Happy New Year 2009
“The Vision that I glorify in my mind
The Ideal that I enthrone in my heart
This I will build by my life
This I will become” – James Allen
"Successful people form the habits of doing the things failing people don't like to do."
WHAT WOULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE . . .
. . .”What If I was to do it consistently...”
Your life is a reflection of your habits. Habits are choices repeated. Change your choices and you will change your life. Here are some habits you might want to adopt.
• Focus. Focus on the task at hand. Clear your mind of everything else.
• Focus on first things first. Make prioritizing a priority.
• Finish what you start. Commit to finishing what you start.
• Get up earlier. The early bird gets the worm, which means it's better to be an early bird than an early worm.
• Get up earlier and do something important.
• Have breakfast meetings. Get the day off to a good start.
• Stop taking work home with you.
• Read more books or listen to more messages on a specific subject. Become an expert.
• Go home earlier. If you start earlier, you can finish earlier.
• Go home earlier and spend more time with your family.
• Watch less TV.
• Go to bed earlier and get more rest.
• Eat less.
• Exercise more.
According to some studies, it takes 21 days to change a habit.
Why not think in terms of 30 days? If you can do something consistently for 30 days, you can do it forever.
In a year, you could establish 12 new habits, one per month.
Finish strong!
Make 2009 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #11
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #11 REMEMBER NAMES AND FACES
Follow the IRA rules:
• Impression: Get a clear impression of a person's name and face. Forget yourself and concentrate on the other individual.
• Repetition Repeat repeat the person's name at short intervals, especially in the early minutes of your conversation. Write it down once you leave the meeting. Review names of people you want to remember at regular intervals.
• Association: Associate the name with an action picture. If possible, include the person's business. Help others remember your name by providing an association for them!
Richaard Wong RFP, ChLP, FChFP Best Practices, Training & Development
20/F, AIA Building, 1 Stubbs Road Hong Kong Tel: +852 2832 6762 Fax: + 852 2572 1792
Richaard-kl.wong@aig.com
Check out previous articles at http://rebpo.blogspot.com/
Notice of Confidentiality
This transmission contains information that may be confidential. It has been prepared for the sole and exclusive use of the intended recipient, his team and on the basis agreed with that person. If you are not the intended recipient of the message (or authorized to receive it for the intended recipient), you should notify us immediately; you should delete it from your system.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Merry Xmas
I am a Choice Maker
I become what I think about
The Me I see
The Me I will Be
Any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious." Vince Lombardi
FINISH STRONG
On New Year's Day, 1929, Georgia Tech played the University of California in the Rose Bowl. Shortly before half-time, a player named Roy Riegels recovered a fumble for California. Somehow, he got spun around as he headed for the goal line. Roy ran well. He ran fast. But Roy Riegels also ran in the wrong direction. A teammate tackled him just before Roy would have scored for Georgia Tech. When California attempted to punt, Georgia Tech blocked the kick and scored a safety.
California headed off the field and into the locker room. As they sat on the benches, Riegels put a blanket around his shoulders, put his face in his hands, and cried like a baby.
Coach Nibs Price said nothing. No doubt he was trying to decide what he might do with Riegels. The stunned California players just sat there. When the timekeeper announced the three minute warning, Coach Price looked at the team and said simply, "The same team that played the first half will start the second."
All the players got up and started out, except for Riegels. The coach called to him again, but still he didn't move.
So he went over to Riegels and said, "Roy, didn't you hear me? The same team starts the second half!"
Riegels looked up, with tears in his eyes and said, "Coach, I can't do it! I've ruined you! I've let down my teammates. I've ruined myself. I can't face the crowd out there in the stadium." Coach Price reached out and put his hand on Riegel's shoulder and said, "Roy, get up and go back. The game is only half over!"
Roy Riegels went back. Everyone who saw that famous game said it was perhaps the greatest half of football a player ever played. His performance wasn't enough though; Georgia Tech won the game by 1 point.
After the game, coach Nibs Price defended Riegels, saying "It was an accident that might have happened to anyone." Price credits Riegels as the smartest player he ever coached. Riegels would take his spot as captain during his senior year, earning All-American honors.
Despite the nationwide mockery that followed, Riegels went on to live a normal life, serving in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II, coaching high school and college football, including time at California, and running his own chemical company. He was even able to capitalize on his blunder, parodying the now-famous run in vaudeville acts.
In 1991, Riegels was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame. Riegels died in 1993, at the age of 84. In 1998, he was posthumously elected to Cal's Hall of Fame.
Roy Riegels finished strong!
In selling, we often "take the ball and run in the wrong direction." We stumble and fumble and get discouraged with our results. We never want to try again. It's then we must be reminded that most selling hours produce little in the way of results. Our job is to hang in there and finish strong.
Finish strong!
Make 2008 great in every way! Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #10
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #10 SMILE - HAPPINESS
Be welcomed wherever you go - start cultivating happiness with your smile.
• The voice with a smile almost always wins.
• Practice smiling 15 minutes in the morning.
• Smile before going into prospects' offices.
• Smile at your children.
• Smile at your spouse.
• Feelings follow actions - see what feelings begin to follow after one week of practicing smiling.
What do your prospects hear and feel on the other end of the line?
Richaard Wong RFP, ChLP, FChFP Best Practices, Training & Development
20/F, AIA Building, 1 Stubbs Road Hong Kong Tel: +852 2832 6762 Fax: + 852 2572 1792
Richaard-kl.wong@aig.com
Check out previous articles at http://rebpo.blogspot.com/
Notice of Confidentiality
This transmission contains information that may be confidential. It has been prepared for the sole and exclusive use of the intended recipient, his team and on the basis agreed with that person. If you are not the intended recipient of the message (or authorized to receive it for the intended recipient), you should notify us immediately; you should delete it from your system.
“Things which matters most must never be at the mercy of things which matters least” - Goethe –
I am a Choice Maker
I become what I think about
The Me I see
The Me I will Be
Any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious." Vince Lombardi
FINISH STRONG
On New Year's Day, 1929, Georgia Tech played the University of California in the Rose Bowl. Shortly before half-time, a player named Roy Riegels recovered a fumble for California. Somehow, he got spun around as he headed for the goal line. Roy ran well. He ran fast. But Roy Riegels also ran in the wrong direction. A teammate tackled him just before Roy would have scored for Georgia Tech. When California attempted to punt, Georgia Tech blocked the kick and scored a safety.
California headed off the field and into the locker room. As they sat on the benches, Riegels put a blanket around his shoulders, put his face in his hands, and cried like a baby.
Coach Nibs Price said nothing. No doubt he was trying to decide what he might do with Riegels. The stunned California players just sat there. When the timekeeper announced the three minute warning, Coach Price looked at the team and said simply, "The same team that played the first half will start the second."
All the players got up and started out, except for Riegels. The coach called to him again, but still he didn't move.
So he went over to Riegels and said, "Roy, didn't you hear me? The same team starts the second half!"
Riegels looked up, with tears in his eyes and said, "Coach, I can't do it! I've ruined you! I've let down my teammates. I've ruined myself. I can't face the crowd out there in the stadium." Coach Price reached out and put his hand on Riegel's shoulder and said, "Roy, get up and go back. The game is only half over!"
Roy Riegels went back. Everyone who saw that famous game said it was perhaps the greatest half of football a player ever played. His performance wasn't enough though; Georgia Tech won the game by 1 point.
After the game, coach Nibs Price defended Riegels, saying "It was an accident that might have happened to anyone." Price credits Riegels as the smartest player he ever coached. Riegels would take his spot as captain during his senior year, earning All-American honors.
Despite the nationwide mockery that followed, Riegels went on to live a normal life, serving in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II, coaching high school and college football, including time at California, and running his own chemical company. He was even able to capitalize on his blunder, parodying the now-famous run in vaudeville acts.
In 1991, Riegels was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame. Riegels died in 1993, at the age of 84. In 1998, he was posthumously elected to Cal's Hall of Fame.
Roy Riegels finished strong!
In selling, we often "take the ball and run in the wrong direction." We stumble and fumble and get discouraged with our results. We never want to try again. It's then we must be reminded that most selling hours produce little in the way of results. Our job is to hang in there and finish strong.
Finish strong!
Make 2008 great in every way! Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #10
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #10 SMILE - HAPPINESS
Be welcomed wherever you go - start cultivating happiness with your smile.
• The voice with a smile almost always wins.
• Practice smiling 15 minutes in the morning.
• Smile before going into prospects' offices.
• Smile at your children.
• Smile at your spouse.
• Feelings follow actions - see what feelings begin to follow after one week of practicing smiling.
What do your prospects hear and feel on the other end of the line?
Richaard Wong RFP, ChLP, FChFP Best Practices, Training & Development
20/F, AIA Building, 1 Stubbs Road Hong Kong Tel: +852 2832 6762 Fax: + 852 2572 1792
Richaard-kl.wong@aig.com
Check out previous articles at http://rebpo.blogspot.com/
Notice of Confidentiality
This transmission contains information that may be confidential. It has been prepared for the sole and exclusive use of the intended recipient, his team and on the basis agreed with that person. If you are not the intended recipient of the message (or authorized to receive it for the intended recipient), you should notify us immediately; you should delete it from your system.
“Things which matters most must never be at the mercy of things which matters least” - Goethe –
"Five years from now, you'll be the same person you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read." Charlie "Tremendous" Jones
HOW TO BUILD YOUR BUSINESS THROUGH TREMENDOUS BOOKS* by Charlie "Tremendous" Jones
• Read to energize yourself. Read yourself full, think yourself clear, set yourself on fire and they will love to watch you burn.
• Learn to communicate. Communication skills are crucial. Books are the foremost tool for teaching you how to get your point across no matter what the situation.
• Educate your team. Incorporate books and reading -- use books about motivation and communication skills along with your company's technical training.
• Listen to your staff. Some companies have incorporated employee response to readings in their company newsletters and bulletins, reprinting voluntary comments by newly motivated employees.
• Recognize and reward. Use special books as awards for recognized achievements. People will not only be rewarded for their efforts but they will learn from their reward. Send a book to a client to recognize an achievement.
• Promote your business. Make your favorite book, labeled with your name and company, your new calling card for very important prospects. It's a calling card that's never thrown away!
• Be remembered. Never miss an opportunity to say thank you to a client for a favor or referral with a gift of a book. Any opportunity to send a greeting card to an important client is an excellent opportunity to bring your name to their mind with a book. If they read the book, the ideas that may result will be associated to your credit as much as, or more than, the author's.
*Excerpt from an article in the August/September 2008 issue of Success Magazine distributed at a memorial service for Charlie Tremendous Jones.
Finish strong! Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling, Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #9
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #9 APPRECIATION AND PRAISE
Opportunities to show appreciation:
• New Business.
• Assistants and others who help me.
• Interviews.
• Return phone calls promptly.
• Referrals/report back.
• Send prospects/clients business or leads.
Know my competitors well enough to praise them.
Richaard Wong RFP, ChLP, FChFP Best Practices, Training & Development
20/F, AIA Building, 1 Stubbs Road Hong Kong Tel: +852 2832 6762 Fax: + 852 2572 1792 Richaard-kl.wong@aig.com
Check out previous articles at http://rebpo.blogspot.com/
Notice of Confidentiality
This transmission contains information that may be confidential. It has been prepared for the sole and exclusive use of the intended recipient, his team and on the basis agreed with that person. If you are not the intended recipient of the message (or authorized to receive it for the intended recipient), you should notify us immediately; you should delete it from your system.
“Things which matters most must never be at the mercy of things which matters least” - Goethe –
HOW TO BUILD YOUR BUSINESS THROUGH TREMENDOUS BOOKS* by Charlie "Tremendous" Jones
• Read to energize yourself. Read yourself full, think yourself clear, set yourself on fire and they will love to watch you burn.
• Learn to communicate. Communication skills are crucial. Books are the foremost tool for teaching you how to get your point across no matter what the situation.
• Educate your team. Incorporate books and reading -- use books about motivation and communication skills along with your company's technical training.
• Listen to your staff. Some companies have incorporated employee response to readings in their company newsletters and bulletins, reprinting voluntary comments by newly motivated employees.
• Recognize and reward. Use special books as awards for recognized achievements. People will not only be rewarded for their efforts but they will learn from their reward. Send a book to a client to recognize an achievement.
• Promote your business. Make your favorite book, labeled with your name and company, your new calling card for very important prospects. It's a calling card that's never thrown away!
• Be remembered. Never miss an opportunity to say thank you to a client for a favor or referral with a gift of a book. Any opportunity to send a greeting card to an important client is an excellent opportunity to bring your name to their mind with a book. If they read the book, the ideas that may result will be associated to your credit as much as, or more than, the author's.
*Excerpt from an article in the August/September 2008 issue of Success Magazine distributed at a memorial service for Charlie Tremendous Jones.
Finish strong! Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling, Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #9
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #9 APPRECIATION AND PRAISE
Opportunities to show appreciation:
• New Business.
• Assistants and others who help me.
• Interviews.
• Return phone calls promptly.
• Referrals/report back.
• Send prospects/clients business or leads.
Know my competitors well enough to praise them.
Richaard Wong RFP, ChLP, FChFP Best Practices, Training & Development
20/F, AIA Building, 1 Stubbs Road Hong Kong Tel: +852 2832 6762 Fax: + 852 2572 1792 Richaard-kl.wong@aig.com
Check out previous articles at http://rebpo.blogspot.com/
Notice of Confidentiality
This transmission contains information that may be confidential. It has been prepared for the sole and exclusive use of the intended recipient, his team and on the basis agreed with that person. If you are not the intended recipient of the message (or authorized to receive it for the intended recipient), you should notify us immediately; you should delete it from your system.
“Things which matters most must never be at the mercy of things which matters least” - Goethe –
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Lesson from a life time of learning-081208
"Five years from now, you'll be the same person you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read." Charlie "Tremendous" Jones
Even if you've never heard Charlie T. Jones speak, it's likely this bit of wisdom has touched your life. For more than 50 years, the internationally acclaimed personal development mentor was on a mission to help people improve their lives through reading.
LESSONS FROM A LIFETIME OF LEARNING* by Charlie "Tremendous" Jones
• READ TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE.
For Charlie Jones, reading isn't a hobby; it is a necessity for learning. He said, "People who don't read are no better off than those who can't read. Jones says all achievers should read biographies, devotional books and books about their profession. "Don't read to be smart; read to be real. Don't read to be big; read to be down to earth. Don't read to memorize, read to realize. Don't read to learn, read to unlearn a lot of things you should have never learned in the first place. And never read a lot - read just enough to get your mind stimulated and thinking and get you curious and hungry; to keep you learning all your life."
• SEEK COUNSEL.
When someone comes to Jones for advice, he asks, "Would you like my good advice or would you like my priceless advice?" Of course, they want to know the difference. He says his good advice will indeed be good. But when people ask for advice, they're asking someone to tell them what to do - and no one else can know what you should do.
"What you should do is never take or ask for advice, but get counsel. Counsel is when you gather information from different sources and then make your decision. But always - when you make your decision - you make it your decision and let no one else influence it."
• BE FLEXIBLE.
It's great to have a plan, but how often do things go as planned? Being flexible allows you to work through whatever happens without getting bent out of shape.
• LAUGH AT YOURSELF.
Learning is the key; and laughing at or not taking oneself too seriously speeds the learning process. He's often asked how he's become so successful: "'Good judgment,' I say. And then they'll ask, 'Well, how do you get that?' 'Experience.' And again they'll ask, 'How do you get that?' 'Poor judgment!'"
