Herb Hunter Rivercrest » Motivational

Improve yourself and improve your business.

Rivercrest — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 15:30:53 +0000

Never underestimate the importance of self improvement in MLM business. Improve yourself and improve your business. No matter what product or service you may think that you are selling, the thing that you are truly selling is yourself. In traditional business models this is true during the interview process to get hired, it is true during the day to day work process as you attempt to impress your bosses and it is true when you are with customers and clients as you need them to want to work with you, as you are the face of the product or service you are selling. This is at least twice as true in an MLM business.

The key to success in an MLM venture is to remember that you are not only trying to sell product, you are trying to recruit new people to the organization. Regardless of whether they are enticed to buy a ton of product from you, if they like what they see in you, and want to be like you, they are more likely to sign up with your organization, which has the potential to make you even more money in the long run than a hefty order. For this reason you cannot stress enough the importance of self improvement. In MLM, you are the company. How you compose yourself tells potential business associates what kind of business you really have and is how they will decide whether or not they want to join up.

Self improvement is not limited to just how you look though. A great pair of shoes and a sharp haircut are nice, but if you still stumble over your words and don’t use active listening techniques in your presentation, you won’t get very far. The importance of self improvement in MLM business is that it gives you an opportunity to really be someone that your potential recruits will want to be like. People want to follow other people that are successful. They aim to be around people that are attractive because of the energy that surrounds them. Self improvement is all about having a positive aura that will draw people in.

The importance of self improvement cannot be overstated. By growing yourself as a person, you have the unique opportunity to grow your business as well. Become the person that you have always wanted to be and you will find that other people will want to join you, learn from you and try to be just like you. And that is how, in MLM, you can make the real money.

All the best,

Herb Hunter, 734-285-6792, hunter645@aol.com

How To Make Money In Network Marketing

Rivercrest — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 15:17:29 +0000

Here is some great information that someone emailed me titled How To Make Money In Network Marketing. I hope you enjoy the information as much as I did.

Network Marketing is an excellent way for the “average Joe or Jane” to make an extra income. This business concept has been around for decades, and it will not disappear any time soon. The reason for its popularity is simple… It Works! It does however, require lots of work and most importantly, dedication and persistence to get the job done. The best part is, once you are able to set up a solid network, your business becomes MUCH less time intensive. Almost like going on “autopilot”. The key is to get there as fast as possible.

Here are just a couple of tips I have found to be helpful in maximizing your Network Marketing Business:

1. Use your products regularly. This is Number 1 for a reason, this is the most ignored part of ANY network marketing business. How do you expect your business to succeed if you will not even use your own products? It does seem silly to even have to bring this up, but there are many who are not using th eir own products, and wonder why they are not making any money. Make a commitment to use your products for a year, and see where your business goes.

2. Educate yourself constantly. This is very important! You must rid yourself of negative ideas, sometimes referred to as “stinkin thinkin”. This can be done in a variety of ways. I recommend reading at least 15 minutes a day, but try to shoot for 30. Business and self-help books are a great way to start. Don’t forget your Multi-level magazines, as they are full of tips and advice. Lastly, listen to cassette tapes on multi-level tips from top earners in your business.

3. Spend as much time as possible with your upline. Your upline should have only one goal in mind, To Help You Succeed! They are a vast source of knowledge and information. Mingle with top distributors in your group, or other groups, and ask how they made it. Most everyone should be more than happy to provide you with excellent tips and advi ce.

4. Present your products and marketing plan personally to at least one person daily. Remember above when I said you are going to have to work, well here it is. Now here is the key, the prospects to whom you present your plan, do not have to be yours personally. Show the plan for your downline, and not only will you create “security” by placing members in your downlines’ downline, it will also give you a boost in your personal income! I can guarantee if you were to follow this rule for 6 months, you would create a downline with enough width and depth to create an income to sustain you and your family for life.

5. Care for your downline. An entire book can be written on this topic. Usually, it’s the little things that show you really care. Try to maintain regular contact, and always praise your distributor’s accomplishments. You can even offer incentives for specific achievements, such as money, travel, recognition, or other rewards, to help motivate your group.

