Three Word Podcast

Episode 173, Keep walking toward your dreams!

Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings."  Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word  topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.

 

Episode 173, Keep walking toward your dreams!

 

As most of you know, I love Dogs. My wife, Olivia, and I are big advocates for rescues. We adopted three fur kids. Phoenix 13, Dakota 12, and Denali 9. They are a part of our family.

 

I love the mornings! I am an early riser, wake up at 4 am, and we have our routine. I let the pups outside; they eat while I sip my coffee, and then I take each of them for a run or walk. I connect with each dog, listening to my favorite podcast while enjoying Nature. It's my special bonding time before I start my work day. I have done this for over eleven years, and the excitement it brings our fur kids makes me smile.  

 

The morning of September 22nd was no different than any other day. All the dogs got their run and walk. Dakota loved to walk; he was my cool-down walk every day. He loved to walk and make his mark on multiple phone polls and trees. Dakota is a loving dog that never barked at other dogs unless another dog came close to his brother Phoenix and sister Denali. He would stop to pee on about everything. I would tell him that you're letting others know you were here, boy! 

 

By the way, Dakota was a lymphoma cancer survivor for over two years. He went through months of chemo and was in remission. Dakota would put smiles on the faces of the staff at the Pet Oncologist. He somehow knew that going there would make him feel better, and it did. After his treatments, Dakota became a different dog. He was our Wellness pup. He was full of life, loved to eat, especially Pop Corn and Blueberries, and loved his van rides to the parks for a walk. All the dogs looked forward to the van door sliding open, which meant a hike in the woods with Liv. The little things in life brought Dakota such happiness.

 

Liv and I would always say Dakota is teaching us to slow down and appreciate everything around us. He was the perfect therapy dog. He loved snuggling next to you as if to say I am so grateful for you. Thanks for rescuing me. 

 

 

Well, on September 22nd, later that morning, that changed for us. I was getting ready to golf, and Liv was sipping coffee on the couch with Dakota next to her. His breathing seemed labored, and we both noticed it. I was leaving to play golf and said to Liv let me know if anything changes with him. So strange that all of a sudden, he was panting. About an hour later, I got a call from Liv that said Dakota collapsed, and she scooped him up to take him to our Vet. She called to let me know he was not doing well. The scans revealed he had fluid in his lungs and internal bleeding from a rupture of his organ. His time was going to be limited.

 

Liv put Dakota in the van and opened the doors with the sun shining. She comforted him until I arrived. We were in complete shock and heartbroken. How could our Dakota be eating, walking, and smiling, and we are saying goodbye to him hours later?  

 

Many of you listening can relate if you ever had to say goodbye to a pet. Our fur kids hold a special place in our hearts and comfort us. They love us unconditionally and teach us things we need to know.

 

As I shared earlier, Dakota taught us to slow down and appreciate the life around us. 

Be loyal to those you love! 

Be a good listener.

Go on more adventures.

Cherish the time you have to spend with those you love. 

Realize our time is limited.

Take more naps!

 

In honor of our Dakota, Liv and I continue to walk toward our dreams and the life we envision. On that day, our lives shifted. Our hearts are heavy with sadness because we miss Dakota so much. 

 

I have realized that we all will face our final walk one day. I encourage you to keep walking toward the life, career, and love connections you desire. Please continue to make an impact on others as Dakota has taught us to do. 

 

Stay inspired and grateful, and more importantly, hug your fur kids! 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

Episode 172 , Meetings that are costing your company millions.

Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings."  Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word  topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.

 

Episode 172  is about how much money unnecessary meetings cost your company. In some cases, it can be millions of dollars.  Are meetings necessary?

 

This week I saw a conversation on LinkedIn around an article written about how Useless Meetings Waste Time and $100 Million a Year for Big Companies. You know, that grabbed my attention with being the author of the Three Words Meetings book. 

 

A new survey shows that employees don't need to be in nearly one-third of the meetings they attend, and women are more reluctant than men to decline invitations; imagine that!

 

The article went on to share that Unnecessary meetings are a $100 million mistake at big companies, according to a new survey that shows workers probably don't need to be in nearly a third of the appointments they attend.

 

A  survey conducted by Steven Rogelberg, a professor of organizational science, psychology, and management at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, created a study around meetings. They asked 632 employees across 20 industries to study their weekly calendars and gauge how much time they spent in meetings, what they got out of them and how they responded to invitations. 

 

On average, employees spend about 18 hours weekly in meetings and only decline 14% of invites even though they'd prefer to back out 31% of them. Reluctantly going to noncritical meetings wastes about $25,000 per employee annually and projects out to $101 million a year for any organization with more than 5,000 employees.

