By Geoffrey James

Want to make sure that as many of your qualified prospects as possible turn into real, life paying customers?  Here is a list of 10 things that you can do TODAY that can easily double your conversion rate, and probably land you in your company’s “winner’s circle” for this quarter, and every quarter after:

• #1: Use more referrals. Sadly, many people distrust sales professionals. As a result, most prospects are disposed to think of reasons not to buy rather than reasons to buy.  When  you come into a sales situation with a referral, those barriers are lowered.
• #2: Only call on decision-makers. Only go after prospects that have job titles that match the buying level of your product or service. Because you have a limited amount of time to sell each day, don’t waste it calling upon people who don’t have the authority to purchase.
• #3: Take control of your calendar. When you first make an appointment, agree to whatever time is convenient for the prospect. Then, once the appointment is in the prospects calendar, request that the appointment be moved to match what’s convenient for you.
• #4: Optimize your meeting schedule. For example, if you find that your typical sales call takes half a day, always schedule meetings at 8:30am and 1:30pm. If you schedule a meeting at 11am, you’ll only able to make a single call that day.
• #5: Make sales calls when prospects are available. Don’t waste prime sales call time (i.e. “working hours”) fussing with your CRM system, doing research, answering emails and so forth. The crux of your job is to sell; all the rest is just busywork.
• #6: Don’t try to accomplish too much. Most B2B sales situations require more than one meeting to close a deal. You need to find an appropriate goal for the initial meeting and achieve that, then move the sale forward to the next step.
• #7: Don’t repeat yourself. Many sales professionals are secretly afraid that the prospect won’t believe what they’re saying, so they start repeating themselves, hoping that repetition will add credibility. Actually, repetition does the opposite.
• #8: Don’t anticipate objections. Unless you are 100 percent certain that a specific objection is going to surface, don’t surface it yourself and answer it. While prospects almost always have objections, the last thing you need to do is to provide them with a laundry list.
• #9: Pinpoint the real objection. If a prospect stalls (e.g. “I need to talk this over with my staff”) or surfaces a vague objection (e.g. “I’m not exactly certain this makes sense.”), ask questions that will clarify the situation so that you know how to proceed.
• #10 Test for the close, then close. When you have told your story, check to see whether it’s time to close.  (E.g. “Does all of this make sense to you?”) Once you’re reasonably certain that the prospect is ready to buy, close the deal.

The list above is based on a conversation with Tom Black, author of best-selling book The Boxcar Millionaire.  Very smart guy and (seriously) the salt of the earth. While he sells for the financial market today, he cut his sales teeth selling Bibles door to door.

Establishing and strengthening emotional bonds between organizations and their employees is not a new concept by any means. It goes without saying that today’s marketplace is extremely competitive and everyone could stand to increase their bottom line. Strategic advantages that set organizations apart from another are hard to come by. However, a distinctive factor each organization possesses is its employees with their unique backgrounds and experiences.

Organizations must choose to actively engage their people in order to increase morale and productivity, especially in this economy. When correctly implemented, employee engagement is a comprehensive, strategic approach that creates positive, lasting results and consistent commitment.

According to a report from the Gallup Organization, employees fall into one of three levels of Engagement:

Actively Disengaged – employees who are fundamentally disconnected from their job. Disengaged employees are not only unproductive, but their attitudes and perceptions spread through the company, resulting in poor performance, lowered job satisfaction and decreased productivity.

Not Engaged Employees – employees who simply come to work for a paycheck and complete their perceived job or functions for the company. Day in and day out, these employees are not cheerleaders for the company or its objectives; however, they are not obstacles either. In some instances, these employees are referred to as the “blind followers” or “sheep.” Who will they follow?

Actively Engaged – employees who stand out among the others. Actively engaged employees are strongly aligned with the organization’s objectives and goals, and they care about the company’s success. They are always looking for ways to improve the company, as well as themselves.