6. Duplicate yourself by making distributors independent of you. This will help to multiply your time, thus making you and your group more effective. Always lead by example. Never stop recruiting, training and retailing. Remember the KISS formula – “Keep It Simple, Sweety” I know, I know, I changed the last word, but it maintains the meaning. This can be done my conducting simple, brief, yet dramatic presentations, and teaching your downline to do the same.

7. Create a customer base. This is another largely ignored, yet very important, piece of your network marketing business. Many try so hard to build a huge downline, that they forget how much profit they could also make by selling their products to retail customers. Some people will just not want to become part of your downline, no matter how great a product/system you may have. This does not mean they will not be personally interested in your product. Try to make everyone your customer. Once you earn their trust, they will come to you more, and perhaps even join your downline later. Always “leave the door open”, as people’s needs do change.

8. Focus on your customers needs. You must give customers more than they expect, and always satisfy your customers complaints immediately. Try to listen 80% of the time, and talk only 20%. As stated above, your customers can be a huge source of future referrals and/or business. You must earn and maintain their trust. Once you have their trust, you can always ask for referrals, which leads to even more business and a larger downline.

9. Set daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly goals – and Write Them Down! You may have heard the expression, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” Breaking up a larger goal into smaller easily attainable goals, is the key to success. You cannot just jump to the end, you have to make progress everyday. Writing them down is another largely ignored, import ant tip to help you succeed. A goal is just a “passing thought”, or “wish” until you put it in writing. That is when it becomes concrete and real. It is also a great idea to keep a business journal of your daily activities, as it will help you to become more productive and time-conscious.

10. Get Out There And Do It Now! All of the knowledge in the world is useless and unprofitable, until you put the most important ingredient of them all in place. This “secret” ingredient should come as no surprise at all, but this is the #1 reason for failure at anything in life. It is ACTION! Remember, knowledge is useless without action.

Following these steps will almost give you immediate results. Thank you for reading this, and I truly hope this has provided you with valuable information to help you and your business grow and succeed.

If you have interest in starting a home based network marketing business or you are already working in a network marketing business contact me at hunter645@aol.com to get information on a training call that is a “Safe Place ” to learn – totally generic with no product pushing or company endorsements ! I will be happy to provide it for you!

Dare To Be Great,

Herb Hunter, 734-285-6792, hunter645@aol.com

Seal Team Training

Rivercrest — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 22:23:14 +0000

Seal Team Training

Monday – 8:00pm eastern

712 432 3066 pin 953109

Join us for a solid 60 minutes …. ‘an hour of power’ with guest Val Smyth – multi-million dollar earner, master motivater and business builder supreme!

SEAL TEAM TRAINING IS AVAILABLE TO ANYONE WITH NO COST OR OBLIGATION! IT”S A ” SAFE PLACE TO LEARN !” WITH NO PRODUCT PUSHING OR COMPANY ENDORSEMENTS ! VALUABLE BUSINESS BUILDING IDEAS FROM LEADERS WHO” GROW LEADERS, NOT FOLLOWERS!”… SEE YOU ON THE CALL!

DEVELOP THE DO IT NOW HABIT by Tom Hopkins

Rivercrest — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 17:24:27 +0000

Today’s featured blog article is titled develop the do it now habit by Tom Hopkins. Tom Hopkins is one of my long time favorites and after reading this you will understand why.

Self-Discipline really encompasses nearly everything in life. Do you remember in school when you were given 30 days to write a term paper? Did you start it that first night?

Most of us didn’t. Instead, we thought about it every night. “Got to get moving on that ratty project. But I’ve got almost a whole month left–it can wait.” As time goes by, worry about getting a failing grade looms larger in our minds. At first the pain of starting the term paper is greater than our concern about the failing grade, so after a week we still haven’t started. Two weeks go by. What are we doing every night before we go to sleep? Worrying about that F. “I better start. Tomorrow I’ll get moving on it.”

A week before the term paper is due, the F is getting larger–but it’s still not quite large enough to offset the pain of working at preventing it. All of a sudden there are only three days left before it’s due, and at last the F looms larger than the pain of working on the term paper. So we start.