• LIVE WITH GRATITUDE.
Learning to be thankful is the greatest secret of success. A thankful spirit keeps you looking up when you're down. When doctors told Jones he would likely never speak again, rather than complain that his speaking career was finished, he chose to keep life in perspective. "I've had a good voice for 80 years . . . Now that I'm 80, cancer has finally taken its toll; my sight, hearing, strength and voice are going. I'm more thankful and excited than ever, and I'm looking forward to celebrating our 60th wedding anniversary with an around-the-world tour. Life is truly tremendous."
*Excerpt from an article in the August/September 2008 issue of Success Magazine distributed at a memorial service for Charlie Tremendous Jones.
Finish strong!
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #8
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #8 Know your Busines
• Great sales reps are those whose clients have confidence in them and their abilities.
• Keep growing.
• Keep learning and studying.
• Keep records of my performance.
• Know my business -- keep knowing my business.
• Keep getting better and better.
Knowing my business is an investment of time and money that will result in the confidence of my prospects and clients.
Richaard Wong Best Practices, Training & Development AIA
20/F, AIA Building, 1 Stubbs Road Hong Kong Tel: +852 2832 6762 Fax: + 852 2572 1792 Richaard-kl.wong@aig.com
Check out previous articles at: http://rebpo.blogspot.com/
Even if you've never heard Charlie T. Jones speak, it's likely this bit of wisdom has touched your life. For more than 50 years, the internationally acclaimed personal development mentor was on a mission to help people improve their lives through reading.
LESSONS FROM A LIFETIME OF LEARNING* by Charlie "Tremendous" Jones
• READ TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE.
For Charlie Jones, reading isn't a hobby; it is a necessity for learning. He said, "People who don't read are no better off than those who can't read. Jones says all achievers should read biographies, devotional books and books about their profession. "Don't read to be smart; read to be real. Don't read to be big; read to be down to earth. Don't read to memorize, read to realize. Don't read to learn, read to unlearn a lot of things you should have never learned in the first place. And never read a lot - read just enough to get your mind stimulated and thinking and get you curious and hungry; to keep you learning all your life."
• SEEK COUNSEL.
When someone comes to Jones for advice, he asks, "Would you like my good advice or would you like my priceless advice?" Of course, they want to know the difference. He says his good advice will indeed be good. But when people ask for advice, they're asking someone to tell them what to do - and no one else can know what you should do.
"What you should do is never take or ask for advice, but get counsel. Counsel is when you gather information from different sources and then make your decision. But always - when you make your decision - you make it your decision and let no one else influence it."
• BE FLEXIBLE.
It's great to have a plan, but how often do things go as planned? Being flexible allows you to work through whatever happens without getting bent out of shape.
• LAUGH AT YOURSELF.
Learning is the key; and laughing at or not taking oneself too seriously speeds the learning process. He's often asked how he's become so successful: "'Good judgment,' I say. And then they'll ask, 'Well, how do you get that?' 'Experience.' And again they'll ask, 'How do you get that?' 'Poor judgment!'"
• LIVE WITH GRATITUDE.
Learning to be thankful is the greatest secret of success. A thankful spirit keeps you looking up when you're down. When doctors told Jones he would likely never speak again, rather than complain that his speaking career was finished, he chose to keep life in perspective. "I've had a good voice for 80 years . . . Now that I'm 80, cancer has finally taken its toll; my sight, hearing, strength and voice are going. I'm more thankful and excited than ever, and I'm looking forward to celebrating our 60th wedding anniversary with an around-the-world tour. Life is truly tremendous."
*Excerpt from an article in the August/September 2008 issue of Success Magazine distributed at a memorial service for Charlie Tremendous Jones.
Finish strong!
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #8
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #8 Know your Busines
• Great sales reps are those whose clients have confidence in them and their abilities.
• Keep growing.
• Keep learning and studying.
• Keep records of my performance.
• Know my business -- keep knowing my business.
• Keep getting better and better.
Knowing my business is an investment of time and money that will result in the confidence of my prospects and clients.
Richaard Wong Best Practices, Training & Development AIA
20/F, AIA Building, 1 Stubbs Road Hong Kong Tel: +852 2832 6762 Fax: + 852 2572 1792 Richaard-kl.wong@aig.com
Check out previous articles at: http://rebpo.blogspot.com/
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Leadership Philiosophy -011208
Leadership is not personality, title or endowment. Leadership is a price." Charlie "Tremendous" Jones
Garry Kinder and his wife, Janet, attended the memorial service for Charlie "Tremendous" Jones. This philosophy was given to every person in attendance. It is an excerpt from an article in the August/September 2008 issue of Success Magazine.
MY LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY by Charlie "Tremendous" Jones
Leadership is not personality, title or endowment. Leadership is a price. We all pay the price: either the price of leadership or the price of failure. No one ever leads in a crowd. Someone sets the pace or paves the way.
• THE ART OF DECISION MAKING Make it: Don't wait until you can make the right decision. Make a decision and then make it right. Make it yours: Get good counsel, but when the final decision is made, make it yours. Stick by it: Stick by your decisions, never quit. Great goals aren't reached in 30 days.
• LIFE'S THREE GREAT DECISIONS
1. Who will you live your life with?
A marriage is not successful because of compatibility. Integrity is the key. Integrity to make a decision, make it yours and die by it.
2. What will you live your life in?
A job is as sacred as a marriage. The person who doesn't love, honor and cherish their work will never receive the rewards that come to those who live their work.
3. What will you live it for?
Purpose and Motive. Purpose produces passion. If the motive isn't right, the results will be wrong. We can succeed for ourselves or for God.
• WEARINESS We grow through failure, we tolerate the critics and no one knows like the leader the wearisome process of transforming a thin skin and hard heart into a thick skin and soft heart.
• VISION Vision belongs to all who are willing to commit their lives to their goals. After commitment, the decisions are simple because vision is that quality that enables and empowers us to pay the price.
Finish strong!
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #7
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #7 DESERVE CONFIDENCE
• All things being equal or not equal, people buy from salespeople they trust, respect, and like.
• Always be honest.
• Be sincere.
• Be prepared.
• Look your best.
If you do not sell someone the first time, leave a trail of trust behind. If you want others to have confidence in you and your recommendations, you must first deserve confidence.
Richaard Wong Best Practices, Training & Development AIA
20/F, AIA Building, 1 Stubbs Road Hong Kong Tel: +852 2832 6762 Fax: + 852 2572 1792 Richaard-kl.wong@aig.com
Check out previous articles at: http://rebpo.blogspot.com/
Garry Kinder and his wife, Janet, attended the memorial service for Charlie "Tremendous" Jones. This philosophy was given to every person in attendance. It is an excerpt from an article in the August/September 2008 issue of Success Magazine.
MY LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY by Charlie "Tremendous" Jones
Leadership is not personality, title or endowment. Leadership is a price. We all pay the price: either the price of leadership or the price of failure. No one ever leads in a crowd. Someone sets the pace or paves the way.
• THE ART OF DECISION MAKING Make it: Don't wait until you can make the right decision. Make a decision and then make it right. Make it yours: Get good counsel, but when the final decision is made, make it yours. Stick by it: Stick by your decisions, never quit. Great goals aren't reached in 30 days.
• LIFE'S THREE GREAT DECISIONS
1. Who will you live your life with?
A marriage is not successful because of compatibility. Integrity is the key. Integrity to make a decision, make it yours and die by it.
2. What will you live your life in?
A job is as sacred as a marriage. The person who doesn't love, honor and cherish their work will never receive the rewards that come to those who live their work.
3. What will you live it for?
Purpose and Motive. Purpose produces passion. If the motive isn't right, the results will be wrong. We can succeed for ourselves or for God.
• WEARINESS We grow through failure, we tolerate the critics and no one knows like the leader the wearisome process of transforming a thin skin and hard heart into a thick skin and soft heart.
• VISION Vision belongs to all who are willing to commit their lives to their goals. After commitment, the decisions are simple because vision is that quality that enables and empowers us to pay the price.
Finish strong!
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #7
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #7 DESERVE CONFIDENCE
• All things being equal or not equal, people buy from salespeople they trust, respect, and like.
• Always be honest.
• Be sincere.
• Be prepared.
• Look your best.
If you do not sell someone the first time, leave a trail of trust behind. If you want others to have confidence in you and your recommendations, you must first deserve confidence.
Richaard Wong Best Practices, Training & Development AIA
20/F, AIA Building, 1 Stubbs Road Hong Kong Tel: +852 2832 6762 Fax: + 852 2572 1792 Richaard-kl.wong@aig.com
Check out previous articles at: http://rebpo.blogspot.com/
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Fix Action Plan -241108
"No life ever grows great until it is focused, dedicated and disciplined."
- Harry Emerson Fosdick
FIX ACTION PLAN
A reporter once asked Michael Jordan how he had maintained consistency throughout his career. Jordan's response is the most practical goal-achieving strategy we know anything about. Jordan said, "Years ago, I simplified things. Thirty- two points per game is only eight points a quarter. I figure I will find some way each quarter to get eight points."
This is a clear, simple approach for setting a high standard for yourself and then achieving it. Begin with the end in mind. Then break it down into easily achievable mini-goals, and focus on those numbers. We call this Goal Attainment Insurance, and it can make a big difference in your approach to goal setting in selling.
Goal setting defines chief aims. Goal setting puts order in your selling life. It sets priorities. It makes focus possible. Done properly, goal setting always leads to commitment -- and commitment makes everything you're up to worthwhile.
Goal setting is often a de-motivating practice unless it is broken down into doable components. This is where you focus.
The two keys are commitment and focus.
An individual with specific goals is an individual who will make a responsible commitment. This is the person who believes a commitment made is a debt unpaid.
Effectiveness and productivity are greatly multiplied when one has singleness of purpose. Tunnel vision is good when targets are clearly identified.
Goal setting is the initial cause of which success is the final effect.
Finish strong!
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #6
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #6
THE ART OF LISTENING
• Look people straight in the eyes when they are talking.
• Give them your undivided attention. This communicates that you think what they have to say is important.
• Listen to what people are actually saying.
• When you really listen, it makes your use of questions more productive; you will uncover what they are not saying.
• When you uncover what they are not saying, you have helped them discover what they needed to say, but didn't know how.
This is the magic of listening in selling.
Richaard Wong Best Practices, Training & Development AIA
20/F, AIA Building, 1 Stubbs Road Hong Kong Tel: +852 2832 6762 Fax: + 852 2572 1792 Richaard-kl.wong@aig.com
Check out previous articles at: http://rebpo.blogspot.com/
Notice of Confidentiality
This transmission contains information that may be confidential. It has been prepared for the sole and exclusive use of the intended recipient, his team and on the basis agreed with that person. If you are not the intended recipient of the message (or authorized to receive it for the intended recipient), you should notify us immediately; you should delete it from your system.
- Harry Emerson Fosdick
FIX ACTION PLAN
A reporter once asked Michael Jordan how he had maintained consistency throughout his career. Jordan's response is the most practical goal-achieving strategy we know anything about. Jordan said, "Years ago, I simplified things. Thirty- two points per game is only eight points a quarter. I figure I will find some way each quarter to get eight points."
This is a clear, simple approach for setting a high standard for yourself and then achieving it. Begin with the end in mind. Then break it down into easily achievable mini-goals, and focus on those numbers. We call this Goal Attainment Insurance, and it can make a big difference in your approach to goal setting in selling.
Goal setting defines chief aims. Goal setting puts order in your selling life. It sets priorities. It makes focus possible. Done properly, goal setting always leads to commitment -- and commitment makes everything you're up to worthwhile.
Goal setting is often a de-motivating practice unless it is broken down into doable components. This is where you focus.
The two keys are commitment and focus.
An individual with specific goals is an individual who will make a responsible commitment. This is the person who believes a commitment made is a debt unpaid.
Effectiveness and productivity are greatly multiplied when one has singleness of purpose. Tunnel vision is good when targets are clearly identified.
Goal setting is the initial cause of which success is the final effect.
Finish strong!
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #6
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #6
THE ART OF LISTENING
• Look people straight in the eyes when they are talking.
• Give them your undivided attention. This communicates that you think what they have to say is important.
• Listen to what people are actually saying.
• When you really listen, it makes your use of questions more productive; you will uncover what they are not saying.
• When you uncover what they are not saying, you have helped them discover what they needed to say, but didn't know how.
This is the magic of listening in selling.
Richaard Wong Best Practices, Training & Development AIA
20/F, AIA Building, 1 Stubbs Road Hong Kong Tel: +852 2832 6762 Fax: + 852 2572 1792 Richaard-kl.wong@aig.com
Check out previous articles at: http://rebpo.blogspot.com/
Notice of Confidentiality
This transmission contains information that may be confidential. It has been prepared for the sole and exclusive use of the intended recipient, his team and on the basis agreed with that person. If you are not the intended recipient of the message (or authorized to receive it for the intended recipient), you should notify us immediately; you should delete it from your system.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Bcome A peak Peformer-Nov08
The first thing to do, if you have not done it, is to fall in love with your work. Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody else expects of you. Never excuse yourself. Never pity yourself. Be a hard taskmaster to yourself." Henry Ward Beecher
BECOME A PEAK PERFORMER
Peak performers are those sales professionals who manage to go to the top and stay there. Peak performers have these four common characteristics:
• Pay Attention - They don't just look, they see something. They don't just listen, they hear something. • Pay the Price - They have a passion to excel. No price is too great. Peak Performers focus. They consistently do the things their competitors will not or cannot do. • Are Promoters - They become known for what they know. They find ways to distinguish themselves from the competition. • Persist - They believe in the type of philosophy advanced by Cyrus Hall at Hallmark Cards, "When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."
Dexter Yager is respected throughout the sales world as one of its most influential Peak Performers. We read one time where Dexter attributed his excalibur peak performance to seven character builders. We've recommended these to our sales audiences and we strongly recommend them to you. These seven character-building tips are behavior changing.
• Avoid the crybaby mentality. Into each life some rain will fall. Expect it. Accept it. Forget it. • Fight fairness frustration. It's those who make the most of the cards they are dealt who become Peak Performers. • Stop being a brooder reactor. You wll never do well if you tend to dwell. • Don't get down on yourself. Compete but don't compare. Lean to the positive. • Don't depend on other people's approval. People-pleasing can paralyze you into indecision. • Overcome personal cowardice. Act courageously. • Let your career be ruled by God. As Carlyle said, "It's the spiritual that determines the material."
Embrace these Dexter Yager character-building philosophies. Develop the four common characteristics of Peak Performers: pay attention, pay the price, promote yourself and persist.
Finish strong!
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #5
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #5
THE KEY ISSUE
• Find the basic need.
• Find the main point of interest.
• Find the most vulnerable spot.
• Use "Why?" • Use "In addition to that . . ."
When you identify the key issue -- stick to it!
Richaard Wong Best Practices, Training & Development AIA
20/F, AIA Building, 1 Stubbs Road Hong Kong Tel: +852 2832 6762 Fax: + 852 2572 1792 Richaard-kl.wong@aig.com
Check out previous articles at: http://rebpo.blogspot.com/
Notice of Confidentiality
This transmission contains information that may be confidential. It has been prepared for the sole and exclusive use of the intended recipient, his team and on the basis agreed with that person. If you are not the intended recipient of the message (or authorized to receive it for the intended recipient), you should notify us immediately; you should delete it from your system.