Managers must communicate and lead their employees toward the goals of the organization in order to facilitate engagement. Surveys show that many managers often fall short in effective communication. This situation must be remedied. When people understand company goals and the influence they have on their organization, they are more likely to embrace these goals as their own.

Employee engagement is a pressing topic for every industry. Engaged employees directly influence an organization’s bottom line. Employee engagement programs are responsible for improved financial results, increased customer satisfaction rates, higher productivity, and better employee retention rates. Companies can no longer choose to engage employees; it is a necessary element for survival. Engaged employees are vital to building a successful organization.

Contact us at info@knasolutions.net to set up an appointment for a complimentary initial assessment (At No Cost to You) to determine what will help improve your Employee Engagement.

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Setting Goals

Goal setting is planning for personal achievement. It is a formal process of setting personal targets in a number of areas. The process of setting goals on routine basis helps you decide what you want to achieve with your time, and then set the precise personal target that will lead you to achieving this.

Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Rewarding and Timely.

• The more specific your goals are the more likely you are to be successful in a shorter amount of time.
• You need a way to measure your progress toward the accomplishment of your goals, some specific criteria that will tell you when you’ve achieved the goal.
• An attainable goal is one you believe that you can achieve. Goals should be challenging but reachable.
• A goal is rewarding when you have clear reasons why you want to reach that goal.
• Your goal should have a specific time limit. Setting a timeline will protect you from procrastination and perfectionism.

By planning well you can ensure that you concentrate only on those tasks that will move you towards your goal in the most effective way possible, without being distracted by unimportant but urgent tasks.

The power, we humans, possess can never be compared to any supernatural powers that superheroes, like Superman and the X-men use. After all, they are not real, ours is. Some agent in our body is responsible for giving us this power that makes us more of heroes than they are, an empowering agent, and this is our mind.

It is our mind that gives us authority and superiority, confidence and self-esteem, and inspiration and guidance over ourselves and others. This is how the mind works. This is how the mind empowers.

What is empowerment, by the way? I used to believe that empowerment is simply giving power or authority to somebody. In the book entitled “Empowerment Takes More than a Minute”, it talks about Marvin, a president and CEO of a midsize, once-successful company.

The story is really inspiring and motivating that I’d like to share it with you. It will give us a clearer insight on what empowerment really is and, like me, it might also change your view on it.

For some time now, Marvin had been thinking of his problems on the company he was working at, or for that matter, he was managing. What he failed to see was the company also has its problems on him, that he is turning out to be an ineffective leader. He had taken over leadership there for over a year already, or should I say, for over a year only, and yet his effectiveness as a leader is already not enough for the maintenance, if not progress, of the company.

At least, in all fairness to him, he cared enough to reflect on the matters that might lead to the company’s failure. Again, only it was hard for him to accept the fact that change should start on him before the rest of the company changes.

This made him ponder for quite a while. and then he came up with a solution, one that would make them leaner and meaner, one that he ‘thought’ was helpful - empowerment. And since he believed that everyone needs to be empowered, he made them, not certain if it was at all for the best of the company.

Well, for nine months, it seems that it was not even close to being good; especially that empowerment was merely a word to those supposed-to-be-empowered, and nothing more.

Desperate, he sought help from Sandy, the so-called “Empowering Manager.” At first he was hesitant because he found out that what he once thought as a “he” is really a “she.” It’s as if his self-esteem decreased since he was asking for a help from a lady, but eventually, he had accepted the truth that he really needed advice. The conversation went through and the most interesting part was how Sandy defined empowerment:

“Empowerment is not giving people power. They already have plenty of power, in the wealth of their knowledge and motivation, to do their jobs magnificently. We define empowerment as letting this power out.”

With such clear and motivating points of view, Sandy was able to change the attitude of Marvin towards managing his Company and being able to compete once again.

Although the story was basically focused on managing and leadership, what we can relate to is, what empowerment really is and how it works. But then again, mind power is really about managing ourselves until we can lead others, isn’t it?