As you lay it out you begin feeling some enthusiasm. “This isn’t bad. I may get an A if I do this and do that.” When you walk in with your paper you’re happy, but you wasted 27 days worrying about starting. In other words, you operated at a deficit emotionally for 27 days when you could have been in the profit column the whole time. Move into the emotional profit column right now; starting today, get your priority tasks and actions handled promptly. Plan your actions, then act on your plans. Apply this determination to every area of your life and it will make an enormous difference in your income, growth rate in business as well as your satisfaction and growth rate personally.

The portrait of a man who was being called the Whiz Kid on Wall Street appeared on the cover of a national magazine many years ago. He was one of the first to put a conglomerate together, and some of the federal laws affecting business in the early 70′s came about because of the trends that his creativity set off. At the time he was 42, he was running one of the largest industrial combines in the country, the conglomerate he had built himself. So the magazine had assigned a journalist and a team of researchers to do an in-depth report on this entrepreneur.

One of the researchers went to the small city the dynamic executive had left 15 years earlier. A few items turned up there about an alcoholic with the same name who had been sleeping on park benches at that time. The researcher passed this information along, and as the journalist was concluding his interview with the Wall Street powerhouse in his plush office, the journalist laughed and said, “Believe it or not, a man with your exact name was sleeping on park benches and getting ousted by the police when you lived in your home town. I guess the poor guy was a real wino. Isn’t that something?”

The president looked up and smiled. “That was me,” he said.

The reporter was flabbergasted. “This can’t be. You’re kidding.”

The president of the conglomerate leaned back in his leather chair and shook his head. “I’m not kidding. The wino sleeping off drinks on park benches was me.”

The journalist stared at him for a moment and realized that the man was telling the truth. He also realized that now he had a whole new story. When his apologies were waved aside, he said, “I have to ask, what made you change?”

Listen to what he said because so many people fit this mold: “When I was sleeping under newspapers in the park 15 years ago, I knew that someday I would do what I’m doing now. I was just waiting until I was ready to start.”

Do you know how many people are like that? “Well, next year’s my year. I’m going to get to work then. You just wait and see–right after the first of the year I’m gonna start shaping up.” But of course the time to get going never quite comes for most people. They have good intentions, but are lacking the two most vital components of any good deed: the motivation to begin and a strategic plan to keep them moving forward.

You see, by not beginning, you’re not risking failure, but you’re also confining yourself to the level of success you currently have. If you’re happy with that, fine. If not, make that plan and get fired up!

If your potential for greater success is nagging at you, don’t wait. Time is flying by so fast. Start today to achieve the greatness you know is within you.
Continued success,
Herb Hunter, 734-285-6792, hunter645@aol.com

2011 New Years Resolutions And Goals

Rivercrest — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 17:08:50 +0000

It’s that time again to set our goals and update our vision boards for 2011. Many of us take time this time of the year to put together 2011 New Years Resolutions And Goals.

As New Years fast approaches I’m sure everyone has given thought to their New Years Resolutions. What do you want to be, do and have in 2011? I believe that New Years Resolutions don’t work unless you set True Goals – goals that have everything you need to be able to achieve them. I wanted to share a quick outline on how to make a True Goal with the hope that your New Years Resolutions this year will result in making 2011 the best year of your life.

Here goes – A True Goal needs three things:

Vision, Mission, and Strategy

Vision Provides a Picture – answering What?
Mission Provides Purpose – answering Why?
Strategy Provides a Plan – answering How?

A true goal requires that you identify what you want, feel a deep sense of why you want it and then develop a plan as to how you will achieve it.

To develop your strategy – there are four simple questions to ask. They are:

Who has done it?
How did they do it?
What are the obstacles?
What are the solutions?

When you set a goal with vision, mission and strategy – you dramatically increase your odds of achieving it.

Here is to making 2011 the best year Ever!

Happy New Year,

Herb Hunter, 734-285-6792, hunter645@aol.com

The Rules Have Changed!

Rivercrest — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:37:58 +0000

Today I want to share a powerful newsletter I received from Dave Blanchard. Dave is an incredible man and he is the CEO of the OG Mandino group.