 

"Meetings do control us, and bad meetings have an enormous cost," said Rogelberg, who's been researching meetings for two decades. "You get a meeting invite and say, 'I don't need to be there,' yet you say yes — why?"

Just Say No

Employees want to skip nearly one-third of their meeting invites.

Many say yes because it's a workplace norm — nobody wants to offend the meeting organizer by skipping out or having co-workers think they're not engaged. Others hate having to chase down updates on what happened. 

Source: Steven Rogelberg, Otter.ai

 

Few companies have, however. Rogelberg's earlier research found that poorly managed meetings can hurt employee engagement and even boost their intention to quit. Meetings worsened during the pandemic due to the shift to remote work and videoconferencing. 

 

Data from Microsoft Corp. based on thousands of users of its workplace software found that time spent in meetings has tripled since February 2020, and the number of weekly meetings has more than doubled. 

 

Those virtual meetings "tend to be more cognitively demanding, more prone to distraction, and less effective in many ways than their in-person counterparts," a team of researchers concluded in a recent study that examined how communication patterns changed right after pandemic lockdowns hit in 2020.   

 

Meetings are necessary, but we must be careful when scheduling them. Rogelberg's survey shared that most end up multitasking during unnecessary meetings. We don't want that for our employees or us.

 

I wanted to share four questions you can ask yourself when considering a meeting is necessary that I learned from Adam Grant, an Organizational psychologist at Wharton and #1 NYT bestselling author of Think Again; Adam believes:  

There are four reasons to meet:

To decide.

To learn.

To bond

To do.

If it doesn't serve one of those purposes, cancel it.

 

Then I recommend implementing the Three Word Meetings topic process I created. Build those meetings around simple-to-remember words that engrain what you want your team or clients to remember. The Three Word meeting topics also allow your employees to share their views and the meetings become more collaborative versus a data dump on them.  

 

Another helpful tip is to manage the amount of time for a meeting. Some discussions linger and steal time from others. Keep them brief when you can maintain their attention and cut down on drifters. Set a time limit, whether 15, 29, or 39 minutes.

 

I have come to understand during my 35-year career that people support meetings with a purpose. So think about all the meetings you have been included in and ask if that meeting is necessary. Is there something I can do differently moving forward to create more time to focus on growing revenue, coaching your team, and sharing solutions for our clients?

 

I will leave you with this thought, to Meet or Not Meet, that is the question.

 

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

 

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

Episode 171, Three reasons why your clients stop working with you.

Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings."  Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word  topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.

 

Episode 171, Three reasons why your clients stop working with you.  Retain your customers.

 

We work hard to get new clients to do business with us. We prospect and invest valuable time for a chance to work with them. This process could take weeks, months, or years.

 

Conversely, We can lose that key client instantly; in most cases, it has nothing to do with price.

 

I want to share a story where this happened to me as a consumer. 

 

I am sharing this story to remind us not to take our current clients for granted. We need to take all the necessary steps to retain our existing clients. The opportunity on the flip side is that we could be one call away from converting a new client from a competitor based on the treatment and service they are receiving.

 

Here is my story.

I was looking for a new dentist near my house. I saw a new dental practice was opening, and they were offering an incentive that with every teeth cleaning, you would receive teeth whitening with your service. So I thought I would give them a try. I go every six months and have been a customer for eight years. That changed after my most recent cleaning.

 

I was pushed back to eight months vs. six due to their scheduling. I thought, no problem. My Hygienist is excellent, and I complimented her on the extra work she had to do because it was eight vs. six months. She smiled and said that is my job. She did notice that one of my back teeth needed a crown. I thought to myself guess I was lucky these past eight years.

 

So in walks the Main Dentist to check out her work. I shared how pleased I was with her work, just sorry it took a few extra months to get in to get them cleaned. The Dentist replied that you could have gotten in sooner if you had called. How would I know that as I took the earliest appointment? I have to say I was bothered by her response. She told me the front desk would have the cost of the crown and schedule my next visit. I was a bit taken aback by her comments.

 

I shifted to the front desk, and a young lady handed me a piece of paper with the numbers tooth 20 and 31. I asked what the numbers meant, and she seemed put off that I asked. I reiterated that these numbers might have significance to you, but most customers may not know what they mean. She went on to say those teeth that need crowns with a bit of frustration in her tone. I asked a follow-up question on the price she shared, including my dental insurance. The form was not very clear to understand. She seemed to get more impatient with me. At the moment, I felt like I was keeping her from something. So I took the paperwork and said thanks as I walked to the door. Something said to turn around, and as I did, I could see her rolling her eyes and darting back to the others. I am sure to say, thank god she is gone.