BECOME A PEAK PERFORMER
Peak performers are those sales professionals who manage to go to the top and stay there. Peak performers have these four common characteristics:
• Pay Attention - They don't just look, they see something. They don't just listen, they hear something. • Pay the Price - They have a passion to excel. No price is too great. Peak Performers focus. They consistently do the things their competitors will not or cannot do. • Are Promoters - They become known for what they know. They find ways to distinguish themselves from the competition. • Persist - They believe in the type of philosophy advanced by Cyrus Hall at Hallmark Cards, "When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."
Dexter Yager is respected throughout the sales world as one of its most influential Peak Performers. We read one time where Dexter attributed his excalibur peak performance to seven character builders. We've recommended these to our sales audiences and we strongly recommend them to you. These seven character-building tips are behavior changing.
• Avoid the crybaby mentality. Into each life some rain will fall. Expect it. Accept it. Forget it. • Fight fairness frustration. It's those who make the most of the cards they are dealt who become Peak Performers. • Stop being a brooder reactor. You wll never do well if you tend to dwell. • Don't get down on yourself. Compete but don't compare. Lean to the positive. • Don't depend on other people's approval. People-pleasing can paralyze you into indecision. • Overcome personal cowardice. Act courageously. • Let your career be ruled by God. As Carlyle said, "It's the spiritual that determines the material."
Embrace these Dexter Yager character-building philosophies. Develop the four common characteristics of Peak Performers: pay attention, pay the price, promote yourself and persist.
Finish strong!
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #5
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #5
THE KEY ISSUE
• Find the basic need.
• Find the main point of interest.
• Find the most vulnerable spot.
• Use "Why?" • Use "In addition to that . . ."
When you identify the key issue -- stick to it!
Richaard Wong Best Practices, Training & Development AIA
20/F, AIA Building, 1 Stubbs Road Hong Kong Tel: +852 2832 6762 Fax: + 852 2572 1792 Richaard-kl.wong@aig.com
Check out previous articles at: http://rebpo.blogspot.com/
Notice of Confidentiality
This transmission contains information that may be confidential. It has been prepared for the sole and exclusive use of the intended recipient, his team and on the basis agreed with that person. If you are not the intended recipient of the message (or authorized to receive it for the intended recipient), you should notify us immediately; you should delete it from your system.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Create your future- 101108
CREATE YOUR FUTURE
Success is almost always earned by the minority - the dedicated few who are willing to pay the price.
Success begins with thoughts. Thoughts control our actions. Actions all too soon become habits. Habits shape and mold livesOur colleague of years past, Earl Nightingale, labeled this discovery, "The Strangest Secret: You become what you think about most of the time." Actually, thousands of years earlier Solomon pointed out: "Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts."
Change Your Thinking
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungsHis bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.
Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene
One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by.Although the other man could not hear the band - he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.Days, weeks and months passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.
She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body awayAs soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside.He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed. It faced a blank wall.The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, 'Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.' Epilogue: There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy.'Today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present.'
It is our belief that the best way to predict your future is to create it. We believe you create a future, characterized by high performance and fulfillment, by making a responsible commitment to form sound habits in these five areas:
• Thinking Right Professionals in selling display a blend of pro- active behaviors, enthusiasm and persistence. They make commitments to excellence in all they do. They resolve to make good on these commitments. Professionals know this requires maintaining a correct mental attitude, a good work ethic, sharpening persuasion skills, developing competence and living their lives in balance.
Being always comes before the doing.
If you desire to do something great, you must first become something great.
Don't just stand there -- MAKE IT HAPPEN
Success is almost always earned by the minority - the dedicated few who are willing to pay the price.
Success begins with thoughts. Thoughts control our actions. Actions all too soon become habits. Habits shape and mold livesOur colleague of years past, Earl Nightingale, labeled this discovery, "The Strangest Secret: You become what you think about most of the time." Actually, thousands of years earlier Solomon pointed out: "Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts."
Change Your Thinking
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungsHis bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.
Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene
One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by.Although the other man could not hear the band - he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.Days, weeks and months passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.
She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body awayAs soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside.He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed. It faced a blank wall.The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, 'Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.' Epilogue: There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy.'Today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present.'
It is our belief that the best way to predict your future is to create it. We believe you create a future, characterized by high performance and fulfillment, by making a responsible commitment to form sound habits in these five areas:
• Thinking Right Professionals in selling display a blend of pro- active behaviors, enthusiasm and persistence. They make commitments to excellence in all they do. They resolve to make good on these commitments. Professionals know this requires maintaining a correct mental attitude, a good work ethic, sharpening persuasion skills, developing competence and living their lives in balance.
Being always comes before the doing.
If you desire to do something great, you must first become something great.
Don't just stand there -- MAKE IT HAPPEN
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Be a self starter - 031108
Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like doing it or not." Thomas Huxley
BE A SELF-STARTER
Nicholas Murray Butler, former Chancellor of Columbia University, once said, "There are three kinds of people in the world today -- those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who have no idea of what is happening.
As salesperson you can distinguish yourself by having the ability to make things happen.
You were attracted to sales because you demonstrated a willingness to accept the responsibility for making desired results happen. Being accountable for making things happen and producing those desired results is invigorating. It gives real meaning to your sales job.
Salespeople who enjoy the reputation of knowing how to get a job done tell us the secret lies in forcing yourself to take that first step toward achieving some kind of victory today. Goethe put this truth into words, which are sure to help you when you make them a part of your thinking. He said, "Are you in earnest? Seize this very minute. What you can do, or dream you can, begin it! Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Only engage, and then the mind grows heated. Begin, and the task is half completed."
Don't wonder or ponder or contemplate too long. Don't wait until you feel like it.
Don't wait until conditions are just right. Instead, "begin it!"
Be a self-starter. You will grow and go on to greater and higher levels of production in selling.
Finish strong!
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #4
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #4- ASK Questions
Six Things You Can Gain Using the Question Method
• Helps you avoid arguments. • Helps you avoid talking too much. • Enables you to help prospects recognize what they want. Then, you can help them decide how to get it. • Helps crystallize prospects' thinking. The idea becomes theirs. • Helps you find the most vulnerable point with which to close the sale - the key issue. • Gives people a feeling of importance. When you show that you respect their opinion, they are more likely to respect yours.
Sincere appreciation,
Richaard Wong
Best Practice, Training and Developement
American International Assurance Co, Ltd
20/F AIA building, 1 Stubbs Road
Hong Kong
Tel (852) 2832 6762
Fax (852) 2572 1792
“Things which matters most must never be at the mercy of things which matters least” - Goethe -
Check out previous articles at: http://rebpo.blogspot.com/
Notice of Confidentiality
This transmission contains information that may be confidential. It has been prepared for the sole and exclusive use of the intended recipient, his team and on the basis agreed with that person. If you are not the intended recipient of the message (or authorized to receive it for the intended recipient), you should notify us immediately; you should delete it from your system.
BE A SELF-STARTER
Nicholas Murray Butler, former Chancellor of Columbia University, once said, "There are three kinds of people in the world today -- those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who have no idea of what is happening.
As salesperson you can distinguish yourself by having the ability to make things happen.
You were attracted to sales because you demonstrated a willingness to accept the responsibility for making desired results happen. Being accountable for making things happen and producing those desired results is invigorating. It gives real meaning to your sales job.
Salespeople who enjoy the reputation of knowing how to get a job done tell us the secret lies in forcing yourself to take that first step toward achieving some kind of victory today. Goethe put this truth into words, which are sure to help you when you make them a part of your thinking. He said, "Are you in earnest? Seize this very minute. What you can do, or dream you can, begin it! Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Only engage, and then the mind grows heated. Begin, and the task is half completed."
Don't wonder or ponder or contemplate too long. Don't wait until you feel like it.
Don't wait until conditions are just right. Instead, "begin it!"
Be a self-starter. You will grow and go on to greater and higher levels of production in selling.
Finish strong!
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #4
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #4- ASK Questions
Six Things You Can Gain Using the Question Method
• Helps you avoid arguments. • Helps you avoid talking too much. • Enables you to help prospects recognize what they want. Then, you can help them decide how to get it. • Helps crystallize prospects' thinking. The idea becomes theirs. • Helps you find the most vulnerable point with which to close the sale - the key issue. • Gives people a feeling of importance. When you show that you respect their opinion, they are more likely to respect yours.
Sincere appreciation,
Richaard Wong
Best Practice, Training and Developement
American International Assurance Co, Ltd
20/F AIA building, 1 Stubbs Road
Hong Kong
Tel (852) 2832 6762
Fax (852) 2572 1792
“Things which matters most must never be at the mercy of things which matters least” - Goethe -
Check out previous articles at: http://rebpo.blogspot.com/
Notice of Confidentiality
This transmission contains information that may be confidential. It has been prepared for the sole and exclusive use of the intended recipient, his team and on the basis agreed with that person. If you are not the intended recipient of the message (or authorized to receive it for the intended recipient), you should notify us immediately; you should delete it from your system.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
The Debt of leadership
"The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority." Ken Blanchard
THE DEBT OF LEADERSHIP
From the September 30, 2008 Blog post: "Learning Leadership" by Jan Loy, Copyright 2007 - www.sharingencouragement.wordpress.com
John Maxwell says, "Leadership is influence. That's it. Nothing more; nothing less."
So, according to his definition, we are all leaders on some level. Whether you are leading a family, an organization, a little league sports team, a committee, a business, or a multi-million dollar enterprise - you influence others.
Leadership certainly has its rewards and challenges, but I believe there is another aspect that deserves some careful thought and action. It is what I call the "Debt of Leadership" - the things I "owe" to those I influence.
Consider these things:
• I owe excellence. I should be the very best I can be as a person and as a leader. That means I must continue to grow. • I owe decisiveness. I must be able to make good, informed decisions even in difficult circumstances. That means I must gather information and learn to apply wisdom. • I owe what I know. I must be willing to share insights and constructive criticism in a helpful way. That means I must learn from my victories as well as my mistakes. • I owe right relationships. In as much as possible, I should be at peace with others. This means I must practice forgiveness and reconciliation. I must take time to notice the positive in others. This means I will give credit to others for their accomplishments. • I owe gratitude. I must practice a thankful attitude in the situations I face. This means I will express gratitude for the blessings, the opportunities, the resources and the people who walk alongside me.
The "Debt of Leadership" must be paid each day. As it is paid, you will find that what you have invested will begin to multiply and return to you. Your diligence in leadership will not only "pay off" for you, but for those you influence as well.
Thank you, Jan, for allowing us to share this insight with our valued clients. In our business, we certainly have a "Debt of Leadership." Our clients depend on us for sound advice. More than ever, in the current economic climate, we need to practice these "Debt of Leadership" principles - strive for excellence in everything, help clients make wise, informed decisions, share what you have learned, be a relationship builder - and last, but not least - practice gratitude.
Finish strong!
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #3
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #3
THINK IN TERMS OF OTHERS' INTERESTS
• Find out what people want, and help them get it. • When you know what they want, "hit the bull's-eye." • When you show people what they want, they will move heaven and earth to get it. • Take your mind off what you will get out of a sale and put it on what others will get out of it!
==========================================================================
Sincere Appreciation,
Richaard Wong
Training and Development
American International Assurance Co, Ltd
20/F AIA building, 1 Stubbs Road
Hong Kong
Tel (852) 2832 6762
Fax (852) 2572 1792
“Things which matters most must never be at the mercy of things which matters least” - Goethe -
Check out previous articles at: http://rebpo.blogspot.com/
Notice of Confidentiality
This transmission contains information that may be confidential. It has been prepared for the sole and exclusive use of the intended recipient, his team and on the basis agreed with that person. If you are not the intended recipient of the message (or authorized to receive it for the intended recipient), you should notify us immediately; you should delete it from your system.
THE DEBT OF LEADERSHIP
From the September 30, 2008 Blog post: "Learning Leadership" by Jan Loy, Copyright 2007 - www.sharingencouragement.wordpress.com
John Maxwell says, "Leadership is influence. That's it. Nothing more; nothing less."
So, according to his definition, we are all leaders on some level. Whether you are leading a family, an organization, a little league sports team, a committee, a business, or a multi-million dollar enterprise - you influence others.
Leadership certainly has its rewards and challenges, but I believe there is another aspect that deserves some careful thought and action. It is what I call the "Debt of Leadership" - the things I "owe" to those I influence.
Consider these things:
• I owe excellence. I should be the very best I can be as a person and as a leader. That means I must continue to grow. • I owe decisiveness. I must be able to make good, informed decisions even in difficult circumstances. That means I must gather information and learn to apply wisdom. • I owe what I know. I must be willing to share insights and constructive criticism in a helpful way. That means I must learn from my victories as well as my mistakes. • I owe right relationships. In as much as possible, I should be at peace with others. This means I must practice forgiveness and reconciliation. I must take time to notice the positive in others. This means I will give credit to others for their accomplishments. • I owe gratitude. I must practice a thankful attitude in the situations I face. This means I will express gratitude for the blessings, the opportunities, the resources and the people who walk alongside me.
The "Debt of Leadership" must be paid each day. As it is paid, you will find that what you have invested will begin to multiply and return to you. Your diligence in leadership will not only "pay off" for you, but for those you influence as well.
Thank you, Jan, for allowing us to share this insight with our valued clients. In our business, we certainly have a "Debt of Leadership." Our clients depend on us for sound advice. More than ever, in the current economic climate, we need to practice these "Debt of Leadership" principles - strive for excellence in everything, help clients make wise, informed decisions, share what you have learned, be a relationship builder - and last, but not least - practice gratitude.
Finish strong!
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #3
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #3
THINK IN TERMS OF OTHERS' INTERESTS
• Find out what people want, and help them get it. • When you know what they want, "hit the bull's-eye." • When you show people what they want, they will move heaven and earth to get it. • Take your mind off what you will get out of a sale and put it on what others will get out of it!
==========================================================================
Sincere Appreciation,
Richaard Wong
Training and Development
American International Assurance Co, Ltd
20/F AIA building, 1 Stubbs Road
Hong Kong
Tel (852) 2832 6762
Fax (852) 2572 1792
“Things which matters most must never be at the mercy of things which matters least” - Goethe -
Check out previous articles at: http://rebpo.blogspot.com/
Notice of Confidentiality
This transmission contains information that may be confidential. It has been prepared for the sole and exclusive use of the intended recipient, his team and on the basis agreed with that person. If you are not the intended recipient of the message (or authorized to receive it for the intended recipient), you should notify us immediately; you should delete it from your system.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Finish strong - Build to succeed
I have pretty hefty goals this year." Michael Phelps, Olympic Champion
FINISH STRONG; Built to Succeed
Excerpts from 8/17/08 article by Alan Abrahamson, NBCOlympics.com
The board beside the pool where Michael Phelps and his teammates trained bore this message, “In business, words are words, explanations are explanations, promises are promises, but only performance is reality."
Michael Phelps combines his physical gifts, mental toughness and a passion for his sport -- tough to beat.
Key Factors in Performance
• Natural Gifts - honed to near perfection. • Love of swimming - Phelps exuberantly loves to swim. • Inordinate appetite for incredibly hard work. • Ruthlessly competitive.
Phelps said, "When I'm focused, there is not one single thing, person, anything that can stand in my way of doing something."