The Rules Have Changed! Do you know the new rules?
The rules have changed. Can you feel it? Can you see it in the faces of your friends and family members? Can you hear it in their growing pleas for help?

We didn’t get to vote, the rules just changed and far too many were unprepared and are growing increasingly desperate by the day.

For the past two decades much of society has been engaged in the frenetic pursuit of riches. Like chickens with our heads cut off we have run around borrowing and spending while fantasizing about a time ‘when’ we will be free from stress, debt and pain. Many have spent endless and valuable hours vividly living in their minds what it will be like ‘then.’ Our illusions of wealth have been supported by easy credit, funded by increases in real estate values and fueled by a deep desire for ease.

We have been instructed to raise our hands to the universe and proclaim our worthiness with the promise that the universe is ‘stupid’ and will deliver whatever we ask. We have been persuaded, for a fee, to believe there is a fantasy fairy that will magically manifest our wishes in tangible reality if we but visualize our dreams with enough intention. What has been the result? Pundits have reaped millions while herding people into this rabbit hole. Followers have become increasingly broke, broken and angry.

Strangely the blame has not been placed on the efficacy of the message but instead it has been turned inward. Life did not turn out the way we imagined so we blame ourselves for this failure. Cries echo through our homes and communities, “What is wrong with me? Why does it work for everyone else but not me? I can almost touch it. I can almost taste it. Why can’t I have it? Maybe God does not love me?” The idea of magical wealth tickled our ears, but in the end it broke our hearts, destroyed families and friendships and left far too many discouraged and swamped in despair.

Do you know the new rules? Is it time to step back from the firestorms of life and learn them?

In 1988-90, Ramona and I lost millions in the California real estate crash. Strapped with nearly a million dollars in debt and with less than a thousand dollars to our name, we reached deep to find the strength to start over. We loaded everything we owned in two Ryder trucks, packed our seven children in a van and drove away from our shattered dreams. Oddly, Ramona was singing camp songs with the kids. I was in one of the trucks crying.

In the darkest of dark nights I vividly remember lamenting, “I long to cry to the God of my youth, but the God of my youth will not hear my cry. I must change my God or change my cry.” For us the rules had abruptly changed and we did not know the new rules.

We were able to move to a safe place and begin the ten-year process of learning the new rules while cleaning up the mess and rebuilding our lives and our estate. The lessons learned during those ten years were priceless. Don’t want to ever go through it again – but retrospectively we are grateful for the experience.

Today there is no geographic safe place. The current economic challenges are both real and pandemic. So what do we do now? We will want to stand where we are and courageously fight a good fight. To do so, we will want to learn the new rules, rise above the firestorms and see opportunities more clearly even if they are limited. We will want to be okay in spite of the challenges and be an Intentional Creator, creating the most we can with what we have. What we cannot do is spend one more second in confusion and darkness, fantasy or imagined catastrophe. There is not one moment to waste.

Rule #1: It is not about me.

It has always been about others. Og calls this the greatest secret of success in all ventures. However, for two decadent decades we have been instructed to make it all about us.

Following these instructions we have focused on satisfying ‘our’ desires, ‘our’ pleasures, ‘our’ needs. We have grown to believe that the delivery of riches is based solely on ‘our’ personal worthiness for wealth. Sadly, the dark journey down this rabbit hole did not result in peace of mind and promised enlightenment, especially when tested by the very real firestorms of life that are currently raging around us. In fact the results were often just the opposite. We were left empty and often made decisions that also left us very alone and lonely.

Our character has been forged in the furnace of adversity. We know what pain feels like. We can choose to wallow in self-pity and pain or we can choose to use these life experiences as a rich resource to better connect and serve others. When we learn how to do the latter, there is finally purpose in our suffering, joy in the journey and much healing in our souls.

We will want to discover how our life experiences have prepared us perfectly for this moment in time. We will want to master the Seven Principles of Intrinsic Validation and learn how to step into someone’s world, take down walls of resistance, create safe places and unleash huge reserves of cooperation and productivity. We will want to experience the very real joy that comes from being the beneficiary of this huge reserve as it is released. We will want to experience the joy that comes from being a partner with a Power greater than ourselves in bringing joy to others. We will want to be there ready to walk through the doors that open as we joyfully serve.