 

As I walked to my car, I thought, Wow, I have been a customer for eight years. Now is when the dental practice can make some money from me by replacing a few crowns vs. just cleaning my teeth. By the way, I told myself there was no way I would have my crown done at that practice. So the next day, I called and canceled my crown appointment and future cleanings on their books.

 

I was going to look for a new dental practice that may appreciate me and my business.

 

The following day I called Advance Dentistry. They advertise on our radio stations, and a co-worker raved about them. I called, and a friendly voice answered and said thank you for calling and how she could help. I scheduled my consultation.

 

A few days later, I got my temporary crown. The business manager walked me through what it would cost to get a crown, what my insurance covered, and what I would be responsible for paying. Heather and Bridgit, who assisted Dr. White, explained every step, and their energy was highly positive. 

 

I left thinking to myself, what a great experience! This an experience I plan to share with others as I am doing today with you.

 

So what can we learn from my experience? 

First, never take your current clients for granted. We have to understand that they do have options. 

 

Here are the top three reasons why customers leave a company.

68% leave because of the treatment they received

14% are dissatisfied with products or service

9% Begin doing business with the competition

 

 

What do you do to ensure your client keeps working with you?

 

Create a strong foundation

When your start working with a new client, you have the opportunity to leave a memorable first impression — so make sure your onboarding process is seamless. Details do matter.

 

Provide a personalized customer experience.

No two customers have the exact needs and may be looking for tailored solutions. We must listen and understand what is most important to our clients and provide solutions.

 

Ask for Feedback

Improving your service is hard if you don't know how your customers feel about it. Ask your client if you are happy with the partnership and service they are receiving. Ask for recommendations on how you could better serve their business needs. 

 

Create a communication calendar 

You want to stay connected with your client. Depending on your sales cycle, you may want to check in weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. Provide something of value each time you connect with them.  

 

Relationships do Matter.

Make them very important. Celebrate your client's birthdays and the company's anniversary.  

 

And more importantly, do it with a Smile on your face. Grin and Win!

 

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

 

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

Episode 170, Honor the Queen!

Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings."  Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word  topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.

 

Episode 170 Honor the Queen!

 

Hello, Three Word Podcasters! If this is your first time, welcome. I am your host Lisa Thal, and I share my thoughts on three-word topics to help engage and inspire you and those you lead. Three words you can use as a topic in your next sales meeting.

 

I was driving home from playing golf and heard on the radio that Queen Elizabeth II had passed away. Like many of you listening, it shocked me. A few days earlier, I witnessed her shaking hands with the new Prime Minister. The Queen looked a bit smaller and had a welcoming smile.

 

After watching all the news coverage about her, I remember laying in bed and thinking, what if my life journey ended tonight? I thought she would live to be at least 100! My mind kept thinking, Wow, in two short days, the Queen is gone. The magnitude of what Queen Elizabeth II accomplished throughout her life I find hard to put into words. I believe in my lifetime, we will never witness someone who profoundly and respectfully touched so many people's lives over her life.  

 

People like you and I lined the streets daily to pay their respects for her service to them. The images of so many enormous farms Combined lining the procession show their respect for a woman they loved and respected. Simple gestures of flowers, notes of gratitude, and many standing for hours and lines miles long to have the opportunity to walk by this gracious lady to show their respect and honor. A projected number of a Million people will pay their respects.

 

So you may be asking, why are you sharing this story on the Three Word Podcast?

 

The answer is to Honor the Queen or King in each of us!

 

Each of you listening is passionate or great at one thing. One thing that fills your heart and soul. I believe we can learn so much from those that have made their transition and left a legacy they built. I understand that each of us may not have the platform or expectations the Queen had; sometimes, it starts in our own families, with our friends, neighbors, and those we may never meet. As I shared earlier, I found myself thinking about my own life. Questions like: Am I making a difference in my world? Can I serve others with the gifts I have to offer? Where do I start so that I leave the world a better place?

 

So I wondered if many of you have felt the same this past week. I believe we all want to know we matter. A desire to give more and make a lasting impact on others. This is the definition of authentic leadership!

 

How do you honor yourself?

 

Many listening is in the financial field. Many people don't know how to manage expenses and how to invest in their future. You can help, even if it's two people or ten. The compounding impact of this is enormous for generations.

 

Maybe you love animals. Volunteer to work at a shelter or grab your family and friends and volunteer to walk the dogs a few times a week.

 

Children may be your passion. I witnessed a little girl named Baby Bea raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Children's Hospital by starting a Lemonade stand. She asked others to join her, and she continues to impact others years later.