As we now know, the key to Phelps' focus is setting goals! Every year, he shares his goals with his coach, Bob Bowman -- written down, race by race, including the time he wants to achieve in each. Bowman said, "He hands it to me and I read it. He is right on the money about where he ends up, almost always."
Traditionally, Phelps has never said a word about what's on the paper. His performance at the Olympics revealed the goals he gave to Bowman.
Bowman, who is something of a student of success literature, said a recurring theme of his coaching and direction is that, "successful people make a habit of doing things that unsuccessful people don't like to do. That's it. They make a habit of doing things other people aren't willing to do."
Translate this to our professional sales career. Combine your natural gifts with your passion for selling and appetite to work hard, insert focus, which we know to be goal setting, and watch your goals become reality.
Finish strong to start strong!
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #2
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #2
ORDER: SELF-ORGANIZATION
• Designate a set period of time each week for self-organization, planning your week, getting things in order. • Get up one hour earlier each day. Use this time to read and study. • Be ruthless with your time. • Commit to bringing more order to your work and your personal life.
The secret of freedom from anxiety over not having enough time lies not in working more hours,
but in the proper planning of those hours.
FINISH STRONG; Built to Succeed
Excerpts from 8/17/08 article by Alan Abrahamson, NBCOlympics.com
The board beside the pool where Michael Phelps and his teammates trained bore this message, “In business, words are words, explanations are explanations, promises are promises, but only performance is reality."
Michael Phelps combines his physical gifts, mental toughness and a passion for his sport -- tough to beat.
Key Factors in Performance
• Natural Gifts - honed to near perfection. • Love of swimming - Phelps exuberantly loves to swim. • Inordinate appetite for incredibly hard work. • Ruthlessly competitive.
Phelps said, "When I'm focused, there is not one single thing, person, anything that can stand in my way of doing something."
As we now know, the key to Phelps' focus is setting goals! Every year, he shares his goals with his coach, Bob Bowman -- written down, race by race, including the time he wants to achieve in each. Bowman said, "He hands it to me and I read it. He is right on the money about where he ends up, almost always."
Traditionally, Phelps has never said a word about what's on the paper. His performance at the Olympics revealed the goals he gave to Bowman.
Bowman, who is something of a student of success literature, said a recurring theme of his coaching and direction is that, "successful people make a habit of doing things that unsuccessful people don't like to do. That's it. They make a habit of doing things other people aren't willing to do."
Translate this to our professional sales career. Combine your natural gifts with your passion for selling and appetite to work hard, insert focus, which we know to be goal setting, and watch your goals become reality.
Finish strong to start strong!
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #2
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #2
ORDER: SELF-ORGANIZATION
• Designate a set period of time each week for self-organization, planning your week, getting things in order. • Get up one hour earlier each day. Use this time to read and study. • Be ruthless with your time. • Commit to bringing more order to your work and your personal life.
The secret of freedom from anxiety over not having enough time lies not in working more hours,
but in the proper planning of those hours.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
10 ways to Finish Strong
Diamonds are only lumps of coal that stuck to their jobs." B.C. Forbes
FINISH STRONG
Ten Ways to Finish the Year Strong
1. Call on aging
2. Grandchildren insurance
3. Non-qualified annuities
4. Rollover of IRAs
5. Term insurance conversion
6. Age change program
7. Order alternate policy
8. Review all rated policies
9. Get 15 referred leads per week
10. Make 1 more call
Finish strong!
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #1
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #1
ENTHUSIASM
• Force yourself to act enthusiastic, and you'll become enthusiastic. • Enthusiasm puts your fear to work for you. • Enthusiasm is contagious. • Enthusiasm sustains you in the difficult times. • Commit to double the amount of enthusiasm that you have been putting into your work and into your life.
FINISH STRONG
Ten Ways to Finish the Year Strong
1. Call on aging
2. Grandchildren insurance
3. Non-qualified annuities
4. Rollover of IRAs
5. Term insurance conversion
6. Age change program
7. Order alternate policy
8. Review all rated policies
9. Get 15 referred leads per week
10. Make 1 more call
Finish strong!
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #1
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #1
ENTHUSIASM
• Force yourself to act enthusiastic, and you'll become enthusiastic. • Enthusiasm puts your fear to work for you. • Enthusiasm is contagious. • Enthusiasm sustains you in the difficult times. • Commit to double the amount of enthusiasm that you have been putting into your work and into your life.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
"There is very little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference." W. Clement Stone
TALENT + MOTIVATION + OPTIMISM = SUCCESS
Optimism is the constant companion of high-performing salespeople. It's their trademark, their way of life.
Optimism is the difference that makes a big difference.
The traditional formula for success has looked something like this: Talent + Motivation = Success.
Psychologist Martin Seligman suggested some new formulas:
Talent + Motivation + Optimism = Success Talent + Motivation + Pessimism = Failure
The idea is that you can have both talent and motivation and still fail if you don't have optimism.
The critical ingredient in the success formula is optimism.
Talent has been shown to be largely inherent. It's not something you learn. You can sharpen it.
You can focus it, but it is depressingly hard to increase.
Motivation can be boosted rather easily. In a 30-second bite, clever advertising can motivate you to buy.
Motivational speakers and seminars pump up participants to exuberance.
The trouble is more pumping is needed in a week or a month.
Research has revealed a measure of optimism is a more effective predictor of a salesperson's survival and
success than career assessment profiles. Salespeople with the highest optimism scores tend to produce
the highest dollar volume. These are the salespeople who make the second and third call, and the fourth
and fifth call. And they make each, optimistically.
Optimists believe good events are going to continue; bad events are transitory.
In school, Thomas A. Edison was classified as "confused & not teachable" by his teachers.
He was totally deaf in his left ear and impaired in his other ear.
Edison experimented many thousands of times before he invented an acceptable incandescent lamp in 1879,
and perfected it in 1880. Edison once said, "I have not failed 700 times. I have not failed once.
I have succeeded in proving that those 700 ways will not work.
When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work." And,
"Discontent is the first necessity of progress."
The good news is, you can learn to think optimistically. The result is energy.
The result is eagerness to make the next call. The result is enthusiasm on that interview.
The result is success!
Finish strong!
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #13
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #13
CLOSING THE SALE
• Your confidence, born of preparation, is the key. • The sale must be closed; it seldom closes itself. • Step 1 - Owner Benefits • Step 2 - Final Look • Step 3 - Strategic Move • Step 4 - Prospect's Idea • Step 5 - App with Check
Master your closing strategy.
================================================================================================
TALENT + MOTIVATION + OPTIMISM = SUCCESS
Optimism is the constant companion of high-performing salespeople. It's their trademark, their way of life.
Optimism is the difference that makes a big difference.
The traditional formula for success has looked something like this: Talent + Motivation = Success.
Psychologist Martin Seligman suggested some new formulas:
Talent + Motivation + Optimism = Success Talent + Motivation + Pessimism = Failure
The idea is that you can have both talent and motivation and still fail if you don't have optimism.
The critical ingredient in the success formula is optimism.
Talent has been shown to be largely inherent. It's not something you learn. You can sharpen it.
You can focus it, but it is depressingly hard to increase.
Motivation can be boosted rather easily. In a 30-second bite, clever advertising can motivate you to buy.
Motivational speakers and seminars pump up participants to exuberance.
The trouble is more pumping is needed in a week or a month.
Research has revealed a measure of optimism is a more effective predictor of a salesperson's survival and
success than career assessment profiles. Salespeople with the highest optimism scores tend to produce
the highest dollar volume. These are the salespeople who make the second and third call, and the fourth
and fifth call. And they make each, optimistically.
Optimists believe good events are going to continue; bad events are transitory.
In school, Thomas A. Edison was classified as "confused & not teachable" by his teachers.
He was totally deaf in his left ear and impaired in his other ear.
Edison experimented many thousands of times before he invented an acceptable incandescent lamp in 1879,
and perfected it in 1880. Edison once said, "I have not failed 700 times. I have not failed once.
I have succeeded in proving that those 700 ways will not work.
When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work." And,
"Discontent is the first necessity of progress."
The good news is, you can learn to think optimistically. The result is energy.
The result is eagerness to make the next call. The result is enthusiasm on that interview.
The result is success!
Finish strong!
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #13
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #13
CLOSING THE SALE
• Your confidence, born of preparation, is the key. • The sale must be closed; it seldom closes itself. • Step 1 - Owner Benefits • Step 2 - Final Look • Step 3 - Strategic Move • Step 4 - Prospect's Idea • Step 5 - App with Check
Master your closing strategy.
================================================================================================
Form the habit of paying attention- 290908
"Hundreds of people can talk for one who can think; but thousands can think for one who can see."
FORM THE HABIT OF PAYING ATTENTION
The single best source of prospects is personal observation -- those you develop through personal contact.
Be socially mobile. Think in terms of people everywhere you go.
Your present contacts can literally be a goldmine.
Develop an awareness of people who are in a transition period in their lives.
Prospects facing a new situation often realize that it will affect their financial position.
Frequently, this will provide an impetus for action.
Once you become prospect minded, you'll develop a nose for business as keen as the reporter's nose for news.
It's another way of saying that you've formed the habit of paying attention.
Most salespeople don't see things; they merely look at them. They listen but do not hear.
The power of keen observation is indicative of a superior mentality.
"Paying attention" is a powerful mental process. It is a key to increasing your productivity.
It makes it possible for you to evaluate carefully your prospects' problems
and to decide upon the best solutions to help them.
Finish strong!
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #12
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #12
SERVICE AND PROSPECTING
• Serve what you sell.
• Pay attention.
• Maintain an up-to-date "reservoir-building" file.
FORM THE HABIT OF PAYING ATTENTION
The single best source of prospects is personal observation -- those you develop through personal contact.
Be socially mobile. Think in terms of people everywhere you go.
Your present contacts can literally be a goldmine.
Develop an awareness of people who are in a transition period in their lives.
Prospects facing a new situation often realize that it will affect their financial position.
Frequently, this will provide an impetus for action.
Once you become prospect minded, you'll develop a nose for business as keen as the reporter's nose for news.
It's another way of saying that you've formed the habit of paying attention.
Most salespeople don't see things; they merely look at them. They listen but do not hear.
The power of keen observation is indicative of a superior mentality.
"Paying attention" is a powerful mental process. It is a key to increasing your productivity.
It makes it possible for you to evaluate carefully your prospects' problems
and to decide upon the best solutions to help them.
Finish strong!
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #12
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #12
SERVICE AND PROSPECTING
• Serve what you sell.
• Pay attention.
• Maintain an up-to-date "reservoir-building" file.
Monday, September 22, 2008
AIG's Road ahead
Dear Champion,
Lets be the talking heads to restore confidence
Subject: AIG 's Road Ahead - CNBC
http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=864181431
Lets be the talking heads to restore confidence
Subject: AIG 's Road Ahead - CNBC
http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=864181431
Sunday, September 21, 2008
September 2008-Wise Words from a Wise Man
Dear Champions,
From the web cast, our Chairman and CEO, Edward M. Liddy request of each and every one of us, become the mouth piece, or in his own words “Talking Heads” in communicating and reinforcing the belief and the vote of confidence that the Federal government has in AIG and our people.
Let’s begin by reinforcing this positive message, one person at a time.
The greatest satisfaction in the world is work well done. J. C. Penney
THE GREATEST THINGS
The late Earl Nightingale, our teacher, mentor and colleague, sent us some definitions one time called, "The Greatest Things." During our careers, we've reviewed them often to help us remember just what's important and what isn't.
Here they are - The Greatest Things:
• The best day, today. • The greatest puzzle, life. • The best policy, honesty. • The greatest thought, God. • The greatest mystery, death. • The best work, work you like. • The greatest mistake, giving up. • The most ridiculous asset, pride. • The greatest need, common sense. • The most dangerous person, a liar. • The best advice, use good manners. • The wisest short-cut, develop mentors. • The greatest fault, to be aware of none. • The greatest truth, we reap what we sow. • The most expensive indulgence, self-pity. • The greatest deceiver, one who deceives self. • The best habit, making good on all commitments. • The best teacher, one who brings out the best in you. • The saddest feeling, feeling envious of another's success. • The greatest thing in the world, love - love of family, home, friends, associates, company and country.
And here are some definitions taken from the backs of business cards and meeting notes we've accumulated along the way. They are from some of the top salespeople in the world.
• The greatest handicap, egotism. • The greatest victory, victory over self. • The most certain thing in business, change. • The greatest job, being needed and appreciated. • The greatest gamble, substituting hope for facts. • The strongest competitive edge, a high level of energy. • The most effective selling habit, sound time management. • The greatest guarantee of success, honest intelligent effort. • The best action, keeping the mind clear and judgment good. • The greatest selling strategy, speaking as one who has authority. • The greatest waste, the vast reservoir of talents and abilities most of us possess but never quite get around to using.
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #8
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #8 KNOW MY BUSINESS
· Great sales reps are those whose clients have confidence in them and their abilities. · Keep growing. · Keep learning and studying. · Keep records of my performance. · Know my business -- keep knowing my business. · Keep getting better and better.
Knowing my business is an investment of time and money that will result in the confidence of my prospects and clients.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From the web cast, our Chairman and CEO, Edward M. Liddy request of each and every one of us, become the mouth piece, or in his own words “Talking Heads” in communicating and reinforcing the belief and the vote of confidence that the Federal government has in AIG and our people.
Let’s begin by reinforcing this positive message, one person at a time.
The greatest satisfaction in the world is work well done. J. C. Penney
THE GREATEST THINGS
The late Earl Nightingale, our teacher, mentor and colleague, sent us some definitions one time called, "The Greatest Things." During our careers, we've reviewed them often to help us remember just what's important and what isn't.
Here they are - The Greatest Things:
• The best day, today. • The greatest puzzle, life. • The best policy, honesty. • The greatest thought, God. • The greatest mystery, death. • The best work, work you like. • The greatest mistake, giving up. • The most ridiculous asset, pride. • The greatest need, common sense. • The most dangerous person, a liar. • The best advice, use good manners. • The wisest short-cut, develop mentors. • The greatest fault, to be aware of none. • The greatest truth, we reap what we sow. • The most expensive indulgence, self-pity. • The greatest deceiver, one who deceives self. • The best habit, making good on all commitments. • The best teacher, one who brings out the best in you. • The saddest feeling, feeling envious of another's success. • The greatest thing in the world, love - love of family, home, friends, associates, company and country.
And here are some definitions taken from the backs of business cards and meeting notes we've accumulated along the way. They are from some of the top salespeople in the world.
• The greatest handicap, egotism. • The greatest victory, victory over self. • The most certain thing in business, change. • The greatest job, being needed and appreciated. • The greatest gamble, substituting hope for facts. • The strongest competitive edge, a high level of energy. • The most effective selling habit, sound time management. • The greatest guarantee of success, honest intelligent effort. • The best action, keeping the mind clear and judgment good. • The greatest selling strategy, speaking as one who has authority. • The greatest waste, the vast reservoir of talents and abilities most of us possess but never quite get around to using.
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #8
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #8 KNOW MY BUSINESS
· Great sales reps are those whose clients have confidence in them and their abilities. · Keep growing. · Keep learning and studying. · Keep records of my performance. · Know my business -- keep knowing my business. · Keep getting better and better.