We will want to master Quality #1 of becoming an Intentional Creator – Connecting with People.

Rule #2: Use your mind constructively.

Creation occurs in two very different yet essential and complimentary stages. The first stage is mental creation. The second is physical creation. Both are required. One does not occur without the other IF we want our dreams to be realized in tangible reality.

Most who seek more in their life share two very powerful thought processes in common that will drive vivid mental creation. These thoughts can be a great gift or a deadly curse depending on how they are employed.

These two thought processes are much like a giant fire hose. Focus these powerful thoughts on destructive mental activities and they will blow apart our lives. The result will be repeated failure, misery and sleepless nights. Focus these thoughts on constructive mental activities and we will receive inspired ideas, impressions and solutions to problems. These vivid insights will literally light up parts of our brain that are normally dormant. This ignites passion, a willingness to suffer for something we love and see so clearly.

Sadly, 98% of those who have these two thought processes use them destructively. We will want to learn the five constructive ways of using these thought processes. We will also want to learn the techniques and practices for avoiding the three destructive uses. Gift or curse? Our choice.

It is time to master Quality #2: Goals and Expectations.

Rule #3: Live in the now in purpose driven creation.

It is here in the now that the second stage of creation occurs, physical creation. And yes, creation requires effort. However, we get to choose. One, we can work on in despair with every action being hard, boring, mundane and repetitious; or two, we can experience passion that will drive focus, discipline, effort and action.

Success is a choice. If we choose success, effort is not an option. It is a requirement. This is a tough rule for many. For them, work is a four-letter word. We agree. It is time to learn how to be in passion driven action!

Here’s a bonus. When we learn how to fully use our natural gifts, we are endowed with even more ability. When we learn how to be in passion driven action, people will be put on our path that we can serve and who can serve us.

Physical creation can be arduous or joyful. It is our choice.

It is time to master Quality #3: Completing Tasks..

Rule #4: Surrender.

Over 98% of those seeking abundance naturally avoid order and structure. Many want to fire their boss, yet are unwilling to apply for the job. We often live in resistance, resentment and even rebellion to rules, policies, procedures, people in positions of authority, anything perceived as controlling.

There is a “strait and narrow” way. A “strait” is a circuitous route through dangerous waters that are often filled with unseen obstacles. We can insist on being right and stubbornly cling to our way of doing things, but when should we do so, we will waste a lot of valuable time repairing unnecessary damage to our life-boat.

Success has rules. The very word “rules” can raise the hair on the back of our neck. Imagine discovering that obedience to these rules is in fact an invitation to freedom, the very freedom we seek.

It is time to master Quality #4: Discipline and Structure.

Rule #5: Find joy in the journey.

How can we feel gratitude yet want more out of life? How do we maximize our abilities without concern for recognition or remuneration? How can we embrace sorrow knowing that joy is waiting around the corner and will be even sweeter because of the sorrow? How can we better manage our time and convert being busy to being productive? How do we survive hard times? How can we find meaning and purpose in all that we do? How can we embrace obstacles that seem to get in our way and slow down our progress?

Learn this rule and find joy in every moment of life. Discover how this will unleash huge reserves of energy that will speed up the creation process. Without this we are relegated to a life of overwhelm and frustration. We easily become victims, takers, energy sucks. Quite a contrast from joy that supports productivity!

It is time to master Quality #5: Finding joy in the journey.

Rule #6: Heal your self-esteem.

What impact do unmet expectations have on our self-esteem? What about painful situations that have damaged the fragile underpinnings of trust? How about inconsistencies between how we show up in public life and how we show up in our private or secret lives?

How would it feel to let go of overcompensating behaviors such as the need to impress or pretend? How would it feel to show up free of the need to let others know how much we are suffering or the sacrifices we are making or how hard life is? How would it feel to let go of shame and instead use these painful life experiences to serve others and heal their soul and ours? Feeling any fear? How crippling can fear be? Ready to let it go and be at peace in any setting?