 

Another friend discovered a local football team had food insecurities. She jumped in and started making Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and donated healthy snacks for these young men. Now she is raising $50,000 a year to help support their football team and other school kids. It started by making a sandwich for a hungry kid.

 

Queen Elizabeth led for over 70 years of her life! Yes, she had to make tough decisions that may not have been popular but were always in the people's best interest. She was authentic and honest with her approach, which was refreshing to Everyone watching her moves.

 

Leadership starts with each of us. 

Start in your own community or workplace. Most of us think we have to go big. When in reality, you think you have to help thousands of people. So what typically happens is that you don't begin at all. Start by helping one person, then a few more. Ask a family member or friend to join you in helping a small group.

 

See people where they are, not where you want them to be.

 

Be kind and understand that many are doing the very best they can at that moment.

 

Give back and serve others.

 

Queen Elizabeth II, you served others well. You taught us to help others and Do what we can do. We just need to start! A life well lived is all we aspire to be.

 

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

 

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

Episode 169, Ten traits you want to have to win in sales!

_{Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings."  Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word  topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.}

 

Episode 169,  The sales performance formula and the ten traits you want to have to win in sales!

 

_{Hello, Three Word Podcasters! If this is your first time, welcome. I am your host Lisa Thal, and I share my thoughts on three-word topics to help engage and inspire you and those you lead. Three words you can use as a topic in your next sales meeting.}

 

_{I read an article in Success magazine written by Jeffrey Gitomer on the top ten traits of sales performers. I know many of you listening are in sales or coaching a team. I started to think about how many of the characteristics my team and I have from the list. In your next sales meeting, this would be a great discussion to have each team member see how many of these qualities they possess.}

 

_{Here are the top 10 traits and the essential qualities of a high-performing salesperson. A realistic list of the characteristics needed for success by Jeffrey are:}

 

_{A consistently positive attitude and enthusiasm}

_{The number one rule is facing the customer, facing the obstacles, facing the competition, facing the economy, and yourself. We all will face setbacks and disappointments in our careers. We have something to learn from each experience. Stay curious and optimistic through the journey.}

 

_{The belief that the customer will be better off}

_{The first three parts are unwavering belief in your company, product, and yourself. But most critical is that you must believe that the customer is better off having purchased from you.} 

 

_{Use of creativity}

_{Use creativity to present ideas in the customer's favor and to differentiate yourself from the competition. Think about the person you are showing your ideas and solutions. For example, if they are analytical, think about how you can show the results from working with them. If they are expressive, you need a creative way to convey your message. They want to know your difference from the other vendors.}

 

_{Ability to give and prove the value} 

_{Show proof of the value of your product or service. Your ability to give value beyond the sale will earn the sale and the loyalty of your customers. Make sure you show up before, during, and after the sale.}

 

_{Ability to promote and position}

_{Using the internet to blog, shares articles that could interest and benefit your clients. So customers will perceive you as a value-provider and a leader in your field.} 

 

_{Exciting, compelling presentation skills}

_{You must develop communication skills. Ask thought-provoking questions, improve your listening skills, and have a sense of humor. Clients need to understand how your product and service will benefit them and why choosing you is their best option.}

 

_{Ability to prove your value and claims through the testimony of others}

_{Testimonials sell where salespeople can't. The best salespeople use video testimonials to support their claims. Same with referrals. Think about your best customer and ask them if they would be willing to do a video sharing all the benefits of working with you and your company.}  

 

_{Ability to create an atmosphere where people want to buy (no one likes to be sold)}

_{This is done by engaging and asking, not presenting and telling. Make your customers feel you are working with them to find the best product possible, not just telling them what you think would be best. Your conversation with the client is the difference maker.}

 

_{Ability to build a relationship, not hunt or farm}

_{We believe we need Hunters and Farmers in our sales organizations to be successful. Great salespeople are relationship-builders who provide value and help their customers win. They possess unyielding personal values and ethics.} 

 

_{The personal desire to excel and be their best}

_{Jeffrey believes, and I have to agree, that the personal desire to be the best is critical. The key is that you must master all 10 in that order for this quality to manifest itself.}

 

_{Where would you rank yourself today on the ten traits? Can you see some areas of opportunities for you? Your team? Life is all making progress each day. So embrace each situation for you to learn and grow.}

 

_{Learn more about Simplifying Your sales meetings using 3-word topics at http://www.threewordmeetings.com.}

 

_{To learn more about Jeffrey Gitomer. https://www.gitomer.com}

Episode 168, What can you do when you face a temporary setback?

Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings."  Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word  topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.

 

Episode 168, What can you do when you face a temporary setback?  