Knowing my business is an investment of time and money that will result in the confidence of my prospects and clients.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
September 2008- Clarify your Job Perception
Dear Champions,
"When work is a pleasure, life is a joy. When work is a duty, life is slavery." Maxim Gorky, Russian Novelist
CLARIFY YOUR JOB PERCEPTION
Often the difference between experiencing work as pleasure and work as duty lies in how we look at it. That is the point of the popular parable from medieval times that tells of a traveler journeying through Italy. He comes upon three stonecutters who are sweating and toiling under a glaring, hot, afternoon sun. The traveler asks the first man: "What are you doing?" He replies, "I am cutting a stone." Turning to the second man, the traveler asks: "What are you doing?" The second stonecutter replies: "I'm earning 100 lira per day." Finally, the traveler asks the third man the same question. That worker responds: "I am building a beautiful cathedral that will last for centuries!"
Although all three were physical laborers, the difference in perception between the first two men and the third is enormous. The first was merely chipping away at a rock. The second man was simply earning a little money. But the third stonecutter saw himself as an artist contributing to his culture, adding value to his community and creating something of longstanding benefit to others.
Ask yourself three important question
• How do I view work in general?
• How do I view my specific work?
• How do I view myself as a worker?
As you consider your answers, try to shape your work perception more closely to that of the third . See yourself adding value to your community and creating something of longstanding benefit to others. Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling, Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #10
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #10 - SMILE - HAPPINESS Be welcomed wherever you go - start cultivating happiness with your smile.
• The voice with a smile almost always wins. \
• Practice smiling 15 minutes in the morning.
• Smile before going into prospects' offices.
• Smile at your children.
• Smile at your spouse.
• Feelings follow actions - see what feelings begin to follow after one week of practicing smiling.
=What do your prospects hear and feel on the other end of the line? ============================================================================================
"When work is a pleasure, life is a joy. When work is a duty, life is slavery." Maxim Gorky, Russian Novelist
CLARIFY YOUR JOB PERCEPTION
Often the difference between experiencing work as pleasure and work as duty lies in how we look at it. That is the point of the popular parable from medieval times that tells of a traveler journeying through Italy. He comes upon three stonecutters who are sweating and toiling under a glaring, hot, afternoon sun. The traveler asks the first man: "What are you doing?" He replies, "I am cutting a stone." Turning to the second man, the traveler asks: "What are you doing?" The second stonecutter replies: "I'm earning 100 lira per day." Finally, the traveler asks the third man the same question. That worker responds: "I am building a beautiful cathedral that will last for centuries!"
Although all three were physical laborers, the difference in perception between the first two men and the third is enormous. The first was merely chipping away at a rock. The second man was simply earning a little money. But the third stonecutter saw himself as an artist contributing to his culture, adding value to his community and creating something of longstanding benefit to others.
Ask yourself three important question
• How do I view work in general?
• How do I view my specific work?
• How do I view myself as a worker?
As you consider your answers, try to shape your work perception more closely to that of the third . See yourself adding value to your community and creating something of longstanding benefit to others. Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling, Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #10
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #10 - SMILE - HAPPINESS Be welcomed wherever you go - start cultivating happiness with your smile.
• The voice with a smile almost always wins. \
• Practice smiling 15 minutes in the morning.
• Smile before going into prospects' offices.
• Smile at your children.
• Smile at your spouse.
• Feelings follow actions - see what feelings begin to follow after one week of practicing smiling.
=What do your prospects hear and feel on the other end of the line? ============================================================================================
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
September 2008
Honest, intelligent effort is always rewarded.
ALWAYS DO WHAT'S RIGHT
Honest effort is not always rewarded. Intelligent effort is not always rewarded. However, honest, intelligent effort is ALWAYS rewarded.
Why? Anybody can put forth a little honest effort on the wrong thing. The reverse is also true; you can have the best laid plans thought out by the best minds, but without integrity at the core, sooner or later, these plans fail.
You need both elements for success - honest effort + intelligent effort = rewards.
Lee J. Colan relates this story in his book, 7 Moment that Define Excellent Leaders.
Two young men were working their way through Stanford University in the late 1890s when, during the semester, their funds got desperately low and they came up with the idea of engaging Ignacy Paderewski, the great pianist, for a recital. After paying the concert expenses, the two students could use the profits to pay their board and tuition.
The great pianist's manager asked for a guarantee of two thousand dollars. The students, undaunted, proceeded to stage the concert. But alas, the concert raised only sixteen hundred dollars.
After the performance, the students sought the great artist, gave him the entire sixteen hundred dollars, a promissory note for four hundred dollars and explained they would earn the remainder of his fee and send the money to him.
"No," replied Paderewski, "that won't do." Then tearing the note to shreds, he returned the money and said to them, "Now, take out of this sixteen hundred dollars all of your expenses and keep for each of you 10 percent of the balance for your work."
The years rolled by - years of fortune and destiny. Paderewski had become Premier of Poland. The devastating war came, and Paderewski's only focus was to feed the starving thousands in his beloved Poland. Yet just as the need was most severe, thousands of tons of food began to come into Poland for distribution by the Polish Premier.
After all the starving people were fed and hard times had past, Paderewski journeyed to Paris to thank Herbert Hoover for the relief he had sent. "That's all right, Mr. Paderewski," was Mr. Hoover's reply. "You don't remember it, but you helped me once when I was a student at college and I was in a hole. You invested in me ... now it's my turn."
Always do what's right - no matter what! Honest, intelligent effort is always rewarded.
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #9
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #9
APPRECIATION AND PRAISE
Opportunities to show appreciation: • New Business. • Assistants and others who help me. • Interviews. • Return phone calls promptly. • Referrals/report back. • Send prospects/clients business or leads.
Know my competitors well enough to praise them.
==================================================================================
ALWAYS DO WHAT'S RIGHT
Honest effort is not always rewarded. Intelligent effort is not always rewarded. However, honest, intelligent effort is ALWAYS rewarded.
Why? Anybody can put forth a little honest effort on the wrong thing. The reverse is also true; you can have the best laid plans thought out by the best minds, but without integrity at the core, sooner or later, these plans fail.
You need both elements for success - honest effort + intelligent effort = rewards.
Lee J. Colan relates this story in his book, 7 Moment that Define Excellent Leaders.
Two young men were working their way through Stanford University in the late 1890s when, during the semester, their funds got desperately low and they came up with the idea of engaging Ignacy Paderewski, the great pianist, for a recital. After paying the concert expenses, the two students could use the profits to pay their board and tuition.
The great pianist's manager asked for a guarantee of two thousand dollars. The students, undaunted, proceeded to stage the concert. But alas, the concert raised only sixteen hundred dollars.
After the performance, the students sought the great artist, gave him the entire sixteen hundred dollars, a promissory note for four hundred dollars and explained they would earn the remainder of his fee and send the money to him.
"No," replied Paderewski, "that won't do." Then tearing the note to shreds, he returned the money and said to them, "Now, take out of this sixteen hundred dollars all of your expenses and keep for each of you 10 percent of the balance for your work."
The years rolled by - years of fortune and destiny. Paderewski had become Premier of Poland. The devastating war came, and Paderewski's only focus was to feed the starving thousands in his beloved Poland. Yet just as the need was most severe, thousands of tons of food began to come into Poland for distribution by the Polish Premier.
After all the starving people were fed and hard times had past, Paderewski journeyed to Paris to thank Herbert Hoover for the relief he had sent. "That's all right, Mr. Paderewski," was Mr. Hoover's reply. "You don't remember it, but you helped me once when I was a student at college and I was in a hole. You invested in me ... now it's my turn."
Always do what's right - no matter what! Honest, intelligent effort is always rewarded.
Make 2008 great in every way!
Good luck and good selling,
Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
POCKET REMINDER #9
(For those of you following the Franklin 13-Week Plan.)
POCKET REMINDER #9
APPRECIATION AND PRAISE
Opportunities to show appreciation: • New Business. • Assistants and others who help me. • Interviews. • Return phone calls promptly. • Referrals/report back. • Send prospects/clients business or leads.
Know my competitors well enough to praise them.
==================================================================================
August 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
6 Powerful Prospecting Tips - Part 1
"Top producers don't need to be told to ask for referrals or follow-up on hot leads because they understand that prospecting is a necessity and not just an activity." John Boe (This article is used with permission. You may contact John Boe at 1-877-725-3750 or www.johnboe.com.)Why is it that some sales reps consistently earn a six-figure annual income while other reps, putting in the same hours, selling the same products and trained by the same sales manager struggle each month financially to make ends meet? The answer to this question is painfully simple; the six-figure sales reps spend more time on the phone and never forget to ask for referrals!Top producers don't need to be told to ask for referrals or follow up on hot leads, because they understand that prospecting is a necessity and not just an activity. The good news is that prospecting for new business, like any other skill, can be trained and developed into a habit.This week, we'll share three of John Boe's "Six Powerful Prospecting Tips to Build Your Business."Tip One: Don't Forget to Ask for ReferralsWhen it comes to asking for referrals, timing is everything. Research indicates that the most effective time to ask for referrals is right after you've made the sale or provided a valuable service for your customer. Asking for referrals prior to closing the sale is a big mistake and may even jeopardize the sale itself. Once the sale has been completed, your customer will be on an "emotional high" and far more receptive to the idea of providing you referrals.Tip Two: Train and Reward Your AdvocatesAn advocate is a person who's willing to go out of his or her way to recommend you to a friend or associate. Most customers are initially reluctant to provide referrals without some basic training and motivation.Once you're given a prospect, it's a good idea to take the time to role-play with your advocate to demonstrate how to approach and talk to their referral. A brief role-playing exercise will build your advocate's confidence and keep them from overeducating their referrals. During your role-play session, be sure to prepare your advocate to expect some initial resistance. This training will pay big dividends by making your advocate more effective and less likely to become discouraged when faced with rejection.Always take the time to thank your advocates and give them feedback on the status of their referrals. I recommend that you call them and then follow up by sending a thank you card and or gift.Tip Three: Strike While the Iron is HOTProspects, like food in your refrigerator, are perishable and therefore need to be contacted quickly. Each day you let slip by without making initial contact with your referral dramatically reduces the probability of you making the sale. Develop the habit of contacting your referrals within two business days or sooner. Have a system to keep track of your referrals so they don't end up falling through the cracks. It's critical to have a computerized client contact management system to record your remarks and track future contacts and appointments. Relying on your memory alone is a very poor business decision that will cost you dearly.We'll share the final three tips in next week's message.Remember: Prospecting is the lifeblood of your business. Stay after it!Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
Posted by CTIbpo at 7:36 AM
Friday, August 1, 2008
Protecting Your Resources
"A moment of time is like a piece of gold, but a piece of gold won't buy a moment of time."The first line of defense in protecting your time is to identify precisely how it is eroded and then learn effective means of managing your time.Over the next several weeks, we will offer proactive strategies for such time management issues as, "firefighting," failure to delegate, procrastination, delays, plus many others.1. PROACTIVE STRATEGIES FOR DELEGATING- In order to use time effectively, you should never do anything that can be accomplished by others.• Determine what is to be delegated, then assign responsibility and give authority to others.• Set deadlines and make sure that they are met.• Give increased responsibility to assistants that is commensurate with their abilities.• Provide thorough training and instructions to your assistant. This aspect is often overlooked!2. PROACTIVE STRATEGIES FOR HANDLING DELAYS- Delays are sometimes the result of your procrastination or failure to anticipate a situation.• Set up a schedule for following up on details or projects within a specific time period.• When planning a project, anticipate delays. They are inevitable, so don't let them bother you. Do what you can and go on to something else if the delay can't be helped. Every agent must continually juggle several balls in the air at the same time.• Communicate delays. When delays are caused by the actions of others, there may be a sense of anticipation or lack of control. For example, if the medical history of an applicant requires more information, the delay can't be eliminated, but calling and informing the client will make them aware of it. This reduces frustration for everyone concerned.(Adapted from the article, "Protecting Your Resources: Time Management" by William L. Moore, Senior Consultant with Kinder Brothers International.)Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
Posted by CTIbpo at 7:50 AM
6 Powerful Prospecting Tips - Part 1
"Top producers don't need to be told to ask for referrals or follow-up on hot leads because they understand that prospecting is a necessity and not just an activity." John Boe (This article is used with permission. You may contact John Boe at 1-877-725-3750 or www.johnboe.com.)Why is it that some sales reps consistently earn a six-figure annual income while other reps, putting in the same hours, selling the same products and trained by the same sales manager struggle each month financially to make ends meet? The answer to this question is painfully simple; the six-figure sales reps spend more time on the phone and never forget to ask for referrals!Top producers don't need to be told to ask for referrals or follow up on hot leads, because they understand that prospecting is a necessity and not just an activity. The good news is that prospecting for new business, like any other skill, can be trained and developed into a habit.This week, we'll share three of John Boe's "Six Powerful Prospecting Tips to Build Your Business."Tip One: Don't Forget to Ask for ReferralsWhen it comes to asking for referrals, timing is everything. Research indicates that the most effective time to ask for referrals is right after you've made the sale or provided a valuable service for your customer. Asking for referrals prior to closing the sale is a big mistake and may even jeopardize the sale itself. Once the sale has been completed, your customer will be on an "emotional high" and far more receptive to the idea of providing you referrals.Tip Two: Train and Reward Your AdvocatesAn advocate is a person who's willing to go out of his or her way to recommend you to a friend or associate. Most customers are initially reluctant to provide referrals without some basic training and motivation.Once you're given a prospect, it's a good idea to take the time to role-play with your advocate to demonstrate how to approach and talk to their referral. A brief role-playing exercise will build your advocate's confidence and keep them from overeducating their referrals. During your role-play session, be sure to prepare your advocate to expect some initial resistance. This training will pay big dividends by making your advocate more effective and less likely to become discouraged when faced with rejection.Always take the time to thank your advocates and give them feedback on the status of their referrals. I recommend that you call them and then follow up by sending a thank you card and or gift.Tip Three: Strike While the Iron is HOTProspects, like food in your refrigerator, are perishable and therefore need to be contacted quickly. Each day you let slip by without making initial contact with your referral dramatically reduces the probability of you making the sale. Develop the habit of contacting your referrals within two business days or sooner. Have a system to keep track of your referrals so they don't end up falling through the cracks. It's critical to have a computerized client contact management system to record your remarks and track future contacts and appointments. Relying on your memory alone is a very poor business decision that will cost you dearly.We'll share the final three tips in next week's message.Remember: Prospecting is the lifeblood of your business. Stay after it!Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
Posted by CTIbpo at 7:36 AM
Friday, August 1, 2008
Protecting Your Resources
"A moment of time is like a piece of gold, but a piece of gold won't buy a moment of time."The first line of defense in protecting your time is to identify precisely how it is eroded and then learn effective means of managing your time.Over the next several weeks, we will offer proactive strategies for such time management issues as, "firefighting," failure to delegate, procrastination, delays, plus many others.1. PROACTIVE STRATEGIES FOR DELEGATING- In order to use time effectively, you should never do anything that can be accomplished by others.• Determine what is to be delegated, then assign responsibility and give authority to others.• Set deadlines and make sure that they are met.• Give increased responsibility to assistants that is commensurate with their abilities.• Provide thorough training and instructions to your assistant. This aspect is often overlooked!2. PROACTIVE STRATEGIES FOR HANDLING DELAYS- Delays are sometimes the result of your procrastination or failure to anticipate a situation.• Set up a schedule for following up on details or projects within a specific time period.• When planning a project, anticipate delays. They are inevitable, so don't let them bother you. Do what you can and go on to something else if the delay can't be helped. Every agent must continually juggle several balls in the air at the same time.• Communicate delays. When delays are caused by the actions of others, there may be a sense of anticipation or lack of control. For example, if the medical history of an applicant requires more information, the delay can't be eliminated, but calling and informing the client will make them aware of it. This reduces frustration for everyone concerned.(Adapted from the article, "Protecting Your Resources: Time Management" by William L. Moore, Senior Consultant with Kinder Brothers International.)Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
Posted by CTIbpo at 7:50 AM
July 2008
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Opportunity
"There was never a day that did not bring its own opportunity for doing good that never could have been done before, and never can be again." W. H. Burleigh"What is it called?" asked a visitor in an art studio, as he was shown among many sculptures. He had singled out one with winged feet and a face concealed by hair. "Opportunity," replied the sculptor. "Why is the face hidden?" the visitor asked. "Because people seldom know Opportunity when it comes to them." "Why are there wings on the feet?" "Because Opportunity is soon gone, and once gone, cannot be overtaken."Preparation is the key for being ready to recognize and take advantage of Opportunities that come your way. It is said that "The victories of life are won, not in the fields or in the markets where the ultimate struggles take place, but in the obscure and forgotten hours of preparation. Victory lies within our grasp, long before the hours of final test come."In selling, like all professions, spectacular results are always preceded by unspectacular preparation. It is a matter of becoming so good, so competent in your selling job that you actually force opportunities in your direction. The outstanding salespeople we have known are those who see their work as an Opportunity for personal growth and development. They prepare themselves for all the Opportunities that surround them every day. They are people of action who realize that indecision is the epitaph on the tomb of Opportunity.Opportunities! Every selling life is full of them. Every meeting is an Opportunity. Every bit of knowledge gained is an Opportunity. Every prospect is an Opportunity. Every interview is an Opportunity. Every client is an Opportunity. Every proof of a client's confidence in you, and every single sale is an Opportunity. Every day for the professional salesperson is an Opportunity.Make the most of every day's Opportunities and you'll make the most of yourself.