Therefore, restating what the Empowerment Manager said, all of us already have that power inside of us. What the mind does is empowering us by releasing that power and letting us use it in appropriate measures.

If you would like to read more about unleashing the full potential of your mind, read on…….

Warning: Once you say you can’t, you just never will.

“Are You Ready to Conquer Your Fears and Start Turning Your Dreams into Reality?”

I’m telling you, you can!

…because you have the power – the power to mold your personality into someone you always wanted to be, the power to shape your future according to how you wanted to live, and the power to create your destiny as to how you wanted to make certain things happen.

Exciting, isn’t it? Definitely!

I bet you haven’t thought how powerful you can be. Yes, you are capable of attaining your heart’s deepest desires - by unleashing the hidden powers of your mind!

I Can. Therefore, I Will! Unleashing the Full Potentials of Your Mind, will teach you how to do just that! You’ll learn how to train your mind on how to create positive reality through positive thoughts.

You can get your copy immediately upon purchase, a downloadable ebook, for $4.99 from knasolutions link in lulu marketplace below:

I Can. Therefore I Will. Ebook Link

Assertive Communication is a style in which individuals clearly state their opinions and feelings, and firmly advocate for their rights and needs without violating the rights of others. Assertive communication is born of high self-esteem. These individuals value themselves, their time, and their emotional, spiritual, and physical needs and are strong advocates for themselves while being very respectful of the rights of others.

Assertive communicators will:

· state needs and wants clearly, appropriately, and respectfully

· express feelings clearly, appropriately, and respectfully

· use “I” statements

· communicate respect for others

· listen well without interrupting

· feel in control of self

· have good eye contact

· speak in a calm and clear tone of voice

· have a relaxed body posture

· feel connected to others

· feel competent and in control

· not allow others to abuse or manipulate them

· stand up for their rights

The impact of a pattern of assertive communication is that these individuals:

· feel connected to others

· feel in control of their lives

· are able to mature because they address issues and problems as they arise

· create a respectful environment for others to grow and mature

The assertive communicator will say, believe, or behave in a way that says:

· “We are equally entitled to express ourselves respectfully to one another.”

· “I am confident about who I am.”

· “I realize I have choices in my life and I consider my options.”

· “I speak clearly, honestly, and to the point.”

· “I can’t control others but I can control myself.”

· “I place a high priority on having my rights respected.”

· “I am responsible for getting my needs met in a respectful manner.”

· “I respect the rights of others.”

· “Nobody owes me anything unless they’ve agreed to give it to me.”

· “I’m 100% responsible for my own happiness.”

Assertiveness allows us to take care of ourselves, and is fundamental for good mental health and healthy relationships.

1. Be clear about your authority. You must be willing to exercise leadership in confronting behavior that may be easier to ignore.

2. Establish clear expectations regarding performance and personal conduct.

3. Make sure you are aware of your Organization’s disciplinary procedures and that you document problems and concerns.

4. Your enforcement of your expectations must be:

i. Consistent

ii. Immediate

iii. Without hostility

iv. Without guilt

5. Let others take responsibility by making the commitment to improve.

6. Be aware of consequences and follow up steps if the person refuses to change or if their behavior does not improve.

7. State directly and specifically what you see happening

8. State the consequences and your concerns about what you see happening.

9. Invite and Listen to comments.

10. Review your expectations regarding the behavior and/or provide needed information and training.

11. Ask for a commitment to improve the behavior.

12. Acknowledge and let the person know that you appreciate their commitment.

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In John W. Garner’s book On Leadership, he makes a number of insightful observations about the work of organizations and the attributes of leadership and I would talk about three areas. First, Gardner argues that the opportunity for leaders is to inspire and release the full creative, imaginative, moral and disciplined power of the men and women who comprise their organization. He writes:

The greatest asset of any society is the talent and energy of its people. Yet no society has ever fully recognized or honored that asset; indeed, most societies have effectively stifled both talent and energy. The release of human possibilities is one of the most basic of social objectives and leadership goals….