 

What words inspire you to keep moving forward when facing setbacks?

Here are a few of my favorite three words.

Just Do it.

It's worth it!

You got this!

Keep moving forward.

Keep Showing up. 

Find a Way.

Keep on digging.

 

We've all been there – times we would have used any combination of the words above to keep us from facing defeat. 

 

I wanted to share the story from Napoleon Hill's book,  "Think and Grow Rich," about how close we all are to succeed. We must keep showing up! After all, if we don't, there's no telling what opportunities we may miss.

 

You know I love a story that involves anything with three. 

This story is about Three Feet From Gold.

 

The story will have you digging and pushing yourself through any setbacks you may face because you could be one call, email, or proposal way from winning that business or personally finding success. 

 

Keyword to remember, temporary. One of the most common causes of failure is the habit of quitting when facing temporary defeat. Every person is guilty of this mistake at one time or another and gives up.

 

The cliff notes version of the story is an uncle of R. U. Darby who was caught up in the hype by the gold fever in the gold-rush days and went west to dig and get rich. He staked a claim and went to work with a pick and shovel. The going was hard, but his lust for gold was his vision.

 

After weeks of labor, he discovered shining ore. Ore is a valuable metal or mineral that can extract for gold. He needed machinery to bring the ore to the surface. He covered up the mine, retraced his footsteps to his home, and told his relatives and a few neighbors of the "strike." They got together money for the needed machinery and had it shipped.

 

The first car of ore was mined and shipped to a smelter. The returns proved they had one of the richest mines in Colorado! A few more cars of that ore would clear the debts. Then the big profits would be rolling in.

Down went the drills! Up went the hopes of Darby and Uncle! Then something happened! The vein of gold ore disappeared! They had come to the end of the rainbow, and the pot of gold was no longer there! They drilled on, desperately trying to pick up the vein again— all to no avail.

 

Finally, they decided to give up and head home.

 

They sold the machinery to a junk man for a few hundred dollars and took the train back home. The Junkman was resourceful and called in a mining engineer to look at the mine and do a little calculating. The engineer advised that the project failed because the owners were unfamiliar with "fault lines." His calculations located the ore of the vein about three feet from where Darby stopped drilling. I think you can imagine where this story is going.

 

The "Junk" man took millions of dollars in ore from the mine because he knew enough to seek expert counsel before giving up.

 

So what happened to Darby? He went into the business of selling life insurance. He remembers losing a considerable fortune because he stopped three feet from gold. Darby profited from the experience in his chosen work by the simple method of saying to himself, "I stopped three feet from gold, but I will never stop because someone says 'no' when I ask them to buy insurance."  

 

What a great lesson for all of us!

 

He owes this to the lesson he learned from his experience in the gold mining business.

 

Before success comes into our lives, we could face temporary defeat and, perhaps, some failure. When defeat overtakes you, quitting is the easiest and most logical thing. That is what the majority of us do. Most successes will come one step beyond the point at which defeat has overtaken.

 

The question is, what are you three feet from achieving? Have you given up too soon, only to discover that you're close to success? My advice is to keep showing up and digging because you could be Three feet away from realizing your dreams. If nothing else, every defeat is a lesson showing you how to win the next time.

 

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

 

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

Episode 167, Back to School ”The more you learn, the more you earn.”

Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings."  Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word  topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.

 

Episode 167,  Back to School "The more you learn, the more you earn."   

 

I was walking my dog Dakota, and we saw the kids at the bus stop. Back to school time, and I thought Summer went fast. Many of your kids are heading back to school in Kindergarten, grade or high school, and College. Dakota gets a bit excited when the school bus drives by us. I want to think he is saying have a great day of learning, kids, or he wants to chase the bus.

 

Can you remember your first day of school? The excitement to meet new friends and an opportunity to learn something new. Thank goodness for Teachers! I learned many lessons from a teacher I have yet to meet, Warren Buffet.

 

A quote from Warren Buffett sums up our business and life journey, "The more you learn, the more you earn."   

 

It may be time to return to school and reiterate what has made you successful in the past. Buffett shared that Success is all about making smarter investment decisions. But those decisions may have nothing to do with stocks and bonds. 

 

To make the most of your investment means never stop acquiring knowledge -- the kind of knowledge that betters yourself as a whole person, not just as an investor.

 

Do you need new skills or knowledge to improve your business and sales? As you become more comfortable with selling, you may have lost focus on what made you successful, like providing research, meeting preparation, and building deep connections with your clients.

 

Here are three skills you want to learn.

 

Invest in improving your communication skills

 

There is a saying that knowledge is power, although that may be true. How you communicate that is knowledge is the key.