Posted by CTIbpo at 9:10 PM
You Can't Argue With The Films
"You cannot run away from a weakness. You must sometimes fight it out or perish; and if that be so, why not NOW, and where you stand." Robert Louis StevensonWhen you lose a sale, don't blame the prospect; don't blame your sales manager; don't knock your competition; don't complain about your product - but rather take a good look at your mental attitude and your sales technique.One time we heard Bill Glass say, "I remember my 12 years as a pro. When I would make mistakes in games, I would begin immediately to dread 'film day.' After the game was over Sunday afternoon and until we studied the films on Tuesday, I spent a lot of time wondering how I would look in the films. When I knew I made mistakes, I struggled with what my excuse would be when questioned by the coaches as to why I failed to do my job."On film day all the coaches and players would meet in a large room with one end covered by a huge screen. As the game films were run, there you were in living color, life-size and every move you made was clear for everyone to see. Suppose I missed a tackle, the coach would say, 'Bill, was that you that missed that tackle?' Invariably my answer was 'Yes Sir.' I found it always better to make no excuses but to simply admit to my mistake. There it was in living color for everyone to see."If a player tells himself or the coaches that he is thinking right and preparing right, mentally and physically, for a game, but plays poorly, then it is obvious that he is not spending enough time with the fundamentals. You will play exactly as you think, prepare and practice. The same is true in selling -- your results will reflect your attitude, your preparation and how you practiced.Just like the films don't lie, neither do your sales results. They record exactly the way you performed for the week, month or year. Over a long period of time your sales results will be in exact proportion to your sales performance.Football players can't argue with the films. Salespeople can't argue with results!How are you looking on Film Day?
Posted by CTIbpo at 9:04 PM
The Situation is the Boss
"Selling is a business of dips, dives, diversions, changes, adaptations, and rolling with the punches. If we know that, why not make these detours work for us instead of destroying our energy?" Burt Meisel, CLUStudy the word PLAN. To us, it's always meant: Prepare Logically -- Adapt Needfully. In other words, make thoughtful, definite plans. Then, adapt and modify those plans as the situation might require.Great salespeople, like effective performers in all walks of life, are those who are organized, flexible, and adaptable. They size up situations and, when the occasion demands, they quickly, effectively and confidently alter their original course and go to "Plan B." In the Navy, this kind of adaptability is referred to as "changing the course." In the Boy Scout training, it's called "improvising." In football, it's "calling an audible." In selling, it's adapting the prepared agenda to meet the need. In other words, the situation is the boss.In every sales encounter, you must learn to adjust and adapt. When the prospect starts making objections and offering resistance, "call an audible" -- adjust and adapt. Display flexibility. Move ahead to achieve your goal - another satisfied customer.Remember that in order to be able to adapt needfully, you must be prepared. Ad-libs are for amateurs. Preparation will give you the confidence to adapt, should the situation require it.Prepare Logically -- Adapt Needfully!
Posted by CTIbpo at 9:01 PM
Sell Courageously
"Compared to what we ought to be, we are only half awake. The average individual performs far below potential. We possess power of various sorts that we habitually fail to use." William JamesAfter Dr. David Livingstone had begun his now famous missionary work in Africa, a certain group wrote the great pioneer and asked: "Have you found a good road to where you are? If so, please advise. We'd like to send others to assist you."Dr. Livingstone sent this reply: "If you have those who will come only if they know there is a good road, I don't want them. I want individuals who are strong and courageous -- those who will come if there is no road at all!"What a lesson in courage - especially for salespeople!Courage is performing the task that would be easier not to do. Courage is accepting the responsibilities when it would be more comfortable not to accept. It's moving out on faith, when you know full well the risks and the pitfalls that will challenge you. It's marching ahead, blazing a new trail where there are no roads, and sometimes no maps to guide you.Remember these truths:"Courage is knowing what not to fear." Socrates"One man with courage makes a majority." Andrew JacksonSell courageously!
Posted by CTIbpo at 8:58 PM
Opportunity
"There was never a day that did not bring its own opportunity for doing good that never could have been done before, and never can be again." W. H. Burleigh"What is it called?" asked a visitor in an art studio, as he was shown among many sculptures. He had singled out one with winged feet and a face concealed by hair. "Opportunity," replied the sculptor. "Why is the face hidden?" the visitor asked. "Because people seldom know Opportunity when it comes to them." "Why are there wings on the feet?" "Because Opportunity is soon gone, and once gone, cannot be overtaken."Preparation is the key for being ready to recognize and take advantage of Opportunities that come your way. It is said that "The victories of life are won, not in the fields or in the markets where the ultimate struggles take place, but in the obscure and forgotten hours of preparation. Victory lies within our grasp, long before the hours of final test come."In selling, like all professions, spectacular results are always preceded by unspectacular preparation. It is a matter of becoming so good, so competent in your selling job that you actually force opportunities in your direction. The outstanding salespeople we have known are those who see their work as an Opportunity for personal growth and development. They prepare themselves for all the Opportunities that surround them every day. They are people of action who realize that indecision is the epitaph on the tomb of Opportunity.Opportunities! Every selling life is full of them. Every meeting is an Opportunity. Every bit of knowledge gained is an Opportunity. Every prospect is an Opportunity. Every interview is an Opportunity. Every client is an Opportunity. Every proof of a client's confidence in you, and every single sale is an Opportunity. Every day for the professional salesperson is an Opportunity.Make the most of every day's Opportunities and you'll make the most of yourself.
Posted by CTIbpo at 9:10 PM
You Can't Argue With The Films
"You cannot run away from a weakness. You must sometimes fight it out or perish; and if that be so, why not NOW, and where you stand." Robert Louis StevensonWhen you lose a sale, don't blame the prospect; don't blame your sales manager; don't knock your competition; don't complain about your product - but rather take a good look at your mental attitude and your sales technique.One time we heard Bill Glass say, "I remember my 12 years as a pro. When I would make mistakes in games, I would begin immediately to dread 'film day.' After the game was over Sunday afternoon and until we studied the films on Tuesday, I spent a lot of time wondering how I would look in the films. When I knew I made mistakes, I struggled with what my excuse would be when questioned by the coaches as to why I failed to do my job."On film day all the coaches and players would meet in a large room with one end covered by a huge screen. As the game films were run, there you were in living color, life-size and every move you made was clear for everyone to see. Suppose I missed a tackle, the coach would say, 'Bill, was that you that missed that tackle?' Invariably my answer was 'Yes Sir.' I found it always better to make no excuses but to simply admit to my mistake. There it was in living color for everyone to see."If a player tells himself or the coaches that he is thinking right and preparing right, mentally and physically, for a game, but plays poorly, then it is obvious that he is not spending enough time with the fundamentals. You will play exactly as you think, prepare and practice. The same is true in selling -- your results will reflect your attitude, your preparation and how you practiced.Just like the films don't lie, neither do your sales results. They record exactly the way you performed for the week, month or year. Over a long period of time your sales results will be in exact proportion to your sales performance.Football players can't argue with the films. Salespeople can't argue with results!How are you looking on Film Day?
Posted by CTIbpo at 9:04 PM
The Situation is the Boss
"Selling is a business of dips, dives, diversions, changes, adaptations, and rolling with the punches. If we know that, why not make these detours work for us instead of destroying our energy?" Burt Meisel, CLUStudy the word PLAN. To us, it's always meant: Prepare Logically -- Adapt Needfully. In other words, make thoughtful, definite plans. Then, adapt and modify those plans as the situation might require.Great salespeople, like effective performers in all walks of life, are those who are organized, flexible, and adaptable. They size up situations and, when the occasion demands, they quickly, effectively and confidently alter their original course and go to "Plan B." In the Navy, this kind of adaptability is referred to as "changing the course." In the Boy Scout training, it's called "improvising." In football, it's "calling an audible." In selling, it's adapting the prepared agenda to meet the need. In other words, the situation is the boss.In every sales encounter, you must learn to adjust and adapt. When the prospect starts making objections and offering resistance, "call an audible" -- adjust and adapt. Display flexibility. Move ahead to achieve your goal - another satisfied customer.Remember that in order to be able to adapt needfully, you must be prepared. Ad-libs are for amateurs. Preparation will give you the confidence to adapt, should the situation require it.Prepare Logically -- Adapt Needfully!
Posted by CTIbpo at 9:01 PM
Sell Courageously
"Compared to what we ought to be, we are only half awake. The average individual performs far below potential. We possess power of various sorts that we habitually fail to use." William JamesAfter Dr. David Livingstone had begun his now famous missionary work in Africa, a certain group wrote the great pioneer and asked: "Have you found a good road to where you are? If so, please advise. We'd like to send others to assist you."Dr. Livingstone sent this reply: "If you have those who will come only if they know there is a good road, I don't want them. I want individuals who are strong and courageous -- those who will come if there is no road at all!"What a lesson in courage - especially for salespeople!Courage is performing the task that would be easier not to do. Courage is accepting the responsibilities when it would be more comfortable not to accept. It's moving out on faith, when you know full well the risks and the pitfalls that will challenge you. It's marching ahead, blazing a new trail where there are no roads, and sometimes no maps to guide you.Remember these truths:"Courage is knowing what not to fear." Socrates"One man with courage makes a majority." Andrew JacksonSell courageously!
