Selling in today’s environment requires an inquisitive mindset. So the consultative sales process is a way to gather as much information as possible about a prospect and then be able to prescribe one’s product or service solution to the prospect’s problem/issue. If this process is followed carefully, the close (asking for the “order”) will follow easily also keeping in mind the following:

    1. Use closing as an opportunity; attitude affects performance.

    2. Closing a sale begins when the sales process starts; see it as part of the whole.

    3. Use trial closes; they help you take the “temperature” of a prospect.

    4. A successful close flows naturally from a well-planned presentation.

    5. The right information about the prospects needs or problems and a solution to them give you the “right” to ask for the order.

© 2010 Mind Masters, Used by permission

Quick Proofreading Tips

Let’s face it: spell-check isn’t enough. Word processing software just isn’t smart enough to distinguish between “to,” “two,” and “too”; only a human brain can do that. The following trio of tips will help you use the spell-checker between your ears:

1. Read s-l-o-w-l-y. Your brain is an organ of efficiency, and it will insert letters and words that aren’t actually on the page or screen. Outsmart yourself by slowing down when you’re proofing; this will give you a better chance of catching what’s missing.
2. Mumble. Yes, that’s right—mumble! By sounding out the words as you read them, you’re using your mouth and your ears in addition to your eyes. The more senses you can use when proofing, the better job you’ll do. Mumbling helps you hear when a sentence “just doesn’t sound right.”
3.  Put it in Reverse. Reading backward will help you find typos because it forces you to focus on each word, not sentence structure or content. Use a dictionary to verify spellings and definitions. (Note: Your brain might resist when you first start reading from right to left.)

These tips will help you fix mistakes that spell-check can’t even find. Keep up the good work! Remember: Spell-check isn’t enough. Really.

*Laurie Gibson is an editor, writer, instructor, and proofreader with 15 years of professional experience. Her editorial repertoire includes books, newspapers, magazines, and corporate Web sites, reports, and proposals.  E-mail wordworker1@earthlink.net for more info.

Interview with Kathy Cazin and Linda Harris Online – Details will be sent upon registration

Date: 15 July 2010, Thursday 02:00 PM

Kathy Cazin of Accountkeepers of San Diego helps clients set up an accounting system that is custom tailored to their needs.

Kathy and her staff help make it work for clients because they are QuickBooks experts who specialize in setting up home and business financial records for keeping track of where the money is being spent. Their instructions are explained at a level that’s easily understood by everyone, beginners to advanced. Soon a “word person” can feel as comfortable and organized as someone who’s always been a “numbers person”.

Linda Harris, Harris Insurance & Financial Services

Experience and concern for clients’ well being is the best that anyone can ask for in a financial advisor. Linda has 30 years in the business and prides herself in being there for her clients as long as they need her. She works with small business owners to help create employee benefit packages and insure the stability of the company with “key man” programs.

More information and online registration: Interview with Kathy Cazin and Linda Harris

Tips from a professional photographer for a successful portrait session.

• Review the photographer’s portfolio to see the style of his or her work.
• Request a variety of expressions. Include a fun smile, a warm friendly smile, or a professional expression.
•  Ask the photographer for a clothing guide to help you select the right wardrobe for your skin tone and body style.
•  Include at least two wardrobe changes. Bring a “casual dressy” outfit and an everyday look outfit. Depending on the purpose of your photograph, you may want to bring a business suit. Bring several changes to the studio.
• Request a professional make up artist /hairstylist to be at the studio when you arrive. For women, it’s fun to pamper yourself and have a professional recommend colors or looks you may not have thought of. You can also incorporate the same techniques in your everyday look.
• If you do your own make up and hair, spend time on getting yourself ready. Apply a good foundation and select colors that bring out your eyes and lips. Use hairspray to set your style.
•  Include a close-up (head and shoulders) pose, a three quarter (head to knees) pose and full length if needed.

All these elements are vital for an effective photograph. You don’t have to look like a model to create a beautiful or handsome photograph, so invest the time and money to make it your personal best.

Barbara Steinberg, owner of Premier Photography, has been a professional photographer in San Diego for over 20 years. She’s a member of the Professional Photographers Association of San Diego Count. Call her at 858.272.9925 or visit her web site at http://premierphotography.com

Communication is one of the necessary skills for branding ourselves in the market place. One of our members shared her communication tips which highlights the kind of expertise that members share.

5 Power tips for Communication:

1. The Power of a Story: A compelling story can grab attention the hearts of your audience. What personal story can you tell that connects you to your topic and audience?
2.  The Power of the Pause: Most compelling speakers are masters at the Pause. They know just when to use silence to draw you in. Unfortunately, many business speakers just want to finish their presentations quickly – so they rush through and leave themselves breathless. Don’t be afraid of silence – it’s powerful!
3.  The Power of Inflection: Use vocal variety in your speech. Change up your volume, emphasize key words, see if you can color your speech with your own emotion and passion for your topic.
4. The Power of Animation: Let your body move naturally during your presentations. Get rid of the extra energy that you feel by moving around. Don’t pace or rock back and forth – but do move your feet. Plant your feet and look at the audience when you are making a point. You’ll have a much stronger impact.
5. The Power of Eye Contact – Look at people directly in the eyes. Remember, you can only talk to one person at a time no matter how many people are in your audience. Connect, one to one.