 

Communication is key to any business. If you can communicate thought-provoking questions to ask, you can gain the knowledge needed to help your clients solve their problems. 

 

If you are in a leadership role, you need to be able to communicate your message to the team. You have to be able to adjust your communication style with each team member. The team members have different ways they receive your message. You have analytical, expressive, visual learners on your team; some learn better by hearing or seeing your message.

 

Warren Buffett shared that investing in developing your communication skills -- both in writing and in person -- "can increase your value by at least 50 percent." Now that is a great return!

 

You have many options to become a better communicator. Enroll in a Dale Carnegie course on how to communicate, join a Toast Master series, or I recommend calling my friend Michael Davis who helps you communicate and influence those you lead with better communication. https://speakingcpr.com/

 

 

Invest in improving your leadership skills

Buffett's advice is about one non-negotiable trait that successful leaders must have: integrity. He said we look for three things when we hire people. We look for intelligence, we look for initiative or energy, and we look for integrity.

 

 

Customers want to work with people they trust and value authentic people and relationships. A lack of trust [by the buyer] often results from a lack of authenticity on the salesperson's part. Buyers can see through scripted pitches and lack of engagement. 

 

Successful salespeople curate their sales approach to incorporate who they are, what they believe in, and the tangible value they can bring to the relationship. Honest discussions about the solutions and challenges your clients are facing and the collaboration required to successfully help lay the foundation for a meaningful relationship built on authenticity and trust. 

 

 

Invest in improving your business relationships

One of the best successful strategies is surrounding yourself with the right people. My mom always said, " You become whom you hang around." So it's essential to associate with people more intelligent than yourself."

 

As the famous saying goes, we are the average of the five people we spend the most time around. Make sure to associate with those further along the path who can potentially help you learn new things, grow, and advance your career. 

 

Any good conversation involves people connecting, building a mutual understanding, and forming a trust. Think back to a conversation in your personal life where you and another person felt comfortable and understood: Connecting in sales works the same way. 

 

The salesperson and the prospective customer are comfortable sharing information and reaching a mutual understanding. This exchange helps uncover real opportunities, develop meaningful alignment, access deeper insights, and open the door to collaborative problem-solving.  

 

With these ideas in mind, I encourage you to spend some time each week with your salespeople to help them refocus, take a disciplined approach to selling, and convert more sales faster. 

 

Creating a lifelong pursuit of learning, investing in yourself, surrounding yourself with more innovative people, and sharing your knowledge with others is the secret sauce to your Success. 

 

I encourage you to think about one skill you can learn today and commit to yourself until you have mastered it. Investing in yourself is the best way to find Success.

 

Thanks for tuning into today's podcast. If you think someone could benefit from this episode, share it, do me a favor and rate it, or subscribe for Free on Itunes or Spotify, so you don't miss out on the next three-word podcast.

 

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

Episode 166 The ” F” word that stops you from succeeding.

Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings."  Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word  topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.

 

Episode 166 The " F" word that stops you from succeeding.

 

If I asked you, what stops you? Many of you listening would respond to the question, you. The reality is that the answer is not you. Fear stops you from realizing your dreams and what you want. Yes, Fear prevents you from moving forward. When we face Fear, we fight, take flight, or freeze.

 

I was a part of a webinar discussing the stumbling blocks for many falling short of their dreams and goals. Yes, Fear is the one thing standing between you and the life you want. It's easy to fall into the Fear trap. It's convenient for our minds to focus on what's wrong in the world versus what's right. Think about today, Inflation, competitors, supply chain issues, the economy, and the threat of a recession feeds our minds with Fear and what's going wrong around us.

 

Our brains are programmed to protect and defend us from harm. We tend to focus on a strategy that includes a plan for the worst and hoping for the best. I am not saying that this is not an option. What if you made one slight shift and concentrated on what is right? What is possible?

 

What if you could replace the word "F" word Fear with Focus?

  

Let me ask you a question. Think about something you want to achieve in your life today. Is it better health? Financial Freedom? A new career? A meaningful and loving relationship?

 

If you are in sales, Is Fear creeping into your mind and keeping you from gaining more new clients? In your mind, you have all the reasons why they have not called you back or that they must be happy with their current vendor. Most give up trying to connect with a new client after three attempts when it takes eight to ten. 

 

If you believe your client can benefit from meeting with you, stay committed until you meet them. You are close to earning that meeting if you stay focused on seeing it through.