There are great, untapped reservoirs of human energy and capacity awaiting leaders who can tap them and societies that deserve them.

Implicit in Gardner’s observations above is a sense that many factors block the flourishing and development of human creativity and possibility. We may see our jobs as ones that silently encourage us to be strategic, inflexible, protective of self or a narrow interest. We may fear change, innovation and new paradigms. We may have lost the passion, idealism and fervor that once inspired our professional lives. Our leaders may have failed to awaken us from complacency or mediocrity. Whatever our excuse, Gardner suggests that human societies, communities and nations can only grow, prosper and flourish by a process of continued regeneration and renewal. He writes:

Continuous renewal is necessary. Leaders must understand how and why human systems age, and must know how the process of renewal must be set in motion. The purposes are always the same:

· To renew and reinterpret values that have been encrusted with hypocrisy, corroded by cynicism or simply abandoned, and to generate new values when needed.

· To liberate energies that have been imprisoned by outmoded procedures and habits of thought.

· To reenergize forgotten goals or generate new goals appropriate to new circumstances.

· To achieve, through science and other modes of exploration, new understandings leading to new solutions.

· To foster the release of human possibilities, through education and lifelong growth.

Much of this is implied in the valuable distinction made by James MacGregor Burns between transactional and transformational leadership. Transactional leadership accepts and works within the structure as it is. Transformational leadership renews.

Effective leaders heighten both motivation and confidence, but when these qualities have been gravely diminished, leaders have a hard time leading. He writes:

Most people in most organizations, most of the time are more stale than they know, more bored than they care to admit. All too often it is because they have not been encouraged to use their own initiative and powers of decision. And if they are not expected to use their decision-making powers, they are off the hook of responsibility. That is the damaging element.

Unrelenting autocracy down the chain of command undermines initiative. It says by implication that your responsibility is not to identify problems beyond those implicit in your orders, not to think about solutions. Wait for the next order! If something goes wrong that is not strictly within the scope of your orders, you need not worry about it. Followers who are passively awaiting orders have lost much of their capacity to be of help.

It is a loss we cannot afford. It is in the very nature of large-scale organization that its only hope of vitality is the willingness of a great many people scattered throughout the organization to take the initiative in performing leaderlike acts, in identifying problems at their levels and solving them.

We need leaders who can bring alive in individuals all down the line that kind of capacity to share the leadership task.

Your thoughts?

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The function of LEADERSHIP is to produce more leaders, not more followers. Although leaders have a vision and ability to make that vision a reality, they differ in the means and tactics they use to accomplish that vision. James MacGregor Burns, in his classic book Leadership, indicated that there are two types of leaders: Those who lead through control and coercion; and those who lead by inspiring and empowering others. You want to be in the latter group, because that is the effective approach.

Let’s focus on some of the characteristics of an empowering leader since that is what we want to be.

• Empowerers are people who accomplish their objectives by creating an environment that elicits the internal motivation and commitment of those they lead.
• They view the people they lead as capable human beings with their own will, feelings and opinions.
• They seek mutually beneficial goals and even seek to raise those they lead to higher levels of motivation, behavior and even morality.
• These leaders, according to Burns, judge their effectiveness not by press clippings, but by actual social change or the transformation of individual and organizational attitudes and behaviors.

As leaders, to empower those you lead, establish the boundaries and encourage people to be self governing in how they execute within the boundaries. To put it simply, the leader defines the “what” and the people decide the “how” for themselves. This approach is a whole lot better than issuing directives. Some elements that define the boundaries within which people are expected to work are:

· Expected Outcomes

· Resources

· Time Frames

· Constraints

Therefore, be an empowering leader, unleash the full potential of your people and create a win-win situation, you have content people/employees and your organizational results improve.

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