About the author

Dana Bristol-Smith is the founder of Speak for Success, an organization that works with companies that want their people to communicate with confidence and credibility. You can contact Dana  here.

1. Redefine your Goals: Get crystal clear about the goals that motivate you to do the work it takes to grow your business. Also know the reason why you want it. If it’s to make a certain amount of money every month, you need to have a reason. No reason or desired reward, no motivation, more complacency.

2. Recognize the effects of not taking action: Get very clear about the cost of not achieving that goal. If you don’t get this goal, there are consequences. Know what they are.

3. Make commitments to others: Use the power of what Napoleon Hill called a driving force- a master mind group helps you be accountable, as you hold your employees/subcontractors accountable. Valuable support is provided by other business leaders who know what it takes to stay focused.

4. Acknowledge your fears: When you acknowledge your feelings of fear it points your awareness to areas where you need to improve and grow. Do something to move you in the direction of growth.

5. Ask for Help: Asking for what you need is the most underutilized tool for unlocking that comfort zone complacency. Whether its money, information, support, assistance, or time, don’t be afraid to ask for what you need in order grow.

6. Learn to say “No”: Do you spend too much of your time on projects and activities that you really don’t want to do simply because you fall into the trap of pleasing others? (an easier comfort zone then focusing on your own goals). You are going to have to create stronger boundaries about what you will and won’t do.

7. Do 1 thing that makes you uncomfortable every day – work toward stretching those “goal achievement muscles”.

8. Create something new for your business: Be open to change. Change is good—it helps you grow. Develop a new product, a better system, redo your work space, makeover your marketing. They can reignite your momentum and your speed at which you succeed at your goals.

9. Set and meet deadlines for yourself: Set reasonable deadlines for all jobs and stick to them. Hold yourself accountable, it’s true that work expands to fill the available time, so set expectations.

10. Invest in Win-Win Relationships: A great way to build the foundation for a relationship with referral partners is to hook them up with others in your network. Invite them to a workshop, seminar or networking function where they can make valuable new contacts themselves. This keeps you alert and aware of others needs.

The Challenge: Identify an area of your work or business that needs some new energy or change and set an intention to update or refresh it, then do it!

activities that will contribute to achieving your goals?

Which ones need to have specific results set for every day?

Your consistency in those activities grow the business.

Not only do you need customer goodwill but you need to understand customer problems. Get as close to your customers as possible. Call and ask your customers how they are doing and what they might need from you.

Customer relationships are often taken for granted, but if you look at how you got referrals in the past and achieved your business goals, I guarantee you the greater percentage came from the relationships you have developed with your clients/customers.

In his book The Referral of a Lifetime, Tim Templeton talks about the fact that “your customers and clients already know every new contact you will ever need to succeed”. If you take those relationships for granted you may lose your market advantage, your customer relationships are something within your control. When you develop and nurture them they eventually cultivate greater fruits over time. How do you grow them?

♦ Send a thank you note to every person that gives you a referral. People love to be appreciated.

♦ Develop an attitude of gratitude in everything you do….and you will be amazed how your business will explode. You don’t want your past clients to forget you when they or their friends need your services.

♦ Be real with those you come in contact with (personal or professional) and you will create a life-long stream of customers to serve.

Wake up! Shake off the winter hibernation, reconnect and bring new life to your business.

The Challenge: What 3 changes can you make immediately in your business that will solidify your relationship with the customers you already have?

You put those seeds there, you encourage me. You put me on the right track over and over. I am so thankful for Barbara Eldridge!!

Janice Sherlock, The Sherlock Group

I learned the value of stopping the madness and making a plan for the month and breaking it down to actionable time lined accountabilities rather than the “trying to remember it all” method which makes me feel insane. I have too many priorities, so it helped to group them in to marketing, or ops, or call lists etc etc then attack each with time bounded actions. I hope to see improvement in my own organization to attack everything that needs doing.

It also helped to remind me to focus on what I am good at and hire or delegate the rest.

Blake Beckcom, Fitness Together

Boost Your Sales and Profits

Today, nothing plays a greater role in the success or failure of your company then execution. And if you are going to succeed in today’s ultra competitive climate, you’ve got to find the gap between what you want to achieve and your ability to deliver. Not simply tactics, but a system of getting things done through questioning, analysis and follow through.

Join me Monday, March 29th 9:30am as small business owners gather to plan their own economic stimulus package at the Mind Masters Second Quarter Planning Session. These are some of the things you’ll need to think about as you enter the second quarter of the business year.

What you must do today to:

• Get comfortable with the speed of technology that is capturing your market
• Look for what new skills will take you to the nest level
• Rethink your business model to answer the changing marketplace
• Get paid what you are worth
• Make a greater impact on your market, give greater value

Take the right steps now to:

• Re-evaluate your goals – are they big enough?
• Transform ideas to reality
• Understand the critical success factors for growth
• See better profits from more focused plans
• Enjoy the experience of learning from others
• Create a contract with yourself that results in immediate action

The planning session will be held at the 7 Seas Best Western, 411 Hotel Circle, So. in Mission Valley.

ONLY $45. Cost includes lunch.