 

This example of Fear versus focus will make sense if you play golf. At the Losantiville, the Country Club I belong to has water you have to shoot over to get to the green. Most people I play with say I think I will lay up short of the water because I am afraid my ball might go in ( Fear). Some players will even pull out an old ball on the chance it goes in the water. Why? Doubt creeps into your mind, and guess what? In most cases, the ball does go into the water because that is where we put our focus.

 

How would you approach this situation? Because where you focus, it will go. I focus on the green versus the water. I see a 145-yard shot from the fairway headed to the green and take the H2O out of my mind.   

 

I was thinking about a book written in 1908 I read by Napoleon Hill. His book, Outwitting the Devil, further supports why some of us are more successful than others. This is where I learned more about my Other-self.

 

I believe he is one of the best teachers who discovered what stops most of us from succeeding when facing setbacks. He called this the " Other-self." The Other-self recognizes no limitations and always finds a way to accomplish desired results. We may meet with temporary defeat but not with permanent failure. 

 

You are learning to tap into the " Other-Self," which will teach you how to overcome obstacles, and master difficulty, instead of being mastered by them. That there is a solution for every legitimate problem, you face. He explained that every experience of temporary defeat, every failure, and every form of adversity is met with an equivalent benefit.

 

Fear is a state of mind, and so is your focus to become fearless. Having the faith that the journey you're on is here to teach you something. It's time to choose the life you want to live versus the I wish I would have life. I wish I would have traveled more, lived a healthier life, changed careers, and loved more.  

 

It's decision time! Decide that you will stretch the "Other-self" to keep learning and moving forward with a sense of urgency. Silence the critics that say you can't do it. Feed your focus with possibility, not your fears. Remember, your focus goes where your energy flows.

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Episode 165, Complete more tasks in a day by implementing this strategy.

Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings."  Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word  topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.

 

Episode 165, Complete more tasks in a day by implementing this strategy.

 

I was having lunch with a client discussing business and life. We both are in management roles, coaching sales teams, generating revenue, seeing customers, leading projects for the company, and involved in multiple meetings throughout the day, zoom or in person. Some days She shared that it's amazing I get anything done.

 

Can you relate to this situation? Add in family responsibilities to your work, and you may feel like you are getting nothing accomplished. 

 

She asked me how I manage my Time and get so much done. You have your job, Three Word Podcast, a weekly blog, running your dogs daily, weekend golf, and Time with your family and friends. 

 

How do you do it?

 

I answered that I use a system I learned where you Time block your day.   

 

So, I thought I would share with you the system to complete more in a day that helps you focus on your work with limited distractions and can help you be more efficient in your tasks. I want to make sure you understand that this is not multitasking. It is task switching with focus and purpose.

 

You will feel more in control of your day, more productive, and get more work done. We all want to feel like we are accomplishing something each day.

 

So to begin, let me share what I mean by Time blocking. 

 

In football, offensive linemen are looking to protect the quarterback. They form a pocket around the quarterback and block defenders from getting through. 

 

What Is Time Blocking?

Time blocking involves protecting and planning every moment of your day and dedicating specific time "blocks" for certain tasks and responsibilities.

 

When you fill your calendar with the tasks and things you want to do, it's harder for others to steal your Time.

 

Yes, we need to focus Time on thinking and strategizing solutions to help our customers and blocking Time with other co-workers to improve processes in your company. Time blocking is effective because you focus on one specific task at a time.   

 

For example, my mental and physical wellness is at the top of the list. I run my dogs and listen to audiobooks that teach and inspire me before I get to work each day. I time block throughout the day to check emails, return phone calls, coach the sales team, and meet with customers, Time to think. For example, I strategically block Time on my calendar to complete the most critical task that is a must to finish.

 

But how do you use this technique for the best results? 

 

Prioritize Your Tasks

You must prioritize your tasks if you want the Time blocking technique to work. The main idea behind using this process is to enable efficient time management. It means you don't lose valuable Time by thinking about which one to do first. 

 

High priority work at the right Time. That's where prioritizing comes in. By identifying the essential tasks in your schedule, you know which task needs more attention from you. A good way of handling these tasks is to put them in the prime Time of your day. Your prime Time is the Time of the day when you feel the most productive. I am a morning person, so I focus on those tasks first. 

 

When you feel more productive, you also become more efficient. So focusing on your priority tasks at this Time helps you get things done more efficiently.

 

Add blocks for reactive tasks each day

We tend to overestimate what we can do in a day. You still have emails to answer, calls to take, and meetings to attend. However, the power of time blocking comes in choosing when you do these tasks instead of letting them take over your day.

 

Get more from your day

With the development of technology, you can use apps and tools online to create your schedule.

You can use a few simple and free tools to make it that much easier.

 

Any calendar app will do. However, if you want to use Google Calendar, I found this list of power features and best practices to make the most of it.