What have our sabotaging thought processes wanted us to believe about ourselves? If I said half the things to you that your thoughts say to you about you, could we be friends?

Imagine learning the six ways to heal self-esteem and let go of all of the sabotaging noise. Imagine what it would be like to feel whole and complete, real, genuine and authentic, comfortable in our own skin and fully available to serve others?

It is time to master Quality #6: Healing Self-Esteem

Summary:

We are the owners of a very rare gift. Unlike every other creature on this planet, we can step back from our unhealthy habits of thinking, reflect on our thoughts and choose to change. We can choose to be on our best behavior. We can see the needs of others and serve. We no longer seek to receive abundance. We no longer seek to win abundance. We discover that abundance is a sacred process in which we actively participate and eventually become.

Bottom line: We can choose to learn these rules, rise above our sabotaging thoughts, embrace our natural gifts and choose to be the good person we are in spite of the firestorms of life and in every circumstance.

Smile. As it turned out for me and will for you, too, the new rules are really not new at all. They are timeless. The newness for each of us will be in the personal discovery, surrender and application. We haven’t been looking here, or more honestly stated, wanting to look here. This is the cry that I needed to change. These are the rules I learned in the dark nights, nights that would try any soul. These are the real secrets for creating wealth.

We invite you to take an Intentional Creation Assessment. Measure your thought processes. Discover which thoughts are resisting and which thoughts will support you in mastering these Qualities and following these rules. This is your life. Choose to live it well.

Go to: www.intentionalcreation.com for a free 20 minute consultation. I know it can benefit you.

Continued success,

Herb Hunter, 734-285-6792, hunter645@aol.com

THE WINNING EDGE by Brian Tracy

Rivercrest — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 17:16:47 +0000

Today’s feature post is, the winning edge by Brian Tracy. There is great information for you here to increase your chances of success.

Thousands of hours and millions of dollars have been spent studying the most successful salespeople in our society. They have been interviewed exhaustively, as have their customers, co-workers and managers. Today we know more about what it takes for you to be one of the best in the business than we have ever known before. And the most important thing we have learned in all these studies is that selling is more psychological than anything else.
THE KEY TO HIGH PERFORMANCE

One of the most important concepts ever discovered in the field of human performance is called the “winning edge concept.” This concept or principle, states that, “small differences in ability can translate into enormous differences in results.” What it means is that if you become just a little bit better in certain critical areas of selling, it can translate into enormous increases in sales. In fact, you may be on the verge of a major breakthrough in your sales results at this very moment just by learning and practicing something new and different to what you have done before.

If a horse comes in first by a nose, it wins ten times the prize money of the horse that comes in second, even though the difference is only a nose, or perhaps a couple of inches, in a photo finish.

SMALL DIFFERENCES MEAN BIG REWARDS

Does this mean that the horse that wins by a nose is ten times faster than the horse that comes in second, by a nose? Of course not! Is the horse that wins by a nose twice as fast, or fifty percent faster, or ten percent faster? The answer is “no” to all of these. The horse that wins is only a nose faster, but it translates into ten times the prize money.

GET 100% OF THE COMMISSION

By the same token, the salesperson who gets the sale for himself and his company gets one hundred percent of the business and one hundred percent of the commission. Does this mean that his product is one hundred percent better than that of the competition, or one hundred percent cheaper? The fact is that the product may not even be as good and it may cost even more than that of the competitor, but the top salesman gets the sale nonetheless. The person who gets the sale, is in most cases, not vastly better than the person who loses the sale. He or she merely has the “winning edge” and that translates into one hundred percent of the business.

ACTION EXERCISES

Now, here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action. First, identify the important things you do in every sale, from prospecting to closing, and think about what you could do to improve in each area. Second, select one specific area where you feel you are weak and make a plan to become absolutely excellent in this area. This decision alone could change your career.

Continued success,
Herb Hunter, 734-285-6792, hunter645@aol.com

THE NAME OF THE GAME IS PROSPECTING

Rivercrest — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 20:15:43 +0000

Paul J Meyer is one of my all time favorites. Today’s blog is by Mr. Meyer titled, The Name Of The Game Is Prospecting. It is loaded with great information.