Posted by CTIbpo at 8:58 PM
June 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
The Power of Persistence
"You've got life to live. It's short, at best. It's a wonderful privilege and a terrific opportunity - and you've been equipped for it. Use your equipment, give it all you've got, work hard and don't quit." Norman Vincent PealeGabriela Andersen-Scheiss, a thirty-nine-year-old runner from Switzerland, demonstrated the meaning of persistence to the entire world in her dramatic finish of the marathon in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.She had no hope of earning a medal. Her body's tissues were desiccated from the hours of running under a pitiless sun, and she'd fallen twenty minutes behind the leaders. Thirty runners had already completed the 26-mile, 385-yard event when Gabriela came lurching through the tunnel and into the coliseum.The seventy thousand spectators went to their feet to cheer her on as she staggered in a weaving half- run around the arena. It took five agonizing minutes for her to complete the final lap.When she finally crossed the finish line and collapsed into the arms of the doctors, the ovation she received was louder and more sustained than the one that had been given to Joan Benoit, the winner of the gold medal. The spectators recognized that, even though Gabriela came in thirty-seventh, she was a winner.What relationship does that pain-wracked, dehydrated woman's struggle to finish her race bear to your performance as an agent? Plenty!You are in a race every bit as demanding as a marathon. The conditions are totally different, of course. The crowd that will cheer you on at the end may be small, or even nonexistent. But you must keep running, day after day, even when there's no hope of getting a medal. Why?Because, like Gabriela Andersen-Scheiss, you don't have to be among the top three to be a winner. You simply have to do your best every step of the way and finish as well as you can.Study the history of any agent who achieves consistent, high-level production, and you will find that persistence played a major role in his or her success.As Calvin Coolidge put it: Nothing else in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.Persistence is a most valuable asset. Individuals who have and use this quality always get somewhere.Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
Posted by CTIbpo at 6:30 PM
Dedicate Yourself to Selling
"To contrive is nothing! To construct is something! To produce is everything!" Captain Eddie RickenbackerWe are all salespeople! Every day of our lives, we are selling our ideas, our plans, our products and our enthusiasm to everyone.Dedicate yourself to excellence in selling! Resolve to be a winner! Declare war on mediocrity, on pessimism!Dedicate yourself to the ideal that yours is a great profession - one that is filled with endless opportunities for service to your fellow man and with rich rewards for yourself.Dedicate yourself to your company, your organization, and your associates. Prove your gratitude for the opportunities they have provided by giving them your best.Dedicate yourself to the daily task of turning problems into challenges, difficulties into opportunities, lethargy into enthusiasm, and procrastination into action!Be done with excuses! Someone has defined excuses as "the tools with which persons with no purpose in view build for themselves great monuments of nothing."Every day, affirm to yourself the importance of your profession. Tell yourself a hundred times a day that your work is a potential blessing to many people, essential to the economy of our nation, and vital to the welfare and happiness of you and your family.The depth of your dedication will determine the altitude of your achievement! Sink the roots of dedication deeply into the bedrock of determined purpose, daily preparation, and detailed planning.Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
Posted by CTIbpo at 6:27 PM
Sunday, June 15, 2008
The Most Successful Summer Ever
"Success is not magical or mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying basic fundamentals." Jim RohnWe want to challenge you to make Summer 2008 the most successful ever! Here are 12 sales ideas to propel your Summer Sales Performance:1. Remind yourself, selling is a numbers game.2. Look at clients as if they were prospects.3. Examine the type of market you've successfully worked.4. Examine your product mix. You may be discussing "X" when your prospect wants "Y."5. Show a million dollar proposal to someone each week.6. Have five client review interviews each week.7. Contact one "over-sixty" prospect each day.8. Implement marketing strategies, i.e. seminars, direct mail, joint selling.9. Use these words with prospects twice each day, "Now, here's what I'd like to recommend ..."10. Spend time with centers of influence.11. Look back to sales concepts that worked for you in the past.12. Spend time with a mentor.Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
Posted by CTIbpo at 6:18 PM
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Extend Your Stay
"Everyone needs at least three ingredients for a successful life - a self fit to live with, a faith fit to live by, and a work fit to live for." Dr. George SweetingAccording to the experts, there are seven steps to take if you wish to extend your stay and live longer, healthier days on earth.1. Stay activeOnce considered an indulgence for a few, regular exercise is now a must for all. By exercising regularly you can do more gradually, greatly benefiting your cardiovascular system, energy level and mental alertness. But don't just create your own exercise program. Ask your doctor to recommend one that's best suited for you.2. Be optimisticPhysiologically, happiness is a state of mind that is healthy for the body. An optimistic outlook on things will help you make sales, win customer cooperation, gain support from people closest to you - in short, succeed in life and living.3. Cope with adversityAdversity, problems, bad things happening are an integral ongoing part of living. If you see the bad things that happen as totally unexpected occurrences, it's easy to sell yourself into believing you are the victim of bad breaks. It's far better to accept the reality that "into each life some rain will fall." You have little or no control over what happens to you. You have complete control over your reaction. It's all a matter of attitude.4. Reduce your weightMany people believe it's normal to gain weight as they grow older. This can be a dangerous misconception.5. Plan significant eventsThere's nothing more therapeutic than the pursuit of meaningful goals. Studies made of centenarians, those reaching age 100 and beyond, show they have one theme in common -- they have something significant yet to be done. They have something to look forward to -- a motivation for living.6. Change the paceGet away from your demanding sales work routine and do something you enjoy. Relief from the day-to-day strains restores the joy of living.7. Have periodic check-upsThis is an all important first investment in future good health. This is where preventive action begins.Robust health and a high level of energy - keys to looking and feeling years younger - require more than following a set of rules. It also involves an optimistic, positive state of mind. Scientists are increasingly proving celebrated pianist Arthur Rubinstein was right when he said, "I have found if you love life, life will love you back." Rubinstein lived to be 95.Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
Posted by CTIbpo at 8:58 PM
The Power of Persistence
"You've got life to live. It's short, at best. It's a wonderful privilege and a terrific opportunity - and you've been equipped for it. Use your equipment, give it all you've got, work hard and don't quit." Norman Vincent PealeGabriela Andersen-Scheiss, a thirty-nine-year-old runner from Switzerland, demonstrated the meaning of persistence to the entire world in her dramatic finish of the marathon in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.She had no hope of earning a medal. Her body's tissues were desiccated from the hours of running under a pitiless sun, and she'd fallen twenty minutes behind the leaders. Thirty runners had already completed the 26-mile, 385-yard event when Gabriela came lurching through the tunnel and into the coliseum.The seventy thousand spectators went to their feet to cheer her on as she staggered in a weaving half- run around the arena. It took five agonizing minutes for her to complete the final lap.When she finally crossed the finish line and collapsed into the arms of the doctors, the ovation she received was louder and more sustained than the one that had been given to Joan Benoit, the winner of the gold medal. The spectators recognized that, even though Gabriela came in thirty-seventh, she was a winner.What relationship does that pain-wracked, dehydrated woman's struggle to finish her race bear to your performance as an agent? Plenty!You are in a race every bit as demanding as a marathon. The conditions are totally different, of course. The crowd that will cheer you on at the end may be small, or even nonexistent. But you must keep running, day after day, even when there's no hope of getting a medal. Why?Because, like Gabriela Andersen-Scheiss, you don't have to be among the top three to be a winner. You simply have to do your best every step of the way and finish as well as you can.Study the history of any agent who achieves consistent, high-level production, and you will find that persistence played a major role in his or her success.As Calvin Coolidge put it: Nothing else in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.Persistence is a most valuable asset. Individuals who have and use this quality always get somewhere.Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
Posted by CTIbpo at 6:30 PM
Dedicate Yourself to Selling
"To contrive is nothing! To construct is something! To produce is everything!" Captain Eddie RickenbackerWe are all salespeople! Every day of our lives, we are selling our ideas, our plans, our products and our enthusiasm to everyone.Dedicate yourself to excellence in selling! Resolve to be a winner! Declare war on mediocrity, on pessimism!Dedicate yourself to the ideal that yours is a great profession - one that is filled with endless opportunities for service to your fellow man and with rich rewards for yourself.Dedicate yourself to your company, your organization, and your associates. Prove your gratitude for the opportunities they have provided by giving them your best.Dedicate yourself to the daily task of turning problems into challenges, difficulties into opportunities, lethargy into enthusiasm, and procrastination into action!Be done with excuses! Someone has defined excuses as "the tools with which persons with no purpose in view build for themselves great monuments of nothing."Every day, affirm to yourself the importance of your profession. Tell yourself a hundred times a day that your work is a potential blessing to many people, essential to the economy of our nation, and vital to the welfare and happiness of you and your family.The depth of your dedication will determine the altitude of your achievement! Sink the roots of dedication deeply into the bedrock of determined purpose, daily preparation, and detailed planning.Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
Posted by CTIbpo at 6:27 PM
Sunday, June 15, 2008
The Most Successful Summer Ever
"Success is not magical or mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying basic fundamentals." Jim RohnWe want to challenge you to make Summer 2008 the most successful ever! Here are 12 sales ideas to propel your Summer Sales Performance:1. Remind yourself, selling is a numbers game.2. Look at clients as if they were prospects.3. Examine the type of market you've successfully worked.4. Examine your product mix. You may be discussing "X" when your prospect wants "Y."5. Show a million dollar proposal to someone each week.6. Have five client review interviews each week.7. Contact one "over-sixty" prospect each day.8. Implement marketing strategies, i.e. seminars, direct mail, joint selling.9. Use these words with prospects twice each day, "Now, here's what I'd like to recommend ..."10. Spend time with centers of influence.11. Look back to sales concepts that worked for you in the past.12. Spend time with a mentor.Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
Posted by CTIbpo at 6:18 PM
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Extend Your Stay
"Everyone needs at least three ingredients for a successful life - a self fit to live with, a faith fit to live by, and a work fit to live for." Dr. George SweetingAccording to the experts, there are seven steps to take if you wish to extend your stay and live longer, healthier days on earth.1. Stay activeOnce considered an indulgence for a few, regular exercise is now a must for all. By exercising regularly you can do more gradually, greatly benefiting your cardiovascular system, energy level and mental alertness. But don't just create your own exercise program. Ask your doctor to recommend one that's best suited for you.2. Be optimisticPhysiologically, happiness is a state of mind that is healthy for the body. An optimistic outlook on things will help you make sales, win customer cooperation, gain support from people closest to you - in short, succeed in life and living.3. Cope with adversityAdversity, problems, bad things happening are an integral ongoing part of living. If you see the bad things that happen as totally unexpected occurrences, it's easy to sell yourself into believing you are the victim of bad breaks. It's far better to accept the reality that "into each life some rain will fall." You have little or no control over what happens to you. You have complete control over your reaction. It's all a matter of attitude.4. Reduce your weightMany people believe it's normal to gain weight as they grow older. This can be a dangerous misconception.5. Plan significant eventsThere's nothing more therapeutic than the pursuit of meaningful goals. Studies made of centenarians, those reaching age 100 and beyond, show they have one theme in common -- they have something significant yet to be done. They have something to look forward to -- a motivation for living.6. Change the paceGet away from your demanding sales work routine and do something you enjoy. Relief from the day-to-day strains restores the joy of living.7. Have periodic check-upsThis is an all important first investment in future good health. This is where preventive action begins.Robust health and a high level of energy - keys to looking and feeling years younger - require more than following a set of rules. It also involves an optimistic, positive state of mind. Scientists are increasingly proving celebrated pianist Arthur Rubinstein was right when he said, "I have found if you love life, life will love you back." Rubinstein lived to be 95.Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
Posted by CTIbpo at 8:58 PM
May 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Proactive Methods for Handling Procrastination
"Where duty is plain, delay is dangerous"Are top producers better than others? No; they simply have a competitive advantage cultivated by a winning attitude. The discrepancies in ability are small, but the discrepancies in rewards are huge. There are four key things top producers do that give them a competitive edge.1. Establish your priorities and let nothing interfere with the execution of your most vital tasksBe constructively selective in what you will do. To aid in your selection, keep in mind that it will probably take longer to do most things than you estimate. Review your work methods so that you can learn to get the job done faster and easier.2. Always plan your day the day beforeKeep your written, daily plan visible. It will rout procrastination.3. Place your concentration on the matters that should be acted on immediately, leaving less important ones for laterA general guideline is that anything that will affect someone's pocketbook or welfare should be acted on immediately.4. When you start something, be determined to do it right the first time and bring it to a finishThe old cliché "If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?" still applies. Resist the temptation to leave a job unfinished. It takes more time to re-familiarize yourself with a project than to complete it the first time around.5. Dive in and get completely involved once you've set your prioritiesDetermine your most difficult job of the day and don't do anything else until it is complete. Only decisive action can overcome procrastination.6. Work out a self-reminder systemMake it a practice to write out your daily/weekly objectives and check off each one as it is accomplished. To help keep motivation high, many successful people have signs in their offices such as "When?" or "Do It Now!"7. Work toward developing your knowledge and skillsPeople tend to focus on doing what they already do best. If you are procrastinating in one area of the job, it may be a sign that you are unsure of yourself. By developing and applying new knowledge and skills, you build confidence and overcome your resistance to taking action.8. Discipline yourself in little thingsAnother natural tendency is to do the easier things rather than the hard ones that are necessary for success. To counteract this tendency, discipline yourself to do something difficult each day. It may be something as simple as getting up a little earlier or making one more appointment interview.9. Decide what tasks you will not tackleWhile setting priorities is essential, it's just as important to set "non-priority items" deciding what tasks are not essential and sticking to that decision. You can use A, B, C priorities: A. Must do. B. Nice to do. C. Non-priority item.10. Beware of perfectionismIf you tend to be a perfectionist, keep in mind that even by your standards you need to do some jobs "quick and dirty."Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
Posted by CTIbpo at 6:46 PM
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Top Secrets of Top Producers
"Our industry is full of people who can sell. But the top producers have learned how to move their clients from one stage to another, smoothly and seamlessly." Andy Martin(Used with permission: Andrew S. Martin, President, First Protective)Are top producers better than others? No; they simply have a competitive advantage cultivated by a winning attitude. The discrepancies in ability are small, but the discrepancies in rewards are huge. There are four key things top producers do that give them a competitive edge.1. Top producers believe in their productWhen I first joined my firm, the gentleman who recruited me informed me that I needed to buy a $100,000 universal life policy on myself. Since I started directly out of college, I considered the premium to be an enormous sum. I tried to explain that I didn't need a policy. But the general manager of the agency told me, "Son, if you don't believe in life insurance enough to buy a policy on your own life, you simply can't work here." Since I didn't have another job lined up, I bought a policy that day.2. Top producers sell to sell againAverage producers believe that once they have made a sale, the process is over. However, top producers understand that the first sale is just the beginning of a relationship-building process that can lead to repeat sales. Forge a strong relationship based on attention to client needs and timely information. Excellent service keeps clients happy with their purchase and quite willing to give referrals.3. Top producers are marketersAt the end of my first MDRT Annual Meeting in 1994 in Dallas, Texas, I realized that the biggest producers could take a single concept and market themselves as an expert so that other producers and consumers would approach them for help. A study by the Financial Planning Association showed that producers making above $100,000 a year market themselves by giving speeches to civic or business groups, public and in-house seminars, and workshops. They also write articles, books and columns, and distribute self-published newsletters. They learned that consumers prefer a marketing strategy over a sales call.4. Top producers contact their clientsResearch done by the Aristotle Brokerage Company indicates that it takes 14 annual contacts to have "extremely" satisfied clients. As a matter of fact, clients are only somewhat satisfied with seven contacts, and they are neutral to four. We realized a quarterly newsletter wasn't enough, but sending it bi- monthly kept us in clients' minds. We began hosting client dinners, increasing our attendance by 50 percent by simply adding to the bottom of the invitation: "Please feel free to bring a friend." In addition, instead of mailing out one invitation, we send three. We also send cards that celebrate the holiday of our consumer's choice.Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
Posted by CTIbpo at 6:19 PM
6 Powerful Prospecting Tips - Part 2
"Top producers don't need to be told to ask for referrals or follow-up on hot leads because they understand that prospecting is a necessity and not just an activity." John Boe(This article is used with permission. You may contact John Boe at 1-877-725-3750 or www.johnboe.com.)Why is it that some sales reps consistently earn a six-figure annual income while other reps, putting in the same hours, selling the same products and trained by the same sales manager struggle each month financially to make ends meet? The answer to this question is painfully simple; the six-figure sales reps spend more time on the phone and never forget to ask for referrals!This week, we'll share the final three of John Boe's "Six Powerful Prospecting Tips to Build Your Business."Tip Four: Schedule A Minimum Of Two Hours A Day For Phone CallingMake your phone calls in the morning while you and your referrals are both fresh and alert. Treat your prospecting time with the same respect you would give to any other important appointment. This is not the time to check your e-mails, play solitaire on the computer, make personal phone calls or chat with your associates.Avoid the temptation to try and sell your product or service over the phone. Your objective for every phone call is to create interest, gather information and set an appointment. If your prospect asks you a question, get in the habit of going for an appointment rather than giving a quick response.Don't shoot from the hip, use a script. It's important to use a phone script when you contact your prospect, so you don't leave out any key information. It's a good idea to role-play your script over the phone with your sales manager until he or she feels you sound confident and professional.Tip Five: Qualify Your Prospect at Maximum RangeUnfortunately, not every prospect will be interested or qualified financially to purchase your products or services. Successful sales reps don't waste time chasing after low-probability prospects and know when it's time to cut their losses and move on.Tip Six: Don't Take Rejection PersonallySelling, like baseball, is a numbers game, pure and simple. Rejection is to be anticipated as a natural aspect of the qualification process, so don't take it personally. Learn from rejection by using it as a valuable feedback mechanism. Salespeople who take rejection personally lack perseverance and seldom make the sale.For the majority of salespeople, prospecting for new business is without a doubt the most challenging and stressful aspect of the selling process. Selling is a contact sport, and daily prospecting for new business is the key to every salesperson's long-term financial success. By integrating these six powerful prospecting tips into your daily business routine, you'll be able to keep your appointment calendar packed!Remember: Prospecting is the lifeblood of your business. Stay after it!Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