 

Either you control your calendar, or it controls you

Other people like to steal our time. Time blocking is only one of the many time management strategies out there. Yet, it's one of the most popular for a reason.

 

We all live by our calendars. And the more you can be in control of what's on there, the more in control you'll be of your Time, focus, and productivity.

 

Keep in mind that Single-tasking - Focusing on one task at a time—can make you up to 80% more productive than splitting your attention across multiple tasks. Plus, you will stay connected to others when you know you have time set aside later for checking email, replying to internal messages, and checking in on your social networks.

 

We all have the same amount of Time each day. How you manage and block time will be the difference maker. 

 

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

 

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

Episode 163, The other ”C” word no one wants to talk about!

Simplify Your Sales and Business meetings. Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach. She has over 35 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings."  Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word  topics to motivate and inspire your sales team.

 

Episode 163, The other "C" word no one wants to talk about!

 

What is the other "C" Word? Its Change! Change in careers, in our relationships, our health, finances, and our business.

 

If you think about it, our lives are constantly changing. But most of us don't like Change. Why? Because it makes us uncomfortable. 

 

So when does Change occur? Typically, when facing challenges or problems. Problems can be an opportunity for personal and professional growth. 

 

Problems can challenge us, encourage us to be resourceful and innovative, and refocus us on what matters most.

 

I believe Change refines us, not define us!

 

We all face setbacks throughout life; I know I have on many occasions. And how you face these challenges are the differences. We think the problem is permanent because of years of programming in our brains. I believe we do this to protect ourselves from disappointment. But everything eventually ends, and new opportunities arise.

 

 It's called life!

 

Whether you perceive it or not, everything is constantly changing – the environment, the weather, the economy, technology, society, your friends and family, your body, everything. And the better you are at embracing Change in what is happening in your world, the easier it will be for you to live your best life.

 

I want you to stop and think about what problems you are facing today?

Please write it down. 

In business, are you lacking sales?

Do you need more new clients to expand your business? 

Do you need to recruit more talented employees to boost your company's growth?

Do you need to remove employees not producing?

Do you need to focus on your health? 

Get your finances in order?

 

You have three choices when facing any problem.

 

1. Accept it.
2. Change it.
3. Leave it.

 

Accept it.

Your response to any event, not the event itself, determines your experience's outcome.

 

You can't change the events that happen out of your control. But you can learn from those experiences.

 

Think about Global warming, floods, droughts, fires, earthquakes, financial crises, and cyber-attacks are all events that represent Change.

 

You cannot do much to change those events.

 

You CAN change your response to them and ensure that the outcomes you experience in your life are as positive as possible.

 

In my experience, a turning point in our lives leads us to change -a better job, a more fulfilling relationship, new friends, more profound wisdom, more freedom, the discovery of our life purpose, the development of new skills, and spiritual growth. 

 

See, Change is a gift to us! 

 

Please take a moment later today and think back to some change you feared or resisted and all the good that eventually came from it.

 

Once you begin to see that, you can anticipate the good that will come from the changes you are facing now.

 

A good question to ask yourself is, "What's the opportunity that this is?"

If you look, you will find it.

 

And Change will become something to appreciate and embrace rather than to fear and resist.

 

Remember, YOU always have control over how you choose to respond to things.

 

And when you respond with an attitude of curiosity, optimism, and confidence, you'll find it so much easier to survive and thrive during the Change.

 

 

Change it.

The word change sounds terrifying because Change often involves risk and loss – possibly of something big, like your job, money, friends, family, or the loss of whatever is comfortable and familiar.

 

Some people see Change as something to fear or dread instead of a new adventure that can potentially improve your life.

 

That's what Change is: it's an opportunity for you to experience something new and to grow and evolve as a person.

 

Change asks you to:

• Have an open mind to see things from a new perspective and learn something new.
• Develop qualities like flexibility, optimism, courage, and persistence.

 

All of which ultimately results in you becoming a better, more capable person.

And that's a good thing!

Life is all about making progress, and that includes making changes.

 

When you resist Change, you take away the experiences that can transform your life professionally and personally.

 

When you welcome and embrace Change, you open and allow yourself to grow and expand.

 

Leave it.

Your third option is to leave it! By definition, Leave is to depart permanently. What do you need to leave behind so you can move forward?

 

I advise that if you are unhappy with something in your life or business, change it or leave it!

 

Or take this oath with me and Say this out loud; I accepted it until today! 

 

It is time to Make a Change.

 

If you can't accept it, change it. If you can't change it, it may be time to leave it.

Either way, it's up to you!

 

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

 

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