Written by Paul J. Meyer
A true picture of waste and lack of direction is the salesperson who begins the workday with honest intentions, but with no idea who to contact to make a sale or presentation.

Unless you form the habit of prospecting…
Unless you develop and sharpen that habit into an obsession…

Your day’s work will be aimless, And, you will accomplish nothing.

No sales will be made unless they are lined up in advance. Successful sales come about only when you see enough of the right people…at the right time…and under the right conditions. I’ve said it countless times before, and I’ll say it again:
The name of the game is prospecting!

It’s a fact of life that can neither be rationalized nor overlooked: the salesperson who is not prospecting is not selling!

Not long ago, a large direct-sales organization conducted a nationwide survey to determine exactly what part of the selling process was most difficult for sales people…

THREE PERCENT of the sales people polled said the approach was most difficult.

SIX PERCENT said representation was the hardest.

TEN PERCENT experienced the most difficulty with closing…

BUT, FORTY-NINE PERCENT were honest enough to admit that prospecting was the most difficult phase to master.
Do you know what that means?
It means that no matter how skilled or successful you are now, you can be beaten by anyone who masters the art of prospecting.

It is IMPERATIVE that you develop a consistent and ongoing system of prospecting. This is not something that you just do on Monday. It is something you do at least six days a week until you develop:

a prospecting AWARENESS,

a prospecting CONSCIOUSNESS,

a prospecting ATTITUDE, and

a prospecting HABIT.

Set a goal to not conclude a sale until you have at least four to eight referrals from the new client.

There are two kinds of people in the world: those who KNOW and those who DON’T KNOW.

Who do you know in every area that can be a resource or piece of your network that can lead you to a prospect? The daily habit of prospecting will add to your system, will add to your sales expertise, and more importantly, will add to your enthusiasm and increase your effectiveness in every area of marketing.

The foundation of all successful sales people is prospecting.

I became quite famous years ago for developing a prospecting system in the marketing organizations I headed. One of my favorite lines (which has been quoted thousands of times) is: I would rather be a master prospector than the wizard of speech and have no one to tell my story to.

Your prospecting consciousness is the KEY to your business, the SOURCE of your sales achievements, and the BEGINNING of each successful day.

Prospecting is to successful selling as breathing is to living.

The SUCCESSFUL SALESPERSON must prospect all the time – every day, every hour, every minute – in order to survive and to win!

In successful selling,

The name of the game IS PROSPECTING!!

To Your Success,

Herb Hunter, 734-285-6792, hunter645@aol.com

97% of all sales are not made on the first call..Expose yourself to No!

Rivercrest — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 16:53:05 +0000

97% of all sales are not made on the first call. It takes five to ten exposures (follow-ups) to a prospect to make the first sale. The prospect may not actually say “no” each time, but each time you follow-up and the prospect doesn’t buy, he’s saying: “not now, buddy; do something else for me; I’m still shopping around; I haven’t met with my partner; try again later; in short, you haven’t sold me yet.”

As a professional salesperson you better have what it takes to persevere through the follow-up process and not quit. Be willing to put forth the effort to get to the last “no.,” or consider taking a job in a warehouse with a salary.

Here are some follow-up guidelines to ensure early closing success…

* Know the real reasons your prospect wants your product.
* Know the real reasons your prospect does not want your product.
* Know your prospects hot buttons (things you think will make the prospect buy), and work with them in constructing your follow-up plan.
* Present new information relative to the sale each time you call or visit.
* Be creative in your style and presentation manner.
* Be sincere about your desire to help the customer first, and earn the commission second.
* Be direct in your communication. Beating around the bush will only frustrate the prospect (and probably cause him to buy elsewhere). Answer all questions. Don’t patronize the prospect.
* Be friendly. People like to buy from friends.
* Use humor…Be funny. People love to laugh. Making your prospect laugh is a great way to establish common ground and rapport.
* When in doubt, sell the prospect for her reasons, not yours.
* Don’t be afraid to ask for the sale each time.