Posted by CTIbpo at 6:15 PM
6 Powerful Prospecting Tips - Part 1
"Top producers don't need to be told to ask for referrals or follow-up on hot leads because they understand that prospecting is a necessity and not just an activity." John Boe(This article is used with permission. You may contact John Boe at 1-877-725-3750 or www.johnboe.com.)Why is it that some sales reps consistently earn a six-figure annual income while other reps, putting in the same hours, selling the same products and trained by the same sales manager struggle each month financially to make ends meet? The answer to this question is painfully simple; the six-figure sales reps spend more time on the phone and never forget to ask for referrals!Top producers don't need to be told to ask for referrals or follow up on hot leads, because they understand that prospecting is a necessity and not just an activity. The good news is that prospecting for new business, like any other skill, can be trained and developed into a habit.This week, we'll share three of John Boe's "Six Powerful Prospecting Tips to Build Your Business."Tip One: Don't Forget to Ask for ReferralsWhen it comes to asking for referrals, timing is everything. Research indicates that the most effective time to ask for referrals is right after you've made the sale or provided a valuable service for your customer. Asking for referrals prior to closing the sale is a big mistake and may even jeopardize the sale itself. Once the sale has been completed, your customer will be on an "emotional high" and far more receptive to the idea of providing you referrals.Tip Two: Train and Reward Your AdvocatesAn advocate is a person who's willing to go out of his or her way to recommend you to a friend or associate. Most customers are initially reluctant to provide referrals without some basic training and motivation.Once you're given a prospect, it's a good idea to take the time to role-play with your advocate to demonstrate how to approach and talk to their referral. A brief role-playing exercise will build your advocate's confidence and keep them from overeducating their referrals. During your role-play session, be sure to prepare your advocate to expect some initial resistance. This training will pay big dividends by making your advocate more effective and less likely to become discouraged when faced with rejection.Always take the time to thank your advocates and give them feedback on the status of their referrals. I recommend that you call them and then follow up by sending a thank you card and or gift.Tip Three: Strike While the Iron is HOTProspects, like food in your refrigerator, are perishable and therefore need to be contacted quickly. Each day you let slip by without making initial contact with your referral dramatically reduces the probability of you making the sale. Develop the habit of contacting your referrals within two business days or sooner. Have a system to keep track of your referrals so they don't end up falling through the cracks. It's critical to have a computerized client contact management system to record your remarks and track future contacts and appointments. Relying on your memory alone is a very poor business decision that will cost you dearly.We'll share the final three tips in next week's message.Remember: Prospecting is the lifeblood of your business. Stay after it!Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
Posted by CTIbpo at 6:09 PM
Remember Names & Faces
"Aristotle believed that one of the keys to human excellence is habituation: Force yourself to do something the right way long enough and it becomes second nature"Frank Bettger shared these three rules for remembering names and faces:1. Impression2. Repetition3. Association.Think of them as IRA.Rule #1 - ImpressionThe first thing to do is forget yourself, and concentrate as hard as you can on the other person's face and name. This will help you overcome self-consciousness when meeting strangers.Psychologists tell us that most of our memory troubles are really not memory troubles at all; they are observation troubles. We will observe a person's face pretty well, but many times fail completely in getting the name. We either don't listen or are unable to hear the name clearly. If you don't hear it, simply ask the person to repeat it.Rule #2 - RepetitionDo you ever forget a person's name within ten seconds after being introduced?• Try repeating the name several times in the early minutes of your conversation with the person. "It's nice to meet you, Sue." "Sue, allow me to introduce, John." "We are so glad you could be here today, Sue." You get the idea.• Use your own name in the conversation. This is helpful to others for remembering yours.• After you leave a new acquaintance, write the name down. Seeing it will help recall it.• When you are introduced to a group of people, try forming a sentence or two in your mind using the names.• To avoid forgetting names when introducing people in a group, don't be over anxious, make it a practice to greet people by their name, and if possible, take time beforehand to become familiar with the names.The real secret to repetition is: repetition at intervals. Make a list of people you want to remember, or anything you want to remember, and go over it briefly just before going to sleep, first thing in the morning, the next day, again next week.Rule #3 - AssociationNow, how can you retain what you want to remember? Association is undoubtedly the most important single factor. Associate the person's name with an event, an action or something it sounds like.To help others remember your name, supply the association for them. When introducing himself, Frank Bettger would say, "I'm Frank Bettger, then he would repeat his name, with a grin, "Pronounced like 'Bet- cher life!' Bettger." If it was a business introduction he would say: "Like 'Bet-cher Life Insurance' . . . Bettger."Follow these three rules this week and see what a difference they make.Carry this Pocket Reminder with you. Read it several times a day. Memorize it. We believe you'll beat last year's performance!Pocket Reminder: Remember Names and FacesFollow the IRA rules:• Impression: Get a clear impression of a person's name and face. Forget yourself and concentrate on the other individual.• Repetition: Repeat the person's name at short intervals, especially in the early minutes of your conversation. Write it down once you leave the meeting. Review names of people you want to remember at regular intervals.• Association: Associate the name with an action picture. If possible, include the person's business.Help others remember your name by providing an association for them!Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
Posted by CTIbpo at 6:01 PM
Proactive Methods for Handling Procrastination
"Where duty is plain, delay is dangerous"Are top producers better than others? No; they simply have a competitive advantage cultivated by a winning attitude. The discrepancies in ability are small, but the discrepancies in rewards are huge. There are four key things top producers do that give them a competitive edge.1. Establish your priorities and let nothing interfere with the execution of your most vital tasksBe constructively selective in what you will do. To aid in your selection, keep in mind that it will probably take longer to do most things than you estimate. Review your work methods so that you can learn to get the job done faster and easier.2. Always plan your day the day beforeKeep your written, daily plan visible. It will rout procrastination.3. Place your concentration on the matters that should be acted on immediately, leaving less important ones for laterA general guideline is that anything that will affect someone's pocketbook or welfare should be acted on immediately.4. When you start something, be determined to do it right the first time and bring it to a finishThe old cliché "If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?" still applies. Resist the temptation to leave a job unfinished. It takes more time to re-familiarize yourself with a project than to complete it the first time around.5. Dive in and get completely involved once you've set your prioritiesDetermine your most difficult job of the day and don't do anything else until it is complete. Only decisive action can overcome procrastination.6. Work out a self-reminder systemMake it a practice to write out your daily/weekly objectives and check off each one as it is accomplished. To help keep motivation high, many successful people have signs in their offices such as "When?" or "Do It Now!"7. Work toward developing your knowledge and skillsPeople tend to focus on doing what they already do best. If you are procrastinating in one area of the job, it may be a sign that you are unsure of yourself. By developing and applying new knowledge and skills, you build confidence and overcome your resistance to taking action.8. Discipline yourself in little thingsAnother natural tendency is to do the easier things rather than the hard ones that are necessary for success. To counteract this tendency, discipline yourself to do something difficult each day. It may be something as simple as getting up a little earlier or making one more appointment interview.9. Decide what tasks you will not tackleWhile setting priorities is essential, it's just as important to set "non-priority items" deciding what tasks are not essential and sticking to that decision. You can use A, B, C priorities: A. Must do. B. Nice to do. C. Non-priority item.10. Beware of perfectionismIf you tend to be a perfectionist, keep in mind that even by your standards you need to do some jobs "quick and dirty."Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
Posted by CTIbpo at 6:46 PM
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Top Secrets of Top Producers
"Our industry is full of people who can sell. But the top producers have learned how to move their clients from one stage to another, smoothly and seamlessly." Andy Martin(Used with permission: Andrew S. Martin, President, First Protective)Are top producers better than others? No; they simply have a competitive advantage cultivated by a winning attitude. The discrepancies in ability are small, but the discrepancies in rewards are huge. There are four key things top producers do that give them a competitive edge.1. Top producers believe in their productWhen I first joined my firm, the gentleman who recruited me informed me that I needed to buy a $100,000 universal life policy on myself. Since I started directly out of college, I considered the premium to be an enormous sum. I tried to explain that I didn't need a policy. But the general manager of the agency told me, "Son, if you don't believe in life insurance enough to buy a policy on your own life, you simply can't work here." Since I didn't have another job lined up, I bought a policy that day.2. Top producers sell to sell againAverage producers believe that once they have made a sale, the process is over. However, top producers understand that the first sale is just the beginning of a relationship-building process that can lead to repeat sales. Forge a strong relationship based on attention to client needs and timely information. Excellent service keeps clients happy with their purchase and quite willing to give referrals.3. Top producers are marketersAt the end of my first MDRT Annual Meeting in 1994 in Dallas, Texas, I realized that the biggest producers could take a single concept and market themselves as an expert so that other producers and consumers would approach them for help. A study by the Financial Planning Association showed that producers making above $100,000 a year market themselves by giving speeches to civic or business groups, public and in-house seminars, and workshops. They also write articles, books and columns, and distribute self-published newsletters. They learned that consumers prefer a marketing strategy over a sales call.4. Top producers contact their clientsResearch done by the Aristotle Brokerage Company indicates that it takes 14 annual contacts to have "extremely" satisfied clients. As a matter of fact, clients are only somewhat satisfied with seven contacts, and they are neutral to four. We realized a quarterly newsletter wasn't enough, but sending it bi- monthly kept us in clients' minds. We began hosting client dinners, increasing our attendance by 50 percent by simply adding to the bottom of the invitation: "Please feel free to bring a friend." In addition, instead of mailing out one invitation, we send three. We also send cards that celebrate the holiday of our consumer's choice.Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
Posted by CTIbpo at 6:19 PM
6 Powerful Prospecting Tips - Part 2
"Top producers don't need to be told to ask for referrals or follow-up on hot leads because they understand that prospecting is a necessity and not just an activity." John Boe(This article is used with permission. You may contact John Boe at 1-877-725-3750 or www.johnboe.com.)Why is it that some sales reps consistently earn a six-figure annual income while other reps, putting in the same hours, selling the same products and trained by the same sales manager struggle each month financially to make ends meet? The answer to this question is painfully simple; the six-figure sales reps spend more time on the phone and never forget to ask for referrals!This week, we'll share the final three of John Boe's "Six Powerful Prospecting Tips to Build Your Business."Tip Four: Schedule A Minimum Of Two Hours A Day For Phone CallingMake your phone calls in the morning while you and your referrals are both fresh and alert. Treat your prospecting time with the same respect you would give to any other important appointment. This is not the time to check your e-mails, play solitaire on the computer, make personal phone calls or chat with your associates.Avoid the temptation to try and sell your product or service over the phone. Your objective for every phone call is to create interest, gather information and set an appointment. If your prospect asks you a question, get in the habit of going for an appointment rather than giving a quick response.Don't shoot from the hip, use a script. It's important to use a phone script when you contact your prospect, so you don't leave out any key information. It's a good idea to role-play your script over the phone with your sales manager until he or she feels you sound confident and professional.Tip Five: Qualify Your Prospect at Maximum RangeUnfortunately, not every prospect will be interested or qualified financially to purchase your products or services. Successful sales reps don't waste time chasing after low-probability prospects and know when it's time to cut their losses and move on.Tip Six: Don't Take Rejection PersonallySelling, like baseball, is a numbers game, pure and simple. Rejection is to be anticipated as a natural aspect of the qualification process, so don't take it personally. Learn from rejection by using it as a valuable feedback mechanism. Salespeople who take rejection personally lack perseverance and seldom make the sale.For the majority of salespeople, prospecting for new business is without a doubt the most challenging and stressful aspect of the selling process. Selling is a contact sport, and daily prospecting for new business is the key to every salesperson's long-term financial success. By integrating these six powerful prospecting tips into your daily business routine, you'll be able to keep your appointment calendar packed!Remember: Prospecting is the lifeblood of your business. Stay after it!Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
Posted by CTIbpo at 6:15 PM
6 Powerful Prospecting Tips - Part 1
"Top producers don't need to be told to ask for referrals or follow-up on hot leads because they understand that prospecting is a necessity and not just an activity." John Boe(This article is used with permission. You may contact John Boe at 1-877-725-3750 or www.johnboe.com.)Why is it that some sales reps consistently earn a six-figure annual income while other reps, putting in the same hours, selling the same products and trained by the same sales manager struggle each month financially to make ends meet? The answer to this question is painfully simple; the six-figure sales reps spend more time on the phone and never forget to ask for referrals!Top producers don't need to be told to ask for referrals or follow up on hot leads, because they understand that prospecting is a necessity and not just an activity. The good news is that prospecting for new business, like any other skill, can be trained and developed into a habit.This week, we'll share three of John Boe's "Six Powerful Prospecting Tips to Build Your Business."Tip One: Don't Forget to Ask for ReferralsWhen it comes to asking for referrals, timing is everything. Research indicates that the most effective time to ask for referrals is right after you've made the sale or provided a valuable service for your customer. Asking for referrals prior to closing the sale is a big mistake and may even jeopardize the sale itself. Once the sale has been completed, your customer will be on an "emotional high" and far more receptive to the idea of providing you referrals.Tip Two: Train and Reward Your AdvocatesAn advocate is a person who's willing to go out of his or her way to recommend you to a friend or associate. Most customers are initially reluctant to provide referrals without some basic training and motivation.Once you're given a prospect, it's a good idea to take the time to role-play with your advocate to demonstrate how to approach and talk to their referral. A brief role-playing exercise will build your advocate's confidence and keep them from overeducating their referrals. During your role-play session, be sure to prepare your advocate to expect some initial resistance. This training will pay big dividends by making your advocate more effective and less likely to become discouraged when faced with rejection.Always take the time to thank your advocates and give them feedback on the status of their referrals. I recommend that you call them and then follow up by sending a thank you card and or gift.Tip Three: Strike While the Iron is HOTProspects, like food in your refrigerator, are perishable and therefore need to be contacted quickly. Each day you let slip by without making initial contact with your referral dramatically reduces the probability of you making the sale. Develop the habit of contacting your referrals within two business days or sooner. Have a system to keep track of your referrals so they don't end up falling through the cracks. It's critical to have a computerized client contact management system to record your remarks and track future contacts and appointments. Relying on your memory alone is a very poor business decision that will cost you dearly.We'll share the final three tips in next week's message.Remember: Prospecting is the lifeblood of your business. Stay after it!Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
Posted by CTIbpo at 6:09 PM
Remember Names & Faces
"Aristotle believed that one of the keys to human excellence is habituation: Force yourself to do something the right way long enough and it becomes second nature"Frank Bettger shared these three rules for remembering names and faces:1. Impression2. Repetition3. Association.Think of them as IRA.Rule #1 - ImpressionThe first thing to do is forget yourself, and concentrate as hard as you can on the other person's face and name. This will help you overcome self-consciousness when meeting strangers.Psychologists tell us that most of our memory troubles are really not memory troubles at all; they are observation troubles. We will observe a person's face pretty well, but many times fail completely in getting the name. We either don't listen or are unable to hear the name clearly. If you don't hear it, simply ask the person to repeat it.Rule #2 - RepetitionDo you ever forget a person's name within ten seconds after being introduced?• Try repeating the name several times in the early minutes of your conversation with the person. "It's nice to meet you, Sue." "Sue, allow me to introduce, John." "We are so glad you could be here today, Sue." You get the idea.• Use your own name in the conversation. This is helpful to others for remembering yours.• After you leave a new acquaintance, write the name down. Seeing it will help recall it.• When you are introduced to a group of people, try forming a sentence or two in your mind using the names.• To avoid forgetting names when introducing people in a group, don't be over anxious, make it a practice to greet people by their name, and if possible, take time beforehand to become familiar with the names.The real secret to repetition is: repetition at intervals. Make a list of people you want to remember, or anything you want to remember, and go over it briefly just before going to sleep, first thing in the morning, the next day, again next week.Rule #3 - AssociationNow, how can you retain what you want to remember? Association is undoubtedly the most important single factor. Associate the person's name with an event, an action or something it sounds like.To help others remember your name, supply the association for them. When introducing himself, Frank Bettger would say, "I'm Frank Bettger, then he would repeat his name, with a grin, "Pronounced like 'Bet- cher life!' Bettger." If it was a business introduction he would say: "Like 'Bet-cher Life Insurance' . . . Bettger."Follow these three rules this week and see what a difference they make.Carry this Pocket Reminder with you. Read it several times a day. Memorize it. We believe you'll beat last year's performance!Pocket Reminder: Remember Names and FacesFollow the IRA rules:• Impression: Get a clear impression of a person's name and face. Forget yourself and concentrate on the other individual.• Repetition: Repeat the person's name at short intervals, especially in the early minutes of your conversation. Write it down once you leave the meeting. Review names of people you want to remember at regular intervals.• Association: Associate the name with an action picture. If possible, include the person's business.Help others remember your name by providing an association for them!Jack and Garry KinderThe KBI Group
Posted by CTIbpo at 6:01 PM
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