect's business. Spark their interest by asking your client about their industry, trends, what they're doing to stay ahead, and even why they got into that industry. If you show interest in your prospect's business, they'll feel influential and respected. You will earn their trust. Everyone likes to talk about themselves; all you have to do is ask them.

 

Keep Building Trust.

Think about this static, only 3% of buyers trust sales reps. Talk about no Spark! This trust deficit is one of the biggest problems facing salespeople. No matter how well you explain the value of your product or recommend a specific solution if your prospects don't believe you… you're facing an uphill battle.

 

But fortunately, there is a way to develop that trust by consistently demonstrating expertise. Sharing that knowledge with your prospects shows that you understand the industry and empathize with their challenges.

 

A great question to build trust would be the following. "My experience in this field shows that the market is improving/getting better/more profitable, so my recommendation is to invest in product x."

You will earn the trusted advisor position and helps the prospect trust your opinions and create more opportunities for themselves.

 

Be A Resource.

Stay focused on how you can help your client. Stay focused on understanding what your customer needs and provide them with solutions.

Share industry trends and how to help improve their sales and operation. Or share the following statement: "Like most of our clients, no doubt you must be experiencing an upturn/downturn/increase/decrease in xxx part of your business."

Using the phrase 'Like most of our clients' says that you will share some valuable market information, pique their interest in hearing more.

 

Persistence pays off.

I read an article from Hubspot that shared some great stats on how staying persistent can pay off to you.  

 

• It takes an average of 18 calls actually to connect with a buyer.
• Only 24% of sales emails are opened, which means 76% don't get opened. I would recommend calling and starting a conversation.
• 80% of sales require five follow-up calls.
• 44% of salespeople give up after one follow-up call.

 

Selling is all about relationships.

How do you keep the spark alive? Ted Rubin – who wrote the book Return on Relationship, understands this principle. The word "Relate" is in the word Relationship. The more relatable you are to your clients, the better opportunity you have to work with them. When you spend your time having conversations with your clients about how you can help them, you will gain their trust and have a better chance of being referred to other businesses. 

 

Share Success Stories

Clients want to work with companies that have a proven track record. The best way to do this is to share similar companies' stories to highlight the success that they could have with your product- since they'll want the same success. If you have a past success that's in the same industry, mention that to them. They'll be more interested because a competitor has had success with your product. 

 

A great statement story to share could be the following. "The key influencers in our industry see an upturn/downturn in the near future, so my suggestion would be that fill in the blank."

 

To spark your sales, you need to spark a conversation! Become that trusted advisor by listening, more value, become a resource, become more relatable, and keep sharing your successes!

 

Happy 4th of July and to a road of Financial Freedom!

 

 

If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, rate it, or subscribe for Free at Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.

 

Learn more about how to Simply Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com .