If there were a formula for following up it would be…their reasons + new information + creative + sincere + direct + friendly + humor = SALE…but there isn’t an exact formula. Every follow-up is different, and elements from the above guidelines must be chosen as called for.

Here are a few lead-in lines you might try so that you don’t feel uneasy about how to start the conversation…

* I discovered something that I believe to be an important factor in your decision…
* I just faxed you a letter from a customer who had an experience like yours…
* Something new has occurred that I thought you would like to know about…
* There has been a change in status…
* I was thinking about you, and called to see if you found out about…

Don’t say “I called to see if you got my letter, proposal, info or sample”…it sounds dumb…and it gives the prospect a way out. If he doesn’t want to talk to you he’ll say, “No, I never got it.” Where does that leave you? Nowhere. Why not try: “I sent you some (name the stuff) the other day and I wanted to go over a couple of things with you personally, because they weren’t self-explanatory…”

Some salespeople fear that they’re “bugging” the prospect if they call too often. If you feel that way it’s for two reasons :

1. You haven’t established enough rapport and have limited access.
2. Your follow-ups are about selling and not about helping.

It’s likely you won’t bug the prospect if…He’s a salesperson himself; you have something new, creative, or funny to say; you’re short and to the point; he’s genuinely interested in your product or service; he returns your calls right away; or, he likes you.

It’s likely you will bug the prospect if…You call more than three times without a returned call; you ask dumb or pushy questions (probably because you didn’t listen well in the first place); you are perceived as insincere; you exert pressure too soon or too often; or, you are in any way rude to the prospect or anyone on his staff.

Follow-up is another word for sale. Your ability to follow-up will determine your success in sales. Ask any professional salesperson the secret for success, he or she will answer…persistence.

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Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Knock Your Socks off Selling and Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless.

I hope you found Jeffrey’s information valuable. I know I did.

To your success,
Herb Hunter, 734-285-6792, hunter645@aol.com

The 100/0 principle

Rivercrest — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:10:52 +0000

I received this in email form and felt the message and book was so good I wanted to share it with you, Its titled the 100/0 principle.

An Excerpt from
The 100/0 Principle
by Al Ritter

What is the most effective way to create and sustain great relationships with others? It’s The 100/0 Principle: You take full responsibility (the 100) for the relationship, expecting nothing (the 0) in return.

Implementing The 100/0 Principle is not natural for most of us. It takes real commitment to the relationship and a good dose of self-discipline to think, act and give 100 percent.

The 100/0 Principle applies to those people in your life where the relationships are too important to react automatically or judgmentally. Each of us must determine the relationships to which this principle should apply. For most of us, it applies to work associates, customers, suppliers, family and friends.

STEP 1 – Determine what you can do to make the relationship work…then do it. Demonstrate respect and kindness to the other person, whether he/she deserves it or not.

STEP 2 – Do not expect anything in return. Zero, zip, nada.

STEP 3 - Do not allow anything the other person says or does (no matter how annoying!) to affect you. In other words, don’t take the bait.

STEP 4 – Be persistent with your graciousness and kindness. Often we give up too soon, especially when others don’t respond in kind. Remember to expect nothing in return.
At times (usually few), the relationship can remain challenging, even toxic, despite your 100 percent commitment and self-discipline. When this occurs, you need to avoid being the “Knower” and shift to being the “Learner.” Avoid Knower statements/ thoughts like “that won’t work,” “I’m right, you are wrong,” “I know it and you don’t,” “I’ll teach you,” “that’s just the way it is,” “I need to tell you what I know,” etc.

Instead use Learner statements/thoughts like “Let me find out what is going on and try to understand the situation,” “I could be wrong,” “I wonder if there is anything of value here,” “I wonder if…” etc. In other words, as a Learner, be curious!

Principle Paradox

This may strike you as strange, but here’s the paradox: When you take authentic responsibility for a relationship, more often than not the other person quickly chooses to take responsibility as well. Consequently, the 100/0 relationship quickly transforms into something approaching 100/100. When that occurs, true breakthroughs happen for the individuals involved, their teams, their organizations and their families.

To Your Success,

Herb Hunter, 734-285-6792, hunter645@aol.com